Black Rose Wars
- Players
- 2-4
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 4 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 90 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 14+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 3.4 / 5
- Year
- 2019
About the game
Black Rose Wars puts players in the role of powerful mages battling to become the new Supreme Magister and claim the Black Rose Artifact. Each mage draws from six schools of magic, building a growing grimoire of spells while planning attacks in secret before revealing them simultaneously each turn. Combat plays out across a modular hexagonal arena of rooms, where mages summon creatures, cast spells, and set traps to eliminate rivals or complete missions. Dying isn't the end: defeated mages are immediately reborn, keeping the action constant even as opponents grow stronger from every kill. It's a deckbuilding combat game wrapped in a dark fantasy theme with real bite.
Hobbli's Notes
Black Rose Wars delivers a genuinely tense simultaneous-reveal combat experience, closer to a fighting game than a typical euro. Building your grimoire over the course of a match gives real customization, and the modular arena keeps geography fresh from game to game. It leans into direct conflict and take-that moments, so it's best for groups who enjoy a bit of confrontation at the table. Downtime can climb with four players, so we'd lean toward the lower end of its player count for the smoothest experience.
What we like
- Simultaneous card-planning creates tense mind games.
- Deep spell and deckbuilding customization per mage.
- Dynamic modular arena keeps every game fresh.
- Strong miniatures and thematic presentation.
Keep in mind
- Downtime can grow noticeably with more players.
- Rules overhead is heavy for newcomers.
- Direct conflict and take-that elements won't suit everyone.
Who it's for
Best for competitive strategy gamers ages 14+ in groups of 2 to 4 who enjoy direct conflict and deckbuilding combat.
