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Betrayal at House on the Hill

Betrayal at House on the Hill

Avalon Hill · 2004
3–660 min12+ yrs2.4/5 complexity7.0 BGG#775 BGG86,8 K
short answer

How do you play Betrayal at House on the Hill?

Initially, all players work cooperatively to explore the haunted mansion. However, the primary objective of the game dramatically shifts once the 'haunt' is triggered. At this point, one player is revealed as the traitor, and the remaining players become the survivors. Each side then receives a unique set of victory conditions, specific to the particular haunt scenario that has been triggered. The game becomes a race between the traitor and the survivors to achieve their respective goals.

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Betrayal at House on the Hill box art
official art · Avalon Hill
the rules in 60 seconds▶ auto · 1/6
🧩
01

Setup

Players choose a character, place their miniature in the Entrance Hall, and set their stat clips to the starting values.

The rules, step by step

Setup
To set up the game, each player selects one of the available character cards and places their corresponding miniature in the Entrance Hall tile. Each character card has four stats: Might, Sanity, Knowledge, and Speed. Players adjust the plastic clips on their character card to indicate the starting values for these stats. The room tiles, event cards, item cards, and omen cards are shuffled and placed face down in separate stacks, ready to be drawn during gameplay. The Haunt Chart and Traitors Tome are kept nearby but not read until the haunt begins.
Objective
Initially, all players work cooperatively to explore the haunted mansion. However, the primary objective of the game dramatically shifts once the 'haunt' is triggered. At this point, one player is revealed as the traitor, and the remaining players become the survivors. Each side then receives a unique set of victory conditions, specific to the particular haunt scenario that has been triggered. The game becomes a race between the traitor and the survivors to achieve their respective goals.
On your turn
During a player's turn, they can move their character miniature a number of spaces up to their current Speed stat. If a player moves through a door into an empty space, they draw a new room tile (matching the current floor level) and place it face up, connecting it to the existing layout. Upon entering a new room, players resolve any special instructions printed on the tile. If there's a symbol in the corner of the room tile, they draw a corresponding Item, Event, or Omen card and resolve its effects. If there's no symbol, they continue exploring on subsequent turns until they find a room with a symbol.
Scoring
Betrayal at House on the Hill does not involve a traditional scoring system. Instead, the game is won by achieving specific victory conditions that are unique to each 'haunt' scenario. Once the haunt begins, the game transitions from cooperative exploration to a competitive struggle between the traitor and the survivors. Each side is given a set of objectives, and the first side to successfully meet their conditions wins the game, making individual points or scores irrelevant.
Game end
The game concludes immediately when either the traitor or the survivors successfully meet their specific victory conditions as outlined in the Haunt scenario. These conditions are detailed in the Traitors Tome for the traitor and the Secrets of Survival book for the survivors, and they vary greatly depending on which haunt is triggered. Once one side achieves its objective, the game ends, and that side is declared the winner.
Tips
Players should carefully manage their character's stats, as many challenges and attacks require trait rolls. Keeping track of stat changes with the clips is crucial, despite their tendency to come loose. When drawing Omen cards, be aware that they can trigger the haunt, which fundamentally changes the game. During the haunt, thorough reading of the specific scenario rules in the Traitors Tome and Secrets of Survival is essential, as each haunt has unique rules for movement, combat, and victory conditions. Remember that the traitor can ignore harmful room and event text, and monsters might be introduced, adding complexity to movement and combat.
game anatomy
Complexity2.4 / 5
BGG rating7.0 / 10
Language dependence
Extensive text — heavy translation needed
Play time
60 min
Players
3–6
Recommended age
12+ yrs
BGG rank
#775
from Trișache · verified

Frequently asked questions

Q1What is the goal of the game?
Initially, all players work cooperatively to explore the haunted mansion. However, the primary objective of the game dramatically shifts once the 'haunt' is triggered. At this point, one player is revealed as the traitor, and the remaining players become the survivors. Each side then receives a unique set of victory conditions, specific to the particular haunt scenario that has been triggered. The game becomes a race between the traitor and the survivors to achieve their respective goals.
Q2How do you set up the game?
To set up the game, each player selects one of the available character cards and places their corresponding miniature in the Entrance Hall tile. Each character card has four stats: Might, Sanity, Knowledge, and Speed. Players adjust the plastic clips on their character card to indicate the starting values for these stats. The room tiles, event cards, item cards, and omen cards are shuffled and placed face down in separate stacks, ready to be drawn during gameplay. The Haunt Chart and Traitors Tome are kept nearby but not read until the haunt begins.
Q3How does a turn work?
During a player's turn, they can move their character miniature a number of spaces up to their current Speed stat. If a player moves through a door into an empty space, they draw a new room tile (matching the current floor level) and place it face up, connecting it to the existing layout. Upon entering a new room, players resolve any special instructions printed on the tile. If there's a symbol in the corner of the room tile, they draw a corresponding Item, Event, or Omen card and resolve its effects. If there's no symbol, they continue exploring on subsequent turns until they find a room with a symbol.
Q4How is scoring calculated?
Betrayal at House on the Hill does not involve a traditional scoring system. Instead, the game is won by achieving specific victory conditions that are unique to each 'haunt' scenario. Once the haunt begins, the game transitions from cooperative exploration to a competitive struggle between the traitor and the survivors. Each side is given a set of objectives, and the first side to successfully meet their conditions wins the game, making individual points or scores irrelevant.
Q5When and how does the game end?
The game concludes immediately when either the traitor or the survivors successfully meet their specific victory conditions as outlined in the Haunt scenario. These conditions are detailed in the Traitors Tome for the traitor and the Secrets of Survival book for the survivors, and they vary greatly depending on which haunt is triggered. Once one side achieves its objective, the game ends, and that side is declared the winner.
Q6What tips are there for beginners?
Players should carefully manage their character's stats, as many challenges and attacks require trait rolls. Keeping track of stat changes with the clips is crucial, despite their tendency to come loose. When drawing Omen cards, be aware that they can trigger the haunt, which fundamentally changes the game. During the haunt, thorough reading of the specific scenario rules in the Traitors Tome and Secrets of Survival is essential, as each haunt has unique rules for movement, combat, and victory conditions. Remember that the traitor can ignore harmful room and event text, and monsters might be introduced, adding complexity to movement and combat.
Q7How much does Betrayal at House on the Hill cost?
No store is currently tracking Betrayal at House on the Hill. Check the Prices tab — you can set a price alert to be notified when it appears.
Q8Where can I buy Betrayal at House on the Hill cheapest?
Check the Prices tab — howtoplay.ro aggregates offers from 7+ Romanian board-game stores and tracks price history.
Q9How do you play Betrayal at House on the Hill?
Betrayal at House on the Hill is a adventure game, for 3–6 players, taking ~60 minutes, featuring dice rolling. Check the Rules tab for setup, gameplay, and scoring, or ask Trișache anything about Betrayal at House on the Hill — our AI assistant built by howtoplay.ro and trained specifically on board game rulebooks.
Q10How many players does Betrayal at House on the Hill support?
Betrayal at House on the Hill is played by 3–6 players.
3 shops

All prices

3 shops · sorted by priceupdated today
LexShopeasyboxFANbox
Betrayal at House on the Hill
last known price
RON 236
Buy
Regatul Jocuriloreasybox
Betrayal at House on the Hill 2nd Edition
last known price
RON 259
Buy
The Guild HallEnglish edition 2021GLS Locker
Betrayal at House on the Hill 3rd Edition - EN
last known price
RON 319
Buy
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