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Bonfire

Bonfire

Hall Games · 2020
1–470–100 min12+ yrs3.6/5 complexity7.6 BGG#420 BGG13,3 KStrategy
short answer

How do you play Bonfire?

The primary objective in Bonfire is to re-ignite the extinguished bonfires on a dark planet, which serve as sources of light and warmth. Players, as gnomes, achieve this by completing tasks, building paths and portals, and recruiting gnomes, all of which contribute to their final score.

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FromRON 94· 4 shops
Bonfire box art
official art · Hall Games
the rules in 60 seconds▶ auto · 1/6
🧩
01

Setup

Each player receives a city board with seven bonfire spaces, and the main board is set up with task tiles on inner islands and path tiles on outer islands.

The rules, step by step

Setup
The game is set up with a main board featuring inner islands with task tiles and outer islands for path tiles. Each player receives a personal city board, which has seven spaces for bonfires. Players also start with a set of action tiles and gnomes to begin their quest to re-ignite the bonfires.
Objective
The primary objective in Bonfire is to re-ignite the extinguished bonfires on a dark planet, which serve as sources of light and warmth. Players, as gnomes, achieve this by completing tasks, building paths and portals, and recruiting gnomes, all of which contribute to their final score.
On your turn
During your turn, you perform a single action by spending one of your action tiles. Actions include moving your boat to collect task tiles from inner islands, paying resources to take a task and place it in your city, lighting bonfires by completing tasks, recruiting guardians of light, extending paths outside your city, rotating the Great Bonfire to gain items, and recruiting gnomes for ongoing abilities or end-game points.
Scoring
Points are primarily scored by lighting bonfires, with additional points for having a lit bonfire next to a matching colored path, and even more points if a portal connects them. Placing novices in the High Council also grants bonuses. Recruiting elder gnomes provides points based on specific conditions, such as the number of portals you have, but these points are only scored when the gnome is recruited, making timing important.
Game end
The end game is triggered when a predetermined number of novices have been placed in the High Council. Once this occurs, all players get five additional turns to finalize their strategies and maximize their scores. Alternatively, a player can choose to finish early to claim a point bonus, adding a strategic element to when to conclude your game.
Tips
To succeed in Bonfire, players should carefully plan their actions to create efficient chains of resource gathering, task completion, and bonfire lighting. Strategic placement of paths and portals is crucial for maximizing bonfire points, especially since portals can only be built from the right of the city and paths from the left. Timing the recruitment of elder gnomes is also key, as their points are only scored upon recruitment, so waiting until their conditions are met can yield higher rewards, but waiting too long risks another player taking them.
🔬 game anatomy
Complexity3.6 / 5
BGG rating7.6 / 10
Vibe
Strategy
Language dependence
No in-game text needed
🌐 plays without English
Play time
70–100 min
Players
1–4
Recommended age
12+ yrs
BGG rank
#420

from Trișache · verified

Frequently asked questions

Q1What is the goal of the game?
The primary objective in Bonfire is to re-ignite the extinguished bonfires on a dark planet, which serve as sources of light and warmth. Players, as gnomes, achieve this by completing tasks, building paths and portals, and recruiting gnomes, all of which contribute to their final score.
Q2How do you set up the game?
The game is set up with a main board featuring inner islands with task tiles and outer islands for path tiles. Each player receives a personal city board, which has seven spaces for bonfires. Players also start with a set of action tiles and gnomes to begin their quest to re-ignite the bonfires.
Q3How does a turn work?
During your turn, you perform a single action by spending one of your action tiles. Actions include moving your boat to collect task tiles from inner islands, paying resources to take a task and place it in your city, lighting bonfires by completing tasks, recruiting guardians of light, extending paths outside your city, rotating the Great Bonfire to gain items, and recruiting gnomes for ongoing abilities or end-game points.
Q4How is scoring calculated?
Points are primarily scored by lighting bonfires, with additional points for having a lit bonfire next to a matching colored path, and even more points if a portal connects them. Placing novices in the High Council also grants bonuses. Recruiting elder gnomes provides points based on specific conditions, such as the number of portals you have, but these points are only scored when the gnome is recruited, making timing important.
Q5When and how does the game end?
The end game is triggered when a predetermined number of novices have been placed in the High Council. Once this occurs, all players get five additional turns to finalize their strategies and maximize their scores. Alternatively, a player can choose to finish early to claim a point bonus, adding a strategic element to when to conclude your game.
Q6What tips are there for beginners?
To succeed in Bonfire, players should carefully plan their actions to create efficient chains of resource gathering, task completion, and bonfire lighting. Strategic placement of paths and portals is crucial for maximizing bonfire points, especially since portals can only be built from the right of the city and paths from the left. Timing the recruitment of elder gnomes is also key, as their points are only scored upon recruitment, so waiting until their conditions are met can yield higher rewards, but waiting too long risks another player taking them.
Q7How much does Bonfire cost?
Bonfire costs between 94 and 249 RON across Romanian stores.
Q8Where can I buy Bonfire cheapest?
The lowest price for Bonfire right now is 94 RON at Dragon Games. The Prices tab lists every store currently tracking it.
Q9How do you play Bonfire?
Bonfire is a fantasy game, for 1–4 players, taking ~70–100 minutes, featuring contracts. Check the Rules tab for setup, gameplay, and scoring, or ask Trișache anything about Bonfire — our AI assistant built by howtoplay.ro and trained specifically on board game rulebooks.
Q10How many players does Bonfire support?
Bonfire is played by 1–4 players.

💰 5 shops

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5 shops · sorted by price
Dragon GamesCHEAPESTEnglish/German edition
RON 94
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Pionul.ro
RON 249
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magazinuldesah.ro
RON 249
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Regatul Jocurilor
RON 249
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The Guild HallBonfire - EN
last known price
RON 249
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Second-hand · from €23 · 3 listings · 52% below avg new price
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