Description
Saboter (Saboteur in the original) is an extremely popular, dynamic and fun card game based on hidden roles, mistrust, bluffing and cooperation. It's the perfect choice for larger groups, bringing plenty of laughter, accusations and unexpected twists.
The game takes you deep into mine tunnels, where players become dwarf miners – but beware, saboteurs are hiding among you!
How does the game work?
At the start of each round, players secretly receive their role. No one knows who is who, and the goals of the two groups are completely opposite:
Hard-working miners: by laying path cards, they try to build an unbroken tunnel from the start card to one of the three goal cards, where the gold is hidden.
Saboteurs: they secretly try to stop the miners from reaching the gold. They do this by digging tunnels in the wrong direction, creating dead ends or breaking other players' equipment (carts, lamps, pickaxes).
Action cards and sabotage
Besides path cards, players also hold action cards:
Broken tool: use this card to block a player you suspect of being a saboteur. Until they repair their tool, they can't build paths.
Repair: lets you repair a broken tool for yourself or someone else.
Rockfall: removes one already placed path card from the table (a great way for a saboteur to cut a path or for a miner to repair a saboteur's damage).
Map: lets you secretly look at one of the three goal cards to find out exactly where the gold is hidden.
The game lasts three rounds. At the end of each round, when the cards run out or the gold is found, the roles are revealed and the gold is shared out. The winner of the whole game is whoever has collected the most gold nuggets after three rounds.
Why will you love Saboter?
Great for larger groups: the game can be played by 3 and up to 10 players, and it's most fun with a bigger group (over 5 players), when the hunt for the saboteurs is at its tensest.
Psychological play and bluffing: the main charm of the game is suspicion. Did your neighbour really make a mistake and lay the wrong path, or are they deliberately leading you away from the gold? Saboteurs must play cunningly so as not to reveal themselves too early.
Quick to learn and short games: the rules are simple and can be explained in three minutes, and one game takes about 30 minutes.
Will you pull together and dig up the treasure, or will you quietly break your neighbour's pickaxe and snatch the gold from under their nose?
