Excalibur
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Whoever finds Excalibur wants to keep it. Whoever doesn't have it wants to steal it. And everyone lies with a regal smile.
What it's about
The sword in the stone doesn't wait for gentlemen
Excalibur is a party game of bluff and subterfuge by Manny Trembley and published by Roxley Games — the same company that brought us Brass: Birmingham and Santorini. This one is something much less noble.
Each round, players simultaneously draw chips from the three regions of Avalon on the table, then reveal them one by one. Each chip bears a character from Arthurian legend — each with a special power: swap, steal, spy, sabotage. Someone, among all those chips, hides Excalibur.
Whoever finds it wants to keep it. Everyone else wants to take it away from them. The game ends when a region of Avalon empties — and if no one has Excalibur in hand, everyone loses. The king must be worthy, or there will be no one.
The essence of the game
A party game that turns every table into a medieval court where everyone smiles and no one trusts anyone.
The secret of Excalibur in one line
Five minutes to explain it, twenty to finish it, an hour to stop laughing at what your best friend did to you.
From the game experience
Excalibur
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, official materials, and Kickstarter previewWhat you'll find in the box
Everything you need to reign
Avalon Chips
Simultaneously drawn from the three regions of the table. Each chip hides a character — or the sword. The tension is in the draw.
Excalibur
The only chip that matters. Whoever ends the round holding it wins. Whoever doesn't find it wants to take it from the one who did.
Arthurian Characters
Merlin, Morgana, Lancelot, and the others. Each has a unique power — swap, steal, spy, or sabotage. No round is ever the same.
The Cursed Blade
Not all swords are good. There's an alternative ending where no one wins — and someone will end up there because of a wrong choice.
Twenty minutes. Eight players. One sword. And a table that discovers who is truly the most disloyal of all.
See how it works
Excalibur in Action
⚠️ The video shows the Collector's Edition (Kickstarter). The version sold on FroGames is the standard edition — the gameplay is identical.
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
The three regions of Avalon on the table
Chips are distributed into three face-down piles. No one knows what's where. Everyone knows only one thing: Excalibur is hidden in there, and whoever finds it first becomes everyone else's target. The game hasn't even started, and people are already looking at each other with suspicion.
Simultaneous draw — all together
Everyone reaches for Avalon at the same time. Chips are drawn randomly, kept face down. Some are already smiling too much. Is it Excalibur? Is it Merlin? Is it the Cursed Blade? The moment of revelation is still far off — but the tension at the table is already palpable.
Powers come into play
Chips are revealed one by one. Morgana swaps. Lancelot spies. Merlin redistributes everything. In a few seconds, whoever had Excalibur no longer has it — and whoever thought they were safe discovers they have something unexpected in their hands. The bluff truly begins.
The traitor's move
There's always that moment. Someone uses a power no one expected. A chip changes hands in absolute silence, then chaos erupts. Accusations, laughter, someone yelling "I knew it!". That moment will be on loop in the conversation all evening.
A region empties — everything is revealed
When the last chip from a region is played, the round ends. Whoever has Excalibur wins. Whoever has the Cursed Blade loses. If no one has Excalibur, everyone loses. Everything is put back on the table while someone is already asking: "One more?"
How to play
The flow of each round
Four phases explained in three minutes. The first game starts before anyone has finished reading the rules.
All players simultaneously draw chips from the three regions of Avalon on the table. The chips remain covered — no one sees what others have.
In turn order, players reveal chips one by one, immediately resolving their effect. Each Arthurian character does something different.
Swap chips with an opponent, spy on what they have in hand, steal directly, or redistribute everything. Each power changes the situation — often unpredictably.
When a region of Avalon empties, the round ends. You check who has Excalibur — and the game starts over in less than a minute.
Why it's different from others
Six reasons why it works
Setup in less than five minutes
No long preparation, no board to set up. Chips are dealt, you learn how it works in three minutes, and you start. Perfect for opening or closing an evening.
Bluff without barriers
No experience is needed to bluff well. The power system makes every move an excuse to lie — and the best liar isn't always the one who's played the most.
Characters with their own identity
Each chip brings an Avalon character with a specific power. They are not decorations — they define the round's tactics and make every revelation a high-tension moment.
The shared ending no one wants
If no one finds Excalibur when the round ends, everyone loses. This collective threat changes each player's calculations — sometimes it's worth collaborating, even among enemies.
Up to eight players with no downtime
Drawing is simultaneous, so there's never any waiting. With eight players, the chaos is maximum — and paradoxically, the game doesn't slow down. Everyone is always involved, always at risk.
Immediate replayability
A round lasts 15-20 minutes, and everything is back on the table in thirty seconds. The random combination of chips ensures that no two games are ever the same.
How it ends
Three ways to end a round
Excalibur rewards those who can wield the sword — and punishes those who seek it without finding it.
Victory
- You hold Excalibur when a region of Avalon empties
- You used bluffing, powers, or luck — no matter how: you are the King or Queen
- Others must accept it — at least until the next game
Collective defeat
- No one has Excalibur when the round ends
- Or someone receives the Cursed Blade — and can't get rid of it
- Everyone loses — and you start over immediately, this time with less mutual trust
Excalibur is one of the most immediate party games in recent years. Quick to learn, hard to stop playing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Excalibur FAQ
Is it really for everyone, or do you need experience with party games?
It is specifically designed to be accessible to everyone. The rules are explained in less than five minutes, and there are no mechanics to master — just the instinct not to be tricked. Someone who has never played a party game can be the most dangerous at the table precisely because they are unpredictable.
Does it still work with two players?
It works, but the experience is very different: more tactical, less chaotic, more like a direct bluffing duel. The game is at its best with four or more players, where powers intertwine and chaos becomes part of the design. With eight players, you get the experience the designers had in mind.
How long does a game really last?
A single round lasts between 15 and 25 minutes. Setup is less than five minutes. In practice, the real question is how many games you play in an evening — because the reset is almost instantaneous, and the desire for revenge is guaranteed.
Is there a lot of interaction between players, or do you play in parallel?
Interaction is continuous and direct. Every power affects someone — it swaps with you, spies on you, steals from you. There is no turn where a player is not involved or threatened. It's a game of social dynamics disguised as a medieval party game.
Are there expansions, or is it a standalone game?
Excalibur is a complete and standalone game in its base version. The Kickstarter campaign reached almost eight thousand backers and unlocked additional content included in the crowdfunded edition. The standard version available on FroGames includes everything needed to play.
Is it available in Italian?
This is the English edition. The text on the chips and game materials is in English, but the amount of text to read during the game is minimal — powers are short and immediate. Advanced fluency is not required to enjoy every game.
Excalibur is a bluffing and subterfuge party game for 2–8 players (ages 14+, duration 15–25 min). Designed by Manny Trembley, illustrations by Manny Trembley and James Van Niekerk, published by Roxley Games. Core mechanics: bluffing, social deduction, draw and reveal. Players simultaneously draw chips from the three regions of Avalon to find the legendary sword Excalibur, using the powers of Arthurian characters to swap, steal, or defend it. The game ends when a region empties: whoever holds Excalibur wins, everyone loses if no one has it. English edition. Available on FroGames.it.
Frequently Asked Questions
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