Bestiarium 2026

Bestiarium is a strategy game for two players: Black and White. It is played on the hexes (cells) of an initially empty hexagonal board. The recommended board size is 6 cells per side, though boards of 5 or 7 are also valid. Each player has access to a sufficient supply of stones of their own color.

Definitions: A creature is a maximal set of connected stones of the same color. A single stone is also a creature. The size of a creature is the number of stones it contains. A fauna is a maximal set of creatures of the same size and different shapes. Its value awards positive points. A species is a maximal set of creatures of the same size and the same shape, or a single creature of that size. Its value awards negative points. The value of a fauna or species is the number of creatures it contains multiplied by the square of their size.

Turns:Black plays first and then turns alternate. On your turn, perform these actions in order:

Place a stone of your color on an empty cell without merging friendly creatures. Remove from the board all enemy creatures adjacent to the creature containing the newly placed stone, causing it to eat them, provided they have its same size and a different shape from that creature. Then add one stone to that creature, causing it to grow. If a creature cannot grow, it cannot eat. Repeat this process while at least one creature can continue growing.

If you cannot place a stone, pass your turn; otherwise, passing is not allowed.

End of the game:The game ends when both players pass on consecutive turns. Each player orders their creatures by size, from largest to smallest, and compares them with the opponent's in cascade:

For each size, compare the value of the corresponding fauna. If a player has no fauna of that size, compare the value of the species instead. If there is a tie for a size, evaluate the next smaller size. If all comparisons are tied, the first player who could not place a stone wins.

The player who scores more points in the first comparison that establishes a difference wins.

—description from the designer