The kingdom needs a ruler. Unfortunately, the only candidates are everyone at your table — and not a single one of them can be trusted.
This Monday at Goose Games SLC we’re featuring Excalibur, a brand-new bluffing party game from designer Manny Trembley (co-designer of Dice Throne) and publisher Roxley, the studio behind heavyweight classics like Brass: Birmingham. If Brass is Roxley’s marathon, Excalibur is their sprint: a 20-minute game of backstabbing, sleight-of-hand, and loud accusations across the table.
The Theme
Arthurian legend, played for laughs. The magic pool of tiles in the center of the table is Avalon, split into three regions by little replica blades — Excalibur, Arondight, and Galatine. Hidden among the 62 character chips is the one true sword, plus a Cursed Blade nobody wants to be caught holding. The cast includes the legends you’d expect — Arthur, Merlin, the Lady of the Lake, the Black Knight — plus a few surprises.
How It Plays
At the start, one random player is secretly dealt Excalibur and another may get the Cursed Blade. Nobody knows who has what. From there, every round runs on the same quick loop:
- Draw — everyone tops their hand back up to 4 chips from Avalon, at the same time.
- Play — everyone secretly picks one chip and holds it in a closed fist.
- Reveal — fists open together.
- Resolve — starting with the crown holder, each character’s ability goes off: stealing from other players’ hands, stashing chips back into Avalon, swapping the Cursed Blade onto someone else, and more.
- Pass the crown to the left.
Because everyone acts at once, there’s no waiting around and no analysis paralysis.
How You Win
When any region of Avalon runs dry, that round is the last. Whoever is holding Excalibur wins and takes the crown. If nobody has it, the kingdom falls into chaos and everyone loses. And whoever ends up with the Cursed Blade is the ultimate loser — unless they’re also holding Excalibur, in which case everyone else shares a tainted victory.
The trick? If you’ve got the sword, you want the game to end now — so you start draining Avalon while trying very hard to look innocent.
Why You’ll Love It
- Teaches in minutes. Perfect if you’re new to Goose Games or new to the hobby.
- Plays up to 8. Great for big groups and for grabbing friends you just met.
- Table talk is the point. The best games are full of laughing, finger-pointing, and “I absolutely do not have the sword.”
- Fast enough for a rematch. You’ll want one.
Come find the sword this Monday at 2 Row Brewing in Midvale. All are welcome — no experience required, and we’ll teach you every game we play.