Saboteur is a brilliantly simple hidden-role card game where dwarves race through an underground mine in search of gold—but not everyone at the table is working towards the same goal.

Some players are honest gold miners, trying to build a continuous tunnel towards the hidden treasure. Others are secret saboteurs, whose job is to stop them. The problem? Nobody knows exactly who is on their side.

As the mine grows, players add path cards to extend the tunnel, while action cards allow them to repair tools, break other players' equipment or cause rockfalls that destroy sections of the mine. All the while, the saboteurs are quietly trying to disrupt the miners without revealing their identities.

That hidden information is what makes Saboteur so much fun. A player who appears to be helping might actually be working against you. Someone who seems suspicious might simply be trying to protect their own gold. And when the tunnel suddenly takes an unexpected turn, you'll have to decide who you can trust.

Supporting 3–10 players and taking around 30 minutes, Saboteur is an excellent choice for family game nights, parties and larger groups. The rules are easy to learn, but the bluffing, deduction and table talk create plenty of memorable moments.

If you enjoy games involving hidden roles, deception and trying to work out what everyone else is really doing, Saboteur deserves a place in your game collection.

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Why You'll Love It

• A classic hidden-role card game with a brilliant mining theme.

• Supports 3–10 players, making it great for larger groups.

• Easy-to-learn rules make it accessible to casual gamers.

• Secretly work as either a gold miner or a saboteur.

• Build tunnels towards the hidden treasure.

• Use action cards to repair, sabotage and disrupt other players.

• Plenty of bluffing, deduction and table talk.

• Games take around 30 minutes.

• Every round creates a different combination of secret alliances and betrayals.

• Excellent for family gatherings, parties and game nights.

• A great introduction to hidden-role and social deduction games.

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How to Play

At the beginning of each round of Saboteur, players secretly receive a role card. You are either a Gold Miner, trying to reach the treasure, or a Saboteur, secretly trying to prevent the miners from getting there.

Your role remains hidden from the other players.

The game starts with a starting card representing the entrance to the mine and three hidden goal cards at the other end. One of those goals contains the gold; the others are dead ends.

On your turn, you play a card from your hand.

Path cards allow you to build the mine, gradually creating a tunnel towards the possible treasure locations. The trick is that players need to connect their paths correctly, so the mine develops into a network of tunnels rather than simply placing cards wherever they like.

But the saboteurs are working against you.

Action cards can be used to cause problems for other players. You might break their equipment, making it harder for them to contribute to the tunnel, or use other actions to interfere with the miners' plans. Repair cards can reverse those problems, allowing players to get back into the action.

The challenge for the Gold Miners is figuring out how to work together without knowing exactly who they can trust.

For the Saboteurs, meanwhile, the objective is more subtle. You need to slow the miners down without making your identity obvious. Sabotage too aggressively and everyone will suspect you. Help too much and you may accidentally lead the miners to the gold.

If the miners successfully connect the entrance to the treasure, the miners win the round. If they fail to reach the gold, the saboteurs succeed.

After three rounds, the player who has collected the most gold wins the game.

This makes Saboteur more than simply a card-placement game. Every card you play can become evidence of your supposed allegiance, making deception and reading the table just as important as the cards in your hand.

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Who Is This Game For?

Saboteur is an excellent choice for:

• Families looking for an interactive card game.

• Groups of friends who enjoy bluffing and deception.

• Players who enjoy hidden-role games.

• Fans of social deduction games.

• Larger groups of up to 10 players.

• Players who enjoy games with secret teams.

• Casual gamers looking for something easy to learn.

• Experienced gamers wanting a quick social game.

• Fans of games such as The Resistance, Avalon, Coup and Love Letter.

• Anyone who enjoys trying to work out whether the person sitting next to them is telling the truth!

The game is particularly effective with larger groups, where it becomes much harder to work out exactly who is helping the miners and who is secretly trying to destroy their plans.

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Why Buy From Roll The Dice?

At Roll The Dice, we're passionate about finding games that get people around a table and genuinely interacting with each other.

As an independent UK board game retailer, we carefully select the games we stock and aim to offer something for every type of player—from deep strategy games to quick family favourites and party games that can be taught in minutes.

Saboteur is one of those games that can work brilliantly for a mixed group. The rules are straightforward, the game doesn't take hours to play and the hidden-role element creates plenty of conversation, suspicion and laughter.

Every order is packed with care by fellow board gamers, with fast UK dispatch and friendly customer service.

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Game Information

Feature	Details
Players	3–10
Recommended Age	8+
Playing Time	Approximately 30 minutes
Game Type	Hidden Role / Card Game
Mechanics	Hidden Roles, Hand Management, Tile/Path Building, Bluffing, Deduction
Theme	Dwarves, Mining, Treasure
Designer	Frédéric Moyersoen
Publisher	AMIGO
Release Year	2004

The original Saboteur was designed by Frédéric Moyersoen and first published in 2004. Current listings give it a 3–10 player count, an 8+ age recommendation and approximately 30 minutes playing time.

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What's Included?

The game includes:

• Path cards for building the mine

• Action cards for helping or sabotaging players

• Gold cards

• Gold Miner role cards

• Saboteur role cards

• Rulebook

The current rules list 44 Path Cards, 27 Action Cards, 28 Gold Nugget Cards, 7 Gold Miner cards and 4 Saboteur cards.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Saboteur?

Saboteur is a hidden-role card game where players secretly become either gold miners trying to find treasure or saboteurs attempting to prevent them from reaching it.

How many people can play Saboteur?

The game supports 3–10 players, making it particularly good for groups and larger family gatherings.

How long does Saboteur take to play?

A game takes approximately 30 minutes, although the exact playing time can vary depending on the group.

What age is Saboteur suitable for?

The recommended age is 8+, making it suitable for family game nights as well as adult groups.

Is Saboteur a hidden-role game?

Yes. Players secretly receive a role as either a Gold Miner or a Saboteur. The other players don't know which team you're secretly working for.

Is Saboteur a strategy game?

Saboteur combines tactical card play with bluffing, deduction and social interaction. You need to decide where to build paths, when to use action cards and how much you can trust the other players.

Is Saboteur good for large groups?

Absolutely. With up to 10 players, Saboteur is a particularly useful choice when you're looking for a card game that can accommodate a bigger group.

Can you play Saboteur with 2 players?

The original Saboteur is designed for 3–10 players. If you specifically want a two-player version, Saboteur: The Duel is a separate game designed for 1–2 players.

Is Saboteur suitable for beginners?

Yes. The basic rules are easy to understand, but the hidden roles and uncertainty surrounding the other players give the game plenty of depth.

What happens if the miners find the gold?

If the Gold Miners successfully build a continuous path from the entrance to the treasure, the miners win the round and receive gold.

What happens if the saboteurs stop the miners?

If the miners fail to reach the treasure, the Saboteurs win the round and receive the reward instead.

What games are similar to Saboteur?

If you enjoy Saboteur, you may also enjoy The Resistance, Avalon, Coup, Codenames and other social deduction or hidden-role games.

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You May Also Enjoy

If you enjoy Saboteur, you may also like:

• The Resistance: Avalon – A hidden-role game of loyalty, deception and deduction where players must identify the traitors among them.

• Coup – Bluff, deceive and challenge your opponents as you try to eliminate their influence.

• Codenames – A team-based word game where clever clues and deduction are the keys to victory.

• 6 Nimmt! – A fast and interactive card game where you need to anticipate what everyone else is going to play.

• Cabanga! – A quick family card game where players try to get rid of their cards while watching for opportunities to catch opponents out.

Looking for more games for larger groups? Explore our Party Games, Card Games, Family Games, Social Deduction Games and Games for Large Groups collections to discover your next game-night favourite.