Board Games 🇩🇪Germany21st century

Caverna: The Cave Farmers

HEAVY WORKER-PLACEMENT + FARM/CAVE-BUILDING EURO by UWE ROSENBERG (2013, Lookout Games). SPIRITUAL SUCCESSOR + reimagining of AGRICOLA (2007). 1-7 players play DWARF families managing farms + tunneling cave systems. FEATURES 80+ ROOMS to build + 8 dwarf pairs to expand + weapon system + adventure exploration. Considered more FORGIVING + REPLAYABLE than Agricola (no card variability = more strategic control). BGG top-50 consistently. Widely considered one of Rosenberg's finest + a benchmark heavy euro. 30 min/player.

📐Personal player board (farm + cave) + shared action board⏱~150 min🌤indoor

What is Caverna: The Cave Farmers?

CAVERNA: THE CAVE FARMERS is a HEAVY WORKER-PLACEMENT + FARM/CAVE-BUILDING EURO designed by UWE ROSENBERG (Germany), published by LOOKOUT GAMES (2013). Spiritual successor + reimagining of AGRICOLA (Rosenberg 2007) — the game that made him famous. 1-7 PLAYERS play DWARF families managing FARMS on the surface (fields + pastures + animals) AND excavating CAVE SYSTEMS underground (tunnels + rooms + mining). Features 80+ ROOMS + FURNISHINGS to build across cave complex + 8 dwarf pairs to expand + WEAPON SYSTEM for adventuring + ORE + RUBY resources. Considered more FORGIVING + REPLAYABLE than Agricola — no card variability means more strategic control + fewer luck-based openings. Held BGG top-50 consistently 2013-2026; peaked in top-20. Widely considered ONE OF UWE ROSENBERG'S FINEST DESIGNS + a benchmark heavy euro of the 2010s. 30 MIN PER PLAYER — 2-3 hours at 4 players. GAMEPLAY: 12 ROUNDS. Each round: (1) Reveal new action space; (2) Place dwarves on action spaces (worker-placement); (3) Return dwarves; (4) Advance round marker. Actions: gather resources (wood, stone, ore), plow fields, sow crops, breed animals, excavate tunnels, build rooms, expand family. HARVEST rounds (4x per game) FORCE feeding dwarves — starve = penalty. WEAPON SYSTEM: Some dwarves get weapons for adventuring (gathering random resources). END SCORING: Points for fields + pastures + animals + rooms + weapons + gold + rubies + no gaps in cave/farm.

Quick facts

How it works

Objective

Score most VP by end of 12 rounds via fields, pastures, animals, rooms, weapons, gold, rubies. Avoid gaps in farm/cave (negative points).

Rules

Basic rules

12 rounds; place dwarves each round
Worker-placement action selection.
Actions: gather resources, plow, sow, breed animals, excavate, build rooms, expand family
80+ action spaces revealed progressively.
Harvest rounds (4x per game): feed dwarves
Starvation = 3 penalty points per unfed dwarf.
Build 80+ possible rooms in cave
Rooms grant VP + special abilities.
Weapon system enables adventuring
Weapon dwarves gather random bonus resources.
End-game scoring: fields, pastures, animals, rooms, gold, rubies, no gaps
Highest VP wins.

Scoring

End-game VP from all fields + pastures + animals (up to threshold) + rooms + weapons + gold + rubies + minus penalties for gaps + missing categories.

Action	Points
Field / pasture / cavern tile	1-4 VP per tile (varies)
Grain / vegetable / animal	1 VP each up to threshold
Furnishing / dwelling	Varies by room; 2-15 VP
Ore / ruby / gold	Varies (rubies = 4 VP each)
Weapon on dwarf	1 VP per dwarf with weapon
Missing categories / gaps	-2 to -3 VP each

Win condition · Highest VP after 12 rounds wins.

Playing area

Called

Personal player board (farm + cave) + shared action board

Dimensions

~90×60cm playspace

Each player has personal FARM/CAVE board (surface + underground). Shared central action board with worker-placement spaces + 12-round track.

Equipment

Caverna base box
$100 USD; supports 1-7 players in one box
Caverna: Forgotten Folk expansion (2018)
$60; new dwarf races + rooms
Caverna: Cave vs Cave (2017)
$25; 2-player standalone spinoff
Player boards (surface farm + underground cave)
Personal boards for each player
80+ room tiles
Various rooms with unique benefits
Wooden animal + resource tokens
Sheep, cattle, donkey, pig, wood, stone, ore, ruby, gold
Weapon markers (1-14)
For adventuring dwarves
12-round track markers
Progression + harvest reminders

Strategies

Room-focused vs animal-focused
Choose engine: rooms give big VP bumps; animals scale over time.
Expand family early
More dwarves = more actions per round; snowballs.
Weapon-adventure engine
1-2 weapon dwarves = free random resources each round.
Ruby efficiency
Rubies = 4 VP or spent for actions; balance conversion.
Avoid gaps + missing categories
Penalties compound; fill all farm + cave spaces.

Terminology

Dwarf: Worker; start with 2, expand to 5+ via family growth.
Room / Dwelling / Furnishing: Cave building granting VP + abilities.
Harvest: Forced feeding round; 4 per game at rounds 5, 8, 10, 12.
Ore / Ruby / Gold: Mineral resources; ruby is most valuable (4 VP).
Weapon: Numbered 1-14; enables adventuring actions.

Major competitions

BGG top-50 consistently 2013-2026
ongoing · worldwide · since 2013
Golden Geek Best Strategy Game 2013 nominee
annual · worldwide · since 2013
Deutscher Spiele Preis 2014 (3rd place)
annual · Germany · since 2014

Where it is played

Governing bodies

Lookout Games (publisher)
Founded 2000 · Germany
Mayfair Games (US publisher, original)
Founded 1981 · USA
Uwe Rosenberg (designer)
Founded 1970 · Germany

Famous names & records

Famous athletes

Uwe Rosenberg (Germany) — Designer; also Agricola, Le Havre, Feast for Odin, Fields of Arle, Bohnanza
Klemens Franz (Austria) — Illustrator; signature Rosenberg game art style

Learn this sport

beginner

1
Buy Caverna base ($100)
Single box supports 1-7 players.
2
Solo game first to learn actions
Rules are heavy; ~2-3 hours to learn.

intermediate

1
3-4 player games with familiar rules
Sweet spot player count.

advanced

1
Forgotten Folk expansion
Adds racial diversity + new rooms.

Frequently asked

What is Caverna?+

HEAVY WORKER-PLACEMENT EURO by Uwe Rosenberg (2013, Lookout Games). Spiritual successor + reimagining of AGRICOLA. 1-7 players play DWARF families managing farms (surface) + tunneling caves (underground). Features 80+ rooms + weapon system + adventure exploration. Considered more FORGIVING + REPLAYABLE than Agricola. BGG top-50 consistently. 30 min per player.

Caverna vs Agricola — which is better?+

DEPENDS ON TASTE. AGRICOLA (2007) has CARD-DRIVEN variability (300+ occupation + minor improvement cards), harder + more punishing, tighter design. CAVERNA (2013) is MORE FORGIVING + REPLAYABLE without cards, more strategic control, adds cave-mining + weapons + adventuring. Modern consensus: Agricola for HARD challenge + card variability; Caverna for RELAXED strategy + more player interaction options. Both are considered masterpieces.

Sources & provenance

Last verified 2026-08-27.verified