Cthulhu Dice
Steve Jackson Games ultra-quick 2-6 player dice game (Steve Jackson, 2010) — one custom 12-sided die + sanity tokens. Roll to steal sanity from opponents; last sane player wins. ~15 min, ~$10 retail. Iconic Lovecraftian party filler.
What is Cthulhu Dice?
Cthulhu Dice is an ultra-quick lightweight party dice game designed by Steve Jackson + published by Steve Jackson Games (SJG), released 2010. 2-6 players; ~15 min play; ~$10 MSRP. Uses one 12-sided die with symbols instead of numbers (Yellow Sign, Elder Sign, Cthulhu, Tentacle, Eye of Horus). Each player starts with 3 Sanity tokens (glass beads). On your turn: pick a target player, roll the die once, resolve symbol effect (Yellow Sign = target loses 1 Sanity to you; Elder Sign = you gain 1 Sanity from pool; Cthulhu = everyone loses Sanity; Tentacle = swap Sanity totals; Eye of Horus = target loses 1 to pool). When you're reduced to 0 Sanity, you become 'insane' — still play, but win only if all other insane players joined by everyone becoming insane in same round (last-sane-wins otherwise). Iconic Lovecraftian light party game; often used as filler between heavier games. Tiny footprint (fits in shirt pocket). Rules learnable in 60 seconds.
Quick facts
Category
Dice Games
Type
Mixed
Players
2–6
Duration
~15 min
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇺🇸 United States
Estimated origin
Released 2010 by Steve Jackson Games
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
How it works
Objective
Be the last player with Sanity remaining (or if all players go insane simultaneously, all insane players win).
Match structure
Rounds continue until only one player has Sanity remaining (or all go insane).
Rules
Basic rules
Roll die at chosen target on your turn
Pick any other player as target, roll the 12-sided die, resolve symbol effect.
Yellow Sign / Elder Sign / Cthulhu / Tentacle / Eye
Each face has different Sanity-transfer effect.
Reduce all opponents to 0 Sanity to win
Last sane player wins; or all players go insane in same round = all insane players win.
Advanced rules
Insane player still plays
Insane players continue rolling on turns but hoping others also go insane.
Sanity pool (Elder Sign)
Central pool that pays out on Elder Sign rolls.
Scoring
No score — Sanity survival based.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Sanity token | Tracked personally |
Win condition · Last player with Sanity wins; or all-insane simultaneous = all insane players share win.
Equipment
1 custom 12-sided die
Symbol die: Yellow Sign, Elder Sign, Cthulhu, Tentacle, Eye of Horus faces.
Sanity tokens (glass beads)
3 per player at start.
Tiny rulebook + carry pouch
Fits in shirt pocket.
Positions & roles
Cthulhu Cultist
×1Solo player attempting to steal others' Sanity.
Officiating
No officials.
- Group consensus
Penalties & fouls
Penalties
Losing all Sanity
Become insane; can only win if all other players also insane.
Strategies
Target leader with high Sanity
Focus roll on player with most Sanity to prevent runaway leader.
Tentacle swap timing
If Tentacle rolls, use to swap Sanity with player whose total helps you most.
Terminology
- Yellow Sign
- Face — target loses 1 Sanity to you
- Elder Sign
- Face — you gain 1 Sanity from pool
- Cthulhu
- Face — everyone loses Sanity
- Tentacle
- Face — swap Sanity totals with target
- Eye of Horus
- Face — target loses 1 to pool
- Sanity
- Player HP-equivalent tokens
Major competitions
Not applicable — party filler game
n/a · n/a · since 2010
Where it is played
Governing bodies
Steve Jackson Games
Founded 1980 · Austin, Texas
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Steve Jackson (designer)
Records
Released 2010 by SJG
Steve Jackson Games — Released 2010; still in print + widely stocked (2010)
Signature quick-filler dice game
SJG — Considered signature 'quick filler' Lovecraftian party dice game (2015)
Learn this sport
beginner
- 1
First 3-player game
Learn 5 die faces in one game (~10 min).
intermediate
- 1
5-6 player chaos
Multi-player games have more chaos + more insane-simultaneous-win potential.
Frequently asked
How long is one game of Cthulhu Dice?+
10-15 minutes typically. Designed as a quick filler between larger games or a light party game.
Can I win after going insane?+
Yes — if all players go insane in the same round, all insane players share the win. So 'trolling' a slow-to-die opponent by inducing simultaneous insanity is a legitimate strategy.
Sources & provenance
- BoardGameGeek — Cthulhu Dice— BoardGameGeek