Hecatomb

About this board game

Hecatomb is a collectible card game for 2–4 players, with play typically lasting around 30 minutes. Released in 2005, it casts each player as an Endbringer: an evil genius determined to destroy the modern-day world.

Players summon monsters from myth and nightmare, then breed them into frightening hybrids called Abominations. Hecatomb’s distinctive stacking mechanic gives the game a three-dimensional feel. Each five-sided card depicts a creature such as a terrible beast, demon, or crazed shaman, with clear edges that reveal its power scores and abilities when cards are combined.

Stack cards on top of one another to assemble Abominations of up to five cards. Every card contributes its powers and special abilities, allowing each creation to combine the traits of the creatures used to build it. The visible edges make it possible to track the total power and abilities of the stack.

• Players: 2–4
• Play time: 30 minutes
• Base set: 144 cards
• Starter game: 40 random cards, a rulebook, and a counter sheet

As the contest unfolds, Endbringers seek enough power to destroy a world. Afterward, they travel through dimensional portals to parallel worlds, where the struggle begins again.

The Hecatomb starter game launched with a suggested retail price of $12.99, while 13-card booster packs sold for $4.99. The game was discontinued in 2006 and received two expansions: Last Hallow’s Eve, with 144 new cards, and Blanket of Lies, with 72 new cards.