# Rats of Wistar

Rats of Wistar is a board game for 1–4 players. It plays in 90 minutes and is meant for ages 13 and up. Ludoya players call it best with 3. It is rated 7.9 out of 10 by 58 Ludoya reviewers. The cheapest copy in stock is $46.75 (United States).

- **Players:** 1–4 (best with 3)
- **Playing time:** 90 minutes
- **Minimum age:** 13+
- **Complexity:** 3.4 out of 5
- **Year published:** 2023
- **Categories:** Animals
- **Mechanics:** Worker Placement, Hand Management, Contracts, Events, Variable Set-up, Turn Order: Claim Action
- **Ludoya rating:** 7.9 out of 10, from 58 reviews
- **Owned by:** 133 Ludoya players
- **Plays logged on Ludoya:** 445
- **Unique players:** 499

**Designers:** Danilo Sabia, Simone Luciani

**Artists:** Sara Valentino, Candida Corsi

**Publishers:** Cranio Creations

## Where to buy in United States

| Shop | Price | Link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Board Game Bliss | 76.95 $ | https://www.boardgamebliss.com/products/rats-of-wistar |
| 401 Games | 79.95 $ | https://store.401games.ca/products/rats-of-wistar |
| Mathom | 52.8 € | https://mathom.es/es/otros-juegos-de-tablero/57145-ratas-de-wistar-8436578817672.html |
| Rampi Games | 53.95 € | https://www.rampigames.com/juego-de-mesa/ratas-de-wistar/ |
| Outlet Games | 35.22 € | https://www.outletgames.es/juegos-de-mesa/maldito-games/ratas-de-wistar-p-MDG-8436578817672.html |
| Milan Spiele | 43 € | https://www.milan-spiele.de/ratten-von-wistar-2-wahl-p-37074.html |
| Juegos de la Mesa Redonda | 47.96 € | https://juegosdelamesaredonda.com/16190-ratas-de-wistar-8436578817672.html |
| La Gameria | 49.5 € | https://gameria.es/juegos-de-mesa/ratas-de-wistar-16760.html |
| Magia de Tinta | 49.95 € | https://www.magiadetinta.com/es/juegos/7742-ratas-de-wistar-8436578817672.html |
| Good Games | 83.91 $ | https://www.goodgames.com.au/products/rats-of-wistar |
| Philibert | 51.95 € | https://philibertnet.com/fr/intrafin/133190-les-rats-de-wistar-5425037741132.html |
| Ludifolie | 53.9 € | https://www.ludifolie.com/18047-les-rats-de-wistar.html |
| Pelipeikko | 54.95 € | https://pelipeikko.fi/fi/lautapelit/2620-rats-of-wistar |
| Svet deskovych her | 1349 Kč | https://www.svet-deskovych-her.cz/produkty/13096/krysy-z-wistaru |
| TLAMA games | 1349 Kč | https://www.tlamagames.com/deskove-hry/rats-of-wistar/ |
| Zatu Games | 51.59 £ | https://zatu.com/products/rats-of-wistar |
| Spelexperten | 689 kr | https://www.spelexperten.com/sallskapsspel/strategispel/rats-of-wistar.html |
| Alphaspel | 689 kr | https://alphaspel.se/491-bradspel/216607-rats-of-wistar |
| Games Empire | 99.99 $ | https://gamesempire.com.au/products/rats-of-wistar |
| Spielezar | 59.9 Fr. | https://www.spielezar.ch/brettspiele/die-ratten-von-wistar |
| Gamers@Hart | 56.98 £ | https://gamersathart.co.uk/product/rats-of-wistar/ |
| Hyggeonkel | 499.95 kr | https://www.hyggeonkel.dk/produkt/rats-of-wistar |
| Fantasiapelit | 72.6 € | https://www.fantasiapelit.com/index.php?main=ai&kat=single&mista=indeksi&etsittava=_231680 |

## Expansions

- [Rats of Wistar: Guest Mice Set](https://www.ludoya.com/games/rats-of-wistar-guest-mice-set)
- [Rats of Wistar: Objective Cards Set](https://www.ludoya.com/games/rats-of-wistar-objective-cards-set)
- [Rats of Wistar: The Dice Tower Promo Card](https://www.ludoya.com/games/rats-of-wistar-dice-tower-2024-promo-card)
- [Rats of Wistar: Mechanical Meeple Promo Card](https://www.ludoya.com/games/rats-of-wistar-mechanical-meeple-promo-card)
- [Rats of Wistar: Clans & Portals](https://www.ludoya.com/games/rats-of-wistar-clans-and-portals)
- [Rats of Wistar: Mechanical Otter Promo Card](https://www.ludoya.com/games/rats-of-wistar-mechanical-otter-promo-card)

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## Rules questions

### When I place my Chief on the Wheel, do I get both the Main and the Bonus action, and how is the Main action’s strength determined?

You perform the Main and Bonus actions offered by the chosen wheel space (in either order) but must complete all effects of the first action before doing the second; the Strength of the Main action equals the number of your Workers in the related Area, and you cannot place more than one Chief of your color in the same Sector (page 7).

### How do Mission cards and numbered locks work — do I have to resolve rows in order?

A Mission must be revealed and be in the same Room as your Explorer or a Tent to be resolved; you choose any empty row whose requirements you meet, place a Cube there and take the reward, and a numbered lock on a row requires that the row showing that same numbered lock as a reward has already been resolved by someone (rows do not have to be resolved top-to-bottom) (pages 13–14).

### When I play an Invention card, when do its effects happen and what effect types exist?

Invention cards have defined effect types — Immediate (apply when played), 1x (usable once as a Fast action), Income (apply when played and each New Round), Permanent (apply whenever conditions are met), End Game (apply at game end), and Aggressive (immediate effect that can hurt opponents); icons on the card’s bottom become yours when played (pages 12, 19).

### How do I get the Electricity token and what’s the difference between Basic and Advanced Electricity?

You can buy Electricity as a Fast action (pay 4 items) or obtain it from cards/bonuses; the first Electricity you take gives you the Basic side (grey), taking it again flips it to Advanced (yellow), Advanced Electricity is required for some cards and scores 2 VP at game end (pages 15, 13).

### How do Guest Mouse tiles and the Cheese tile work — where can I take them and how many can I have?

You take a face-down Guest Mouse tile from a Room where your Explorer or a Tent is located, flip it and place it on your Player Board (it may have Immediate, Income or Permanent effects and is worth 0–3 VP at endgame); if you are in the last Basement room you may instead take the top Cheese tile (each player may have only one Cheese, it has no effect but scores the VP printed) (page 10).

## Links

- [This page](https://www.ludoya.com/games/rats-of-wistar)
- [Rats of Wistar in the Ludoya app](https://app.ludoya.com/g/rats-of-wistar)
- [BoardGameGeek entry](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/387780)

_Data from Ludoya, updated 2026-09-24. Ratings, ownership and play counts are Ludoya's own._