Pummel Party is Rebuilt Games' board game brawler, out since 20 September 2018 and playable by 1 to 8 people online, in local split screen, or against bots. Board turns decide who reaches the goblet, and the minigames between rounds decide who can afford the items that wreck someone else's turn. Steam Workshop support means the map and minigame list keeps growing past the official set of boards.
This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Progression Summary
| Phase | Area | Focus | Role | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Start | Pummeltown | One item per turn basics | Movement items | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | Winterglow | Goblet objective mastery | Movement items | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | Pirate Paradise | Thirty starting health + gear | Damage items or Movement items | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | Rusty Ruins | Build optimization | Damage items | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | Overgrowth | Min-max | Damage items or Board control items | Ongoing |
See our maps guide for detailed area breakdowns.
Phase 1: Getting Started (Pummeltown)
The default board most groups learn on, and the one the community wiki treats as the reference map. Compact enough that item timing matters from the first round.
Level/Difficulty: 4 to 8 players Key Rewards: Goblets, board familiarity for new groups
What to Do in Pummeltown
- Learn One item per turn. You may use one item per round, only during your own turn, and only before you roll. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick Movement items as your starting role. See our builds guide for why.
- Items can only be used on your own turn and only before you roll, so a saved item does nothing if you forget the window. Decide before your turn starts, not after you see the roll.
- Acquire your first weapons upgrade: Shotgun or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand One item per turn fundamentals
- Movement items selected and functional
- Pummeltown main content cleared
- Ready for Winterglow
Phase 2: Early Game (Winterglow)
A snow-themed board from the official rotation. Paths funnel more than Pummeltown's, which makes movement items and swaps more valuable than raw damage.
Level/Difficulty: 4 to 8 players Key Rewards: Goblets, plus the hazard interactions the board is built around
What to Do in Winterglow
- Work on Goblet objective. A streak of light points toward the current goblet, and collecting goblets is the main win condition. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for Shotgun if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- The streak of light points at the current goblet, which is the main scoring objective. Deviating from it makes sense when NPCs or players are camped on the route, and rarely otherwise.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to Pirate Paradise.
- Consider whether Damage items might suit your playstyle better than Movement items.
Phase 2 Checklist
- Goblet objective integrated into gameplay
- Shotgun acquired
- Winterglow fully cleared
- Ready for Pirate Paradise
Phase 3: Mid Game (Pirate Paradise)
One of the six boards the long-running Steam community guide lists as official. Its layout suits larger lobbies, where the board is crowded enough that item denial pays off.
Level/Difficulty: Best with 6 to 8 players Key Rewards: Goblets, extended games for full lobbies
What to Do in Pirate Paradise
- Master Thirty starting health. Players start with 30 health, and items deal different amounts against that pool. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward Boxing Glove. It's the best weapon and becomes accessible around now.
- Everyone starts at 30 health, so learn roughly what each item takes off. Committing your only item to a hit that leaves someone at 4 health is worse than waiting a round.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in Minigames between rounds for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- Thirty starting health mastered
- Boxing Glove acquired or in progress
- Pirate Paradise fully cleared
- Ready for Rusty Ruins
Phase 4: Late Game (Rusty Ruins)
A mid-size official board. Groups that find Pummeltown too tight and the larger maps too slow usually settle here.
Level/Difficulty: 4 to 8 players Key Rewards: Goblets, a moderate game length
What to Do in Rusty Ruins
- Finalize your build. You should be running Damage items or Movement items with optimized gear.
- Boxing Glove should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Attack the player who is winning, not the player who is nearest. Damage aimed at a trailing opponent effectively helps the leader.
- Steam Workshop maps and minigames optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Overgrowth.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- Boxing Glove upgraded to max
- Rusty Ruins fully cleared
- Ready for Overgrowth
Phase 5: Endgame (Overgrowth)
Set in the overgrown ruins of an ancient temple and added after launch. Later updates added more boards, including Pummel Prison in 1.12.1, so the official list is longer than the original six.
Level/Difficulty: 4 to 8 players Key Rewards: Goblets, newer board hazards
What to Do in Overgrowth
- Overgrowth tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- A movement item used to land exactly one space from a goblet before rolling is the single highest-value play the Steam guides call out.
- The endgame loop: run Overgrowth, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with Board control items for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where Steam Workshop maps and minigames mastery separates good players from great ones. See our tips guide for advanced strategies.
Phase 5 Checklist
- Endgame content on farm
- Best-in-slot gear acquired
- Overgrowth fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Using an item the moment you get it instead of holding for the round that matters
- Trying to use an item after rolling, when the window has already closed
- Attacking the nearest player rather than the one closest to winning
- Picking a large board for a four-player group and grinding through a long game
- Loading unvetted Workshop maps mid-session and stalling the lobby
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- Items can only be used on your own turn and only before you roll, so a saved item does nothing if you forget the window. Decide before your turn starts, not after you see the roll.
- The streak of light points at the current goblet, which is the main scoring objective. Deviating from it makes sense when NPCs or players are camped on the route, and rarely otherwise.
- Everyone starts at 30 health, so learn roughly what each item takes off. Committing your only item to a hit that leaves someone at 4 health is worse than waiting a round.
- Attack the player who is winning, not the player who is nearest. Damage aimed at a trailing opponent effectively helps the leader.
- A movement item used to land exactly one space from a goblet before rolling is the single highest-value play the Steam guides call out.
For more advanced strategies, see our tips & tricks guide.
More Pummel Party Guides
- Pummel Party Pummel Party Overview
- Pummel Party Best Builds
- Pummel Party Tier List
- Pummel Party Beginner's Guide
- Pummel Party Tips & Tricks
- Pummel Party Weapons Guide
- Pummel Party Combat Guide
- Pummel Party Boss Guide
- Pummel Party Maps & Locations
- Pummel Party Crafting Guide
- Pummel Party Classes & Characters
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