FAQs

Cult of Dionysus is a truth or dare style party game of strategy, skill, and chance, in the form of an ancient herm (a 4-sided column with a bust on top). Players take turns pulling blocks, doing what they say, taking penalties, and trying not to topple the bust. After each topple, rebuild from the rubble until no blocks remain. The player with the fewest penalties at the end wins. 

Download the complete Rules & Strategy Guide.

In ancient Greek religion, Dionysus (aka Bacchus) is the god of wine as well as ecstasy and madness. He represents the flourishing, overflowing, and intoxicating power of nature. He is the giver of joy, and the disperser of grief and sorrow. He is known as the Liberator, freeing one from one's normal self, through wine, madness, or artistic expression. He is also viewed as the promoter of civilization, a lawgiver, and lover of peace—as well as the patron deity of agriculture and the theater. His divine mission is to bring an end to care and worry.

Ha! No. How many cults do you know of that refer to themselves as “cults”? Ironically, this game is fairly anti-cult. It makes a pastime out of what was once a proud and powerful religion. (As an aside, it’s worth asking what, if anything, distinguishes a cult from a religion.)

At Symposium Games, we encourage people to leave any cults they belong to, find a group of fun-loving people to play our games with, and let those relationships give you meaning. Our games are just one of many ways to build community without the metaphysical mumbo-jumbo of the occult.

No. Cult of Dionysus was designed with sober players in mind. We want them to have every bit as much fun as players who choose to drink alcohol.

Despite having the god of wine as its mascot, Cult of Dionysus doesn’t necessarily involve drinking at all. NONE of the 72 prompts require drinking. While there are instructions for a wine mode listed under the optional House Rules section of the Rules & Strategy Guide, this is just one possible way to play and it’s just as fun with a mocktail in hand.

Even when playing the wine mode, it isn’t about getting drunk. The moderate pace of penalties is slower than most people drink normally and the game is nearly impossible to play when drunk. It requires balance, fine motor skills, eye-hand coordination, and strong reading comprehension. The goal of the game is to be present and share in the exhilaration of playing with others. You can't make memories to last a lifetime if you’re blotto.

Ha! Those other games walked so that Cult of Dionysus could run. It’s versatile enough for any party, entertains for hours, and the replay value is through the roof. It’s titanic, hyper-social, drop dead gorgeous. This isn’t just another toppling tower party game, it’s the apotheosis.

The design is rich with classical sophistication. Ancient forms and patterns are printed directly on all 6 sides of each and every block. There are 72 solid hard maple blocks (33.3% more blocks than most toppling towers) of specialized dimensions to allow for multiple block arrangements that test your skills. Oh, and it’s also the only toppling tower with the bust of a Greek god on top.

Not really. The pagan theme of the game is merely playful storytelling. Gameplay is not based on the assumption that the gods of the Greek pantheon actually exist and doesn’t entail significant risk of frenzied madness.

For that reason, Cult of Dionysus is probably not suitable as a centerpiece for your altar to Dionysus or as a device for ecstatic communion with the bull-faced deity. It is not meant as a ritualistic representation of the dismemberment and rebirth of Zagreus. The prompts are not a reformation of the secret rites known as the Dionysian Mysteries. Events in the game should not be perceived as conveying messages from ancient divinities or as a reflection of a player's fate. Do not attempt to summon Bromius by playing this game under the full moon of Lenaea.

A herm is simply a 4-sided column with a bust on top. At first they were made from wood or a tree trunk cut to size, but later were carved from stone. Usually, the bust is of the god Hermes, but Dionysus is also commonly depicted. The original purpose of the herm is a mystery, but they may have been used to ward off evil or simply as scarecrows. There is some evidence that one of their earliest functions was as important figures in marriage ceremonies practiced by the cult of Dionysus.

Herms are at once striking and preposterous. Ancient Greeks venerated them, but also laughed at them and their disembodied phalluses. Herms dotted the Greek countryside as boundary markers, often with engraved maxims. They were especially popular in Athens and stood in the entrances of private homes and temples as religious objects. Herms were commonly depicted on pottery in scenes of worship, sacrifices, and libation. Sometimes they were even prayed to before a symposium.

The optional disrobing mode offers a daring alternative to the standard mode and wine mode, for a more authentically ancient Greek experience. When people see that there is a disrobing mode, some ask if we really expect players to get naked. Our answer is always that it’s entirely up to each player how “naked” they’re willing to get, and also that you might be surprised at how many people are willing to let it all hang out.

We get it. In the U.S. nudity carries baggage. We tend to assume a connection between nudity and sex, but in many parts of the world, today and throughout history, there are traditions of social nudity. Here, however, it’s shrouded in a heavy stigma. We’re bombarded with media that leaves us feeling ugly and ashamed of our bodies. It’s understandable how uncomfortable we are with the thought of social nudity when simply feeling comfortable in our own skin is an act of protest against a culture of bodily shame.

Players who bravely participate in the disrobing mode have described it as a form of exposure therapy that promotes radical self-acceptance. Ultimately, it's up to each individual to choose for themselves, but it’s important to remember that it’s only natural. To paraphrase Twain, “If the gods had meant for us to be naked, we'd have been born that way.”

Yes, you can return products within 30 days of your order date if it is in the original packaging and unopened. Contact blithgow@symposiumgames.com to inquire about returning or exchanging a product.

Sorry, no. Having your ideas in our games would be a kind of collaboration and we’ve never even met! Buy us a drink before making a proposition like that.

That said, if you think you’ve got a great idea for a new block, feel free to email it to us for consideration.

The deluxe version of Cult of Dionysus is not only a premium product, but a work of art. It reliably delivers an amazing experience for your guests and the replay value is as high as Mount Olympus! It’s proudly made in the USA and every person who had a hand in making it was protected by US labor laws and paid a fair wage. The 9” bust was cast in Rhode Island and modeled after a classical sculpture of Dionysius from Horti Lamiani. The blocks are crafted by a family owned Vermont toymaker from nearly 24 lbs of sustainably harvested hard maple. The carrying bag is stylish and durable, made from recycled plastic bottles and produced in New Hampshire by Enviro-Tote. Other toppling tower games of lower quality and negligible design value sell for $75-$100 and deliver less than 25% of the value of Cult of Dionysus. It’s the first game of its kind and worth every penny. 

That being said, if $299.95 is out of your budget, download the free DIY version and make your own!

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