Crypt: The Pharaoh's Curse is characterized as a "Trading Board Game", available in Starter Box Sets of 5 hexes (hexagonal tiles), 3 six-sided dice, 3 character cards, 34 action pieces (cards), and 20 life/creature tokens. Booster sets are also available. Each player selects a character card secretly before the beginning of the game, which will affect which action pieces that the player will be most effective with, determines the minimum and maximum number of action pieces that the player must play with, and describes any special abilities of the character. Next, each player chooses which action pieces they will play with from their collection, subject to the limits of the character card. Finally, each player contributes an agreed-upon number of hexes (rooms) to the game in their own stack. Gameplay consists of drawing/discarding action pieces, playing any number of free action pieces, taking one action (such as moving, exploring by adding a new hex to the board and resolving the occurrence on the hex, playing an action piece, attacking another player/creature, or exiting the crypt). The goal is to be the first player to find your key in the action piece deck, find and place your exit tile, and successfully exit the crypt complex.