Artificium

Lifestyle Boardgames Ltd, asmodee · Board game · 2014
2–6 · best 4 20–50 min Weight 2.1/5
7.2 rating Ludopedia
6.0 rating BGG
Buy
7.2 rating Ludopedia
6.0 rating BGG
Our Verdict
RECOMMENDED

Artificium is a quick and strategic card game, perfect for those who enjoy optimizing production chains and a bit of player interaction. If you like planning and a touch of competition, dive in!

Highlights
  • Resource production and transformation
  • Dynamic card market
  • Subtle interaction and blocking
  • Fast-paced and straightforward
Keep in mind
  • Theme can be generic
  • Luck of the card draw
  • Limited strategic depth
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About the game

What you do in a play session

In Artificium, you step into the shoes of a medieval ruler tasked with making your city thrive. The game challenges you to develop crafts, build efficient production chains, and, naturally, hinder your opponents' progress! It's a card-driven development game where each card plays a role: some produce basic resources or transform one type of raw material into another, while also awarding victory points. Other cards allow you to perform special actions. The key to success lies in wisely planning the sequence of cards you'll play each turn. The game spans just four rounds. At the start of each round, you receive five cards and have access to a market of six face-up cards available to all players. Before playing your cards, you can trade some from your hand with those in the market. Then, it's time to get to work: play your cards, perform actions, trade resources, and most importantly, refine materials to accumulate victory points. Colorful crystals on your personal player board track your resources, while other crystals beside it represent your coins. At the end of the fourth round, you sell any remaining resources to secure additional points. The player with the most victory points is crowned the wisest ruler and wins the game!

Best player count

BGG community vote

2–6 players
2 REC
3 REC
4 BEST
5 BEST
6 REC

Where to Buy

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Game details

Mechanics, categories, families and credits

Families

Components: Gems/Crystals
Publisher Lifestyle Boardgames Ltd, asmodee
Designer Timofey Shargorodskiy
Artist Timofey Shargorodskiy

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers before you buy

6 questions
What is the average playtime for Artificium?
A game of Artificium typically lasts between 20 and 50 minutes, depending on the number of players and their familiarity with the rules.
Is Artificium a complex game?
With a BGG weight of 2.09, Artificium is considered a light to moderate complexity game. The rules are relatively straightforward, but strategic planning is rewarding.
How many players does Artificium support?
The game is designed for 2 to 6 players, making it quite versatile for different groups.
What is the main objective of the game?
The goal is to accumulate the most victory points by the end of four rounds, through producing, transforming, and selling resources.
Do I need to know anything about medieval or economic games to play?
Not necessarily! The medieval theme is a backdrop. The resource production and transformation mechanics are the focus and are easy to learn.
Is this game more about competition or cooperation?
Artificium is a competitive game. While there's no direct combat, you can hinder opponents by taking cards they need or depleting resources from the market.

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