# Carcassonne: The Gifts ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2021 - **BGG Rating**: 7.2 - **BGG Rank**: — - **Players**: 2-5 (Best with: 2, 3) - **Duration**: 30-45 min - **Weight**: 2.00 / 5 - **Designers**: Klaus-Jürgen Wrede - **Artists**: Marcel Gröber - **Publishers**: 999 Games, Bard Centrum Gier, Devir, Fantasmagoria, Hans im Glück, Lautapelit.fi, MINDOK, Möbius Games, Z-Man Games - **Categories**: City Building, Expansion for Base-game, Medieval, Territory Building - **Mechanics**: Tile Placement ## Verdict If you love Carcassonne and want a bit of extra strategic flair, this mini‑expansion is for you.Strategic gift cardsPlayer interactionLightweight expansionLimited cardsMutual assistance requiredRECOMMENDED ## Description Carcassonne: The Gifts is the 2021 mini‑expansion that celebrates the 20th anniversary of classic Carcassonne. Instead of new terrain tiles, it delivers 25 “gift” cards you can use to help fellow players – and of course to snag a little extra advantage when the moment is right. Each card has a different effect: there’s the ‘Synod’ that gives you extra scoring points; the ‘Road Sweeper’ that clears a road for no one else to use; the ‘Change on the Lie’ that swaps a meeple’s position; the ‘Cash Out’ that gives you extra money; and the ‘Take 2’ that lets you grab two gift cards at once. The core mechanic stays the same: place terrain tiles on the board, connect cities, roads, and fields, and position your meeples to conquer territories. The twist is that you can now use the gift cards at strategic moments, whether to score unexpectedly or to block your opponents. The visual component remains faithful to the original, with medieval‑style illustrations and high‑quality pieces. The game is ready in 30‑45 minutes, supports 2 to 5 players, and keeps the same lightness and accessibility that Carcassonne has always had. If you already know the base and want something that adds a fun extra layer of strategy and interaction, this mini‑expansion is a sure bet. But note: the number of cards is limited, so you need to know when to use each one. Also, those who don’t like being helped by friends might feel a little uncomfortable with the mechanic that helps other players. Overall, Carcassonne: The Gifts adds a fun layer of strategy without complicating the dynamic you love. ## How to Play Game Objective In Carcassonne: The Gifts, you and your friends are building the landscape of Carcassonne, expanding roads and cities. The main objective is to receive gifts by helping other players expand their features. These gifts offer special actions that can help you score and manipulate the game in your favor. The victory condition is determined by the score at the end of the game, following the rules of the base Carcassonne game. Preparation (Setup) Separate the 25 gift cards. Shuffle the 25 gift cards to form a face-down deck. The rules of the base Carcassonne game still apply. You can combine this expansion with others, but there are no official rules for these combinations. Game Flow This expansion only modifies action 1. Place a tile of the standard Carcassonne game flow. Actions 2. Place a meeple and 3. Score are performed normally, as in the base game. Receiving a gift You receive a gift if you place a tile in such a way that it adds to another player's road or city. This means that: The expanded roads or cities must belong to someone other than yourself (after the tile has been placed), following the majority rule. If your tile adds to multiple roads and/or cities, you still only receive 1 gift. When receiving a gift, you must draw the top card from the gift deck, look at it (without showing anyone), and place it face down in front of you. If all gift cards have already been distributed, shuffle the discard pile to form a new gift deck. If, in a rare case, all gifts are "unopened" in front of the players, you do not receive a gift. Opening a gift After drawing a tile, but before placing it, you can open exactly 1 gift. To do this: Flip over one of your gift cards. Resolve the action described on the card. Then, place the card in an open discard pile. Actions and How to Play The The Gifts expansion introduces 5 types of gift cards, each with a unique action: Synod Place a meeple from your supply on any unfinished monastery (if possible). The monastery may already be occupied by one or more meeples – yours or other players'. The monastery may also be unoccupied. Road Sweeper Score any unfinished road immediately. You do not need to have a meeple on the road. After the road is scored, the player's meeple is returned to their supply. Cash out Take one of your meeples from a feature (city, road, monastery, or field), return it to your supply, and score for it. You score 2 points for each meeple that is on that feature – including the one you are taking back. Take 2 In addition to the tile you just drew, draw another one. Now, choose one of them and place it according to the usual rules. The other tile is shuffled back into the face-down tile deck. Change on the lie Change the position of one of your meeples on a tile. If your meeple is on a road, a monastery, or a city, lay it down in a field on the same tile. If your meeple is lying down in a field, place it – standing up – on a road, city, or monastery on the same tile. You can place your meeple standing up or lying down on segments that are already occupied. You can only change the meeple's position from lying down to standing up or from standing up to lying down. Moving the meeple within the three segments – road, city, or monastery – is not allowed. End of Game and Scoring Refer to the manual for details on this section. Tips for Winning Strategically Receiving Gifts: Try to place your tiles in a way that expands other players' roads or cities to receive gifts. These gifts can offer significant advantages. Meeple Management with "Cash out": Use the Cash out card to retrieve your meeples from features and score, especially if the feature has many meeples, maximizing your points and freeing up meeples for new actions. Flexibility with "Change on the lie": The Change on the lie card allows you to adapt the function of your meeples on a tile, switching between features such as roads, cities, monasteries, and fields. This can be crucial for scoring in fields or for securing a feature you wouldn't otherwise be able to. ## FAQ ### How long does it take to play Carcassonne: The Gifts? The full game lasts between 30 and 45 minutes, depending on the number of players and how quickly the cards are used. ### How many players can participate? 2 to 5 players can enjoy the mini‑expansion, just like the base game. ### Are the gift cards mandatory? No, you can choose not to use the cards if you prefer to keep the traditional Carcassonne dynamic. ### What is the complexity level? The complexity stays the same as the base: simple and accessible, great for families and friends. ### Can the gifts be used at any time? Yes, but each card has a specific effect and can be played only when the conditions are met. ### Are there any extra components besides the cards? No, the only addition is the 25 gift cards; all terrain tiles and meeples remain the same. ### Does this expansion work with other Carcassonne expansions? Yes, it is compatible with all official expansions and can be combined with other mini‑expansions. ## Price Comparison ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 9.25 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=6075746&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/43131/carcassonne-die-geschenke?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com