# Castle Builder ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2015 - **BGG Rating**: — - **BGG Rank**: — - **Players**: 2-4 - **Duration**: 45-60 min - **Weight**: — - **Designers**: John Warfel - **Publishers**: (Self-Published) - **Categories**: Medieval - **Mechanics**: Open Drafting, Take That ## Verdict If you enjoy building things and occasionally poking your friends, Castle Builder might be your next tower of fun!Strategic castle buildingDirect player interactionDynamic resource managementInteresting choice dilemmasEngaging medieval themeCan have frustrating attacksInitial learning curveDraft luck impactsRECOMMENDED ## Description In Castle Builder, the mission is clear: construct the most impressive castle to attract nobles, knights, and even royalty! This is a card drafting game that unfolds over three rounds, where cards become more powerful (and expensive!) as your gold dwindles. But don't worry, each card you add to your castle comes with three attributes: Victory Points for ultimate glory, Defense to protect your holdings from others' attacks, and Favor. Favor is a wild card: it adds points at the end, but between rounds, it can be exchanged for more gold, ensuring you can afford those valuable cards. The catch is that gold isn't worth points, so it's quite a dilemma! There are other ways to fill your coffers, such as sending your knights on adventures or buying vaults for nobles to store their wealth. And speaking of nobles and knights, they can also be added to your castle through specific cards, guaranteeing extra points. The icing on the cake is managing to attract the King or Queen with the right rooms! But beware, your opponents won't stand idly by. They can pay to discard cards you need, throw waste into your castle to prevent people from inhabiting it, or even directly attack to steal your Victory Points. Managing your gold, nobles, knights, and servants will be crucial to erect the grandest castle and emerge victorious! ## How to Play Game Objective In Castle Builder, you compete with other barons to build the largest castle in the kingdom. The goal is to position pieces to form a castle with windows, roofs, soldiers, and other elements. As you build new pieces, your Baron moves around the board, allowing you to collect bonuses and coins. The first player to collect 7 coins wins the game. Setup Shuffle all the pieces to form the Tile Pile (piece pile) face down. Shuffle all the coins to form the Coin Pile (coin pile) face down. Place the Market Board and assemble the castle (folding the side towers, securing the wall on the pins, and fitting the castle). Add 3 random pieces face up to the market, and also 3 random coins with the effect side up. Each player receives a Foundation, a Baron, and a Tile Holder. All players draw 3 random pieces and place them on their holder. Choose the starting player. Each player places their Baron in their corresponding space on the Market Board path (numbers 1-4). Note: barons move clockwise, so the starting player will begin in the last position. Game Flow Players take turns in clockwise order, starting with the first player. The game continues until a player reaches 7 coins. On your turn, you have only two action options: Draw 2 tiles or Build a tile. Actions and How to Play Draw 2 tiles (Buy 2 pieces) Draw 2 random pieces from the Tile Pile and place them in your Tile Holder. You cannot buy pieces from the market with this action. Build a tile (Build a piece) Select 1 piece from your Tile Holder or from the Market. Build the piece onto your castle following the placement rules. Move your Baron along the board path to earn coins and other bonuses. Placement Rules Air and Stone Patterns: All pieces must match the top and bottom patterns. You cannot place stone directly over air (or empty space), nor air directly over stone. Number Sum: When placing a piece, its number must equal the sum of the numbers of the pieces it is placed upon. Some pieces have 2 numbers: the lower number must match when placing the piece, while the upper number counts for future constructions on top of it. Any number can be built on the Foundation. The door of the Foundation is not considered part of the foundation, but counts as a value-2 piece on it. Special Pieces: The Princess can be built anywhere, ignoring the numbers below (as long as the air/stone pattern is respected). Pieces with the [Level Symbol] can only be placed on a floor where you have already built other pieces; you cannot start a new floor with them. Additional Mechanics Pay to change numbers: When building, you can adjust a piece's number by 1 step (up or down) by discarding 1 piece from your Tile Holder. After building, the piece restores its printed value. Moving the Baron: After building, move your Baron based on the height of the piece and rubies: First level: No steps (rubies do not count). Second level: 2 steps + 1 step per ruby. Third level: 3 steps + 1 step per ruby. Fourth level: 4 steps + 1 step per ruby (and so on). When moving, count all areas (including occupied ones). Since each area can hold only one Baron, if the last step lands on an occupied area, you must "slide" to the next empty area. If you stop on an area with the [Movement Symbol], move your Baron an additional 1 step. If you stop on an area with the [Piece Symbol], take a piece from the Tile Pile. If you reach or pass a Coin, select one of the three market coins, resolve its effect, and keep it face up. End of Game and Scoring The game ends immediately when a player collects 7 coins. That player is the winner, even if the other players have not played the same number of turns. Coin Effects When you take a coin, resolve its effect immediately (even if it does not benefit you): Most Windows: The player with the most windows (minimum 1) gains 2 pieces. Most roofs: The player with the most red roofs (minimum 1) gains 2 pieces. Bitter Lady: Buy and randomly discard 1 piece from each opponent's holder. Mill: Discard the market pieces, refill it, and choose 1 of the new pieces for your holder. Crumble: Discard 1 piece from your castle that has nothing on top of it (does not move the Baron). Highest Tower: The player with the tallest castle (most levels) gains 2 pieces. Most persons: The player with the most people (minimum 1) gains 2 pieces. Monk: The player with the fewest coins gains 3 pieces. Thief: Randomly take 1 piece from an opponent's holder. Catapult: Discard 1 piece from an opponent's castle that has nothing on top of it (the opponent does not move the Baron). Ruby: Move your Baron an extra step. Tips for Winning Holder Management: Remember that the Tile Holder has a maximum limit of 7 pieces; if you draw more, you must discard immediately. Strategic Discarding: Use the discard action to adjust numbers and build at higher levels, which gives you more steps for your Baron and more chances to grab coins. Leverage Rubies: Prioritize building pieces with rubies at higher levels to maximize your movement on the Market Board. ## FAQ ### How many players can play Castle Builder? The game is designed for 2 to 4 players, making it great for a game night with friends or a more intimate duel. ### What is the average game length? A game of Castle Builder typically lasts between 45 to 60 minutes. It's a nice length to enjoy building your castle without the evening dragging on too long. ### What is the complexity level of the game? It's a light to medium-weight game. The rules are accessible, but the decisions about what to build, when to attack, and how to manage your resources offer good strategic depth. ### What's in the box? What are the main components? Castle Builder is a card game, so expect plenty of building, resource, and character cards. It will likely also include some tokens and coins to track progress and bonuses. ### Who is Castle Builder best suited for? It's perfect for those who enjoy card drafting games with a touch of engine building and a pinch of direct interaction ('take that'). If you like medieval themes and don't mind messing with your friends' plans occasionally, you'll have a blast! ### Is there any language dependency to play? Based on the available information, the language dependency is low. Cards may have icons and symbols that facilitate understanding, but a quick reference to the rulebook might be needed for specific effects.