How to Play Splendor: Cities of Splendor

Objective of the Game

In Splendor: Cities of Splendor, players are trying to acquire city tiles by meeting specific requirements. The game ends when a player takes a city tile, triggering the end of the current round. If only one player took a city tile, they win. If multiple players took a city tile, the player with the highest number of prestige points among them wins.

Preparation (Setup)

Cities

• Do not use the noble tiles.
• Shuffle the city tiles and always place 3 of them on either side randomly, regardless of the number of players.
• The other city tiles will not be used and are removed from the game.

Strongholds

• Each player takes 3 strongholds of the same color and places them in front of them.

Trading Posts

• Place the board within players' easy reach.
• Each player takes 5 identical coats of arms.

The Orient

• Shuffle the 10 new level 1 Orient cards (O), reveal 2 of them, and place them to the right of the base game cards. Then place the 8 remaining Orient cards in a deck to the right.
• Proceed likewise with level 2 (OO) and level 3 (OOO) Orient cards on their respective rows.

Fluxo do Jogo

Consulte o manual para detalhes sobre esta seção.

Ações e Como Jogar

City Tiles

At the end of your turn, you automatically take a city tile if you meet its requirements. You must have a number of prestige points at least equal to the value shown on the tile, PLUS at least the quantity and type of bonuses shown on the tile (just like noble tiles).

• Example 1: You must have at least 13 prestige points, 4 red bonuses, and 3 black bonuses.
• Example 2: You must have at least 15 prestige points and 5 bonuses of the same type (e.g., 5 blue bonuses).
• Example 3: You must have at least 14 prestige points, 4 green bonuses, and 4 bonuses in another single color (e.g., 4 black bonuses).

If you meet the requirements of multiple city tiles, choose one (and only one) of them. Keep this tile until the end of the game.

Strongholds

Each time you purchase a card (from your hand or from the table), you must choose one of the following two options (BEFORE replacing the purchased card):

• Place or move one of YOUR strongholds on one of the face-up cards on the table, only if that card does not have any other stronghold of another color. However, you can place a stronghold on a card on which one or two of your strongholds are already placed.
• OR Remove another player's stronghold from a card on the table and give it back to its owner.

Powers of the strongholds

• Occupation power: A card on which a stronghold is placed can be purchased or reserved only by that stronghold's owner. In both instances, the player takes back their strongholds placed on that card.
• Conquest power: While your 3 strongholds are on the same card, you can purchase this card after your action (whether you took gem tokens, or reserved or purchased 1 development card). You must pay for the card, take back your strongholds, then place or remove a stronghold before replacing the purchased card. This purchase must be done before a noble visits you and before checking the number of tokens.

Trading Posts

At the end of your turn (immediately after the possible visit from a noble), if you meet the requirement of a power, place one of your coats of arms right above it, on its allocated space. You benefit from this power until the end of the game.

Description of the powers

• Requirement: 3 red bonuses and 1 white bonus: After you purchase 1 development card, take 1 gem token. Do not take a token on the turn during which you place your coat of arms. You must take the token before replacing the card. You may take one of the tokens you have just spent.
• Requirement: 2 white bonuses: When you take 2 gem tokens of the same color, take 1 gem token of another color. As usual, taking 2 gem tokens of the same color is only possible if there are at least 4 tokens available in that color.
• Requirement: 3 blue bonuses and 1 black bonus: Each of your gold tokens is worth 2 gem tokens of the same color. You benefit from this power when you purchase a card. Each of your gold tokens still counts as 1 token against the limit of 10 tokens you can have at the end of your turn.
• Requirement: 5 green bonuses and 1 noble tile: 5 prestige points. This can trigger the end of the game (just like the acquisition of a noble or the purchase of a card). You benefit from this power only once even if you have several nobles.
• Requirement: 3 black bonuses: 1 prestige point for each of your coats of arms on the board. This can trigger the end of the game (just like the acquisition of a noble or the purchase of a card).

The Orient Cards

Replace any purchased or reserved card with a card from its matching deck. Therefore, at all times during the game, there must be 4 base game cards and 2 Orient cards of each level face-up (unless the deck in question is depleted, in which case the empty spaces remain as is).

Description of the Orient cards

• Level 1 Orient Card (2 Gold Tokens): This card is worth 2 gold tokens (do not draw them, they do not count against your limit of 10 tokens) and can be spent during a single purchase. Each of these 2 gold tokens can replace any color. If you use only one, the second one is wasted. Once spent, this card is discarded (put it back in the box) and has no effect any longer.
• Level 1 Orient Card (Paired Bonus): Immediately and permanently pair this card with a card you previously acquired. This card is worth 1 bonus matching the bonus of the card it is paired with. You cannot purchase this card if you do not have at least one card with a gem bonus. You must pair this card before replacing it.
• Level 2 Orient Card (Paired Bonus + Free Level 1 Card): Immediately and permanently pair this card with a card you previously acquired, then take a face-up level 1 (O) card (base or Orient), and place it in front of you at no cost.
• Level 2 Orient Card (2 Bonuses of Indicated Color): This card is worth 2 bonuses of the indicated color. These bonuses count toward purchasing new cards, receiving visits from nobles and discarding (see level 3 cards).
• Level 2 Orient Card (Reserve a Noble): Reserve a noble. Take the noble of your choice among those available and place it face-down in front of you: from now on, only you can be visited by this noble (if you meet the requirements). You do not gain a gold token. There is no limit to the number of noble tiles you can reserve.
• Level 3 Orient Card (Free Level 2 Card): Take a face-up level 2 (OO) card (base or Orient) and place it in front of you at no cost.
• Level 3 Orient Card (Discard Bonuses to Purchase): To purchase one of these cards, you must discard 2 bonuses of the indicated color that you previously acquired (put them back in the box). You cannot discard reserved cards. You must discard, as a priority, the cards bearing the associated with this color, if you have any.

Fim de Jogo e Pontuação

When a player takes a city tile, complete the current round. At the end of that round, if only one player took a city tile, they win the game. If several players took a city tile, the player who has the highest number of prestige points among them is the winner.

The acquisition of a noble, the purchase of a card, or gaining 5 prestige points from a Trading Post power (Requirement: 5 green bonuses and 1 noble tile) can trigger the end of the game.

Prestige points can come from nobles, cards, and Trading Post powers (e.g., 5 prestige points from the 5-5 power, or 1 prestige point for each coat of arms on the board from the 3-1/0 power).

Dicas para Vencer

• Focus on meeting the requirements for city tiles, as taking one triggers the end of the game and can lead to an immediate win or a tie-breaker.
• Utilize strongholds strategically to secure cards you need or to disrupt opponents' plans by removing their strongholds.
• Pay attention to the Trading Post powers and try to acquire coats of arms to gain their benefits, as some can provide significant prestige points or valuable actions.