Objective of the Game

Welcome, aspiring gem merchants, to the dazzling world of **Splendor**! Your quest? To **accumulate wealth**, **exert your influence**, and **found a prestigious trade empire**. You'll be collecting **Gem pieces** and **Gold pieces** to acquire beautiful **Development cards**. These cards not only boost your resources but also earn you valuable **Prestige points**! The first player to reach **15 Prestige points** will trigger the end of the game, and the most prestigious merchant will be crowned the winner. Get ready to master an artisan guild and prosper along the Silk Road!

Preparation (Setup)

Let's get this gem-tastic game set up! Here’s how to prepare your table for a glorious game of **Splendor**:

1. First, grab those **90 Development cards**. There are three levels: Level 1 (40 cards), Level 2 (30 cards), and Level 3 (20 cards). Shuffle each level's deck separately and place them facedown in a column in the middle of the table, with Level 1 at the bottom, then Level 2, and Level 3 on top.
2. Next, reveal the top 4 cards from each deck and place them faceup to the right of their respective decks. You should have a nice 3x4 grid of cards ready for purchase!
3. Now for the **Noble tiles**! Shuffle all 10 of them.
   • For a 4-player game, reveal 5 Noble tiles and place them in a row above the cards. Return the rest to the box.
   • For a 3-player game, reveal 4 Noble tiles.
   • For a 2-player game, reveal 3 Noble tiles.
4. Sort the **Gem pieces** by color: 7 Diamond (white), 7 Emerald (green), 7 Sapphire (blue), 7 Onyx (black), and 7 Ruby (red). Also, grab the 5 **Gold pieces** (yellow). Place them within reach of all players to form the supply, creating 6 distinct stacks.
   • For a 3-player game, return 2 of each gem color (not Gold pieces) to the box, leaving 5 of each Gem in the supply.
   • For a 2-player game, return 3 of each gem color (not Gold pieces) to the box, leaving 4 of each Gem in the supply.
5. Finally, the youngest player gets the **First Player marker**. You're ready to start!

The Turn of Play

Play proceeds clockwise, starting with the player holding the **First Player marker**. On your turn, you *must* perform exactly one of these four actions:

1. Take 3 Gem pieces of different colors: Pick any three different colored **Gem pieces** from the supply. If there aren't enough unique colors available (e.g., only two colors left), you can take 2 or even 1 piece. You can *never* take a **Gold piece** with this action.
2. Take 2 Gem pieces of the same color: Choose one color and take two **Gem pieces** of that color. This action is only allowed if there are at least 4 pieces of that color available in the supply *before* you take them. Again, no **Gold pieces** with this action!
3. Reserve 1 Development card: This is a sneaky one! You can either take a faceup **Development card** from the middle of the table, or (if you're feeling lucky!) draw the top card from one of the three decks without showing it to anyone. Once you've reserved a card, you also get to take 1 **Gold piece**! If there are no Gold pieces left, you can still reserve a card. Reserved cards are kept in your hand, and you can't have more than 3 at a time. You can't discard them; the only way to get rid of a reserved card is to buy it. If you already have 3 reserved cards, you cannot take this action.
4. Purchase 1 Development card: This is where your gems turn into glory! You can purchase one of the faceup **Development cards** from the middle of the table OR one of your **reserved cards**. To buy a card, you must spend the number and color of **Gem pieces** (and possibly **Gold pieces**) indicated on the card. Return the spent pieces to the supply. Remember, **Gold pieces** are wild and can substitute for any color gem!
   • Bonuses: The **Development cards** you acquire have a bonus (a small colored gem icon) in the top-right corner. Each bonus provides a discount of 1 Gem matching the color of the card for future purchases. For example, if you have a red bonus, you pay 1 less red gem for any card. If your bonuses cover the entire cost, you purchase the card without spending any pieces!
   • Place your purchased card face up in front of you. We recommend sorting them by color, overlapping them vertically so their **Prestige points** and bonuses are always visible.

After your action:

• Replace Cards: If you reserved or purchased a faceup **Development card** from the middle of the table, immediately draw the top card from its corresponding deck to replace it. There should always be 4 faceup cards of each level, unless a deck runs out.
• Noble Tiles: At the end of your turn, check if you meet the swaying requirements for any **Noble tiles**. These are based on the number and color of bonuses from your acquired **Development cards**. If you meet the requirements for one, take it and place it in your play area – it's worth **Prestige points**! This is *not* an action. You can only acquire 1 Noble tile per turn. If you qualify for several, choose wisely!
• Piece Pool Limit: Your **Gem** and **Gold pieces** must always be visible. During your turn, you can hold any number of pieces. However, at the *end* of your turn, if you have more than 10 pieces, you must return excess pieces of your choice to the supply until you have exactly 10.

End of Game and Scoring

The game is a race to **Prestige points**!

The end of the game is triggered as soon as a player reaches **15 or more Prestige points** at the end of their turn. When this happens, finish the current round so that all players have had the same number of turns. The player to the right of the **First Player** will take the final turn.

Your final score is the sum of all **Prestige points** from the **Development cards** you purchased and the **Noble tiles** you acquired. Your score must be visible at all times.

The player with the most **Prestige points** wins!

• Tie-breaker: If there's a tie, the tied player who purchased the *fewest* **Development cards** wins.
• If it's *still* tied, the tied players share the victory!

Tips for Winning

Ready to dominate the gem market? Here are a couple of pointers to get you started:

1. Focus on Bonuses: Those small colored gems on your **Development cards** are crucial! They provide permanent discounts for future purchases. Try to build up a few bonuses of a specific color to make buying more expensive cards much easier and cheaper.
2. Watch the Nobles: **Noble tiles** are worth valuable **Prestige points** and can be a game-changer. Keep an eye on their requirements and try to acquire the **Development cards** that will allow you to claim them. Sometimes, a Noble tile can be the difference between winning and losing!
3. Strategic Reservations: Don't underestimate the "Reserve 1 Development card" action. It not only secures a card you desperately need before an opponent can grab it, but it also gives you a precious **Gold piece**, which acts as a wild card. This can be a lifesaver for purchasing expensive cards or completing a set for a Noble.