ABSOLUTE ASCENDANCY

Commencing operation . . .

Overview

Splendor is a game where you take on the role of a wealthy merchant in the renaissance, aiming to earn prestige. You will seek to procure raw gems from mines and then utilise transportation methods to ship the gems off to specialist shops who can then transform them into rare jewels. Throughout this on-going process, you will earn prestige, and you just might be able to attract the eye of a wealthy noble if you procure what they seek. It sounds super fancy, but ultimately, the game is a straightforward engine-building game, and you will likely forget all about the thematic that the game attempts to portray. Splendor is a game to play for the great game mechanics, not so much for the theme, so without further ado, let us dive into the gameplay of Splendor!

Gameplay

Splendor is a straightforward game for two to four players, which anyone should be able to pick up within five minutes of explanation. The objective of the game is to accumulate at least fifteen prestige points. This is accomplished by purchasing development and receiving visits from nobles. The game set up comprises of twelve face-up development cards (four each of level one, two, and three), which are readily available to purchase or reserve by any player. There is also face up Noble tiles equal to one plus the total number of players. To round the set-up, there is a stack of gems of five different colours which players will need to spend turns acquiring to purchase the cards on the table. Each player may only take one action per turn, and there are four possible actions a player may take.

1. Take three gems of separate colours
2. Take two gems of a single colour
3. Spend gems to purchase a card
4. Reserve a card

Action two requires the chosen colour supply to have at least four gems in the stack beforehand. Step four also allows you to take a Gold token, which is essentially a Joker. It may be substituted for any of the five colour gems. A player may hold a maximum of ten chips, and should an action force a player to go over that limit, they then choose and return gems to the supply until they hold ten chips. A player may also only carry a maximum of three reserved cards at any given time, and unlike gems, a player cannot reserve any cards if they already hold three.

Each time a card is purchased, it provides a bonus of a particular colour such that future purchases require one less of the colour indicated on the card. Therefore as you buy more cards, future cards cost less, and therefore, you can work your way up from tier one to three, with the later levels having cards that provide more prestige points than previous.

The nobles represent a late-game strategy which requires a player to have either three purchased cards in three different colours or four purchased cards in two different colours, specified on the noble tile. Each is worth three prestige points.

Strategy

While Splendor offers a very straightforward gaming experience on the surface, there are intricate strategies woven within a seemingly simple design. I will run through mine, so should you end up procuring a copy of the game, you will have an edge against your opponents!

1. Reserving and Purchasing Economically Favourable Cards
2. Gem Denial
3. Chaining

1. Reserving and Purchasing Economically Favourable Cards

Once you take a close look at the development cards available, you will quickly surmise that some cards are more expensive than others! As all cards provide exactly one benefit for future purchases, therefore it is economically efficient to purchase cheaper cards that share an equivalent prestige value to those that are more costly. There are rare exceptions to this rule, such as toward the end of a game where you may need to purchase these inferior cards in order to meet the requirements for a Nobel visit. So as much as possible, aim to buy the cards which are most economically favourable. If a desirable card is on the table, but you cannot afford it, do not be afraid of reserving the card in advance with the intent to purchase it on a later turn.

2. Gem and Card Denial

Resources are limited to what is readily available on the table on any given turn. A good strategy is to try and deny your opposition the gems or cards that they may be after, either by taking the last gem of a colour from the supply or purchasing / reserving a card that they may have been after. This tactic of undermining your opposition forms part of the fun in playing Splendor. It is a race to fifteen prestige, so you have to balance slowing other players down as well as making your way to the top spot. If a player gains too much of a lead, it is likely the rest of the table will turn against that player and try to slow them down. A good idea is to then reserve powerful cards you need well in advance from when you intend to purchase them. If you then take the leading position, your opponents will find it harder to stop you if the cards you need to purchase to win the game are already in your hand.

3. Chaining

Chaining is a concept in Splendor where a card you buy, reduces the cost of the next card you are aiming to buy. In the ideal world, each purchase reduces the cost of all future spends. It will not always pan out this way, but as much as possible, aim to chain. Reserve cards in advance as needed to facilitate your chaining engine. If you study the cards carefully, you will notice some colour combinations blend well together. In the tier two developments, Red, White, and Black cards combine well together. White, Green, and Blue also combine reasonably effectively. By understanding these patterns and paying attention to the game state, you can assimilate which cards and gems to procure to facilitate big chains.

Conclusion

Splendor makes for an excellent gateway game to introduce to your family and friends. It is straightforward to understand, pick up, and play, though the underlying strategies involved, make the game an enjoyable experience for seasoned gamers also. Each game should last twenty to thirty minutes, so it is possible to play multiple games in a single sitting. It is my go-to game to bust out towards the end of a gaming evening when everyone is quite spent but still has reserves for a quick game.

Grab your copy and give it a go. I highly recommend it!

Mission complete – Overlord Drakow signing out.