Description
As a master of the jewellers' guild, you create jewellery for Renaissance rulers – but you have an ambitious rival. Splendor Duel is a standalone two-player game derived from Splendor: it keeps collecting gems and buying cards, and adds a shared board of tokens, cards with abilities and three different paths to victory.
How to play Splendor Duel
The board holds 25 tokens: gems in five colours, two pearls and three gold tokens. On your turn, you take one mandatory action. You can take up to three adjacent tokens in a straight line, take a gold token and reserve a card, or buy a card from the pyramid. The cards you buy lower the cost of future purchases, and some also have an ability: an extra turn, a token from the board or even a token taken from your opponent.
What makes it special are the privileges. If you take three tokens of the same colour or both pearls, or if you refill the board, you give your opponent a privilege, which they can use at any time to take a token of their choice. You win as soon as you reach 20 prestige points, 10 crowns or 10 points on cards of one colour.
Why you'll love it
- Three victory conditions: you have to watch your opponent on three fronts at once.
- Every strong move has a price: your opponent gets a privilege for it.
- The layout of the tokens on the board decides what you can take – and what you leave for your rival.
- Crowns bring royal cards with immediate effects.
Who is Splendor Duel for
The game is for 2 players only, ages 10 and up, and takes about 30 minutes. It is moderately easy: the rules are quick to explain, but it is tenser and more competitive than the original. There is no text on the cards. Couples and anyone who enjoys two-player games will like it, even if you don't know Splendor.
What might you not like?
The game is for two only, and your opponent will often snatch a card or token from right under your nose. So it may not be the best fit for larger groups or for those who dislike a tight contest.
What's in the box
- 67 jewel cards in three levels
- 25 tokens: 20 gems in five colours, 2 pearls and 3 gold
- token board and bag
- 4 royal cards
- 3 privilege scrolls
- victory tile and rules
