Guildes (2017) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Guildes is a card game released in 2017 designed by Romain Gaschet and illustrated by Bad Taste Games. It falls under the categories of card game and deduction game, with a playtime of 20-35 minutes and suitable for players aged 10 and above. The game involves hand management, open drafting, score-and-reset game, set collection, and simultaneous action selection mechanics.

Game Components of Guilds

Colorful hexagonal central board

Citizen cards featuring various benefits such as end-game points, silver or gold income, and unique abilities

Player boards representing guild headquarters

Room tiles for guild expansion

Silver and gold coins for bidding and purchasing

Objective cards for shared goals

How To Setup Guilds

To set up Guilds, place the hexagonal Central Square board in the middle of the table. Each player takes their own player board and places the Entrance Hall tile on the starting position. Objective cards are chosen at random and placed face up on the table. Characters are organized around the Central Square based on the player count. Each player receives their initial income and setup materials according to the rules.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Income Phase: Players take their income based on their cards and rooms.

Auction Phase: Players bid using silver coins on citizen cards placed around the Central Square. Each player must bid on two cards to be the highest bidder.

Money Changing Phase: Unused bids are returned, and players can convert 5 silver coins to 1 gold coin. Remaining silver coins are discarded.

Room Placement Phase: Players buy and place room tiles in their guild headquarters using gold coins.

Objective: The goal is to build the most prestigious guild by acquiring beneficial citizen cards and strategically expanding the guild headquarters. The player with the most prestigious guild at the end of the game wins.

Player Experience

Guilds offers a competitive and tense experience, even with two players. The game scales dynamically to different player counts, ensuring engaging gameplay. Players must balance bidding on valuable citizen cards with strategic room placements to maximize their guild’s prestige. The game’s dual drafting mechanics and the need to plan ahead make it challenging yet rewarding.

Pros

Visually Appealing: The game features a colorful and creatively designed central board.

Dynamic Gameplay: Scales well for different player counts, maintaining competitiveness.

Strategic Depth: Requires careful bidding and room placement strategies.

Competitive: Engaging and tense gameplay throughout.

Cons

Complex Setup: Initial setup can be somewhat confusing due to the specific placement of characters and rooms.

Card Imbalance: Some citizen cards offer significantly better benefits than others, which can affect game balance.

Limited Player Interaction: Bidding is the primary form of interaction, which might not be enough for some players.

Personal Thoughts on Guilds

Guilds is ideal for players who enjoy strategic bidding and resource management. It is particularly suited for those who appreciate games with a mix of economic and building mechanics. While it may not be the best fit for players seeking high player interaction, Guilds offers a challenging and rewarding experience for fans of Italian-style games and those looking to build and manage their own guild.

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