- BGG rating
- 7.3
De Vulgari Eloquentia: Upgrade Pack
- 2–5 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,998
- BGG rating
- 7.2
De Vulgari Eloquentia
2010
Rules assistance for De Vulgari Eloquentia
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 120 min
- 14+
- Complexity 3.6/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for De Vulgari Eloquentia
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
De Vulgari Eloquentia is a board game released in 2010 for 2–5 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Mario Papini and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Area Movement, and Action Points.
Expansions
About the game
Italy, late Middle Ages. The fabric merchants need to write down their contracts in a language that everyone can understand and the literates are looking for an alternative to the elite of the traditional Latin language. So, the Volgare, the language spoken by the common people, taken from the dialects spoken in the various Italian regions, starts to gain relevance. During this period, Francesco D’Assisi writes his famous Canticle of the Sun and Dante writes the Divine Comedy, both written in Volgare. The players will have to do their part in the creation of this new language! But who will provide them the proper knowledge to understand the manuscripts in the different dialects? Who will succeed to uncover the secrets of the books inside the Papal Library? Who will embrace the religious life and who will remain a merchant? Some of the players can become a famous banker, someone else can climb the church’s hierarchy to be the next Pope! But in the end, who will be the most appreciated and respected for his status and his culture? The aim of the game is to obtain more Volgare points. The players will gain VP from reading manuscripts, looking for important documents like the Canticle of the Sun or "The Riddle from Verona". Players can also gain VP by improving their social status, for example, if the merchant becomes a banker or the Friar becomes a Benedictine Monk or the Cardinal becomes Camerlengo or Pope. Moreover, VP can be gotten with money and with the support of Politicians, Noblemen, Abbesses, and the Amanuensis.
Designers
Publishers
- Matagot
- HomoLudicus
- Z-Man Games
- Lookout Games
- Giochix.it
Questions and answers
De Vulgari Eloquentia supports 2–5 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for De Vulgari Eloquentia is 120 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists De Vulgari Eloquentia for ages 14 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
De Vulgari Eloquentia has a complexity rating of 3.6 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
De Vulgari Eloquentia belongs to these categories: Travel, Medieval, and Religious. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Area Movement, and Action Points. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of De Vulgari Eloquentia are: Mario Papini. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists De Vulgari Eloquentia as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.