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Keyflower
- 2–6 players
- 90–120 min
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Discretion
1978
Rules assistance for Discretion
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 120 min
- 13+
- Complexity 2.9/5
Rules assistant for Discretion
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Discretion is a board game released in 1978 for 2–8 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Christopher Gallagher and Brian Astle and its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding.
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About the game
A game of real estate development and speculation. Players develop plots of land with different types of buildings (identified by color). Building types will pay off periodically depending on card draws - with the amount determined by the number of contrasting adjacent colors. Since expenses accrue every turn, but revenues are unpredictable, risky play can be very expensive, forcing players to take out loans - sometimes with pricey loan sharks who can send a player into a death spiral.
Editions
- DiscretionenPrinceton International Enterprises1978
- DiscretionenPrinceton International Enterprises
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Princeton International Enterprises
Questions and answers
Discretion supports 2–8 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 Discretion 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 Discretion for ages 13 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.
Discretion has a complexity rating of 2.9 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light 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.
Discretion belongs to these categories: Economic and City Building. Its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding. 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 Discretion are: Christopher Gallagher and Brian Astle. 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 Discretion 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.