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- BGG #28,271
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Parachute Panda
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Four Taverns
2012
Rules assistance for Four Taverns
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 35 min
- 12+
- Complexity 1.3/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Four Taverns
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Four Taverns is a board game released in 2012 for 2–4 players, 35 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Mike Richie and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Take That.
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About the game
In Four Taverns, everyone is competing to have the best tavern in the land. And how do you measure success for a tavern? Customers. No, wait – awesome customers who have done great things that inspire others to come drink with them and your tavern. Thus, you're going to support adventurers on their quests to do great things, which will ideally bring renown upon you and your tavern in the end. In game terms, each player starts with a hand of adventurers and some coins. Two or three quests are laid out face-up, and each quest shows the strength of the adventurer party – in terms of warrior, wizard, cleric and rogue – required to complete the quest. On a turn, you draw two adventurers cards, then play any number of cards (including zero) – paying their costs at the same time – in order to complete quests and gain the income and renown associated with it. When a quest is completed, all other adventurer cards are discarded. Why not just hold adventurers in hand until you can send out a massive party all at once? Your tavern is tiny at the start of the game, so you need to keep sending out adventurers in order to make room for more. As you gain renown, though, you'll increase the size of your tavern and have room to hold more adventurers in wait. Champions are special adventurers who fulfill two roles at once, and special action cards bring spice to the game play. The first player to collect twenty renown wins.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Rather Dashing Games
Questions and answers
Four Taverns supports 2–4 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 Four Taverns is 35 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 Four Taverns for ages 12 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.
Four Taverns has a complexity rating of 1.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
Four Taverns belongs to these categories: Card Game and Fantasy. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Take That. 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 Four Taverns are: Mike Richie. 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 Four Taverns 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.