- BGG rank
- BGG #12,790
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Magic Hill
- 2–5 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 2001
- BGG rank
- BGG #9,016
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Gargon
2001
Rules assistance for Gargon
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–5 players
- 45 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.8/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Gargon
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Gargon is a board game released in 2001 for 3–5 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Rüdiger Dorn.
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About the game
Contents - one deck of 102 Gargon cards in 6 suits, plus 18 bonus cards. One rulebook. Gargon is fantasy themed card game for 3-5 players. There are 6 suits of Gargon cards, each representing a fantasy creature, with values 0 to 15. The cards also show amulet symbols, with the low value cards having more, the highest value cards having none. At the end of the game, the player who has won the most cards in each suit gets a bonus card worth ten points, or five points if tied - this is what the 18 bonus cards are for. Each amulet is also worth one point. The zero value cards have no amulets themselves, but double the amulet count for that suit, or quadruple them if both 0 value cards in that suit have been won. Ten cards are dealt to each player, and the rest are split into two equal draw piles, face down, in the center of the board. The draw piles are spread out so that the backs can be seen, showing the color of the suits. Players must also hold their cards so that the backs are visible. Each round the start player plays up to three cards face down, (but never three of the same suit), and the other players must follow in turn with the same number of cards in the same distribution, or pass. There is no requirement to follow suit in general, but if, for example, the start player puts down three cards in three different suits, the other players must also play three cards in three different suits. The last player is restricted to suits that have already been played. Anybody who passed draws 1-3 cards from the two draw piles in the center. A battle is then resolved for each suit that has been played, with the highest card winning the battle and going into its owner’s stash of Gargon cards to be scored at the end. The losing cards are discarded and the players draw replacements. If anybody played two cards of a suit, a second battle is fought with the weakest of the pair. The game ends when one of the draw piles is exhausted, and the current round is played out, then the totals are scored.
Questions and answers
Gargon supports 3–5 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 Gargon is 45 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 Gargon for ages 10 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.
Gargon has a complexity rating of 1.8 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.
Gargon belongs to these categories: Card Game and Fantasy. Categories describe the theme, setting and style of a game rather than its rules. Filter the catalogue by the same category to find similar games when you enjoyed Gargon and want something comparable for your next game night.
The credited designers of Gargon are: Rüdiger Dorn. 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 Gargon 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.