
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,086
- BGG rating
- 8.5
Innovation Ultimate
- 2–5 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2025

Rules assistance for Innovation: Artifacts of History
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Innovation: Artifacts of History is an expansion for Innovation released in 2016 for 2–5 players, 45–60 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Carl Chudyk and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Layering, and Melding and Splaying.
Artifacts of History is the fourth expansion to Innovation. Artifacts of History features unique artifacts from the ages, such as the Declaration of Independence. These cards feature very powerful dogma effects, but are difficult to wield. Artifacts of History is simpler than the other expansions released to date, Unlike the other expansions, there are no major new mechanics on the cards. Instead, the new artifact cards are difficult to acquire but have very powerful effects. The artifacts are especially good for players who are behind. There are a few minor new mechanics. One is the compel effect. This effect is similar to the demand effect of the base game, except that it affects players who have more icons of a given type rather than fewer.
Innovation: Artifacts of History 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 Innovation: Artifacts of History is 45–60 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 Innovation: Artifacts of History 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.
Innovation: Artifacts of History has a complexity rating of 3.2 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.
Innovation: Artifacts of History belongs to these categories: Card Game, Expansion for Base-game, and Civilization. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Layering, and Melding and Splaying. 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 Innovation: Artifacts of History are: Carl Chudyk. 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 Innovation: Artifacts of History as an expansion for Innovation. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Innovation to use it. Check that your edition of Innovation is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.