
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,128
- BGG rating
- 6.5
The Island of El Dorado
- 2–4 players
- 25–80 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2018

Rules assistance for Magellan: Complementary Cards
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.
Magellan: Complementary Cards is an expansion for Magellan released in 1986 for 2–6 players and 45 minutes per game. It was designed by Michel Fallon and its main mechanics are Roll / Spin and Move, Dice Rolling, and Area Majority / Influence.
New cards for use with Magellan. There are 38 new geography cards and 100 new history cards. The geography cards should presumably be added to the originals. The history cards come in two groups - there are two sets of 10 cards for each of the categories - so you can replace the original cards with one of these groups or mix them together. (If someone has the rules for exactly how to use the cards, please update this.)
Magellan: Complementary Cards supports 2–6 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 Magellan: Complementary Cards 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.
Magellan: Complementary Cards has a complexity rating of 2.0 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.
Magellan: Complementary Cards belongs to these categories: Economic, Exploration, and Educational. Its main mechanics are Roll / Spin and Move, Dice Rolling, and Area Majority / Influence. 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 Magellan: Complementary Cards are: Michel Fallon. 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 Magellan: Complementary Cards as an expansion for Magellan. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Magellan to use it. Check that your edition of Magellan is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.