- BGG rank
- BGG #610
- BGG rating
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Lords of Vegas
- 2–4 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2010
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,642
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Magnate
2008
Rules assistance for Magnate
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 45 min
- 13+
- Complexity 2.2/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Magnate
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Magnate is a board game released in 2008 for 2 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Cristyn Magnus and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Income, and Dice Rolling.
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About the game
The Grand Duke, who has no heirs, has decreed that his throne will go to whoever does the most to lift up and develop the duchy. You are a successful but common merchant, aiming to buy a noble title by impressing the Grand Duke. His health is failing, so you need to hurry. Magnate is a resource management game for the Decktet. Players vie to add more value to their own side of five district cards by building cards of higher total rank per district than their opponent. Cards are built using suit-based resource tokens, which are earned from already-built cards on every turn based on a roll of the dice, Catan-style, or by selling unwanted cards. Taxes are occasionally imposed on the wealthy. The player with the most per-district victories wins. Besides a Decktet, Magnate requires 2d10, 1d6, and about 12 tokens for each of the 6 suits.
Designers
Publishers
- (Web published)
- Blue Panther
Questions and answers
Magnate supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Magnate 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 Magnate 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.
Magnate has a complexity rating of 2.2 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.
Magnate belongs to these categories: Card Game, Economic, and Print & Play. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Income, and Dice Rolling. 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 Magnate are: Cristyn Magnus. 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 Magnate 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.