- BGG rank
- BGG #4,816
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Maharaja
- 1–4 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,177
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Maharaja: The Game of Palace Building in India
2004
Rules assistance for Maharaja: The Game of Palace Building in India
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 90 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.2/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Maharaja: The Game of Palace Building in India
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Maharaja: The Game of Palace Building in India is a board game released in 2004 for 2–5 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Point to Point Movement, and Area Majority / Influence.
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About the game
A board game for two to five players with elements of area control and simultaneous action selection. During the game, the players take different roles and travel from city to city in India. Their architects build palaces and houses for the Maharadja. Of course, building a palace is expensive. Therefore, it is important to earn enough money in the cities. The first player who builds seven palaces is the winner. Players choose their actions simultaneously, but reveal and resolve them in turn. Actions include generating money, building houses or palaces, manipulating the Maharaja's movements, and choosing new architects (each architect has a unique power, but the more powerful ones come further down the turn order). At the end of each round, the Maharaja scores the city he is currently in based on the number of buildings, and players receive money accordingly. He then moves to a new city. Besides the basic game, the rules booklet contains two advanced versions for players who seek even more depth in their game play.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- asmodee
- Mayfair Games
- Phalanx Games B.V.
- Phalanx Games Deutschland
- KDS Distribuzione (Italy)
Questions and answers
Maharaja: The Game of Palace Building in India 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 Maharaja: The Game of Palace Building in India is 90 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 Maharaja: The Game of Palace Building in India 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.
Maharaja: The Game of Palace Building in India 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.
Maharaja: The Game of Palace Building in India belongs to these categories: City Building. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Point to Point Movement, 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 Maharaja: The Game of Palace Building in India are: Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling. 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 Maharaja: The Game of Palace Building in India 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.