- BGG rank
- BGG #11,742
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Master Merchant
2011
Rules assistance for Master Merchant
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–4 players
- 15 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.1/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Master Merchant
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Master Merchant is a board game released in 2011 for 3–4 players, 15 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Seiji Kanai and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Deck, Bag, and Pool Building.
About the game
A merchant's job doesn't consist of simply sitting around and earning money. Sometimes they need to sell their shirt to call for help from others. Sometimes they need to banter and fight for prices. And sometimes they have to swallow their tears and abandon all they have built. If you can overcome these hurdles, earn the trust of people and build up a fortune, then you will be a true master merchant. Master Merchant is a "hand-building" card game along the lines of the "deck-building" genre started by Dominion, except that players have no deck – only a hand of cards and a discard pile. Players start with a hand of two cards: "Steal one gold from all players with four or more gold" and "Buy a card from the town". On each turn a player can play up to two cards from his hand, either face up to gain a card's effect or face down to gain one gold. The "town" consists of ten different types of cards, which cost 1-4 gold. All cards played and purchased go into a player's personal discard pile, which is open information to all players. If a player starts his turn with no cards, he picks up his entire discard pile. The first player to get eight gold or eight different cards wins the game. This game's setting is same as Mai-Star, which is from the same designer, artist and publisher.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Hobby World
- Swan Panasia Co., Ltd.
- Japon Brand
- Kanai Factory
Questions and answers
Master Merchant supports 3–4 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 Master Merchant is 15 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 Master Merchant 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.
Master Merchant has a complexity rating of 2.1 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.
Master Merchant belongs to these categories: Card Game. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Deck, Bag, and Pool Building. 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 Master Merchant are: Seiji Kanai. 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 Master Merchant 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.