- BGG rank
- BGG #3,556
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Medici: The Card Game
2016
Rules assistance for Medici: The Card Game
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 30 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.6/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Medici: The Card Game
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Medici: The Card Game is a board game released in 2016 for 2–6 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Reiner Knizia and its main mechanics are Set Collection and Push Your Luck.
About the game
Medici: The Card Game is a new design by Reiner Knizia that shares the setting and feel of the classic Medici board game, without using that game's auction mechanisms. In 15th century Florence, players try to acquire the most valuable goods for their merchant ships by drawing 1-3 cards from a common deck each turn. After drawing, the active player must take the final card they drew and may select one or both of the previous two cards drawn (if available). They then load these commodity cards on their boat. Cards that are not taken remain available to future players. Once a player's boat is full (seven cards with two players, five cards with 3-6 players), they are out of the round and the day is scored. Players score points for the value of their ships' holds, but also for the number of commodities of each type that they have stored in their warehouse. The highest earning merchant over three days wins the game. Some cards do not take up space on ships, while others contribute to the value of a hold, but cannot be stored in warehouses. This is the first game to be added to the Medici family of games since Strozzi, released in 2008.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- cosaic
- Group SNE
- Pixie Games
- Grail Games
- APE Games
- Devil Dice Games
Questions and answers
Medici: The Card Game 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 Medici: The Card Game is 30 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 Medici: The Card Game 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.
Medici: The Card Game has a complexity rating of 1.6 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
Medici: The Card Game belongs to these categories: Card Game and Renaissance. Its main mechanics are Set Collection and Push Your Luck. 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 Medici: The Card Game are: Reiner Knizia. 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 Medici: The Card Game 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.