- BGG rating
- 6.1
Monarch: Hungry Tarasque and Regal Peacock
- 2–4 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,549
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Monarch
2015
Rules assistance for Monarch
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- 12+
- Complexity 1.7/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Monarch
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Monarch is a board game released in 2015 for 2–4 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Max Seidman, Mary Flanagan, and Zara Downs and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Set Collection, and Modular Board.
Expansions
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About the game
In Monarch you play as an heir to the throne. Your mother, the Queen, has lived out her years and will soon pass on the crown. The time has come for you and your siblings to demonstrate your intelligence, compassion, bravery, and strength as leaders. Out perform your siblings to demonstrate your ingenuity and strength. Choose strategies that will bring prosperity to the land and glory to your court. Defend the realm from threats and famine. Only the player with the most majestic court will be named heir. There are many paths to choose from, but only one will become the next monarch. Who will reign? Monarch is a light strategy game for 2-4 players that lasts 45 minutes. The primary mechanic is set collection; each of the sisters aims to assemble a court of Court Cards in order to prove her worth: wise advisors, exotic animals, and symbolic regalia. Each of these Court Cards provides crowns, and the sister whose court contains the most crowns at the end of the game becomes the Queen. There are tricks to assembling a majestic court. Some cards don't work together well: the Astronomer is worth nothing if in a court with the Fireworks because he will be unable to see anything! Other cards work very well together: the Beastkeeper is worth more crowns for each animal she shares a court with. Awards & Honors: BostonFIG Fest // 2014 - Official Selection IndieCade // 2015 Finalist Indie Mega Booth PAX East // 2016 Official Selection
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Resonym
- Mary Flanagan LLC
Questions and answers
Monarch supports 2–4 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 Monarch 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 Monarch 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.
Monarch has a complexity rating of 1.7 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.
Monarch belongs to these categories: Fantasy. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Set Collection, and Modular Board. 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 Monarch are: Max Seidman, Mary Flanagan, and Zara Downs. 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 Monarch 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.