- BGG rank
- BGG #27,900
- BGG rating
- 5.5
The Worst Game Ever
- 2–8 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2014
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- BGG rating
- 5.9
Palaces
2018
Rules assistance for Palaces
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 1.3/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Palaces
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Palaces is a board game released in 2018 for 2–4 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Jeff Siadek and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Auction / Bidding, and Open Drafting.
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About the game
Palaces is a deck-building bidding game in which you win cards and build towers. On a turn, the active player chooses to draw from one of three stacks of cards, then all players bid or drop out. There is only one round of bidding per card. Bids are valued based on the size of a suit (e.g., three-of-a-kind beats two-of-a-kind, etc.), and if the size matches, you compare suits: Gold, Silver, Crystal, Marble. If size and suit match, compare a secondary bid (3 gold and 2 marble beats 3 gold and a silver). The highest bidder activates the card's special effect and adds it to their discard pile. (Eventually it returns to their hand and activates again when in a winning bid.) The winner of the bid also gets to add a room to one of their two towers, while the other players draw cards. Play proceeds clockwise. Each player's two towers must match one another. The winner is the player with the tallest lower tower. Unlike most deck-building games, you do not void your hand after your turn. Players who win bids discard their bids to build their towers, while other players draw cards.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Gorilla Games
Questions and answers
Palaces 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 Palaces 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 Palaces 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.
Palaces has a complexity rating of 1.3 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.
Palaces belongs to these categories: Renaissance. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Auction / Bidding, and Open Drafting. 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 Palaces are: Jeff Siadek. 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 Palaces 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.