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Portal
1997
Rules assistance for Portal
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 30 min
- 13+
- Complexity 2.0/5
Rules assistant for Portal
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Portal is a board game released in 1997 for 2 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Richard Garfield and its main mechanics are Hand Management.
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About the game
Portal is a 'stripped-down' version of Magic: the Gathering designed to appeal to new players. While the game retained some of the features of the original game, it also removed a number of abilities and interactions deemed too confusing for the novice player. Though a number of the cards in portal were direct counterparts to cards in the regular-run of Magic: the Gathering, gone were named abilities like Trample, Banding, -walk (though Three Kingdoms did add the ability "Horsemanship", which is almost but not quite flying). Additionally, the game cut back on cards that could be played on another player's turn (i.e. instants and interrupts), leading to a greater focus on creatures and not spell interactions to achieve victory. Portal cards are recognizable from core and expansion sets of Magic: the Gathering by the expansion symbol, as well as a bolder and larger font in the text box, and symbols next to the attack and defense numbers of creatures. Portal was printed in three editions: Portal Portal Second Age Portal Three Kingdoms (with an Eastern/Chinese theme)
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Wizards of the Coast
Questions and answers
Portal supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Portal 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 Portal for ages 13 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.
Portal has a complexity rating of 2.0 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.
Portal belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Collectible Components. Its main mechanics are Hand Management. 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 Portal are: Richard Garfield. 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 Portal 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.