- BGG rank
- BGG #9,770
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Garden Competition
- 3–5 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2004
- BGG rank
- BGG #19,844
- BGG rating
- 6.7
The Patrons of Venice
2004
Rules assistance for The Patrons of Venice
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–5 players
- 90 min
- 10+
- Complexity 3.3/5
Rules assistant for The Patrons of Venice
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Patrons of Venice is a board game released in 2004 for 3–5 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Ken Stevens and its main mechanics are Variable Phase Order.
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About the game
At the height of the Renaissance, the Mediterranean was alive with trading galleys exchanging prized goods between Europe, Africa and the Far East. Vessels from the Baltic Sea carried lumber, wool, iron, and hemp while vessels from the Black Sea delivered silk and spices from the Far East. At the center of it all was the port city of Venice, the "Queen of the Adriatic," where merchant families earned fortunes from the trade. As the head of a Venetian merchant family, you will begin the game with a warehouse and a few ships carrying trade goods. Sponsor local businesses to manufacture raw goods into valuable luxury goods and sell them to local Aristocraticci for money and favor. Compete against other families for raw goods and prime real-estate. Do you place your new draper business in the draper quarter where it will be more profitable, or beside the campo with the beautiful statue to earn your family more prestige? Raw goods are cheaper at the Pirate wharf, but if the Pirates get enough money, they will set sail and rob everyone's ships of their most prized goods!
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Toccata Games
Questions and answers
The Patrons of Venice supports 3–5 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 The Patrons of Venice is 90 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 The Patrons of Venice 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.
The Patrons of Venice has a complexity rating of 3.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
The Patrons of Venice belongs to these categories: Economic, City Building, and Renaissance. Its main mechanics are Variable Phase Order. 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 The Patrons of Venice are: Ken Stevens. 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 The Patrons of Venice 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.