Tabletop games
Splendor
Space CowboysMarc André2014
- players
- 2–4
- minutes
- 30
- years
- 10+
In the box
90 Development cards · 10 Noble tiles · 40 tokens (7 of each gem and 5 gold tokens)
Official rules (PDF, publisher's site)
Box details
- Designer
- Marc André
- Artwork
- Pascal Quidault, Marc André, Paul Vérité
- Publisher
- Space Cowboys
- Mechanics
- ObjectivesOpen DraftingRaceSet Collection
- Expansions
- Splendor: Cities of Splendor · 2017
- Splendor: The Silk Road · 2025
- Splendor: The Sun Never Sets · 2025
Where to buy it
Near you and online
In a shop
Within 50 km.
Online
Affiliate link: Marquoir may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
The basics
Each player acquires mines and workshops to attract nobles and reach fifteen prestige points. On your turn, take a single action: take three tokens of different colours, or two of the same colour if at least four remain, reserve a card and take a gold, or buy a card by paying with your tokens and the bonuses of the cards you already own. As soon as a player reaches fifteen points at the end of their turn, finish the round and the highest total wins.
Checked against the official rules · September 2026
The rules, step by step
Setup
4 cards per level, Tokens by player count, Nobles = players + 1
- Three decks of development cards, from level 1 to level 3, with four cards of each level laid out face up.
- Tokens of five gems plus five gold jokers. With four players, keep seven tokens of each gem; with three, five; with two, four. Gold stays at five.
- As many noble tiles as players, plus one.
- The youngest player goes first.
How to play
1 action per turn, Take tokens, Reserve or buy
- On your turn, choose a single action.
- Take three tokens of different colours (two or just one if the supply allows no more).
- Or take two tokens of the same colour, provided at least four remain in the pile. These two actions never give gold.
- Or reserve a card, face up or drawn from the top of a deck, and take a gold joker if any remain. Three reserved cards at most.
- Or buy a face-up or reserved card, paying with your tokens and the permanent bonuses of the cards you already bought. Gold replaces any gem.
- Any card taken from the centre is immediately replaced by the top card of the deck of the same level.
- At the end of your turn, you keep no more than ten tokens, gold included.
Scoring
Cards 0 to 5 points, Noble 3 points
- Each development card carries 0 to 5 prestige points.
- At the end of a turn, a noble joins the player who meets their bonus requirement: 3 points. Only one noble per turn; if several are possible, you choose.
- Reserved cards not bought cost nothing at the end of the game.
End of the game
15 points, Finish the round, Tie: fewest cards
- As soon as a player reaches or passes fifteen points at the end of their turn, finish the round so everyone has played the same number of times.
- The highest total wins. In case of a tie, the player who bought the fewest development cards wins; if still tied, the victory is shared.
Going further
Frequently asked questions · Rules on video · In the same family · Play with the game assistant
Frequently asked questions
How many tokens can you keep?
Ten at most at the end of your turn, jokers included. If you go over, return tokens until you are back to ten. It is the limit people forget most often.
When can you take two tokens of the same colour?
Only if at least four tokens of that colour remain in the supply when you choose. Otherwise, you are limited to three tokens of different colours.
What are reserved cards for?
Reserving a card sets it aside for you alone, and gives you a gold joker. You buy it later, out of the opponents' reach. You can only hold three reserved cards at a time.
How do nobles arrive?
Automatically, as soon as you own the permanent bonuses (the gems on purchased cards) a noble requires. You do not "take" a noble: it comes to you, for 3 points. Only one per turn, even if two requirements are met.
Can the gold joker replace any gem?
Yes, when buying a card, a gold counts as a gem of whatever colour you want. You only get it by reserving a card.
Who wins in case of a tie at fifteen points?
The player who bought the fewest development cards. The current round is finished so everyone has played the same number of times before counting.
Rules on video
Videos in French, hosted on YouTube.