Overview

Citadels is a card-drafting and city-building game where players secretly select character roles each round to gain special powers. Players build district cards in their city by paying gold, racing to be the first to build eight districts. The game combines bluffing, deduction, and strategic planning as players try to predict which characters their opponents have chosen.

Components

• 18 character cards (8 basic + 10 bonus, marked with white star)
• 80 district cards (14 bonus purple cards marked with white star)
• 30 gold counters
• 1 wooden Crown marker
• 8 reference cards
• Rulebook

District Card Types

Color	Type	Character Income
Yellow	Noble	King
Blue	Religious	Bishop
Green	Trade	Merchant
Red	Military	Warlord
Purple	Special	Unique abilities on card

Setup

1. Remove bonus character and district cards (white star) for the first game.
2. Shuffle the 8 basic character cards into the Character Deck.
3. Shuffle district cards into the District Deck.
4. Deal 4 district cards to each player.
5. Each player receives 2 gold from the bank.
6. The oldest player receives the Crown marker.

Turn Structure

Each round has four steps:

Step 1: Remove Characters

Draw 1 random card from the Character Deck and place it face down (unseen) in the center. Then draw additional cards face up (number depends on player count):

Players	Face-up Cards Removed
4	2
5	1
6-7	0

Special rule: If the King is drawn face-up, replace it with another random card and shuffle the King back in.

Step 2: Choose Characters

Starting with the Crown holder, each player secretly takes one character card from those remaining and passes the rest to the left. The last unchosen card is placed face down in the center.

Step 3: Player Turns

The Crown holder calls character names in rank order (1 through 8). When your character is called, reveal it and take your turn:

1) Take an Action (mandatory): Choose one:

• Take 2 gold from the bank, OR
• Draw 2 district cards from the District Deck, keep 1, place the other at the bottom of the deck.

2) Build a District (optional): Play 1 district card from your hand by paying its gold cost to the bank. You may not build a duplicate of a district already in your city.

3) Use Character Power (once per turn): Each character has a unique special ability (see below).

Step 4: End of Round

All character cards return to the Character Deck. Shuffle and begin a new round.

Actions

Character Powers (Rank Order)

1. Assassin: Announce a character title. That character’s player skips their entire turn this round (remains silent when called).

2. Thief: Announce a character title (not the Assassin or the murdered character). When that character is called, steal all their gold before they take their turn.

3. Magician: Choose one:

• Exchange your entire hand with another player’s hand (even if you have no cards), OR
• Discard any number of cards face-down to the bottom of the District Deck and draw an equal number from the top.

4. King: Take the Crown marker (you call characters first next round). Receive 1 gold for each yellow (Noble) district in your city.

5. Bishop: You are protected from the Warlord’s ability. Receive 1 gold for each blue (Religious) district in your city.

6. Merchant: Receive 1 extra gold after taking your action. Receive 1 gold for each green (Trade) district in your city.

7. Architect: Draw 2 extra district cards after taking your action. You may build up to 3 districts this turn (instead of 1).

8. Warlord: Destroy one district in any other player’s city (except the Bishop’s) by paying 1 less than its cost. Cannot destroy districts in a completed 8-district city. Receive 1 gold for each red (Military) district in your city.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

When any player builds their 8th district, the game ends after the current round completes.

Scoring Category	Points
Total gold cost of all districts in your city	Sum of costs
At least 1 district in each of 5 colors	+3
First player to build 8 districts	+4
Other players with 8 districts	+2

Highest total wins. Tiebreaker: highest district cost total, then most gold.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

Player Count Variants

2-3 players: Each player plays with 2 characters per round (2 turns). Gold and districts are shared across characters. Modified character selection process with additional face-down removals.

7 players: The 7th player may look at the face-down removed card and choose between it and the last remaining character.

8 players: Requires a rank 9 bonus character. Uses 7-player last-pick rule.

Shorter game: Players may agree to play to 7 districts instead of 8.

Bonus Cards

• Bonus characters replace original characters of the same rank number (agreed before the game).
• Bonus purple districts can be added (2-3 recommended; remove existing purples if adding more).

Special District Cards

• Quarry: May build duplicate districts (max 2 identical). Effect persists even after Quarry is destroyed.
• Graveyard: Pay 1 gold to take a district destroyed by the Warlord into your hand. Cannot save itself.
• Observatory: Draw 3 district cards, keep 1.
• Library: Keep both drawn district cards.
• Bell Tower: Game ends at 7 districts instead of 8 (affects all bonuses).

Player Reference

Turn: Take Action (2 gold OR draw 2 keep 1) > Build 1 district (pay cost) > Use character power

Character rank order: Assassin (1) > Thief (2) > Magician (3) > King (4) > Bishop (5) > Merchant (6) > Architect (7) > Warlord (8)

End trigger: 8th district built (finish the round).

Scoring: District costs + 3 (all 5 colors) + 4 (first to 8) or +2 (others at 8).