Splendor rules: how to play and how to score

Splendor quick rules

The goal

You are a gem merchant. You collect tokens to purchase Development cards, which give a permanent bonus and sometimes prestige points. As soon as a player reaches 15 points, finish the round, and the most points wins.

A turn

On your turn, take just one action out of four: take 3 gem tokens of different colors, take 2 gem tokens of the same color, reserve a card and take a gold token, or purchase a card. Then play passes clockwise.

Taking tokens

To take 2 tokens of the same color, at least 4 of that color must be left in the bank. These actions never give you gold. At the end of your turn, keep no more than 10 tokens: put back the ones of your choice.

Reserving a card

Take a visible card of any level, or the top card of a deck without showing it, and keep it in your hand. Take a gold token if any are left; if not, you still reserve. You can hold up to 3 reserved cards, and you can’t discard them.

Purchasing a card

Purchase a visible card from the middle or one of your reserved cards, putting the tokens back in the bank. A gold token replaces any color. Each bonus on your cards counts as a permanent token of its color, so a card can even be free. A card taken from the middle is replaced right away.

The Nobles

At the end of your turn, if you have the bonuses a Noble tile asks for, take it: it isn’t an action. You take only one Noble per turn; if you qualify for several, choose one. A Noble earns prestige points.

The end of the game

As soon as a player has 15 prestige points or more at the end of their turn, keep playing until the player to the right of the Diamond marker, so everyone has had the same number of turns. The highest total wins. On a tie, whoever purchased the fewest Development cards wins; otherwise, the victory is shared.

Beginner traps

Taking gold with a token action (gold only comes from reserving); forgetting the 10-token limit; counting reserved cards as purchased; spending an action on a Noble (it comes for free at the end of your turn).

How to score Splendor

Prestige

Total prestige points from the Development cards you purchased and your Noble tiles.

Development cards purchased

The number of cards purchased, not counting cards that are only reserved or Nobles. It scores nothing: it breaks ties, and the fewest cards wins.

Worked example

Emma triggers the end with 13 points from cards and a 3-point Noble: 13 + 3 = 16. Jake finishes the round at 16 too, with 14 cards purchased against Emma’s 12. Emma wins, with fewer cards.

Common mistakes

• Stopping the game at 15 points: always finish the round, up to the player to the right of the Diamond marker.
• Scoring reserved cards: they’re worth nothing until you purchase them.
• Breaking ties on the most cards: the player who purchased the fewest wins.
• Counting Nobles as purchased cards: they give prestige, but they aren’t Development cards.

How to set up Splendor

Setup only takes a few minutes: follow the four parts in order. The number of Nobles and tokens depends on the player count.