Spires

About the game

What is Spires?

A royal family with a penchant for towers has decreed the builders of the kingdom – the players – to perk up the kingdom's skyline with new spires. In answer to their call, players compete to catch the eye of the royal family and ultimately, the title of Royal Builder. Players must be careful though. If they build a spire taller than the royal palace, they'll be penalized instead of praised. Spires combines hand management, a unique take on trick-taking, and set collection into a 25-minute game. Players compete for cards in different markets to try to build out their tableaus. Every player aims to fill their tableau with spires of each type but must be careful not to add more than three of any one type of card. Once the spire exceeds three cards, all cards of that type become a penalty to their final score. Competing for cards can be tricky as rival builders can force you to take cards that push you over the three-card limit, but not to worry! You can also win cards that allow you to manage your tableau. The builder with the most points, including spires and bonuses (special cards, symbol majorities, etc.), wins!

How it plays

Mechanics

On the shelf

Categories

Questions players ask

Questions to bring to BoardGameBrain

• How do setup and the first turn work in Spires?
• When does scoring happen and what ends the game?
• How should the table resolve an unusual timing or rules interaction?