Clients Versus Architects

The novelty in Clients v/s Architects lies in the asymmetry between the players. Each player plays on a different board, and each board is different with critical common elements. Everyone plays by the same rules across their different boards, but the rules affect each player differently. In addition to moving across their boards to gain points, players play their cards to modify the rules, which affect everyone. One half of your strategy focuses on where you move, and the other half focuses on how you manipulate the rules. Game Play Each player plays as a client and architect against other players who are their own client/architect pair. Each player has their own unique board across which their pawn moves. The boards are part maze and part treasure map. Since each board is different, players must bid for and win the boards they want to play at the start of the game. Once the boards have been assigned and each player is dealt a hand of 6 cards, the players' client pawns begin to move across their boards. With each move the client pawn pays their architect an amount indicated on the space they move to, but their funds are limited and they will go bankrupt unless they continue to get additional money throughout the game. Each player plays a hand of cards to get their client more funds and get these funds to their architect. The cards are played like poker with different hands unlocking different paths, areas, special rules, and rewards on the playing boards. The object of the game is for the player's architect to play their cards, direct their client, and earn the most money as the client moves from the starting to the finishing space on the board. —description from the designer