User Manual
The artist: Pascal Quidault
«No, but really – what’s your real job?»
Artist. A horrible job if there’s one. Normally lost in worlds of Heroic Fantasy or Science Fiction for gaming platforms
or literary ones, it was time for me to buy myself a conscience back. Born in 1976 (a wee lad in comparison). Quickly,
the evidence of an age limit being required to stand the horrible working conditions among the Space Cowboys was
discovered: humor, puns, centuries-old references, and even an honest and good camaraderie. Revolting. Using bru-
shes and styluses for almost 10 years for various French and worldwide publishers, I also teach digital art to a youth
looking to walk down this road to perdition. Accumulating the vices, I also play various sorts of games: boardgames,
roleplaying, strategy, wargames... e possibility to collaborate on the rst game by the Cowboys was thus the fruit
of an intense debate which lasted a few microseconds. Much thanks to Philippe Mouret and the Space Cowboys team
for their condence and their patience, as well as Splendor’s daddy: Marc André.
I’ll nish by admitting a terrible secret: I’ve played Splendor and I loved it. My soul is denitely lost.
Translation: Eric Harlaux
Revision: Eric Franklin
The author: Marc André
Good-looking, tall, blond, athletic, Marc André has a godlike body worthy of a game designer. (Oh darn! ey’ve
stuck a picture in here! I’ll have to nd something else...) Born in 1967 (that’s incredible, I’m as old as the Space
Cowboys!), in the South of France, where children are forced to learn how to play chess as early as 4 years old.
Actually, no, it’s just that in my family, a playful mind is a way of life, or not, it’s all in how you see it. I’ve thus grown
up alongside thinking games as much as boardgames of all sizes and shapes, for players young and old. en came
the 80’s and its revolution: roleplaying games which freed up imagination and creativity. It was a revelation! One
day I’d make games too! I got on that right away, rst with roleplaying games, then ghting games to play with my
buddies, and nally, much later, boardgames. Now, Splendor is my second published game. How did I do it? anks
to my super psychic hypnotic powers during important meetings (with Sébastien Pauchon and CROC). To nish,
I’m dedicating this game to CROC who has my complete sympathy and consideration, to my wife and my son, who
have all my love.
Splendor is published by JD Éditions - SPACE Cowboys: 238, rue des frères Farman, 78530 BUC - France
© 2014 SPACE Cowboys. All rights reserved
www.spacecowboys.fr
e bonuses and prestige points granted
by each card must be visible to all at all
times.
Important: when a development card from the middle of the
table is acquired or reserved, it must immediately be replaced by
a card of the same level.
At all times during the game, there must be 4 face-up cards of
each level (unless the deck in question is empty, in which case the
empty spaces also remain empty).
e bonuses
e bonuses a player has from development cards acquired
on previous turns provide discounts on the purchase of new
cards. Each bonus of a given color is equal to a token of that
color.
us, if a player has 2 blue bonuses and wants to purchase a
card which costs 2 blue tokens and 1 green token, the player
must only spend 1 green token.
If a player has enough development cards (and therefore
bonuses), they can even purchase a card without spending any
tokens.
e nobles
At the end of their turn, each player checks the noble tiles in
order to determine if they’re receiving a visit from one of them.
A player can be visited if they have (at least) the quantity and
type of bonuses indicated on the noble tile.
It is impossible to refuse the visit from a noble, which is not
considered to be an action.
If a player has enough bonuses to be visited by more than one
noble at the end of their turn, that player chooses the noble to
be received.
e tile obtained is placed face-up in front of the player in
question.
END OF THE GAME
When a player reaches 15 prestige points, complete the
current round so that each player has played the same number
of turns.
e player who then has the highest number of prestige points
is declared the winner (don’t forget to count your nobles).
In case of a tie, the player who has purchased the fewest
development cards wins.