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The King's Dilemma

The King's Dilemma

Horrible Guild · 2019
3–545–60 min14+ yrs2.3/5 complexity7.7 BGG#399 BGG13,5 KStrategy
short answer

How do you play The King's Dilemma?

The primary objective for each player is to guide their chosen house through generations of political intrigue and decision-making to achieve their secret agenda. This involves strategically influencing the kingdom's resource tracks and the outcomes of various dilemmas to accumulate the most prestige points by the end of the game, often at the expense of other houses or the kingdom itself.

To find the best price for The King's Dilemma, howtoplay.ro compares deals from Romanian shops every day.

FromRON 377· 3 shops
The King's Dilemma box art
official art · Horrible Guild
the rules in 60 seconds▶ auto · 1/6
🧩
01

Setup

Players choose a house, each with unique objectives and lore, and set up the game board with resource tracks, event cards, and voting tokens.

The rules, step by step

Setup
To set up, each player selects one of many unique houses, each with its own lore, secret objectives, and a player screen. The main game board is placed, featuring several resource tracks that represent the kingdom's stability and prosperity. Event cards are shuffled into a deck, and initial tokens for resources and voting are distributed. Players also receive a set of 'aye,' 'nay,' and 'pass' voting cards.
Objective
The primary objective for each player is to guide their chosen house through generations of political intrigue and decision-making to achieve their secret agenda. This involves strategically influencing the kingdom's resource tracks and the outcomes of various dilemmas to accumulate the most prestige points by the end of the game, often at the expense of other houses or the kingdom itself.
On your turn
Each turn begins by drawing an event card from the deck, which presents a unique dilemma or situation for the kingdom. Players then discuss and debate the potential outcomes of the dilemma. Following the discussion, players secretly choose to vote 'aye' (yes), 'nay' (no), or 'pass.' Votes are revealed simultaneously, and the majority decision determines the immediate outcome, affecting resource tracks and potentially unlocking new story elements or envelopes.
Scoring
Scoring occurs at the end of each game (representing a generation) and at the very end of the campaign. Players earn prestige points based on how well they fulfilled their house's secret objectives, which are tied to the positions of the resource tracks. Additionally, players can gain or lose points based on their accumulated wealth (money tokens) and the chronicle stickers they have signed throughout the game, which reflect their house's historical impact.
Game end
The game progresses through a series of years, with each year representing a turn. The campaign concludes after a predetermined number of years or if any of the kingdom's resource tracks reach an extreme (either too high or too low), triggering an early end. At this point, a final scoring round takes place, and the player whose house has accumulated the most prestige points over the entire campaign is declared the winner.
Tips
To succeed, players should prioritize their house's secret agenda, even if it means making unpopular decisions for the kingdom. Strategic voting is crucial; sometimes, it's beneficial to vote against your personal preference to gain an advantage or bribe another player for their vote. Pay close attention to the resource tracks, as their positions directly impact scoring and can trigger critical game events. Engaging in negotiation and forming temporary alliances with other players can also be highly effective.
game anatomy
Complexity2.3 / 5
BGG rating7.7 / 10
Vibe
Strategy
Language dependence
Extensive text — heavy translation needed
Play time
45–60 min
Players
3–5
Recommended age
14+ yrs
BGG rank
#399
from Trișache · verified

Frequently asked questions

Q1What is the goal of the game?
The primary objective for each player is to guide their chosen house through generations of political intrigue and decision-making to achieve their secret agenda. This involves strategically influencing the kingdom's resource tracks and the outcomes of various dilemmas to accumulate the most prestige points by the end of the game, often at the expense of other houses or the kingdom itself.
Q2How do you set up the game?
To set up, each player selects one of many unique houses, each with its own lore, secret objectives, and a player screen. The main game board is placed, featuring several resource tracks that represent the kingdom's stability and prosperity. Event cards are shuffled into a deck, and initial tokens for resources and voting are distributed. Players also receive a set of 'aye,' 'nay,' and 'pass' voting cards.
Q3How does a turn work?
Each turn begins by drawing an event card from the deck, which presents a unique dilemma or situation for the kingdom. Players then discuss and debate the potential outcomes of the dilemma. Following the discussion, players secretly choose to vote 'aye' (yes), 'nay' (no), or 'pass.' Votes are revealed simultaneously, and the majority decision determines the immediate outcome, affecting resource tracks and potentially unlocking new story elements or envelopes.
Q4How is scoring calculated?
Scoring occurs at the end of each game (representing a generation) and at the very end of the campaign. Players earn prestige points based on how well they fulfilled their house's secret objectives, which are tied to the positions of the resource tracks. Additionally, players can gain or lose points based on their accumulated wealth (money tokens) and the chronicle stickers they have signed throughout the game, which reflect their house's historical impact.
Q5When and how does the game end?
The game progresses through a series of years, with each year representing a turn. The campaign concludes after a predetermined number of years or if any of the kingdom's resource tracks reach an extreme (either too high or too low), triggering an early end. At this point, a final scoring round takes place, and the player whose house has accumulated the most prestige points over the entire campaign is declared the winner.
Q6What tips are there for beginners?
To succeed, players should prioritize their house's secret agenda, even if it means making unpopular decisions for the kingdom. Strategic voting is crucial; sometimes, it's beneficial to vote against your personal preference to gain an advantage or bribe another player for their vote. Pay close attention to the resource tracks, as their positions directly impact scoring and can trigger critical game events. Engaging in negotiation and forming temporary alliances with other players can also be highly effective.
Q7How much does The King's Dilemma cost?
The King's Dilemma costs between 377 and 459 RON across Romanian stores.
Q8Where can I buy The King's Dilemma cheapest?
The lowest price for The King's Dilemma right now is 377 RON at Gameology . The Prices tab lists every store currently tracking it.
Q9How do you play The King's Dilemma?
The King's Dilemma is a fantasy game, for 3–5 players, taking ~45–60 minutes, featuring bias. Check the Rules tab for setup, gameplay, and scoring, or ask Trișache anything about The King's Dilemma — our AI assistant built by howtoplay.ro and trained specifically on board game rulebooks.
Q10How many players does The King's Dilemma support?
The King's Dilemma is played by 3–5 players.
5 shops

All prices

5 shops · sorted by priceupdated today
Gameology CHEAPESTENaffiliateeasybox
The King s Dilemma (EN)
free over RON 250
RON 377
Hobby Planet
The King's Dilemma
shipping RON 20
RON 425
Regatul JocuriloreasyboxCultural voucher
The King's Dilemma
free over RON 149
RON 459
Bârlogul cu Jocuri
The King s Dilemma
RON 369
Buyout of stock
The Guild HallGLS Locker
The King s Dilemma - EN
RON 399
Buyout of stock
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Price history

See price by edition

Price trend over the last 90 days: minimum 277 lei, maximum 459 lei, now 459 lei.

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