Just to put a few wrinkles into the usual game once in a while, you may like to try the following rules alterations:

Preparations:

During the Game:

1. All cubes earned are placed in front of the screens, i.e. are always public.
2. The player who has the most of a particular color of cube takes the card of the corresponding color. If another player acquires more cubes of this color than the current holder of the card, he immediately takes the card.
3. Ownership of a card confers certain advantages:
   • Red: during any conflict ties, the winner is no longer automatically the defender, but the choice of the holder of this card.
   • Black: once during his turn, the holder of this card may use his Black Leader to tax another player whose leader is in the same kingdom. The taxed player must give the card holder a cube of the holder's choice.
   • Green: once during his turn and before taking his two actions, the holder of the card can re-locate a treasure to a different tile in the same kingdom. The new tile need not be red.
   • Blue: the holder of his card may place a blue tile in any vacant space, not only on river squares.

C A R D S

King of Kings Tax another leader in the same kingdom.

Hierophant Adjudicate conflict ties.

Leading Merchant Re-locate treasures within a kingdom.

Prime Landowner Place a blue tile anywhere.

Other Variants

• Artists by Wolfgang and Brigitte Ditt
• Drafting by Milton Soong and Douglas Adams
• Monuments by Aaron Fuegi