Objective

The goal of Marvel Splendor is to be the first player to reach 16 Infinity Points, which are earned by recruiting characters, gaining locations, and obtaining the Infinity Gauntlet.

Setup

1. Game Board: Place the board in the center of the table. The board has spaces for three levels of character cards, location tiles, and the Infinity Gauntlet.

2. Character Cards: Separate the character cards into three decks based on their levels (I, II, and III). Shuffle each deck separately and place them face down on the corresponding spaces on the board. Reveal four cards from each deck and place them face up.

3. Infinity Stones: Place the Infinity Stone tokens (gems) in a supply within reach of all players. These represent the game's resources: Power (red), Space (blue), Reality (yellow), Soul (green), Mind (orange), and Time (purple). The Infinity Gauntlet token is placed nearby.

4. Location Tiles: Shuffle the location tiles and place them face up next to the board.

5. Avenger Tokens: Place the Avenger token (shield symbol) near the board. It can be earned by recruiting certain characters.

6. Player Setup: Each player starts with no resources or cards.
   

Gameplay

Marvel Splendor is played over a series of turns, with each player taking one action per turn. The player who has collected the most points by the end of the game wins.

Actions

On your turn, choose one of the following actions:

1. Take Infinity Stones:

   • Take three different Infinity Stone tokens from the supply.

   • Alternatively, you can take two tokens of the same color, but only if at least four tokens of that color are available.

   • If you take tokens, you must return tokens if you have more than ten at the end of your turn.

2. Reserve a Character Card:

   • Take one character card from the board (face up) or from the top of any deck (face down) and place it in front of you. You may reserve up to three cards at a time.

   • When you reserve a card, you also take a gold token (the Wild Infinity Stone), which can be used as any stone color.

3. Recruit a Character:

   • Spend the required Infinity Stone tokens to recruit a character from your hand or the board.

   • The recruited character card is placed in front of you and provides bonuses (discounts) on future recruitments.

4. Claim a Location:

   • If you meet the requirements (having a certain number of character bonuses in specific colors), you may claim a location tile, which provides points and other benefits.

5. Obtain the Infinity Gauntlet:

   • If you have collected enough points and meet the Gauntlet’s specific requirements, you can claim the Infinity Gauntlet, granting you additional points and possibly securing your victory.
     

Special Tokens

• Avenger Token: Some character cards grant the Avenger token. The player holding the Avenger token may use it as an additional bonus during their turn, which can be crucial for recruiting higher-level characters.
  

Winning the Game

The game ends when a player reaches or exceeds 16 Infinity Points. Once a player hits 16 points, the current round is completed so that all players have had an equal number of turns.

The player with the most Infinity Points at the end of the final round wins the game. In the case of a tie, the player who has recruited the most characters wins. If still tied, the player with the most reserved cards wins.

Strategy Tips

1. Plan Your Strategy: Focus on gathering the resources you need to recruit powerful characters or complete locations.

2. Use Bonuses Wisely: Characters give you bonuses (discounts) on future recruitments. Use these strategically to save tokens for other characters.

3. Manage Resources: Keep an eye on the available Infinity Stones and plan your moves to avoid running out of crucial resources.

4. Reserve Key Cards: If you see a character card that fits your strategy, reserve it before an opponent can take it.