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About Citadels
Citadels is Bruno Faidutti's card game of building a medieval city. Each round the players draft secret roles such as the Assassin, Thief, King and Architect, then the roles act in number order. The fun is in guessing who took what: the Assassin names a character to kill, and the Thief names one to rob, without knowing who is holding it. It is a light, sneaky game that has stayed in print for a quarter of a century, though it can drag with a slow table.
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Is Citadels Right for You?
Best for
Citadels is for groups of four to seven who like bluffing and outguessing each other more than detailed strategy. The character draft is the heart of it, and with five or six players there is enough uncertainty to keep every round interesting. It is a good choice for groups who are moving on from simple party games.
Maybe skip it if…
Groups who dislike having their plans wrecked by an Assassin or Thief will find it frustrating. At seven or eight it can drag, because each round waits on everyone's turn, and slow players make it slower.
How to Play Citadels
Setup
Each player starts with gold and a few district cards. One player takes the crown.
On Your Turn
- Starting with the crown, each player secretly chooses a character card and passes the rest on. Some characters are set aside so the choice is never complete information.
- The characters are called in rank order. When yours is called, take gold or draw district cards and keep one.
- You may build one district by paying its cost, and use your character's power at some point in your turn.
How to Win
When a player completes their city (seven districts in current editions, eight in the original), the round is finished. Score district costs plus bonuses; the highest total wins.
💡 Strategy Tips
Think about what the player in the lead needs most, then take that character yourself, or kill or rob it.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Taking the same character every round. Other players notice quickly, and you become an easy target.
- Building only cheap districts. Points come from the cost of districts, so plan for larger ones.
- Forgetting the end condition. When someone completes their city, the round finishes and the game ends, so watch the leader.
- Ignoring the King. Choosing first in the next round matters more as the game goes on.
Advanced Strategy
- Count what each player needs. If the leader has no gold, they are likely to take a gold-generating character.
- The Assassin and Thief work best when you can guess what the player picking just before you would take.
- Keep a few cards in hand for the Magician to swap, or for flexibility late in the game.
- Late in the game, finishing your city first is often worth more than building the most expensive districts.
Variants & House Rules
Dark City
The classic expansion with extra characters and districts, swapped in for the base roles to change the mix.
2016 edition
A later edition that includes the original characters, the Dark City ones and nine new characters, plus a set of unique districts. It lets you build a different cast each game.
Citadels Classic
A smaller box that returns to the original eight characters, for groups who just want the core game.
Video Guides
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Our Verdict
Citadels has been a favourite for a quarter of a century because its character draft is so clever. It can be slow with a big group, and its swings will not suit everyone, but the moment you correctly guess who to assassinate is hard to beat. We recommend it for groups of four to six who like to outthink each other.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Citadels win any awards?
It was nominated for the Spiel des Jahres in 2000, the year it came out.
How many players is it best with?
Five or six. Two and three player games use a variant where each player takes two characters, and seven or eight can drag.
Which edition should I buy?
The 2016 edition and its revised reprints include the most characters. Citadels Classic is the simplest choice if you only want the original roles.