Citadels Duel
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- Arrives
- October 23, 2026
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The FroGames profile
Choose the Queen or the Assassin. Build your commercial district or attack theirs. They know what you want to do. You know that they know. And in the end, one of you bluffed better.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
Architect duel in the medieval Citadel
Guillaume Montiage and Manuel Rozoy take the world of Citadels — that classic game of bluffing and variable roles that has livened up tables since 2000 — and transform it into a head-to-head duel. The illustrations by Graey Erb, Aldrey de Godoy, and Damien Mammoliti build a medieval universe made of intrigue, gold, and ambition. Asmodee is releasing this version designed for just two players in 2026.
At the table, you recruit influential characters — the Queen, the Assassin, the Merchant, the Warlord — to build districts and accumulate wealth. Each role you choose is a weapon, but your opponent can also grab the same weapon. You must anticipate their moves, bluff about timing, strike their buildings, or protect yourself from their attacks. Whoever accumulates the most gold when the last building is erected wins the game.
What they're saying abroad
"Welcome to Citadels Duel, a tense head-to-head contest of cunning and ambition."
— asmodee
This is a first reading based on development data. We will update the profile as soon as we have played the final product.
— FroGames
Citadels Duel
FrogScore · FroGames editorial evaluation · based on the rulebook, international reviews, and gaming sessionsThe allies you recruit
Four roles that build (or destroy) the city
The Queen
Gives you gold and prestige. But if your opponent takes her before you, you're the one paying the bill. Perfect timing or a guaranteed disaster.
The Assassin
Eliminates an opponent's role. If you guess what they chose, their turn is skipped. If you miss, you've wasted your best move.
The Merchant
Generates gold from commercial districts. The more you build, the more you earn. But the Warlord can raze them to the ground in one turn.
The Warlord
Destroys opponent's buildings by paying their cost. It is the role that ends games, but it costs gold you could use to build.
Come si gioca
Video dimostrativo di gameplay.
🎲How to playThe rules in four steps▼
How to play
The flow of each round
Each round is like a poker game with buildings at stake.
Draw the available role cards. Each player chooses a character in secret. Then reveal simultaneously. The role lowest in the hierarchy acts first.
The first player to act uses their role's power: collect gold, destroy buildings, or assassinate an opponent's role. If your role is assassinated, you skip your turn.
After using the power, you can build a building by paying its cost in gold. Otherwise, pass and accumulate resources for the next turn. Every building constructed brings the game closer to the end.
The other player activates their role and builds. Then a new round begins with new role cards. This continues until someone completes their eighth building.
⏱️Your first gameA moment-by-moment chronicle▼
A five-act game
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
The blind choice
Draw the first role cards. You choose in secret. They choose in secret. Nobody knows what the other has picked. You look at your buildings, you look at theirs, and you try to figure out what their best move is. Then you reveal. And you find out if you read them right or if they tricked you.
The first building falls
They picked the Warlord. They destroy your newly built trading post. You lose gold and points. You wonder if you should have seen it coming, or if you should have bluffed differently. The game has just started and you're already at a disadvantage.
Psychological warfare
Now you know that they know that you know. You start bluffing heavily: you pretend you want to build but take the Assassin. They pretend to defend but take the Queen. Every choice is a duel of wits. Those who guess wrong pay in gold.
The decisive building
One of you builds the eighth building. The game is about to end. The other has one turn to recover: they must choose between building for points or destroying to stop the opponent. There is no time to play defensively. It's all or nothing.
The merciless count
Count the gold. Not the victory points, not the districts: just the gold accumulated. Whoever has more wins. There are no draws, no consolation bonuses. One bluffed better. The other built worse. The end.
🐸Know this firstThree honest things, among friends▼
Know this first
Three things you should know before buying
It's a meta-game
If you always play with the same person, after 5-6 games you will start to know each other too well. Patterns repeat, bluffs become predictable. It works better with rotating opponents or with sessions spaced out over time.
Balance is everything
Citadels Duel has few ratings on BGG and no established reviews yet. We don't know if the roles are perfectly balanced or if dominant strategies exist. Expect possible errata or post-launch balancing.
It's not the Citadels you know
If you love the chaos of multiplayer — where you don't know who has which role and alliances form and break — this isn't for you. This is a pure duel, more like a psychological chess match than a tavern brawl.
🏆Victory and defeatHow the end rewards you▼
How it ends
How to win and how to lose
The game ends when a player builds their eighth building. Then, gold is counted.
Victory
- You have more gold than your opponent when someone completes their eighth building
- You built profitable districts and used the right roles to accumulate resources
- You bluffed well enough to stop their attacks and protect your key buildings
Defeat
- Your opponent has more gold than you at the end of the game
- You built expensive but low-profit buildings and ran out of resources
- You chose the wrong roles at the wrong time and they destroyed your best districts
In Citadels Duel, the winner isn't the one who builds the most. It's the one who reads their opponent best and strikes at the right time.
💬Frequently asked questionsQuick answers before the cart▼
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Citadels Duel
Is it suitable for those who don't know Citadels?
Yes. Citadels Duel has simplified rules and a structure designed for dueling. You don't need to have played the original Citadels: you can learn in 10 minutes and play immediately. However, if you already know the role selection system, you start with an advantage.
How much does bluffing count compared to strategy?
Bluffing is the heart of the game. You can build the mathematically perfect strategy, but if your opponent anticipates your moves and assassinates you at the right time, you lose. Psychological reading is worth more than pure optimization.
Can you play with three or four players?
No. Citadels Duel is designed exclusively for two players. If you want to play with more people, you should buy the classic Citadels (2-8 players) or Citadels Revised Edition.
What mechanics does Citadels Duel use?
Simultaneous and secret role selection, set collection to build districts, variable character powers, take-that mechanics to destroy opponent's buildings, and turn order based on role hierarchy.
Is it available in Italian?
Yes, this is the Italian edition published by Asmodee. Cards, rulebook, and components are all in Italian.
The people behind the game
Who invented it, who illustrated it, who publishes it — and what else they've done.
Citadels Duel is a strategy and bluffing game for 2 players, lasting 30 minutes, ages 14+. Designed by Guillaume Montiage and Manuel Rozoy, it transforms the classic Citadels into a head-to-head psychological duel. Choose secret roles — Queen, Assassin, Merchant, Warlord — to build districts and accumulate gold. Each character you recruit can also be used by your opponent: you must anticipate their moves, bluff about the timing, destroy their buildings, or protect your own. The winner is whoever has the most gold when the eighth building is built. Mechanics: role selection, set collection, variable powers, take-that. Published by Asmodee, Italian edition. Available on FroGames.it with fast shipping.
Citadels Duel
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers you're looking for, no beating around the bush.
📸Do the images match the actual product?
The photos on the website often come from BoardGameGeek and are intended to give you an idea of the game. They may vary slightly from the version you receive. The content declared by the publisher is always binding.
📦Does the content of the box match what is indicated?
We always strive to provide the correct content, but minor variations are possible due to reprints or updates. The information comes directly from the publishers. If you have any questions, please contact us!
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