Pax Renaissance: 2nd Edition

2021 · Religious

Pax Renaissance: 2nd Edition

Players act as influential bankers in late 15th–early 16th century Europe, financing states, sponsoring voyages, joining secret cabals, or instigating religious and military conflicts. Play revolves around buying and allocating influence, managing finances and concessions, and using special abilities to shape political, economic, and cultural outcomes. Multiple victory conditions represent competing historical trajectories — imperial expansion, global trade, religious domination, or artistic and scientific advancement — and player actions push Europe toward one of those outcomes. Components include player boards, tokens for concessions and serfs, miniatures for naval and military forces, and modular map cards for a compact setup. Solo and expanded variant rules are included.

Players
1–4 best 2
Playing time
60–120 min
Age
12+
Complexity
4.6 / 5
8.3 on Ludoyafrom $89.35Pike and ShotRenaissanceSimulationOpen DraftingAction Points

On Ludoya's tables

Full stats in Ludoya
145
Plays logged
84
Players
1h 45m
Average play
35
In collections
11
On wishlists
1
Pre-ordered

8.3/10

from 16 Ludoya reviews

  • Balleflass10.0

    Paladin double matte (new style).

  • andycted8.9

    An excellent game, only slightly marred (after many plays and with some players) by calculations and possible kingmaking of the three player game

  • Jeremy Jackson8.0

    2-4 Players (best with 2) Weird game with wildly deep strategy once you know what you're doing. This is just so dang complicated. You'll need to legit study before trying it out.Learn to Playhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDMWjdHwPr0

Read the reviews and rate it

Rules questions

Answered from the rulebook by Ludoya's rules assistant.

When does the Comet end the game and how do I win when it appears?

The Comet card activates a Victory Square that allows players to declare victory immediately according to its conditions; consult the endgame triggers and victory types (Holy, Imperial, Globalization, Renaissance) for how each win is scored and ties handled (see pages 3 and 36).

When I buy a card from the Market, do I put my florins on the card or take them, and what's the hand limit?

When you purchase a Market card you pay the cost by placing florins on the card and then take that card plus any florins on it; market purchases, costs, and the hand limit are described in the Market Purchase rules (pages 14–15).

Can I both use a card's Ops and also use its One‑shot effect in the same action/turn?

No — a card is either used for its Ops or used as a one‑shot when discarded; you cannot get both effects from the same card in the same activation (see the Sequence of Play and single‑activation rules on pages 12 and 17).

Can I move or activate an agent separately from its tableau card?

Yes — agents are independent and may be placed or moved separately, but each tableau card may only be activated once per applicable limitation (see the agent and single‑activation rules on page 17).

How does the Inquisitor (bishop) movement, pacify and silencing work?

The Inquisitor (bishop) moves per the Religious Op rules and can pacify or kill Repressed tokens and silence abilities on map/tableau elements; silenced abilities remain inactive until unsilenced and the bishop’s movement and effects are detailed on pages 18–19. {

How do Trade Fairs distribute profits and where are Levies placed?

Trade Fairs resolve by paying profits in the prescribed order and placing levies on eligible cities/emporia according to the Trade Fair and Levy placement rules; detailed mechanics and examples are on pages 24–27.

Opens Ludoya's rules assistant, which reads this game's rulebook.

Game facts (players, playing time, age, credits) from BoardGameGeek.