How To Play: Taverna

Overview

If you’ve ever wanted to run your own fantasy tavern without worrying about goblins trashing the place, Taverna is your game. My friends and I have played it enough times that I now dream about little wooden meeples. In this guide, I’ll walk you through an outline of the rules and reveal the best tips and tricks to actually win — or at least not embarrass yourself.

What’s in the box

• 1 Game board
• 4 Tavern boards
• 4 Player screens
• 12 Worker meeples (3 per player)
• 20 Noble cards
• 1 Town crier pawn
• 60 Patron tokens
• 60 Coin tokens
• 16 Rumor tiles
• 12 Secret Mission cards
• 4 Summary cards
• 1 Rulebook

How To Play Taverna: Rules Summary

Setup

1. Lay out the game board in the middle of your table. Try to avoid spills. Beer stains are forever.
2. Give each player their tavern, matching colored tokens, and important-looking starting money.
3. Shuffle the patron cards and place them face down in a stack. Place the first bunch on the board as customers.
4. Set the resource tokens and coins within easy reach. I suggest not letting Steve handle the cash.
5. Pick a starting player. The last one to spill a drink gets to go first.

Gameplay

1. Players take turns in clockwise order. On your turn, do these things:
2. First, place a worker on the board to take an action, like charming a patron or mixing a wild potion.
3. Next, move a patron or serve drinks—just like my last job, but more fantasy and fewer health violations.
4. Resolve any events or bonuses you triggered. Good luck. Some of these help, and some are just chaos.
5. Draw new patrons, refill anything that ran out, and pass play to your neighbor.

Winning

1. The game ends after the final round, when everyone has had the same number of turns.
2. Count up your victory points from happy patrons, coins, and bonus cards.
3. The player with the most points wins! That player is now officially the Master of Taverns.

Special Rules & Conditions

1. No “double dipping” actions—each spot can only have one worker at a time.
2. If a patron starts a brawl (yes, it happens), follow the brawl card rules. Hint: duck and cover.
3. Some patrons have special abilities. If you forget them, expect groans and laughter at your expense.
4. In the case of ties, the player with the most unspent coins wins. If still tied, fight for it… or just share the title.

That’s it! Now with this “How To Play taverna” guide, you’ll be slinging drinks, charming wizards, and running the best fantasy tavern in no time. Just keep the drinks upright.

Best Taverna Strategies

Master Worker Placement and Timing in Taverna

Plan Ahead to Outsmart Your Friends

When I played Taverna for the first time, my buddy Dave kept snagging spots I wanted. Ever since, I watch the board like a hawk and always think a turn ahead. Planning helps you snag key actions before someone else blocks them.

1. Track other players’ workers and predict their moves.
2. Place your worker early on the most wanted actions.
3. Save flexible actions for later rounds.

Pounce at the Right Moment

Timing is everything. Once, I waited too long and missed an upgrade that cost me the game. Don’t wait if you see a juicy action open!

1. Seize powerful spots before anyone else.
2. Don’t let opponents block your plans—go early if needed.
3. Hold back on less popular spots if you need to react later.

Balance Risk and Reward

Sometimes, I gamble by waiting to place my worker. When it pays off, I feel like a genius. But don’t go all-in every round.

1. Weigh the risk of waiting versus acting early.
2. Watch player order and plan your placement.
3. If you’re last, grab any action that fits your plan, even if it’s not perfect.

Always remember, How To Play taverna well comes down to using your workers and timing like a pro.

Mastering Patron Selection and Movement in Taverna

Choose Wisely, Serve Smartly

1. Always pick patrons whose colors match your tavern—it boosts your points faster than you can say “Mead, please!”
2. Look at the board and grab patrons that block opponents or open new paths for you.

Plan Patrons’ Paths

1. Move patrons toward your high-value tables. This scores big, even if your friends groan (or throw pretzels at you).
2. Force patrons to take the long route if your rival is eyeing the same table. Sabotage is real and often funny.

Timing Is Everything

1. Rush certain patrons early before they’re stolen. Sometimes you have to be sneaky. Use this tip in all your “How To Play taverna” games!
2. Save your favorite patrons for the last round when everyone’s distracted and full of snacks.

I learned the hard way: If you let your friends control the patrons, they’ll run wild and dance on your strategy. Herd those patrons like sheep!

How To Play taverna Like a Boss: Master Your Coins!

Keep Your Spending Tight

1. Resist impulse buys. Before you splash out, ask: Will this help me win, or just look cool?
2. Plan every coin. If you save early, you can splurge at crunch time.

Invest in Long-Term Gains

1. Upgrade wisely, choosing actions or tokens that pay back more coins or points later.
2. Stick to a budget. Blow it all at once, and you’ll regret it faster than my friend Dave did last Friday.

Synergize With Your Strategy

1. Aim for actions that boost your income while scoring points.
2. Pair your patron choices with your money plan. Avoid expensive guests if you’re broke. Obvious, but trust me, it happens.

Anyway, every coin counts in this game. When you ask yourself How To Play taverna for the win, good money sense will always have your back!

Cheers to Victory at the Taverna!

Well, there you have it—my best tips and tricks after way too many rounds of Taverna (and a worrying amount of fake ale spilled on my table). If you remember these simple ideas, you’re halfway to winning. The rest is just not let Dave bluff you into buying his watered-down mead. Good luck, have fun, and don’t forget to humblebrag about learning How To Play taverna like a pro!

Want to know what we think of Taverna? Read our detailed review of Taverna here