By: Floodgate Games Players: 1-4 Ages: 14+ Time: 30-45 mins
Take on the role of an artist working with stained-glass to create the most beautiful window imaginable for the Sagrada family, offering a captivating board gaming experience.
Sagrada is a dice game that is fun to play and easy to set up, making it enjoyable for various player types.
Place various coloured dice strategically on one of the twenty spaces on a personal game board and try to score the most points possible.
Alongside trying to line up the dice that have been drafted just right, everyone will have their own public and secret objectives to complete that will help them score big!
What Is Sagrada Board Game?
Based on the Sagrada Familia church in Spain, Sagrada is a dice-drafting board game designed by Adrian Adamescu and Daryl Andrews and was published by Floodgate Games in 2017. It was met with a positive reception overall with many people commenting on it’s design and simple rules, stating it was ‘gorgeous, easy to teach, and quick’. Other gamers found it to be ‘satisfyingly thinky’ and benefitted from plenty of variety. Since it’s release, Sagrada has seen three expansions, a digital release, and in 2023 a legacy edition called Sagrada: Artisans was successfully funded on Kickstarter. The balance of challenge and fun keeps players engaged throughout the entire game.
In Sagrada, each turn, players choose one at a time from a pool of coloured dice, with each players getting two picks. These are then placed on a personal board, with dice always being laid adjacent to each other either orthogonally or diagonally. There are various restrictions in place that will affect how easily this can be done, but players have ways to alter the rules through the game. There are different scoring boards players will use to keep track of their points, and whoever has the most at the end of ten rounds is declared the winner.
Game Set-Up
Set-up begins with the private objective cards being shuffled and passed out so each player receives one. Every player then receives two random window pattern cards and one window frame player board. Window patterns are then chosen and have two different difficulty levels, with the more difficult windows allowing players to take more favour tokens, which they receive after this.
The selected window pattern card then slides into the bottom of the player board and a score marker that matches the colour of the players board goes next to the round track. These are used during the end game scoring. The tool cards are placed in easy reach of all players, the objective cards are shuffled and placed face up, and all die are placed in their bag.
How To Play Dice Drafting
Each quick game of Sagrada is played over ten rounds, with each round starting with the first player pulling dice out of the bag housing them, then gives them a roll. The number of dice ranges from 5-9 depending on exactly how many players are taking part. Once the dice are rolled, these form the draft pool.
Starting with the first player, everyone takes a turn in clockwise order to perform two actions: choosing a dice to place in their window, and using a tool card by spending favour tokens. These actions can be played in any order and are completely optional. As soon as everyone has completed their turn, the round continues in reverse order, ie. The last player to draft a dice takes their turn immediately, and the first player on the last turn now takes their next turn last.
When placing their first dice, a player must place it on the edge or corner space of their board, after which, every other die must be adjacent to a previously placed die, touching diagonally or orthogonally. The die must match the colour or value restriction of the space, with dice matching the colour or number shown on it. To complicate things further, dice can’t be placed in the same row or column to a die of the same colour or number value.
If in a pinch, players can use tool cards to help them by changing the rules when placing dice. Favour tokens must be used to purchase them, but when used, the ability can be activated by the active player. Tool cards don’t have to be used, but considering they allow for actions like increasing or decreasing the value of a drafted dice, they can make a big difference with being able to place dice in a desired space.
At the end of the round, all remaining dice are placed on the round track, covering a number signalling the round that was just completed. The dice bag is passed to the next player, who now acts as the start player, rolling the dice and picking the first from the results. After ten rounds, the game comes to an end and players proceed to end game scoring.
Each player tallies their victory points to find out who scored the most. Points come from a variety of places:
Players gain points from each public objective card completed and can score multiple times per card.
Private objective cards are scored based on the value of dice of a specified colour.
Players also gain points for every unspent favour token.
Conversely, players lose one point for every space left open on their window.
For players who enjoy Sagrada, there are several expansions that can be purchased to enhance the gameplay experience. For anyone who has plenty of friends, there is an expansion that allows for up to six players to take part, and for those that want more of a challenge, the other expansions throw more mechanics into the mix: strife dice to add more restrictions to placement and pioneer objectives, rewarding the first player to complete them.
Building a Strong Foundation
In the world of Sagrada, building a strong foundation is the cornerstone of success. This dice drafting board game requires players to meticulously plan and strategize to create the most beautiful stained glass window. Understanding the game’s objectives and mechanics is the first step. The goal is to craft a stunning stained glass window masterpiece by placing colored dice on your player board, adhering to specific placement rules.
Choosing your dice wisely is crucial. Each die must match the color or number restrictions of the space it occupies, and no two dice of the same color or number can be placed adjacent to each other. This requires careful consideration and strategic decision-making. The tools of the trade, such as tool cards, can be invaluable in shaping the available dice to fit your needs. These tools allow you to manipulate the dice, providing flexibility and new opportunities to complete your window.
Managing favor tokens effectively is another key aspect of building a strong foundation. These tokens are used to pay for the tool cards, and balancing their use with the need to complete your window is essential. By laying a solid groundwork and making strategic decisions, you can set yourself up for success and increase your chances of winning the game.
Managing Your Dice in a Dice Drafting Board Game
In Sagrada, managing your dice is an art form in itself. This dice drafting board game challenges players to carefully select and place colored dice to create a stunning stained glass window. Each decision you make can bring you closer to victory or set you back, so strategic dice management is paramount.
One effective strategy is to focus on your private objectives. These objectives provide a clear direction and help you prioritize your dice drafting. By aligning your choices with your private goals, you can maximize your points and create a cohesive window design. However, don’t overlook the public objectives. These can offer additional points and bonuses, making them equally important in your overall strategy.
The tools of the trade, represented by tool cards, are your allies in this endeavor. These cards allow you to manipulate the dice, changing their values or positions to better fit your needs. Using these tools strategically can help you overcome placement challenges and create new opportunities for your window. Remember, each tool card requires favor tokens, so use them wisely to ensure you have enough resources to complete your masterpiece.
By managing your dice effectively and leveraging the tools at your disposal, you can create a beautiful stained glass window that not only meets the game’s objectives but also showcases your strategic prowess.
Also Read: 10 Best Dice Games for Adults
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even the most seasoned players can fall into common traps in Sagrada, a dice drafting board game. Being aware of these pitfalls can help you avoid costly mistakes and improve your chances of creating a stunning stained glass window.
One frequent mistake is focusing too narrowly on private objectives. While these are important for scoring, it’s essential to balance them with public objectives and the game’s placement restrictions. Ignoring these aspects can result in a window that doesn’t maximize your scoring potential. Always keep an eye on the broader picture and adapt your strategy to incorporate both private and public goals.
Another common error is over-reliance on the tools of the trade. Tool cards are powerful, but they come at the cost of favor tokens. Using these tools too frequently can deplete your resources, leaving you without the means to complete your window. It’s crucial to use favor tokens judiciously, balancing the immediate benefits of tool cards with the long-term goal of finishing your window.
By avoiding these common mistakes, you can enhance your gameplay and create a stained glass window that not only meets the game’s objectives but also stands out as a masterpiece of strategic planning and execution.
Summary
Beautiful and eye-catching
Easy to learn rules
Quick and painless to set up
Plenty of variety and replay value
A good blend of luck and strategy
Who Should Buy This Game?
We think you should buy this game if:
You like good looking games: Alongside the likes of Photosynthesis and Azul, Sagrada is an aesthetically pleasing game and great to look at, especially when you’ve completed your window.
You don’t like complicated games: The main mechanics behind Sagrada are very simple. With players only take two actions on their turn at the most, the game doesn’t bog you down with rules and instead expects players to use their brain with the tools they have.
You don’t like long games: Each game should take a little over half an hour to complete, so even though it’s a strategy game at hear, it won’t take up your whole day.
You enjoy strategy games: Sagrada relies on both luck and strategy, as well as a players ability to react to the dice rolled and anticipate what their opponents will do. It’s certainly a much more cerebral game than what players may think when first looking at it.
Sagrada is also perfect for a game night, providing enjoyment and bonding during family gatherings.
You might not like this game if:
You enjoy lots of player interaction: Whilst an enjoyable game, Sagrada is one of those games you can play through with no interaction at all between players and it would still play out almost exactly the same way.
If you have problems with your vision: There have sadly been multiple reports from people with colour blindness that have stated they have problems distinguishing between the different coloured dice.
Final Verdict
Sagrada is a strikingly beautiful game, one of the most aesthetically pleasing out there, and it’s expansions only add to this. It’s a pleasantly simple game as far as rules go, but it’s one that appeals to plenty of different ages and ability levels. It blends luck based dice rolling and drafting mechanics with strategy that rewards players that both think ahead, and anticipate what their rivals may do next. With so many combinations of dice and window patterns, it’s a game that will not only keep players coming back for it’s solid mechanics, but for it’s replayability also.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the objective of the Sagrada board game?
The main objective of Sagrada is to create the most beautiful stained glass window masterpiece, inspired by the vibrant stained glass windows of the Sagrada FamÃlia, by strategically placing coloured dice on your personal player board. Players score points by completing public and private objectives, using tool cards, and managing favour tokens effectively.
How does the dice drafting mechanic work in Sagrada?
In Sagrada, players draft dice from a pool each round. The first player selects a die, followed by others in clockwise order. After all players have chosen, the selection reverses, allowing the last player to pick first. The dice are then placed on the player’s board, adhering to specific placement rules.
Can Sagrada be played solo, and how does it differ from multiplayer games?
Yes, Sagrada can be played solo. The solo mode involves a unique set of rules and objectives, challenging players to construct their stained glass window within the constraints and achieve the highest score possible without competing against other players.
What expansions are available for Sagrada, and what do they add to the game?
Sagrada has several expansions that enhance gameplay. These expansions introduce new mechanics, such as strife dice and pioneer objectives, and increase the player count to accommodate up to six players, adding more variety and complexity to the game.
Is Sagrada suitable for players who prefer strategy over luck?
Sagrada blends strategy with luck-based mechanics. While dice rolling introduces an element of chance, experienced players can leverage strategic planning and anticipate opponents’ moves, making it appealing to those who enjoy both strategic thinking and a bit of unpredictability.