Avignon: A Clash of Popes

About this board game

Avignon: A Clash of Popes is a quick influence-manipulation card game for two players, with each game lasting about 20 minutes. Set in 1378, it casts both players as rival candidates for the papacy, each defending a claim to the Throne of Saint Peter.

Your opponent is an usurper, and legitimacy must be secured through influence among the people of Christendom. To build your congregation, petition members of the medieval Church and use their distinctive powers to shift the balance of power across the table.

• Petition influential figures from the medieval Church.
• Use character powers to pull cards into your congregation.
• Force your opponent to push cards toward your side.
• Be the first player to gather three characters in your congregation.

The character cards represent figures such as Cardinals, Nobles, and Knights. Their unique powers make every move part of a contest over position and influence, as cards are drawn toward one congregation or pushed away from the other.

Avignon: A Clash of Popes focuses on direct competition between two papal hopefuls. Every petition and power changes who holds the advantage, while the simple victory condition keeps the struggle clear: secure three characters on your side before your rival can do the same.

Released in 2016, Avignon offers a compact head-to-head contest inspired by the medieval Church and the papal rivalry of the period. If you enjoy fast card games built around influence, shifting positions, and character powers, this clash for the papacy places the entire contest in a focused two-player format.