Oh, Pharaoh!

About this board game

Oh, Pharaoh! is a card game for 2–4 players with an approximately 40-minute playing time, in which rival architects compete to build high-quality pyramids for the all-powerful pharaoh.

On each turn, the active player receives a new building card and may swap cards with the other players. They can then place cards into a new pyramid or continue construction on one already in progress, carefully developing structures that meet the pharaoh’s standards.

A pyramid must contain at least two rows of cards. Every row is made from building cards showing the same number, while each row above must contain fewer cards than the row beneath it. From top to bottom, the pyramid also forms a continuous sequence of numbers.

• Build: Place cards to start or extend numbered pyramids.
• Trade: Swap cards with other players during your turn.
• Disrupt: Use special cards to interfere with rival plans.
• Evaluate: Choose when to score a completed pyramid.

Players must decide when their pyramids are ready to be evaluated. Once evaluated, the cards are taken away and the corresponding number of points is recorded, creating a balance between developing structures and cashing them in.

Competition becomes more unpredictable through the game’s special cards. Thieves can steal cards from other players’ pyramids, while tax collectors take cards from players’ hands. The pharaoh can prevent these actions, adding another layer of timing and protection.

With card exchanges, pyramid construction, scoring decisions, and direct interference, Oh, Pharaoh! puts each architect in a constantly shifting struggle to create the biggest, most beautiful, and most magnificent pyramids.