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Five Tribes
The Djinns of Naqala
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Your Next Favorite Board Game
A Days of Wonder Masterpiece by Bruno Cathala
Welcome to the Sultanate of Naqala
The old Sultan is dead. The throne sits empty.
In this fabled land of Arabian fantasy, you'll navigate a world of:
- Ancient villages and bustling markets
- Sacred oases and mysterious holy places
- Five powerful tribes awaiting your command
- Legendary Djinns with supernatural powers
Your goal: Maneuver the tribes, summon Djinns, and claim the Sultanate as your own.
At a Glance
2–4
Players
40–80
Minutes
7.77
BGG Rating / 10
- ★ Designer: Bruno Cathala | Publisher: Days of Wonder
- ★ 44,000+ ratings on BoardGameGeek
- ★ Ranked #94 Overall | #84 Strategy
- 🏆 2014 Game of the Year — Board Game Quest Awards
- 🏆 2014 Golden Geek Best Strategy Board Game
The Mancala Twist
Not Your Typical Worker Placement
- Meeples start on the board — you move them, not place them
- Pick up all meeples from a tile
- Drop one-by-one along a path (Mancala-style)
- Last meeple must match a color already on the destination
- Collect matches — activate their tribe power!
Pick up. Drop. Strategize. Conquer.
Every single turn transforms the entire board. No two games ever play the same.
The Five Tribes
Each tribe grants a unique power when collected:
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Viziers (Yellow)
Political influence — keep them for powerful end-game majority scoring
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Assassins (Red)
Eliminate rival meeples and claim territory for yourself
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Builders (Blue)
Generate gold coins based on valuable surrounding tiles
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Merchants (Green)
Collect valuable resource cards — sets are worth big points
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Elders (White)
Worth victory points & spent to summon the powerful Djinns
Summon the Djinns
Invoke Ancient Powers
- 22 unique Djinn cards with game-changing abilities
- Spend Elder meeples (white) to summon them
- Each Djinn grants special powers that bend the rules
- They also award victory points at game end
- Choosing which Djinn to pursue can define your entire strategy
"The Djinns are the spice that makes every game feel completely different."
Multiple Paths to Victory
There's No Single Way to Win
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Territory Control
Place Palaces & Palm Trees to claim tiles
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Gold Coins
Builders generate gold from surroundings
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Resource Sets
Collect Ivory, Jewels, Silk, Spice & more
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Vizier Majority
Most Viziers earns a massive bonus
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Djinn Powers
Summon ancient Djinns for points & game-bending abilities
The board is randomly set up each game — infinite replayability!
Easy to Learn, Impossible to Master
- Simple rules that anyone can grasp in 10 minutes
- Incredible depth that reveals itself over many plays
- Turn order bidding adds delicious tension — how much is going first worth?
- Every turn presents meaningful, crunchy decisions
- Minimal luck — your brain is your best weapon
- Gets better with every play as you discover new strategies
2.84
Complexity / 5
The sweet spot —
not too light, not too heavy.
Just right.
Beautifully Crafted
A Days of Wonder Production
- 30 modular board tiles — beautifully illustrated, different every game
- 90 colorful wooden meeples across five vibrant colors
- 22 Djinn cards with stunning original artwork
- 54 resource cards — Ivory, Jewels, Gold, Papyrus, Silk, Spice and more
- Palm trees, palaces, camels, and gold coins
Days of Wonder is legendary for component quality. Everything in this box feels premium.
Who Will Love This?
Five Tribes is perfect for you if you enjoy:
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Puzzle-like strategic thinking
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Games where every decision matters
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Beautiful components & immersive themes
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Medium weight — not too light, not too heavy
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Games that get better every time you play
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Plays great at 2, 3, or 4 players
Whether you're a seasoned gamer or just getting into the hobby,
Five Tribes has something for everyone.
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Claim Your Place in the Sultanate
The tribes await your command...
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Ready to play? Let's set up a game night.
Explore on BoardGameGeek
Designed by Bruno Cathala ♦ Published by Days of Wonder ♦ 2–4 Players