Type: Event
Glory Points: Varies
Effect: When drawn, each player with 3 or more Unrest tokens must discard a Development card or lose 2 Glory.
Why it’s top-tier: Events are often overlooked in "top card" lists because you cannot add them to your deck—they just happen. But Revolt is the great equalizer. In any game where a player has been hoarding Development cards (looking at you, Rome and Persia), a single Revolt can undo two ages of work. The top players track the Event deck’s composition and deliberately keep their Unrest low to dodge this bullet. Knowing when Revolt is likely to appear is a skill that separates amateurs from experts.
In Imperium, the Civilization cards get the glory, but the Common market cards win games. Here are the cards you should almost always buy if you see them in the market:
1. The Scout
2. The Cavalry
3. The Architect
While Imperium: Legends contains the more "complex" civilizations, Imperium: Classics contains some of the most well-rounded and foundational decks in the game. If you are looking for the strongest cards to draft, the best engines to build, or simply understanding why these cards matter, here is the breakdown.
Egypt is widely loved for having one of the smoothest engines in the game. They are a "tall" civilization, meaning they focus on developing a few powerful cards rather than a wide board.
These cards are so powerful that you should prioritize acquiring or playing them early.
| Card | Type | Why It’s Top-Tier | |------|------|-------------------| | Philosopher | Common (Progress) | +1 Card, +1 Influence. Simple but fuels consistency. | | Historian | Common (Progress) | Unrest removal + card draw. Unrest is your #1 enemy. | | Merchant | Common (Trade) | Generates Materials + Trade. Core for any economy. | | Empire | Common (Region) | Massive end-game points (1 per X cards in discard). | | Assassination | Unrest (but playable) | Destroys any opposing progress card – irreplaceable disruption. |
Type: Event
Glory Points: Varies
Effect: When drawn, each player with 3 or more Unrest tokens must discard a Development card or lose 2 Glory.
Why it’s top-tier: Events are often overlooked in "top card" lists because you cannot add them to your deck—they just happen. But Revolt is the great equalizer. In any game where a player has been hoarding Development cards (looking at you, Rome and Persia), a single Revolt can undo two ages of work. The top players track the Event deck’s composition and deliberately keep their Unrest low to dodge this bullet. Knowing when Revolt is likely to appear is a skill that separates amateurs from experts.
In Imperium, the Civilization cards get the glory, but the Common market cards win games. Here are the cards you should almost always buy if you see them in the market:
1. The Scout
2. The Cavalry
3. The Architect
While Imperium: Legends contains the more "complex" civilizations, Imperium: Classics contains some of the most well-rounded and foundational decks in the game. If you are looking for the strongest cards to draft, the best engines to build, or simply understanding why these cards matter, here is the breakdown.
Egypt is widely loved for having one of the smoothest engines in the game. They are a "tall" civilization, meaning they focus on developing a few powerful cards rather than a wide board.
These cards are so powerful that you should prioritize acquiring or playing them early.
| Card | Type | Why It’s Top-Tier | |------|------|-------------------| | Philosopher | Common (Progress) | +1 Card, +1 Influence. Simple but fuels consistency. | | Historian | Common (Progress) | Unrest removal + card draw. Unrest is your #1 enemy. | | Merchant | Common (Trade) | Generates Materials + Trade. Core for any economy. | | Empire | Common (Region) | Massive end-game points (1 per X cards in discard). | | Assassination | Unrest (but playable) | Destroys any opposing progress card – irreplaceable disruption. |