Dixit board game: rules and storyteller tips
How to play Dixit: the storyteller describes a dreamlike picture card, everyone adds a card, then all vote to find the original. Scoring and tips explained.
- Type
- Party game
- Players
- 3–6
- Age
- Ages 8+
- Play time
- 30 min
- First released
- 2008
- Designed by
- Jean-Louis Roubira
- Publisher
- Libellud
Dixit is a storytelling and guessing game built around large, dreamlike illustrated cards. Each round, one player is the storyteller. They choose a card from their hand and say something about it: a word, a sentence, a sound or even a line of a song. The other players each choose a card from their own hands that could match the description. All cards are shuffled and shown, and everyone votes for the card they think is the storyteller's. The clever part is the scoring: the storyteller wants some players to find the card, but not everyone. Designed by Jean-Louis Roubira and first published by Libellud in 2008, it is popular with families and creative groups.
Our verdict
Dixit rewards imagination more than knowledge. There are no right answers, only clues that are clear enough for some people and mysterious enough for others. Players learn how their friends think, and the cards spark stories, jokes and memories. It is very welcoming: young children can play alongside adults, and players from different backgrounds can join, because the pictures carry much of the meaning. It is a calm party game, ideal when a group wants creativity rather than loud competition.
What works
- Beautiful artwork
- Rewards creativity over knowledge
- Welcoming for mixed ages
What does not
- Can feel slow for players who prefer clear strategy
- Scoring on the track can confuse new players at first
How to play Dixit
Each player has a hand of six picture cards and a set of numbered voting tokens. The storyteller picks a card, places it face down and gives a clue. Every other player chooses the card from their hand that best matches the clue and gives it to the storyteller face down. The storyteller shuffles all chosen cards and lays them face up in a numbered row. The other players then vote secretly for the card they believe belongs to the storyteller; they may not vote for their own card. Scoring follows simple rules. If all players or no players find the storyteller's card, the storyteller scores nothing and everyone else scores two points. Otherwise, the storyteller and every player who found the card score three points. Each other player also scores one point for each vote their own card received. Players refill to six cards and the next player becomes storyteller. The game ends when the deck runs out or a player reaches the final space.
Tips for new players
- As storyteller, aim for a clue that roughly half the table will understand.
- Use clues that connect to shared memories with some players but not all.
- When adding a card, choose one that truly fits the clue so it attracts votes.
- Short poetic clues often work better than long descriptions.
Good for
Dixit: common questions
How many players can play Dixit?
The original edition supports three to six players; later editions allow more.
Why does the storyteller score nothing if everyone guesses right?
The rule encourages clues that are not too obvious and not too obscure, which is the central challenge of the game.
Is Dixit good for children?
Yes. The pictures are friendly, and children from about eight can give and guess clues on their own.
Dixit belongs to its owners. Playdonya is not connected to them and does not sell this game; the cover is our own illustration.
