Spirit Island Supplemental Guidelines

Hey there! Are you ready to dive even deeper into the world of Spirit Island? I’ve got some additional rules that will help take your gameplay to the next level. Trust me, this is where things get really interesting. So buckle up and let’s go!

Spirit Setup Variants

Okay, let’s start with some exciting spirit setup variants. If you’re looking for a fresh challenge, these options are perfect for you.

Talents: In this variant, each spirit begins with a unique Talent card. These special abilities can be super handy, helping you out when you need it most.

Aspect: This variant introduces Aspects, which are additional powers that can be unlocked for each spirit. Aspects give you even more strategic options, making each spirit truly one-of-a-kind.

Adversary Variants

Now, let’s talk about some adversary variants. If you think you’ve mastered Spirit Island, think again. These adversaries will really put your skills to the test.

Level 6 Adversaries: Are you looking for a real challenge? Level 6 adversaries will push you to your limits. Just be prepared for an epic battle!

Cascades: In this variant, adversaries can take multiple actions in a row, making them even more formidable. Can you withstand their relentless onslaught?

Scenario Variants

Finally, let’s explore some scenario variants. These will give you unique objectives and challenges, keeping you on your toes.

Events: Events add an element of surprise to your games. You never know what’s going to happen next, so be prepared to adapt your strategy on the fly.

Blitz: In this variant, time is of the essence. You’ll have to act quickly and efficiently to prevent the invaders from overwhelming the island.

So there you have it! These additional rules and variants will add a whole new level of complexity and excitement to your Spirit Island experience. Have fun exploring them and discovering new strategies. And remember, the island is counting on you to protect it!

When you play solo games, it’s just like playing a regular game, except you have the entire island to yourself. The only difference is that you can use Powers that are meant to target another Spirit, even though you don’t get any extra benefits from Powers that work better on another Spirit, like Gift of Constancy or Elemental Boon.

There’s a lot of luck involved in solo games, and you don’t have any other Spirits to help you out with your weaknesses and limitations.

The Challenges

The Challenges are powerful colonizing forces from the world of Spirit Island. You can choose to include a Challenge in your game, but it’s optional. Adding a Challenge adds more depth and strategy to the game. Make sure you choose your opponent before you start setting up the game, because some Challenges might change the setup rules.

The Adversary Panel has a special rule called the Escalation effect. This effect happens when a Stage II Invader Card is revealed. It adds more difficulty to the game. Some Adversaries also have extra rules that make it harder to win. These basic rules are just the starting point for an Adversary and make the game slightly more challenging.

But that’s not all. Each Adversary has different levels of difficulty. You can tell which level you’re playing against by looking at the number on the left. And here’s the cool part: all the effects from previous levels stack up. So if you’re up against Level 3, you also have to deal with the effects from Level 1 and Level 2. And watch out, because some Adversaries can even change the way the Invaders act.

To help you remember all the special rules for the Invader Actions, there are Reminder Tiles that you can place below the Invader Action spaces on the Invader Board.

Oh, and one more thing: Fear Cards!

When the difficulty increases, it becomes more challenging to reach higher Terror Levels. Each Level indicates the number of Fear Cards to use and how many cards go in the top, middle, and bottom of the Fear Deck.

Exploring the Kingdom of Brandenburg-Prussia

• The first adversary is excellent, introducing a few new rules; most of the changes happen during the game Setup.
• Speed is vital in this game: the Invaders do everything much faster. Cards with 2 land types appear much earlier, often before the Spirits have a chance to prepare.
• This Adversary poses a significant challenge for Spirits that require significant time to grow. The Kingdom Of England

The Kingdom Of England

• England is known for its expansionist tendencies. It constantly pushes its borders forward and establishes new colonies in uncharted lands. During Stage II, settlers work hard to establish a capital.
• England is particularly challenging for Spirits that excel at destroying towns, such as Lightning’s Swift Strike.
• On the other hand, Spirits that rely on eliminating or relocating explorers to prevent Invader Builds, like Shadows Flicker Like Flame, may find this Adversary more difficult to handle.

The Kingdom Of Sweden

• I’m warning you, Sweden’s Ravages can be more dangerous than what you’re used to. They have fancy military tactics, a big population that’s into farming and mining, and their Crown’s policies favor assimilation of the Dahan whenever possible. But, that’s only gonna work if there’s a lot of Invaders around.
• If you’re a Spirit that can prevent Ravages (like Rampant Green or Vital Strength of the Earth), you’re in luck. This Adversary is gonna be a bit easier for you.
• Oh, and just so you know, the Kingdom of Sweden can add Blight during the setup phase. But don’t worry, that Blight won’t spread and won’t destroy your Spirit Presence.

The Different Scenarios

When I think about Scenarios, I realize that they can completely change the Spirits’ situation or what they are capable of. It’s like a whole new set of rules and possibilities.

Each Scenario comes with its own unique conditions for victory, which might be different from the standard ones. They can make the game more challenging or add extra requirements for winning.

What I find interesting is that each Scenario is assigned a difficulty rating, ranging from 0 to -10. The higher the number, the more difficult it is. I wonder what kind of challenges await me!

Remember, playing with Scenarios is optional. You have the choice to play with an Adversary and a Scenario, or just one of them. If there are conflicting rules between a Scenario and an Adversary, the Scenario’s rules take precedence.

Thematic Map

Have you ever played a board game and thought, “This is too easy, I need more of a challenge?” Well, that’s where thematic boards come in! Thematic boards are designed for experienced players like you who want to take their gaming skills to the next level.

The first thing you’ll notice about thematic boards is their beautiful and realistic art style. But don’t be fooled by the eye-catching visuals – finding terrains at a glance is actually more challenging. The intricate details and immersive design will require you to really focus and think strategically.

Thematic boards offer more than just aesthetic appeal, though. They also introduce gameplay changes that make the game more difficult and complex. For example, there are more lands per board, which means more areas to explore and manage. Terrains are often clustered together, making it harder to navigate and control them.

In addition to these changes, thematic boards also increase the number of starting Invaders. This means you’ll have to be even more strategic and resourceful in order to defend your lands and achieve victory.

While thematic boards may seem challenging, they are also incredibly rewarding. They offer a new level of depth and complexity to the game, allowing experienced players like you to test your skills and push the boundaries of what you thought was possible. So, if you’re up for the challenge, give thematic boards a try.

A Thematic Board Setup for Spirit Island

When it comes to setting up the game, the reverse side of each island board offers an alternative map. These maps are designed to capture the essence and theme of Spirit Island, focusing more on the aesthetics rather than balance. They depict land types grouped together and ensure that wet terrains are situated on the side of mountains that face the wind.

The thematic boards have a fixed layout in relation to each other. While you have the freedom to choose any of them, there are recommended configurations for an authentic geography experience based on the number of players:

• 1 player: For a solo game, use the Northeast board.
• 2 players: When playing with two players, place the West and East boards side by side, with their edges touching opposite the Ocean.
• 3 players: For a three-player game, use the West and East boards as described above, and position the Northeast board above the East board.
• 4 players: Finally, in a four-player game, incorporate the West, East, Northwest, and Northeast boards in the traditional layout.

Hear me out, there’s something important to know. When playing with just the core game, Some lands will have Setup icons for tokens from the Branch & Claw expansion. But don’t sweat it, you can ignore those icons.

Now, let’s talk about the illustrations you see. You know the Spirits, rivers, and wildfires? Well, they’re there just for flavor. They don’t mess with the gameplay, so no worries.

Here’s a cool thing to understand. Some lands might overlap slightly onto other boards. But here’s the thing: a land is always considered to be on the board where its land number is, and where it’s in play. Simple, right?

Now let’s get to the scoring.

If you want to score your games – you know, to compare how your group did in different plays – here’s the deal:

• If you win: Score 5 times the Difficulty level, plus a bonus of 10 for winning, and an extra 2 for each Invader Card still in the deck.
• If you lose: Score 2 times the Difficulty level, plus 1 for each Invader Card not in the deck (both in the discard and under Invader Actions).
• Now, whether you win or lose, there’s something else. You’ll get 1 point for every living Dahan, but lose 1 point for each Blight on the island. And here’s a nifty twist: X represents the number of players in the game.