Welcome to the Ankh’or Game Rules!

Hey there! I’m here to guide you through the game rules of Ankh’or. Let’s dive right in!

Objective

The objective of Ankh’or is to score the most points by collecting gems and completing sets.

Game Setup

To set up the game, follow these steps:

1. Place the game board in the center of the playing area.
2. Shuffle the market deck and reveal cards equal to the number of players plus one, placing them face-up next to the board.
3. Give each player a player board, a starting gem, and a set of cubes in their chosen color.
4. Shuffle the district cards and deal four to each player.
5. Place the remaining district cards face-down as a draw pile.
6. Assign a starting player and give them the starting player token.

Gameplay

On your turn, you will perform the following actions:

1. Collect Action: Collect gems from the market by selecting a column or a row of cards that contain at least one gem. You must collect all gems of the chosen color.
2. Buy District Action: Spend gems to purchase district cards from your hand or the market. Pay the cost indicated on the card in the form of gems.
3. Regenerate Action: Draw two new district cards from the draw pile and add them to your hand.
4. Eclipse Action: If you have at least six gems of the same color, you may perform an eclipse action and score points.

Play continues clockwise with each player taking their turn until the game end condition is met. The game ends when there are no more district cards in the draw pile or when a player has placed all of their cubes on the board.

Scoring

At the end of the game, players will score points based on the following:

• Completed Sets: Score points for each complete set of district cards in your possession.
• Unused Gems: Score points for any unused gems you have left.
• Majority Control: Score points if you have the most cubes on each color of gem on the board.
• Contract Cards: Score points based on the requirements listed on the contract cards.

The player with the most points wins the game. If there is a tie, the player with the most unused gems breaks the tie.

That’s it! You’re now ready to embark on your Ankh’or adventure. Enjoy the game!

1. I’ll start by placing the price board right in the middle of the table.
2. Next, I’ll sort the 36 tokens into different types, creating 6 piles of 4 tokens each. I’ll place these piles near the board. If we have 3 players, I’ll create piles of 5 tokens each. If there are 4 players, I’ll create piles of 6 tokens each. Any extra tokens can go back into the box.
3. I’ll shuffle the 55 tiles and create two face-down draw piles. I’ll place these piles near the board.
4. Now, let’s shuffle the 15 price markers. I’ll randomly place them on the designated spaces.
5. It’s time to choose one of the draw piles. I’ll reveal the first six tiles of the chosen pile and place them from left to right under the price board, just like it’s shown above.
6. Lastly, I’ll put the 12 bonus tokens within easy reach of all players.
7. We’re all set! Now, let’s randomly choose a start player. And we’re ready to begin!

A Turn in the Game

When it’s my turn, I have two options to choose from:

A. Take Tokens

I can take 3 tokens, but I need to keep some things in mind. By the end of my turn:

• I can’t have more than 5 resource tokens ().
• I can’t have more than 2 ankh tokens ().

Note:

I’m allowed to have multiple tokens of the same resource.

During my turn, I can temporarily exceed the above limitations when I take tokens, but I must return any extra tokens to the supply at the end of my turn.

B. Buy a Tile

I can buy a tile by paying resource tokens that match the price markers above it. I return the tokens I spent back to the supply and place the tile I bought in front of me.

When you buy a tile, you have to put it next to one of your other tiles, but they have to be right next to each other on the top, bottom, or side (they can’t be diagonal).

Special Cases

When someone mentions “special cases,” it might sound like a complicated concept. But don’t worry! I’m here to break it down for you.

Special cases are situations that stand out from the norm. They are exceptions to the usual rules or patterns. It’s like when you play a game and there’s that one level that’s completely different from the rest.

Now, you might be wondering why special cases are even important. Well, let me tell you. Special cases are important because they help us understand the bigger picture. They show us that not everything fits neatly into a box.

If you’re looking for an example, look no further than language. Languages are full of special cases. There are words that don’t follow the usual spelling or grammar rules. They stand out and make you pause for a second.

By following the rules, you can navigate the majority of cases. But it’s the special cases that test your knowledge and challenge you to think outside the box. They keep things interesting and make you appreciate the complexity of language.

So, the next time you come across a special case, don’t panic. Embrace it as an opportunity to learn and grow. After all, life is full of special cases, and it’s these exceptions that make it truly exciting!

So here’s the deal: if you’ve got a tile and you wanna put it on top of some other tiles, just make sure its color matches one of the “base” tiles. Simple as that.

But listen up, ’cause this is where it gets interesting. When you place a tile like this, it’s gonna cost you 1 fewer resource (yeah, you get to choose which one) to buy it. Cool, huh?

When you gather a bunch of 5 or more tiles that are right next to each other and have the same color, like the green ones in this case, you get a bonus token.

If you gather together five or more animals that are next to each other and all of the same kind (jackal, beetle, or falcon), you’ll get a special bonus token. You can use this token later to perform extra actions.

In addition to your main action, you also have the option to spend ankh tokens before or after. Ankh tokens give you more opportunities to do things.

For each ankh token you spend, you can choose to do one of the following actions:

1. Refresh the Tiles: This means you can rearrange and change the positions of the tiles on the playing board. It’s like giving everything a fresh start.

1. You have to remove the tile on the far left side of the row, and it’s not optional, you have to do it!

So here’s the deal – if you’re playing a three or four player game, you can skip this step. Simple as that! But if you’re in a game with more players, listen up! It’s time to shift those leftover tiles, if there are any, all the way to the left. Got it?

Are you having trouble deciding between the two draw piles? Well, let me help you out. Here’s what you need to know:

There are two draw piles available, and it’s up to you to choose one. It might seem like a simple decision, but there are a few things you should consider.

First, think about your goals for the game. What are you trying to accomplish? Different piles might offer different opportunities for success.

Next, consider the cards in each pile. Look for ones that align with your strategy or can help you advance towards your goals.

It’s also important to think about the potential risks and rewards of each pile. Are there cards that could hinder your progress or cards that could give you a big advantage?

Lastly, trust your instincts. Sometimes, you just have to go with your gut feeling. If one pile seems more appealing to you, don’t be afraid to choose it.

Remember, choosing the right draw pile is essential to your success in the game. By taking these factors into account, you’ll be well-equipped to make the best decision for your gameplay.

Now, let’s talk about the next step in the game. It’s time to move one of your tiles!

You have a few options for moving your tile:

• You can move a tile from your hand to one of the open spaces on the game board.
• You can also choose to swap a tile with one that is already on the game board. This can be a strategic move if you want to create a certain pattern or set up a scoring opportunity.
• If you don’t want to make any moves, you can choose to pass your turn and hold onto your tile for the next round.

Remember, the goal is to create matches and score points, so make sure to think strategically about where you place your tiles and whether a swap might be beneficial!

• You can move a base tile (that doesn’t have another tile on top of it) to a new spot next to one or more base tiles.

OR

When I’m tackling a puzzle with tiles, the first thing I need to know is how to move those tiles. It’s actually pretty straightforward – I just have to remember a few rules.

Here’s the thing: I can move a tile from a higher level to a different space, as long as it’s supported by four other tiles. And get this – I don’t even have to worry about the color of those tiles. Color is not a requirement for this move.

• If I split a group of 5 colorful or animal tiles, I must give back the bonus token ()
• 1 ankh token lets me refresh the tiles OR move a tile, but I can only choose one of these actions.
• I can use 2 ankh tokens in the same turn.
• A higher level tile is next to the 4 tiles that support it.

Other Types of Tiles

Aside from the colorful and animal tiles, there are 3 more types of tiles in each family: the warehouse, the scribe, and the desert.

So, here’s the deal. When you buy a warehouse, you gotta remember to plop a token on it right away. Just grab one that matches the color, if there’s any left, and place it on the warehouse. Easy, right?

Now, this token is mighty useful ’cause it works like any other token you got. You can do all sorts of things with it.

But here’s the best part. Once you use up that token, the warehouse becomes a handy dandy storage space. Yep, you heard me right. It can hold stuff, just like normal – 2 ankhs or 5 resources. But here’s the kicker – it can only hold resources that match its color. Remember that, my friend.

Oh, and here’s something important. If your warehouse is holding up a high-level tile, no storage for you. Nope, it’s not allowed.

Oh, and one more thing. When you put a new tile on a warehouse that has a token on it, take that token and stick it back in the supply. Easy peasy.

When you buy a scribe, you get an extra turn right away. Just think of it as a regular turn but with a bonus.

Did you know that a desert tile in this game doesn’t have any special effects or animals? It may seem simple, but it still plays a crucial role in scoring. See, when you have 2 or more tiles of the same color, including the desert tile, it adds points to your score. And if you manage to have a group of 5 or more tiles, you even get bonus tokens!

All Good Things Must Come to an End

Imagine this: you’re playing and having a blast, placing tiles left and right. But here’s the catch, once you play your 13th tile, it’s game over. But don’t worry, there’s a fair finish! The current round will be completed, making sure everyone has played the same number of turns. And then, it’s time to calculate the victory points (VP) for each player.

Counting those Points

So, how do we figure out who the true winner is? Well, it goes a little something like this:

When you play a game that includes bonus tokens and tiles, one of the things you need to do is to add up the numbers shown on them. This might sound simple, but it’s actually important to understand how to do it correctly. Let me explain.

So here’s the deal: you’ve got a bunch of animal tiles, right? And if you’re lucky enough to have two or more of the same type of animal tiles grouped together, each tile in that group is worth a precious Victory Point. But here’s the twist – if you’ve only got one lonely animal tile, well, sorry buddy, but it’s worth absolutely nothing.

Did you know that when you group together two or more colored tiles that are touching, each of those tiles is worth 1 victory point? But if you have just one tile by itself, it’s not worth anything. Isn’t that interesting?

When you have leftover tokens, regardless of their type, you will earn 1 VP for every 3 of them. That means, if you have 2 leftover tokens, you would earn 0 VP, but if you have 3 or more leftover tokens, you would earn 1 VP.

Let me show you an example of how scoring works:

• I get 2 victory points for the group of white tiles, 5 victory points for the group of green tiles (and I also get a 3 victory point bonus token), and 3 victory points for the group of red tiles;
• I get 3 victory points for the group of jackals, and 2 victory points for the group of beetles;
• I get 6 victory points for the values shown on the tiles;
• I don’t get any victory points for leftover tokens.

Total =24 Vp

Note:

• The green jackal doesn’t score because it’s not next to another jackal.
• The group of 2 scarabs scores, even though the blue tile is a single colored tile.
• I still get 2 victory points for the white tile, even though it’s a single colored tile.
• The higher level tiles don’t separate the green group, so I keep the 3 victory point bonus token.

Victory