Contents
Welcome to the Game Rules for Artifacts, Inc.
I’m here to guide you through the exciting world of Artifacts, Inc., a thrilling board game where you become an archaeologist and compete with others to discover and collect rare artifacts.
Game Setup
First, let’s get the game set up! Each player gets a player mat, workers of their chosen color, and starting cards. Shuffle the Expedition cards and place them face down. Create a marketplace with the Artifact cards and Exploration cards face up. Lastly, choose a Start Player and give them the First Player marker.
Gameplay
On your turn, you have two actions to choose from: Place a worker or Recruit a worker. When placing a worker, you can either send them on an expedition or assign them to a specific action on your player mat. Recruiting a worker allows you to add a new worker to your pool, increasing your options on future turns.
Exploring is a key action in this game. Draw an Exploration card and follow its instructions. These cards might lead you to find new artifacts, gain valuable resources, or encounter exciting events.
The Artifact cards are the heart of the game. They represent the unique items you can collect during your expeditions. Each artifact has a cost, which you’ll need to pay using resources. Some artifacts also provide ongoing benefits or special abilities.
Managing your resources is crucial. Collect resources like money, knowledge, and tools to fund your expeditions and purchase artifacts. You can also trade resources with other players in the marketplace.
Game End
The game ends after a certain number of rounds or when a specific condition is met. The player with the most points, earned from collecting artifacts, resources, and completed expeditions, is the winner!
Now that you know the basics, it’s time to embark on your archaeology adventure. Good luck, and may the best archaeologist win!
Just so you know: The cubes and dollar tokens aren’t the only options available. If you run out, go ahead and use whatever you can find to keep track.
Here’s how you get started:
In fifth-grade, we learn how to play a fun card game called “Museum Adventures.” Here’s a simple guide to get started:
- First, let’s organize our cards. You’ll find the type of each card in the top right corner, except for six special cards called Public cards. The Public cards include 4 “Museums,” 1 “Private Collectors,” and 1 “Guide Work.”
First, let’s set up the game board. The Reputation Board goes in the middle of the table. Take the “U” cards and put them in numerical order. Place these cards face up on the Reputation Board, starting with the lowest number and ending with the highest number. Make sure that the top two cards are face up. The Dollar tokens and dice should be placed near this board, as this is the Supply.
Next, let’s prepare the Public cards. These cards will be placed in a row above the Reputation Board.
If there are 3 or 4 players, the Museums should be placed so that the side with 9 boxes is face up. If there are only 2 players, place the Museums so that the side with 6 boxes is face up.
In order for us to start playing the game, each player needs to have a specific set of cards. These cards consist of the Desert Expedition, Canyon Expedition, Headquarters, and Adventurers. Each player should have one of each card, with the “Level 1” side facing up. Arrange these cards in a row in front of you, making sure they stay in the same position throughout the game. You will also need a set of colored cubes.
To determine who goes first, we will roll dice. Each player should roll 2 dice. The player with the highest sum will be the first player. From there, the game will progress in a clockwise direction. The first player will receive 2 dollars, while the second and third players will receive 3 dollars each. Finally, the fourth player will receive 4 dollars. Each player will place a cube next to the Reputation Board to keep track of their Reputation. Now, we are ready to begin the game.
Let’s Start Playing
Let’s get started! We each take turns, starting with the first player, and going around the table in a clockwise order. We keep taking turns until one of us reaches 20 Reputation Points on the Reputation board.
But wait, there’s more! Even after someone reaches 20 points, we don’t stop there. We keep playing until everyone has had the same number of turns. That way, we all have an equal chance to win. Only when the last player has had their turn does the game come to an end.
So, how do we determine the winner? It’s simple. We add up the Museum majority bonus Reputation Points that each player has earned. The player with the highest Reputation score wins!
 Adventurer Dice Symbols |
When it’s your turn, you get to roll your Adventurer dice. The number of dice you roll is determined by the Adventurer dice symbols on the cards you own (those cards that are sitting right in front of you on the table).
Now that you know how to play, it’s time to dive in and see who can become the ultimate artifact collector!
Once I roll the dice, I have the opportunity to use them strategically. I can place the dice on different cards to take actions. There are three options for where I can place them: on my own Asset cards, on the Public cards available to all players, or on the Reputation board where it says “Dive”.
Each action can only hold one die, so I need to choose wisely. The die I choose must meet the requirements of the action I want to perform. I can’t just place any random die on any action.
When I decide to use an action, I don’t have to wait. I can perform the action right away, using the die I placed on it.
Let me give you an example. See that card on the right? It’s got two things you can do. You can put a “1” die here, and you can put a “3 or higher” die here. And each die you put there will make that action happen once.
Now, when you put your die on the card, you cover up the action. That means you get to do it later. We’ll talk about what happens when you do that in a bit.
Once you’ve placed all your dice and finished your actions, you take them off the cards. Then it’s time to pass the dice to the player on your left, and it’s their turn to play.
What Are Actions?
Go on an Adventure: Expedition
When I go on an expedition, I get to find a special item called an Artifact. It could be something like a valuable scroll.
Here’s how it works: I take one of my tokens and place it on the card to show that I found an Artifact. This card can hold all kinds of Artifacts, so I can keep adding more the more I explore.
Get Something Cool: Buy an Item
Hey there! Want to know how to get some new and powerful stuff? Well, I’ve got you covered. This action right here lets you buy a brand-new Asset card or level up one you already have to “Level 2”. And the best part? You get to choose from a whole bunch of different cards!
Now, here’s the thing. Before you make your purchase, you’re allowed to sneak a peek at the back of any of the available cards. Pretty cool, right? But remember, you can only do this once you’ve placed an Adventurer die on the “Buy” action. Gotta follow the rules!
But what about the cost, you ask? Well, when you buy a new Asset card, you pay the price in dollars. Just look at the top-right corner of the card, and that’s how much it’ll set you back.
Oh, and here’s a little twist. Sometimes, you’ll need a Scroll to get your hands on a card. If that’s the case, you’ll have to say goodbye to one of the cubes on your “Desert Expedition” card. But don’t worry, it’s totally worth it. Once you’ve made your purchase, just put your new card face up in front of you.
If you have a card in the game called an Asset, you can make it more powerful without having to buy a new one. All you have to do is pay the cost for the card again, and it will become a “Level 2” card. Just flip it over to the other side. Any dice or cubes that were on the card will stay there.
If you upgrade a card and it gives you more Reputation Points, you’ll want to keep track of that. You can mark your progress on the Reputation Board with one of your cubes. It doesn’t matter if you gained the points from the icon on the top left of the card or from a special ability on the bottom of the card.
So, your Reputation Points total is always based on the total Reputation points from the face-up cards you own. If you have more cards that give you points, your total will go up.
 Reputation |
Let me give you an example. Say you upgrade the diving suit card. You’ll only gain 1 total Reputation point, not 3.
Hey There! Let’s Talk About Card Rows!
Did you know that in the game, players get to arrange their Asset cards in two rows? Pretty cool, right? Let me break it down for you.
To start off, at the beginning of the game, you have these four kick-off Asset cards. These need to be placed right next to each other in the “top” row. Got it?
Now, here’s the interesting part: whenever you buy a new Asset card, you gotta put it beside one of your existing Asset cards. It can be in either the “top” row or the “bottom” row. Your choice!
Why is this so important, you ask? Well, it’s because some cards give you special bonuses based on the cards that are beside them. And just to clarify, when I say “beside,” I mean the card has to share a side with the other card. Cards that are diagonally adjacent don’t count. You following along?
When you start the game and place your starting Asset cards, take a moment to look at the other side of each card. It’s called the “Level 2” side. Also, whenever you buy a new card, make sure to check out its “Level 2” side before putting it down. Once a card is in play, you can’t move it anymore.
Remember that underwater “U” cards are not considered Asset cards. They have a different purpose and should be placed separately on the side, face up, when you get them.
Discovering the Past: Museums
Hey there! Ready for an exciting adventure through time? Well, I’ve got just the thing for you – a trip to the museum! Museums are incredible places where you can sell your amazing artifacts and discover the wonders of the past.
Each museum you visit will have a specific set of orders they want to fulfill. Let me give you an example: imagine you have some awesome fossils in your possession. At this museum, you can sell sets of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 fossils. How cool is that?
Now, when you successfully complete an order, you get to place one of your cubes on it. That means no one else can fulfill that order anymore. Don’t worry, you’ll still have plenty of other orders to conquer!
Here’s the catch – to complete an order, you need to have artifacts that match the type listed on the museum card. So if the museum wants fossils, you better make sure you have some fossils to give them.
Oh, and guess what? You don’t just get money for selling your artifacts – you also get a sweet bonus! The amount of money you earn depends on the type of artifact you sell. It’s like getting a little extra reward for your amazing finds!
So, are you ready to dive into the world of museums and uncover the secrets of the past? Pack your bags and let’s go on an adventure you’ll never forget!
Example: Let’s say I have 2 Gems. I’m going to put a “5” die on my Gems Museums card. Now, I could sell just 1 of my Gems to complete a “1” order, but I think I’ll go for something bigger. I decide to complete a “2” order and sell both of the Gems that I have. To show this, I’ll put a cube on one of the “2” order boxes.
Now, I need to get rid of the two cubes on my Mountain Expedition card that represent my 2 Gems. I’m going to discard them. But before I do that, I want to mention that I get 1 Dollar for each cube that I discard. So, in this case, I’ll get 2 Dollars. In addition to that, I also get a bonus of 3 Dollars for the sale that I made. The bonus is written in the top left corner of the Museums card. So, in total, I gained 5 Dollars for the sale.
Guide Work: A Way to Earn Some Cash
If you choose to take this action, you’ll be rewarded with 1 Dollar for just placing an Adventurer die there. It’s a simple way to get some money.
Private Collectors: Making Extra Cash from Artifacts
If you have any Artifacts, this action allows you to sell them and make some money. You can sell as many Artifacts as you want, of any type and mix. For each cube you discard from an Expedition card, you’ll receive 1 Dollar. But here’s the exciting part – for every different type of Artifact beyond the first type, you’ll get an extra Dollar. So the more types of Artifacts you sell, the more money you’ll make!
For example: Let’s say you sell 1 Fossil, 1 Scroll, and 2 Statues using the Private Collectors action. You’ll make 4 Dollars (1 for each cube) and an additional 2 Dollars for the 2 extra types. That’s a total of 6 Dollars!
Dive In: Take the Plunge!
Hey there! Today, I want to talk to you about a cool feature in the game called the Reputation Board. It’s so awesome because it allows you to get an Underwater card. Now, in order to do that, you have to place one or more dice on the board. The dice’s total value must be equal to or greater than the number on the topmost Underwater card.
What makes this action even more special is that it’s the only one in the game where you can add dice together to complete it. Pretty neat, huh? But remember, you can only get one Underwater card per turn. So make your move count!
Now, let’s talk about the Underwater cards themselves. Each one gives you a precious Reputation Point. These cards are placed off to the side of your Asset cards, and they don’t take up any space in your two rows of Asset cards. So you can keep collecting without worrying about running out of room!
But wait, there’s more! Each Underwater card also comes with a special Underwater find. You could discover Pottery, Doubloons, or even a Sunken City! And guess what? These finds can actually earn you bonus Reputation points if you happen to own certain Asset cards. Talk about a win-win!
The End of the Game
We keep playing until someone reaches a Reputation of 20 on the Reputation Board. The player who reaches that milestone triggers the final round, and each remaining player in the current round gets one more turn. Once the last player finishes their turn, the game concludes.
With this rule, we ensure that everyone has an equal number of turns throughout the game. It’s a fair way to determine the winner.
Let me give you an example: Tom happened to be the last player in turn order when we started the game. On his turn, he hit the 20 reputation mark. Since he was the last player, the game ended right there. No one else had any more turns to play.
In this game, the goal is to gain the most Reputation Points. When the game ends, players count their cubes on Museums cards to determine who has the majority. The player with the most cubes on each Museums card earns the Reputation Points listed in the top right corner.
But what happens when players are tied for cubes? Well, in that case, the player with cubes in the highest positions wins the tie. The positions start from the top left box and move from left to right, in ascending order of numbers. Let me give you an example:
Imagine Tom and Wendy both have 1 cube on the Fossils Museums card. Wendy’s cube is in the first “1” order box, in the top left corner. Meanwhile, Tom’s cube is in the second “1” order box, to the right of Wendy’s cube. In this scenario, Tom wins the tie and gains 3 extra Reputation Points.
After the Museum majority Reputation Points have been awarded, it’s time to see who has the most overall Reputation. And here’s the exciting part: the player with the most Reputation Points wins the entire game!