Forgotten Waters: A Guide to Playing the Game

Welcome to Forgotten Waters!

Hey there! I am thrilled that you are here to learn all about playing Forgotten Waters – an incredible and immersive game like no other. So, get ready to set sail on a thrilling adventure on the high seas!

Setting the Stage

Before we dive into the game, let’s take a moment to understand how things work. In Forgotten Waters, you and your crew members will embark on an epic journey, facing exciting challenges and making pivotal decisions along the way.

Your Role as a Player

As a player, your role is crucial. You will take on the persona of a unique pirate character, each with their own captivating story and special abilities. Together with your fellow players, you will explore uncharted territories, encounter dangerous situations, and strive to achieve your own personal goals.

The Rulebook as Your Compass

Now, let’s talk about the rulebook. This is your compass, guiding you through the game’s intricacies and helping you make the most of your adventure. Within its pages, you’ll find everything you need to know about the game, from setup and gameplay mechanics to actions and events. Keep it close by, as it will be your trusty companion on this exciting voyage.

Choosing Your Path

One of the most exciting aspects of Forgotten Waters is the freedom it gives you in choosing your path. The choices you make will shape not only your own destiny but also the fate of your crew. So, keep an eye out for opportunities and weigh your decisions carefully – they may lead to fortune or disaster!

Beware of the Unknown

As you navigate through the game, you’ll encounter the unknown – mysterious islands, treacherous storms, and even other pirates. Embrace the thrill of the unexpected and relish the chance to face these challenges head-on. Remember, true pirates fear nothing!

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

In Forgotten Waters, teamwork is key. Despite having your own personal goals, collaborating with your fellow players is essential for success. Share information, strategize together, and trust in the skills of your crewmates. Together, you can overcome any obstacle that comes your way!

Embrace the Adventure

So, are you ready to embark on an unforgettable journey? Leave behind the known and set sail into the unknown world of Forgotten Waters. Prepare to embrace the thrill of adventure, the joy of discovery, and the camaraderie of being part of a brave pirate crew.

May the Wind be at Your Back

With your newfound knowledge of the game, it’s time to set sail and let the winds guide you to victory. Immerse yourself in the rich storytelling, make bold choices, and most importantly – have fun! Remember, the world of Forgotten Waters is yours to explore. Bon voyage, my friend!

To play Forgotten Waters, you’ll need a few items:

• 7 12-Sided Dice
• 1 Location Book
• 1 Map Board
• 1 Boatswain Board
• 1 First Mate Board
• 1 Cooper Board
• 1 Gunner Board
• 1 Quartermaster Board
• 1 Lookout Board
• 1 Pad of Ship Scribe Sheets
• 1 Pad of Player Sheets
• 209 Cards
• 132 Tokens
• 11 Markers
• 7 Pirate Standees
• 1 Ship Standee
• 8 Standee Stands

Let’s Set Sail!

Welcome aboard, me hearties, to a thrilling adventure on the high seas! In this game called Forgotten Waters, I am a member of the senior crew on a pirate ship, ready to embark on an epic journey alongside my fellow scallywags.

Our pirate captain, a lively character to be sure, will guide us through this shared adventure. Together, we’ll strive to complete the captain’s mission successfully, earning gold and fame along the way.

Yet, while we work in harmony, I won’t forget about my own aspirations. I’ll be charting my own course to glory, leaving my mark in the form of stars on my personal player sheet. Each star I acquire will bring me closer to my own destiny.

When we finally reach the end of this grand adventure, our fate will be decided by the number of stars we’ve managed to collect. The more stars we have, the greater our triumph will be.

Time to Prepare

Hey there! Let’s get started on the Forgotten Waters app. Here’s what you need to do:

1. First, you’ll want to launch the Forgotten Waters app and choose a scenario. I recommend starting with “Beyond the Ocean’s Edge” for your first game. Make sure you successfully complete this scenario before trying any others.

Note: Once you’ve completed “Beyond the Ocean’s Edge,” you can choose any scenario you like!

2. If you’re playing with 4 players or fewer, make sure to include the “Hungry Pirates” special rules card. And if you have 3 players, add the “Masked Pirate” special rules card as well.

3. Now, place the location book in the center of the table where everyone can reach it. Leave enough space for the book to be opened and laid flat. The app will tell you when to turn to a specific page in the location book.

That’s it! You’re all set to embark on your Forgotten Waters adventure. Enjoy!

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Start by putting the map board in the center of the play area. Also, place the ship standee and special location tokens on the map board according to the scenario setup.

Tip: You can find the scenario setup by clicking the ‘View Setup’ button in the Forgotten Waters App.

2. Take the treasure cards and shuffle them. This will create a face-down treasure deck.

3. Take the navigation tokens and place them face down in a pile.

4. Grab the re-roll tokens, misfortune tokens, lock tokens, constellation tokens, and story cards. Make sure to keep them in separate piles.

First, I’ll need to pick a pirate standee. There are different ones to choose from, each with its own colored 12-sided die, treasure chest card, and infamy marker. It’s important to note that if we’re playing with 3 players, the masked pirate (orange) is off-limits.

Once everyone has selected a standee, we each get a pencil and a player sheet. Each sheet needs a unique title. We also get to give our pirate a name and write it on our sheet.

Now it’s time to fill out the story blanks on our player sheets. This is where we’ll come up with our pirate’s backstory and adventures.

Next, we assign roles to each player. Everyone needs at least one role, but if we have fewer than 7 players, some of us will need to take on more than one role.

One of the roles is the Ship Scribe. This person is responsible for writing and keeping track of information in the ship’s log.

Let’s start by preparing our ship for our adventure! I need to get a ship scribe sheet. But I can’t do this alone – I’ll ask my friends to help me come up with a cool name for the ship and write it down on the ship’s log.

13 Quartermaster: I’m the one who keeps track of infamy and times the Planning Phase.

I’ve got something important to tell you: it’s time to gather the Quartermaster board and everyone’s infamy marker. Then, place the infamy markers on the infamy track in a random order. But wait, there’s more! The First Mate has a special job too. They need to keep track of the crew and their discontent. It’s a big responsibility, but I know you’re up for the challenge.

When you start playing the game, make sure to gather the First Mate board and put the crew and discontent markers in their designated spots as specified in the scenario setup.

15 Boatswain: I’m the one who keeps an eye on the ship’s hull.

X Get your hands on that Boatswain board and put the hull marker on the number it should be at in this scenario.

Welcome aboard the 16 Cooper! I’m here to help you manage the ship’s supplies. From food and water to equipment and fuel, it’s essential to keep track of everything we have on board.

Why is this so important? Well, let me explain. When we’re out at sea, we can’t just run to the store if we run out of something. We need to be prepared and have enough supplies to last our entire journey. By keeping track of what we have, we can avoid any unpleasant surprises and make sure we’re always well-prepared.

So, how do we keep track of the supplies? It’s quite simple, really. We use the 16 Cooper system, which is designed specifically for this purpose. This system helps us record and monitor the quantities of each item we have on board, so we always know what we need to replenish.

But it’s not just about knowing what we have. Using the 16 Cooper system also helps us plan ahead. We can analyze our usage patterns and make predictions about when we’ll need to restock certain items. This way, we can make sure we never run out of anything important.

By understanding and managing our supplies effectively, we can sail with confidence. We won’t have to worry about shortages or unexpected surprises. Instead, we can focus on enjoying our journey and making the most of our time at sea.

So welcome aboard the 16 Cooper, where we take care of all the details, including our supplies. With this system in place, you can rest assured that we’re always prepared and ready to navigate the open waters.

When you start playing this game, the first thing you need to do is collect the Cooper board and place the supplies marker on the value that the scenario setup tells you. It’s important to remember this step, as it sets up the game for success.

Next, you will need to collect the Gunner board. The Gunner board is used to keep track of the ship’s cannons. Make sure to place the cannon tokens on the board as indicated in the scenario setup. This will help you keep track of how many cannons you have.

18 Lookout: This little guy right here? They call him the lookout. He’s got one job and one job only: to keep an eye on all the danger and let me know what’s up. I don’t know about you, but having a lookout sounds pretty handy to me. I mean, who wants to be caught off guard by some unexpected threat? Not me, that’s for sure! I can just sit back and relax, knowing that the lookout has my back.

First, I need to gather the Lookout board and some threat tokens. I’ll keep the threat tokens nearby the Lookout board. Then, I’ll find the objective card mentioned in the scenario setup and put it in the objective card slot.

Next, I’ll check if there are any other setup instructions in the scenario setup that I need to follow.

For now, I can leave all the other game components in the game box. Once I finish setting up, I just need to click the continue button at the bottom of the scenario instructions page in the app.

Let’s Start Playing!

The game of Forgotten Waters is played in rounds, and each round takes place on a different page of the location book. A round consists of 3 phases that need to be completed in order:

1. Planning Phase

In this phase, you have a limited amount of time to choose your actions for the round. However, you won’t resolve them just yet.

When I start planning, I immediately kick things off by clicking the ‘Start Round Timer’ button on the app – that gets the ball rolling. After that, it’s time for each player to pick their action in order of highest to lowest infamy, using their pirate standee. If the timer runs out before the last player has chosen their action, we raise discontent by 1 and keep going until everyone has made their selection.

Tip: Now here’s a little trick for you – when it’s time to pick actions, don’t waste time reading through all the details. Just focus on the names and guide symbols to help you figure out which action is the best fit for you.

Types of Actions:

Infinite Possibilities: You can choose this action as many times as you want.

When I first read that I could choose an action an unlimited number of times, I was both intrigued and perplexed. The idea of having infinite options seemed almost too good to be true. But as I thought more about it, I realized the power that such a choice could hold.

Imagine being able to make decisions without any restrictions or limitations. The freedom to explore all possibilities and take action without hesitation. It’s like having a superpower that allows you to do anything you desire.

But with great power comes great responsibility. Having unlimited choices also means that you need to be thoughtful and deliberate in your decision-making. Each choice and action you take has consequences, and it’s important to consider the potential outcomes before making a move.

So, if you’re someone who craves variety and wants to experience all that life has to offer, then having the ability to choose an unlimited number of actions is perfect for you. It opens up a world of opportunities and allows you to truly live life to the fullest.

But remember, with infinite possibilities comes the need for discernment. Not every choice will lead to a desirable outcome, and it’s crucial to learn from your mistakes and adjust your approach when necessary. Embrace the adventure that comes with unlimited actions, and keep exploring until you find the path that feels right for you.

So, don’t be afraid to take that leap of faith and embrace the power of unlimited action. It’s an invitation to experience the world in new and exciting ways. Embrace the freedom, learn from your choices, and let your curiosity guide you. The possibilities are endless, so go out there and make the most of every action you choose.

Only One: When you choose this action, no one else can do the same in that round. It’s a first-come, first-served basis.

Lock it Down: Once an action is locked down, it’s off-limits. You won’t be able to choose that action anymore. When a lock token is placed on an action due to a game effect, it means you can’t use it.

Let’s Get Started: You need to choose a required action that has not been chosen before by any other player. Remember, each player can only choose one required action.

Understanding Guide Symbols:

Did you know that white guide symbols on your character sheet mean you might gain a new skill? It’s like a hint from the game that you need to perform a check using that skill. How cool is that?

When you see black guide symbols, it means you might gain a skill/resource or make changes to the location dial.

Action Phase

In this phase, I will go through the actions that I chose earlier. I will resolve them one by one, in the order they were selected.

First, I want to talk about what happens when we pick our actions. We all know that each player chooses an action, right? Well, the players who picked Action 1 will go first, one by one. We’ll start with the player who has the most infamy and go down to the player with the least infamy. That way, everyone gets their turn.

Once all the players who chose Action 1 are done, it’s time for the players who picked Action 2. Again, we’ll go in order of infamy, from highest to lowest. And we’ll keep doing that until everyone has resolved their chosen actions. It’s like a procession, and we all take our turn.

When it’s your turn to resolve your action, just do what it says under that action. Pretty straightforward, right? And once you’re done, remove your standee from the page. Clean and simple!

3. End of Round Phase

Now, let’s talk about what happens at the end of a round. Just read the part about the Round End section on the current page. It’ll tell you everything you need to know.

Turning to a New Page

So, when you want to move to a new page in the location book, the first thing you need to do is clear out all the tokens from the current page. Easy enough, right? But before you make your move, I want to make sure you’re aware of something called the location warning section. This little section is worth a read because it can give you some valuable hints and help you make smarter choices for your next move. It might even clue you in on any negative consequences that could pop up at the end of the round, so it’s definitely worth paying attention to.

The Lowdown on Location Warnings

Hey there! Once you’ve finished reading the location warning section, don’t worry about reviewing all the action resolution text on the next page. Instead, let’s jump right into a new round by starting the planning phase. Just start the timer and select actions in order of infamy.

Quick note: If you’re told to “begin a new round on this page,” go ahead and start a new round without removing any tokens. But if you’re told to turn to a page you’re already on, make sure to remove the tokens.

Resolving Game Effects

Performing Skill Checks

When I’m asked to perform a skill check, I need to follow a specific set of steps. Here’s what I do:

1. I roll a 12-sided die.
2. I add 1 for every filled-in box for that skill on my player sheet.
3. I add the number below each icon that matches that skill on my treasure and story cards.
4. I refer to the text that goes along with the skill check and resolve the option based on my total.

How Misfortune Tokens Affect Skill Checks

Hey there! If you’ve got any misfortune tokens on hand, things are about to get interesting. When it’s time to roll the dice for a skill check, you’ll need to do a little extra. Roll a second die alongside your regular one and keep the result of the lower one. And hey, once you’re done, you can get rid of one misfortune token.

Re-rolling with Re-roll Tokens

Got any of those handy re-roll tokens? Well, here’s how they work. After rolling the dice for a skill check, if you have at least one re-roll token, you’re in luck. You can discard one of those tokens to re-roll one of the dice. And guess what? You can do this multiple times during a single skill check. Pretty nifty, huh?

Important Note: Just so you know, misfortune tokens and re-roll tokens only come into play during skill checks. They won’t affect any other dice rolls you might have to make.

How to Gain Skills

So, you want to become a skilled individual? Well, you’re in luck because I’ve got some tips for you. Here’s how you can gain skills:

So, let’s talk about skills! When you gain a skill, you’ll see an unfilled box on your player sheet. It’s like a blank space waiting to be filled in. When you fill in that box, congratulations! You’ve acquired a new skill. But wait, there’s more! Sometimes, that box will have a special symbol inside, like this . When you see that symbol, it means something awesome is about to happen. You get to fill in a star on your constellation! And let me tell you, having those stars on your constellation is a big deal. It’s like a shiny badge of honor, showing off all the skills you’ve mastered. So, keep an eye out for those symbols and watch your constellation light up with stardust!

Note: You can’t fill in boxes with symbols on them. If all the boxes for a skill are filled in, you don’t gain any more of that skill.

Highest/Lowest Skill

When trying to figure out who has the most or least of a skill, only count the filled-in boxes on the player sheets. Don’t count skills gained from treasure or story cards.

Filling in Stars on Constellations

Each player has their own constellation on their player sheet. The more stars a player can fill in on their constellation during the game, especially the ones with a , the better pirate they become.

When I’m told to fill a star on my constellation, I have to pick a star that’s connected to the starting star or one that’s connected to a star I’ve already filled. If the star I fill has a special symbol, like an exclamation point, I get a constellation event token.

There are two ways to fill in stars:

• Gaining Skills: Every time I fill in a skill box with a gear symbol, I also fill in a star on my constellation.

Imagine you’re on a thrilling adventure, searching for buried treasure. Some actions in the game let you bury treasure by discarding it, represented by filling in a star for each treasure you bury.

Solving Constellation Events

When it’s time to resolve your constellation events, head to the Constellation Events section on your player sheet and discard all your constellation event tokens.

Every token you discard lets you check off the next unchecked constellation event. As you read it aloud, fill in any blanks in the story with the corresponding words from the story blanks section of your sheet.

Gaining/Losing/Checking Threat

Have you ever wondered what happens when something in a game makes me gain or lose threat? Well, let me tell you!

When I gain or lose 1 or more threat, the Lookout comes to the rescue. This trusty companion adds or removes the exact number of threat tokens from the threat track. It’s like magic!

If you’re told to check the threat, only do so if there are enough threat tokens on the threat track. If the number meets or goes over the current objective card’s threat limit, mark off the next unchecked Threat Event box on the ship’s log and read what it says.

Gaining/Losing Ship Stats

If something in the game makes you gain or lose a ship stat, like First Mate, Boatswain, or Cooper, you have to move the corresponding ship stat marker up or down its track, depending on what the game effect says.

A ship stat can’t go above its maximum value or below 0.

Moving the Ship

If a game effect tells you to move the ship, you have to move it to a space that’s next to where it currently is.

Every time I move my ship to an empty space, I need to draw a navigation token. I place it face up on that space before actually moving onto it. It’s important to remember that I shouldn’t go to the entry listed on the new space until I’m directed to.

If I move my ship onto a navigation token or special location token with a symbol on it, I can’t move my ship any further this round.

I can’t move my ship onto a rocky waters special location token.

Scouting

When I’m told to scout one or more spaces, I need to do the following things in order:

1. I have to draw a navigation token from the face-down supply and put it face down on an empty space on the map board. The space needs to be either next to my ship’s space or next to a navigation token that was already placed. I have to repeat this for every space I need to scout.
2. After I’ve placed all the new navigation tokens, I have to flip them face up.

Cannons

When I need to upgrade a cannon, I can simply take out a cannon token from my Gunner board and replace it with a higher-level cannon from the supply.

If the old cannon was empty, the new one will be too, and if it was loaded, the new one will also be loaded.

My ship can only hold up to 4 cannons at a time, but I can get rid of any cannons I no longer need to make space for new ones.

Earning or Losing Infamy

When you gain or lose infamy in a game, I have to move your infamy marker up or down on the infamy track. This might mean moving other players’ markers to make space.

It’s important that infamy markers don’t share spaces or have gaps between them. They should be placed in a continuous line on the track.

Stepping Away from Conflict

When it comes to resolving disagreements, it can be difficult to find a solution that satisfies everyone involved. We are often torn between different perspectives and don’t know which path to take. In these situations, it’s important to remember that making a decision is not about winning or losing, but about finding a way to move forward.

Choosing a course of action can be challenging, but it’s essential to take the time to understand the concerns and needs of all parties involved. By actively listening and considering different viewpoints, you can gain a better understanding of the underlying issues and work toward a resolution that respects everyone’s interests.

It’s natural to feel a sense of attachment to our own ideas and opinions. However, it’s important to recognize that there is value in diverse perspectives. Even if we don’t agree with someone else’s point of view, it can broaden our understanding and lead to innovative solutions. By being willing to set aside our own biases, we open ourselves up to new possibilities and create an environment where collaboration and compromise can thrive.

Breaking ties is not always easy. It requires courage, empathy, and a willingness to let go of our own egos. But by doing so, we can cultivate stronger relationships and build a more harmonious community. When conflicts arise, instead of being consumed by them, we can choose to step away and approach them with an open mind and a desire to find common ground.

If there is ever a tie between 2 or more players for the same game effect, we break the tie by considering their infamy order. The player with higher infamy will have the higher result.

Objective Cards

The objective card serves as a reminder to players about their current goal. There will always be 1 objective card in play.

When players are instructed to discard the objective card, they will also receive instructions on which new objective card to replace it with.

Treasure Cards

Hey there! Let’s talk about treasure in this game. It’s pretty exciting stuff! So, when you earn some treasure, you get to draw and play even more treasure cards. How cool is that? If the deck of treasure cards runs out, don’t worry; just shuffle the discarded cards to make a fresh new deck.

Treasure cards are played face up and they give you some awesome advantages. They’re like little bonuses that help you out in the game. And guess what? You can even steal treasure from other players! That’s right, you can be a master thief if you want.

Let’s talk about treasure cards in the game. You know, you can never have more than 4 of these cards in play at once. It’s a rule. So, if you ever try to play a 5th card, you have to make a choice. Either get rid of one of your existing treasures, or just discard the new one you want to play. Simple as that!

Oh, and here’s an important thing to remember: when you get a treasure card with skill icons on it, you don’t have to fill in a box on your player sheet. Those skill bonuses are separate from the skills you gained. They give you an extra boost on skill checks, but you don’t have to write anything down.

Now, let’s talk about discard effects. Some cards have special abilities that trigger when you discard them. But here’s the catch: those effects only happen when you intentionally discard the card for that specific reason. If you discard a card for any other reason, like burying a treasure or just getting rid of cards to stay within the limit of 4, those effects don’t happen.

And one last thing: you can only use discard effects during your turn, when you’re resolving an action in the action phase. Unless, of course, the card tells you otherwise. That’s the deal.

Discover the Magic of Story Cards

Imagine a world where the power of your story knows no bounds. With story cards, you can bring this world to life. These cards are unlike anything you’ve seen before. They function similarly to treasure cards, but with a twist – they cannot be buried, discarded, stolen, or used to pay a treasure cost. They exist solely to enhance your experience.

The best part? There’s no limit to the number of story cards you can have. You can collect as many as you desire. To obtain story cards, simply draw them from the story deck, if they’re available. If not, you can acquire them from another player who already possesses them. The choice is yours.

The Exciting Conclusion

So, how does this incredible adventure come to an end? There are four epic ways the game can reach its thrilling conclusion:

1. Drowned: Brace yourself for a tidal wave of excitement. If the ship’s hull reaches 0, every player on board loses.
2. Mutiny: Beware the rumblings of discontent. If the discontent meter, X, ever equals or exceeds its loyal crew , all players lose the game.
3. Threat: Prepare for the ultimate challenge. If the last threat event emerges, it’s game over for everyone.

Hey there! So, here’s the deal: if you’ve completed at least 4 constellation events, congratulations! You’ve reached the scenario goal and everyone who’s done that wins the game. But, if you’re an overachiever and you’ve actually completed all 5 of your constellation events, that’s even more impressive! You’ve achieved a superior victory. Nice job!

Now, let’s talk about what happens next. Starting with the player who has the highest infamy, you know, that person with the most fame, we’ll go clockwise and each player will consult the Endings chart on their player sheet. This chart will tell you which ending you’ve unlocked based on your actions and choices throughout the game. Exciting stuff!

Oh, and before I forget, let me mention that if you’re playing the official Forgotten Waters game, you can take a look at the image below to get an idea of what the Endings chart looks like:

Lastly, I want to let you know that if you’re playing a longer scenario and you need to take a break, no worries! When you reach part 2 of the scenario, you’ll have the option to save the game and come back to it later. So, no need to rush or worry about losing your progress. Take your time and enjoy the adventure!

So, here’s the deal. When you want to save your game, you gotta do a couple things. First, write ‘Part 1 Complete’ on your ship’s log. Don’t forget that part, okay? Then, you need to record the current game state on the back of the ship’s log. That way, you can come back later and pick up where you left off. Easy enough, right?

Now, let’s say you want to play that saved game. No worries, I got you covered. Just go to the scenario you want in the app and click the ‘View Setup’ button. Once you’re there, follow the instructions to set up the game. It’s as simple as that!