Welcome to the Hall of the Mountain King Game Rules!

I’m excited to dive into the intriguing world of this captivating game with you. Together, we’ll explore the guidelines and strategies that will help you succeed. So, let’s embark on this adventure and unravel the secrets of the Mountain King!

Overview of the Game

In the Hall of the Mountain King, your mission is to build and control a dwarven mountain kingdom. You will compete against other players to accumulate valuable resources, expand your domain, and ultimately claim the title of Mountain King.

Setting Up the Game

To begin your journey, set up the game board and distribute the necessary resources evenly among all the players. The game board showcases the majestic mountain, complete with tunnels and chambers waiting to be explored. Each player will have their own territory on the board, representing their kingdom.

Playing the Game

Now, it’s time to dive into the heart of the game. On your turn, you have a few choices. You can gather resources, excavate tunnels, claim chambers, and activate special abilities. All of these actions will bring you closer to victory.

When gathering resources, explore the deep tunnels of the mountain and collect valuable gems and metals. These resources are the lifeblood of your kingdom, as they allow you to construct buildings and recruit dwarven warriors to defend your realm.

Excavating tunnels is a critical aspect of the game. By carving through the mountain, you’ll discover hidden chambers filled with treasures and additional resources. Expand your territory by claiming these chambers and solidify your control over the mountain.

Furthermore, each player possesses unique special abilities. These abilities can be activated during your turn to gain an advantage over your rivals. Whether it’s summoning mighty creatures or revealing secret passages, these special abilities will help you forge a path to victory.

Strategies to Consider

To succeed, you must plan your moves carefully. Balance your focus between gathering resources, expanding your territory, and utilizing your special abilities. Keep an eye on your opponents’ actions, as they may try to block your progress.

Remember, the key to victory lies not just in accumulating resources but also in wielding them wisely. Spending your resources strategically will give you an edge over your competitors. Invest in powerful buildings and skilled warriors to strengthen your kingdom’s defenses and increase your chances of success.

Conclusion

Unleash your inner dwarf, gather your resources, and claim the title of Mountain King! By following these game rules and employing smart strategies, you will be well-prepared for this thrilling adventure. Get ready for an immersive experience in the Hall of the Mountain King!

• 1 Double-sided Game board
• 52 Tunnel tiles
• 5 Player Mats
• 6 Great Hall tiles
• 17 Spell cards
• 5 Gate tiles
• 5 Score markers
• 3 Pedestal reminder tokens
• 21 Statues
• 22 Workshop tiles
• 18 Pedestals
• 15 Pedestal Point tokens
• 225 Resource tokens
• 2 Coronation tokens
• 1 Crown
• 2 Team Storage cards
• 1 Draw bag
• Instructions

Object of the Game

Recruit trolls from the horde to create a cascading, customized source of resources that fits your strategy.

Put up workshops to gain versatility and cast spells to manipulate fate as you please.

Hey there! Let me tell you all about this awesome game called “Mountain King”! In this game, you’ll need to dig tunnels to find precious minerals, transport statues to the heart of the mountain, and build magnificent halls. All of this is for one ultimate goal – to earn honor and become the Mountain King!

The game board is where all the action takes place. It’s like a strategic playground! On the board, you’ll find valuable minerals hidden in the tunnels. You’ll need to dig deeper and deeper to find the most precious ones. But that’s not all! You also get to transport statues through your tunnels, and the closer they get to the heart of the mountain, the better! If you can place your statues on matching clan pedestals, you’ll earn even more points!

But the real key to victory is dedication. You must build grand and magnificent halls that will impress and awe everyone. The more impressive your halls are, the more honor you’ll earn!

Finally, when the coronation day arrives, the leader with the highest honor will be crowned the Mountain King! How cool is that? So gather your friends, start digging, and may you become the ruler of the united clans!

Gameboard

Playermat

When I’m playing a board game, I want to make sure I have the best possible gaming experience. That’s why I always make sure to have a playermat with me. A playermat is a fantastic accessory that enhances the gameplay and provides many benefits for both new and experienced players like you and me!

Playermats offer several features that can really elevate our gaming sessions. First and foremost, they provide a designated space for all our game components, keeping everything organized and easily accessible. With a playermat, you can say goodbye to the frustration of scattered cards and tokens. The mat’s layout helps keep everything in its place, ensuring a smooth and efficient gaming experience.

Another great advantage of a playermat is that it enhances the visual appeal of the game. Most playermats come with stunning artwork that adds an extra layer of immersion to the gameplay. The beautifully designed mats not only make our gaming sessions more enjoyable but also create a captivating atmosphere that draws us into the game world.

Playermats also provide valuable reference information that can come in handy during the game. Some mats have spaces dedicated to displaying rule summaries, important reminders, or even strategic tips. These additional resources make it easier for us to learn and internalize the game’s mechanics, especially if we’re still getting familiar with it.

As an added bonus, playermats can also protect our game components from wear and tear. The mat acts as a protective layer, shielding the game cards and tokens from accidental spills, scratches, or folding. This ensures that our game components can withstand multiple plays and continue to look and feel brand new.

The versatility of playermats is another reason why they are a must-have gaming accessory. They are available for a wide variety of board games, catering to different themes, mechanics, and player counts. Whether you’re playing a sprawling strategy game or a quick, light-hearted card game, there’s a playermat out there that’s perfect for you.

In conclusion, a playermat is an essential tool that enhances our board gaming experience. With its organizational benefits, visual appeal, reference information, and protective features, it’s clear that a playermat is a valuable addition to any game night. So, the next time you gather around the table to play a board game, make sure to have a playermat ready. Trust me, you won’t regret it!

Setting up the Game

Getting Ready

1. First, I’ll place the game board right in the middle of the table. Depending on the number of players, I can decide which side of the board to use. If we have 4 or 5 players, the winter side is the way to go. For 3 players, we’ll stick with the autumn side. And if it’s just 2 players, we have the freedom to choose either side. Now, I’ll gather all the resources like stone, iron, heartstone, coins, carts, hammers, and runes and create piles for each of them beside the board.

2. Next, let’s get the tunnel supply ready. I’ll stack the tunnels by shape right next to the board. And don’t forget to display the great halls nearby as well.

3. Finally, it’s time to create the horde. I’ll start by shuffling the troll cards, separating them by level. We’re going to create a 3-level array with the trolls. Picture it like a pyramid, with 5 trolls in the bottom row, then 4 trolls in the middle row, and 3 trolls in the top row.

• For the bottom row, I’ll deal out five Level-1 trolls and keep the rest of the deck facedown nearby.
• For the middle row, I’ll deal out four Level-2 trolls and keep the rest of the deck facedown nearby.

�� Welcome to my guide on setting up the game of “TrollFest”! ��‍♂️

To get started, follow these simple steps:

1️⃣ First, set up the top row by dealing three Level-3 trolls. Make sure to keep the deck facedown nearby.

2️⃣ Next, it’s time to place the pedestals. Put all the pedestals in a bag and mix them up. Randomly draw four pedestals and place one on each Level-2 troll in the horde, matching the pedestal icon. Keep the bag near the horde. Take the three pedestal reminder tokens and place one on each Level-3 troll in the horde, again matching the pedestal icon.

3️⃣ Now, let’s set up the coronation tokens. Stack the two coronation tokens near the horde, with the number 5 on top of the number 3.

4️⃣ In a two-player game, ignore the number 5 token and return it to the box. Just play with the number 3 token.

5️⃣ Finally, let’s set up the workshop tiles. Shuffle the workshop tiles face down and reveal two tiles per player, plus one extra tile. Keep the revealed workshops in a supply in an unused corner of the game board. Return the remaining unrevealed workshops to the box.

That’s it! You’re all set up and ready to start your TrollFest adventure. Have a blast and may the best troll win! ��

If you like, you can choose which workshops to include in your game instead of picking randomly, or make sure there are no duplicates in the random draw.

First, create a deck of spell cards and shuffle them face down. Then reveal 3 of them face up to form the spellbook. Keep the deck nearby.

Next, place the statues onto the board’s statue spots. Start by picking a statue from any clan, like the Moon clan, and place it in a random spot. Then, choose a statue from a different clan, like the Fire clan, and place it in the next spot clockwise. Repeat this pattern until all the spots are filled, going clockwise around the board. Any leftover statues can be returned to the box.

Finally, mix the pedestal point tokens and distribute them randomly onto the Pedestal track, with one token per space.

Getting Started as a Player

First things first, let’s set up the game. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Choose a player to start the game. Give that player the crown to remind everyone who goes first.

2. Each player selects a player color and takes their player mat, 6 starting troll cards, gate tile, and score marker in their chosen color. Put away any components from unused player colors.

3. All players place their score markers at the “0” position on the score track.

4. Starting with the chosen player, each player places their gate tile on a start point of their choice. Look for the point marked with the player count (e.g., “4” for four players).

If you’re playing with just two players, you can use any two matching-numbered start points. Keep in mind that the closer your gates are, the more conflicts you might have!

5. It’s easiest to place your gate tile on the entrance nearest to your seat, but you have the freedom to choose any entrance you like.

In this game, there are multiple entrances, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. However, the designers have taken great care to ensure that each entrance is equally competitive.

Now, let’s talk about your own trollsmoot. In the game, you will be assembling a pyramid of troll cards, which will serve as your resource supply. Here’s how you start building your trollsmoot:

• Start by shuffling your starting troll deck.
• Draw the top two trolls from your deck and choose one of them to keep. Place the chosen troll face up above one of the 4 empty slots on your player mat. Keep the other troll in your hand.
• Draw the next troll from your deck and choose one to place in a slot. Repeat this process until you have a starting row of 4 trolls in your trollsmoot, 1 troll in your hand, and 1 troll remaining in your deck that you haven’t seen.

Hey there! Let me break down how trolls work in this game for you. It’s actually pretty interesting once you understand it.

Okay, so each starting troll has two rows of resources. The top row shows what that troll will keep generating throughout the game, while the bottom row shows a one-time boost you get for picking that troll.

Now here’s the thing: the trolls in the middle of your starting row will generate resources more times during the game compared to the ones on the outside. It’s like they’re extra special or something!

Depending on your position in the turn order, you’ll also get some bonus starting resources. The start player doesn’t get any extras, but the second and third players can add the starting resources from the troll in their hand to their storage.

Now, the fourth and fifth players are even luckier. They not only get the starting resources from the troll in their hand, but they also get the resources from the unseen troll left in their deck. Talk about a sweet deal!

Oh, and don’t worry about keeping all the troll cards. You see, all the starting troll cards, except for the four in each player’s trollsmoot, go back in the box. It’s just the way things work.

Alright, let’s get started!

How to Play the Game

Playing the game is really easy! It’s your turn once the Start player begins, and then we take turns, going clockwise, until the game is over. To find out who won, we add up the final score and the in-game score. Remember, the person with the highest overall score wins. Before we begin, let me explain a few important things:

Your Network

Being Connected

Using Your Resources

When it comes to using your resources, it’s usually a good idea to use up the ones that your trolls have first. This way, your trolls can generate more resources to use later on.

Let’s talk about spending. Imagine this scenario: you have four stones to spend on digging a tunnel. Currently, you have two stones in your storage and three stones held by trolls. You have the option to spend any four of these five stones by returning them to the supply.

When it’s your turn, here’s the order in which you should perform the steps:

1. Spells & Workshops

2. Recruit or Dig

3. Great Hall

4. Move Statues

Trading with the Supply

At any point during your turn, you can spend four resources, in any combination, to gain one specific resource of your choice from the supply and add it to your storage. You have the option to do this multiple times per turn if you want.

1. Spells & Workshops

You have the ability to cast one spell and activate one workshop that is connected to your network. You can choose to do both, or just one, or neither of these actions.

Cast One Spell

When you want to cast a spell, you need to use 1 rune and place it on the spell that you want to use. Make sure the spell is face up in your spellbook. After you do this, follow the instructions on the spell card to carry out the spell’s effects.

Once you use the rune as the third rune on the spell, the spell will disintegrate. This means you have to return all 3 runes to the supply. Then, take the disintegrated spell card and put it at the bottom of the deck. Finally, draw a new spell card to replace it.

Example: To cast the Earth Ritual spell, you need to use 1 rune from your storage or one of your trolls. Place the rune on the spell card and then perform the spell’s effect. Since you are the second player to use a rune on this spell, it remains in the spellbook.

Workshops Activation

When the game starts, you won’t have any workshops available yet. You can learn how to add workshops to the board by reading the Dig a Tunnel section.

Each workshop on the board has up to 4 entrances, one on each side. An entrance is considered open if it is touching any player’s network.

If your network is touching at least one of the workshop’s entrances, you can activate the workshop once for each open entrance it has. It doesn’t matter how many of the entrances your network is touching, as long as it touches at least one.

All the stuff I learn from a workshop goes into my storage. It works like this: workshops help me get rid of the resources I already have, which frees up my trolls to generate even more resources in the future.





Imagine this: You are the color magenta. Your network connects to this Toolforge; it has one entrance that is open to your network and two more entrances from another network. This means that you can use Toolforge up to three times.

Every time you use Toolforge, you have the option to spend a heartstone to get a hammer, which goes into your storage. Alternatively, you can spend a hammer to get a heartstone that also goes into your storage.

The Workshops

• 

Cartwright



If you want to get a wild cart, or exchange it for a heartstone, you can do it here. But remember, you can only use wild carts, not clan carts.



Hey there! Let’s talk about a cool trick you can do with coins and runes. You can use a coin to get yourself a rune, or if you have a rune and you’d rather have a coin, you can do that too! It’s like magic, but not really. ��

Swap It Up



Do you want to exchange iron or heartstone for coins? You can spend 1 iron or 1 heartstone to gain 1 coin, or you can do the opposite and exchange 1 coin for 1 iron or 1 heartstone.

Creating Metal Objects



If you spend 1 heartstone, you can get 1 iron, or if you want, you can trade 1 iron for 1 heartstone.

The Choice is Yours



If you spend any two resources (they don’t have to be the same) you’ll gain one hammer. It’s a deal!

Meet the Quartermaster



Hey there, fellow player! Let me tell you about a cool game mechanic. So, you know how you can move resources around in the game? Well, there’s this thing called the Runesmithy. Let me explain.

What is the Runesmithy?



Did you know that you can exchange 1 stone or 1 iron for 1 rune? It’s a pretty neat trick! The Stonegrinder allows you to convert between different types of resources by spending just a small amount. So, if you have an excess of stones or iron, you can trade them for runes and vice-versa.

Unleash the Power of the Stonegrinder!



If you give me 1 heartstone, I’ll give you 2 stone, or if you prefer, you can give me 2 stone and I’ll give you 1 heartstone in return.

Introducing the Stonemill



If you want to get more iron, you can exchange it for stone, or if you have stone and need iron, you can swap them too.

Toolforge



If you spend 1 heartstone, you will gain 1 hammer. You can also do it the other way around – spend 1 hammer to gain 1 heartstone.

Meet Wheeljack

Option 2: Recruit or Dig

Now, it’s decision time. You must choose one of the following actions:

If your (complete) trollsmoot already has 10 trolls, you are not allowed to recruit any more trolls. In this case, you must dig a tunnel.

If you don’t have enough minerals to dig a tunnel, you have no other option but to recruit a troll. And if you can’t do either, don’t worry – just skip this step of your turn.

Recruit a Troll

If you want to recruit a troll from the horde, you have to follow these 3 simple steps:

Step One: Choose a Troll to Recruit

• You can freely recruit a Level-1 troll from the bottom row and it won’t cost you anything.
• If you want to recruit a Level-2 troll from the middle row, you must bribe the two Level-1 trolls that are right beneath it. This will require you to spend 1 coin on each of them, bringing the total to 2 coins in bribes.

To get a Level-3 troll from the top row, you need to give 1 coin to each of the two Level-2 trolls below it and the three Level-1 trolls below them, which adds up to 5 coins in total.



Example: If you wanted to recruit the Ice troll on the top right of the horde, you’d have to use coins to bribe all five trolls below it.

Place one coin on each of those trolls.

Step Two: Get the Troll

Choose the troll card you want from the horde and replace it with a new troll card from the same level deck (use a pedestal from the draw bag if it’s a new Level-2 troll).

• Take any bribes the troll was holding (usually coins, but sometimes other resources because of spells) and put them in your storage.
• If it was a Level-2 troll, it will have a pedestal on it (unless there are none left in the game). Put the pedestal in your storage too.

If you come across a Level-3 troll while playing the game, you have the option to search through the draw bag and choose a remaining pedestal of your liking. Don’t forget to return the pedestal reminder token to the newly-drawn troll in the horde.

If you run out of trolls for a certain level, simply draw a troll from the next-higher level deck. If that’s not possible, draw from the next-lower level deck.

Pedestals are limited in the game. Once they run out, no more pedestals can enter the game.

When you’re done recruiting a troll, any troll in the horde that has 4 bribes (usually coins) retires happily. Discard the retired troll to the bottom of its deck, return the 4 bribes to the supply, and reveal a new troll from the appropriate deck to replace it.



Example: Once I’ve placed my five bribes, I get to take the Ice troll that I’ve been eyeing. Then, I draw a new Level-3 troll from the deck and add it to the empty spot.

The new troll I added has a Pedestal reminder token on it. This token serves as a reminder for me to take a pedestal of my choice from the draw bag. I carefully pick the one I want and put it in my storage. After that, I place the reminder token back on the new troll in the horde.

Step Three: Time to Add it to Your Trollsmoot and Set Off a Cascade

The next step is to add the newly recruited troll to my trollsmoot. I position it above and between two other trolls of my choice, if there are multiple options. This helps me form a “pyramid” of trolls as the game progresses. If I successfully complete the pyramid, I’ll have a total of 10 trolls, including my starting trolls.

Hey there! Let me show you how to activate your new troll and maximize its resources. It’s pretty simple, so don’t worry!

First, activate your new troll by putting it into play. Then, activate the two trolls directly beneath it, and keep going down in a cascade. Each activated troll will gain any resource from the supply that it doesn’t already have.

Now, here’s the trick. When you activate a troll, you need to place the gained resource on the troll’s card, covering the corresponding symbol. But remember, if a symbol already has a resource on it, you won’t gain another one. So make sure to cover empty symbols first!

Let’s Talk About Carts

Fire, Ice, and Moon trolls have special cart symbols that are marked specifically for their clan. When you gain a cart token with these symbols, it becomes a clan cart. Clan carts can only be used to move a statue that belongs to that specific clan.

But wait, there’s more! Cart symbols with a spiral, as well as all carts in your storage, are wild. This means they can be used to move any clan’s statue. So keep an eye out for those spiral symbols!

Let me explain it like this: you see, the cart token itself doesn’t change, no matter what. It stays the same. But, here’s the thing, the symbol on top of the cart token decides which clan’s statues the token can move. So, it’s like the token is a rule-follower. It can only move the statues that belong to its symbol. Pretty interesting, huh?



Digging Tunnels for Honor

When I want to dig a tunnel, I start by choosing a tunnel from the supply. Then, I spend the right amount of minerals and place the tunnel on the mountain. This adds to my own tunnel network and earns me some honor points.

The cost of a tunnel is determined by how many squares are on the tunnel tile. So, a tunnel with 4 squares will cost me 4 minerals. It’s important to note that all the minerals I spend must be the same type, like iron, for example.

The number of honor points I earn from a tunnel depends on both its size and the type of minerals I used. To see how many points I’ve earned, I can check the chart on my player mat. Then, I simply move my scoring marker on the score track to reflect the honor I’ve gained.



Hey there! Don’t forget to score your tunnels – it’s an exhilarating experience! Make sure to score your tunnel as soon as you’ve paid for it.

Let’s make it a habit to call out the type and size of your tunnel. This way, we won’t forget to score it in all the excitement.

Keep in mind that the size-2 tunnels won’t score you anything, so focus on the other sizes!

• Feel free to flip and rotate the tunnel tile to any orientation you want before placing it.
• Remember, you can’t place a tunnel that goes beyond the board’s edge or overlaps with another tile, a workshop site, or the heart of the mountain.
• When playing the game, I need to make sure that the new tunnel I place is connected to my own network. The network starts with my gate, and as I add tunnels and great halls, they become part of it. However, workshops don’t count as part of my network, even if I have entrances to them.
• It’s important to note that I can’t place a tunnel next to an opponent’s network. The closest I can place a tile to an opponent’s network is diagonal, so there won’t be any confusion about who owns which tunnels.

In the unlikely chance that some tiles are cut off from the rest of the network, they no longer belong to anyone. However, any player can reconnect to these isolated tiles later on, making them a part of their network.



Did you know that the spaces with rocky rings are actually called rubble spaces? It’s pretty interesting, right? Well, let me tell you more about them.

So, for each rubble space that you want to cover with your new tunnel, you’ll need to use one hammer. It’s kind of like a trade-off – you get to build a tunnel, but you have to spend a hammer to do it.

But here’s the thing – if you don’t have enough hammers, you won’t be able to place your tunnel in that particular rubble space. It’s like a little obstacle that you have to overcome.

Sometimes, in these rubble spaces, you might find buried statues or buried resources. It adds another layer of challenge because you have to dig through the rubble to reach them.

So, remember, when you’re building your tunnel, keep in mind the rubble spaces and the hammers you’ll need. It’s all part of the game, and it makes it more exciting and strategic. So, have fun digging and exploring!



In case you didn’t know, any statue that’s not connected to a network is considered buried. But here’s the thing: when the new tunnel covers one of these buried statues, it becomes unearthed and you can move it later. Just make sure to place it in the exact same space it was in on the board below.

What About Buried Resources?

Oh, and here’s something cool: if the new tunnel covers any buried resources, you instantly get to take those resources from the supply and store them away for safekeeping.

Want to Add a Pedestal?

Now, pay close attention. If the tunnel you just dug happens to have an anchor on it, and lucky you, you have a pedestal in your storage, then go ahead and add that pedestal to the tunnel. Anchors are basically the holes you find on most tunnel tiles.

But hey, heads up! The size-5 tunnels don’t have any anchors on them, so no pedestals for those, unfortunately.

Let’s Talk About Mountain Limitations

Hey there! I wanted to share some important information with you about a unique mountain. This mountain is pretty fascinating because it is divided into five different tiers. Each tier has a distinct color – dark gray, gray, brown, orange, and yellow. But here’s the catch: there can only be one pedestal from each clan – Fire, Ice, and Moon – placed on each tier of the mountain. So, no duplicates allowed!



Let me explain something to you. Suppose you’ve built an Ice pedestal in the gray tier. Well, you can’t add another Ice pedestal there. That’s just the way it is. However, you can totally add a Fire or Moon pedestal if you want. It’s all about the variety, you know?

Now, to keep things organized and avoid any confusion, there’s this thing called the Pedestal track. It’s like your personal assistant that keeps track of this whole limitation stuff. Pretty handy, huh?



When climbing the mountain, each tier corresponds to a section on the Pedestal track. Starting from the outermost and moving towards the center, the tiers align with the sections on the track.

The colors on the Pedestal track correspond to the tiers. In each tier section, there are spaces for Fire, Ice, and Moon.

Placing a pedestal grants you the pedestal point token that matches the clan and tier where you placed it. Keep the token facedown in your storage. It will be worth the amount of honor displayed on it at the end of the game.

If you find that the token has already been claimed when you try to take it, it means your placement was illegal. Someone had previously placed a pedestal from the same clan on that tier. In this case, you must reclaim your illegal pedestal.

• If you move a statue of the same clan onto a pedestal and it remains there until the end of the game, the pedestal will double the honor value of the statue (refer to Final Scoring).

It’s a now-or-never situation! Think of an anchor as a base, and a pedestal as an extension. When you dig a tunnel, that’s when you add a pedestal to the anchor. But here’s the catch: once you place the pedestal, you can’t move it later. However, you can always lift it up to take a peek through the anchor hole and figure out which tier it’s on.

Now, let’s talk about workshops. If the tunnel you just dug is next to an empty workshop site, you can choose a workshop from the supply and add it to that site. But here’s the thing: there are more sites on the mountain than available workshops. So, it’s possible to run out of workshops. With one tunnel-digging, you can connect and establish multiple sites. Pretty cool, right?



For instance: The tunnel you put in the specified area is right next to a workshop site.

You’re interested in the Charmcrafter, so you grab it from the supply and place it on the site.

In the future, you’ll be able to use that workshop!

3. Great Hall

You can choose to dedicate one great hall each turn by taking it from the supply and placing it over your tunnel network.

The tunnels that the great hall covers must form a region without any gaps that matches the exact size and shape of the great hall itself. (The tunnels underneath may be fully or partially covered by the great hall).

There is no additional cost for dedicating great halls. Any pedestal covered by the great hall is taken out of the game (you don’t lose any pedestal point tokens you earned for placing those pedestals, and those combinations of clan/tier remain illegal to repeat).

Here are a few essential things to know and consider about great halls and the placement of statues:

1. Any statues covered by the great hall are put back in the same position they were on the tunnel below.

2. Great halls should only be placed to cover tunnels, not gates, workshops, or other great halls.

3. Once the great hall is in position, treat it as a large tunnel for all adjacency purposes, including the movement of statues.

4. Portions of tunnels that stick out from under the great hall become separate tunnels themselves.

5. Each great hall comes with an altar space. Altars are similar to pedestals because they are spots for scoring statues, but they aren’t exactly pedestals. Each altar can hold one statue from any clan.

These guidelines will help you understand the mechanics and possibilities of great halls and help you make informed decisions when placing and utilizing them. Remember, the goal is to strategically position your statues and make the most out of the space available to you. Happy designing!

When the game is over, the magnificent hall rewards you with honor points equal to the lower number displayed on it. However, if there is a statue placed on the altar in the great hall during the final scoring, the hall will earn honor points equal to the higher number printed on it, instead.

This is the sole way to score points for a statue in the great hall, disregarding the usual tier-based scoring system. Any statue present in the great hall but not on the altar does not contribute to the final score.



Example: So, picture this: you’ve got a spot in your network that’s just perfect for The Trove great hall. It’s like this big empty space, waiting to be filled with something awesome. And guess what? You can actually do it! All you have to do is take The Trove great hall from the supply and place it right there. And let me tell you, it’s going to have a big impact on the pedestal and statue it covers. It’s like a little upgrade that elevates the whole thing to a whole new level. Pretty cool, right?



If you put the Ice pedestal down, it won’t stay. But don’t worry, you still get to keep the point token you earned for placing it. The Moon statue, on the other hand, will stay right where it is on the board, in the same spot it was in the tunnel below.



Just by itself, The Trove is worth 6 honor at the end of the game. But if you can move that Moon statue (or any other statue) onto the altar before the game ends, The Trove will be worth a whopping 15 honor!

4. Moving Statues

You have the option to spend carts (as many as you want from the ones you own) to move statues within your network, aiming to bring them closer to the heart of the mountain where they’ll gain more honor. Each cart you spend allows you to move one excavated statue in your network either:

1. To another space in the same tunnel.
2. To any space in a neighboring tunnel.

Which spaces count as Tunnels?

• A tunnel tile.
• A great hall tile.
• Any part of a tunnel tile that’s sticking out from under a great hall.
• Your gate.

Hey there! Did you know that workshops can’t be used to transport statues in your tunnel network? It’s an important thing to remember. So, when you’re planning your strategy, keep in mind that statues can’t be moved through workshops.



When I see a colorful symbol on a troll, I can use a clan cart to move a statue that belongs to that clan. But if I have a wild cart, which I can find in my storage or sometimes on a troll with a wild cart symbol, I can use it to move any statue I want.

• It’s important to remember that only one statue can be on a square at a time. However, they can pass through each other when they’re being moved.
• In the same tunnel, multiple statues can occupy different spaces. But only one statue per tunnel will earn points at the end of the game.



Hey there! Let me break it down for you. You’re faced with a little puzzle: how to move certain statues to their designated spots. Easy-peasy! Here’s the deal:

First, you want to get that Fire statue over to the Fire pedestal. Simple enough, right? Just pick it up and place it on the pedestal, no problemo.

Next up, you’ve got the Moon statue. This one needs to go onto the altar in the great hall. So, go ahead and grab it, then carefully carry it over to the altar. We don’t want any mishaps!

But hold on a sec! There’s a catch. You can’t budge the Ice statue just yet. It’s still buried, so you’ll have to wait for the right moment to move it. Patience is key!

To make things crystal clear, we’ve marked out the tunnels for you. These are the regions you can pass through, so keep an eye on them.

Alrighty, now you’re all set to solve this puzzle and get those statues in place. Good luck! You’ve got this!



So, here’s the deal: I’ve got this whole cart situation going on with my trolls. They’ve got a Fire cart, a wild cart, and a Moon cart. On top of that, I’ve got another cart in storage that’s wild. I also have a bunch of other resources stashed away. It’s like a whole treasure trove.



I move the Moon statue onto the altar using the Moon cart. Then, I use the Fire cart and my two wild carts to move the Fire statue three times, just like the instructions show.

If I want to, I can wait for my next turn to get more carts and make the final move onto the Fire pedestal. But there’s another option: I can trade 4 of my resources for a cart from the supply. This cart would be wild, which means it can be used for any resource. With this extra cart, I can make the last move right now and get the Fire statue onto the pedestal!

The Game Ends

The player who recruits their 10th troll in their trollsmoot first, capping their pyramid, earns the first Coronation token. This token is worth 5 honor points at the end of the game.

Once the next player recruits their 10th troll, they earn the second Coronation token. This token is worth 3 honor points at the end of the game and also triggers the endgame.

In a 2-player game, only the second Coronation token with 3 honor will trigger the endgame.

Once the second Coronation token is claimed, it’s the end of the current round (with the last player being the player on the right of the start player).

If that player happens to be the one who earned the second Coronation token, the round ends as soon as they finish their turn. After that, each player gets 2 more turns in the normal turn order. And then, the game is over.

Now, let’s pause and think for a moment. Take a deep breath. It’s time to plan how you want to make the most of your final two turns. And remember, most importantly, that during your turn, you always have the option to trade 4 resources for 1 resource from the supply.

Hey there! Are you running out of time but still want to make the most of it? I’ve got you covered! Let me walk you through the five ways you can score honor, so you can make sure you’re getting the highest score possible!



When you cap your pyramid first, you’ll earn a valuable 5-honor token and set off a chain reaction of wealth! But timing is everything – you want to achieve this at just the right moment, neither too early nor too late.

To maximize your cascades, keep a close watch on the progress of other players. By staying aware, you can make the most of every opportunity.

Once the game is over, it’s time to tally your final scores. Use the markers on the score track to keep track of your progress. Throughout the game, you earned honor by digging tunnels, and now you’ll add to those scores in five different ways. Move your score markers along the track to reflect your increased score.

If you surpass 100 points on the score track, place a coin from the supply under your score marker as a reminder of your achievement.

Remember, the journey to victory is not just about earning points, but also about the thrill of the experience. Enjoy every moment, and may fortune smile upon you!



When I have the first Coronation token, I earn 5 honor. And if I have the second one, I get 3 honor for it. It’s pretty cool to be rewarded like that, isn’t it?

Let’s Talk About Pedestal Points

What About Leftover Resource Sets?

Here’s what you need to do: take all the resources from your trolls and put them into your storage. Oh, and those clan carts? They become wild, just like they usually do. Now, you’ll want to form sets with your resources. Every set of three matching resources, like three runes or three iron or three carts, gets you 1 honor. And guess what? You can trade with the supply to get the resources you need to make those sets. The rate is 4 mixed resources for any 1 resource you choose from the supply. Sounds pretty fair, right?



Let’s imagine that you have some extra resources. If you had leftover carts and stone, you would earn 1 honor for each. Unfortunately, you don’t have any other sets of 3 resources. However, if you traded four different resources (1 rune, 1 hammer, and 2 iron) for a coin, you could make another set of 3 and earn an extra honor.

What about Great Halls?

And what about Statues?



If you find statues while exploring the tunnels or gates in your mountain, you will earn honor based on which tier the statue is on. It doesn’t matter if the statues are on pedestals or anchors, they will still score. However, if a statue is on a matching pedestal, it will earn double the normal score. Here are the values:

• Tier 1: 1 point
• Tier 2: 3 points
• Tier 3: 6 points
• Tier 4: 10 points

After adding up all the scores, the player with the highest score becomes the Mountain King and wins the game!

If there is a tie, the players who are tied will add up the levels of the trolls they have recruited. The player with the lower total will win the tie.