Welcome to the Kodama: The Tree Spirits Game Rules!

Setting Up the Game

To begin playing Kodama: The Tree Spirits, you’ll need to set up the game board. First, shuffle the Branch cards and then place them in a face-down stack within reach of all players. Next, place the trunk card in the center of the table and align the top and bottom of the trunk with the corresponding sections on the Branch cards.

Each player should then receive a player board, along with two Kodama tokens and five Decree cards. The Decree cards should be kept secret from other players. After that, draw two beginning cards from the Branch stack and place them face-up on the table.

Gameplay

Once the game is set up, it’s time to play! The game is played over the course of twelve seasons, with each season consisting of two turns (one for day and one for night). On your turn, you can take two possible actions: play a Decree card or play a Branch card.

When playing a Decree card, you’ll choose one from your hand and place it face-up in front of you. This card will provide you with a potential scoring objective for the season. Keep in mind that you can only have one Decree card in front of you at a time, and once played, you cannot change it until the end of the season.

Playing a Branch card involves choosing a card from your hand and connecting it to the existing tree on the table. The card must align with the branches on the trunk or other Branch cards. Each Branch card has a specific terrain and season symbol associated with it. The card you play must either share the same terrain or bear a matching season symbol with the Branch it’s connected to.

Each Branch card also contains a spirit number, which ranges from 1 to 3. When you play a Branch card, you’ll place a Kodama token on the corresponding spirit number on your player board. These tokens are used for scoring at the end of each season.

Scoring

At the end of each season, scoring takes place. To determine your score, first, calculate your total spirit points. Add up the numbers on the Kodama tokens placed on your player board, making sure to follow the connecting branches.

Next, check your Decree card to see if you’ve achieved the objective outlined on it. If you have, you’ll earn additional points. Finally, reveal the top Branch card from the stack and assess its end of season scoring condition. Any players who meet the condition will receive additional points.

Winning the Game

After the twelfth season, the game ends, and the player with the highest score wins! In the event of a tie, the player with the most Kodama tokens wins. If there’s still a tie, the player with the most connected branches breaks it.

Now that you understand the rules of Kodama: The Tree Spirits, gather your friends, set up the game, and immerse yourself in the mystical world of the tree spirits! May your branches reach great heights and your Kodama tokens guide you to victory. Happy gaming!

Hey there! The forest is bustling with life and it’s our job to make sure our tree spirits, the adorable Kodama, have a cozy and thriving home.

For three seasons, we get to nurture our trees, making them a perfect haven for the Kodama. We’ll need to carefully choose the right combination of flowers, animals, and branches to keep our little friends happy. The person who cares for their Kodama the best will leave a lasting legacy!

Kodama: The Tree Spirits is a game where we can watch our tree grow as we strategically place branch cards. We’ll need to plan carefully, leaving space for future growth. At the end of each round, a Kodama will reward us with points based on how well our tree matches its needs. With stunning artwork and clever tactics, Kodama is an amazing game for the entire family.

The winner of Kodama is the player with the highest score, represented as . We can earn points in two ways:

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How Does It Work?

There are two ways to score points in this game:

• The first way is by placing branch cards that have icons matching the icons on connected branch cards.
• The second way is by playing Kodama cards.

What’s In The Box?

• 65 Branch cards
• 20 Kodama cards
• 12 Decree cards (4 Spring, 4 Summer, 4 Fall)
• 1 Season token
• 12 Player tokens (2 for each icon)
• 1 First player marker
• 6 Trunk cards
• 1 Score track

The Cards

Branch Card



Hey there! Let’s talk about branch cards. They’re pretty cool and have a bunch of different icons to choose from – caterpillars, clouds, fireflies, flowers, mushrooms, and stars. And the best part? The branches come in all sorts of cool shapes!

Trunk Card



Each trunk card has its own special icon that you won’t find anywhere else. The trunk also has branches that grow out beyond the edges of the card.

Kodama Card



Hey there! Let’s talk about Kodama cards and the homes these tree spirits love. I’m here to guide you through the wonder of these cards and how they work!

What Are Kodama Cards?

So, what exactly are Kodama cards? Well, they’re special cards that show different tree spirits. Each card represents a specific tree spirit and the kind of home they like to live in. It’s like a little world of nature in the palm of your hand!

Discovering the Perfect Home

Now, let’s dive into the fascinating part – learning about the conditions that make these tree spirits feel at home. Each Kodama card shows you what the tree spirit prefers. Some might enjoy being near a river, while others like a cozy spot in the forest. It’s all about finding that perfect balance with nature.

Understanding Decree Cards

Ah, the Decree cards! These cards come with special rules that can change the game. They add an exciting twist and keep things fresh and engaging. When you stumble upon a Decree card, get ready for a surprise!

Embrace the Magic of Kodama Cards

So, there you have it – a little peek into the world of Kodama cards. The lush beauty of nature and the charm of these tree spirits come together, making each card a unique treasure. It’s all about understanding the preferences of each tree spirit and embracing the magic they bring to the game. Let’s go out there and explore the wonders of Kodama cards!



In the game, each Decree card specifies a special rule for Spring, Summer, or Fall. You can easily identify which season a decree pertains to by checking the back of the card.

Setting up the Game

1. Begin by placing the score track on the table. Then, position the season token on the season track, specifically on the word “Spring”.

2. Randomly distribute a trunk card to each player. Make sure to place your trunk card at the edge of the table, so that the tree extends from you towards the middle.

3. Take the player tokens that match the icon on your trunk and place them on the two spaces marked “0” on the score track. For example, if your trunk has a mushroom icon, use the player pieces with mushrooms.

4. Combine all the Kodama cards and shuffle them. Then, deal four cards to each player.

5. Shuffle the Decree cards separately for each season. Place one facedown Decree card next to the playing area for each season.

In order to start the game, there are a few steps you need to follow:

First, return any unused Kodama cards, Decree cards, trunk cards, and player tokens back to the box.

Next, shuffle all of the branch cards together to form a deck. Make sure to keep the deck face down next to the play area.

After that, draw three branch cards from the top of the deck and place them face up in the middle of the table. This will create the display.

The player who has the most green on their clothing will go first. They will be the first player in the game. You should give this player the first player marker.



Game Play

Kodama: The Tree Spirits is a game that is played in three Seasons. Each Season is divided into three different phases: the Decree Phase, the Growing Phase, and the Kodama Phase.

In the Decree Phase, the Guardians of the Forest create unique conditions for us to follow as we play.

During the Growing Phase, we need to focus on making our trees as appealing as possible to the Kodamas under our care. This phase is divided into four rounds, where we each take a turn to grow our tree.

Finally, in the Kodama Phase, we get to choose one of our Kodamas to live in the tree, and we are rewarded with points.

I. Decree Phase

First, we reveal a Decree card, and the first player reads it aloud to everyone. This card will outline a special rule that we must follow during that season. Don’t worry, it will make more sense once we go through the rest of these rules together!

Hey there! Let’s talk about the Decree card for this season. I have an important tip for you. Keep the Decree card where everyone can see it. You’ll need it later. Once we reach the next season, you can throw away the Decree card from the previous season. Easy peasy!



The Growing Phase

When the game begins, it’s time for each player to start growing their tree. Let’s see how it’s done:

Step 1: Play a Branch Card

Now it’s my turn to plant a branch card. I carefully select a branch card from my hand and place it on my tree. This card represents a new branch growing on my tree.

Step 2: Draw a New Card

After playing a branch card, I draw a new card from the deck. This gives me more options for my future turns.

Step 3: Increase Sunlight Points

With each new branch I add to my tree, I also increase my sunlight points. Sunlight is essential for tree growth, so I need to make sure I have enough to support all my branches.

Step 4: Regenerate Response Points

Finally, I regenerate response points. These points represent the energy my tree has to respond to its environment and grow even further. The more response points I have, the more I can do on my turn.

Now it’s your turn. Plant a branch card, draw a new one, increase your sunlight points, and regenerate your response points. Then watch your tree grow!

So here’s the deal: pick a branch card from that nifty display over there, and slap it onto your tree. But hold on, there are some rules you gotta follow: See how the branch juts out from the edge of the card? Well, that part needs to touch the branch of another card. You know, like a branch growing off another branch. Simple enough, right? Oh, and make sure the new card only touches one other card. No covering up those awesome features either. And don’t let your branch card hang off the edge of the table. We don’t want any accidents here. And here’s the kicker: you can’t place a branch card that would score more than 10 points this turn. Keep that number in mind! Now, this 10-point limit doesn’t count any points you score from Decree cards, so keep that in mind too. Also, try your best not to mess around with the other cards on your tree. Once you’ve scored a branch card, it’s off-limits for moving. Got it? Good!

A Little Example, Just for You



So, you’ve grabbed a card from the display and you’re ready to add it to the tree on the right. But hold up, you need to make sure it’s a legal move first. Let’s test out a few spots to see if they pass the legality test.

First up, we’ve got Card A. It’s hanging over the edge of the table, which means it’s a big no-no. A legal move it is not.

Next, we’ve got Card B. It’s causing quite a scene, overlapping more than one card and partially covering a feature on the card below it. That’s not allowed either.

Finally, we’ve got Card C. It’s playing by the rules, directly touching only one card, not covering any features, and definitely not overhanging the table. This move is totally allowed.

Score Point:

So, here’s what you do: once you’ve placed a branch card, take a good look at the icons on that card. Each icon you see is worth 1 point, but only if it’s part of a line of cards that are all connected. Here’s the catch, though: you only score points for the icons on the branch card you just added, not for any other cards with the same icons. Make sure those icons are all in a row with the new card you just placed. If they are, you’ll get points for them. If not, tough luck.

Here’s how you score those points:



Hey there! Let’s talk about scoring in this fun card game. I just played a card with two fireflies, one pink flower, and one caterpillar. Now, let’s see how many points I get for that move!

I score 1 point for each firefly and caterpillar on the cards that are connected in a line starting from the card I just played. This includes the card I just placed. So, in this case, I score 1 point for each firefly and caterpillar on those cards. That’s a total of 9 points! Pretty cool, right?

Oh, by the way, even though there’s a flower on the card I just played, I don’t score any points for the flowers. That’s because this card breaks the line of connected cards. Only the fireflies and caterpillars count for points in this case.

Also, notice that the fireflies on this card don’t count for points either. They’re not part of the line of connected cards that goes from the card I just played all the way down to the trunk. Even if the line branches out, I only score points for the cards that are directly connected to the trunk.

Now, it’s time to refill the display:

Phase III: Kodama Phase

Once I’ve played four turns in a season, I’m going to score a Kodama card. Then, it’s your turn. You’ll do the same thing. We’ll take turns choosing one of our Kodama cards and score points based on the conditions written on the card. Remember, the order is important.

After we’ve scored a Kodama card, we can put it back in the box because we won’t use it again. It’s a one-time thing.

When we’re done scoring our Kodama cards, the player with the lowest score will now become the first player. If there’s a tie, we’ll give the marker to the player who’s sitting to the left of the current first player. Then we move on to the next Decree Phase.

What happens at the end?



When the third Kodama Phase comes to an end, the game reaches its conclusion. At this point, each player will have one Kodama card remaining in their hand, which will not come into play.

If you have the most points, congratulations! You have managed to make your Kodama happy and flourishing. As a result, the forest under your care will thrive and become abundant with life.