Poseidon Game Rules

Welcome to the world of Poseidon, a thrilling and captivating game that will take you on an epic underwater adventure! In this guide, I will walk you through the rules of the game, so you can dive right in and start playing.

To begin, let’s talk about the objective of Poseidon. Your goal, as a player, is to navigate through the treacherous depths of the ocean and collect as many treasures as you can. Along the way, you’ll encounter various challenges and obstacles that you must overcome.

To play Poseidon, you’ll need a standard deck of 52 cards, with the Jokers removed. The cards are divided into four suits: Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, and Spades. Each suit represents a different type of challenge you’ll face in the game.

Before you start the game, shuffle the deck of cards thoroughly. The dealer will then deal five cards to each player, face down. These cards will form each player’s hand, which they will use throughout the game.

Once everyone has their cards, the dealer will reveal the top card from the remaining deck. This card will become the “Challenge Card” for the round.

The Challenge Card represents the obstacle or challenge that all players must face in that round. It could be anything from a roaring storm to a ferocious sea monster. Each Challenge Card has a specific number value, which will determine the difficulty of the challenge.

Now, it’s time to take turns. Starting with the player to the left of the dealer and moving clockwise, each player will have a chance to either play a card from their hand or draw a card from the deck.

If you choose to play a card, it must be of the same suit as the Challenge Card. The number value of the card you play will determine the strength or effectiveness of your move. Higher-value cards generally have a more significant impact on the outcome of the challenge.

However, if you don’t have a card of the same suit, you can play a card of a different suit. These cards are known as “Wildcard Cards,” and their number value will be the same as the Challenge Card. Wildcard Cards provide a way to stay in the game even if you don’t have a card of the required suit.

Alternatively, if you can’t play a card from your hand, you can choose to draw a card from the deck. This can be a strategic move if you’re looking to improve your hand or prevent other players from getting the cards they need.

The round continues until all players have either played a card or drawn a card. At this point, the Challenge Card is resolved. The player with the highest total value of cards played wins the round and collects the Challenge Card as a treasure. In case of a tie, the player who played the highest-value card wins.

After each round, a new Challenge Card is revealed, and the players receive new cards to replenish their hands. The game continues until all the Challenge Cards have been won and all the treasures collected.

The player with the most treasures at the end of the game is declared the winner and crowned the ultimate ruler of the ocean!

Now that you understand the rules of Poseidon, it’s time to gather your friends, grab a deck of cards, and embark on an unforgettable underwater adventure. Have fun, and may the tides be in your favor!

• 1 map
• 30 Ship cards
• 6 Special cards
• 8 King cards
• 1 Starting Player card
• 8 Nation charters
• 160 wooden disks
• 8 Discovery ships
• 8 Prestige markers
• 8 High Culture markers
• 8 New Home markers
• 1 White Delian League marker
• 1 Turn marker
• Playing money
• Rulebook

What You’ll Find in the Game

Inside the box, you’ll discover:

• 1 map for exploring and conquering—the centerpiece of the game.
• 30 Ship cards that will guide your travels across the vast ocean.
• 6 Special cards with unique abilities that can tip the scales in your favor.
• 8 King cards for ruling over your territories and establishing your authority.
• 1 Starting Player card to determine who goes first and sets the rhythm.
• 8 Nation charters to keep track of your civilization’s progress.
• 160 wooden disks representing your resources and achievements.
• 8 Discovery ships to send out on expeditions and make groundbreaking discoveries.
• 8 Prestige markers for measuring your prestige and influence.
• 8 High Culture markers to track the sophistication of your civilization.
• 8 New Home markers to indicate the expansion of your territories.
• 1 White Delian League marker to symbolize your alliance with other nations.
• 1 Turn marker to keep track of the passage of time.
• Playing money for managing your economy and investments.
• Rulebook with all the instructions and guidance you need to embark on this epic journey.

The Goal of the Game

When the game comes to an end, what matters most is your overall worth. This is determined by calculating the value of your merchants and the cash you have on hand. The player with the highest net worth emerges as the champion.

Getting Started

To begin, place the mapboard on the table, acting as a vast canvas for your strategic exploration. Then, organize the ships by their number, placing the 2-ships at the top of the pile and positioning them on their designated space on the board.

Alright, let’s get started! I’ll walk you through the rules of the game. First, place the 6 Special cards in the middle where everyone can easily see them. Then, determine the player order and choose a starting player randomly.

Each player will receive starting capital based on the number of players:

• For 2 players: 780 drachma
• For 3 players: 580 drachma
• For 4 players: 440 drachma
• For 5 players: 400 drachma

Let’s Dive into the Game!

The game is made up of Merchant and Exploration Rounds, with a special Poseidon Round in between. The order of these rounds is indicated on the left side of the map.

1. The Poseidon Round (PR)

In the PR, the player to the right of the Starting player takes the first turn, and then the play continues in a counter-clockwise direction. Each player must choose one of the Special cards and pay the printed value to the bank. Remember, passing is not an option!

When playing with 2 players, we each get 3 Special cards. But in a game with 3 players, we only get 2 each. It’s different in a game with 4 or 5 players, though. We don’t get any extra Special cards, so we’ll each have 1. The Special cards have a few special abilities and they also give us income at the start of each Exploration Round. It depends on which phase of the game we’re in. When the Exploration round starts, we can choose to collect income from our cards or use their special abilities. The only Special card that doesn’t get discarded after using its power is P4, Poseidon. All the others get discarded.



If you’re the lucky owner of this Special card, you’ll receive the coveted white Delian League marker. With this marker in hand, you hold the power to enhance any trading post in your kingdom like never before. Once per game, you can strategically place the marker beneath a trading post, effectively doubling its value for your nation from that moment forward.

But, there are a few important things to keep in mind. The marker cannot be used in the New World areas, so choose your trading post wisely. Once the marker is placed, it becomes a permanent fixture and cannot be moved.

With this unique ability, you have the potential to elevate your kingdom’s commerce to new heights. Are you ready to seize the opportunity? It’s time to make your mark!



If you have any of the three special cards, you can use them to give a special “high culture” trading post to a nation you rule without having to move the discovery ship there. Each nation can only have one high culture trading post.

This happens at the start of an Exploration Round, so you can decide whether you want to collect the income for yourself or give the nation a new source of income. These special hexes are exclusively for high culture trading posts; no other trading posts or New Homes can be set up there.



Imagine being able to instantly double the range of your entire fleet with just a single card. With Poseidon, that fantasy becomes a reality. It’s a game-changer that can completely shift the tide of battle. And the best part? You can use it not once, but three times throughout the game.

Picture this: You’re in the heat of battle, and your fleet is struggling to reach its targets. That’s when you play the Poseidon card. In an instant, your range is doubled, giving you the upper hand. Your enemies won’t even know what hit them.

But here’s the catch – you have to choose your moment wisely. Once you use Poseidon, that phase is over for you. So, timing is crucial. Will you use it in phase 2, 3, or 4? The choice is yours.

However, if you don’t use Poseidon during a phase, you lose the opportunity. The card is flipped over, waiting for the next phase to start afresh. It’s a strategic decision that adds a whole new level of tactics to the game.

So, are you ready to take your fleet to new horizons? Give Poseidon a try, and watch as your range skyrockets. It’s a card that can turn the tables in the blink of an eye. Will you seize the opportunity and emerge victorious?



If you have this Special card, you can trade it with any merchant from the pool at the start of an Exploration Round. Instead of receiving income, you use the Special card.

Special cards, except for Poseidon, become invalid once their special ability is used.

2. Merchant Rounds (MR)



Once the Poseidon round is complete, the first MR, or Merchant Round, begins. It all starts with the player who goes first and continues in a clockwise direction until every player has taken their turn.

When it’s your turn, you have two options for making a purchase:

• You can choose to take over a king’s card of a nation, along with all the merchants that come with it. However, you can only do this for nations that do not currently have a king.
• Alternatively, you can decide to take over a single merchant from the merchant pool.

Once all players have passed consecutively, the starting player card moves to the next player in a clockwise direction. Also, after MR 2, 3, 4, and 5, the top ship from the ship deck is taken out of the game.

What’s a king’s card?

Before any player can take control of the merchants of a nation, someone needs to purchase the King’s card for that particular nation.

So, you want to start your own nation? Cool! Let me break down the steps for you:

• First, choose a nation and grab its charter and potentials (18, 20, or 22 options to choose from).
• Next, decide on the initial prestige value per merchant and put the prestige marker on the prestige track. You can choose any value on that track.
• Now, place an odd number of disks in the Merchant pool, but make sure there are at least 5. These disks will become Merchants for your nation.
• After that, you’ll earn money for your nation’s coffers using this formula: new merchants x prestige.
• With that money, buy at least 50% (rounded up) of the newly placed Merchants from the Merchant pool. You’ll need to pay the bank for those purchases.
• Take 3 of the purchased Merchants and place them on the King’s card. Put the rest of the Merchants next to it.
• Lastly, grab the discovery ship and place it in your home port.

When you found a nation in the game, the leftover disks go on your charter board and you can use them later as more merchants or trading posts. But there’s a catch – you can’t sell those merchants or buy any more of them during that game round.



Example: So I found this guy named Jakob and he starts his city, Ambrakia. He decides to make it really prestigious, so he sets the prestige to 70 1. Then, he puts 7 out of the 22 black potentials into the Merchant pool 2. This gives Ambrakia a nice little boost of 490 drachma. Feeling good about his fortune, Jakob decides to buy 4 of those merchants for 280 drachma. He places 3 of them on the Kings card 3 and 1 next to it 4. Oh, and by the way, the other 3 merchants are now fair game for any of us to buy.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting: at the start of phases 2 and 3, the player who is the king gets to call the shots and add more merchants to the pool. It’s like a little power move. So, at the beginning of phase 2, the king can add up to 4 more merchants to the pool. And at the beginning of phase 3, they can add up to 6 more merchants. It’s like creating new opportunities for everyone.

• Phase 2 allows for up to 4 additional merchants to be placed.
• Phase 3 allows for up to 6 additional merchants to be placed.

When new merchants enter the nation, it receives a sum of money that matches the total number of these merchants multiplied by the nation’s current prestige. This money is then added to the nation’s coffers.

Now let’s take a closer look at how nations work:

#NameHome ColorNumber of Potentials

1	Ionians	Athenai	F10	Red	18
2	Thracians	Thessalonike	A9	Blue	18
3	Dorians	Sparta	H9	Yellow	20
4	Aeolians	Thebai	E9	Gray	20
5	Thessalians	Larissa	C9	Orange	20
6	Cypselides	Korinthos	F8	Green	20
7	Arcadians	Megalopolis	G7	Purple	22
8	Aetolians	Ambrakia	D6	Black	22

How to Get a Merchant License

Are you interested in acquiring a merchant license? It’s a great opportunity to establish and expand your business. Let me guide you through the process.

When it comes to obtaining a merchant license, there are a few key steps you need to follow. Here’s what you should know:

1. Requirements:

To get started, you must first meet the necessary requirements. These usually include a valid identification document, proof of address, and a criminal background check. Ensure you have these documents ready before proceeding.

2. Application:

Once you’ve met the requirements, you can begin the application process. Visit the appropriate government department responsible for issuing merchant licenses and complete the application form.

3. Supporting Documents:

Alongside your application, you’ll need to provide supporting documents, such as business permits, tax identification numbers, and proof of business registration. Be sure to gather all the required paperwork to expedite the process.

4. Fee Payment:

There’s usually a fee associated with applying for a merchant license. Ensure you have the necessary funds available to cover the fee. The exact amount will typically depend on your location and the type of business you intend to run.

5. Review and Approval:

After submitting your application and supporting documents, the licensing authority will review your materials. They may conduct background checks and verify the information provided. Once the review process is completed, you’ll be notified of their decision.

6. Permit Issuance:

If your application is approved, you’ll receive your merchant license. Congratulations! This license grants you the legal authority to conduct commercial activities within the specified jurisdiction.

Remember, obtaining a merchant license is an important step towards building a successful business. It demonstrates your commitment to operating within the law and provides a sense of legitimacy to your customers.

With this information in mind, you’re now equipped to begin the process of obtaining a merchant license. Good luck on your entrepreneurial journey!

When it’s my turn in an MR game, I can buy 1 Merchant from the Merchant pool. I can only buy Merchants that have a prestige value matching my nation’s. If I want to buy a Merchant, I have to pay the bank for it. I can only have a certain number of Merchants at a time, including the ones on King’s cards.



Letting Go of Merchant Licenses

When it’s my turn in the Merchant Round, I can return as many Merchants as I want to the Merchant pool and receive the corresponding payment from the bank.

However, the 3 Merchants on a King’s card cannot be given up unless the King card itself is passed to another player.

Prestige Changes in the Merchant Round

If a king decides to give up merchant licenses from their nation, the prestige marker is moved one step to the left, regardless of the number of merchants given up. But if it’s not the King who gives up merchants, the prestige marker stays in place.

Change in Government

At the end of each MR, I check to see if any player has more merchants than the current king. If someone does, starting with the player who has the most merchants, each of them gets a chance to become the new king. If there’s a tie, we break it by going in a clockwise order from the current king.

The player who has the opportunity to become the new king can choose between two options:

1. Take over the King’s card, which comes with all the rights and responsibilities. In return, they must give the former owner three merchants.

2. Tolerate the current minority government, meaning they don’t become the new king and things continue as they are.

Now let’s talk about the Exploration Rounds (ER):

During an ER, the following actions take place:

1. Owners of Special cards P1, P2, P3, and P5, in that order, have the choice to use their Special powers.

2. Special cards (P0-P5) pay their income to their respective owners.

My Journey with Anno 1800

Hi there! Let me tell you about my experience playing Anno 1800. It’s a strategy game set in the industrial revolution era, where you get to build cities, manage resources, and trade with other nations. In this game, the objective is to become a successful city planner and entrepreneur.

The first thing I learned in Anno 1800 is the importance of strategic planning. To succeed, I had to carefully manage my resources, such as wood, iron, and coal. These were essential for constructing buildings and maintaining production. It was a bit overwhelming at first, but once I got the hang of it, I felt like a true city planner.

Another aspect of the game that fascinated me was the trading system. I had the opportunity to build trading posts and establish trade routes with other nations. This allowed me to import valuable resources and export excess goods for profit. I felt like a merchant, sailing my ships across the seas to make lucrative deals.

Speaking of ships, I quickly learned the significance of having a strong naval fleet. There were times when I encountered pirates or had to defend my trading routes from rival nations. So, I had to invest in new ships and even buy ships from other nations to strengthen my maritime force.

Special cards and King’s money

Anno 1800 introduced me to special cards and the King’s money, both of which were integral to my success. The special cards provided a fixed revenue, depending on the current phase of the game. This was a fantastic boost to my income, especially when I strategically used the cards to maximize profit.

As for the King’s money, each King had the power to take a certain amount of drachma from the nation’s coffers and keep it for themselves. The amount varied depending on the game phase. It was interesting to see how the Kings used this money for their personal treasure and how it affected the overall economy.

All in all, my journey with Anno 1800 has been an exciting and immersive experience. The game taught me the importance of strategic planning, resource management, and trade. It allowed me to step into the shoes of a city planner and entrepreneur, navigating the challenges and opportunities of the industrial revolution. If you enjoy strategy games with historical settings, I highly recommend giving Anno 1800 a try!



Let’s Explore and Trade!

Hey there! Did you know that each nation gets to have their own discovery ship? This ship is pretty awesome because it moves around the map and helps build trading posts. Exciting, right?

Here’s how it works: the ship can move a certain number of hexes depending on the phase of the game. In the beginning, during the Exploration Round, it can move just one hex. But as the game progresses, the ship’s range increases.

Now, when the ship moves and touches a hex with a white circle, that nation can build a trading post there. Cool, huh? The ship can even build trading posts on the hex where it started its journey. Just imagine all the possibilities!

As the game goes on and we enter later phases, each nation can build multiple trading posts in a single turn. But hold on, there’s a limit! During Phase 1, you can only have one trading post per hex. It doesn’t matter which nation you are or how many white circles are on that hex, the rule stays the same.

So, get ready to explore new territories and establish trading posts. The discovery ship is waiting for your command. Let’s go!

Starting from Phase 2, you can have 2 trading posts on hexes with at least 2 white circles. These trading posts must be from different nations. Moving on to Phase 3, you can now have 3 trading posts on hexes with at least 3 white circles. Again, these posts must be from different nations. Finally, in Phase 4, the dark blue off-board locations have the capacity to hold trading posts from 4 different nations.

Trading posts are used by nations as their potentials. However, in the home port, no trading post is established.

New Home

The Trading fleet always starts from its home port. However, there is an option to establish a new home in another hex. Once a New Home token has been placed on a hex, the fleet can choose each turn to start from either the original home or the new home.

To establish a New Home, place the New Home marker in a circle on any unoccupied hex that the nation’s Discovery Ship visits in that turn. Once a New Home token is placed on a hex, no other tokens, be it a New Home or Trading Post, can be placed there.

When I talk about the New Home, I’m referring to a special hex that doesn’t have any value, just like the fleet’s original home. This means that you can’t place a New Home on one of the New World locations, like Kyrene and Kypros, or on one of the High cultures, which are P1, P2, and P3.

Determine Your Earnings



Did you know that every country has a fleet of ships? These ships are used for trading and they visit different trading posts. Basically, a fleet’s range is determined by the total value of all the ships in it.

So, what exactly is a fleet range? Well, it’s the number of hexes, or spaces, that a fleet can move. A fleet always starts its journey from either the home port or the New Home. However, there’s a catch – fleets cannot cross the dark lines on the map. They have to sail around these lines, like the border between Ainos and Perinthos, for example.

Here’s an interesting fact – a fleet can sail past hexes even if it doesn’t have a trading post in them. It can go through hexes that have no circles, empty circles, or even circles filled with other countries’ trading posts.

Now, let’s talk about how a fleet generates revenue. It can do so by visiting temples and its own country’s trading posts. There are some temples that require a donation of 10, 20, or 40 drachma from the nation’s coffers to produce revenue. On the other hand, some temples are absolutely free!

Hey there! So, I wanted to tell you about these two special places in the New World called Kyrene and Kypros. They’re marked in darker blue on the map, and you can only visit them with Endless-ships. Now, here’s the thing – you can visit as many trading posts as you want, but you can only visit one of these two New World locations, even if your nation has trading posts in both places.

By the way, it’s up to the King to decide if he wants to send out his fleet or not.

• If the fleet goes out, we calculate the total revenue by adding up the value of all temples and trading posts owned by that nation, which are visited. Then, this amount is paid to the players who hold merchants of that nation, proportional to the number of merchants they have.
• If the fleet stays at home, a fixed sum of drachma (100/200/300/400, depending on the actual phase) is paid into the nation’s coffers.
• If the nation doesn’t have any ships (like in its first Exploration Round), then there won’t be any revenues.

Now, let’s talk about the changes in prestige during the Exploration Rounds.



If my fleet sails out and pays revenue to our merchants, the prestige marker moves one space to the right.

If anything else happens, the prestige marker stays where it is.

Here’s the stacking rule: When a prestige marker is moved onto a space that already has one or more markers, the new marker goes on the bottom of the stack.

Getting Ships

The last thing I can do during my Exploration phase is buy ships for my fleet. The ships are available in a specific order. At the beginning of the game, only 2-ships are available, and they can sail for 2 hexes. Once all the 2-ships are sold, 3-ships become available. I have to pay for the ships using the money in my coffers, which is the amount listed on the ship card.

When ships take to the sea together, their worth grows. Every nation must possess at least one ship, but they cannot exceed three. Acquiring the first 4-ship and the first 6-ship provokes a shift in the phases.

Buying the Initial Set of Four Ships



When I’m playing the game, sometimes we have to pause for a little while, even in the middle of a turn. It’s because each country gets to take up to 4 disks from their group and use them to create new merchants, putting them in the Merchant box.

Getting the First 6-ship



The game stops for a little while. You have the option to take up to 6 potentials from your supply and turn them into new merchants, placing them in the Merchant box.

Getting Your First E-ship



• Now, all 4-ships are outdated and no longer part of the game. Unfortunately, there won’t be any compensation for this.
• In the locations of the New World, you have the option to build trading posts for up to 4 different nations. This opens up new opportunities for you.
• The Discovery ship now has a range of 4. This means it can explore even further and discover new things.
• If the ruler of a nation decides that their fleet won’t sail, the nation will receive 400 drachma as a result. This can be a strategic move in certain situations.
• All temples will no longer generate revenue. This is an important change to keep in mind.
• When you buy an E-ship, you have the option to trade in one of your other ships for half of its value. For example, if you have a 5-ship, you can reduce the cost of an E-ship by 250 drachma. If you want to buy your first E-ship, you can trade in a 4-ship for 150 drachma right before the 4-ships become obsolete.



Let me take you through the first two rounds of exploration for Athenai:

Round 1:

1. I move my Discovery ship 1 hex to Andros.

2. I place a red potential on Andros to establish a trading post. Since I don’t have any ships in Athenai, there’s no income for this post.

3. I decide to buy two 2-ships for Athenai. To get them, I spend 200 drachma from my coffers.

Round 2:

4. My Discovery ship moves another 1 hex, this time to Paros.

5. Just like before, I place a red potential on Paros for a trading post.

6. Now it’s time to calculate the revenue. Athenai has two 2-ships, which means its fleet range is 4. That means my fleet can move up to 4 hexes and visit all of my own trading posts and the neutral temples along the way. The Ios temple offers a revenue of 8 drachma if I pay 40 drachma from Athenai’s coffers.

I decide to pay the fee, so my total revenue for this round is 14 drachma: 3 from Andros, 3 from Paros, and 8 from Ios. Unfortunately, there’s no other trading post or temple within range for the fleet to move to on the fourth hex.

For each merchant I have from Athenai, I earn 14 drachma.

The Obligation to Purchase a Trading Ship

Every country needs to have at least one ship by the end of their turn in an Exploration Round. If a country doesn’t have a ship (either because it’s their first ER, all their ships have become obsolete, or another country bought their last ship), they are obliged to buy a new one.

If the country doesn’t have enough money to purchase a ship, the King must convert potential sailors into new merchants by adding them to the Merchant Pool.

The country’s prestige value decreases by one unit, and they receive the new value multiplied by the number of merchants created. (Only enough new merchants to raise the necessary funds for the next available ship can be created).

If my nation has exhausted all of its resources and still lacks the funds to purchase a ship, I must use my own personal fortune to cover the remaining cost. This may involve selling off merchants, whether they be from my own nation or from others, in order to raise the necessary funds. However, it’s important to remember that if I sell merchants from my own nation, its prestige will suffer.

It’s worth noting that any money acquired through this method cannot be used to purchase ships from other nations; it can only be used to buy from the bank. If I find myself unable to raise enough funds to purchase a ship, and the merchants I have left are the ones on my King’s cards, I will be declared bankrupt and must surrender all of my remaining cash to the bank.

Once the current Economic Round (ER) is finished and there is a player who has gone bankrupt, the game ends prematurely. This means that it is possible for multiple players to go bankrupt before the official end of the game.

The Conclusion of the Game

The game comes to a close once we finish the eleventh Exploration Round. To determine who emerges victorious, you must combine the money you possess with the prestige value of your merchants.

Of paramount importance, the player who boasts the highest score will be crowned the ultimate champion.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that any money displayed on the nations’ charters will hold no significance when the game concludes.

Now, let’s delve into the special scenario called “Poseidon with 2 players.”

In this case, we only incorporate 6 nations and solely utilize the Eastern section of the map. To balance things out, we remove one each of the 3-ship, 5-ship, and 7-ship from the game.