Building a Castle: Your Guide to Buildings

Hey there! So, you wanna know how to build some awesome buildings? Well, you’re in luck! I’ve got you covered with all the details you need to know. Let’s dive right in!

First things first, you have a few choices when it comes to who’s gonna help you construct these buildings. You’ve got the bricklayer, the stonemason, and the worker. Each one of them offers a different reward for their hard work. The bricklayer will give you some talers, the stonemason will grant you victory points, and the worker will give you half victory points. Not too shabby, right?

Now, let’s talk about the process. You’ll start by taking a look at the building tiles that are available on the gameboard. This is where you get to decide which building (or buildings!) you want to bring to life. Exciting, isn’t it?

Once you’ve made up your mind, it’s time to go to work. You’ll need to pay the exact amount of resources shown on the building tile to the general stock. This is like your admission fee to the construction fun. After that, you get to snatch that building tile right off the gameboard and place it in your special play area. Voila! Now, you can admire your completed building.

Alright, almost done! Let me give you a few more details to keep in mind:

First off, don’t forget that each building has its own value in resources that you’ll need to collect and spend. Make sure you’ve got all the goods before you try to build. You don’t wanna be caught empty-handed!

Also, I should mention that you’re not the only one building around here. Other players might have their eyes on the same buildings as you. It’s a race to see who can build the best castle!

And there you have it! That’s the low-down on building your own castle. Hopefully, this guide has given you a good idea of what to expect. Now get out there and start constructing!

In the game, each tile has a number that represents the cost of the building in resources. The bottom line of the tile gives you a peek into the rewards you’ll get and the fees you’ll have to pay when placing a helper in that building for the final scoring.

• A sand pile is worth 1 Building Point.
• A wooden beam is worth 2 Building Points.
• A clay slab is worth 4 Building Points.
• A stone block is worth 5 Building Points.

For example: Let’s say the stable has a building value of 18. That means you can build the stable using 2 stone blocks, 1 clay slab, and 4 sand piles. In total, this combination adds up to 18 building points.

1. All building values are even numbers. So if you can only achieve odd values with the resources you have, you won’t be able to build a particular building.

When you build a house or tower, make sure to position the building tiles where they can be easily seen in your play area. This will be really useful for scoring points at the end of the game for stables and gates.

Remember, each building you construct will earn you 5 victory points for every opponent who played as a master builder in the current round!

Now, let’s talk about using helpers. In order to use helpers, you need to have built at least one building in the current round. Once you meet this requirement, you can place your helper on any unoccupied copper-colored space, also known as the “helper’s place,” on any already-built building. Keep in mind that the forge and the market are already available from the start of the game.

The bricklayer’s and stonemason’s helpers are essential and cannot be replaced, unlike the trader’s helpers. These helpers play a significant role in buildings, earning the owner victory points in the end. The number of victory points a player receives depends on the type of building the helper is in. The scoring factors for victory points vary for each building. They include:

– The number of occupied or unoccupied helper’s places.

– The number of erected towers or houses.

– The number of remaining building tiles, among other things.

Here is a list of buildings used for the final scoring:

The Keep

The owner of the helper in the keep gets 3 victory points for each empty copper-colored helper’s spot inside the castle.

The Tavern

When you place a helper in the castle for 12 talers, you earn one victory point for that helper and any other helpers, including your own and those of other players, that remain in the castle at the end of the game.

If you place a helper in the castle for 6 talers, you earn one victory point for every two helpers, counting both your own and those of other players. However, if the total number of helpers is an odd number, the number of victory points is rounded down.

For example: Let’s say that after all the helpers have been removed from the carts, there are 11 helpers in the castle. If your helper is on the 12 spot, you will earn 11 victory points. However, if your helper is on the 6 spot, you will only earn 5 victory points.

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The Gates

When you have helpers in the gates, you can earn victory points based on the number of towers that are built, regardless of who actually built them:

• If you have a helper in the small gate (building value 12), you will earn 1 victory point for each tower.
• If you have a helper in the big gate (building value 18), you will earn 2 victory points for each tower.

The Stable

Hey there! Did you know that the people who own helpers in the stable earn victory points for each house they build? It doesn’t matter who actually does the building – all that matters is that the houses get built!

Let me break it down for you:

• If you have a helper in the 16 spot, you’ll score 3 victory points for every house that gets built.
• If you have a helper in the 12 spot, you’ll score 2 victory points for every house that gets built.

The Servants’ House

In the servants’ house, players earn one victory point for each building tile that remains unbuilt. At the end of the game, the victory points are equal to the total number of building tiles on the gameboard.

The Market

Hey there! Let’s talk about converting your talers into victory points in the game. It’s a pretty nifty feature that can really help you out. Here’s how it works:

• If you have only one helper in the market, you get one victory point for every 2 talers you convert. It’s important to note that if you have an odd number of talers, you’ll have to keep one until the game is over. No worries, though, you can still convert the rest!
• Now, if you’re lucky enough to have helpers on both spaces in the market, things get even better. You’ll score one victory point for each taler you convert. That means more points for you!

Now let’s talk about The Palace.

If you own a helper in the palace, you have the ability to turn up to 5 resource pieces from your personal stock into victory points at the end of the game:

• To calculate the number of victory points, refer to the information provided in the overview. For instance, a clay slab is worth 4 victory points.
• If you have both helpers in the palace, you can convert up to 10 resource pieces into victory points.
• If you want to convert silver, you must first place it in the forge and leave it there. For each bar of silver in the forge, you can take one resource piece from the carts.

The Forge

In the game, when I have a helper on the 10 spot of the forge, I earn one victory point for each silver bar that remains in the forge at the end.

Similarly, when I have a helper on the 6 spot, I get one victory point for every 2 bars. If there are an odd number of bars, I round down to the nearest even number.

For example, let’s say there are 9 silver bars in the forge. If I manage to have my helpers on both spots, I would earn 9 victory points for the first helper and 4 victory points for the second, totaling to 13 victory points.

The Castle in Winter

Winter arrived earlier than expected, bringing with it freezing temperatures and frost across the land. The ongoing construction of the castle is facing challenges due to heavy snowfall, which makes the castle’s silhouette more visible against the gray sky with each passing week.

I’m about to tell you all about the basic rules of the game, but with a few twists and extra things to keep things interesting.

First, grab the game board and put it on the table with the winter side facing up. Then, take the winter cards, give them a good shuffle, and put them next to the game board, face-down, in a neat stack.

Hey there! Let’s get started by placing the building tiles on the snow-covered buildings.

So, here’s how it goes: each of us will play one or 2 character cards face down in our play area. Whenever a winter card shows up, we’ll bring it into the game. The starting player picks the top card from the deck and reads it out loud. Then, they put it face up next to the castle, where everyone can see it.

Now, some winter cards may have certain conditions that need to be fulfilled right before we reveal our character cards. Once we’ve completed these conditions, we can put the winter card back in the box.

Remember: Just like in the main game, if it’s beneficial, we’re allowed to convert our silver bars into any resources we need.

For example, let’s say you want to build a fireplace: You can place 2 of your silver bars in the forge, which will be enough to cover the cost of 2 wooden beams.

Winter Cards: Exploring Their Functions

The Village Tavern:

Ah, the Village Tavern. A cozy hub of activity, where friends gather to warm themselves by the crackling fire. It’s a place where tales of adventure and laughter intertwine, leaving you with a sense of belonging. Imagine having the power to bring this enchanting atmosphere to life with just a simple card. That’s where the Village Tavern Winter Card comes in.

As I’ve come to discover, this magical card holds a multitude of functions that can elevate your gaming experience to new heights. First and foremost, it allows you to summon the Village Tavern itself, transporting you from your current location to this bustling hub of camaraderie. With one swift movement, you’ll find yourself immersed in a world of mirth and connection that only the Tavern can provide.

But the Village Tavern Card offers more than just a change of scenery. It also presents you with the unique opportunity to gather valuable resources. Here you can trade cards, share strategies, and collect essential knowledge from fellow travelers and seasoned adventurers. It’s a treasure trove of information that can help you navigate the challenges that lie ahead.

Additionally, this Winter Card opens up a gateway to thrilling adventures. Within the walls of the Village Tavern, you’ll encounter mysterious quests and captivating tales, all waiting to be discovered. Every interaction holds the potential to unlock hidden secrets, bestow you with powerful artifacts, or even introduce you to formidable allies. The possibilities are endless, and the rewards plentiful.

The Village Tavern Winter Card is more than just a card – it’s a portal to a world of wonder and discovery. With its ability to transport you to a gathering of like-minded individuals, provide valuable resources, and unlock thrilling adventures, it truly embodies the spirit of the winter season. So, my friends, when you stumble upon this card in your collection, don’t underestimate its power. Embrace it, and let it guide you on an unforgettable journey.

When you work with a stonemason or bricklayer, you can assign a helper to be an “innkeeper” here for 3 talers. From now on, if you want to play as the trader, you have to pay 1 taler to the innkeeper’s owner.

If there is no innkeeper yet, the taler is placed on the card and will be taken by the next player who assigns their helper to this spot. If you don’t have enough talers to pay for your trader, you have to remove one of your trader’s helpers from the gameboard and return it to your personal stock.

The innkeeper doesn’t have to stay at the village tavern. If you decide to play as the trader, bricklayer, or stonemason, you can move your innkeeper and use it as a helper somewhere else. This winter card remains in the game, and new talers are added to the card until another player assigns a helper as an innkeeper.

This card doesn’t count towards the final score.

Granary

Hey there! Let’s talk about the stonemason or bricklayer. They’re pretty important when it comes to playing this game. You can use them to place helpers in the granary. There’s a rule called “Using Helpers” that you need to keep in mind. You can find it on page 6 of the rulebook, unless the game specifies otherwise.

When you want to place a helper in the granary, it will cost you 5 talers. That’s the currency we use in this game.

Now, here’s something interesting. At the end of the game, if there’s only one helper standing in the granary, the owner of that helper will score 10 points. But if there are two helpers, each of them will only score 7 points for their owner. And if there are three helpers, each of them will only score 3 points. It doesn’t matter if the helpers belong to one player or multiple players.

By the way, the granary doesn’t count towards the final scoring of the keep or the tavern. So keep that in mind!

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Plague

Uh-oh, here comes the Plague! Brace yourself because things are about to go haywire! When the Plague strikes, it’s bad news for everyone involved. Prepare yourself for some tough decisions, my friend.

Imagine this: you’re happily playing your game, minding your own business, and suddenly the Plague arrives. In an instant, you are faced with a dilemma. You have two options: either lose one card from your discard pile or cough up some talers to the bank.

Now, I won’t lie to you – both choices have their consequences. If you decide to lose a card, you’ve got to say goodbye to a precious resource. But on the other hand, if you choose to pay the bank, well… let’s just say your wallet won’t be too happy about it.

So, what will it be? To pay or not to pay – that is the question. But don’t take too long because time is ticking, my friend. Each player needs to make their decision and live with the consequences.

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Cracked Wall

Hey there! Guess what? In this game, you can get some cool rewards by giving up your stone blocks! But don’t worry, you can only give up a maximum of three blocks. And for each block you give up, you’ll score three victory points! Nice, right? But here’s the catch – once you’ve given up your blocks and claimed your points, the card is taken out of the game. So choose wisely!

Damsel Of The Castle

Listen up, folks! We’ve got a new game rule in effect, and it’s going to shake things up. Starting now until the end of the game, you can try to impress the damsel in the castle. If you’re interested in courting her, here’s what you need to know:

Whenever a player decides to court the damsel, we’ll all take turns placing a resource piece or a taler on the card at the start of each round. It doesn’t matter who goes first; we’ll just make sure everyone gets a fair shot.

But here’s the deal – once you drop out of the courting game, that’s it. You’re out for good, and you can’t jump back in later. So make your decision wisely, my friends.

Now, when we come down to just one player left in the running (meaning they’ve placed a taler or resource piece while everyone else dropped out), that lucky player gets the damsel card. And as a reward, they score a sweet 8 victory points. Talk about a winning move!

Now, don’t worry if you didn’t participate in the courting. You still get to share in the spoils. The resources and talers that were placed on the card will be divided among everyone, whether they were romancing the damsel or not.

Once the courting is over and the card is empty, we’ll take turns grabbing one piece from it until there’s nothing left. And then, my friends, the card will be removed from the game. But don’t worry, there will be plenty of excitement still to come!

If the card is still face up at the end of the game and no one has successfully captured the damsel of the castle, nobody receives the card, and nothing is shared.

Snowdrift

When we play the game, we need to make a quick decision about what to do when it’s time to pay for the snowdrift. We have two options: we can either give up one of our workers or pay three talers to the bank. It’s an important choice, and we have to think about what’s the best move for us.

If I decide to give up a worker, I can choose a card from my hand or from my discard pile and put it back in the box. This means that the card is no longer in play and it won’t affect the game anymore. It’s like saying goodbye to that card.

Once everyone has made their decision and paid for the snowdrift, the card is removed from the game. It’s gone forever, and we won’t see it again in this match.