Dominant Species Glossary – A Comprehensive Guide

Hey there! Welcome to the ultimate Dominant Species Glossary! If you’ve been scouring the internet for a handy resource to help you navigate the world of Dominant Species, you’ve come to the right place. Here, I’ll break down all the key terms and concepts you need to know to master this exciting game.

1. Dominant Species

The term “Dominant Species” refers to the player who controls the most powerful species in the game. As the dominant species, you have the upper hand and can make strategic moves to further your chances of victory. This is a coveted position, as it allows you to shape the game world to your advantage.

2. Niche

In Dominant Species, a “niche” is the specific ecological role that a species occupies within its environment. Each species has a unique niche, and understanding these niches is essential for strategic gameplay. By adapting to different niches, you can ensure the survival and success of your species.

3. Adaptation

Adaptation is the key to survival in Dominant Species. It refers to the ability of a species to adjust to changes in its environment. By adapting effectively, you can improve your species’ chances of thriving and outcompeting others. Understanding the various adaptation options available to you is crucial for achieving dominance.

4. Actions

In Dominant Species, “actions” are the choices you make on your turn. These actions allow you to interact with the game world, such as placing new members of your species on the board or executing special abilities. Making smart and strategic actions is vital for advancing your position and gaining an edge over your opponents.

5. Elements

“Elements” represent the different aspects of Dominant Species that players must consider. They include things like the available action cards, the types of habitats on the board, and the impact of events. Understanding how the different elements interact with each other is crucial for formulating effective strategies.

6. Victory Points

“Victory Points” are the currency of Dominant Species. They represent your progress towards winning the game. You can earn victory points by achieving various objectives, such as dominating certain habitats or having the most species on the board. Accumulating victory points is essential for emerging as the ultimate dominant species.

7. Environmental Changes

In Dominant Species, the game world is constantly evolving. “Environmental Changes” are the shifts that occur during gameplay, impacting the dynamics of the ecosystem. These changes can be triggered by events or player actions. Adapting to the ever-changing environment is crucial for maintaining your dominance throughout the game.

8. Extinction

In Dominant Species, “extinction” is the worst fate that can befall your species. If your species becomes extinct, it is eliminated from the game, and you lose the chance to win. Preventing extinction is a top priority, and careful planning and adaptation are necessary to ensure the survival of your species.

Well, my friend, that wraps up our Dominant Species Glossary! Armed with this knowledge, you’re ready to dive into the exciting world of Dominant Species and conquer the game. Enjoy and may you become the ultimate dominant species!

Have you ever played a game that involves using wooden cylinders to mark the actions you want to take? It’s an exciting way to strategize and plan your moves.

Let’s talk about animals

You know, animals come in all shapes and sizes. There are mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians, arachnids, and insects. In this game, each player gets to represent one of these animal classes. Your role is to take charge as the leader of your chosen animal class and make sure it thrives. Each animal class has a set of species cubes that are the same color. These cubes represent the animals of that class on earth. And hey, every animal has something called an animal display and an initiative marker.

Extra points for you!

Hey there! Have you ever played a game where you can earn “bonus VP’s”? If you have, then you know how exciting it is to get those extra points. But how exactly do you earn them? Well, let’s take a look at the Bonus Points Track on the game board to find out.

On the left side of the game board, you’ll find the Bonus Points Track. It’s divided into two rows. The top row shows the counts that the action or card effect is checking. For example, let’s say you’re playing the Survival action, and it requires you to count how many tundra tiles are occupied by an animal. This count will be shown on the top row of the Bonus Points Track.

Now, here comes the exciting part! The bottom row of the Bonus Points Track shows the amount of VP’s you can gain based on the count from the top row. So, let’s say the count is 3. You would then look at the square directly below the number 3 in the bottom row to see how many VP’s you get. It’s that simple!

Dominance Cards: Unleash Your Power

Hey there! Have you heard about Dominance Cards? They’re the secret weapons that give you an edge in the game. Let me break it down for you.

So, whenever you score a tile where your animal dominates, you get to choose from a set of 26 awesome cards. These cards are like power-ups that give you special, one-time effects. Talk about leveling up!

But here’s the twist: one of these cards is called “Ice Age,” and guess what? It’s a game-changer. When someone plays the “Ice Age” card, it signals the end of the game. Exciting, right?

Now, hold on a second. There’s also a card called “Survival,” but it’s not a Dominance Card. It’s got its own set of rules because, well, it’s unique like that.

Dominant / Dominance: Reign Supreme

Understanding the rules of the game involves grasping the concept of species presence on a tile and how it relates to the animals’ matching elements. It’s a bit of a mouthful, but stick with me!

Let’s start with the idea of “species presence.” This means having at least one species on a tile. The goal is to have more elements that match your animal’s elements than any other animal with species on that same tile. It’s like claiming your territory, but in a game!

Now, let’s talk about the Earth. It’s not the actual planet, but rather the group of tiles on the hex grid portion of the board. This is where the action happens! You’ll be placing elements, your animal’s species, and dominance markers on these diverse tiles to explore and conquer.

Element

I want to talk to you about the essentials of life for different animals. You see, they all need grass, grub, meat, seed, sun, and water to survive. These resources are like round markers, or “disks,” that represent what animals need to thrive. We can place these disks on the animal displays to show what they need, and on the earth to show what is available.

When we place these disks on the earth, we put them on the corners of the tiles. This way, a single disk can be present on up to three different tiles at the same time.

Endangered Species

Let me tell you about a special term called “endangered species.” It refers to any species that is in danger of disappearing. In this game, if a species is on a tile where none of the resources that animal needs are available, or if the tile has no resources at all, then that species is considered endangered.

Food Chain

So, here’s the deal with the Domination action in a game. You know those tiles that you score? Well, sometimes there’s a tie and you need to break it. That’s where this thing called the food chain comes in. It’s all about ranking the tiles from best to worst.

• Mammal
• Reptile
• Bird
• Amphibian
• Arachnid
• Insect

What are Initiative Markers?

Initiative Markers are special square markers that we use on the Initiative track. They help us determine the order in which we place things during our Planning Phase.

What is Matching?

Matching is a way for us to count the number of elements of the same type on our animal display and the tile occupied by our species. We start by counting the number of element “A” on our display and multiply it by the number of element “A” on the tile. We then add up the matching elements of other types, such as element “B” and element “C”, to get a total number of matching elements.

Species

Imagine each small wooden cube as a special type of animal. All the cubes of the same color represent different kinds of animals that belong to the same group, or “class”.

Terrain

Think of the earth divided into different types of land. There are eight types: tundra, mountain, desert, forest, jungle, savannah, wetland, and sea. Each tile on the earth is one of these types of land.

Tile

Hey there! Let me tell you about the cool pieces in this game that represent different terrain types – think of them as building blocks for the earth’s playing surface. We use these hexagonal pieces to create and expand the game board as we play.

Have you heard of Victory Points (vp)?

During the game, you can collect Victory Points. Every animal gets them, and the player with the highest VP total at the end becomes the ultimate champion!