Board Game Arena - User contributions [en]

Gamehelpageofinnovation

2026-02-23T13:31:48Z

Dymonika: Improvements to wording

===Income Phase===

Anything with the hand symbol gives you the depicted income

Just note that Scholars are limited, so you may not be able to gain all you're entitled to

===Action Phase===

Players take turns taking a single action, until all players have passed

You can terraform terrain which is adjacent to your Native terrain, and build a workshop on it

You can upgrade a building from one type to the next; the basic type goes back onto your board so this could cover up sources of income

You can increase your sailing ability to cross bodies of water

You can increase your terraforming ability, so spades become cheaper

You can Develop and Innovate by spending 5 Books, sometimes requiring specific Book Types with Greys being wild, but if you don't have a Palace yet you must also pay 5 coins

You can send a Scholar to the Science Display, but you have a maximum of 7 Scholars

Tips lostcities

2026-02-12T19:17:40Z

Dymonika: Rewording + a bit more detail added

=== General ===
* Remember the 8-card rule; expeditions packed with numerous cards add a whopping 20 points!
* '''Drawing from the deck is vital.''' Obviously, if a good card is available among the discards, or you need to delay the endgame, take a discarded card. But otherwise, take from the deck, because either it's a card that may benefit you, a card you can discard to buy time, or a card your opponent wants.
* Keep in mind that if you leave a large gap in a suit, this helps your opponent: if you play Blue 7 after Blue 3, this helps your opponent gauge better what to do with Blue 4, 5, or 6; concealing that information and forcing them into indecision is important.

=== Discarding ===
* If you decide to bail on an expedition for which you have multiple cards, try to prevent your opponent from taking them all. For example, if you have a Green 4 and Green 5 and your opponent hasn't yet begun a Green expedition, consider discarding the 5 first; if your opponent takes it and ends up starting an expedition with it, then whatever you do with the 4 will be useless to your opponent.

=== Pacing ===
* Keep track of how many turns are left in the round by looking at the X ___ counter below the draw pile. Keep in mind that this number is for both players, so if it shows X10, that means you only have 5 more turns. Make sure to play all beneficial cards before the deck is empty and a new round is triggered.
* Try to position your deck-drawing so that you pull the final card, which makes the other player's last-drawn card unplayable.

=== Wagering and Score Management ===
* Wager cards are typically worth playing if you also hold a color-matching card; you can decide on your threshold of risk based on what you have and what same-color cards have already been played. To score well in this game, you must invest substantially in a venture without knowing in advance whether you will draw matching expedition cards in the right order.
* It's often more constructive to hold onto cards of a suit your opponent is trying to complete than to try to complete it yourself (at least until their expedition has surpassed your cards' values, so that they become unusable to your opponent if you later discard them).
* It's risky to attempt all 5 expeditions as you may end up wasting more turns just to get back to net zero across more expeditions rather than scoring higher with fewer ones; even if you embark on 4 expeditions, it's likely that one will score poorly, if not even negatively.
* Be willing to lose a small number of points in non-wagered suits if it'd allow you to stall and continue drawing from the deck to massively boost wagered expeditions. Effective stalling, even if it results in significant gaps while you wait for the cards you really need, is the heart of this game.

Tips lostcities

2026-02-12T08:01:29Z

Dymonika: Redundancy and potentially confusing lines removed (hopefully); additional tips and sections (for easier reading) added

=== General ===
* Remember the 8-card rule; expeditions packed with numerous cards add a whopping 20 points!
* '''Drawing from the deck is vital.''' Obviously, if a good card is available among the discards, or you need to delay the endgame, take a discarded card. But otherwise, take from the deck, because either it's a card that may benefit you, a card you can discard to buy time, or a card your opponent wants.
* Keep in mind that if you leave a large gap in a suit, this helps your opponent: if you play Blue 7 after Blue 3, this helps your opponent gauge better what to do with Blue 4, 5, or 6; concealing that information and forcing them into indecision is important.

=== Discarding ===
* If you decide to bail on an expedition for which you have multiple cards, try to bait your opponent into taking and playing your discarded cards in reverse order. For example, if you have a Green 4 and Green 5 and your opponent hasn't yet begun a Green expedition, consider discarding the 5 first; if your opponent takes it and ends up starting an expedition with it, then whatever you do with the 4 will be useless to your opponent.

=== Pacing ===
* Keep track of how many turns are left in the round by looking at the X ___ counter below the draw pile. Keep in mind that this number is for both players, so if it shows X10, that means you only have 5 more turns. Make sure to play all beneficial cards before the deck is empty and a new round is triggered.
* Try to position your deck-drawing so that you pull the final card, which makes the other player's last-drawn card unplayable.

=== Wagering and Score Management ===
* Wager cards are typically worth playing if you also hold a color-matching card; you can decide on your threshold of risk based on what you have and what same-color cards have already been played. To score well in this game, you must invest substantially in a venture without knowing in advance whether you will draw matching expedition cards in the right order.
* It's often more constructive to hold onto cards of a suit your opponent is trying to complete than to try to complete it yourself (at least until their expedition has surpassed your cards' values, so that they become unusable to your opponent if you later discard them).
* There is no need to attempt all 5 expeditions; usually 4 is sufficient (and it's likely that one will score poorly, if not even negatively).
* Be willing to lose a small amount of points in non-wagered suits if it'd allow you to stall and continue drawing from the deck to massively boost wagered expeditions. Effective stalling, even if it results in significant gaps while you wait for the cards you really need, is the heart of this game.

Gamehelplostcities

2026-02-07T12:43:56Z

Dymonika: Browser typo fixes

[[Category:Card games]]
== Overview ==
* Win by carefully investing in the most profitable expeditions (each color is a possible expedition).
* The moment you play a card of any color, that expedition costs -20; keep playing same-colored cards (but they must be played in ascending order) to overcome the expedition cost and score points.
* Optionally stake your starting expeditions with wager ("handshake") cards before their number cards, which double their result at the end of the round (whether positive or negative)!

== The Deck ==

* There are 5 suits: yellow, blue, white, green, and red.
* Each suit has 12 cards: numbered cards from 2 to 10, plus three "wager" cards marked with a handshake symbol.
* The entire deck is shuffled and used in each round.

== The Board ==

* On the board is a separate discard pile for each suit.
* Cards you play go to your side of the board, below that color's discard pile. A group of one or more played cards in a suit is called an "expedition".
* To the side of the board is a shared draw pile.

== Play ==

* You hold 8 cards in your hand.
* Each turn has two steps: first, either play or discard a card. Then take a card, either from the draw pile or from the top of any discard pile.
* For each expedition of a separate color (suit): If you have a wager/handshake card, it can be played first, but is not required. Numbered cards are played in increasing order, but do not have to be in perfect sequence (consecutive). Once you've played a numbered card, you may no longer play any lower-numbered card or wager card. Cards must match the expedition color.
* When the draw pile is empty, the round ends instantly.

== Scoring ==

Each of the (up to five) expeditions in front of you is scored separately and the results totaled. (Skip scoring a suit where you played no cards.) For each one:

# Add up the values of all numbered cards played.
# Subtract 20. (You might get a negative number.)
# If there were N wager cards played, now multiply that result by (N+1).
# If the expedition has 8 or more total cards, add 20 points.

The basic idea is: if you start an expedition then you need to reach 20 just to break even. Wager cards magnify your winnings OR losses relative to that target.

Since BGA displays a running total as you play, this alternative (equivalent) scoring explanation might seem more fitting:

* When you begin an expedition (play your first card of a suit), lose 20 points.
* When you play a wager card, lose 20 points.
* When you play a numbered card, gain that many points, plus that many points again for each wager card present (total: number x (wager cards + 1)).
* If that was the 8th card of the expedition, gain another 20 points.

== Rounds ==

A game may last either one or three rounds. If three, the round scores are all added. In rounds two and three, the player with the higher score plays first.

Gamehelplostcities

2026-02-07T12:41:01Z

Dymonika: Fixes and clarity

[[Category:Card games]]
== Overview ==
* Win by carefully investing in the most profitable expeditions (each color is a possible expedition).
* The moment you play a card of any color, that expedition costs -20; keep playing same-colored cards (but they mu
*
* Optionally stake youry starting expeditions with wager ("theyshad hake") cards before their number cards, which double their result at the end of whe round (whether positive ocost in timegative)!

== The Deck ==

* There are 5 suits: yellow, blue, white, green, and red.
* Each suit has 12 cards: numbered cards from 2 to 10, plus three "wager" cards marked with a handshake symbol.
* The entire deck is shuffled and used in each round.

== The Board ==

* On the board is a separate discard pile for each suit.
* Cards you play go to your side of the board, below that color's discard pile. A group of one or more played cards in a suit is called an "expedition".
* To the side of the board is a shared draw pile.

== Play ==

* You hold 8 cards in your hand.
* Each turn has two steps: first, either play or discard a card. Then take a card, either from the draw pile or from the top of any discard pile.
* For each expedition of a separate color (suit): If you have a wager/handshake card, it can be played first, but is not required. Numbered cards are played in increasing order, but do not have to be in perfect sequence (consecutive). Once you've played a numbered card, you may no longer play any lower-numbered card or wager card. Cards must match the expedition color.
* When the draw pile is empty, the round ends instantly.

== Scoring ==

Each of the (up to five) expeditions in front of you is scored separately and the results totaled. (Skip scoring a suit where you played no cards.) For each one:

# Add up the values of all numbered cards played.
# Subtract 20. (You might get a negative number.)
# If there were N wager cards played, now multiply that result by (N+1).
# If the expedition has 8 or more total cards, add 20 points.

The basic idea is: if you start an expedition then you need to reach 20 just to break even. Wager cards magnify your winnings OR losses relative to that target.

Since BGA displays a running total as you play, this alternative (equivalent) scoring explanation might seem more fitting:

* When you begin an expedition (play your first card of a suit), lose 20 points.
* When you play a wager card, lose 20 points.
* When you play a numbered card, gain that many points, plus that many points again for each wager card present (total: number x (wager cards + 1)).
* If that was the 8th card of the expedition, gain another 20 points.

== Rounds ==

A game may last either one or three rounds. If three, the round scores are all added. In rounds two and three, the player with the higher score plays first.

Gamehelplostcities

2026-02-07T09:54:29Z

Dymonika: Added overview and some other minor adjustments

[[Category:Card games]]
== Overview ==
* Win by carefully investing in the most profitable expeditions (each color is a possible expedition).
* The moment you play a card of any color, that expedition costs -20; you want to keep playing same-colored cards in ascending order to try to make your expeditions pay more than they cost to embark on. You can choose to ignore as many colors as you like to focus on others.
* Optionally stake your bets by starting expeditions with wager ("handshake") cards before their number cards, which double their resylt at the end of the round (whether positive or negative)!

== The Deck ==

* There are 5 suits: yellow, blue, white, green, and red.
* Each suit has 12 cards: numbered cards from 2 to 10, plus three "wager" cards marked with a handshake symbol.
* The entire deck is shuffled and used in each round.

== The Board ==

* On the board is a separate discard pile for each suit.
* Cards you play go to your side of the board, below that color's discard pile. A group of one or more played cards in a suit is called an "expedition".
* To the side of the board is a shared draw pile.

== Play ==

* You hold 8 cards in your hand.
* Each turn has two steps: first, either play or discard a card. Then take a card, either from the draw pile or from the top of any discard pile.
* For each expedition of a separate color (suit): If you have a wager/handshake card, it can be played first, but is not required. Numbered cards are played in increasing order, but do not have to be in perfect sequence (consecutive). Once you've played a numbered card, you may no longer play any lower-numbered card or wager card. Cards must match the expedition color.
* When the draw pile is empty, the round ends instantly.

== Scoring ==

Each of the (up to five) expeditions in front of you is scored separately and the results totaled. (Skip scoring a suit where you played no cards.) For each one:

# Add up the values of all numbered cards played.
# Subtract 20. (You might get a negative number.)
# If there were N wager cards played, now multiply that result by (N+1).
# If the expedition has 8 or more total cards, add 20 points.

The basic idea is: if you start an expedition then you need to reach 20 just to break even. Wager cards magnify your winnings OR losses relative to that target.

Since BGA displays a running total as you play, this alternative (equivalent) scoring explanation might seem more fitting:

* When you begin an expedition (play your first card of a suit), lose 20 points.
* When you play a wager card, lose 20 points.
* When you play a numbered card, gain that many points, plus that many points again for each wager card present (total: number x (wager cards + 1)).
* If that was the 8th card of the expedition, gain another 20 points.

== Rounds ==

A game may last either one or three rounds. If three, the round scores are all added. In rounds two and three, the player with the higher score plays first.

Gamehelprollandbump

2026-01-20T06:50:19Z

Dymonika: /* Gameplay */ Syntax

==Setup==
* There are 6 stacks of 6 cards with 2 players, 9 stacks of 4 cards with 3 or 4 players, and 12 stacks of 3 with 5 players. The rest are removed from the game.
* There is also the joker (15 points, 5 of a kind) and the white bonus die.
* Each player has 5 dice.

==Gameplay==
The goal of the game is to end with the most points by taking cards. To take cards, you must first roll and re-roll your dice to match the cards' requirements; then you distribute your dice on all matching cards and wait for your next turn. Your dice then have to "survive" until your next turn to claim those cards, because opponents' dice can bump your dice off their cards if they surpass either your dice pips or dice count, depending on the cards' requirements.
* At the start of your turn: if any of your dice are on cards or next to the bonus die, you gain those cards and/or the bonus die.
* If this is the first turn of the game: roll 3 dice. If this is the second turn: roll 4 dice. Otherwise, roll all 5 dice. You may re-roll any dice up to two times.
* After rolling, you can distribute your dice across as many cards whose requirements that your dice pips fulfill.
** For example, if you roll 2-2-3-4-5, you can set 2-3-4-5 on a "small straight" card and the last 2 on a 2-pip card. If you roll 5 of a kind, you can set your dice on the joker (central card).
** Cards with a pip count can take multiple dice of that pip count, so you could claim a 1-pip/1-die card with a 1-pip die, or two or more 1-pip dice (which would strengthen it against bumping by other players, which is described below).
* If you roll dice whose pips or amount surpass opponents' dice that are currently on top of cards, you can bump those dice off and replace them with yours. For example:
** If you put five 3-pip dice on the joker, a player who then rolls five 4-pip (or 5- or 6-pip) dice can bump you off and try to claim that card for themselves.
** A large straight of 2-3-4-5-6 cannot be bumped, because there is no stronger combination.
** Unlike other cards, 1-die cards can accept multiple matching dice: if you put one 5-pip die on a 5-pip card, a player who rolls two 5-pip dice can bump off your 1 die (and can themselves be bumped off by another player if they were to roll and allocate three 5-pip dice).
* Any unused dice get allocated to the bonus die, which can then be claimed as if it was a card. If you claim the bonus die, roll it with the other dice, but instead of treating it like a sixth die, you can copy its pips on one of your 5 dice before proceeding to set your dice on cards.
** After a turn involving the bonus die, place it back on the right side. The bonus die can’t be claimed and used two turns in a row. You won’t be able to reserve any unused dice on a turn when you have the bonus die.

==End of the Game==
* If a stack becomes empty (except the joker) (or 2 stacks with 5 players), the game ends.
* Each player claims all cards and the bonus die as if they were at the start of their turn.
* Each card is worth the points on the card. If you have the bonus die, roll it and score its value as points.
* Each card has a colour (red, yellow, blue or black). If you have 2 or more cards of a colour, score 1 point for the first card, 2 points for the second, and so on.
* The player with the most points wins.

Gamehelprollandbump

2026-01-20T06:49:29Z

Dymonika: More clarity and detail with examples

==Setup==
* There are 6 stacks of 6 cards with 2 players, 9 stacks of 4 cards with 3 or 4 players, and 12 stacks of 3 with 5 players. The rest are removed from the game.
* There is also the joker (15 points, 5 of a kind) and the white bonus die.
* Each player has 5 dice.

==Gameplay==
The goal of the game is to end with the most points by taking cards. To take cards, you must first roll and re-roll your dice to match the cards' requirements; then you distribute your dice on all matching cards and wait for your next turn. Your dice then have to "survive" until your next turn to claim those cards, because opponents' dice can bump your dice off their cards if they surpass either your dice pips or dice count, depending on the cards' requirements.
* At the start of your turn: if any of your dice are on cards or next to the bonus die, you gain those cards and/or the bonus die.
* If this is the first turn of the game: roll 3 dice. If this is the second turn: roll 4 dice. Otherwise, roll all 5 dice. You may re-roll any dice up to two times.
* After rolling, you can distribute your dice across as many cards whose requirements that your dice pips fulfill.
** For example, if you roll 2-2-3-4-5, you can set 2-3-4-5 on a "small straight" card and the last 2 on a 2-pip card. If you roll 5 of a kind, you can set your dice on the joker (central card).
** Cards with a pip count can take multiple dice of that pip count, so you could claim a 1-pip/1-die card with a 1-pip die, or two or more 1-pip dice (which would strengthen it against bumping by other players, which is described below).
* If you roll dice whose pips or amount surpass opponents' dice that are currently on top of cards, you can bump those dice off and replace them with yours. For example:
** If you put five 3-pip dice on the joker, a player who then rolls five 4-pip (or 5- or 6-pip) dice can bump you off and try to claim that card for themselves.
** A large straight of 2-3-4-5-6 cannot be bumped, because there is no stronger combination.
** Unlike other cards, 1-die cards can accept multiple matching dice: if you put one 5-pip die on a 5-pip card, a player who rolls two 5-pip dice can bump off your 1 die (and can themselves be bumped off by another player if they were to roll and allocate three 5-pip dice).
* Any unused dice get allocated to the bonus die, which can then be claimed as if it was a card. If you claim the bonus die, roll it with the other dice, but instead of treating it like a sixth die; rather, you can copy its pips on one of your dice before proceeding to set your dice on cards.
** After a turn involving the bonus die, place it back on the right side. The bonus die can’t be claimed and used two turns in a row. You won’t be able to reserve any unused dice on a turn when you have the bonus die.

==End of the Game==
* If a stack becomes empty (except the joker) (or 2 stacks with 5 players), the game ends.
* Each player claims all cards and the bonus die as if they were at the start of their turn.
* Each card is worth the points on the card. If you have the bonus die, roll it and score its value as points.
* Each card has a colour (red, yellow, blue or black). If you have 2 or more cards of a colour, score 1 point for the first card, 2 points for the second, and so on.
* The player with the most points wins.

Gamehelpcarnuta

2026-01-19T19:55:33Z

Dymonika: Grammar, clarity

== Game Play ==

Perform two of the four possible actions. You can do the same action twice or take two different actions:

# Take a card into your hand. The hand limit is 3.
# Play a card from your hand; pay (discard) or flip the corresponding runes listed on the top of the card. A swoosh and an arrow means you will flip the rune. “X” means you will discard the rune.
# Take runes from the reserve; you can take up to as many runes with the same symbol as are available from the reserve, up to your limit.
# Flip as many runes of the same symbol as you like to the other side.

== Game Board ==

Placing your 4th card into your tableau will open up your 5th slot for runes. Placing your 8th card will open up the 6th slot.

Placing your 6th and 10th card will allow you to pick a token from the reserve. A token adds to your count of that symbol.

== Other ==

Playing a sickle on your turn allows you to refresh one of the two rows of your choice.

== Game End ==

The end of the game begins when one player adds an 11th card to their tableau; that round ends and one last round is played.

Scores are determined by the scoring conditions of each card. The player with the highest score wins the game!