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For tips on how to play pandemic, see <b>[[Tips_pandemic]]</b>
== Player Actions ==


== Actions ==
Perform up to 4 actions per turn from the selections listed below.


Select from the actions listed below, up to 4 actions per turn.
* '''<u>Move</u>'''
** '''Drive/Ferry:''' Move to a city connected to the one you are in.
** '''Direct Flight:''' Discard a City card to move to the city named on the card.
** '''Charter Flight:''' Discard a City card with the name of the city you are in to move to any city.
** '''Shuttle Flight:''' Move from a city with a ''Research Station'' to any other city with a ''Research Station''.
* '''<u>Build a Research Station</u>'''
** Discard a City card with the name of the city you are in to build a ''Research Station'' there. (Max of 6)
* '''<u>Treat Disease</u>'''
** Remove 1 disease cube from the city you are in. (If this disease has been cured, remove all cubes of that color.)
*** If the last cube of a cured disease is removed from the board, this disease is '''''eradicated'''''. Eradicated diseases are ignored when infection cards are drawn.
* '''<u>Share Knowledge</u>'''
** Either '''give''' the City card that matches the city you are in to another player or '''take''' the City card that matches the city you are in from another player.
*** The other player must also be in the city with you.
*** Both players must agree to do this.
*** If the player who gets the card now has more than 7 cards, that player must immediately discard a card or play an Event card.
* '''<u>Discover a Cure</u>'''
** Discard 5 City cards of the same color from your hand to cure the disease of that color. A "cure token" will be placed on that disease's indicator on the board.
** You must be at a city with a Research Station, discard 5 City cards of the same colour from your hand to cure the disease of that colour.
** If no cubes of that color are on the board, the disease is '''''eradicated'''''. The "cure token" is flipped to its "NO" side.
** Cured diseases still need to be treated. But during the "Treat Disease" action, you can remove ''all'' cubes of that disease from a city instead of just 1.


Role special abilities may change how an action works.
== Draw Cards ==
After performed actions, draw two cards from the City pile into your hand.  


Some actions involve discarding a card from your hand.
If your hand contains more than seven cards, discard cards or play Events until you have only seven.


=== Movement ===
If the City pile runs out, the game ends and the players lose.


==== Drive / Ferry ====
=== Epidemic Card ===
If you draw an EPIDEMIC! card, the following happens immediately:


Move to a city connected to the one you are in.
# Infection Rate indicator is increased by 1. If this reaches the end, the game is over and the players lose.
# The bottom card of the Infection deck is drawn and its city is infected with three disease cubes of its color. The card is placed in the Infection discard pile.
## If the city already has cubes in it, a max of 3 are placed an an '''Outbreak''' occurs.
# The Infection discard pile is shuffled and placed on top of the Infection draw pile.


==== Direct Flight ====
A replacement card is not drawn after the Epidemic card resolves.


Discard a City card to move to the city named on the card.
== Infection ==
Draw cards from the top of the Infection deck (the number is indicated by the Infection rate). A disease cube is placed on that city.  


==== Charter Flight ====
If the city already has 3 disease cubes, an '''Outbreak''' occurs.


Discard the City card that matches the city you are in to move to any city.
If the disease is '''''eradicated''''', no cube is placed.  


==== Shuttle Flight ====
=== Outbreak ===
An Outbreak occurs when a disease cube must be placed on a city, but it already has its max of 3 cubes. The following happens:


Move from a city with a research station to any other city that has a research station.
# Outbreak indicator moves forward one. (When it reaches the end, the game is over and the players lose).
# One disease cube of that color is placed on every city connected to the origin city.
#* If any connected city also already has its max of 3 cubes, an Outbreak occurs in that city as well. (But not in cities that already had an Outbreak in that turn.)
#** This can cause a chain reaction which can quickly lead to the game ending.
#** A city may have diseases of different colored cubes on it. Three max cubes per color.  


=== Build a Research Station ===
== Additional Rules ==


Discard the City card that matches the city you are in to place a research station there.
=== Event Cards ===


6 research stations may be built.
Event cards may be used at any time, iincluding during other players' turns.  


=== Treat Disease ===
Events cannot be used between drawing and resolving a card.


Remove 1 disease cube from the city you are in. (If this disease colour has been cured, remove all cubes of that colour from the city you are in.)
Playing an Event does not count as one of your four player actions.


If the last cube of a cured disease is removed from the board, this disease is eradicated.
== Roles ==


=== Share Knowledge ===
Each player chooses or is assigned a role at the beginning of the game. These roles grant special abilities and advantages outside the normal rules.


You can do this action in two ways:
=== Contingency Planner ===
*1. give the City card that matches the city you are in to another player, or
*2. take the City card that matches the city you are in from another player.


The other player must also be in the city with you, and both of you need to agree to do this.
Essentially, the Contingency Planner is allowed to keep an extra Event outside their hand.


If the player who gets the card now has more than 7 cards, that player must immediately discard a card or play an Event card.
As a player action, you can take an Event Card from the city discard pile and place it in reserve on your role card.  


=== Discover a Cure ===
This event can be played like any normal event, but it is removed from the game instead of discarded (to prevent using the same Event over and over).


At any research station, discard 5 City cards of the same colour from your hand to cure the disease of that colour.
=== Dispatcher ===


Move the disease’s cure marker to its Cure Indicator.
As a player action, you can do one of the following (if the player agrees):


If no cubes of this colour are on the board, this disease is now eradicated.
# Move any pawn to a city containing another pawn
# Move another player's pawn as if it were their own.
#* The Dispatcher can discard City cards to use Shuttle Flight and Charter Flight movement. The Dispatcher must discard the matching City card from '''his/her''' hand, not the player being moved.
#* The Dispatcher cannot use the Operations Expert's special ability when moving its pawn


== After Your Actions ==
=== Medic ===


*• Draw two cards from the city draw pile to your hand. ''(This pile includes city cards (1 per city), 5 event cards and 4-6 epidemic cards.)'' There is a hand limit of 7 (city + event) cards enforced at all times.
When taking the "Treat Disease" action, remove ''all'' cubes of a color instead of just one.  
*• Draw 2-4 cards (according to infection rate) from the top of the infection draw pile and place 1 disease cube on each city shown. (If the disease of that colour has been eradicated, no cube is placed there.)


== Additional Rules ==
If the Medic enters a city with cubes of a cured disease:
*All cubes are removed (this does not take an action).
*Cubes cannot be added to their location.
*Outbreaks cannot occur at their location.


=== Event Cards ===
=== Operations Expert ===


Event cards you draw may be used at any time (including during other players' moves) except just when a card is about to be resolved.
As a player action, the Operations Expert can build a Research Station in their current location without discarding a City card.


Playing an event card does not count as one of your four actions.
As a player action, the Operations Expert can move from one Research Station to any other Research Station (can only do this once per turn).


=== Epidemics ===
* The Dispatcher cannot use this special ability when moving the pawn as if it were his/her own.
If you draw an epidemic from the city deck (4 epidemics in Introductory Mode, 5 in Standard, 6 in Heroic):
*• Move infection rate marker to the right.
*• Draw infection card from bottom of deck and place 3 disease cubes on the city shown.
*• Reshuffle the infection discard pile (including the new card) and place on top of the infection draw pile.
*• Do all this twice if you happened to draw two epidemic cards.


=== Outbreaks ===
=== Quarantine Specialist ===
If you would have to place a 4th disease cube of the same colour in a city, an outbreak occurs instead:
*• The outbreak marker is moved forward 1 step.
*• All cities connected to the one where the outbreak occurs gain 1 disease cube of the colour of the outbreak city. (Cities can therefore gain cubes of different colour.)
*• This can lead to chain reaction outbreaks.


== Roles ==
Outbreaks and disease cube placement cannot occur in Quarantine Specialist's location '''or''' any connecting locations. (This does not apply during game setup.)


Each player has one of these roles assigned at the beginning of the game:
=== Researcher ===


=== Contingency Planner ===
When the Researcher takes the "Share Knowledge" action, he/she may give '''any''' City card to a player in same location (as long as they agree).


Take an Event Card from the Discard pile and place it on the Role Card.
Any other player taking the "Share Knowledge" action in the same location as a Researcher, he/she may take '''any''' City card from the Researcher (as long as they agree).


It doesn't count against the limit of 7 hand cards.
=== Scientist ===


=== Dispatcher ===
When taking the "Cure Disease" action, the Scientist only needs to discard 4 cards (not 5) of the same color.


Move any pawn to a city containing another pawn OR Move another player's pawn as if it were their own.
== Game End ==


=== Medic ===
The players '''win''' when: 
*All 4 diseases are cured. (They do not have to be eradicated. Disease cubes may still be on the board.)


Remove all cubes of a colour when treating a city.
The players '''lose''' when:
For any cured disease:
*An eighth outbreak occurs
*• Treats for free when entering city, and
*A disease cube needs to be placed and there are no more cubes available in the supply.
*• prevents cubes/Outbreaks in their location.
*A player must draw a City card from the city deck and the deck has run out.


=== Operations Expert ===
== Errata and Gotchas ==
You do not draw a replacement card after drawing an EPIDEMIC! card.


Build a Research Station in their location without discarding a city card.
The "Discover Cure" action may be taken at any research station. Its city color does not have to match the color of the disease being cured.


Once per turn, move to any city from a Research Station, using any city card.
To use the "Share Knowledge" action (unless you are the Researcher), you must A) be in the same city as the other player and B) the card must match the name of that city.


=== Quarantine Specialist ===
The hand limit immediately applies after receiving a card from another player.


Prevents Outbreaks and placement of disease cubes in their location plus all connecting cities.
If a disease has been cured, the Medic's ability to remove cubes by being in a location '''can''' be used by the Dispatcher's special action or the Airlift Event.
 
=== Researcher ===
 
May give any card to a player in same location (during either player's turn).
 
=== Scientist ===


Can cure a disease by using only 4, not 5, cards of the same colour.
A player can play an Event between 2 EPIDEMIC! cards, but not while their steps are being resolved.


== End of game ==
When a disease is cured, its cubes remain on the board and new cubes can be placed on the board during the Infection phase or an Epidemic. However, treating the disease becomes easier.


There is one way to win the game:
Removing the last cube of a disease that is not eradicated has no effect.
*• Cure all 4 diseases.


There are three ways to lose the game:
Only six Research Stations can be built on the board, so place them well.
*• Having an eighth outbreak;
*• Needing to place a disease cube on the board and there are no more cubes available;
*• Needing to draw a city card and there are no more city cards available.

Revision as of 17:27, 20 September 2025

Player Actions

Perform up to 4 actions per turn from the selections listed below.

  • Move
    • Drive/Ferry: Move to a city connected to the one you are in.
    • Direct Flight: Discard a City card to move to the city named on the card.
    • Charter Flight: Discard a City card with the name of the city you are in to move to any city.
    • Shuttle Flight: Move from a city with a Research Station to any other city with a Research Station.
  • Build a Research Station
    • Discard a City card with the name of the city you are in to build a Research Station there. (Max of 6)
  • Treat Disease
    • Remove 1 disease cube from the city you are in. (If this disease has been cured, remove all cubes of that color.)
      • If the last cube of a cured disease is removed from the board, this disease is eradicated. Eradicated diseases are ignored when infection cards are drawn.
  • Share Knowledge
    • Either give the City card that matches the city you are in to another player or take the City card that matches the city you are in from another player.
      • The other player must also be in the city with you.
      • Both players must agree to do this.
      • If the player who gets the card now has more than 7 cards, that player must immediately discard a card or play an Event card.
  • Discover a Cure
    • Discard 5 City cards of the same color from your hand to cure the disease of that color. A "cure token" will be placed on that disease's indicator on the board.
    • You must be at a city with a Research Station, discard 5 City cards of the same colour from your hand to cure the disease of that colour.
    • If no cubes of that color are on the board, the disease is eradicated. The "cure token" is flipped to its "NO" side.
    • Cured diseases still need to be treated. But during the "Treat Disease" action, you can remove all cubes of that disease from a city instead of just 1.

Draw Cards

After performed actions, draw two cards from the City pile into your hand.

If your hand contains more than seven cards, discard cards or play Events until you have only seven.

If the City pile runs out, the game ends and the players lose.

Epidemic Card

If you draw an EPIDEMIC! card, the following happens immediately:

  1. Infection Rate indicator is increased by 1. If this reaches the end, the game is over and the players lose.
  2. The bottom card of the Infection deck is drawn and its city is infected with three disease cubes of its color. The card is placed in the Infection discard pile.
    1. If the city already has cubes in it, a max of 3 are placed an an Outbreak occurs.
  3. The Infection discard pile is shuffled and placed on top of the Infection draw pile.

A replacement card is not drawn after the Epidemic card resolves.

Infection

Draw cards from the top of the Infection deck (the number is indicated by the Infection rate). A disease cube is placed on that city.

If the city already has 3 disease cubes, an Outbreak occurs.

If the disease is eradicated, no cube is placed.

Outbreak

An Outbreak occurs when a disease cube must be placed on a city, but it already has its max of 3 cubes. The following happens:

  1. Outbreak indicator moves forward one. (When it reaches the end, the game is over and the players lose).
  2. One disease cube of that color is placed on every city connected to the origin city.
    • If any connected city also already has its max of 3 cubes, an Outbreak occurs in that city as well. (But not in cities that already had an Outbreak in that turn.)
      • This can cause a chain reaction which can quickly lead to the game ending.
      • A city may have diseases of different colored cubes on it. Three max cubes per color.

Additional Rules

Event Cards

Event cards may be used at any time, iincluding during other players' turns.

Events cannot be used between drawing and resolving a card.

Playing an Event does not count as one of your four player actions.

Roles

Each player chooses or is assigned a role at the beginning of the game. These roles grant special abilities and advantages outside the normal rules.

Contingency Planner

Essentially, the Contingency Planner is allowed to keep an extra Event outside their hand.

As a player action, you can take an Event Card from the city discard pile and place it in reserve on your role card.

This event can be played like any normal event, but it is removed from the game instead of discarded (to prevent using the same Event over and over).

Dispatcher

As a player action, you can do one of the following (if the player agrees):

  1. Move any pawn to a city containing another pawn
  2. Move another player's pawn as if it were their own.
    • The Dispatcher can discard City cards to use Shuttle Flight and Charter Flight movement. The Dispatcher must discard the matching City card from his/her hand, not the player being moved.
    • The Dispatcher cannot use the Operations Expert's special ability when moving its pawn

Medic

When taking the "Treat Disease" action, remove all cubes of a color instead of just one.

If the Medic enters a city with cubes of a cured disease:

  • All cubes are removed (this does not take an action).
  • Cubes cannot be added to their location.
  • Outbreaks cannot occur at their location.

Operations Expert

As a player action, the Operations Expert can build a Research Station in their current location without discarding a City card.

As a player action, the Operations Expert can move from one Research Station to any other Research Station (can only do this once per turn).

  • The Dispatcher cannot use this special ability when moving the pawn as if it were his/her own.

Quarantine Specialist

Outbreaks and disease cube placement cannot occur in Quarantine Specialist's location or any connecting locations. (This does not apply during game setup.)

Researcher

When the Researcher takes the "Share Knowledge" action, he/she may give any City card to a player in same location (as long as they agree).

Any other player taking the "Share Knowledge" action in the same location as a Researcher, he/she may take any City card from the Researcher (as long as they agree).

Scientist

When taking the "Cure Disease" action, the Scientist only needs to discard 4 cards (not 5) of the same color.

Game End

The players win when:

  • All 4 diseases are cured. (They do not have to be eradicated. Disease cubes may still be on the board.)

The players lose when:

  • An eighth outbreak occurs
  • A disease cube needs to be placed and there are no more cubes available in the supply.
  • A player must draw a City card from the city deck and the deck has run out.

Errata and Gotchas

You do not draw a replacement card after drawing an EPIDEMIC! card.

The "Discover Cure" action may be taken at any research station. Its city color does not have to match the color of the disease being cured.

To use the "Share Knowledge" action (unless you are the Researcher), you must A) be in the same city as the other player and B) the card must match the name of that city.

The hand limit immediately applies after receiving a card from another player.

If a disease has been cured, the Medic's ability to remove cubes by being in a location can be used by the Dispatcher's special action or the Airlift Event.

A player can play an Event between 2 EPIDEMIC! cards, but not while their steps are being resolved.

When a disease is cured, its cubes remain on the board and new cubes can be placed on the board during the Infection phase or an Epidemic. However, treating the disease becomes easier.

Removing the last cube of a disease that is not eradicated has no effect.

Only six Research Stations can be built on the board, so place them well.