Bitoku Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• The Goal of the Game
• Components
• Setting Up the Game
  • Setting Up the Board
  • Player Setup
• The Path of the Great Spirit
  • Yōkai Cards and Dice
• Spring: The Awakening of the Forest
  • Icons and Symbols
• Summer: The Call of the Guardians
  • Ways to Gain Actions
  • A. Play a Yōkai Card from Your Hand
  • B. Use an Unlocked Die on Your Player Board
  • Resources
  • C. Cross the River
  • D. Pass
  • One Quick Tip to Make Bitoku More Difficult
• Autumn: The Reverence
  • Bitoku Cards
• Winter: The Repose of the Forest
• The Ascension: Final Scoring
• Vision Cards
• The Elements of the Forest
  • The Game Board
  • Movement Points
  • D. The Paths of Wisdom
  • E. The Forest Regions
  • F. The River
  • G. The Hills
  • H. The Inhabited Areas
  • Kodamas and the Treasures of the Lake
  • I. The Rock Garden
  • J. The Rift of Visions
  • K. The Twisted Trail of the Mitamas
  • L. The Crystal Caves
• The Player Boards
• Rise of the Tengu — Solitaire Play
  • Setup
  • Tengu Terminology
  • Changes to Gameplay
  • The Tengu Activation Cycle (TAC)
  • The Tengu's Ascension
  • Adjusting the Difficulty
• Cultural References
• Credits

The Goal of the Game

The game is played over four rounds, each representing one year left for the Great Spirit. Each round is divided into four phases named for the seasons. At the end of the Winter Phase in the fourth round, the game ends and the Ascension occurs.

Each phase, you carry out actions to earn Virtue Points (VP). As you earn VP, you advance along the Spirit Path, which runs around the outside of the board. During the Ascension, you can earn additional VP by completing certain goals. The spirit who advances furthest along that path wins the game and becomes the new Great Spirit.

Components

• 152 tiles: 24 Building tiles (6 temples, 6 onsen, 6 farms, 6 ryokan), 6 Ancient Building tiles, 5 Lake Treasure tiles, 32 Crystal tiles, 24 Mitama Spirit tiles (5 ara, 5 nigi, 5 saki, 5 kushi, 4 shinigami), 32 Dragonfly tiles, 16 Torii Gate tiles (8 type A, 8 type B), 13 Iwakura Rock tiles, 1 Tengu Attitude tile (solo mode)
• 1 game board, 14 die-cut pieces to complete the board, 4 player boards (or Tengu board for solo mode), 4 flags ("+100 VP"), 12 dice (3 per player)
• 172 counters: 1 Great Spirit counter (round), 1 Pagoda counter (phase), 12 Player counters (3 per player: turn order, VP, Bitoku Path), 44 Pilgrim counters (11 per player), 20 Kodama counters (5 per player), 24 Construction counters (6 per player), 72 Resource counters (18 each of wood, stone, jade, sake)
• 111 cards: 29 Yōkai cards (5 Kappa, 5 Imomushi, 5 Nezumi, 5 Kitsune, 5 Shin Ookami, 4 Yama-Uba), 20 Starting Yōkai cards (1 of each type per player), 24 Bitoku cards (5 Makoto, 5 Chuugi, 4 Yu, 4 Jin, 3 Rei, 2 Gi, 1 Meijo), 28 Vision cards, 10 Tengu Action cards (solo mode)
• Other: 58 Amulets (+1, +2, +3), 32 x3 Resource tiles, 12 Hikaru markers, 1 rulebook, 4 player aids

Setting Up the Game

Setting Up the Board

A. Place the game board in the middle of the table. The side without any gaps is used for solitaire and two-player games. For three or four players, add the die-cut pieces in the corresponding gaps (the four-player setup has more spaces on the tiles).

B. Place the Great Spirit counter on the first space of the Round Track and the Pagoda counter on the first space of the Phase Track (Spring).

C. Divide the Torii Gate tiles marked "A" and "B." Mix each group separately. Place a random "A" tile on each Torii Gate space marked "A" and a random "B" tile on each "B" space, rewards side up. Return remaining Torii Gate tiles to the box.

D. For a solitaire or two-player game, mix the Ancient Building tiles and randomly place one on each of the lower leftmost spaces of the four inhabited areas indicated on the board. In three-player games, place only two of these tiles, on the lower leftmost spaces of the Lands of Yomi and the Glade of Jade. Four-player games use no Ancient Buildings. Return any leftover tiles to the box.

E. Shuffle the Forest Treasure (Lake Treasure) tiles and randomly place one in each of the five Forest regions. For a two-player game, also place a Kodama counter of a neutral color on the fourth space of each region's Kodama Track.

F. Shuffle the Building tiles, Crystal tiles, Mitama Spirit tiles, and Dragonfly tiles separately and place them in face-down stacks of roughly equal size on the matching spaces. Then turn over enough tiles of each type to fill all of the spaces next to that stack.

G. Mix the Iwakura Rock tiles and, without looking, give one to each player. Then place one face up in each space of the Rock Garden. Return remaining tiles to the box.

H. Shuffle the Vision cards and place them face down on their board space.

I. Shuffle the Bitoku cards and place them on their board space with room for a discard pile. Turn over and place one Bitoku card in each space of the Hills area.

J. Separate the Starting Yōkai cards and set them aside. Shuffle the remaining Yōkai cards into a face-down deck on their board space with room for a discard pile. Turn over and place one Yōkai card in each space of the Hills area (partially covering the Bitoku cards).

K. Create a common supply for the Resource counters (jade, sake, stone, wood), the x3 Resource tiles, the Hikaru tiles, and the Amulets.

Player Setup

Each player chooses a color and takes the following:

1. A player board and a flag of your color, placed in front of you.
2. 3 dice, placed on the red spaces of your player board showing (left to right) values 3, 2, and 1.
3. 5 Kodama counters of your color, one on the first space of each Kodama Track in the Forest area of the board.
4. 11 Pilgrim counters of your color: place 3 with their awakened side up in the upper right of your board, and the rest with their sleeping side up on the 8 spaces in the Crystal areas, covering the VP symbols.
5. 3 Player counters: 1 on the Bitoku Path on your board, 1 on the river space at the beginning of the Ascension Track (VP) on the board, and 1 on the Turn Order Track. Mix all players' turn-order tokens and place them on the track in random order.
6. 6 Building counters, placed on the spaces in the Building area of your player board, covering the VP symbols.
7. 1 random Dragonfly from any face-down stack, placed face up in the matching area of your player board.
8. 1 random Vision card, placed face up next to your player board.
9. The set of 5 Starting Yōkai cards of your color. Shuffle them together and place them face down next to your player board. Return unused Starting Yōkai cards to the box.
10. 1 wood, 1 jade, and 1 "+1" Amulet, placed next to your player board.
11. Place the Iwakura Rock you received in the leftmost space on your player board.

Take 1 player aid. Except for face-down cards and tiles and the Yōkai cards in players' hands, all game elements are public knowledge.

The Path of the Great Spirit

Bitoku is played over four rounds, each divided into four seasonal phases:

• Spring — The Awakening of the Forest: Players prepare their Yōkai cards and gather the fruits of earlier labors.
• Summer — The Call of the Guardians: Players call upon their Yōkai and perform actions in the various board areas.
• Autumn — The Reverence: Based on Summer actions, players determine the new turn order.
• Winter — The Repose of the Forest: Players recover their pieces and prepare the board for the next round.

At the end of the last round, the Ascension begins, when final VP are awarded and the new Great Spirit is chosen.

Yōkai Cards and Dice

During each round you use 3 cards and 3 dice. Yōkai cards are played onto your player board to perform tasks and receive rewards. You begin with a basic deck of 5 Starting Yōkai cards but can gain more powerful cards during the game. Cards can also give VP at the end of the round in which they are played.

Each Yōkai card shows its type, the action it offers when played, and the VP it can grant during the optional Spirit's Virtue step in Winter (maximum 12 VP for playing the Spirit's Virtues). Starting Yōkai cards show a symbol under the type icon matching the player's color.

Ways to obtain Yōkai cards:

• From the common deck: take the top two cards, choose one to keep in hand, and place the other face down on the bottom of the deck.
• From a Hikaru Hill you just moved a die to: place it in your hand.
• From your own deck: draw the top card into your hand.

Always draw from the top of your face-down deck; you may never look at those cards. Keep hand cards secret. Discarded Yōkai cards go face up in a discard pile you may examine but never draw from. If you must draw with an empty deck, shuffle your discard pile into a new face-down deck.

Dice begin each round on the red spaces of your player board. The value on a die determines how powerful that Yōkai is — the higher the value, the more powerful the action. Only dice (not cards) can cross the sacred river to gain the Favor of the Forest.

Before using a die you must unlock it (move it to the green space). Three ways to unlock a die:

• Play a Yōkai card in the space next to the locked die.
• Use an action that allows you to unlock a die.
• Discard a Pilgrim: you may use a locked die from your board by permanently discarding an available Pilgrim counter; you must use that die immediately.

Spring: The Awakening of the Forest

During this phase all players act simultaneously, performing two steps:

A. Summon the Yōkai: Each player draws cards from their Yōkai deck until they have 4 cards in hand. (If you already have 4 or more cards from previous rounds, do not draw.) Then discard down to a total of 3 cards in hand.

B. Reap the Fruits: Each player collects the rewards indicated on the Dream Crystals (purple) on their player boards, in any order.

Once all players finish both steps, move the Pagoda counter to the Summer space.

Icons and Symbols

• A black number to the right of an icon indicates how many times you take an action. No number means once.
• A red hand means you must pay that Resource to the common reserve to obtain a tile or take an action. A yellow hand next to an icon means you may take that action paying that many fewer Resources (of any type).
• An orange VP icon is earned immediately; a purple VP icon is earned at end of game; a gray VP indicates a loss.
• A slash "/" between two icons means you choose one of them.

Summer: The Call of the Guardians

Players take individual turns in the order shown on the Turn Order Track (left to right). On your turn you must choose one of four basic actions:

• A. Play a Yōkai card from your hand.
• B. Use an unlocked die on your player board.
• C. Cross the River.
• D. Pass.

Players continue taking turns until all have passed, then move the Pagoda counter to the Autumn space.

Ways to Gain Actions

• Basic actions are your options on your Summer turn: play a Yōkai card, use an unlocked die, cross the river, or pass.
• Forest Actions are granted by a Forest region when you place a die there (different for each region).
• Building Actions depend on which Buildings are available in the region where you place your die.

Some spaces, tiles, and Yōkai cards also grant an action that must be resolved the moment they are activated, possibly triggering a chain of actions.

A. Play a Yōkai Card from Your Hand

Play one Yōkai card from your hand onto an empty card space in your player board's Yōkai area, then follow three steps:

1. Unlock the die next to the card you just played (move it from the closed red space to the green open one, if needed).
2. Activate the Yōkai card by carrying out its action. This step is optional.
3. Harmonize the Crystal, if one is connected to that card space, by carrying out the action on the tile (before or after activating the Yōkai card). This step is optional.

Things to consider:

• You may not play a card on a space already occupied by another card.
• You may play a card even if the die in that space is already unlocked or already played on the board.
• If all three card spaces are full, choose a different option on your turn.
• You may not move a Yōkai card to another space after playing it.
• Each card space can only ever have one Crystal connected to it.

B. Use an Unlocked Die on Your Player Board

When you use one of your unlocked dice, place it in the Forest area, which is divided into five regions, each with spaces for dice (you can only use an empty space). Follow these steps:

1. Reinforce the Guardian: Before placing a die (and only then), you may increase its value by discarding Amulets to the supply (+1, +2, or +3 each). A die's value can never exceed 6 (extra points are lost). Optional.
2. Visit the Forest: Move the die to any empty space in a Forest region. You may have more than one die in the same region as long as empty spaces remain.
3. Perform Forest and Building Actions: You may use the region's Forest Action and/or one of its Building Actions, in any order. Optional.

Forest Actions: You may only use a Forest Action if the die you placed has a value equal to or higher than all other dice already in that region. Dice that have crossed the river to the Hills no longer count as being in the region.

Building Actions: If there are Buildings in the inhabited area attached to that region when you place the die, you may perform the action on one of them, regardless of other dice values — but your die value must be equal to or higher than the value shown on the Building. If you use a Building constructed by another player, its owner receives that Building's Property Bonus from the common supply (owner earns 1 VP; or 1 VP or a +1 Amulet, owner's choice; or 1 VP and a +1 Amulet). You never receive a Property Bonus for using your own Building.

Things to consider:

• No more than one Forest Action and one Building Action per die placement.
• You may not use a Building Action from a Building you just built this turn.
• You may not place a die from your board directly onto a Hills space across the river.
• You may use a locked die by permanently discarding an available Pilgrim.
• Both action types are optional; you may place a die without taking either.

Resources

There are four Resource types: jade, sake, wood, stone. Resources pay various costs and can be acquired from tiles, cards, and other sources. A "wildcard" icon lets you take Resources of any type, as many as indicated. At any time you may return 3 Resources of the same type to the supply and take a x3 Resources tile of that type in exchange (or vice versa). There is no limit to the number of Resource tokens or Amulets available; use substitutes if you run out.

C. Cross the River

If you have one or more dice in the Forest, you may cross the river:

1. Move Your Die Across the River: Choose one of your Forest dice and move it to an empty space in the matching Hikaru Hills area. (In two-player games, river spaces can reach both Hikaru Hills on each side of the board.)
2. Perform an Act of Contrition: Reduce the value of your die by 1 point. If the die shows 6, reduce it by 3 points instead. You cannot cross with a die showing 1 (it cannot pay the toll).
3. Obtain a Favor of the Forest: Gain one of the available benefits shown in the space you moved to. Each Favor can only be gained once per round per area; cover a claimed Favor with a Hikaru marker. The three Favors available in each area are:
   • A. Take the Bitoku card from this space and place it below your player board to begin or extend your Bitoku Path.
   • B. Take the Yōkai card from this space and add it to your hand.
   • C. Choose two different of these four options: draw 1 Vision card; take 1 Iwakura Rock and add it to your Rock Path; place 1 available Pilgrim adjacent to one Iwakura Rock; move one of your Kodamas forward 1 space.

Once a die has crossed the river, it stays there until Winter and cannot be moved again that round.

Things to consider:

• You may only place a die in an empty space after crossing.
• The die's value does not affect which Favors you may take.
• The Forest space the die left is now empty and available.
• A die at the Home of the Great Spirit cannot cross the river.
• Taking the Favor is optional; you may cross and cover an option with a Hikaru marker without taking its effect.

D. Pass

After playing your three Yōkai cards and moving your three dice to Forest spaces, if you cannot or do not wish to cross the river, you may pass. Once you pass you are out for the rest of the phase. When all players pass, Summer ends and the Autumn Phase begins.

One Quick Tip to Make Bitoku More Difficult

After your first games, increase difficulty: you may only use a Forest Action if the die you placed has a higher value than all other dice already in that region. If any of those dice shows 6, you must spend an Amulet to "virtually" increase your value over 6 for this Forest action only (do not change the die's top face). Dice that have crossed to the Hills are not counted.

Autumn: The Reverence

Players take the following step simultaneously.

Take One Step Forward: The new turn order is decided. The player whose die is highest in the Home of the Great Spirit places their Player counter first on the Turn Order Track, pushing the others right. Then the player in the second-highest position places their counter second, and so on. If you have more than one die in the Home, only the one in the higher position counts. If there are no dice in the Home, turn order remains unchanged.

Once resolved, move the Pagoda counter to the Winter space.

Bitoku Cards

Ways to obtain Bitoku cards:

• From the common deck: take the top two cards, choose one to keep on your Bitoku Path, and place the other face down on the bottom of the deck.
• From a Hikaru Hill you just moved a die to: place it on your Bitoku Path.

Each Bitoku card shows a type, a space for a Player counter, a VP award and any other actions available when the counter moves onto that card, and a rarity number (copies of that type in the deck). Bitoku cards create the Bitoku Path on your player board; each card gained is added by overlapping from left to right.

If you have at least one Bitoku card beyond the space occupied by your Player counter, you may spend 1 Movement Point (MP) to move your counter to the next card. Doing so completes that Bitoku card, immediately gaining its VP and any other action. You also need at least one or two completed Bitoku cards to cross the bridges in the Paths of Wisdom. At the start of the game you have no Bitoku cards, so you cannot move your counter until you gain at least one.

Winter: The Repose of the Forest

All players follow these five steps in order:

A. Guardians Return Home: Take your dice back from the board to the red spaces on your player board, in any order. All dice keep their current values.

B. The Spirit's Virtue (optional): If you have at least 5 Yōkai cards total (deck, board, hand, discard pile), you may permanently remove one from the game to earn VP. Using the new turn order, each player may remove 1 of the 3 Yōkai cards on their player board and score the VP shown at the bottom of the card. Place the removed card face up, visible under your player board next to the flag; you can no longer use it, but it still counts when scoring Iwakura Rocks. Cards discarded this way award VP by counting copies of each item currently under your control times the VP icon value, up to a maximum of 12 points.

C. The Yōkai Say Farewell: Move all remaining Yōkai cards on your player board to your discard pile. Keep any Yōkai cards in your hand for the next round.

D. The Great Spirit Takes a Step: Advance the Great Spirit counter one space on the Round Track. If it reaches the Ascension space, skip step E and proceed to the Ascension.

E. Snow in the Forest: Prepare for the next round:

1. Remove all Bitoku and Yōkai cards from the board and discard them. If either deck is empty, reshuffle its discard pile into a new deck.
2. Return the Hikaru tiles from the Hills to the common supply.
3. Draw a Bitoku card and then a Yōkai card for each space in the Hills.
4. Remove the Mitama Spirit, Dragonfly, Building, and Crystal tiles in the last space (furthest from the stack) of each area. Push remaining tiles forward to fill the end spaces, then turn over enough tiles to fill all spaces. (Iwakura Rocks are never refilled.)
5. Move the Pagoda counter back to the Spring space.

The Ascension: Final Scoring

As soon as the Winter Phase of the last round is complete, players add up their final score. Move your marker along the VP path; if you pass 100 VP, flip your flag to its "+100 VP" side. Score the following:

• A. Reap the Fruits: Each player collects the rewards on the Dream Crystals (purple) on their player boards, in any order.

• B. First Among Many: The player first on the Turn Order Track receives 3 VP.

• C. The Bitoku Bow Before You: Each player receives VP based on the number of different types of Bitoku cards in their Bitoku Path (duplicates don't score), regardless of how far along the path they progressed:

  Different Bitoku Types	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
  VP Earned	1	2	4	7	11	16	22

• D. Treasures of the Lake: For each Forest region, the player whose Kodama is furthest along the track earns the highest VP award for that region, the second earns the middle reward, and the third earns the smallest. If tied, add the rewards of the tied positions and divide among the tied players (rounded down). The final space on a track can be occupied by only one Kodama.

• E. Iwakura Rocks Resonate: Each Pilgrim sitting next to a Rock awards 1 VP for each item you have matching the requirements shown on that tile. An item that appears on two different Rocks may be counted both times. Items may be Yōkai cards (any matching card in deck, discard, hand, or board — including Starting Yōkai; Yama-Uba cards are wild), Mitama Spirits (any matching tile on your board, combined with a Dragonfly or not; Shinigami are wild), or Buildings (any matching Building you own).

• F. Guardians Pay Homage: Add the current values of all three of your dice plus the number of Resources you hold, divide by 4 (rounding down), and earn the result in VP.

• G. Visions Revealed: Earn the VP shown on each completed Vision, and lose 1 or 2 VP for each uncompleted Vision as indicated. Each game element can only fulfill the requirements of one Vision.

• H. Fate Accomplished: Add the end-of-game Virtue Points (purple) shown on your player board in your Building and Crystal areas.

The player with the most VP becomes the new Great Spirit of the Forest and wins. Ties are broken by most Visions completed, then by furthest position on the Turn Order Track.

Vision Cards

Each Vision card shows a list of requirements you must fully complete to earn its VP, or lose VP for each unfulfilled Vision at end of game.

Obtaining Vision cards: When an action awards you a Vision card:

• A. Draw 2 Vision cards from the deck.
• B. Either keep one (place it face up next to your board, and place the other face down on the bottom of the deck), or keep neither (return both to the bottom of the deck and take any 1 Resource of your choice instead).

Each game element can only be used to fulfill one Vision card. If multiple Visions require the same item, you need a separate copy for each. A Vision card shows its requirements, the VP earned if completed, and the VP lost if not.

Vision requirements can include: have a Resource of any type; have a constructed Building; have a Crystal of any color; have a Mitama Spirit tile (combined with a Dragonfly or not — a combined Dragonfly still applies for a following requirement); have a Dragonfly combined with a Mitama Spirit; have a Pilgrim on an Illumination space; have a Pilgrim on a Gate space; have made an advancement on your Bitoku Path.

The Elements of the Forest

The Game Board

• A. Phase Track — the Pagoda counter marks the current phase; move it at the end of each phase.
• B. Round Track — the Great Spirit counter marks the current round; advance it each Winter. Its last space triggers the Ascension.
• C. Spirit Path — tracks each player's VP; move your Player counter when you gain VP. Flip your flag past the "100" space.
• D. Paths of Wisdom — where Pilgrims travel toward enlightenment.
• E. The Forest, divided into five regions: 1 The Lands of Yomi, 2 The Stairs of Knowledge, 3 The Home of the Great Spirit, 4 The Glade of Jade, 5 The Forges.
• F. The Sacred Kurirakugan River.
• G. The Hikaru Hills.
• H. The Inhabited Areas.
• I. The Rock Garden.
• J. The Crystal Caves.
• K. The Rift of Visions.
• L. The Twisted Trail of the Mitamas.
• M. Kodamas and the Treasures of the Lake.

Movement Points

Movement Points (MP) come from some cards and tiles. MP must be spent immediately when gained; they cannot be saved and are lost if unused. Fully resolve each action before spending the next MP. Each MP may be spent to either move your Spirit along your Bitoku Path (see Bitoku Cards), start a new pilgrimage, or move a Pilgrim forward on a Path of Wisdom.

D. The Paths of Wisdom

Start a New Pilgrimage: If you have a Pilgrim available, place it on the starting space (next to the starting Gate) of any Path of Wisdom. Depending on player count, a Gate is the start for one or two paths. You may start as many pilgrimages as you have Pilgrims. If you already occupy a Gate space with one of your Pilgrims, you may instead start a new pilgrimage on the path space connected to that Gate.

Move a Pilgrim Forward: Spend 1 MP to move a Pilgrim one space forward. Each path is one way and must be followed in the shown direction; Pilgrims never move backward. Several Pilgrims may occupy the same space only if the circle is open at the top.

Along a path, forks head toward Illumination spaces or a Gate; you choose which way. Side-path spaces (closed circle) hold only one Pilgrim, and Pilgrims may not occupy different spaces on the same fork.

• Illumination Spaces: award VP and Amulets when a Pilgrim is placed. Place the Pilgrim with its sleeping side up; it cannot move further and stays there for the game.
• Torii Gate Spaces (A and B): same as Illumination spaces, plus you immediately take the action shown on the tile marking that Gate. You may begin future pilgrimages from the space adjacent to this Gate.
• Bridge Spaces: to cross, pay 1 MP and have advanced far enough on your Bitoku Path — at least the first card for the first bridge, at least the second card for the second bridge.

E. The Forest Regions

During Summer you place dice here. Each region offers different Forest Actions and is connected to one of the Hills and one of the Inhabited Areas, and has its own Kodama Track.

The Lands of Yomi (connected to the Twisted Trail of the Mitamas):

• Value 1+: move your Kodama in this region forward 1 space.
• Value 2+: pay the cost and obtain 1 Mitama Spirit tile or 1 Dragonfly tile.
• Value 3+: pay the cost and obtain 1 Mitama Spirit tile (with a 1-resource discount) or 1 Dragonfly.
• Value 4+: pay the cost with a 1-resource discount and obtain 1 Mitama Spirit tile or 1 Dragonfly.
• Value 6: pay the costs and obtain 1 Mitama Spirit tile and 1 Dragonfly tile, with a 1-resource discount on one of them.

The Stairs of Knowledge (connected to the Paths of Wisdom):

• Value 1+: move your Kodama in this region forward 1 space.
• Value 2+: gain 1 Movement Point.
• Value 3+: gain 2 Movement Points.
• Value 4+: gain 3 Movement Points.
• Value 6: gain 4 Movement Points.

The Home of the Great Spirit: The Turn Order Track sits atop this region (order determined in Autumn by dice positions here). Any die can be placed on its spaces regardless of value (except space 6):

• Space 1: gain 1 +2 Amulet.
• Space 2: gain 1 +1 Amulet and draw 1 Vision card.
• Space 3 (3–4 players only): gain 1 +1 Amulet and any 1 Resource.
• Space 4 (3–4 players only): gain 1 +1 Amulet and 1 MP.
• Space 5 (2 players only): gain 1 +1 Amulet and your choice of 1 MP or any 1 Resource.
• Space 6 (2 players only): place a die of value 2 or higher here and reduce its value by 1. Then choose any other player's die on a Forest space and perform that region's Forest Action using that die's value. No Building Action, and you cannot choose a die that has crossed the river.

The Glade of Jade (gain Resources):

• Value 1+: move your Kodama in this region forward 1 space.
• Value 2+: take 1 wood or 1 jade.
• Value 3+: take 1 Resource of your choice.
• Value 4+: take any 2 Resources of your choice.
• Value 6: take any 3 Resources of your choice.

The Forges (gain Crystals and construct Buildings):

• Value 1+: move your Kodama in this region forward 1 space.
• Value 2+: construct 1 Building in an empty space of that Building's type in any Inhabited Area.
• Value 3+: obtain 1 Crystal or construct 1 Building.
• Value 4+: pay with a 1-resource discount to either obtain 1 Crystal or construct 1 Building.
• Value 6: pay with a 1-resource discount to obtain 1 Crystal and construct 1 Building (the discount applies to only one of them).

F. The River

The river marks the border between Forest regions; only the Home of the Great Spirit does not touch its banks. If you have a die in any region except the Home, you may move it across the river to the corresponding Hikaru Hill during your turn.

G. The Hills

Each region except the Home of the Great Spirit is connected to a Hikaru Hill. These spaces can award Yōkai or Bitoku cards or other options. When you move a die across the river, place it in any empty space of the area connected to the region the die just left.

H. The Inhabited Areas

Each Building tile shows its Building Type, the Bonus you receive when constructing it (move your Kodama in that region forward and sometimes receive +1 Amulets), a Building Action a player may take when placing a die in that region (and the minimum die value needed), and the Property Bonus its owner receives when another player uses it. There are five Building types: temple, onsen, farm, ryokan, and Ancient Building. Each region links to one Inhabited Area with face-down Building stacks and face-up Buildings. Ancient Buildings (placed at setup, depending on player count) work like normal Buildings but have no owner, so no Property Bonus.

Constructing Buildings: You may construct a maximum of 6 Buildings. The Building counters on your board show how many you can still build and the cost of each. To construct:

1. Pay the cost under the leftmost Building counter (wood and/or stone) to the supply and take that counter. You'll get the VP shown in the now-empty space at end of game.
2. Choose a face-up Building tile from the Inhabited Areas. Do not refill empty spaces yet.
3. Add the Building to an empty space matching its type.
4. Move your Kodama in that region forward by the Kodama Bonus on the Building, and receive a +1 Amulet if indicated.
5. Place the Building counter you took on the constructed Building to show you own it.

Kodamas and the Treasures of the Lake

Each region has its own Kodama Track. Some actions move your Kodamas forward or opponents' Kodamas backward (a total number of spaces, split among Kodamas as you choose). A green arrow restricts you to Kodamas in the same region as the granting effect. Any number of Kodamas may share a space except the last space on each track (only one Kodama). During Ascension, players earn VP by Kodama positions (Treasures of the Lake).

Two-player special rule: Place a neutral "dummy" Kodama on the fourth space of each Kodama Track. It never moves (not even by "move backward" actions) and is counted when determining final ranking for VP.

I. The Rock Garden

Iwakura Rocks grant VP during Ascension based on the symbols on the tile, but only if you place a Pilgrim beside them. Rocks placed at the start are the only ones available all game; they are never replenished. Two related actions:

• Obtain Iwakura Rock: If you have a clear space in the Iwakura Rock area of your board, choose 1 Rock from the Rock Garden and place it in the leftmost empty space of your Rock Path.
• Place a Pilgrim on an Iwakura Rock space: Place an available Pilgrim on any empty space of your Rock Path next to at least one Iwakura Rock. Pay any Resource cost shown on that space. Place the Pilgrim sleeping side up; it may not move again.

J. The Rift of Visions

Holds the Vision cards. Visions offer additional VP during Ascension by completing their requirements.

K. The Twisted Trail of the Mitamas

Shows the available Mitama Spirits and Dragonfly tiles. Two actions:

Obtain a Mitama Spirit: Obtain a Mitama Spirit tile from those available after paying its cost (sake and/or jade). You immediately receive the VP reward shown above its space. Take the action on the tile and place it on your board; if you have a Dragonfly available, you may immediately combine it. Mitama actions:

• Ara: take 1 Resource of your choice or a +1 Amulet.
• Nigi: unlock 1 locked die and take a +1 Amulet.
• Saki: gain 1 MP or take a +1 Amulet.
• Kushi: advance any of your Kodamas 1 space or take a +1 Amulet.
• Shinigami (4 tiles, each different): take 1 Resource of any type; or gain 1 MP; or advance any of your Kodamas 1 space and move an opponent's Kodama 1 space back; or gain a +1 Amulet or unlock one die. Shinigami are wild when scoring Iwakura Rocks.

Obtain a Dragonfly: Obtain a Dragonfly from those available, paying or receiving the Resources shown below it. You do not receive the Dragonfly's action until it is combined with a Mitama Spirit. Place it on your board; if you have a Mitama available, you may immediately combine it.

Combining a Mitama Spirit with a Dragonfly: When you obtain a Mitama or a Dragonfly (and only then), you may combine it with the opposite if you have one available. Place the two together, move them off your board, and take the action shown on the Dragonfly tile. Combined tiles count at several points but cannot be combined again. You take a Mitama's action when you acquire it, but a Dragonfly's action only when attached to a Mitama.

L. The Crystal Caves

Obtaining a Crystal: Take 1 Crystal from the Crystal Caves by paying its board cost (0, 1, or 2 Resources of any type). You can only take a Crystal that matches an empty space of that type on your player board. When you place it, move the Pilgrim in that space (awakened side up) to the top of your board for later use, and receive any VP shown in that space at end of game. This is the only way to gain new Pilgrims.

Three kinds of Crystals:

• Dream Crystal (purple): you receive the reward during the Reap the Fruits step in Spring and during Ascension.
• Memory Crystal (yellow): you receive 1 or 2 VP each time you take the action shown on the tile.
• Ingenuity Crystal (pink): during Summer, when you play a Yōkai card on the matching space, take the Crystal's action (immediately before or after resolving that Yōkai card).

The Player Boards

Zones on your player board:

• A. Place your pink and yellow Crystals here; each gives another Pilgrim and end-of-game VP.
• B. Slide cards discarded via the Spirit's Virtue underneath this slot.
• C. Hold your available Pilgrims here.
• D. Your flag.
• E. Your Yōkai Deck.
• F. Yōkai card spaces (where you play Yōkai cards in Summer), holding your locked and unlocked dice and spaces for Crystals. Adding a Crystal here gains a Pilgrim and end-of-game VP.
• G. Yōkai Discard Pile.
• H. Iwakura Rock Path (Pilgrims contemplate the Rocks; pay any Resource shown before placing a Pilgrim).
• I. Building Counters (pay the cost under a counter to use it; earn the revealed VP at end of game).
• J. Resting Place of the Mitama Spirits (holds Mitama and Dragonfly tiles until combined).
• K. Bitoku Path (Bitoku cards overlapped left to right; move your Player counter card to card with MP).
• L. Leave combined Mitamas and Dragonflies, Vision cards, Resources, and Amulets next to your board.

Rise of the Tengu — Solitaire Play

The Forest is being overrun by a horde of Tengu. All regular rules apply unless changed below. "You" refers to the lone human player; "the Tengu" or "it" refers to the automated opponent.

Setup

A. Set up a two-player game per the regular rules. Ignore step G for the Tengu — it receives no Iwakura Rocks yet (you get yours as normal).

B. Select a color for the Tengu and flip its player board to the Solitaire side. Keep the Tengu Activation Cycle (TAC) chart handy.

C. Place the Tengu's Building counters on the indicated spaces and all its Pilgrims in the top part of the board. Set all its Starting Yōkai cards face down in a pile on its board. Take 1 random Dragonfly and place it on the indicated space. The Tengu never receives Vision cards or Amulets.

D. Place the Tengu's Kodamas and Player counters as for a normal player. Its Player counter is always first on the Turn Order Track at the start of round 1.

E. Place the Tengu's dice on the red spaces with values 2, 3, and 4 (left to right).

F. Randomly select 1 Iwakura Rock from the Rock Garden and place it on the Tengu's board (leaving an empty, unrefilled space). Then select a second Iwakura Rock with these restrictions: if the first shows Yōkai rewards, the second must show Buildings or Mitama Spirits; if the first shows Buildings or Mitama Spirits, the second must show Yōkai. Return remaining Rocks to the box.

G. The Tengu starts with 1 wood plus 1 Resource based on its Rocks: 1 stone if one shows Buildings, or 1 sake if one shows Mitamas.

H. Shuffle all 10 Tengu Action cards into a face-down deck. Turn over the top 3 in a row to the right of the deck.

I. Take 2 dice of an unused color as the Will of the Tengu dice; set them near the Tengu cards. Place the Tengu Attitude tile inactive-side up in the bottom-right slot. The Will of the Tengu dice are never placed on the board and do not count as Guardian dice.

Tengu Terminology

• Available Action: a space with no die (yours or the Tengu's).
• Rarest Bitoku: each Bitoku has a rarity number (lower = rarer). A Bitoku is rarest if it has the lowest number in the Hills and the Tengu has not yet collected that type; ties prefer the one further left.
• Choose Randomly: between two equal options, roll one Will die (1–3 vs 4–6). For board objects, roll one die: 1–2 the cheapest (innermost), 3–4 the second, 5 the third, 6 the fourth (outermost); if unavailable, proceed outward to more expensive options, cycling back to cheapest.
• Favorite: an object shown on either of the Tengu's two Iwakura Rocks. For the two Tengu Action cards showing "favorite Mitama or Building," treat the location as the Lands of Yomi if its Rocks show a Mitama, or the Forges if they show a Building.
• Tengu Attitude tile: has active and inactive sides.
• Most Competitive Kodama: the Tengu Kodama behind yours that would take the fewest moves to tie you; ties prefer the highest first-place VP award, then further left.
• Pilgrims: the Tengu always has all 11 available (awakened), used only on the Path of Wisdom.
• Associated Resource: shown in the lower right of most Tengu cards. If a card shows none and the Tengu must gain a Resource, it takes whatever it has fewest of (tie order: wood > jade > stone > sake).
• Crossing / Contested Crossing: a die is at a Crossing if it is below the river with at least one open space in the matching Hill. Contested if both you and the Tengu have a die at Crossings connected to the same Hill.
• Die Values: the Tengu's dice never change value, even crossing the river. When multiple dice can be unlocked or placed, use the lowest value first; when multiple can cross, use the highest value.

Changes to Gameplay

Spring: The Tengu never draws Yōkai cards. During Reap the Fruits it gains (and immediately spends) 1 MP per Crystal on its board, on top of normal rewards. You carry out this phase as normal.

Summer: You alternate turns with the Tengu in Turn Order (always starting with the Tengu in round 1). On the Tengu's turn: A) roll both Will of the Tengu dice; B) select a face-up Tengu Action card by the lower value rolled (1–2: right card; 3–4: middle; 5–6: left) — this is the Active Tengu card; C) follow the TAC and resolve the first valid step; D) discard the Active Tengu card, slide the others right, and turn over a new card into the leftmost space. If the deck empties, reshuffle all 8 discard-pile cards (not the 2 face-up cards) into a new deck.

Autumn: Determine the new turn order in the usual way.

Winter: The Tengu never scores or removes Yōkai cards and never interacts with them. Before advancing the Great Spirit counter, remove 1 random Iwakura Rock from the Rock Garden (if any remain). The rest of the phase is unchanged.

The Tengu Activation Cycle (TAC)

Once the Active Tengu card is selected, find the first step whose Conditions are all met, resolve its actions, and end the turn. All actions refer to the Tengu's pieces unless stated.

Location actions:

• The Lands of Yomi: if the card shows a Dragonfly, take a random Dragonfly (no cost). If it shows a Mitama Spirit, take its favorite Mitama (cheapest if multiple; random if none match), receive the VP under its space, but ignore the tile effect. If neither, take the first option if it has an uncombined Mitama, otherwise the second.
• Combining: the Tengu always combines a Mitama with a Dragonfly as soon as it can, moving them aside, ignoring the Dragonfly effect, and gaining 2 MP.
• Stairs of Knowledge: the Tengu gains 3 MP.
• Spending MP (immediately, in order): A) move forward 1 card on its Bitoku Path if possible, scoring that Bitoku's printed VP but ignoring other effects; B) move a Pilgrim on the Path of Wisdom — to the highest-VP Illumination space available (gaining twice the printed VP, ignoring other actions), or to a Gate space without its Pilgrim (twice the printed VP, then draw and perform the top Tengu Action card, then discard it), or otherwise one space forward ignoring bridges; C) otherwise place a new Pilgrim at the rightmost available Gate.
• Glade of Jade: take the 2 Resources shown on the card, or 2 of the Associated Resource if none shown; either way advance its most competitive Kodama one space.
• The Forges: if the card shows a Crystal, take a random Crystal (no cost). If it shows a Building, construct its favorite Building (innermost if multiple; random if none match; never an unplaceable one), placing it on a legal location (using the most competitive Kodama's region if multiple), paying nothing, placing its next Building counter, ignoring the tile effect and instead advancing its Kodama in that region one space. If neither, take the second option if it can build its favorite, otherwise the first.
• Building Actions: the Tengu never uses them. If you activate one of its Buildings, it gains 1 VP instead of the usual Property Bonus.
• The Hills: Yōkai cards go to its face-down stack (scored at Ascension); Bitoku cards go to its Bitoku Path and are progressed by spending MP.

TAC steps (resolve the first whose conditions are met):

• A. At a Contested Crossing where a Yōkai/Bitoku on the top half of the card is available: cross and take that card (random if both match).
• B. If the card's bottom location is available, the Tengu has no unlocked dice but at least one locked die, the Attitude tile is inactive, and the card is leftmost: flip the Attitude tile active, unlock 1 die, place it on the location, advance its Kodama there, and perform the action.
• C. If the location is available and the Tengu has an unlocked die: place an unlocked die there, advance its Kodama, and perform the action.
• D. If the Tengu has a locked die and has the Associated Resource (or the card shows none): unlock 1 die, spend the Associated Resource, and perform the location's action without placing a die.
• E. At a Contested Crossing with only one open Hill space: cross and take the first available of — favorite Yōkai; rarest available new-type Bitoku; random Yōkai.
• F. If the Tengu hasn't placed a die in the Home and has an unlocked die: place it on the second-highest Home space (third-highest if yours is there), advance its Kodama, then score 3 VP plus 2 VP per die of yours showing 5 or 6 below the river.
• G. If the Tengu has a locked die: unlock 1 die and take the Associated Resource.
• H. At a Crossing where a Yōkai/Bitoku on the top half of the card is available: cross and take that card (random if both match).
• I. If the location is not available and the Tengu has an unlocked die: find the location (excluding the Home) with the most competitive Kodama, place an unlocked die there, advance its Kodama, and perform the action.
• J. If the Attitude tile is active and the Tengu has no dice available: flip the Attitude tile inactive and take the Associated Resource.
• K. At a Crossing: cross and take the first available of — favorite Yōkai; rarest available new-type Bitoku; random Yōkai.
• L. Otherwise the Tengu passes.

The Tengu's Ascension

Score your VP normally (except Kodamas, below). Then score the Tengu: A) visible VP for all Building counters removed from its board; B) 3 VP per Yōkai, Building, and/or Mitama Spirit matching its 2 Iwakura Rocks; C) 3 VP per Starting Yōkai and 6 VP per "advanced" Yōkai it collected (including those in step B); D) 1 VP per Resource; E) 2 VP per Crystal; F) Bitoku scored as a human player; G) Kodama Tracks scored as in a two-player game, but the Tengu wins ties; H) 3 VP if first on the Turn Order Track. The Tengu does not score die values and has no Visions. If you have more VP than the Tengu, you win.

Adjusting the Difficulty

Options that make it easier to beat the Tengu: it starts without a Dragonfly, without Yōkai cards, or without Resources; it advances its Kodama only when you're ahead of it on that track; it gains no MP for Soul Crystals in Spring.

Options that make it harder: place a Pilgrim on the first Path of Wisdom space for the Tengu at setup; advance each Tengu Kodama one space at setup; the Tengu starts with 2 Dragonflies; the Tengu scores 3 extra VP for each region where its Kodama is ahead of yours (not tied) during Ascension.

Cultural References

Bitoku is a Japanese word referring to virtues, especially those of Bushido. The game is set in a fictional universe shared with another Devir game, Silk — Bitoku is a prequel of sorts, set thousands of years earlier. You don't need to play one to enjoy the other; they are very different in gameplay. The universe is inspired mainly by manga, anime, and Japanese pop culture, folklore, and traditions; many creatures come from Asian myths and many were invented for the game.

Credits

A game designed by Germán P. Millán. Illustrated by Edu Valls. Solitaire mode rules by Dávid Turczi; additional solo development by Xavi Bordes. Published by Devir.