Copan: Dying City Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Setup
  • Setup Details
  • Components Assembly
• Aim of the Game
• The Turn
• The Court Phase
  • Placing a Court Tile
  • Moving a Decline Cube
  • Resolving Events
  • Collecting Resources
  • The Any-Resource Symbol
• The Action Phase
  • Moving to a Site
  • Staying on a Site
  • Site Space Symbols
• The Sites
  • Site: Embassies
  • Site: The River
  • Site: The Ball Court
  • Site: The Altars
  • Site: The Hieroglyphic Stairway
• The Jade Mask
  • Building the Jade Mask
• The Pyramid Steps
  • Ascending the Pyramid
  • Stairway Levels
  • Reaching the Top
• End of the Turn
• End of the Game
• Final Scoring
  • Site: Embassies
  • Site: The Ball Court
  • Pyramid Stairways
  • Jade Mask
• Winning the Game
• Glossary
  • City Tiles
  • Embassy Bonus Tokens
  • Character Cards
  • Altar Cards
  • Jade Mask Effects
  • Event Cards
• Solo Mode
  • Solo Setup
  • Anatomy of an Automa Card
  • Solo Rules
  • Differences Between Basic and Advanced Mode
  • Automa Card Details
  • Adjusting the Difficulty
• Gaming Aid: The Turn

Components

Components for all players

• 1 central board
• 12 Decline tracks
• 4 Decline cubes
• 8 Fixing cubes
• 8 Setup tiles
• 80 Court tiles
• 1 cloth bag
• 3 Zenith tokens
• 15 Closed tokens
• 20 City tiles
• 30 Embassy bonus tokens
• 1 Embassy token Chest
• 12 Storage extensions
• 54 Character cards
• 16 Altar cards
• 48 Glyph cards
• 9 Event cards
• 1 Fate die
• 1 dice tower

Each player also has the following components in their player colour

• 1 Jade Mask board
• 16 Jade tiles
• 1 Player board
• 4 Resource tiles
• 1 Player Totem
• 4 Priest meeples
• 25 Player tokens
• 1 Score token (0 to 100 points)
• 1 Score token (100 to 200 points)

Solo mode components

• 16 Automa cards

Setup

1. Place the central board in the middle of the table.
2. Place the Decline tracks on the central board, around the Pyramid. Each track has a dedicated side of the Pyramid, as indicated by the symbols on the central board. Place a grey Fixing cube at the end of each track to hold it in place.
3. Shuffle the City tiles and draw 6. Place them at random on the spaces of Site Embassies, face up. All unused City tiles are removed from play.
4. Separate and shuffle the Embassy tokens by level (level 1, level 2 and level 3), and place them into the Embassy token Chest, face down.
5. Shuffle the Court tiles into the cloth bag, then draw 4. Place them on the designated spaces of Site The River, face up.
6. Shuffle the Character cards and draw 6. Place them on the designated spaces of Site The Ball Court. The remaining Character cards are put into a pile, face down, next to the board.
7. Shuffle the Altar cards and draw 4. Place them on the designated spaces of Site The Altars, face up. The remaining Altar cards are put into a pile, face down, next to the board.
8. Shuffle the Glyph cards and draw 6. Place them on the designated spaces of Site The Hieroglyphic Stairway, face up. The remaining Glyph cards are put into a pile, face down, next to the board.
9. Next to the central board, place a pile of Storage extension tiles: 6 for 2 players, 9 for 3 players and 12 for 4 players.
10. Place the 3 Zenith tokens at the center of the Pyramid in the following order from top to bottom: 14, 8, 3.
11. Place the dice tower and the Fate die next to the central board.
12. Choose an Event card and place it on the Event card space of the central board.
13. Each player takes a Player board of their chosen colour, and places their 4 Resource tokens on the first space of their respective resource tracks.
14. Each player then takes a Jade Mask board and places the 16 Jade tiles of their colour next to it, player colour side up.
15. Each player then places one of their Priest meeples on the first space of each of the 4 staircases of the Pyramid, on the central board.

You're ready to play!

The printed rulebook shows an example of setup for a 3 player game (diagram, not transcribed).

Setup Details

For a 3 player game, add 4 Setup tiles to the great Pyramid as shown in the printed diagram.

For a 2 player game, add 4 Setup tiles to the great Pyramid as shown in the printed diagram.

Your choice of Event card can considerably change the length and difficulty of your game. To help you choose, each card has two criteria: difficulty and length.

The difficulty symbol (a circled symbol, shown 1 to 3 times) represents the overall difficulty your game will have. The more symbols there are, the more strongly Copan's decline will be felt through disappearing resources and devastating events.

• 1 difficulty symbol: Easy game
• 2 difficulty symbols: Normal game
• 3 difficulty symbols: Hard game

The difficulty level of some Event cards can also affect game length. The hourglass symbols give you an idea of how long your game will last.

• 1 hourglass symbol: Short game
• 2 hourglass symbols: Standard game
• 3 hourglass symbols: Long game

For your first game, the rulebook recommends using the Event card that is specially designed to give you the time to get to grips with the game's subtleties without being overly punishing.

Components Assembly

The printed rulebook also has pictorial instructions for assembling the dice tower and the Embassy token Chest. These are assembly steps, not rules, and are not transcribed. The printed note reads: "Certain pieces of these elements are fragile, please assemble gently!"

Aim of the Game

Copan is a worker placement game taking place in a Mayan city destined to fall. Each turn, players must place their Family Totem on one of the great Sites in and around the city, performing actions that will propel them into the upper echelons of power. But as Copan's dark fate looms, each family's dreams of glory will turn into a race for survival.

Copan uses several original mechanics that bring a new twist to the genre of worker placement games.

The longer you stay in a location, the more you will be rewarded with valuable bonuses. Many effects will also allow you to perform additional actions during your turn, creating powerful combos! Inevitable events will punctuate the game, announcing Copan's collapse and the disappearance of available resources. You'll have to prepare yourself for the hard times ahead, lest your legacy be lost along with the city.

The Turn

Starting with the first player, players each play their turn moving clockwise around the table, until the end of game and final scoring is triggered.

At the end of the game, the player with the most Victory Points (VP) is the winner.

Each turn of the game includes two mandatory phases, which must be performed in order: the Court Phase, and the Action Phase.

• The Court Phase: During this phase, the active player gains resources by placing a Court tile onto the great Pyramid, which accelerates the city's decline. This phase can also trigger Events, which will change the course of the game.
• The Action Phase: During this phase, the active player chooses a Site on the central board to place their Player Totem. They can then perform that Site's action.

The Court Phase

In the courts of Copan, you will manipulate and charm your way through the city's political spheres to get what your family needs. But beware: Copan's resources are finite, and their depletion will have disastrous consequences.

The Court phase includes four steps, which must be carried out in the following order:

1. Place a Court tile
2. Move a Decline cube
3. Resolve Events
4. Collect Resources

IMPORTANT: If a player has no Court tiles left, they must draw a Court tile from the bag and place it face down on an available space of their choice. The player never gains resources from placing a tile in this way. However, placing a Court tile face down can trigger an Event if placed on a space with an Event symbol.

Placing a Court Tile

The active player begins their Court phase by placing a Court tile, face up, onto an available space of their choice on the Pyramid.

You are free to place your Court tile on any empty space on any of the four sections of the Pyramid. You do not need to place your tile on an outside edge, or connect it to a previously placed tile.

Moving a Decline Cube

Immediately after placing their Court tile, the player must move the Decline cube on the Decline track of the same resource symbol as the tile they just placed one space to the left. That resource has begun to dwindle!

Depending on the new position of the Decline cube, the amount of resources you collect could have changed (see 4. Collecting Resources).

Resolving Events

Placing a Court tile can trigger one or several Events. If no Event was triggered, you may skip straight to step 4: Collecting Resources.

There are two different types of Event that can be unleashed upon Copan. Both are called Events and both use the Fate die and the Event card, but they are triggered in different ways:

• Spiral Event: If your Court tile was placed onto a space with the spiral symbol on it, you immediately trigger a spiral Event. A spiral Event is triggered when a spiral symbol is covered by a Court tile.
• Decline Event: If a Decline cube moves across a threshold of the Decline track to a new tier, or reaches the final space (on the far left of the track), a Decline Event is immediately triggered. Copan's resources are reaching critical limits!

Spiral Event. Discard all of the Character cards currently on Site The Ball Court and all of the Altar cards from Site The Altars, replacing them with new ones. If there are currently any player tokens on Site The Altars, move them to their dedicated space to the left of the Site (see The Altars, page 18).

Then, roll the Fate die. Refer to the Event card, and apply the effect corresponding to the symbol rolled.

Printed illustration: the Fate die and an Event card, showing six symbol faces, each paired with an effect.

Decline Event. Roll the Fate die. Refer to the Event card, and apply the effect corresponding to the symbol rolled.

Then, on the Site that is impacted by the corresponding Decline track, close the spaces with symbols matching the one rolled on the Fate die.

• Food Decline track (affects Site Embassies): After rolling and applying the effect of the Fate die, close the space on Site Embassies with the symbol matching the one rolled. Remove the City tile from play, replacing it with a Closed token. This City is no longer available (see Site: Embassies, page 14).
• Fame Decline track (affects Site The Ball Court): After rolling and applying the effect of the Fate die, close the space on Site The Ball Court with the symbol matching the one rolled. Remove the Character card from that space, placing it on top on the deck, and replace it with a Closed token. Character cards can no longer be placed on this space (see Site: The Ball Court, page 16).
• Zeal Decline track (affects Site The Altars): After rolling and applying the effect of the Fate die, close the two spaces on Site The Altars with the symbol matching the one rolled by placing Closed tokens. If there were player tokens on these spaces, move them to the dedicated space to the left of the Site. These Altar spaces are no longer available (see Site: The Altars, page 18).
• Power Decline track (affects Site The Hieroglyphic Stairway): After rolling and applying the effect of the Fate die, close the space on Site The Hieroglyphic Stairway matching the one rolled. Remove the Glyph card from that space, placing it on top on the deck, and replace it with a Closed token. Glyph cards can no longer be placed on this space (see Site: The Hieroglyphic Stairway, page 19).

Multiple Events. It is possible for more than one Event to be triggered on a player's turn. If this happens, the Fate die is only ever rolled once, when the first Event is triggered. The Event card effect is only applied once per Player turn. However, if several Events are triggered one after the other, the corresponding spaces on each Site concerned will all be closed.

The active player places a Court tile on a spiral space, triggering a spiral Event. The Altar and Character cards are all removed from play and replaced, and the effect of the Event card for the Fate symbol rolled is applied. The effect of the Event card moves the Decline cube over a tier threshold, triggering a Decline Event. The Fate die is not rolled again, and the effect of the Event card is not applied. However, the space with the corresponding Fate symbol on Site is shut down with a Closed token. Any other Events triggered this turn will be resolved in the same way.

Clarifications

• Each Decline track can trigger up to 3 Decline Events over the course of a game (once per tier threshold, and once when it reaches the end of the track).
• If a Decline cube should be moved, but has already reached the end of its track, then the Decline cube on the next track (going clockwise around the board) is moved instead.
• If a space on a Site should be closed due to an Event, but there is already a Closed token present, then the die is not rolled again, and no space is closed.

The printed rulebook has a clarifying example, shown as a picture: the Decline cube on the Power Decline track has just crossed a tier threshold. The Fate die is rolled, with a result of the symbol shown in the printed example. After applying the effect on the Event card, the matching space on the Site is closed. The Glyph card on that space is placed back onto the top of the pile, then replaced with a Closed token.

You can find explanations for all Event card effects in the Event Cards glossary.

Collecting Resources

For this final step, the player activates the Court tile they placed, as well as each orthogonally adjacent Court tile. Check the Decline tracks for each tile activated.

For each track, the player will gain resources depending on the current position of the Decline cube:

• 1st tier (the furthest to the right): the active player gains 2 resources of that type. This resource is plentiful! For now.
• 2nd tier: the active player gains 1 resource of that type.
• 3rd tier (the furthest to the left): the active player gains no resources of that type. This resource has been exhausted.

For each resource gained, the active player moves their corresponding resource token along its track on their Player board.

Printed example: the active player places a Fame Court tile adjacent to a Power tile and a Food tile. All three tiles are activated. The Zeal tile (labelled FERVEUR in the printed example) is not activated.

Clarifications

• Diagonally adjacent Court tiles are never activated.
• If the player produces more resources than they can store on their Player board, the excess is lost.
• You can increase your storage capacity by purchasing Storage extensions (see Site: The River, page 15).
• As the Collecting Resources step happens after the Decline tracks and Events have been resolved, you may end up with fewer resources than you were hoping for!

Printed example: after checking each resource's Decline track, the Decline cubes on the Fame and Power tracks are in the first tier, so the player gains 2 Fame and 2 Power. The Decline cube on the Food track is in the 2nd tier, so the player only gains 1 Food.

The Any-Resource Symbol

If, during step 1 of this phase, a Court tile is placed on a space with the any-resource symbol (two multi-coloured symbols shown together), the active player gains 2 resources of their choice.

Clarifications

• The resources gained in this way are not affected by the Decline tracks. As a result, it is possible to gain a resource that has been exhausted (see Events, page 32).

Printed example: the player placed a Fame Court tile on an any-resource space. They chose to gain 1 Zeal and 1 Power. They then check the Decline track, and gain resources accordingly.

IMPORTANT: If a player loses resources due to an effect, but they do not have enough resources to pay for the loss, they will lose 1 Victory Point per unpaid resource. However, this is only viable in the case of losing resources due to effects. A player cannot choose to use Victory Points to pay to enter a Site or perform an action.

The Action Phase

There are multiple paths for a family to ascend to glory in the city of Copan. Will you be a great diplomat? A legend of the sacred ball game, an unrivaled trader? A favorite of the city's priests? Or will you carve your exploits into the steps of the hieroglyphic stairway?

During this phase, the active player must either move their Player Totem to one of Copan's 5 Sites, or stay on the Site they currently occupy.

Note: On their first turn, a player's Totem does not yet occupy any Site, and must be placed.

You can find an explanation of each Site on pages 14 to 19 (see the Sites section below).

Moving to a Site

To move to a Site where they were not present on a previous turn, the active player moves their Player Totem onto the entry space of that Site, as indicated by the arrow. They must immediately choose which side of their Totem they put face up: the any-resource side, or the 2 side.

Upon placing their Totem on a Site, the active player must immediately resolve the symbol of the entry space, then perform that Site's action.

If the active player does not have enough resources to resolve the symbol their Totem was placed on AND perform the Site's action, then they cannot move to that Site, and must choose a different one.

If another player is already present on the Site's entry space, then they are "pushed" into the next space (moving clockwise). The "pushed" player does not resolve the symbol their Totem lands on.

Printed example: the active player moves to a Site and immediately spends 1 Fame resource.

Printed example: the active player moves to a Site and immediately spends 1 Zeal resource. They push the player currently occupying the entry space, moving them to the next one.

Clarifications

• It is possible for several Totems to be "pushed" at once.
• If a Totem is "pushed" from the final space of a Site, it is ejected from that Site. Its owner must move it to a new Site. In this case, they follow all of the usual rules for moving to a new Site, but do not resolve the symbol of the entry space.

Reminder: If you find yourself unable to pay the cost of any Site action, you can always visit the Copan River to restock! It's the only Site that gives you resources when you enter.

Staying on a Site

On their turn, the active player can also choose to stay on the Site they currently occupy. In this case, their Totem is moved to the next space on that Site (moving clockwise), and the symbol it is placed onto is immediately resolved.

As explained previously, if another player's Totem currently occupies the space the active player is moving their Totem onto, they are "pushed" to the next space.

If, at the beginning of their Action Phase, the active player is on the final space of a Site, they must move to a new Site. As a result, a player will only ever be able to remain on the same Site for a maximum of 3 turns (if they aren't pushed by another player).

Printed example: the active player chooses to stay on a Site for a third turn, moving their Totem to the third space (x2). As their Totem has the any-resource symbol face up, they gain 2 resources of their choice. They choose to gain 1 Fame and 1 Zeal, moving the corresponding resource tokens on their Player board.

Printed example: the active player chooses to stay on a Site for a third turn, moving their Totem to the third space (x2). As their Totem has the 2 symbol face up, they gain 4 VP (2 x 2).

Site Space Symbols

• A red cross on a cost symbol: the player must pay 1 resource of the type shown (Food, Fame, Zeal or Power).
• x1: the player gains the symbol that is currently face up on their Totem.
• x2: the player gains the symbol that is currently face up on their Totem x 2.
• x3: the player gains the symbol that is currently face up on their Totem x 3.
• If the player's Totem has the any-resource symbol face up, then they gain the resource of their choice.
• If the player's Totem has the 2 symbol face up, then they gain Victory Points, moving their score token along the score track.

Clarifications

• Resources gained with your Player Totem are not affected by the Decline tracks. As a result, it is possible to gain a resource that has been exhausted (see Events, page 32).

IMPORTANT

• The effects of certain Actions allow you to perform additional bonus actions. When you obtain a bonus action, you must complete your current action before moving on to the next action.
• All actions must be performed in the order they are obtained. A bonus Action is never free! Its cost must be paid. If you gain a bonus action but are unable to pay its cost, that action is lost.

Be sure to plan accordingly!

The Sites

Site: Embassies

Power isn't just to be found within Copan itself. Other Maya cities, even distant ones, can become precious allies.

Through this Site, players can reach other Maya cities and set up embassies there.

The player starts their turn by resolving the effect of the space they moved their Totem onto.

Site Action

The player spends as many Resources as required to reach one of the Cities and build an Embassy there. The path leading from the starting location to the target City shows the resources required. Once the journey is complete, the City itself also has a cost, which must be paid.

Once the full cost has been paid, the player places one of their Player tokens on one of the spaces next to the visited City. They now have an embassy there! They then gain the City's effect, benefiting from their new ally.

Then, they draw as many Embassy tokens from the Embassy Chest as they have Player Tokens in that City. The effects of the Embassy tokens are applied, then the tokens are discarded.

A player can visit a given City as many times as they wish, stacking their subsequent player tokens on top of their first one. This does not count as a new Embassy, but does allow the player to gain that City's effect, as well as Embassy tokens.

Embassy token levels

There are three levels of Embassy token (level 1, level 2 and level 3), which correspond to the level of City reached. The higher a City's level, the more powerful the effect of its Embassy tokens will be.

Each level of Embassy token has a dedicated section of the Embassy token Chest. An Embassy token's level is also shown on the back of the token.

Depending on the level of the City the player built an embassy in, draw Embassy tokens of the corresponding level. The level of a City is shown below its name.

Printed example: the city of Uxmal is level 3.

Site: The River

The Copan river is overflowing with riches, and every family, even the most noble, must make the trip to its shores when their supplies begin to run low.

At the River, players can replenish their reserves of Court tiles, and increase their storage capacity.

The player starts their turn by resolving the effect of the space they moved their Totem onto.

Site Action

The player immediately gains the two leftmost Court tiles on the River. They may then:

• Buy the two remaining Court tiles, OR
• Buy a Storage extension for their Player board.

Buying the 2 remaining Court tiles. The active player must spend 1 resource of any type, and can then take the two remaining Court tiles.

Buying a Storage extension. To buy a Storage extension, the active player must spend 1 resource of any type, plus an additional resource of any type for each Storage extension they already have.

They then take a Storage extension from the pile and attach it to their Player board. Their storage capacity is now increased, both for resources and Character cards.

Printed note: to buy a third Storage extension, the active player must spend 3 resources of any type.

Site: The Ball Court

The Ball Court is a sacred place, where showing your players' skill will bring great prestige to your family! Particularly good games will attract influential allies, whose skills could prove precious in your quest for glory.

On the Ball Court, players can recruit Characters with useful skills to join their faction.

The player starts their turn by resolving the effect of the space they moved their Totem onto.

Site Action: Recruiting a Character

The active player spends the resources requested by the Character they wish to recruit (as shown in the top left hand corner of the card).

They then place their Character on one of the available spaces on the top edge of their Player board, or of one of their Storage extensions.

They then place one of their player tokens on the side of the Ball Court they took the Character card from, either the right or the left.

The Character card that was taken is not immediately replaced. It will be replaced at the end of the player's turn (see End of Turn, page 23).

Discarding a Character

If the active player wishes to recruit a Character, but has no remaining spaces on their Player board, they may discard a Character they already have to make room. The discarded Character is removed from play and no longer has an effect.

Clarifications

• A Character can be discarded immediately upon recruitment, before placing them above the Player board. So it is possible for a player to recruit a Character when they have no space available by discarded them immediately.
• A player can discard more than one Character per turn if they wish.

Character Types

There are 3 types of Character, each marked with its own symbol: the infinity symbol, a bird symbol, and a sun-over-horizon symbol.

• Infinity Characters: Once recruited and placed, an infinity Character has an effect that remains active for the duration of the game.
• Bird Characters: In order for their effect to be used, a bird Character must be discarded. They can be discarded at any time on the active player's turn.
  • Clarification: The active player can recruit a bird Character and keep them for as long as they wish; they do not need to be discarded immediately.
• Sun Characters: Once recruited and placed, a sun Character has an effect which will only activate at the end of the game, during final scoring.

You can find a full explanation of all Character card effects in the Character Cards glossary.

IMPORTANT: If the Character pile runs out during play, shuffle the discard pile to make a new one.

Site: The Altars

As the spiritual heart of Copan, the Altars are where the priesthood sets the city's religious calendar. A show of piety, along with generous offerings, will gain their favour, and all of the benefits that come with it.

At the Altars, players can gain access to different bonuses including resources, extra actions, and ascending the stairs of the great Pyramid.

The player starts their turn by resolving the effect of the space they moved their Totem onto.

Site Action

The player picks one of the 12 spaces available on this Site (3 per Altar card), and places one of their Player tokens there, directly underneath the effect they chose. To place their token, they must pay the resources indicated at the top of the Altar card whose effect they are using. Once they have paid the necessary resources, they gain the Altar card bonus above their Player token.

Each Altar card bonus also allows the player to ascend the steps of the Pyramid. The player chooses the stairway they wish to ascend, and moves their Priest meeple 1 to 3 spaces up that stairway, as indicated on the Altar card (see Pyramid Steps, page 22).

Clarification

• A player cannot place a Player token on a space that already has a Player token or a Closed token present. They must choose a different effect.

You can find a full explanation of all Altar card effects in the Altar Cards glossary.

Site: The Hieroglyphic Stairway

This impressive monument tells the dynastic history of Copan. To have your legacy engraved on the steps of the hieroglyphic stairway is an incomparable honor, but you will have to use all your influence to achieve it.

At the Hieroglyphic Stairway, players can collect Glyph cards, which can then be exchanged for pieces of jade for their family's mask, as well as extra actions.

The player starts their turn by resolving the effect of the space they moved their Totem onto.

Site Action

The player chooses a line of the Hieroglyphic Stairway and spends the resources indicated. They then take all of the Glyph cards from that line. The Glyph cards that are taken are not immediately replaced. They will be replaced at the end of the player's turn (see End of Turn, page 23).

Each column of the Hieroglyphic Stairway also allows the player to ascend the steps of the Pyramid. The player chooses the stairway they wish to ascend, and moves their Priest meeple 1 to 3 spaces up that stairway, as indicated on the column (see Pyramid Steps, page 22).

Exchanging Glyph Cards

During play, players will collect Glyph cards. At any time during their turn, the active player can exchange all or part of their Glyph cards for Jade tiles, which will allow them to create their Jade Mask. The active player can only exchange Glyph cards once per turn.

The active player can exchange collections of Glyph cards of different colours OR of the same colour. They then check the number of Jade tiles that they obtain in exchange as shown below.

Same colour (Glyph cards of one colour):

Glyph cards	Jade tiles obtained	Bonus action
2	1	none
3	2	Perform 1 bonus action on the Site of your choice
4	3	Perform 1 bonus action on the Site of your choice, subtracting 1 resource of your choice from its cost
5	4	Perform 1 bonus action on the Site of your choice, subtracting 2 resources of your choice from its cost
6	5	Perform 1 bonus action on the Site of your choice, subtracting 3 resources of your choice from its cost

Different colours (Glyph cards of different colours):

Glyph cards	Jade tiles obtained	Bonus action
3	1	none
4	2	Perform 1 bonus action on the Site of your choice
5	3	Perform 1 bonus action on the Site of your choice
6	4	Perform 1 bonus action on the Site of your choice, subtracting 1 resource of your choice from its cost
7	5	Perform 1 bonus action on the Site of your choice, subtracting 1 resource of your choice from its cost
8	6	Perform 1 bonus action on the Site of your choice, subtracting 2 resources of your choice from its cost

When a player obtains Jade tiles, they must be used immediately (see Jade Mask, page 20).

If the player exchanges a large enough number of Glyph cards, they can also gain an additional action of their choice. This action must be performed after their current action, once their Jade tiles have been placed and resolved.

IMPORTANT: Glyph cards that have been exchanged are discarded. If the Glyph card deck runs out, shuffle the discard pile to create a new one.

Reminder: Additional actions are not free! Their cost must be paid as per the normal rules.

The Jade Mask

Only the most powerful families obtain the honor of creating their own Jade Mask. An incomparable symbol of nobility, this mask will be a precious legacy that will echo through the ages.

During the game, players will be able to build their Jade Mask using the Jade tiles obtained through their Glyph cards from Site The Hieroglyphic Stairway.

Your Jade Mask can be an invaluable addition to your strategy. Building it brings many advantages, including precious resources, Victory Points, and more.

Building the Jade Mask

When the active player obtains Jade tiles (see Site: The Hieroglyphic Stairway, page 19), they must use them immediately to build their Jade Mask. To create their Mask, the player takes the Jade tiles of their choice from the ones in front of them, and places them onto the dedicated spaces on their Jade Mask board.

The first Jade tile to be placed onto a player's board must be located on a space on the Mask's outer edge.

Each subsequent Jade tile must be placed adjacent to a previous one, so that each segment of the Mask is connected.

Once a player has begun building their Jade Mask, they cannot place a new Jade tile on a different outside edge of their Mask.

When placing a Jade tile on a Jade Mask space, the player immediately gains the effect shown on that space.

Each Jade Tile has a dedicated space on the Jade Mask board. To help you find the piece you're looking for more quickly, each Jade Mask space has a number. Its corresponding Jade tile has the same number on the back.

You can find a full explanation of all Jade Mask effects in the Jade Mask glossary.

The Pyramid Steps

Copan's most sacred altar is found at the zenith of its largest pyramid. Noble families will go to great lengths to have one of their members in this most prestigious of places.

During play, players will be able to move their Priests up the four stairways of the Pyramid. Ascending its steps can mean the difference between victory and defeat!

Ascending the Pyramid

By performing actions on Sites The Altars and The Hieroglyphic Stairway, players can move up to 3 steps at a time on a stairway of the Pyramid. There are also other ways of moving up the steps, such as certain Character cards, City tiles, or Embassy tokens.

When the active player obtains an effect allowing them to move up the Pyramid, they must choose which stairway they wish to use. They then move their Priest meeple up the corresponding number of steps.

A player cannot divide their movement between several stairways.

Stairway Levels

Moving through the different levels of the Pyramid stairways is essential to ensure you gain Victory Points at the end of the game. Each stairway allows you to get even more benefits out of the actions you performed throughout the game.

• The yellow stairway allows you to gain VP depending on the number of Storage extensions you have.
• The red stairway allows you to gain VP depending on the number of Player tokens you have on Site The Ball Court.
• The teal stairway allows you to gain VP depending on the number of Player tokens you have on Site The Altars.
• The green stairway allows you to gain VP depending on the number of Jade tiles you placed onto your Jade Mask board.

If your Priest meeples haven't reached certain critical levels of the stairways by the end of the game, you risk losing Victory Points (see Final Scoring, page 24).

Reaching the Top

The first player to reach the top of the Pyramid with one of their Priest meeples takes the first Zenith token from the top of the pile. They immediately gain 14 VP.

The second player to reach the top of the Pyramid (by any stairway) takes the second Zenith token, and gains 8 VP.

The third player to reach the top of the Pyramid takes the final Zenith token, gaining 3 VP.

Clarifications

• Zenith tokens are removed from play once their points have been scored.
• A player can only claim one Zenith token at a time.
• A player can take more than one Zenith token over the course of the game, if another of their Priest tokens reaches the top of the Pyramid in time.

End of the Turn

When the active player has finished their Site action, as well as any bonus actions they obtained, their turn ends.

Any Character or Glyph cards that were taken during their turn are replaced from their respective decks.

Any Court tiles taken from the River Site are also replaced.

It's now the next player's turn, moving clockwise around the table.

End of the Game

The end of the game can be triggered in two ways:

• If all of the available spaces on the Pyramid are covered with a Court tile.
• If 2 resources are exhausted, meaning their Decline cubes reach the end of their respective Decline tracks.

Once the end of the game is triggered, each player gets to play a final turn, except for the First player. This is to ensure each player gets the same number of turns during the game.

Then, final scoring begins.

Final Scoring

Players will now add additional points to the Victory Points they scored during the game.

Players calculate VP scored for the following Sites and Pyramid stairways:

Site: Embassies

Each player gains or loses VP depending on the number of Cities in which they have an Embassy, using this table:

Cities with an Embassy	0	1	2	3	4	5	6
VP gained or lost	-10	-5	4	10	18	28	40

Site: The Ball Court

The player with the most Player tokens present on the entirety of the Ball Court gains 10 VP. The player in second place gains 5 VP and the player in third place gains 3 VP.

In the case of a draw on any majority, the players share the sum of VP for both positions equally, rounding down.

Printed example: players A and B each have 7 Player tokens on the Ball Court, and draw for first place. The sum of VP for both 1st and 2nd place is 15 (10+5). The two players share these VP, rounded down, gaining 7 VP each.

The printed rulebook also states that for each half of the Ball Court, the player with the most Player tokens present gains 6 VP, and the player with the second most gains 3 VP.

Pyramid Stairways

• Yellow stairway: Depending on the position of their Priest meeple on the stairway, each player gains or loses VP depending on the number of Storage extensions they have.
• Red stairway: Depending on the position of their Priest meeple on the stairway, each player gains or loses VP depending on the number of Player tokens they have on Site The Ball Court.
• Teal stairway: Depending on the position of their Priest meeple on the stairway, each player gains or loses VP depending on the number of Player tokens they have on Site The Altars.
• Green stairway: Depending on the position of their Priest meeple on the stairway, each player gains or loses VP depending on the number of Jade tiles they placed onto their Jade Mask board during play.

The printed rulebook does not give a numerical VP table for the stairway positions; only the descriptions above are printed.

Jade Mask

If a player managed to complete their Jade Mask by placing all of their Jade tiles on it during play, they gain 10 VP.

Winning the Game

The player with the most VP after final scoring is the winner.

• In the case of a draw, the player with the most Jade tiles on their Jade Mask wins the game.
• If the draw persists, then victory is shared.

Glossary

City Tiles

Each City tile has a cost and an effect. The printed glossary lists all 20 City tiles. Symbols in the cost are shown as resources or any-resource icons.

Column 1

1. Cost: 1 Food. Effect: Immediately take the first two available Court tiles from The River. Replace these tiles immediately.
2. Cost: 1 Power. Effect: You may immediately resolve the Altars action. Subtract one resource of your choice from the cost of this action.
3. Cost: 1 Zeal. Effect: Immediately gain one Jade tile of your choice. This Jade tile must be used once you have completed your current action.
4. Cost: 1 Zeal. Effect: You may immediately resolve the Hieroglyphic Stairway action. Subtract one resource of your choice from the cost of this action.
5. Cost: 1 Food. Effect: You may immediately resolve the Ball Court action. Subtract one resource of your choice from the cost of this action.
6. Cost: 1 Fame. Effect: Immediately gain 5 Victory Points.

Column 2

7. Cost: 1 Food. Effect: Immediately move 3 steps up the Pyramid Stair of your choice.
8. Cost: 1 Power. Effect: Immediately gain 5 Victory Points.
9. Cost: 1 Power. Effect: Immediately gain the Glyph card of your choice from those present on The Hieroglyphic Stairway. Replace the card immediately.
10. Cost: 1 Food. Effect: Immediately gain 5 Victory Points.
11. Cost: 1 Zeal and 1 any resource. Effect: Immediately gain the Glyph card of your choice from those present on The Hieroglyphic Stairway. Replace the card immediately.
12. Cost: 1 Fame and 1 any resource. Effect: Immediately move 3 steps up the Pyramid Stair of your choice.
13. Cost: 1 Fame. Effect: You may immediately resolve the River action. Subtract one resource of your choice from the cost of this action.

Column 3

14. Cost: 1 Fame and 1 any resource. Effect: Immediately take the first two available Court tiles from The River. Replace these tiles immediately.
15. Cost: 1 Fame. Effect: Immediately gain 1 Character card of your choice from those available on The Ball Court. Replace the card immediately.
16. Cost: 1 Food and 1 any resource. Effect: Immediately gain 1 Character card of your choice from those available on The Ball Court. Replace the card immediately.
17. Cost: 1 Power and 1 any resource. Effect: Immediately gain 1 Jade tile of your choice. You must use this tile immediately after you complete your current action.
18. Cost: 1 Power and 1 any resource. Effect: You may immediately resolve the action of any Site of your choice. Subtract one resource of your choice from the cost of this action.
19. Cost: 1 Zeal and 1 any resource. Effect: You may immediately resolve the action of any Site of your choice. Subtract one resource of your choice from the cost of this action.
20. Cost: 1 Zeal and 1 any resource. Effect: Immediately gain 8 Victory Points.

Embassy Bonus Tokens

The printed glossary lists the effect of every Embassy bonus token, by level. Level 2 and level 3 headings are printed in French in the source ("Tuiles de niveau 2" and "Tuiles de niveau 3"); they are rendered here in English.

Level 1 tokens

• Gain 1 Food resource.
• Gain 1 Fame resource.
• Gain 1 Zeal resource.
• Gain 1 Power resource.
• Gain 1 Victory Point.
• Move 1 step up the Pyramid Stairway of your choice.

Level 2 tokens

• Gain 2 Food resources.
• Gain 2 Fame resources.
• Gain 2 Zeal resources.
• Gain 2 Power resources.
• Gain 2 resources of your choice.
• Gain 2 Victory Points.
• Gain 3 Victory Points.
• Move 2 steps up the Pyramid Stairway of your choice.
• Gain 1 Jade tile of your choice. You must use the Jade tile once you have completed your current action.

Level 3 tokens

• Gain 3 Food resources.
• Gain 3 Fame resources.
• Gain 3 Zeal resources.
• Gain 3 Power resources.
• Gain 3 Victory Points.
• Gain 4 Victory Points.
• Move 3 steps up the Pyramid Stairway of your choice.
• Gain 1 Jade tile of your choice. You must use the Jade tile once you have completed your current action.
• Gain 1 Character card of your choice from The Ball Court. Immediately replace the card.

Character Cards

The printed glossary lists all 54 Character cards in three groups, by symbol. Resource names are as given above.

Infinity Characters (effect active for the whole game)

• Ah-cuxtal: Each time you perform an action on Embassies, gain 2 Victory Points.
• Camazotz: Each time you move at least 2 steps up a Pyramid Stairway, gain 1 resource of your choice.
• Citlamina: Actions on The River cost 1 resource less to perform.
• Coyopa: Actions on Embassies cost 1 resource less to perform.
• Gucup Cakix: Each time you place a Zeal Court tile, gain 1 additional Zeal resource.
• Hozanek: Actions on The Ball Court cost 1 resource less to perform.
• Huracan: Each time you place a Food Court tile, gain 1 additional Food resource.
• Ixmacane: Each time you perform an action on The Altars, gain 2 Victory Points.
• K'awai: Each time you place a Fame Court tile, gain 1 additional Fame resource.
• Kan-xib-yui: Each time you place a Power Court tile, gain 1 additional Power resource.
• Kawil: Actions on The Altars cost 1 resource less to perform.
• Kinich kakmo: Each time you place a Zeal Court tile, gain 1 additional Zeal resource.
• Muluc: Each time you place a Fame Court tile, gain 1 additional Fame resource.
• Tecumbalam: Each time you perform an action on The River, gain 2 Victory Points.
• Tonalnan: Each time you place a Food Court tile, gain 1 additional Food resource.
• Vukubcane: Actions on The Hieroglyphic Stairway cost 1 resource less to perform.
• Xbalanque: Each time you perform an action on The Ball Court, gain 2 Victory Points.
• Yaluk: Each time you place a Power Court tile, gain 1 additional Power resource.
• Yumchakob: Each time you perform an action on The Hieroglyphic Stairway, gain 2 Victory Points.

Bird Characters (must be discarded to use)

• Cabaguil: Gain 5 resources.
• Chachiuitl: Perform an Action on The Altars. Subtract 3 resources of your choice from the cost of the Action.
• Chicchan: Gain 3 Power resources.
• Chichuaton: Gain 1 Storage extension.
• Colop-u-uichikin: Gain 5 Zeal resources.
• Coszcatl: Gain 1 Jade tile of your choice. It must be used once you have completed your current action.
• Cualli: Gain 1 Jade tile of your choice. It must be used once you have completed your current action.
• Gukumatz: Perform an Action on The Hieroglyphic Stairway. Subtract 3 resources of your choice from the cost of the Action.
• Hacha'kyum: Gain 3 Fame resources.
• Ihuicatl: Gain the first two Court tiles from The River.
• Iktan: Perform an Action on Embassies. Subtract 3 resources of your choice from the cost of the Action.
• Itzamna: Move up 3 steps on the Pyramid Stairway of your choice.
• Ixazaluoh: Gain 3 Food resources.
• Ixcuiname: Perform an Action on The Hieroglyphic Stairway. Subtract 3 resources of your choice from the cost of the Action.
• Ix-tub-tun: Gain 5 Fame resources.
• Kianto: Gain 1 Glyph card of your choice from those available. Immediately replace the card.
• Mulac: Gain 1 Jade tile of your choice. It must be used once you have completed your current action.
• Nacon: Perform an Action on Embassies. Subtract 3 resources of your choice from the cost of the Action.
• Necahual: Perform an Action on The River. Subtract 3 resources of your choice from the cost of the Action.
• Tecuith: Gain 1 Jade tile of your choice. It must be used once you have completed your current action.

Sun Characters (effect at the end of the game)

• Chamahez: At the end of the game, gain 2 Victory Points per Food resource you have.
• Ixtli: At the end of the game, gain 2 Victory Points per Power resource you have.
• Yatzil: At the end of the game, gain 2 Victory Points per Zeal resource you have.
• Zeltzin: At the end of the game, gain 2 Victory Points per Fame resource you have.

Altar Cards

Each Altar card has a cost and several possible Effects. When a player places their player token under an Altar card Effect's column, they must pay the cost of the card. They will then gain all of the Effects in that column.

Cost

• Spend 1 Food resource.
• Spend 1 Fame resource.
• Spend 1 Zeal resource.
• Spend 1 Power resource.
• Spend 1 resource of your choice.

Effects

• Gain 1 Food resource.
• Gain 1 Fame resource.
• Gain 1 Zeal resource.
• Gain 1 Power resource.
• Gain 1 resource of your choice.
• Gain X Victory Points.
• Perform 1 Bonus Action on Hieroglyphic Stairway.
• Perform 1 Bonus Action on the Site of your choice.
• Perform 1 Bonus Action on the Site indicated, subtracting 1 resource of your choice from its cost.
• Perform 1 Bonus Action on the Site indicated, subtracting 2 resources of your choice from its cost.
• Place an Embassy (using one of your Player tokens) on the City of your choice, including Cities that are blocked by a Closed token. You do not gain that City's effect. However, you gain Embassy bonus tokens as normal.
• Gain 1 Glyph card of your choice. Replace that card immediately.
• Gain 1 Character card of your choice. Replace that card immediately.
• Gain 1 Jade tile of your choice. It must be used once you have completed your current action.
• Gain 1 Storage extension.
• You may place your Player Totem onto the entry space of the Site of your choice.
• Gain the first two Court tiles from The River. These tiles are immediately replaced.
• Move 1 step up the Pyramid Stairway of your choice.
• Move 2 steps up the Pyramid Stairway of your choice.
• Move 3 steps up the Pyramid Stairway of your choice.

The Site-specific bonus action effects, each printed with the Site's icon, are:

• Perform 1 Bonus Action on Site Embassies.
• Perform 1 Bonus Action on Site The River.
• Perform 1 Bonus Action on Site The Ball Court.
• Perform 1 Bonus Action on Site The Altars.

Note: You must complete your current Action before performing a Bonus Action.

Jade Mask Effects

The Jade Mask board has 16 numbered spaces. The printed glossary gives the effect for each space, by number:

1. Gain 2 Fame resources.
2. Gain 1 resource of your choice.
3. Gain 2 Power resources.
4. Gain 1 resource of your choice.
5. Gain 1 resource of your choice.
6. Gain 2 resources of your choice.
7. Gain 4 Victory Points.
8. Gain the first 2 Court tiles on The River.
9. Gain 1 Storage extension.
10. You may place your Player Totem onto the entry space of the Site of your choice.
11. Gain 2 Victory Points.
12. Gain 2 resources of your choice.
13. Gain 2 Victory Points.
14. Gain 1 Character card of your choice. Replace that card immediately.
15. Gain 2 Food resources.
16. Gain 2 Zeal resources.

Event Cards

Event cards include two criteria: Length and Difficulty.

• The hourglass symbol gives an estimation of how long a game will last. The fuller the hourglass (symbolising time moving faster), the shorter your game will be. The printed glossary uses three hourglass variants. Each card header below names the difficulty count; the hourglass variant is printed on each card and is not reproduced as text.
• The difficulty symbol, which can be from 1 to 3, indicates how difficult a game will be. A difficult game will have more punishing Events that will affect players during play.

Reminder: When an Event is triggered, all players benefit (or suffer) from its effect.

Each Event card lists six effects, one for each face of the Fate die. The face symbols are described here in the order they are printed on each card: face 1 flame-drop, face 2 sun-burst, face 3 gear-ring, face 4 left half-disc, face 5 right half-disc, face 6 full disc.

Some effects are printed as "moves back 1 space" (the source text is a French phrase, "recule de 1 case", rendered here in English). The printed text uses "moves forward" and "moves back" without further definition; the Court phase (page 8) describes a Decline cube moving one space to the left when a Court tile is placed.

Card A (difficulty 1)

1. Lose 1 Fame resource per Glyph card you have.
2. Gain 2 resources of your choice.
3. The Decline cube on the Food Decline track moves forward by 1.
4. Gain 1 Jade tile of your choice. It must be used once you have completed your current action.
5. Gain 1 Power resource per Character card you have discarded.
6. The Decline cube on the Zeal Decline track moves forward by 1.

Card B (difficulty 2)

1. Lose 2 Zeal resources.
2. Gain 2 Power resources.
3. The Decline cube on the Fame Decline track moves forward by 1.
4. Immediately discard one of your Character cards.
5. The Decline cube on the Food Decline track moves back 1 space.
6. Move 1 step up the Pyramid Stairway of your choice.

Card C (difficulty 3)

1. Lose 2 Fame resources.
2. The Decline cube on the Power Decline track moves forward by 1.
3. Gain 3 resources of your choice.
4. Remove 1 Jade tile currently on your Jade Mask board. If you do not have any Jade tiles on your board, you are not affected.
5. Lose 1 resource of your choice per City in which you have at least 1 Embassy.
6. The Decline cube on the Zeal Decline track moves forward by 1.

Card D (difficulty 1)

1. The Decline cube on the Power Decline track moves forward by 1.
2. Gain 1 Jade tile of your choice. It must be used once you have completed your current action.
3. The Decline cube on the Food Decline track moves forward by 1.
4. Gain 3 resources of your choice.
5. The Decline cube on the Zeal Decline track moves forward by 1.
6. Move 1 step up the Pyramid Stairway of your choice.

Card E (difficulty 2)

1. Gain 2 Zeal resources.
2. The Decline cube on the Zeal Decline track moves forward by 1.
3. Lose 1 Fame resource per face-up Character card you have (not discarded).
4. Gain 2 Food resources.
5. The Decline cube on the Fame Decline track moves back 1 space.
6. The Decline cube on the Power Decline track moves back 1 space.

Card F (difficulty 3)

1. The Decline cube on the Food Decline track moves back 1 space.
2. The Decline cube on the Power Decline track moves back 1 space.
3. Gain 2 Fame resources.
4. Lose 1 resource of your choice per Storage extension you have.
5. Discard 1 Character card.
6. The Decline cube on the Fame Decline track moves forward by 1.

Card G (difficulty 1)

1. The Decline cube on the Fame Decline track moves forward by 1.
2. Gain 2 Power resources and 2 Fame resources.
3. The Decline cube on the Zeal Decline track moves forward by 1.
4. The Decline cube on the Power Decline track moves forward by 1.
5. Gain 2 Zeal resources and 2 Food resources.
6. The Decline cube on the Food Decline track moves back 1 space.

Card H (difficulty 2)

1. Move 1 step down the Pyramid Stairway of your choice.
2. The Decline cube on the Zeal Decline track moves forward by 1.
3. The Decline cube on the Power Decline track moves forward by 1.
4. The Decline cube on the Fame Decline track moves forward by 1.
5. The Decline cube on the Food Decline track moves forward by 1.
6. Gain 3 resources of your choice.

Card I (difficulty 3)

1. The Decline cube on the Zeal Decline track moves forward by 1.
2. The Decline cube on the Food Decline track moves forward by 1.
3. The Decline cube on the Fame Decline track moves forward by 1.
4. Lose 1 Storage extension.
5. The Decline cube on the Power Decline track moves forward by 1.
6. Lose 1 Glyph card.

Solo Mode

Copan: Dying City can also be played solo! Using a simple Automa that simulates a second player, this solo mode will provide a challenging adversary.

Solo Setup

Start by choosing the Automa's game mode: Basic or Advanced. Automa cards for Basic mode have light backs. Advanced cards have dark backs.

Next, choose your desired difficulty level: Easy or Hard. Hard cards have the difficulty icon in the top left hand corner. If the card has no icon, then it is an Easy card.

Once you've chosen your game mode and difficulty level, you'll have 4 Automa cards to use for the entire game. Take these 4 cards, shuffle them, then place them below the Automa board, one by one, going from left to right. These cards define the priorities of the Automa.

Follow the set up instructions for a normal 2 player game. The Automa will use all of the same components as a normal player, except they do not have a Jade Mask board. You may choose their player colour.

Place the Automa's Court tiles onto the Automa cards. Each type of Court tile corresponds to an Automa card. For example, Food Court tiles are placed onto the Automa card linked to Food tiles.

The Automa starts the game with 2 Food Court tiles, 1 Zeal Court tile and 1 Power Court tile. These Court tiles are immediately placed onto their corresponding Automa cards.

Note: During the game, each time the Automa gains new Court tiles, they are immediately placed onto their corresponding Automa cards. There is no limit to the number of Court tiles that can be piled onto an Automa card.

Then, decide the first player randomly: you or the Automa.

Anatomy of an Automa Card

1. Court tile storage space.
2. Court phase behaviour.
3. Action phase behaviour.
4. End of game scoring.

Solo Rules

Player turn: On your turn, all the normal rules apply.

Automa turn: On its turn, the Automa always acts depending on its priorities. Each turn, the Automa will play one Automa card.

Check the Automa's cards, and play the leftmost card with at least 1 available Court tile. If the first Automa card doesn't have a Court tile on it, play the next card to the right with an available Court tile.

To play an Automa card, complete the actions on the card in the indicated order.

If the Automa has no remaining Court tiles on any of its cards, it immediately gains the 4 Court tiles from Site The River. These tiles are immediately replaced.

Court phase: Take one of the Automa's Court tiles and place it onto any available space of your choice on the Pyramid. You may now play the Automa's Action phase.

Action phase: Resolve the effect indicated on the Action phase behaviour section of the Automa card.

Note about resources: The Automa does not gain resources when placing a Court tile, or from any other effect. However, whenever the Automa benefits from a Site effect or bonus that would gain them resources, they always gain the corresponding number of Victory Points instead.

Differences Between Basic and Advanced Mode

When playing in Basic Mode, the Automa will simply position itself on the central board, placing player tokens and taking Character/Glyph cards etc. It's ideal for your first solo games.

In Advanced mode, the Automa will carry out full actions, just like a real player. Advanced mode will feel very close to playing against real players.

Automa Card Details

Food Automa card (the card linked to Food Court tiles)

• Court phase: Place a Food Court tile onto the Pyramid.
• Action phase: Roll the Fate die, then place an Automa player token on Site Embassies, on the City corresponding to the Fate die symbol you rolled. The Automa gains the same number of Embassy bonus tokens as the number of player tokens it already has on that City (it also gains the rewards on those tokens as normal).
• Advanced Mode: The Automa gains the effect of the City tile, along with 1 Storage extension.
• End of game: The Automa gains Victory Points based on the number of Cities they have at least one player token on.

Fame Automa card

• Court phase: Place one Fame Court tile onto the Pyramid.
• Action phase: Roll the Fate die, then place an Automa player token onto Site The Ball Court, on the side of the Ball Court that corresponds to the symbol rolled. The Automa also gains the Character card next to that symbol.
• Advanced Mode: The Automa obtains the effect of the Character card they obtained.
• End of game (Easy): The Automa gains 3 Victory Points per Character card they have.
• End of game (Hard): The Automa gains 6 Victory Points per Character card they have.

Zeal Automa card

• Court phase: Place a Zeal Court tile.
• Action phase: Roll the Fate die, then place an Automa player token on Site The Altars, on the leftmost available column corresponding to the symbol you rolled. Move the Automa's Priest meeple the indicated number of steps on the Pyramid stairway that is highest in their order of priority.
• Advanced Mode: The Automa obtains the effect of the column where their player token was placed.
• End of game (Easy): The Automa gains 3 Victory Points per player token on this Site.
• End of game (Hard): The Automa gains 6 Victory Points per player token on this Site.

Clarifications

• The Automa can place a player token on a space where a player token is already present. Their token goes directly into the reserve to the left of the Site.
• If the Automa should place a player token onto a space that is blocked by a Closed token, then they place their player token onto the other available space with the same symbol. If both are blocked, the Automa obtains the effect of the first column concerned and places their player token directly into the reserve to the left of the Site.

Power Automa card

• Court phase: Place a Power Court tile.
• Action phase: The Automa gains the Glyph card from the space with the symbol rolled. Move the Automa's Priest meeple the indicated number of steps on the Pyramid stairway that is highest in their order of priority.
• Advanced Mode: Instead of just gaining one card, the Automa gains all of the Glyph cards from the corresponding row.
• End of game (Easy): The Automa gains 3 Victory Points per Glyph card they have.
• End of game (Hard): The Automa gains 6 Victory Points per Glyph card they have.

Specifics

During the game, the Automa gains resources and other bonuses in the same way as a normal player. However, if the Automa should gain a Jade tile, they gain a Glyph card instead.

More details

• On the Automa's turn, Events are triggered as normal.
• Contrary to a normal player, there is no limit to the number of Character cards the Automa can have: they are not limited by the spaces available on their player board.
• If the Automa gains the City effect, the City their token is placed in is determined by rolling the Fate die.
• If the Automa moves to a new Site, the Site is determined by its priorities.

Adjusting the Difficulty

It's possible to adjust the difficulty of your solo game. During set up, once you've chosen your game mode (Basic or Advanced), you can choose to use a mixture of Easy and Hard cards. You are free to pick your cards as you wish as long as you have 1 card of each resource type: Food, Fame, Zeal and Power.

It's a great way to get used to the game, progressively increasing the difficulty until you reach the ultimate solo challenge: Advanced Mode with all of the Hard level cards!

Gaming Aid: The Turn

This is the printed one-page summary of a turn. It repeats the rules above.

Court Phase (pages 8 to 11)

1. Place a Court tile: Place a Court tile face up onto any available space on the central Pyramid.
2. Move a Decline cube: Move the Decline cube that corresponds to the resource of the tile you just placed one space along its Decline track.
3. Resolve Events:
   • If your Court tile covered a spiral symbol, a spiral Event is triggered. Replace the Character and Altar cards. Roll the Fate die and apply the result shown on the Event card.
   • If a Decline cube crossed a critical threshold on its Decline track, a Decline Event is triggered. Roll the Fate die and apply the result shown on the Event card. Close spaces with the matching symbol on the corresponding Site.
4. Collect your Resources: Activate the Court tile you placed, as well as any other orthogonally adjacent Court tiles. Check the Decline track of each resource of the Court tiles you activated to determine how many you gain: 2, 1, or 0.

Action Phase (pages 12 to 19)

• Move to a new Site: Move your Totem to the entry space of a Site. Choose the face up side of your Totem, and apply the effect of the entry space.
• OR Stay on the same Site: Move your Totem to the next space on the Site you currently occupy. Apply the effect of the space.

Then perform the action of the Site:

• Site 1, Embassies: Pay the resources required to reach a new City. Place a player token and resolve the City's effect. Gain the same number of Embassy bonus tokens as the number of player tokens you currently have in that City.
• Site 2, The River: Gain the 2 Court tiles from the two leftmost spaces on the River. Choose between buying the two remaining Court tiles OR buying a new Storage extension.
• Site 3, The Ball Court: Choose one of the available Character cards and pay its cost. Place the card into an available space above your Player board. You may discard one of your current Character cards if you do not have enough space.
• Site 4, The Altars: Choose an available column on one of the Altar cards. Pay the cost of the card, and resolve the effects of the column you chose.
• Site 5, The Hieroglyphic Stairway: Choose a row on the Site and pay its cost. Take the Glyph cards from that row. You may exchange Glyph cards for Jade tiles (and potentially bonus actions) at any time during your turn.

End of the Turn (page 23)

• Once your Actions have been resolved, your turn ends.
• Replace all Character cards, Glyph cards and Court tiles that were taken during the player's turn.