Dice Pyramid
Dice Pyramid Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Contents
- 15 Pyramid Cards
- 5 dice
- Rulebook
Structure of a Pyramid Card
Each card is split into two parts: a room and a relic. Only one part - the one on top - is active at a time.
The cards are placed in the pyramid as rooms. When you complete a room, you place it on your side and rotate the card, so the relic side is on top.
Room side
A room has 3 sections: name, challenge and description.
The challenge is what you need to do to complete the room. It is displayed using images (see "Reading the cards" for details). The description is a readable version of the challenge.
Relic side
A relic also has 3 sections: name, ability and description.
The ability is the effect that this relic provides. It is displayed using images (see "Reading the cards" for details). The description is a readable version of the ability.
Game Setup
Take out the Treasure Chamber and Entrance rooms. Shuffle the remaining cards.
Place the Treasure Chamber on the table, face down. Build 2 rows under it with 2 and 3 cards respectively, in the shape of a pyramid.
The rooms on the last row are the Initial Rooms that are available at the beginning of the game. To build this row, take 3 cards and shuffle them with the Entrance. Place them face up.
For optional rules and alternative setups, check the section "Optional Rules".
How to Play
You play turns until you obtain the Golden Ankh (complete the Treasure Chamber) or fail to complete a room with no relics left.
Turn Structure
Roll all 5 dice.
Twice per turn, you can re-roll any number of dice.
You can use the ability of any relic you own anytime. A relic is discarded when used.
If your dice match the challenge of a room, you can take the pyramid card to your side and rotate it so the relic part is up. You can't have more than 5 relics. If you obtain more, choose and discard down to 5.
If your dice match several challenges, you choose which one to complete.
When you take a pyramid card, if it was the last card covering a room, that room is now open. Flip it face up. Next turn you can also attempt its challenge.
If at the end of the turn your dice do not match any challenge, discard a relic to start a new turn. If you don't have any relics to discard, you lose.
When (if) you match the challenge of the Treasure Chamber, obtaining the Golden Ankh relic, you win.
Reading the Cards
While both the rooms and the relics have a description that explains what the card does, most of the card is used by the hieroglyphics that represent both the challenge and the relic ability. They are easy to decipher, and the game is more fun when you use them. Here is how to read them:
Dice Values
- A die face showing 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 pips means one die with exactly that value.
- A question mark means one die with any value. If it appears multiple times, each of them can be any value.
- A boxed letter (such as X or Y) means a die with a specific value. If it appears multiple times, all of them must have the same value.
Actions
- A circular arrow means Re-roll: pick a die and roll it again.
- An up-and-down arrow pair means Flip: turn a die upside down. A 1 becomes a 6, a 2 becomes a 5, etc.
- An upward arrow means Add 1. A 6 does not become a 1.
- A downward arrow means Subtract 1. A 1 does not become a 6.
Optional Rules
Power Relics, Small Backpack
You can use the relics every turn without discarding, but can only carry 2 of them.
Exploring the Great Pyramid
This game plays a pyramid with 5 rows where the Treasure Chamber can be anywhere (except on the initial row).
Separate the Treasure Chamber and the Entrance, shuffle the remaining cards and separate 4 of them for the initial row, add the Entrance to them. Shuffle the Treasure Chamber into the deck. Use the deck to build the 4 levels of the pyramid, then make the initial row with the cards you separated initially.
I Know the Way
Play with the pyramid cards face up. You can plan ahead knowing the challenges ahead of you.
Credits
Game design: Raul Portales
Art generated with Dall-E 2