Dolmen
Dolmen Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 64 stones: 16 in each of 4 colors
- 52 dolmen stones: 13 in each of 4 colors
- 12 druids: 3 in each of 4 colors
- 4 victory point markers
- 1 sticker sheet
- 1 game board
The game board shows 28 stone circles (square, hexagonal and octagonal). During the game, stones are placed on the circular nodes. Next to every node on the edge of the board there is a rune gate. This rune gate connects the node to the node with the identical rune on the opposite edge of the board. Each of the 4 corner nodes is connected to the others by rune gates. (The colors of the runes help to find the matching ones.) The number in the middle of a stone circle is the scoring multiplier for the highest dolmen stone of the dolmen raised in that circle. Around the board runs the moon track, where players keep track of their victory points.
Before the first game, apply the stickers: put one sticker on one side of each dolmen stone. Each color gets: 5 of the value 1, 4 of the value 2, 3 of the value 3, and 1 of the value 4. Keep the remaining stickers as spares.
Overview
Each player controls 3 druids, whom they move along the nodes of the board, one druid at a time. When a druid moves, it leaves a stone behind, and in this way the stone circles are created on the board. When a player gains a stone majority in a circle, or ties for it, they place a dolmen stone of hidden value (1-4) in the middle of that circle. Since each circle can hold only one dolmen, the new dolmen stone goes on top of or under the dolmen stones already there. As time passes, more and taller dolmens stand on the board.
The game ends when one player runs out of stones or of dolmen stones. A scoring round follows, in which the owners of each dolmen stone receive points depending on the dolmen stone's own value, its position in the dolmen, and the shape of the stone circle surrounding it. The player with the most points wins.
Setup
Place the game board in the middle of the table.
Each player chooses a color and receives that color's 3 druids and victory point marker. Players place the 3 druids in front of them and their victory point marker on space 5 of the moon track.
Depending on the number of players, each player receives stones and dolmen stones in their color:
| Players | Stones | Dolmen stones of value 1 | Value 2 | Value 3 | Value 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 16 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 3 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 4 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
Each player puts their stones and dolmen stones in front of them, keeping the values of the dolmen stones hidden from the other players (number face down). Return the remaining components to the box.
Course of the Game
The youngest player starts the game by taking 1 action. Then the player to their left takes an action, then the next player, and so on. Players thus follow each other clockwise.
There are 3 possible actions. On their turn, a player must choose and perform exactly one of them:
- Place a druid
- Move a druid 1 step
- Remove a druid
1. Place a Druid
The player takes one of the druids in front of them and places it on a free node of the board. (A node is free if it has neither a stone nor a druid on it.)
If the player has no druid on the board, for example in their very first turn, they must take the "Place a druid" action. If all 3 of their druids are already on the board, they cannot choose this action.
2. Move a Druid 1 Step
The player moves one of their druids from its current node 1 step to a free node. Moving 1 step means that the current node and the free destination node must be connected by either:
a) 1 path, or b) the same rune gate (if the nodes are on opposite edges of the board), or c) a druid bridge.
A druid bridge is an unbroken chain of druids (connected by paths and/or rune gates). This means that it still counts as 1 step if every node between the player's druid's current node and the destination node is occupied by a druid (of any color). The player simply jumps over these druids with their druid and moves to the first free node after the druid bridge. (Of course, a single druid can also be a druid bridge.) Important: Stones always block a druid's way and can never be passed over! That is, if one or more stones interrupt a chain of druids, it is no longer a druid bridge.
Example: The blue player wants to move their druid. With the 1 step they can move to any of the following:
- node A, or
- node B, using the yellow druid as a druid bridge, or
- node C, using a rune gate, or
- node D, using the following druid bridge: 1) yellow druid, 2) rune gate, 3) first red druid, 4) second red druid.
After the player has moved their druid, they must take one of their stones from in front of them and place it on the node that the druid has just left.
By placing that stone, the player can create or change a stone majority in 1, 2 or even 3 stone circles. In every circle where this happens, a dolmen placement takes place. All dolmen placements must be carried out immediately, in an order chosen by the player.
Initial stone majority
A player creates an initial stone majority in an unfinished or finished stone circle (that is, it does not matter how many nodes of the circle contain stones) if the following 2 conditions are met:
a) stones of more than one color are on the stone circle, and b) one of these colors has more stones in that circle than each of the others.
The player who gained the stone majority in that circle (this can be any player, not necessarily the one whose turn it is) must immediately carry out a dolmen placement: they secretly choose one of the dolmen stones in front of them and place it face down in the middle of that stone circle (so that only they saw the value of the dolmen stone).
Equalizing
As soon as a stone majority arises in an unfinished stone circle, players have the chance to equalize it by placing a stone. A player equalizes the majority if the number of their stones in that stone circle reaches the number that the player who held the majority so far has. If this happens, the player must immediately carry out a dolmen placement: they secretly choose a dolmen stone in front of them and place it face down UNDER the dolmen in the middle of that stone circle.
Special case: It also counts as equalizing if 2 or 3 players each have exactly 2 stones in the stone circle and another player places a second stone there as well (in this case too, a dolmen stone must be placed under the dolmen).
Later stone majorities
As soon as the majority in an unfinished stone circle has been equalized, players have the chance to gain a new majority. A player has the chance to gain a new majority if, because of the stone they placed, they have more stones in that stone circle than any other player.
If this happens, the player must immediately carry out a dolmen placement: they secretly choose a dolmen stone in front of them and place it face down ON TOP OF the dolmen in the middle of that stone circle.
Remember, in the following cases no dolmen placement may take place:
- Only stones of one color are in the stone circle.
- Stones of several colors are in the stone circle, but each has only one stone there.
- The player strengthens one of their own stone majorities.
Example: The blue player moves their druid away from the node marked with a blue circle. They place a stone here, and in the 3 stone circles of which this node is a part, the following happens:
- In circle I, the blue player equalizes the red player's majority and must place one of their dolmen stones under the dolmen in the middle of the circle.
- In circle II, the red player gets an initial stone majority. Therefore the red player must place one of their dolmen stones in the middle of the circle.
- In circle III, nothing happens, because blue is the only color there.
Note: A player may look at the value of their own dolmen stones already placed on the board at any time. However, take care that nobody (including yourself) sees a value that they must not see.
3. Remove a Druid
Instead of moving one of their druids to a free node, the player may remove one of their druids from the board and put it back in front of them. After this the player places one of their stones on the node from which they removed the druid. This placed stone can trigger a dolmen placement, as described in detail in the previous section.
Skipping the Placement of a Stone or Dolmen Stone
Normally, when a player moves a druid or removes a druid from a node, they must place a stone on that node. Also, every time a dolmen placement happens in the player's favor, the player must place a dolmen stone.
If for any reason a player does not want to place a stone or a dolmen stone, the player must move their victory point marker back 1 space on the moon track. If the player's victory point marker is already on space 1, they may not skip placing a stone or dolmen stone for the rest of the game.
Special case: If the player does not have enough dolmen stones to carry out all of their dolmen placements, they may choose how to use their remaining dolmen stones. The player does not lose victory points for missed dolmen placements (for which they had no dolmen stones left).
End of the Game
The game ends after the turn of the player in which at least one player places:
- their last dolmen stone and/or
- their last stone on the board.
Players who have placed their last dolmen stone/stone take no more turns. All other players, going clockwise, take 1 final action. Any dolmen placements that occur are carried out as usual (as far as possible). After this the game ends.
Scoring
After the game ends, score the dolmens one by one, from top to bottom, as follows:
Take the topmost dolmen stone and multiply the value printed on it by the scoring multiplier shown inside that stone circle. The scoring multiplier depends on the shape of the stone circle: octagonal = 5, hexagonal = 4, square = 3.
The owner of that dolmen stone receives as many victory points as the result, moving their victory point marker forward on the moon track.
Then take the next dolmen stone (if any) from the top of the same dolmen. Decrease that stone circle's scoring multiplier by 1 and multiply the dolmen stone's value by it. Again, the owner of the dolmen stone receives the victory points.
Score the other dolmen stones of this stone circle in the same way. For each further dolmen stone, decrease the scoring multiplier by 1 again. (For example, if the dolmen is in an octagonal stone circle and is made up of 6 dolmen stones, the scoring multipliers from top to bottom are: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.)
The rulebook illustrates scoring with one octagonal stone circle (multiplier 5), one hexagonal circle (multiplier 4) and one square circle (multiplier 3), showing the points awarded at each level of the dolmens (for example 10 points for an octagonal top stone, 8 and 12 points for hexagonal top stones, 12 points for a square top stone). The illustrated stone values are not reproduced here.
After all dolmens have been scored, the player with the most victory points wins the game. In case of a tie, the tied player with fewer dolmen stones left in front of them wins. If there is still a tie, they share the victory.