Druids (2016) Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Setup
• Victory
• Taking a Turn
• Special Considerations
• Terrain Explained
• Stone Clarifications
• Terrain Only Variant

Components

7x5 grid board, 6 Druids, 9 Stone tokens and cards, 1 Reference card, 5 Terrain tiles, Rules

Setup

For your first game, it is recommended that you play the Terrain Only variant (see the end of the rules).

1. Place the board in between both players. Choose a first player at random.
2. Place four randomly chosen cards face up next to the board. Return the other cards to the box. We recommend new players play with Frog, Butterfly, Mouse, and Turtle.
3. Gather the matching Stone tokens for the chosen cards and return the others to the box.
4. Beginning with the second player and then alternating until all tiles are placed, each player chooses one Terrain tile and places it on a square without any symbols or another Terrain tile. Terrain tiles can never be placed in the same row as a Temple.
5. Place the four Stones face down and mix them next to the board. Place one face down on each of the three Stars. One Stone will stay off the board.
6. Each player takes three Druid tokens of the same color.
7. Each player places their Druids on the back row closest to them, one Druid per space, using any spaces (including the Temple), with all Druids facing their owner. Players can do this simultaneously, or alternating one Druid at a time, beginning with the first player.

Victory

The game is won if a player captures all three Druids of their opponent. It is also won if a player's Druid carries a Stone into their opponent's Temple using Normal Movement (not Stone Movement).

Taking a Turn

Players alternate taking turns until one player wins, beginning with the first player. On their turn, players activate a single Druid and take ONE of three Actions: Normal Movement, Stone Movement, or Meditation.

Normal Movement: Move one of your Druids one square in an orthogonal direction that is NOT the Druid's current direction, and turn the Druid to face the direction moved. Orthogonal means the four cardinal directions, not diagonal. If the Druid has a Stone, the Stone moves with the Druid.

Example: In this case, the Druid could move up, right, or down, but not left.

Stone Movement: Reveal the Stone carried by the Druid (if face down), then set the Stone face down with the other Stone off the board. Then, resolve the text shown on the matching card, using the Druid that was carrying the Stone. Once resolved, select one of the two face down Stones off the board at random and place it on any Star without a Stone.

Example: The player could reveal and use the Frog Stone to move two orthogonal spaces in any direction. However, the player cannot move through a Mountain (see Terrain Explained). The tan Druid pieces are used in the right image only for illustrating the result of the Movement.

Meditation: Reveal a face down Stone in one of your Druids. The Druid does not move, but the Druid may be turned in any direction.

Special Considerations

• Druids can never occupy the same space!
• If your Druid ends its movement on the same space with an opponent's Druid, the opponent's Druid is captured and removed from the board.

Example: The dark Druid moves left using a Normal Movement and lands on the tan Druid, which is Captured.

• If a Captured Druid had a Stone, it is taken by the Capturing Druid, or left in the space if the Capturing Druid already has a Stone. In either case, it remains face down.
• If a Druid ends its movement on the same space as a Stone, the player examines it, then places it face down in the Druid that moved into the space. The Druid can now use Stone Movement in a future turn.
• Players may place a Stone on a Star space with a Druid, as long as that Druid is not carrying a Stone. That Druid will gain the Stone.
• If a Druid with a Stone moves into a space with a Stone, the Druid cannot pick up or examine the new Stone.
• You can "jump" over any Druids using certain Stone Movement. The jumped Druid is not captured.

Terrain Explained

The board has spaces with Terrains symbols, which match those of the Terrain tiles.

If the activated Druid ends its activation on a space with a Terrain symbol, not a Terrain tile, the player must move one Terrain tile with the same symbol to a space without a Stone, symbol, Terrain, or Druid (with one exception: Forest). Terrain cannot be placed on the same row as a Temple. Terrain can be moved from under a Druid, but if this is done, do not move the Druid.

Example: The Druid moves onto the Mountain symbol. They must move the Mountain tile.

Additional examples:

• Example 1: The activated Druid ends its turn on a Cloud symbol. The player moves one Cloud tile out of its current space and places the Cloud in a new space.
• Example 2: A Druid on a Forest Symbol Meditates and ends its activation on the Forest symbol. They move the Forest tile.
• Example 3: Through use of the Octopus Stone, an opponent's Druid is moved onto the Mountain symbol. The player who owns the moved Druid moves the Mountain tile.

Terrain tiles, not the symbols, convey properties to the space they occupy.

Mountain: Druids cannot move onto or jump over a Mountain.

Forest: Druids in the Forest cannot be Captured.

• When moved, the Forest can be placed under a Druid. This is the only Terrain that allows this.

Clouds: Druids that end their activation on a Cloud immediately move to the other Cloud facing the same direction.

• Druids on either Cloud are captured when an opposing Druid moves onto either Cloud. It is possible for two Druids to be captured in a single movement!
• A Druid cannot move to the other Cloud if a friendly Druid is on the other Cloud.
• Only one of the Cloud tiles is moved when a Druid ends its activation on a Cloud symbol.

River: The Druid must move one additional space in the same direction when moving onto a River.

• If the River would move a Druid off the board, or onto the Mountain, the Druid ends its movement on the River.
• If the Druid used Stone Movement to make a diagonal move, the River moves the Druid orthogonally towards the Temple the Druid moved towards.
• If the River moves a Druid onto a Cloud, the Druid must also use the Cloud.

Stone Clarifications

• Unless explicitly noted, you resolve a Stone Movement using the Druid that had the Stone.
• Unless explicitly noted, Druids always maintain their direction after Stone Movement.
• Snake and Eagle cannot move onto another Druid, and therefore cannot capture!
• If you move an opponent's Druid onto a Cloud using a Stone, they move to the other Cloud.
• If you move an opponent's Druid onto a Terrain symbol using a Stone, they move the Terrain tile.

Terrain Only Variant

For a simpler game, remove the Stones from play. To do this, make the following changes:

• Give each player one face down Stone in a Druid placed in the player's Temple. This is your Master Druid.
• During setup, randomly place the five Terrain Tiles so that one is on the middle star. Then, place one each on the open spaces next to the stars on the side.
• You win if your Master Druid moves into its opponent's Temple.
• You lose if your Master Druid is captured.
• On your turn, you may only use Normal Movement with one of your Druids. You can never use Stone Movement or Meditation.