Elementos
Elementos Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Overview
Ages 7 & up, 2 players, 15 min.
Game Containing
One wood box (playing board), 18 double sided round wooden game pieces, 2 sticks (wands) and game rules.
Game Objective
Be the first player to advance your wand to the other side of the board (one of the last three squares). Player who manages to do so first is the winner of the game.
Opening
Each player places their 9 game pieces in the 9 squares close to them. Any symbol order is fine. Best setting is to have three of each symbol facing upwards.
Place your wand in the hole of the middle game piece (the one on the logo), as such:
(The sheet shows a diagram of the 3 x 9 board with the wand placed in the middle game piece of the front row.)
Game Play
Elementos is a turn based game. Decide on who goes first. Each player, in their turn, can do one of the following actions:
- Move a game piece. You can move one square in any direction (vertical, diagonal). Except backwards.
- Flip a game piece (change symbol).
- Move your wand in one of two options: A. You can move the wand to any of your game pieces in any neighboring square except backwards (same as any game piece movement). B. You can advance with the game piece carrying the wand straight forward only.
The sheet's diagram uses three key entries:
- Game piece moving options (black arrows).
- Wand movement options to another game piece (red arrows).
- Game piece carrying the wand can move forward only (blue arrow).
Taking a Game Piece
When taking one game piece with another the taken game piece is removed from the board and the superior game piece takes its position on the board.
The sheet illustrates the superiority relationship with the rule "Fire takes Wood, Wood takes Water, and Water takes Fire" (shown as a graphic with the three element symbols).
Home Piece
The game piece carrying the wand is defined as "Home", meaning it can not take or be taken by rival game pieces (it is protected).
Equilibrium
In a situation when both players keep turning two opposing game pieces without resolution, they reached an equilibrium, turning has to stop and players have to take different action.
Peek Rule
Each player is allowed to view the other side of their own game pieces during the game.
For a more challenging game, players may decide to cancel the peek privilege making a good memory an important element of the game.