Kachina Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Objective
• Setup
• Game Play
  • 1. Play a Tile
  • 2. Score Points
  • 3. Draw a Tile
• Tile Powers
  • 1 – Koshari (The Clown) (6 tiles)
  • 2 – Hummingbird (8 tiles)
  • 3 – Warrior (8 tiles)
  • 4 – Wolf (8 tiles)
  • 5 – Eagle (8 tiles)
  • 6 – Ogre (8 tiles)
  • 7 – Sun (8 tiles)
  • 8 – Chief (6 tiles)
• End of the Game
• Components

Objective

Score the most points through skillful placement of your Kachinas; using their powers and strength.

Setup

1. Thoroughly shuffle the tiles face-down.
2. Set the score board to the side and leave a large open space between all the players. This is where the game will be played.
3. Deal 5 tiles to each player. Players may look at their own tiles. If any player has 3 or more of the same tile, they may set their hand aside and draw 5 new tiles. Reshuffle the old hand back into the unused tile stack.
4. Put the remaining, unused tiles in a pile face-down.
5. Each player places their score marker at the edge of the score track, next to the space marked "1."
6. Randomly select a player to take the first turn.

Game Play

The first player may select any tile from their hand other than an Ogre to start the game board. Place this tile in the center of the open space between players. The first player scores 1 point, draws a new tile, and then the turn ends. Play continues in clock-wise order. Each player takes these steps:

1. Play a Tile

Choose a tile from your hand to play on to the game board, following these rules:

• Each tile played must touch along at least one side with a tile already on the table.
• Each tile must line up in a row or column with other tiles on the game board.
• A tile cannot be played where it would create a row or column longer than 7 tiles.
• Rows and columns may be extended in any direction as long as the above rules are followed; the entire group of tiles need not be rectangular in shape or layout.
• Many tiles have special powers. Please see the section titled "Tile Powers" for a list and description of each.

Example of game board layout: rows and columns may extend in ANY direction, as long as none exceed seven tiles in length.

2. Score Points

If you have played your tile into a horizontal row, check all other tiles in that row. If the number on your tile is the highest number in the row, your Kachina Dominates. Score 1 point per tile in the row. If you have played your tile into a vertical column, check all other tiles in that column. If the number on your tile is the highest number in the column, your Kachina Dominates. Score 1 point per tile in the column.

A row or column must contain at least two touching Kachinas to earn points. You cannot score points in a row or column that contains only your Kachina (except on the first play of the game). Tying an existing Dominating Kachina also scores no points.

You can gain points for both the row and column of your newly placed tile. The row and column are each scored separately and must be Dominated individually.

Example: Matt plays a Wolf Kachina on the end of a row. The Wolf already in the row adds to Matt's Wolf due to its special power, so Matt's Wolf now has a value of 8, making it the highest value in the row. Matt scores 4 points, since there are 4 tiles in the row.

Example: Adam decides to make a new column with his Sun Kachina. He places it under the first Wolf, scoring only 2 points.

Example: Bob sees a good play! He places a Chief under the Eagle, next to the Sun. It scores 2 points for the row and another 2 points for the column, since they are both Dominated by the Chief.

For more details on how each individual Kachina tile functions, please see the tile descriptions on the Player Reference Card and on the following pages.

3. Draw a Tile

Draw 1 tile from the draw pile. If the draw pile is empty, or if you have just played a Warrior Kachina and already have 5 tiles, you do not draw a tile. This ends your turn. The next player may begin their turn, following steps 1-3 above.

Tile Powers

Tile Powers are divided into two categories. 'PLAY' powers affect how tiles are placed on the board, while 'DOMINATE' powers change the way a tile is used in Dominating and scoring. You can also find the strength, special power, and number of each kind of Kachina available in the game.

1 – Koshari (The Clown) (6 tiles)

DOMINATE: Any tile adjacent to a Koshari has a value of 0.

• Koshari are not affected by other Koshari.

2 – Hummingbird (8 tiles)

DOMINATE: If the row or column you play the Hummingbird into begins and ends with Hummingbird tiles, they Dominate that row or column, regardless of value.

• Each new Hummingbird added to the end of a row or column will continue to Dominate, as long as a Hummingbird also remains at the other end of the same row or column.

3 – Warrior (8 tiles)

PLAY: The Warrior may be played normally or you may take any tile on the board into your hand and play the Warrior in that tile's place.

• You cannot take an Eagle if it is on top of another tile.
• You cannot take another Warrior tile.
• You cannot take a tile adjacent to an Ogre.
• Do not draw a new tile if you removed a tile from the board.

4 – Wolf (8 tiles)

DOMINATE: The value of a Wolf tile is the sum of all Wolf tiles in the same row OR column.

• New Wolf tiles can Dominate in a row or column with other Wolves; they do not tie with previously played Wolves.
• Check the Wolves in rows and columns separately. A lone Wolf in a row is worth 4, even if there are more Wolves in the column.

5 – Eagle (8 tiles)

PLAY: The Eagle may be played normally or may be played on top of another tile.

• An Eagle cannot be played on top of another Eagle.
• An Eagle cannot be played on top of a tile that is next to an Ogre.
• While on top of a tile, ignore the number and any powers of the tile beneath it.

6 – Ogre (8 tiles)

PLAY: Only another Ogre tile may be played adjacent an Ogre.

• This tile cannot be played on turn 1.
• An Eagle can be played on an Ogre, as long as it is not already next to another Ogre.

7 – Sun (8 tiles)

No special power.

8 – Chief (6 tiles)

No special power.

End of the Game

When the last tile is played, the game ends. Players may not get an equal number of turns. The player with the highest score wins the game. If there is a tie, the player who reached the highest score first wins the game!

Components

• 60 total Kachina tiles of 8 types
• 1 scoring board
• 5 player aid cards
• 5 player score markers
• 1 rulebook