Nicodemus Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Game Objective
• Game Setup
• Playing the Game
  • Description of a Machine
  • Playing a Machine from Their Hand
  • Repairing a Machine from the Bric-a-brac
• End of the Game
• The Effects
  • Production Machines (blue, 20 cards, 5 effects × 4 copies each)
  • Transformation Machines (purple, 20 cards, 5 effects × 4 copies each)
  • Attack Machines (red, 8 cards, 4 effects × 2 copies each)
  • Special Machines (yellow, 8 cards, 2 effects × 4 copies each)
• Projects
• Credits

Components

56 machine cards, divided as follows (see p. 10 for details on the machines):

• 20 blue production machines
• 20 purple transformation machines
• 8 red attack machines
• 8 yellow special machines

24 resources: 8 cubes of wood, 8 cubes of copper, 8 cubes of crystal

1 board known as the Bric-a-brac

17 project tiles (see p. 12 for details on the projects)

2 assistant tokens and 2 wooden tokens

1 first player token

12 charcoalium, the money of the game

Game Objective

To be the first player to reach 20 or more points by repairing machines and completing projects.

Game Setup

1. Unfold the Bric-a-brac on the table.
2. Each player chooses an assistant token that they place in front of them as a reminder of their color. They also place the matching wooden token on the 0 space of the score track.
3. Shuffle the projects and place the pile face-down above the Bric-a-brac. Reveal the 6 that will be used for this game and place them on the project spaces.
4. Shuffle the machines and place the deck facedown on its Bric-a-brac space.
5. Reveal the first machine and place it on the first empty space of the Bric-a-brac.
6. Place the resources and the charcoalium next to the Bric-a-brac to form the reserve.
7. Deal 5 machines to each player, which are kept hidden from their opponent.
8. The first player, chosen randomly, takes the first player token and 2 charcoalium. They place them in their "workshop," an imaginary place in front of them that also contains their repaired machines, resources and charcoalium. The second player takes 1 charcoalium and 1 wood for their workshop.

Playing the Game

The players take turns until the end of the game is triggered by reaching 20 points or drawing the last machine (see End of the Game). During their turn, a player has the choice between two actions: play a machine from their hand or repair a machine from the Bric-a-brac.

Description of a Machine

Each machine card shows:

A. Victory point(s) B. Production zone C. Effect when played from a player's hand D. Resources needed for its repair

Playing a Machine from Their Hand

A. The player places a machine from their hand in the next empty space on the Bric-a-brac, then activates it. They have 3 choices:

B. Earn as many charcoalium as the victory point value of the machine. These are taken from the reserve and placed in their workshop.

C. Produce 1 resource or charcoalium according to what is shown in the machine's production zone. The resource or charcoalium is taken from the reserve and placed in their workshop. Note: If you want charcoalium, it is usually better to choose option A even if your machine shows it in the production zone.

D. Apply the effect of the machine (see The Effects).

The player finishes their turn by drawing a new machine from the deck to bring their hand up to 5 cards once more. If there are not enough cards in the deck, the end of the game is triggered (see End of the Game).

The Bric-a-brac

The Bric-a-brac shows 2 rows of spaces for machines. Each space can hold only 1 machine at a time, and they are always filled from left to right, top to bottom: If the top row is full, new machines are placed in the bottom row. If both rows are full at the end of a player's turn, discard all 5 machines in the top row and move the ones in the bottom row up (any charcoalium on the discarded machines goes back to the reserve).

Repairing a Machine from the Bric-a-brac

Resources and Charcoalium

The three resources have the same value. The quantity of each resource and charcoalium is limited to the components in the game. If you gain a resource or charcoalium and there are none left in the reserve, take it from your opponent instead (if possible). The wild-resource icon is a "wild" resource: when you see this symbol, you may choose one of the three resources.

1. To repair the last machine placed on the Bric-a-brac, a player must simply spend the resources listed on that machine, returning them to the reserve from their workshop less any reduction they have earned (see the example below). If they want to repair a machine placed before the last one, in addition to the required resources, they must also place 1 charcoalium from their workshop on each machine in front of the one they want to repair, going from right to left, bottom row first.

Reduction

Repaired machines in your workshop allow you to reduce the resources needed to repair a machine on the Bric-a-brac: each resource shown in the production zone of these machines counts towards the repair cost. Likewise, each charcoalium reduces the fee you must place on the Bric-a-brac. But, you must use your charcoalium reduction first then top off with charcoalium from your workshop, if necessary.

2. The player takes the machine that they have repaired as well as all the charcoalium placed on it during previous turns. They place the machine in their workshop and score the number of victory points indicated on the machine by moving their token forward on the score track.

3. If the repaired machine leaves an empty space when removed, those placed to the right are shifted left to fill the empty space.

4. The player checks if they can complete any of the projects that are still available. They must fulfil the conditions of the project and the machine they just repaired must meet one of those requirements (see example below). If they do, they move forward on the score track the number of points indicated on the project. Then they set it aside together with the machines they used to complete it, separate from their workshop. The empty project space it is not refilled with another project. Completing projects is optional.

5. The player then checks if their workshop now contains 4 machines. If so, they only keep the last one. The other 3 are set aside separate from their workshop. Note: The machines and projects that are set aside are no longer part of the workshop. They will not be used for the rest of the game. They can be used to recount points if necessary.

Repair Example:

The player wants to repair the first machine.

A. The resources needed to repair it are 2 crystals, 1 copper, and 1 wood. The player has 1 machine in their workshop that has wood in its production zone, which reduces the cost by 1 wood. They only need to spend 2 crystals and 1 copper, which they have in their workshop.

B. They must also pay 3 charcoalium, as there are three machines to the right. The player has 1 machine with charcoalium in its production zone, which grants a reduction of 1 charcoalium. They place nothing on the first machine and then place 1 charcoalium from their workshop on each of the other 2 machines.

C. The repaired machine goes to their workshop and the player scores 3 points.

D. The three remaining machines are shifted to the left to fill the open space.

Projects

It is possible to complete more than one project during the same turn, even using the same machines for multiple projects. You are not required to complete a project if you are able. You can save your machines for a more interesting project later. However, in order to complete the original project, you would have to wait until you repair another machine needed for this project.

Completion Example:

The player just repaired their 2nd machine worth 3 victory points and they both have charcoalium in their production zones. So, they can complete the 2 following projects at the same time:

• Have 2 machines each worth 3 victory points in your workshop;
• Have 2 machines with charcoalium in their production zones in your workshop.

The player earns 3 points for the completion of these 2 projects and moves forward on the score track.

End of the Game

The end of the game is triggered when a player reaches 20 or more victory points OR when there are not enough cards in the deck for a player to have a full hand. In both cases, the players finish the current round.

Note: If the first player triggers the end of the game, the second player plays their turn and then the game ends. If it is the second player, the game ends at the end of their turn.

The player with the highest score on the track wins. In the event of a draw, the player with the most charcoalium wins. If they are still tied, it is the player with the most resources. In the event of yet another draw, the victory is shared.

The Effects

Each machine's effect is one of the following, keyed to its color and how many copies of that effect appear among the 56 machine cards.

Production Machines (blue, 20 cards, 5 effects × 4 copies each)

• Earn 1 wood for each machine on the Bric-a-brac with wood in its production zone, including this one.
• Earn 1 charcoalium for each machine on the Bric-a-brac with charcoalium in its production zone, including this one.
• Earn 1 copper for each machine on the Bric-a-brac with copper in its production zone, including this one.
• Earn 1 crystal for each machine on the Bric-a-brac with crystal in its production zone, including this one.
• Choose a type of resource (wood, copper, or crystal). Earn 1 resource of this type for each machine on the Bric-a-brac with the wild-resource symbol in its production zone, including this one.

Transformation Machines (purple, 20 cards, 5 effects × 4 copies each)

• Discard a machine from your hand and earn 2 resources of your choice from those needed to repair it.
• Discard 1 of the last 3 machines added to the Bric-a-brac before this one and earn 1 resource of your choice from those needed to repair it.
• Discard 1 of the last 2 machines added to the Bric-a-brac before this one and earn 1 resource of your choice from those needed to repair it and 1 charcoalium.
• You can exchange 1 charcoalium for 1 resource of your choice from the reserve and/or vice versa, up to three times total.
• Discard the last machine added to the Bric-a-brac before this one and earn 2 resources of your choice from those needed to repair it.

Attack Machines (red, 8 cards, 4 effects × 2 copies each)

• Steal from your opponent 1 charcoalium and 1 machine taken randomly from their hand.
• Steal from your opponent 1 resource of your choice and 1 machine taken randomly from their hand.
• Your opponent must randomly discard all but 2 machines from their hand and return 2 charcoalium to the reserve.
• Your opponent must return 2 resources of your choice to the reserve.

Special Machines (yellow, 8 cards, 2 effects × 4 copies each)

• Draw 2 of the unused project tiles. Choose 1 to place face up in your workshop and return the other to the box. Only you can complete the project in your workshop.
• Copy the effect of 1 machine from the Bric-a-brac of your choice.

Projects

The 17 project tiles fall into four families:

• You must have at least 2 machines of the indicated color in your workshop. (One tile per color: blue, red, purple, yellow.)
• You must have at least 1 machine of each color in your workshop.
• You must have at least 2 machines worth the indicated number of victory points in your workshop.
• You must have at least 2 identical machines in your workshop.
• You must have machines in your workshop that have the indicated resources and/or charcoalium in their production zones. Wild-resource icons do not count towards these objectives.

Credits

Game designers: Bruno Cathala and Florian Sirieix - Artwork: Felideus Bubastis English Translation: Rebecca Sevoz - English Language Revisor: William Niebling