Penguinramids
Penguinramids Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- 52 Penguin cards
- 20 Action cards (4 sets of 5 cards each)
- 10 Goal cards
- 1 Chief Penguin card
- 10 Strength tokens
Each Penguin card shows its left arm strength, right arm strength, colour and weight (each bracelet = 1 Strength point). The back of each Penguin card always shows a grey 0-weight penguin with strength 1 in both arms.
Each Action card shows a turn order (priority) number and an action icon.
Setup
- The youngest player receives the Chief Penguin card.
- Each player takes a set of 5 Action cards of the same colour. Put the leftover set(s) back in the box, as they will not be used.
- Shuffle the Goal cards and draw 3: put these cards face up on the table, visible to all. Put the leftover cards back in the box, as they will not be used.
- Shuffle the Penguin card deck and put it on the table. Draw and place face up on the table a number of Penguin cards equal to the number of players.
Example. Setup for 3 players. Three Penguin cards are placed face up on the table, and three Goal cards are placed face up where everyone can see them.
The Goal of the Game
During each round, all players play a card from their hand which determines the turn order for choosing a penguin from those available: the lower the number played, the earlier you choose. Once penguins are assigned, each player places the penguin they chose in front of them by following certain conditions, building a pyramid as the game progresses and trying to put heavy penguins in each level. When placing penguins, you should also keep an eye on the Goal cards, as they provide additional ways to score points.
At the end of the game, points are assigned for penguins in each pyramid and for matching Goal cards: the player with the highest score is crowned the new penguin pharaoh!
The Game
The game lasts 10 rounds.
At the start of each round, reveal a number of Penguin cards from the deck equal to the number of players (you already did this for the first round).
Each player then secretly selects one Action card from their hand and puts it face down on the table: when everyone is ready, the cards are revealed at the same time.
Players then take their turns in the order established by the number on their Action cards: the lowest number goes first, then the second lowest, etc. Ties are broken by starting with the player who has the Chief Penguin card (if they are not involved, the closest involved player in clockwise order) and proceeding clockwise.
Once an Action card has been played, keep it face down in front of you to one side: you cannot use it again until you draw it (by playing Action card #4, see below).
Turn Order Example. Luke has played #1, Peter and Michelle both #4. Luke is first, Peter goes second, then Michelle.
A Game Turn
During your turn, in any order:
- You must take one Penguin card still available from those revealed at the start of the round (i.e., not taken by another player), and place it in your pyramid.
- You may carry out the action on the Action card you just played.
Placing a Penguin in Your Pyramid
A pyramid is built starting with the base, and must be built in the following 4-level configuration:
- 4th level or top
- 3rd level
- 2nd level
- 1st level or base
Each Penguin card must be placed in the pyramid following these rules:
- You can only place a penguin adjacent to another penguin, or on top of two lower penguins. Exception: You can place your first penguin anywhere on your base level.
- The weight of a penguin on a level above your base must be carried by the strength of the arms of the two penguins that lie below it. In other words, the sum of the arm strength of the penguins lying below must be equal to or higher than the weight of the penguin above. Note: It is possible to increase the arm strength with Strength tokens, see below.
Example. 0 + 2 = 2: OK. 1 + 0 < 2: NOT OK.
If you can't place the penguin you chose following the rules above, you must flip it to the other side before adding it: the back of the Penguin cards always show a grey 0-weight penguin with strength 1 in both arms.
Attention: You must always choose a penguin that you can place in your pyramid, if possible. Only in the case that you can't (because no legal penguins are available) are you allowed to take any penguin and place it in your pyramid by flipping it to the grey side.
Example. Luke must choose between a 3- and a 0-weight penguin. He can't place the 3 in his pyramid, but he can place the 0, so he must take it.
Performing an Action
The Action card you play determines which action you are allowed to perform:
- Action #1: Take the Chief Penguin card. If multiple players have played this card, follow the clockwise order as usual. The final outcome is that the last player who played this card will keep the Chief Penguin card for the next round.
- Action #2: Flip a penguin to the grey side. You may flip one of your penguins to the grey side. You may flip the penguin you take this turn or one you already have, as long as it can still carry any penguin(s) above it.
- Action #3: Exchange with the deck. Before choosing a penguin on your turn, you may exchange one of the available penguins with the top card from the deck. The replaced penguin goes to the bottom of the deck.
- Action #4: Take back your Action cards. Take back into your hand all of the Action cards you have played (including this one).
- Action #5: Take a Strength token. Take one Strength token. At any time during the game, you can place one or more Strength tokens on the arm of one of your penguins. Each token increases the arm strength by 1.
Example. Peter, Michelle, and Luke are playing the third round. The three available penguins are the 0, the 1 and the 4 (shown in the rulebook). All players secretly choose their Action cards. Peter and Michelle both choose #1 (Take the Chief Penguin card), while Luke chooses #4 (Take back all your Action cards).
Michelle and Peter tie for priority, but Michelle is the Chief Penguin and goes first: she chooses the Blue 4, and places it as shown by playing a Strength token on her red penguin's arm, increasing the arm strength up to 3.
Michelle could also take the Chief Penguin card but she already has it, so her turn ends.
Peter goes second: He chooses the red 0, which he finds useful to pursue the Goal of having the most 0-weight penguins. Then he takes the Chief Penguin card from Michelle and keeps it in front of him.
Luke must take the leftover penguin, which he places on the first level of his pyramid. Then he takes all three of the Action cards he has played and returns them to his hand.
The Goal Cards
The 10 Goal cards, 3 of which are revealed at the start of the game, show special conditions that allow you to score additional points at the end of the game.
Note 1: For the purpose of the Goal cards, grey is not considered to be a valid color.
Note 2: In case of a tie, for the goal "The pyramid with the most 0-weight penguins: +5 points", all tied players score 5 points.
The Goal cards printed and described in this rulebook are:
- The pyramid with the most 0-weight penguins: +5 points.
- Each Action card in front of you at the end of the game: +1 point.
- Each penguin with only one raised arm: +2 points.
- A pyramid with at least one side made up of penguins of four different colors: +4 points.
- The third level of each pyramid scores twice: +3 points.
Editor's note on source coverage: the printed rulebook describes these five Goal cards in text and in its examples. The text of the other Goal cards is not printed legibly in the rulebook (they appear only as card art, which is too small in the source PDF to transcribe), so they are not transcribed here.
The End of the Game
After 10 rounds, the game is over. Each player tallies their points by adding up:
- The weight of their heaviest penguin on each level;
- Any bonus points granted by the Goal cards they have fulfilled. Multiple players may score points for the same Goal card.
The player with the highest score wins! In case of a tie, the winner among tied players is the one with the Chief Penguin card, or the one sitting closest to them in clockwise order.
Example. The score is tallied by adding the value of the heaviest penguin on each floor: 1 + 3 + 2 + 4 = 10, and adding any bonus points from Goal cards: +4 +3 +4 = 11, for a total of 21. Great job penguins!