Pick a Pen: Reefs
Pick a Pen: Reefs Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 5 coloured pencils (each with the sides: 1 any step, 2 any steps, 3 any steps, 2 straight steps, 3 straight steps and 4+ straight steps). These are the possible dice results.
- Score sheets with 3 different levels
The score sheet
Elements shown on the sheet (Level 1 as example): connections, spaces, treasure boxes, point boxes, treasure, coin, entry point, coin boxes, bonus points, total score.
Game Idea
Roll the coloured pencils and decide cleverly in which colour you colour in which connections and spaces. Starting from the entry points, you try to reach coins and treasures. Whoever has the most points at the end wins!
Setup
- Place the 5 pencils in the middle of the table.
- Decide together which level you want to play and hand out the matching score sheet to everyone. Is this your first game? Then we recommend Level 1.
Gameplay
- The player wearing the most colourful clothes begins. On your turn, take the 5 pencils and roll them into the middle of the table. If pencils land on top of each other, roll those again.
- Once the pencils are rolled, the first thing you must do is take one pencil from the middle of the table. Say the colour and the die result on your chosen pencil out loud. Example: "Red, 2 any steps" or "Green, 3 straight steps". Then draw a route with the corresponding type and number of steps with this pencil (see "Drawing routes").
- Then the next person clockwise takes a pencil from the middle of the table. This continues in turn until no pencils are left there. In doing so, at least one person gets more than one pencil.
- If it is your turn and there are no more pencils in the middle of the table, you may begin the next round. Take all 5 pencils and roll them. Continue playing as described above.
Tip: Keep the pencils with you until all players have chosen a pencil and finished colouring.
Drawing Routes
You must draw the full number of steps shown on your pencil on your score sheet. Observe the following rules:
- Starting a new route: If you have not yet drawn a single step in your chosen colour on your score sheet, you start from any free entry point. Colour in the entry point and then trace one connection between two spaces for each step. These connections must not already be occupied by another colour.
- One route per colour: For the whole game, the route of a colour must form one continuous line. Branches are not allowed. A route may cross itself or other routes on spaces, coins and treasures, but it may not return to its own entry point or cross another entry point.
- Continuing a route already started: If you have already drawn a route in your chosen colour on your score sheet, you continue it from its end point in any direction. You may not draw from an entry point twice. Enter the corresponding steps as described below.
- Draw all steps: The pencil specifies which type and how many steps you draw in the corresponding colour:
- Any steps: After each step you may change the direction of the route.
- Straight steps: You must enter all steps in a straight line in only one direction.
You must always enter the full number of steps shown on your chosen pencil. Exception "4+ straight steps": here you may draw any number of steps in only one direction, but at least 4. Note: If you cannot or do not want to enter the exact number of steps of a colour, you must forfeit all steps. Then set the chosen pencil aside without drawing anything.
- Use each connection only once: You may never draw more than one line between two spaces. However, a space may be crossed by any number of colours. These can be different routes or the same route.
Recovering Treasures
If you connect a route to a treasure of the same colour, you recover it. Colour in both the treasure and the corresponding treasure boxes on the right side of your score sheet. Colour in as many treasure boxes as the number on the treasure indicates. Note that you must colour them in in order from left to right, without skipping any treasure box.
- If you connect a route to a treasure of a different colour, nothing happens. You cannot recover the treasure, but it remains available for the matching colour.
- On some score sheets, neutral treasures are shown. If you cross such a treasure with a route of any colour for the first time, you recover the treasure. Colour in the treasure and the corresponding number of treasure boxes in the corresponding colour. In this case the colour of the route also determines the colour of the treasure.
- You can collect each treasure on your score sheet only once.
- Important: Your route does not have to end on a treasure to collect it.
- If you have already coloured in all treasure boxes of a colour, you receive no further points for recovered treasures in that colour.
Collecting Coins
If you connect a route of any colour to a space showing a coin, you collect it. Then colour in one coin box on the right side of your score sheet. Here too, colour them in in order from left to right. You can collect each coin only once.
Important: Your route does not have to end on a coin to collect it.
Bonus Points
You can collect the following bonus points:
- 5 x 2 treasure box bonus: 5 bonus points for the first person who has coloured in 2 treasure boxes in each of all 5 colours.
- 1 x all treasure boxes bonus: 5 bonus points for the first person who has coloured in all treasure boxes of one colour.
Note: Only one person can receive these points. Even if another person later colours in the necessary treasure boxes, they receive no bonus points for it.
For the person who ends the game there are two further ways to receive bonus points (see "End of the Game").
Marking points: If you fulfil one of the conditions for scoring points, colour in the corresponding point box or the corresponding bonus point star (see "Final Scoring").
Note: Announce out loud when you score points so that all other players can follow along. When someone receives bonus points, all other players should cross out that bonus point star.
End of the Game
The game ends immediately when someone fulfils a condition marked with a red exclamation mark. These are:
- a person colours in the grey-shaded treasure boxes in all five colours, and/or
- a person colours in the last coin box.
All pencils not chosen at that moment remain in the middle of the table. The round is not played to its end.
End of the game bonus: If you fulfil one of the two conditions that end the game, colour in the corresponding bonus point star. If you manage to fulfil both conditions in your last turn, you receive both bonus points.
Final Scoring
Treasure boxes: In each row you receive as many points as are shown above the last coloured-in treasure box of that colour. Enter the points in the corresponding white space at the end of that row.
Coin boxes: Calculate these points like the treasure boxes.
Note the points of each row and all bonus points in the corresponding white spaces. Add up all points and write the total score in the large white space at the bottom right.
The person with the most points wins. If several people have the most points, they win together.
Example of a final scoring
Anna did not manage to be the first person to colour in 2 treasure boxes of each colour. For this reason she does not get the 5 bonus points. However, she did manage to be the first person to colour in all coin boxes. For that she gets 5 bonus points. Anna's total score is therefore 41 points.
Overview of the Score Sheets
Level 1: Small Ocean
The rules described above contain everything you need for this score sheet. Level 1 is the perfect start for your first game!
Level 2: The Whirlpools
In addition to the rules described so far, observe the following addition:
Whirlpools: If you cross a space with a whirlpool with a route of any colour, you must stop on this space and colour in the whirlpool. All further steps are forfeited. Instead, you continue this route with exactly 3 any steps. If you later cross this space again with a route, nothing happens.
Level 3: The Propellers
In addition to the rules described so far, observe the following additions:
Collecting propellers: If you cross a space with a propeller with a route of any colour, colour in the outer rim of the first propeller at the bottom right of your score sheet. Always colour in the propellers in order from left to right. Each propeller can be collected only once. If this space is later crossed again by a route, nothing happens.
Using propellers: Propellers give you a further option during your turn. When you choose your pencil, you may ignore the die result and instead draw exactly 3 any steps with this colour. If you use this action, completely colour in a propeller of which only the outer rim is coloured. Collected propellers can be used only once.
Tips for People with Colour Vision Deficiency
Unfortunately it is not possible to make this game fully accessible to people with colour vision deficiency. However, here are a few tips to make playing easier for them:
- The five colours are listed on the back of this rulebook (orange, red, blue, green, purple). After rolling, place the pencils in the box of the corresponding colour.
- Instead of drawing lines on the score sheet, you can also use a different pattern for each colour. You can also draw these on the pencils.