Pyramido: Forgotten Treasures
Pyramido: Forgotten Treasures Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 90 double-sided Dominoes
- 45 Colored Gems (9 orange, 9 blue, 9 purple, 9 green, 9 red)
- 18 Mythical Gems — includes a set of 6 Gems as spare components (1 Gem of each color + 1 Mythical Gem)
- 1 Supply bag
- 1 Scoring pad
Goal of the Game
Use Dominoes to explore your own pyramid. Group gem icons of the same type together to score the most points over the course of 4 stages.
Setup
- Mix the Dominoes and create 5 roughly equal face-down piles. These piles will form the Exploration Area.
- Place all the Gems in the Supply bag. Then, randomly draw and place 3 Gems in front of each pile.
- Flip the top Domino on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th piles face up.
- Set the Scoring pad aside for now; it is only used at the end of each stage.
Whoever went exploring most recently is the starting player.
The Exploration Area consists of 5 piles of Dominoes, each with a Gem Area of 3 Gems in front of it. Dominoes and Gems in the same column form a Space.
Each Domino consists of 2 blocks. A block is exactly one half of a Domino. Each Domino also houses 2 gem icons.
How to Play
Each player must explore their own pyramid. Pyramids, once complete, are 4 stages high. Complete each stage one at a time and create groups of matching colored blocks. At the end of each stage, points are scored by placing Gems in areas with gem icons and for having leftover Mythical Gems.
Stage 1
The 1st stage must be 5 x 4 blocks (or 4 x 5 blocks). Completing this stage requires exactly 10 Dominoes.
Beginning with the starting player, players take turns in clockwise order. On your turn, complete the following 4 steps in order:
- Choose a Space
- Replenish the Gem Area (if applicable)
- Reveal a Domino
- Place your Domino
1. Choose a Space
Choose a Space that has a face-up Domino. Take 1 Gem and the Domino belonging to that Space. Put the Gem in front of you in your inventory.
Note: If a Domino pile is emptied, take the bottom half of any other pile to replenish it with new Dominoes.
2. Replenish the Gem Area (if applicable)
When a Gem Area is empty, you must replenish it. Randomly draw 3 Gems from the Supply bag and place them in the empty Gem Area.
Note: If the Supply bag is empty, take all the discarded Gems (see End of a Stage) and put them back in the Supply bag. Then, continue to replenish the Gem Area until it has 3 Gems.
3. Reveal a Domino
Flip the top Domino on 1 of the 3 face-down piles in the Exploration Area face up.
Important: The back of a Domino gives an indication of:
- The color of each block on the Domino.
- The number of gem icons on each block. This information doesn't indicate exactly where the gem icons are.
4. Place your Domino
Add the chosen Domino to your pyramid following the Domino placement rules below.
Domino Placement Rules
- If it is your first Domino, simply place it face up in front of you to begin your pyramid. Dominoes can be freely rotated.
- During the 1st stage, Dominoes must be connected to another Domino. Blocks of different colors can touch each other.
- Block sides must be completely aligned. Blocks cannot be aligned only half way.
- From the 2nd stage onwards, Dominoes are connected with the ones directly below them. Therefore, Dominoes can now be placed apart from each other.
Once a Domino is placed, it cannot be moved. Make sure you always leave room for future Dominoes to fit within the current stage.
At the end of a stage, if you do not have room to place a Domino, you lose your turn (you do not take your Domino and your Gem this turn). Your stage is considered complete even if you have left gaps. During the next stage, you may place Dominoes on top of these empty spaces.
Once a player has performed all 4 steps in order, their turn is over. Play continues clockwise and the next player begins their turn. Players continue taking turns until everyone's stage is completed.
Stage End Scoring
The scoring phase is triggered when all players have completed the current stage of their pyramid. Players may now simultaneously place Gems from their inventory on their pyramid to activate areas and score points. Each group of connected blocks of the same color is an area.
Gem Placement Rules
Activation
To activate an area on your pyramid and score it, you must place 1 Colored Gem on an area of a matching color.
Important: 2 Mythical Gems can replace 1 Colored Gem.
- You can activate any number of areas of the same and/or different color(s).
- You can activate areas on any stage of your pyramid.
- You can keep your Gems to activate areas during future stages, even if there are areas that you can still activate.
Double-Scoring
When activating an area, you can double its score by placing a total of 3 Colored Gems instead of just one.
When doing so, you can use 3 Colored Gems or any equivalent as seen below:
- 3 Colored Gems
- 2 Colored Gems + 2 Mythical Gems
- 1 Colored Gem + 4 Mythical Gems
- 6 Mythical Gems
You can double the score of any number of areas.
Scoring Stage 1
Points are scored for gem icons present in activated areas as well as any unused Mythical Gems leftover in your inventory.
- Score 1 point for each gem icon in an activated area.
- Score 2 points for each gem icon in an activated area if you placed the equivalent of 3 Colored Gems.
- Score 1 point for each Mythical Gem left in your inventory after placing your Gems on your pyramid.
- No points are scored for gem icons in areas that have not been activated.
Add up the points you earned from your activated areas AND for any Mythical Gems leftover in your inventory. Use the Scoring pad to keep track of your scores.
Scoring example: An inventory is scored as follows. Gem icons in activated areas: area 1 has 2 gem icons = 2 points; area 2 has 3 gem icons = 3 points; area 3 has 3 gem icons = 3 points; area 4 has 4 gem icons = 4 points; area 5 has 5 gem icons, doubled = 10 points. Mythical Gems in inventory: 1 Mythical Gem = 1 point. Total: 23 points.
End of a Stage
Put all Gems that were placed on your pyramid aside near the Supply bag.
Any Gems that you did not use in the scoring phase are kept in your inventory, to a maximum of 5.
Before beginning the next stage, if you have more than 5 Gems, you must reduce your inventory to 5 by choosing which Gems to discard near the Supply bag.
Once all players have tallied their scores for the current stage and have discarded any Gems above the inventory limit, the player with the lowest number of points for the stage begins the next stage.
In case of a tie, the tied player next in the current turn order begins the next stage. Play then continues clockwise as normal.
Stages 2-4
Later stages are played on top of previous ones.
- Stage 2 is 4 x 3 blocks, built from 6 Dominoes.
- Stage 3 is 3 x 2 blocks, built from 3 Dominoes.
- Stage 4 is 2 x 1 blocks, built from 1 Domino.
Dominoes on Later Stages
When starting a new stage, one important rule must be followed: the corner of each Domino must sit in the centers of the blocks below it. The center of each block is marked by the two lines that run through it.
An area can span multiple stages when it connects with blocks of the same color from previous stages.
Scoring Stages 2-4
Scoring remains the same. Since areas can span multiple stages, gem icons from previous stages can be scored as larger groups with those on the current stage and eventually future stages. Remember, you can activate areas on the current stage and previous stages of your pyramid.
Scoring Stage 2 example: Gem icons in activated areas: area 1 has 4 gem icons = 4 points; area 2 has 3 gem icons = 3 points; area 3 has 5 gem icons = 5 points; area 4 has 2 gem icons = 2 points; area 5 has 5 gem icons = 5 points. Mythical Gems in inventory: 1 Mythical Gem = 1 point. Total: 20 points. In this example, Carl has the lowest score this stage. He will become the first player for the next stage.
Scoring Stage 3 example: Gem icons in activated areas: area 1 has 4 gem icons = 4 points; area 2 has 8 gem icons = 8 points; area 3 has 2 gem icons = 2 points; area 4 has 6 gem icons = 6 points. Mythical Gems in inventory: 1 Mythical Gem = 1 point. Total: 21 points. In this example, Carl and Marc both have the lowest score. Carl is 1st in the current turn order and Marc is 2nd, so Carl wins the tie and becomes the first player for the next stage.
Scoring Stage 4 example: Gem icons in activated areas: area 1 has 8 gem icons = 8 points; area 2 has 6 gem icons = 6 points. Total: 14 points.
End of the Game
After stage 4 is scored, the game ends. Players calculate their total scores; whoever scored the most points wins the game and the title of Greatest Explorer! In case of a tie, the player that has the most Gems left in their inventory wins. If the tie persists, the tied player who scored the most points during a single stage wins. If there is still a tie, then the tied players share the victory.
Gem Lore
Topaz — It is believed, most likely due to its yellow color, that topaz carries the ability to attract gold. If worn as an amulet on the left arm, it could even protect the wearer from dark magic. Taken in a potion, it can cure a wide range of ailments and help the user attract love. If kept in a home, a topaz could ward off accidents and fires.
Amethyst — The purple color of amethyst represents the purity of spirit. Thus, amethysts are said to help the mind flow freely in both mental and metaphysical dimensions. Often viewed as a stone of peace, some believe amethyst's calming presence produces soothing dreams by bringing the dreamer more in tune with the Divine.
Sapphire — For centuries, sapphire has been popularly associated with royalty and said to protect against envy, infidelity, and fraud. Supposedly, the stone increased the wearer's overall strength and health, thus warding off illnesses and nullifying poisons. It is even thought that they have the power to divine the future.
Peridot — This friendly bright green stone also has the uncanny ability to inspire eloquence and creativity. It also brings delight and good cheer. It attracts love and calms anger by giving renewal to all things. Peridot has been long considered a powerful aid to repairing and maintaining friendship as well as freeing the mind of envious thoughts.
Ruby — Over the centuries, many cultures have associated rubies symbolically with wealth and power. Their owners were also lucky, as they afforded them protection from illness, misfortune, and even sheltered their homes from storms. Some even go as far as saying that if used correctly, the stone could grant invulnerability.
Mythical — Little is known in regard to this mysterious gem. The handful that have observed it have all spoken about its ever-changing appearance. Some believe it can assume the properties of virtually any stone, but none have been able to explain why or how this is possible.
Block & Gem Allocation
There are 36 of each Domino block color, and 36 of each Gem color, in the game.
Solo Mode
Become 'A Legend' Rules
Pyramido: Forgotten Treasures' solo mode is played against a legendary explorer who found a secret passage in the pyramid and thus has his own rules and scoring. THE Legend will not place Dominoes in order to form a pyramid; his sole objective is to collect Gems. Your goal is to earn more points than him and lay your claim to fame by becoming the new legend.
Setup
Randomly take 1 Domino and put it aside face up to begin THE Legend's pile. This Domino will determine THE Legend's desired color(s) when he is collecting Gems.
The rest of the setup is the same as the regular setup. As an aspiring legend, you will play and score the same way as in the standard game. On each stage, you will act as the starting player.
THE Legend's Turn
THE Legend has 2 preferences, which are indicated by the gem icons on the top Domino of his pile. When searching for Gems, he only explores the 3 Spaces with face-up Dominoes. THE Legend will try to collect 2 Gems on his turn, whether they be 2 Colored Gems, 2 Mythical Gems or a mix of both.
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Ideally, THE Legend wants to collect 2 Colored Gems matching those represented on his Domino. THE Legend always starts his search from the leftmost face-up pile. When he finds a Colored Gem matching a gem icon on his Domino, he claims it and places it in his inventory. He can collect 2 Gems in the same Space if they each match his desired color(s), even 2 identical Gems.
Note: THE Legend always scans each Space one at a time for both gem icons on his Domino.
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After THE Legend has searched for both Colored Gems and has failed to find a Colored Gem represented on his Domino, he begins a new search for Mythical Gems from the leftmost face-up pile. If he finds a Mythical Gem, he claims it and adds it to his inventory. If THE Legend did not collect any Colored Gems earlier in his turn, he can gather up to 2 Mythical Gems.
Note: THE Legend might only collect 1 Gem (or even none) on his turn.
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THE Legend takes the Domino from the same Space where he collected his last Gem and places it face up on his pile. This Domino will dictate his new preferences for his next turn. Then, he flips the next Domino in that same Space.
Important: The gem icons are THE Legend's desired colors, NOT the Domino colors.
If THE Legend fails to find any Gems, he takes the leftmost face-up Domino, adds it to his pile, and flips the next Domino in that Space. Then, he randomly draws 1 Gem from the Supply bag and adds it to his inventory.
It is the end of THE Legend's turn. Take turns until the stage is complete.
Stage End Scoring
The player scores points using the same rules as the standard game.
THE Legend scores points based on the rules below.
Colored Gems: Points for Colored Gems increase with every stage.
- Stage 1: 1 point each
- Stage 2: 2 points each
- Stage 3: 3 points each
- Stage 4: 4 points each
Mythical Gems: 2 points each.
THE Legend scoring example (Stage 3): Colored Gems — 5 Gems: (5 x 3) = 15 points. Mythical Gems — 6 Gems: (6 x 2) = 12 points. Total: 27 points.
End of a Stage
Put all of THE Legend's Colored Gems aside near the Supply bag. THE Legend keeps all of the Mythical Gems that he collects until the end of the game. THE Legend has no inventory limit.
End of the Game
If THE Legend has the highest score, or if you are tied, he is the winner. If you have outscored THE Legend, you are the winner and have qualified for the Become 'THE Legend' mode below.
Become 'THE Legend' Rules
Use the same rules as the Become 'A Legend' mode and add the following rule: at the beginning of a stage, if THE Legend has 7 Mythical Gems or more in his inventory, he randomly draws 1 Gem from the Supply bag and adds it to his inventory.
End of the Game
If you win this mode, you retire and become 'THE Legend' until a new explorer follows your path and attempts to become legendary.
Credits
- Designers: Ikhwan Kwon & Carl Brière
- Developer: Carl Brière
- Illustrator: The Creation Studio
- Art director: Marie-Elaine Bérubé
- Graphic designers: Marie-Elaine Bérubé & Marc Rousselle
- Proofreading: Daryl Chow for The Geeky Pen
- Publisher: Jeux Synapses Games Inc.
© 2025 Jeux Synapses Games Inc. No part of this product may be reproduced without the written consent of Jeux Synapses Games Inc., 37 rue Claude, Pointe-des-Cascades, QC J0P 1M0, Canada. www.jeuxsynapsesgames.com