Quin
Quin Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Getting Started
What's in the Box
| Component | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Quin Rulebook | x 1 |
| Quin Key Rule Cards | x 4 |
| Zero Gravity Boards | x 2 |
| Drink Coasters | x 2 |
| Cloth Piece Bags | x 2 |
| White Towers | x 17 |
| Black Towers | x 17 |
| Sets of Faces (17 each) | x 2 |
| Sets of Clones (4 each) | x 2 |
| Magnetic Game Board | x 1 |
Each player's piece set consists of 17 Towers with 21 Faces. The page's diagram shows the split of Faces; the piece counts stated in each piece's section of this rulebook are: Light 1, Shadow 2, Artificial Light 4, Reflector 2, Memory 1, Time 1, Peripheral 2 and Void 4 (17 Towers), plus 4 Clone Faces (Time, Void, Memory and Artificial Light) for a total of 21 Faces.
The Quin Game Board has 99 embedded magnets (1 at every playable space), and the Zero Gravity Boards each have 17 magnets, enough to hold a full set of Towers.
Take a moment to ensure you have everything, and that all of the pieces align properly. Any questions, just reach out to [email protected].
Winning the Game
There are 2 ways to win at Quin.
- Reach First Sight: Reach First Sight with your Light without getting caught. Only Light can land on First Sight, the center space of the board.
- Capture Light: Capture your rival's Light before they reach First Sight. Keep Light hidden, as it is vulnerable to being captured by almost anything.
Totems
When you come to play Quin, bring a Totem to the table. Something to represent you. This can be anything at all but is often a lucky trinket, toy, or cool figurine.
Set your Totem next to the board, facing your rival. With this Totem you have the Power of Resurrection, once per game. This lets you bring back a captured piece of your choice, to be placed on your rival's side of the board. Then you get to play your turn, even using the Resurrected piece to attack! See Resurrection & Reinforcement for details.
Towers & Icons
The Towers & Icons page labels the parts of a Tower: the Triangle Connector, the Thumb Grip and the Magnetic Base. The Faces are Interchangeable, and the icons on the page identify the piece types: Light, Shadow, Artificial Light, Reflector, Memory, Time, Peripheral and Void.
Vision Mode (Face-Up Tutorial)
Learn Quin in the open by using only the Faces. With nowhere to hide, you can take on the rush together. Talk through the rules and moves, and look up your questions in this Rulebook. All rules apply as normal. See Lineup & Formation Quick Starts (Lineup section) for quick starts.
The Vision Mode page shows a legend of the number of moves for each piece, and the unused Clones.
Game Setup
It's Time to Shine
For Quin's hidden, magnetic play, attach all the Towers and Faces. Bluff, lay traps and launch sneak attacks!
Setup only takes a couple minutes, anytime you want to play. Lay out the boards, grab a Totem, put all your pieces on Zero Gravity and you're ready to go. Learn about Lineups in the Lineup section.
Player Order
Do a countdown, 3, 2, 1, and drink a small cup of H2O. Whoever finishes first decides who goes first. Of course you can decide this any way you'd like, but don't underestimate the value of a hydrated mind.
Clones
Use one of these extra Faces at the start to customize your lineup.
The four Clone Faces are:
- Time - for Defense
- Void - for Strength
- Memory - for Agility
- Artificial Light - for the Late Game Push
As the first step in any game of Quin, pick 1 of the 4 Clone Faces and add it to your lineup, removing any 1 piece of your choice (other than Light or Shadow). Unused Clones, and the piece you chose to replace, are set aside out of play.
Quick Start: On your first game remove a Void and replace it with a Clone of Time. You won't regret it.
Lineup
Choose 10 pieces to start, and put them on your 10 starting spaces (1st & 2nd rows). Arrange your starting lineup however you choose. The only rule of setup is that Artificial Light can't come in at the start; they all stay on your Zero Gravity. The rest is up to you!
Quick Start
Try one of these 3 lineups to get going fast. The lineups are shown as diagrams in the book: Standard Rush, Light Hunters and Reflector Retreat.
Tip: Play your Shadows on the front row, most games, so they can move out quickly if needed.
Game Overview
In Quin, your pieces are hidden from your rival until they collide. Then they reveal, sometimes capturing each other, other times swapping places.
The goal is not just to capture the most pieces. Losing a Tower might trigger other abilities, and every move counts. Awareness, timing and a good poker face are the skills you'll need most.
Alternate turns. Move a piece, capture your rival's piece, or use a special Power, until one of you takes First Sight or captures the rival Light.
On Your Turn
Most turns in a game of Quin will be just 1 action. You have 5 options:
- Move a Tower
- Flash a Rival Tower
- Use a Power
- Bring in a Reinforcement
- Resurrect a Lost Piece
Move a Tower: Move forward or backward on a Line, or sideways on a Ring, up to as many spaces as the Moves number indicated for your piece. You don't have to move the full amount; that's up to you. You can't change direction during a move, or jump over other pieces. See the piece details (pages 21-39 of the book, in the Pieces section) for exceptions and special moves.
Flash a Rival Tower: When you move into a space occupied by a rival Tower a "flash" occurs and both are revealed. There are 3 kinds of flashes, detailed in the Flash! section.
Use a Power: Time, Memory and Reflectors have the option to use a Power instead of moving, on any turn. Powers all have unique effects, so use them wisely! The book illustrates the Power of Reflection being used to rush Light forward.
Any one action will count as your turn. The only exceptions are the Powers of Time and Resurrection. Learn about stacking these Powers in the Stacking Powers section.
The last 2 options become available as the game progresses: bring in new pieces from your Zero Gravity (Reinforcement), or turn your Totem one time per game to bring back a captured piece of your choice (Resurrection). Learn about Reinforcements & Resurrection in that section.
Third Eye Mode
Peripherals, Voids, Memory and Time all have upgrades and new Powers in this advanced mode.
Flash!
When Towers meet in the same space, this is called a Flash. Both pieces are revealed, each player showing the type of their piece. One of 3 things will happen: Capture, Swap or Mutual Destruction.
Capture: If the attacking piece captures, it removes the defending Tower to the attacker's Zero Gravity, and moves into the contested space. Defenders can never capture the attacker outright; only the attacker's capture rule is considered. Most flashes result in capture.
No Flash-Backs! If you're flashed but not captured, you must wait 1 turn to flash them back with the same piece. Any other pieces are fair game anytime.
Swap Places: When the attacker does not capture, the Towers swap places, with the defender moving to the space where the attacker started on that turn. This happens when Memory or Reflectors flash, and every time a Shadow flashes another Shadow.
Mutual Destruction: Voids will mutually destruct with any piece that flashes them, except Light and Artificial Light. Mutual destruction removes both Towers to the rival Zero Gravity boards.
Third Eye Mode
Any Tower that flashes its own type will mutually destruct, except for Light and Shadows.
The Board
The Spaces
The board has these kinds of space, shown in the key on "The Spaces" page: First Sight, the Iris, Gateways, Spaces, and Non-playable spaces.
Rings & Lines
The "Rings & Lines" page is a diagram key showing the Rings, the Horizon and the Sight Lines, which are numbered 1 to 5 on the board.
The Iris
Inside the center Ring, you'll find the Iris & First Sight. Only Light can land on First Sight (Center), and this will win the game. All other Towers can cross the Iris. Move from one of the 2 Iris spaces, jumping over center to count the other Iris space, and exit on your choice of one of the 3 connecting Sight Lines on the other side.
Powers can't be used on the Iris. The Horizon does not connect to the Iris.
No U-Turns: Turning around on the Iris requires a 2nd move.
Rings & The Horizon
8 Rings circle the board, and all Towers can move sideways on them.
The Horizon Line divides the two sides of the board. Only the Peripheral can access the Horizon, via the 5 inner Rings. No other piece can. Only the Peripheral will ever move on or pass over the Horizon. All other pieces must use the Iris.
The blue dots to the left and right of the Horizon connect to other universes, and are not playable spaces.
Third Eye Mode
Other pieces can get to the Horizon with Memory, Void Gravity and strategic flashes. Any Tower on the Horizon can move along it or off of it as normal. The Peripheral is still the only piece that can move directly to it as a regular move.
Gateways
The 5 white spaces closest to you are your Gateways. You'll start the game with pieces on all 5 of your Gateways, and the 5 spaces of the next Ring. There is no Ring connecting Gateways, so you can't move sideways across them. Resurrections and Reinforcements both happen on Gateways.
Sight Lines
5 Sight Lines cross the board, starting at your Gateways and ending at the Gateways of your opponent. Sight Lines 1, 3 and 5 connect to the Iris. Sight Lines 2 and 4 do not, instead stopping 1 space early. These are guarded positions, not accessible directly from the Iris, requiring a sideways move.
The Pieces
Light
Your mission in Quin is to get your Light to First Sight (Center) before your opponent, without being captured. Light is your most important and valuable piece. It is the only Tower that can land on First Sight.
- Moves: Up to 2 spaces per turn
- Flash: Captures all
- Number of pieces: 1 per player
Tip: Light can be played at the start, or kept as a Reinforcement, or never be brought into play at all if you choose. However, having it ready when the time is right is often essential to get the win!
Flash & Capture: Light captures anything it flashes, including Voids and the rival Light. It is immune to Voids' mutual destruction.
When flashed: Light is vulnerable to anything that captures, including Voids. Memory and Reflectors can flash Light to reveal it and swap places. This will not end the game but can still be useful. Anything else that flashes Light will capture it and win the game.
Third Eye Mode
The Peripheral also can't capture Light, instead flashing to reveal and swap places. This will sometimes put Light on the Horizon, which can still be a great way to slow it down.
Shadow
Shadows are the fastest piece, your strongest on offense and defense. More than three times faster than Light, and able to capture almost anything they flash, Shadows are a force to be reckoned with.
- Moves: Up to 7 spaces per turn
- Flash: Captures all except for other Shadows
- Number of pieces: 2 per player
Tip: Don't be too afraid to reveal your Shadow. A lost Shadow is better than one you didn't use. So get in there and go for it!
Flash & Capture: Shadows capture anything they flash, except for another Shadow. When 2 Shadows flash, they swap places, with the defender going to the space where the attacker started.
When flashed: Shadows are vulnerable to any piece that captures.
Third Eye Mode
Shadows don't capture Time, instead swapping places if they flash it. Peripherals only capture Shadows, so watch out!
Artificial Light
Artificial Light is a powerful offensive Tower, strong in the late game. It can't be played at the start, instead remaining on your Zero Gravity board only to be brought in as Reinforcements.
- Moves: Up to 2 spaces per turn, or Accelerated up to 5
- Flash: Captures all
- Number of pieces: 4 per player, with the option to Clone a 5th
Accelerate: Artificial Light is Accelerated, moving up to 5 spaces per turn. If both of your Shadows are captured, your Artificial Light is Accelerated. If you Resurrect a Shadow, this Acceleration is lost, reducing Artificial Light's max moves back to 2 spaces.
Tip: Before it is Accelerated, Artificial Light benefits more from use with Reflectors. Bring your Reflector forward and then use it to jump multiple Artificial Lights into position.
Flash & Capture: Artificial Lights capture anything they flash. They are immune to Voids' mutual destruction. When flashed, Artificial Light is vulnerable to anything that captures, including Voids.
Special: Reinforce with more than one at a time, bringing in as many Artificial Lights as you would like from Zero Gravity onto your open Gateways, on any turn. Like any other Reinforcement, this ends your turn.
Third Eye Mode
Artificial Light can't capture Time or Reflectors, instead swapping places when it flashes them.
Reflector
Reflectors transfer Light and Artificial Light along Sight Lines. Use the Reflector to move your Light faster, to guard it from an attack or even to help it escape.
- Moves: Up to 2 spaces per turn
- Flash: Flash to reveal and swap places
- Number of pieces: 2 per player
Power of Reflection: Use the Power of Reflection to transfer Light or Artificial Light, to either the space directly in front of or directly behind the Reflector, from any other space on the same Sight Line. Jump over any pieces on that Line.
You can use this Power to flash rival Towers by landing on them! Using Reflection always counts as your turn, but you can do it as often as you'd like in a game.
Flash to Reveal: Reflectors can't capture. Instead they flash all other pieces only to reveal and swap places. When flashed, Reflectors are vulnerable to any piece that captures.
Pieces can't be Reflected onto or from the Iris, but they can be Reflected over it, crossing to the other side of the board, so long as you are following any one of the 5 Sight Lines.
Third Eye Mode
Reflection can even happen on the Horizon. Also, Reflectors are not vulnerable to Artificial Light.
Memory
Memory can Swap places with your other Towers. It is a specialized piece with no attack, but is often one of the most important on the board. With Memory Swaps, any piece can rush to the center!
- Moves: Up to 2 spaces per turn
- Flash: Flashes to reveal and swap places
- Number of pieces: 1 per player, with the option to Clone a 2nd
Power of the Memory Swap: Use the Power of the Memory Swap to trade places with any one of your other Towers, on the same side of the board as Memory. A Swap will count as your turn, but you can do it as often as you'd like in a game. You can't Swap onto or over the Iris or Horizon.
Tip: Rush your Shadow forward to set up a Memory Swap and quickly move long distances.
Flash to Reveal: Memory can't capture. Instead it flashes all other pieces only to reveal and swap places. When flashed, Memory is vulnerable to any piece that captures.
Third Eye Mode
Memory Swaps don't end your turn! You can't move the Memory or the piece you Swapped it with until the next turn, but any other action is still allowed, including all Powers (even those of the Swapped piece). You can also Swap to and from the Horizon. However, you can only Swap twice per game with each Memory piece.
Clone and/or Resurrect Memory to get up to 6 swaps in a game. Also, Swap Memory with a Peripheral to get any piece you want onto the Horizon. From the Horizon you can Swap (or move) to either side of the board.
Time
Time rewinds the last move your rival made. It's a strong and slow piece with one of the best Powers, but using that Power will cost you the Tower.
- Moves: 1 space per turn
- Flash: Captures all
- Number of pieces: 1 per player, with the option to Clone a 2nd
Power of Time: Use the Power of Time to rewind the very last thing your opponent did. Use this to undo any one action, movement or Power (unless they moved a Shadow, made a capture or landed inside the center Ring). Time must be on the board to use its Power, but it can be used from anywhere. Any use of the Power, or any attempted use, removes Time to the rival Zero G. Using this Power does not end your turn.
Use the Power of Time after your rival takes any action, unless they made a capture or landed on the Iris.
On your turn, declare the Power of Time and reveal your Tower, from anywhere on the board. Your Time is captured, whether or not the Power succeeds. Undo your rival's last action. If it's not a Shadow, the Power succeeds, but they don't reveal their piece. If it is a Shadow, the Power fails and nothing is rewound. Either way you still get to play your turn.
Tip: Be careful not to use the Power of Time against a Shadow! It won't do anything, and will still cost you the Time Tower. But at least it will reveal the Shadow.
Tip: When a piece moves to evade your attack, use the Power of Time to rewind their move and capture them anyway!
Flash & Capture: Time captures anything it flashes. When flashed, Time is vulnerable to anything that captures.
Third Eye Mode
Time is a very different piece in 3rd Eye Mode, with a different Power and fewer vulnerabilities.
Use the Power of Time to move 1 of your rival's Towers backward up to 3 spaces along a Sight Line, toward their own Gateway. The spaces must be unoccupied. Towers can't be moved onto, off of or through the Iris or Horizon. Time must be on the board, and using its Power removes Time to the rival Zero G, captured. This does not end your turn. All other actions are still available; you can even use a 2nd Power of Time if it is Cloned.
Time can only be captured by Voids and real Light, or mutually destructed by Voids or Time.
The Tower you use Time against can be anywhere on the board except the Iris or Horizon, and can be any piece type.
Tip: Use Shadows against an aggressive Time to flash and reveal, swapping it far away.
Tip: 1 or 2 spaces can sometimes be more useful than 3; it's up to you how far to move them. With a Time Clone, you can push a piece back up to 6 spaces! All spaces must be open, so use Towers behind you (or the Iris) to block your opponent from using the Power of Time against you.
Peripheral
Peripherals are the most agile Towers, the only piece with access to the Horizon. They are great for sneak attacks and for scouting.
- Moves: Up to 3 spaces per turn
- Flash: Captures all
- Number of pieces: 2 per player
Special: Peripherals can move onto or through the Horizon at any time, via Rings. No other piece can do this. The Peripheral is the only piece that will ever be on the Horizon at any time.
Flash & Capture: Peripherals capture anything they flash. When flashed, Peripherals are vulnerable to any piece that captures.
Tip: A Peripheral on Sight Line 3 has access to both the left and right Horizon, but from other Sight Lines it can reach directly into enemy space!
Tip: A Peripheral on the Horizon at Ring 1, just outside the Iris, can reach all 6 spaces of that Ring, but can't be flashed by anything other than another Peripheral. This is a great position for defending the Iris.
Third Eye Mode
Peripherals are a very different piece in 3rd Eye Mode, with a new Power, new movement, and fewer capture abilities.
Flash & Capture: Peripherals capture only Shadows. Anything else, they flash only to reveal and swap places, with the defender going to the space where the Peripheral started on that turn (even to the Horizon or the far side, if it came from there).
Power of the Peripheral Slingshot: Place your Peripheral on the Horizon, and then jump over it with any piece moving along that Ring, to the other side of the board! This counts as 1 space but stops the Slingshotted Tower, no matter its range, ending your turn on the first space on the other side. Slingshots don't let you jump over any other Towers. However, the target space does not have to be empty; you can use this Power to flash a rival Tower on the target space.
Movement: Peripherals gain the ability to move at diagonals. Count 1 space on a Ring and 1 space on a Line (or the Iris), for a total range of 2 spaces. Alternatively, you may still move up to 3 spaces in any one direction.
Void
Voids self-destruct with Towers that flash them. They're great for laying traps, but are slow to move around by themselves. Light and Artificial Light are immune to this, so they are the only pieces that can capture Voids without fear.
- Moves: 1 space per turn
- Flash: Captures all
- Number of pieces: 4 per player, with the option to Clone a 5th
Tip: Use Memory to move your Voids long distances fast.
Flash & Capture: Voids capture anything they flash. When flashing offensively, Voids do not self-destruct.
Special: Voids mutually destruct with anything that captures or flashes them (except Light and Artificial Light), removing both attacker and defender to their rival Zero Gs. When a Void flashes another Void, both are destroyed. When Light or Artificial Light flash a Void, they capture it and take the contested space.
The book illustrates a Shadow flashing a Void: both pieces reveal and both are destroyed by the Void, removed to Zero Gravity.
Third Eye Mode
Voids have the Power of Void Gravity.
Use the Power of Void Gravity to move as many other Voids as you want, all at once to open spaces adjacent to any 1 of your Voids, anywhere. All target spaces must be empty and adjacent to the same Void. There is no limit to how many times you can do this in a game, but it does end your turn.
The book illustrates Void Gravity from a Void near the Iris pulling 3 other Voids to empty spaces adjacent to itself, and a later use after 3 turns of crossing the Iris, pulling Voids to spaces past the Iris.
Void Gravity, the Horizon & Iris: With Gravity you can land Voids on open spaces on the Horizon, from any space adjacent on a Ring, but Voids still can't move to the Horizon as a normal move. Once on the Horizon, Voids can move from it, along it, or even use Void Gravity again on another turn. Gravity can't be used from or onto the Iris.
Resurrection & Reinforcement
Resurrection
Turn your Totem once per game to Resurrect a Tower captured by your rival. Place the Tower on any one of your rival's empty Gateways. This does not end your turn! Any other action is still legal, including using the Resurrected piece in any way. You can only Resurrect if your opponent leaves a Gateway open, so watch for your chance.
If your piece was just captured, you must wait a turn before Resurrecting it. The Resurrected piece is treated as brand new, restoring all Powers.
Reinforcement
Bring in one of your Towers from your Zero Gravity board, and place it on one of your empty Gateways. Do this as often as you'd like, but each one counts as a whole turn.
Tip: When Reinforcing with Artificial Light you can bring in more than one at a time. So plan your open Gateways with this in mind.
Stacking Powers
Most turns are over after any single action, with only the exceptions of the Powers of Time and Resurrection. Neither of these will ever end your turn. You can still follow through with any other action, including all pieces and all Powers.
So it is perfectly legal to use Time and Resurrect on the same turn, in either order, and then still play your turn. Time rewinds only the last thing your rival did, so you can't use it twice in a single turn, even with a Cloned Time.
Third Eye Mode
Memory Swaps don't end your turn. You can't move the pieces you Swap until the next turn, but anything else is legal, including all Powers. You can stack this Power with Time, Resurrection and/or a Cloned Memory or Cloned Time, and then still play your turn.
Tip: With the 3rd Eye Power of Time, it becomes possible to use Time and a Cloned Time on the same turn, on one or two targets, however you choose.
Quin Keys & Strategy Guide
Take up your Quin Key card and play. Keep this Rulebook handy for visual reference, but all of your moves and Powers are on the Quin Key. You got this.
For the best gaming experience, we recommend the Arcade Key in Vision Mode (Face-Up Play) for your first game. Arcade is every bit Quin, just faster and easier to learn. Don't be afraid to experiment, and most importantly, have fun!
Strategy Guide: When you've got a few games behind you, and you want to take the deeper dive into some of the more complex elements and intermediate strategies, this will be your guide. Focused on 3rd Eye Mode, tournament play, the Strategy Guide offers 92 pages of bonus material, with a steady stream of tips, diagrams, tutorials and alternate play modes. The Strategy Guide is a separate publication and is not part of this rulebook.
Contact & Support
Questions? Insights? Comments or thoughts? Contact [email protected], or use the web form linked from the QR code in the book. Follow @quinthegame for the latest tips, updates and gameplay videos.
Replacements? Misprints or Mispacks? The No Hassle Product Guarantee covers this: send a photo of the issue with proof of purchase and the publisher will help troubleshoot, sending replacements for defects when needed, ASAP and at no charge. This applies even if the game was bought from Amazon or a retail game store.
Transcriber Notes
- This rulebook is almost entirely text-based; the diagrams in the book (lineup layouts, the Spaces and Rings diagrams, piece movement diagrams and the Void Gravity illustrations) are graphics with no text layer and are described here only by their captions and labels, not transcribed in full.
- The final two pages of the book are a score-keeping layout with no rules text, and the credit lines on the last page (design and copyright) are omitted.
- The Strategy Guide is a separate publication referenced by the book and is not transcribed.