Quinto Império II Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Setup
• The Game
• Player Turn
• Action Spaces
• Description of Actions
  • Spy
  • Knowledge Card
  • Gold
  • Cotton and Sugar
  • Porcelain and Spices
  • Prester John of the Indies Card
  • Monument Card
  • Discovery Padrão
  • Crown
  • Astrolabe
  • Navigation
• Examples
• Example of a Turn
• End of the Game
• Final Scoring
• Appendix: Iconography

Components

• 1 game board
• 106 cards (3 different types):
  • 50 knowledge cards
  • 32 monument cards
  • 24 Prester John of the Indies cards
• 2 types of reward pieces:
  • 20 spy pieces
  • 14 crown pieces
• 5 types of goods pieces:
  • 15 gold
  • 15 cotton
  • 15 porcelain
  • 15 sugar
  • 15 spices
• 30 astrolabe pieces (10 per colour)
• 4 caravels (1 per colour)
• 1 first-player piece
• 1 scoring pad
• 12 dice (3 per colour)
• 24 wooden cubes (6 per colour). During the game these are called padrões dos Descobrimentos (Discovery padrões).
• 4 discs (1 per colour)

Setup

1. Place the game board in the centre of the table.

2. Each player chooses a colour and receives:

   • 1 caravel, which they place on the game's starting space (the port of Lisbon).
   • 1 disc, which they place on the starting space of the astrolabe track.
   • 3 dice, which they keep in front of them.
   • 6 Discovery padrões, which they keep in front of them.

3. Shuffle the 50 knowledge cards and form a draw pile in the area indicated on the board.

4. Shuffle the 24 Prester John of the Indies cards and form a draw pile in the area reserved for them on the board (the front face, which shows the bonus, is face down).

5. Shuffle the 32 monument cards. Randomly remove a set number of cards that will not be used during the game: with two players remove 18 cards; with three players remove 14 cards; with four players remove 8 cards*. Form a pile with the remaining cards next to the board (front face down).

   From the top of the monument card pile, take 4 cards and place them in the four spaces on the board (front face up).

   * Unused cards are set aside and may possibly be used at the end of the game (END OF GAME).

6. Separate the 30 astrolabe pieces by colour: shuffle the 10 pieces of each colour separately and form three draw piles outside the board, next to the area of the matching colour (front face down).

7. Create a general supply with the five types of goods: spices, sugar, porcelain, cotton and gold.

8. Create a general supply with the two types of reward pieces: crown and spy.

The Game

A game of Quinto Império II is played in turns. Each player completes their entire turn before passing to the next player (always clockwise). A player's turn consists of using their three dice.

The end of the game is triggered when a player buys a monument card and there are no more cards in the draw pile to fill the spaces on the board.

Over the course of the game, players score points by acquiring monument cards and knowledge cards, placing Discovery padrões, and collecting astrolabe pieces and crowns. The player who scores the most points is the winner.

Player Turn

On their turn, the player performs three basic actions, in order:

1. Collect the dice of their colour that are on the board.
2. Roll their three dice of their colour.
3. Place the dice one at a time and carry out the corresponding actions.

1. Collect the dice of your colour on the board.

The player collects all the dice of their colour that are on the board.

2. Roll your three dice.

The player rolls their three dice of their colour at the same time and keeps them in front of them:

• No die may be rerolled.
• The value of each die showing face-up is the value to be used to carry out the player's actions.

3. Place the dice one at a time and carry out the actions.

The player chooses one of their dice and places it on one of the action spaces on the board without changing the die's value.

A die may only be placed on a free action space, that is, a space that is not already occupied by another die (their own or another player's).

Exceptionally, the player may use an occupied action space by paying 1 gold to remove the other player's die that occupies the action space. The gold is paid to the general supply. A player may not pay to remove one of their own dice and then carry out that same action again.

The player carries out the action corresponding to the space where they have just placed the die.

The player proceeds in this way with their remaining two dice.

The player's turn ends when they carry out the action corresponding to their third die.

NOTE

The three dice remain on the board at the end of the player's turn. They can only be removed under one of the following conditions: by an opponent (by paying gold, see below), or by the player themselves at the start of their next turn.

IMPORTANT

To use a die for an action, the player must be able to carry out that action. That is, a player may not occupy an action space with one of their dice and then not carry out the corresponding action because they cannot or do not want to.

The actions of the game are explained in detail below, along with how and when a player may carry them out.

Action Spaces

There are three distinct types of action spaces: seaports, astrolabe and navigation.

Seaports

There are four seaports: Lisboa, Brasil, Boa Esperança and Molucas. Each seaport has three different actions available, which are explained further on.

Seaport actions may only be carried out when the player has their caravel docked at the respective port.

In this case, the player may carry out one or more actions from that port, as long as the action spaces are free.

Astrolabe

There are four astrolabe locations: América do Norte (North America), São Jorge da Mina, Goa and Macau. Once their caravel is docked at any of these locations, the player may carry out the astrolabe action.

The action may be carried out one or more times per turn, as long as the spaces for placing dice, at the bottom of the board next to the astrolabe track, are available. The rule that allows a player to pay 1 gold to remove an opponent's die from an action space also applies here.

Navigation

To move their caravel, the player must place a die on the navigation action space. This action space can hold an unlimited number of dice. It is therefore not necessary to pay gold to remove dice from this space.

Description of Actions

As already emphasised, to carry out an action the player must place one of their dice on an action space. The player may carry out any of the available actions as long as they have a die value high enough, as explained further on.

Spy

Additionally, whenever the player places a die to carry out an action, they may use one or more spy pieces they possess to change the value of the die.

• Each spy piece used adds or subtracts one pip from the value of the die.
• The final value of the die may never exceed 6 or be 0.
• Once used, the spy piece is returned to the general supply.

Knowledge Card

Name: knowledge card Where: Lisboa and Boa Esperança

Description

• The active player uses a die of any value on the action space.
• The player to the left of the active player takes the knowledge card from the top of the draw pile, keeping its face (which was face down) visible only to themselves, and reads the question that corresponds to the value of the active player's die.
• The type of question asked by the auxiliary player depends on the value of the active player's die (SEE KNOWLEDGE CARD):
  • Die value 1 or 2: a question with no answer options.
  • Die value 3 or 4: a question with three answer options.
  • Die value 5 or 6: a true-or-false question.
• The active player gives an answer.
• If the answer is correct, the active player immediately receives the reward indicated on the card: 1 or 2 spies (depending on the type of card).
• Whether the answer is correct or incorrect, the active player always receives the knowledge card, which they keep in front of them until the end of the game. The card is always worth the victory points indicated on it, and it also serves as a multiplier for this type of card (SEE FINAL SCORING).

Reward and victory point icons on a knowledge card: the reward is marked on the left side with a lightning bolt; the victory points are shown separately.

Gold

Name: gold Where: Lisboa and Boa Esperança

Description

• The active player uses a die on the action space.
• The player buys gold pieces, "paying" two pips of the die for each one:
  • Die value 2 or 3: receives 1 gold piece.
  • Die value 4 or 5: receives 2 gold pieces.
  • Die value 6: receives 3 gold pieces.
• The player keeps the gold pieces they have bought in front of them.

Cotton and Sugar

Name: cotton and sugar Where: Brasil

Description

• The active player uses a die on the action space.
• The player buys sets of two goods, "paying" for each set 1 gold piece and two pips of the die:
  • Die value 2 or 3 + 1 gold piece: receives 1 set.
  • Die value 4 or 5 + 2 gold pieces: receives 2 sets.
  • Die value 6 + 3 gold pieces: receives 3 sets.
• 1 set = 1 cotton piece + 1 sugar piece.
• The player keeps the goods pieces they have bought in front of them.

Porcelain and Spices

Name: porcelain and spices Where: Molucas

Description

• The same procedures as in the previous action (buying cotton and sugar) are used, with the difference that at this location the player receives 1 set consisting of 1 porcelain piece + 1 spices piece.

Prester John of the Indies Card

Name: Prester John of the Indies Where: Molucas

Description

• The active player uses a die on the action space.
• The player buys Prester John of the Indies cards, "paying" two pips of the die for each card:
  • Die value 2 or 3: receives 1 Prester John card.
  • Die value 4 or 5: receives 2 Prester John cards.
  • Die value 6: receives 3 Prester John cards.
• The player takes the bought cards from the top of the draw pile.
• Prester John of the Indies cards are of two types:
  • Cards that give an immediate reward. The player receives the reward and discards the card to the game box.
  • Cards that give points or end-game score multipliers. The player keeps these cards in front of them.

Icons on Prester John of the Indies cards: immediate reward; victory points; end-game multiplier (applies to all cards marked with a lightning bolt).

Monument Card

Name: monument card Where: Lisboa

Description

• The active player uses a die on the action space.
• The player buys monument cards, "paying" two pips of the die for each card:
  • Die value 2 or 3: may buy 1 card.
  • Die value 4 or 5: may buy 2 cards.
  • Die value 6: may buy 3 cards.
• Additionally, for each card the player must "pay" the quantity of goods indicated on the board. The first card has a cost of zero goods.
• In the same action, the player may not use two goods of the same type (for example, two spices) to pay for one or more cards.
• The player keeps the monument cards they have bought in front of them, because these serve as end-game multipliers.

The board shows two things for this action:

• The quantity of goods to be paid for each card. The first card costs zero goods.
• The five types of goods the players may use.

Icons on monument cards: monument cards show one or more icons that are end-game multipliers (SEE FINAL SCORING AND APPENDIX).

NOTE

At the end of the player's turn, the monument cards missing from the board are replaced. The remaining cards are slid from right to left, and new cards are drawn from the top of the draw pile until all empty spaces are filled.

GENERAL NOTES ON ACTIONS THAT USE A DIE VALUE DIVIDED BY 2

• The value of the die is divided by two and the result is rounded down.
• Remember that spy pieces may be used to raise the value of the die before the division.
• The player does not have to use spy pieces to lower the value of the die to exact values (2 or 4).
• The player may choose not to use the full value of their die, as long as they carry out the action at least once.
• The player may not use a die and not carry out the action. If they use a die of value 1, they must add at least 1 spy to be able to carry out the action.

Discovery Padrão

Name: padrão (Discovery padrão) Where: Boa Esperança and Molucas

Description

• The active player uses a die on the action space (the die must show a 6) to build a Discovery padrão (a cube of their colour). The location where it is built shows the victory points the player scores at the end of the game.

NOTE

When the action is carried out at the Boa Esperança port, the player builds the padrão on the African continent. When the action is carried out at the Molucas port, the player builds the padrão on the Asian continent.

Crown

Name: crown Where: Lisboa and Brasil

Description

• The active player uses a die on the action space (the die must show a 6).
• The player takes the crown piece from the top of the general supply.

Crown pieces are worth victory points at the end of the game.

NOTE ON CROWN AND PADRÃO ACTIONS

Remember that with spy pieces it is possible to raise the value of a die up to 6.

Astrolabe

Name: astrolabe Where: the four astrolabe locations (América do Norte, São Jorge da Mina, Goa and Macau)

Description

• The active player uses a die of any value on the action space.
• On the astrolabe track, the player advances their disc a number of steps equal to the value of the die, in a single direction. Spaces occupied by other discs do not count and are skipped.
• The player receives the astrolabe piece of the colour of the space where their disc stopped.

Each colour of astrolabe piece has two different types of navigation instrument. The type is shown by an illustration on the front of the pieces. Each piece acquired always gives the victory points indicated at the end of the game. Each different illustration may also multiply with monument cards or Prester John of the Indies cards at the end of the game (SEE FINAL SCORING).

NOTE

The player may move their disc to the right or to the left, but within the same action (same die) they may only move in one direction. Each pip on the die is one movement. Whenever a space is occupied by another disc, that space does not count and is skipped (see Example C).

Navigation

Name: navigation Where: the navigation action space

Description

• The active player uses a die of any value on the action space. Note that this action space is different, because more than one die of a colour may be placed on it and the number of dice is also unlimited.
• The player advances the caravel of their colour a number of steps equal to the value of the die.
• The caravel always moves counter-clockwise. The direction is indicated by the routes defined on the map.
• Each seaport space or astrolabe space reached counts as one navigation step.

NOTE ON ASTROLABE AND NAVIGATION ACTIONS

In these actions the full value of the die must be used. It is always possible to change the value of the die by using spies to raise or lower the initial value.

Examples

Example A

The red player has two dice left (value 3 and value 5). Their caravel is positioned at the Brasil port.

1. The player spends 1 spy piece to raise the value of the 3 die to 4. They then place the die (value 4) on the gold action space and receive 2 gold pieces.
2. The player continues and spends another spy piece to raise the value of the 5 die to 6. They then place the die (value 6) on the crown action space and receive the crown piece from the top of the pile.

Example B

The white player has two dice left (value 2 and value 3) to finish their turn. Their caravel is positioned at the Molucas port.

1. The white player wants to "buy" porcelain and spices, but the action space is occupied by the red player's die. The white player spends 1 gold piece to remove the opponent's (red) die. With the action space free, they place their own die (value 2), which allows them to make only one purchase. They pay 1 gold piece and receive 1 porcelain piece and 1 spices piece.
2. The player continues and places the die (value 3) on the Prester John of the Indies action space, which allows them to receive only one card of this type from the top of the pile.

Example C

The red player has one die left (value 6) to finish their turn. Their caravel is positioned on the astrolabe space of São Jorge da Mina.

• The red player places their die (value 6) on the astrolabe action space. They must then move their disc six spaces in a single direction. They receive the orange astrolabe piece from the top of the pile.

Example of a Turn

1. The red player starts their turn by rolling their three dice.
2. Since their caravel is positioned at the Molucas port, the player uses their die (value 6) on the action space to build a padrão (on an empty space) in the Asian region.
3. The player continues the turn and places the die (value 2) on the navigation action space, which allows them to move their caravel two spaces. They travel from the Molucas port to the Lisboa port, passing the Macau astrolabe space.
4. The player has one die left (value 5). They spend 1 gold piece and remove the yellow opponent's die from the "buy" action space for monument cards. With this space now free, they place their last die (value 5), which allows them to buy 2 monument cards. They buy the second card (paying sugar) and the fourth card (paying cotton, gold and spices).
5. The monument card in the third space slides to the second space, and 2 new monument cards are revealed from the top of the pile to fill the two spaces that now have no cards.

End of the Game

The end of the game is triggered when a player "buys" 1 monument card from the board and there are no more cards in the draw pile to fill the space on the board.

The active player finishes their turn, and the following players also complete their turns. The game ends immediately when the player to the right of the first player finishes their turn.

NOTE

After the end of the game has been triggered, and until all players have completed their last turn, whenever necessary the empty monument card spaces are refilled using the cards set aside at the start of the game. In this way all players have the same opportunity to buy monument cards.

Final Scoring

Each player calculates their final score using a sheet from the end-of-game scoring pad as support.

A. Victory points given directly by:

• A1. Locations occupied by padrões of the player's colour.
• A2. Knowledge cards.
• A3. Crown pieces.
• A4. Prester John of the Indies cards.
• A5. Astrolabe pieces.

B. Multipliers from monument cards and Prester John of the Indies cards:

Each player applies the multipliers shown on their monument cards, plus those on their Prester John of the Indies cards:

• B1. Padrão symbols multiplied by the number of padrões of the player's colour placed on the map.
• B2. Knowledge card symbols multiplied by the number of knowledge cards the player has won.
• B3. Crown symbols multiplied by the number of crown pieces the player has won.
• B4. Astrolabe symbols multiplied by the number of astrolabe pieces with different illustrations the player has won. For this purpose, astrolabe pieces with the same illustration count as only one.

Example

Carolina scored the following victory points:

A.

• A1. Discovery padrões: 2 + 3 + 1 = 6 victory points, achieved with the three padrões built on the map.
• A2. Knowledge cards: 1 + 1 + 2 = 4 victory points.
• A3. Crowns: 2 + 3 + 3 = 8 victory points.
• A4. Prester John of the Indies card = 3 victory points.
• A5. Astrolabes: 1 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 5 victory points.

B.

• B1. 4 padrão symbols on the monument and Prester John cards × 3 padrões/cubes on the map = 12 victory points.
• B2. 3 knowledge symbols on the monument cards × 3 knowledge cards = 9 victory points.
• B3. 4 crown symbols on the monument and Prester John cards × 3 crowns = 12 victory points.
• B4. 2 astrolabe symbols on the monument cards × 3 different astrolabe pieces = 6 victory points.

Total: 65 victory points

(The sum is A 6 + 4 + 8 + 3 + 5 = 26, plus B 12 + 9 + 12 + 6 = 39, giving 65.)

Appendix: Iconography

End-of-game scoring icons

Multipliers:

• Knowledge card multiplier (a compass-rose icon): multiplies the knowledge cards.
• Padrão multiplier (a padrão icon): multiplies the padrões of the Discoveries.
• Astrolabe multiplier (an astrolabe icon): multiplies the astrolabe pieces.
• Crown multiplier (a crown icon): multiplies the crown pieces.

Victory points: 1, 2 and 3 victory points (shown as numbers in sunburst symbols).

Immediate reward icons

• Receive 1 goods piece equal to the one indicated. The icons show spices, sugar, cotton, porcelain and gold.
• Receive 1 astrolabe piece from the top of the pile of the colour indicated (the icon shows the astrolabe in the colour concerned).
• Receive 1 monument card from the top of the pile (the icon shows a monument card).
• Receive the quantity of spy pieces indicated (shown as one or more blue "?" spy tiles, one per spy piece).