River Rivals
River Rivals Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Contents
- 56 cards, of which 36 are animal cards: 2 sets of 18 cards each
- 18 equipment cards
- 16 fish, 8 each in the colours purple and turquoise
- 8 shield tokens
- 2 overview cards
- 4 river pieces
- 1 rulebook
Object of the Game
The aim is to be the first to catch all the fish of your own colour, by cleverly steering your animal clan and reacting wisely to your opponent's attacks at decisive moments.
Setup
Before the first game, carefully punch all parts out of the die-cut sheet.
- Place the 4 river pieces next to each other in a line between you in the middle of the table.
- Place the shield tokens as a general supply.
- Each takes 1 overview card and places it in front of you.
- Each takes 1 set of animal cards, consisting of 18 cards with the same card back, and the 8 fish of the matching colour. Shuffle your 18 animal cards and place them in front of you as a face-down draw pile. Place the fish next to it as your personal supply.
- For your first game, put the 18 equipment cards back in the box. You only need them for the "Advanced Mode".
- Determine who begins. That person draws 4 animal cards from their own draw pile and takes them into their hand. The other person draws 5 animal cards from their draw pile and takes them into their hand.
The Playing Area
During the game you place animal cards next to the river pieces in the middle of the table. This is your playing area. The playing area is divided into 2 opposite sides (A and B) and 4 columns (one river piece = one column). When playing cards, you always place your animal cards on your own side in one of the 4 columns. Important: in each column, a maximum of 3 animal cards per side may be in play.
(Diagram: 1 river pieces, 2 shield tokens, 3 and 4 each player's draw pile, overview card and fish supply, 5 equipment cards of the Advanced Mode, 6 hand cards.)
Advanced Mode
Once you are somewhat more familiar with the game, we recommend playing the "Advanced Mode". Carry out the following additional steps during setup:
- Shuffle the 18 equipment cards and lay 4 of them face up in the middle of the table. Whoever begins the game chooses 1 of them first. Then the other person chooses 2 of them. Finally the first person receives the remaining equipment card. So you have both received 2 equipment cards, which you lay face up in front of you.
- Put the remaining 14 equipment cards back in the box. You no longer need them for this game.
Note: Equipment cards give you certain special effects or other advantages during the game. (A detailed explanation can be found in the glossary at the end of the rulebook.)
The Animal Cards
- A: In the upper corners the strength of the respective animal is shown.
- B: Directly below it, the effect of the respective animal is shown.
- C: In the lower area, the spaces for caught fish are shown. From now on they are called fish spaces.
Course of Play
You take turns until the game ends. On your turn, you always first perform one of two actions and then check whether you "catch fish":
- A: Play 1 animal card
- OR
- B: Draw 2 animal cards
Important: After every turn, check whether you catch fish, regardless of which action you performed!
A: Play 1 Animal Card
Choose 1 animal card from your hand and place it face up in one of the 4 columns on your side of the river. If the animal card just played shows an effect, you may execute it immediately. Note: this makes it possible to trigger further effects of other animal cards through a chain reaction.
B: Draw 2 Animal Cards
Draw 2 animal cards from your draw pile and take them into your hand.
Important: The hand limit is 7! If you already have 6 cards in hand before drawing, you draw only 1 animal card.
Catching Fish
Always check at the end of your turn, regardless of which action you performed, whether you "catch fish". The following applies:
- You can only catch fish if you have 3 of your own animal cards in play in a column.
- Determine your total strength by adding up the strength of the animals on the 3 cards. Compare the result with the total strength of the animals on the opposing cards in the same column.
- If your total strength is equal to or higher than that of your opponent, you receive 1 fish of your colour from your personal supply and place it on any free fish space on one of your own animal cards in this column.
Note: If you have no free fish space on your animal cards in this column, you cannot catch a fish either, even if your total strength would allow it.
Reminder: Carry out "catching fish" for every column in which you have 3 of your own animal cards in play! This means that at the end of your turn you can catch up to 4 fish.
Example: The opponent's column has strength 3 + 2 = 5. Your column has 1 + (shield +1) + 2 + 2 = 6 on 3 cards, so you catch 1 fish and place it on a free fish space of one of your cards in this column.
End of the Game
The game ends immediately if
- EITHER someone has caught the last fish of their own colour. This person wins.
- OR someone cannot perform an action any more because there are no animal cards left in hand and in the draw pile. In this case the other person wins.
Effects of the Animal Cards
When you play 1 animal card from your hand, you may execute the effect of this card immediately. The effect names below are the headings printed on the cards; each is shown with whether it applies to any column or to the same column.
Quick Catch
Immediately catch 1 fish and place it from your personal supply on a fish space on this animal card.
Movement (any column)
Move 1 other animal card of your own from any column to another column. The effect of the animal card just moved is not triggered again. Caught fish and shield tokens stay on the animal card.
Shield Strength (any column)
Take 1 shield token from the general supply and place it on any animal card of your own in any column. This animal now has an additional strength of +1 and is protected once against a claw attack. Several shield tokens may lie on one animal card.
Claw Attack (same column)
Remove 1 opposing animal card in the same column from the game. If the opposing animal is protected by a shield token, you remove a shield token instead. Fish on removed animal cards are always returned to the owner's own supply.
Lightning Animal (same column)
Immediately play 1 further animal card from your hand in the same column. If the second animal card has an effect, you execute it as well.
Copy Animal (same column)
Execute the effect of another animal card of your own in the same column. Note: if you copy the effect "Quick Catch", place the fish on this card (the raccoon).
Effects of the Equipment Cards
(Advanced Mode only.) An equipment card can have a permanent effect (infinity symbol) or a one-time effect (1x).
- Spring Boots - Permanent: At the start of your turn you may move 1 of your animal cards already in play with strength 1 (otter, raccoon or lynx) from any column to any other column.
- Polar Bear Surprise - 1x per game: In addition to your action, you may play an animal card with a polar bear (strength 4) into any column. You may take the polar bear from your hand, your draw pile or from your removed animal cards. If you take it from the draw pile, afterwards shuffle the pile anew. Then turn the equipment card over to its back.
- Peek-a-Scope - 1x per game: The first time you catch 1 fish, draw the top 3 animal cards from the opposing draw pile and take them into your hand. (Note the hand limit of 7!) You now treat them like your own animal cards. Then turn the equipment card over to its back.
- Card Clapper - Permanent: Each time you draw animal cards from your draw pile, you may draw 1 additional animal card and take it into your hand. (Note the hand limit of 7!)
- Toilet-Paper-Roll Binoculars - 1x per game: In addition to your action, you may take any 1 animal card from your draw pile into your hand. Afterwards shuffle your draw pile anew. Then turn the equipment card over to its back.
- Poison (possibly) - Permanent: Each time your opponent catches 1 fish, the is from the game.