Ruins
Ruins Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- A. 1 Scoreboard
- B. 1 Scoring Tile (for 2-3 players)
- C. 1 Round Marker
- D. 5 Score Markers
- E. 5 Player Aids
- F. 15 Torch Tokens (3 per player)
- G. 10 Claim Cards (2 per player)
- H. 60 Card Sleeves
- I. 50 Ruin Cards (5 each of ranks 1-10)
- J. 39 Discovery Cards (13 top, 13 middle, 13 bottom)
- K. 4 Market Tokens
Setup
First game: Insert all 50 game cards into sleeves with the day side (sun icon) faceup. An extra 10 sleeves are included.
- Shuffle all discovery cards and place the deck facedown in the middle. Place the 4 market tokens to the right of the deck, as shown. Deal 1 discovery faceup under each token.
- Flip the scoreboard to the side for your player count and place it nearby. Place the round track marker on round 1. With 2-3 players, cover up the scoring chart at the top with the scoring tile.
- Each player takes a player aid, 2 matching claim cards, and 3 torches on the lit side. Place each player's score track marker on 0.
- Make sure all ruin cards start on the day side (sun icon). Remove cards from the deck based on your player count (see table below). Shuffle and deal a hand of 9 to each player. Place the deck in the middle.
- Whoever last lit a flame is the first player.
| 2 Players | 3 Players | 4 Players | 5 Players | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruins Used | 20 (Remove 3 of each rank) | 30 (Remove 2 of each rank) | 40 (Remove 1 of each rank) | All 50 |
Overview
Your goal each round is to play all ruin cards in your hand before your opponents do. Add upgrades to ruins and play sets of the same rank to empty your hand faster. The earlier you go out, the more victory points (VP) you score!
Crafting Cards
During the game, you can permanently upgrade ruin cards by sleeving transparent claim and discovery cards on top of them.
Each ruin can have a max of 1 claim and 3 discoveries (1 in each position). Once added, an upgrade can't be removed or covered by another upgrade for the rest of the game.
Start of Round
At the start of each round, each player may secretly choose 1 ruin in their hand to permanently flip from the day side (sun icon) to night side (moon icon).
Flipping a ruin changes its rank and may add a new discovery effect (see Discovery Effects, below). It keeps all previously added upgrades.
Each ruin card shows a Day Rank in the corner of its day side, and a Night Rank (plus any discovery effect) in the corner of its night side.
Player Turns
The first player takes the first turn of the round. They must lead by playing any 1 ruin card or any set of 2 or more ruin cards of the same rank from their hand.
The next player clockwise then decides whether to follow or pass. To follow, they must play the exact same number of ruin cards of a single equal or higher rank. If they can't or don't want to follow, they must pass.
Players continue taking turns to follow or pass clockwise until all players but 1 pass consecutively. When this happens, gather all faceup ruins and shuffle them back into the deck.
The player who did not pass then leads a new ruin or set. Players continue to follow or pass clockwise, as before.
Upgrading Ruins
Whenever you play 1 or more ruin cards, you may upgrade any number of them with claims and/or discoveries. You may only upgrade ruins you play, not ruins left in your hand.
A. Add Claim
You may claim up to 2 ruins during the game by adding your claim cards to them. Once you've claimed a ruin, any opponent who is dealt that ruin at the start of a round must give it to you (see Round End, below).
B. Add Discoveries
You may spend lit torches to take 1 or more discovery cards from the market and add them to your ruins. Each discovery's market token shows its cost. Flip the torches you spend to the extinguished side and immediately add the chosen discoveries to ruins you played.
At the end of your turn, slide the discoveries in the market right to fill any gaps, then refill it up to 4 cards from the deck.
Discovery Effects
Each discovery added to a ruin gives it a new permanent effect. These effects are listed on your player aid.
All discovery effects are active immediately. Adding certain discoveries can allow you to play ruins or sets that otherwise wouldn't be legal.
Example: playing a set of two ruins ranked 5 and adding a discovery with a "+3 rank" effect to the third ruin — ranked 2 — makes a set of three 5s.
Skipping an Opponent's Turn
When you follow with a ruin or set of the exact same rank that was last played, the next player in turn order must pass (even if they could follow).
Going Out
When you play the last card in your hand, you are out! Score the VP shown at the top of the scoreboard based on whether you went out 1st, 2nd, etc.
If there are at least 2 players still in the round, they continue playing. They may follow the last ruin or set you played. If no one follows, the lead passes to the player closest to you clockwise who has cards left.
Round End
When only 1 player has cards left, the round ends. The remaining player scores VP for last place.
Take these steps to set up the next round:
- All players flip all extinguished torches to the lit side.
- Shuffle all ruin cards and deal each player a new hand of 9 ruins.
- If any player was dealt a ruin with an opponent's claim, they must give the ruin to that opponent. They do not draw a replacement.
- Whoever has the fewest VP is the new first player. Ties go to the player furthest clockwise from the previous first player.
- Advance the round marker and start the next round!
Game End
The game ends when someone wins. There are 2 ways to win:
- Instant Win: If you start any round with 9 or 10 VP and go out first, you immediately win! Other players do not finish the round.
- Showdown: If no one has won by the end of round 4, the player(s) with the most VP and the player who went out first in round 4 play 1 more round together. Whoever goes out first in round 5 wins (regardless of score).
The Score Track
If you have 0 VP, ignore any negative VP for going out last. If you have 10 VP, you can't gain any more — you have to go out first and win!
Clarifications & Tips
- You can add multiple discoveries to the same ruin in one turn (if you can afford them, and there's space).
- You can use both of your claims in one turn (on different ruins).
- Effects that change a ruin's rank are mandatory. Ruins you play as a set must have the same rank after you add discoveries to them.
- When you play a wild rank ruin with other ruins, ignore any added ranks it has. When you play it alone, use its printed rank plus added ranks.
- If a ruin has multiple discoveries of the same type, they stack together. There is no upper limit to a ruin's rank or the number of cards in a set.
- When you force opponents to draw ruins, if there aren't enough in the deck, they draw in clockwise order (starting from your left).
- When you use a single discovery to light 2 torches, you must light both at once (you can't light 1 torch, use it, and light it again).
Credits
- Design: John D. Clair
- Illustration: Jake Morrison
- Graphic Design: Matt Paquette & Co., Anca Gavril & Co.
- Development: John Brieger
- Rules Editing: Jeff Fraser
- 3D Artist: Filip Gavril