Skytopia: In the Circle of Time Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• The Goal of the Game
• Game Components
• Setting Up the Game
• The Floating Cities
• The Tower Cards
• The Golems
• The Chronometer
• The Guildmasters
• Playing the Game
  • Initial Turn
  • Playing Rounds
  • A Player Turn
    • Phase 1: Golems Finish Projects and Tower Activation
    • Phase 2: Send 1 Golem to Work
    • Phase 3: Refill the Market
  • The End of the Round
• The End of the Game
• Optional Game Modes
  • Initial Turn for Experienced Players
  • Drafting the Ability Tiles
  • Hard Mode (Only for 4-Player Games)

The Goal of the Game

Each player is the leader of a floating city of Skytopia. Your goal is to earn as many Prestige Points (hereinafter — PP) as possible, proving that your city is worthy to be the next Capital of the Sky. There are three main ways to earn Prestige Points:

• By activating Tower cards in your city during the game. (Don't forget to count these points on the Scoring Track!)
• By earning the respect of the Guildmasters, who award PP at the end of the game.
• By conserving your wealth: every 5 coins you have at the end of the game is worth 1 Prestige Point.

Game Components

• 4 Floating Cities (player boards).
• 4 double-sided Ability tiles.
• 64 Tower cards (16 of each color).
• 12 Guildmaster tiles.
• 1 Chronometer.
• 1 double-sided Scoring Track.
• 4 City markers for scoring Prestige Points.
• 1 Starting Player marker.
• 20 Golem dice (in 4 colors).
• 45 coins (looking like little gears).
• The Rulebook in your hands, the scheme of the Chronometer assembling and the list of Abilities.

Setting Up the Game

Determine the Starting Player in any way convenient to you. For example, let it be the one who was the last to build something. Even a sandcastle! Give the Starting Player marker to this player.

Set the Scoring Track and the Chronometer in the middle of the table. If this is your first time playing, you will need to assemble the Chronometer by following the instructions on the list with the scheme.

1. Rotate the gear on the Chronometer so that the dice face showing the number "1" points to "Now."
2. Prepare the Tower decks. Check the number in the upper left part of the Tower cards. You will find some cards with "2+," "3+," or "4+" symbols. Put all of the cards with a number that is higher than the amount of players back in the box. For example, if there are only 2 players in the game, you must return all cards with numbers 3+ and 4+ to the box. Separate the cards into four decks by color (red, gold, blue, purple). Shuffle each deck separately and place them face down near the Chronometer.
3. Flip over a number of Tower cards from each deck equal to the number of players in the game and place them face up on the table. This collection of cards is called the "Market." Keep the cards in the Market close to the deck of the same color.
   • 2 Players: 2 cards from each deck
   • 3 Players: 3 cards from each deck
   • 4 Players: 4 cards from each deck.
4. Place the Scoring Track above the Market. You may choose any side of the Scoring Track depending on which one is more comfortable to you.
5. Divide the Guildmaster tiles into 3 decks by the pictures on the back. Shuffle each deck separately, then randomly choose 1 tile from each deck and place them face up under the Scoring Track. Only these high-ranking civil servants will be available this game. Return the rest of the tiles to the box.
6. Choose your player board — it is your City in the sky. Shuffle the boards then each player gets a random one.
7. Take the 5 Golem dice and the City markers matching the color of the golem on your player board.
8. Give each player 1 Ability tile. For your first game, deal out the tiles randomly and use side A. Later on, you can use the set-up for experienced players — see page 11. Place your tile on the bottom part of your player board.
9. Create a "Bank" near the Market with all of the coins. Give 5 coins from the Bank to each player. Any payments a player is required to make are paid to the bank. Players may exchange coins of equal value with the bank at any time ("make change") as needed.
10. Place your City marker on the "0" space of the Scoring Track (make sure the "+50" side is face down). Remember to record any Prestige Points you gain during play on the Scoring Track. If you reach 50 points, flip your marker over and start counting again from the "0" space.

That's it, you're ready to play. Good luck!

The Floating Cities

Your Floating City board shows the city that you are responsible for.

Each Floating City has four areas where you will build your Towers during the game. Normally, you can only place Tower cards in the area that is the same color. When you add a new card to a Tower, you will be able to activate all of the cards in that Tower, starting from the Foundation (the Foundations of your Towers are located on your Floating City board) and working your way up to the top.

There are 4 double-sided Ability tiles. Ability tiles work as a personal ability.

The colour of the Ability tile shows the color of the card which you should choose on the Inicial turn.

The left parts of the tile is very important: it shows, how many times per turn you may use this ability and in which part of the round it is possible.

• You may use this ability at the end of the PHASE 1, while your Golems Finish Projects and in the moment of Tower Activation.
• You may use this ability at the end of the PHASE 2, while you sending your Golem to Work.
• You may use this ability in the any time, including your turn and the other player's turns.
• 1 — you may use this ability just once per your turn. Х — you may use this ability as many times as the specified condition is met.

The Tower Cards

Tower cards start off in the Market. When you send a Golem to a card, it begins the construction and you may activate the ability of that card. When the construction is complete, you add the Tower card to the Tower of the same color in your Floating city. There are 4 colors of Tower cards. Each color has a different effect:

• Blue Towers will give you Prestige Points
• Gold will give you coins
• Red will give you a way to make your Golems work faster or change their goals
• Purple will give you some special abilities

Each card has 3 important parts:

• A. The coat of arms of a noble family (which may give you PP at the end of the game thanks to the Guildmaster tiles).
• B. The ability of the card (a special effect—you may check the ability info in the list of abilities.
• C. The number in the left corner is for setting up the game for different numbers of the players (see page 3).

The Golems

Your dice represent the Golems that you can send out to complete projects for your Floating City.

When you assign a Golem to a task, you mush place the die on the chosen Tower card.

The side of the die facing up determines how long it will take for the Golem to complete the project you have assigned them to. This value is called "steps." The number of steps each time is depending on the Chronometer position.

If a card or effect tells you to turn a Golem forward a step, turn that die so that the next higher number is showing (or from 6 to 1). This will cause the Golem to complete its project more quickly!

Remember: you cannot set up/rotate your Golem to the value matching the "now" position on the Chronometer.

The Chronometer

When you assign a Golem to a task, you may place the die so that any value you choose is facing up (from 1 to 6 dots).

The value you choose for your Golem will determine how many rounds it will take it to complete the project, based on the gear of the Chronometer.

Each turn starting player will rotate the gear of the Chronometer clockwise. The Tower cards with the dice with the value equal to "now" position of the Chronometer, will be constructed this turn and players will add this Tower cards to their Floating Cities.

Each value of the dice corresponds to the amount of coins you have to pay to send your Golem to work.

So, you can choose to pay a lot of coins, but finish the Tower card construction quickly, or to pay less and to wait a little longer (or do not pay coins at all, but wait 5 turns to finish the construction).

The Guildmasters

The Guildmaster tiles are not like the Tower cards: players can't move them to their player board or send a golem there. All players may gain Prestige Points from all of the Guildmasters at the end of the game.

Playing the Game

Initial Turn

Before the first round begins, each player in turn places one of their Golem dice on the top Tower card in the Market (the one located just under the deck of Tower cards) that matches the color of that player's Ability tile. You cannot activate the card's ability during the Initial Turn.

Example: Loew has the gold Ability tile, so, he must choose the top gold Tower card in the Market for his Initial Turn. Loew places his Golem die on this card.

These dice must be placed with the value matching the die on the Chronometer that points to 1 coin (at the start of the game, that is "5"). So, the construction of this Tower card will be finished in the 4th round after the Initial Turn.

Once the Initial Turn is complete, the playing rounds begin.

Playing Rounds

During each round, every player takes one turn, beginning with the Starting Player and going to the left.

After all players have finished their turns, the Starting Player must rotate the gear on the Chronometer one step clockwise, changing the values of the dice. Then, the next round can begin.

Rounds continue until one of the Tower card decks is completely exhausted. The round is played until it is finished, then there is one more full round after that. Once this final round is completed, the game ends and the players add up their points.

A Player Turn

Your turn is divided into three phases, which you must play in order:

1. Golems Finish Projects (if possible) and Tower Activation.
2. Send 1 Golem to Work (required action).
3. Refill the Market (if needed).

Once you have completed all three steps, your turn ends, and the next player begins their turn. Don't forget to use your City marker to record your results on the Scoring Track each time you gain PP during the game!

Phase 1: Golems Finish Projects and Tower Activation

In this phase, your Golems may complete their projects. Note that this will never happen during the first round of play, and usually not during the second round, either.

Golems Finish Projects

First, you must check if your Golems have finished building any Tower cards. If you have a Golem die on a Tower card in the Market that shows the same value as the one on the Chronometer that points towards "now," that Golem has finished its work!

You must take all of the Tower cards that your Golems have finished and add them to your Floating City. If any other players have Golem dice on those cards also, they take their dice back and receive 3 coins from the Bank for each die they take. Your own die is also returned to your supply.

Example: Loew has 1 Golem die on a Tower card showing the number "4," which matches the "Now" die on the Chronometer. He takes that Tower card and returns his die to his supply. Lusheeta and Lucas also have dice on that Tower card. They each take their dice back along with 3 coins from the Bank.

Tower Activation

You must place your new Tower card at the top of the matching Tower in your Floating City.

Then, you may activate each card in that Tower, starting with the Foundation of the Tower (on your City board) and working your way up. You are not required to activate every card, but you can only activate them in order.

Remember: You first add all of the cards you have constructed to all of your towers, and after that you can only activate cards in the Tower(s) you added a new card to. You do not get to activate your other Towers at this time!

Each Tower you added cards to is activated just once, regardless of the number of cards you added.

When you activate a Tower card, follow the instructions on that card.

Example: This turn, Lusheeta gains 3 Tower cards: 2 blue Tower cards and 1 Red Tower card. She adds 2 Tower cards to the top of the blue Tower in her Floating City and 1 Tower card to the red Tower. She can now activate all cards in both Towers (she would love to activate the card in her gold Tower, but she can only activate the Towers she upgraded this turn). Lusheeta gets to decide which of the upgraded Towers she wishes to activate first, and she chooses the blue one. She starts at the bottom of the Tower, using the ability on her player board. Then she activates an ability on the first card and decides not to use the ability on the second card. Finally, she uses the ability on the top card. After that she activates her red Tower the same way.

Phase 2: Send 1 Golem to Work

Each turn, you must send one of your Golems to work on a project, but never more than one each turn.

If you do not have any Golems available, you must take one of yours back from the Market and send it to work on any card in the Market (including the one you just removed it from). You get no compensation for this die returning!

You can place your Golem on any of the Tower cards in the Market. When you place a Golem, you may choose which value (from 1 to 6) you want to be on the top face. There are two restrictions:

• You cannot place a die that matches the "Now" value on the Chronometer.
• You cannot place a die that matches the value of any other dice that are already on that card.

The value you choose for your Golem will determine how many rounds it will take to complete the project, based on the gear of the Chronometer.

When you place a Golem, you must pay a number of coins to the Bank equal to the value shown on the Chronometer next to the dice value you chose. If you cannot pay the required coins, you cannot use that value!

Activating the card: When you place a Golem on a Tower card, you may immediately activate that card (following its instructions). But, you cannot use the ability of the Tower card on any Golems on that card!

Example: Two players send their Golems to the same card in the same round. Jonathan, the yellow player paid 1 coin for his Golem and activated the card's ability. Later on, during her turn, Lusheeta paid 6 coins for her Golem and activated the card ability. 2 rounds later, the "Now" position of the Chronometer points to "5 dots." This round, Lusheeta's Golem completes its work and she moves the card to her City, and activates the Tower. Jonathan gets 3 coins in compensation and takes his Golem die back.

Phase 3: Refill the Market

If you removed any Tower cards from the Market during Phase 1 of your turn, you must refill the Market now. Turn over cards from the matching decks to replace all of the cards you removed.

Then your turn is complete, and the next player begins their turn.

The End of the Round

After all players have completed their turns, rotate the gear on the Chronometer one step clockwise. This will change the number of coins you must pay for each Golem value and changes the "Now" value.

Give the Starting Player marker to the next player clockwise. Then, a new round begins with the new Starting Player.

The End of the Game

When one of the Tower card decks is completely exhausted, the game is coming to an end. The rest of the current round is completed as normal, and then there is one more full round (so all players will have the same number of turns).

Now it's time to add up your score!

You receive Prestige Points for the following:

• All Prestige Points that you collected during the game, shown on the Scoring Track.
• Any Prestige Points awarded by the Guildmaster tiles.
• 6 Prestige Points for each the Library (one of purple Tower card's type).
• 1 Prestige Point for every five coins you have at the end of the game.
• 1 Prestige Point for each of your Golems still on Tower cards in the Market.

Example: During the game, Lusheeta collected 45 PP. At the end of the game, she adds up these PP to find her score:

1. PP awarded by the Guldmaster tiles (Tower Foundations are counted too!). There are 3 Guildmasters in this game: The Guild of Mechanicians gives 3 PP for each set of blue and gold Tower cards—Lusheeta has 2 sets, so she gets 6 PP. The Guild of Builders gives 1 PP for each card in her highest Tower—Lucy has a Tower made of 4 cards (including the Tower's Foundation), so she gets 4 PP. The Guild of Merchants gives 3 PP for each different coats of arms in her Gold Tower—Lusheeta has 2 different symbols in her Gold Tower, so she gets 6 PP. In total, the Guildmasters give her 16 PP.

2. PP received for the Library Tower card: Lusheeta has 1 Library card, so she gets 6 PP (as described on the Library card).

3. PP received for her coins (1 PP for every 5 coins): Lucy has 22 coins, so she gets 4 PP.

4. PP received for her Golem dice (1 PP for each Golem in the Market): Lusheeta has 2 Golem dice located in the Market, so she gets 2 PP.

Totally Lusheeta received 73 Prestige Points in this game.

The city of the player who has the most Prestige Points is declared the new Capital of the Sky and that player wins the game! If there is a tie, the tied player who has the fewest Tower cards wins. If there is a tie again, the one who has the most coins, not counting any that were converted into Prestige Points, wins. If they are still tied, they share the victory!

Optional Game Modes

Initial Turn for Experienced Players

Before the first round begins, each player in turn places one of their Golem dice on any unoccupied Tower card in the Market not depending on the Ability tile color (you cannot use the card's ability at this time) starting from the last player. These dice must be placed with the value matching the die on the Chronometer that points to 1 coin (at the start of the game it points to "5"). So, the construction of this Tower card will be finished in the 4th round after the Initial Turn.

Once the Initial Turn is complete, the playing rounds begin.

Drafting the Ability Tiles

Experienced players can "draft" the Ability tiles: Starting with the last player, each player chooses which Ability tile they will use during the game, then passes the rest of the tiles to the player on their right.

Then, choose which side (A or B) of the tiles you will use. The two sides have different abilities. You must choose one of them and cannot change it during the game.

There are two ways to choose sides:

• All players decide which side of the Ability tiles all players will use (A or B for all players); or
• Each player chooses an Ability tile side for themselves.

The tiles are placed on the bottom part of the player boards with the chosen side up.

Hard Mode (Only for 4-Player Games)

If the game is not as competitive as you like, you may change the number of cards in the Market. For example, you might have only 3 cards from each deck in the Market.