Sparks Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Setup
  • Each player takes the following
• Goal of the Game
• How to Play
  • Production tile effects
• Actions
  • Upgrade factory
  • Build robot
  • Additional actions
  • Turn example
• End of Turn
• End of Round
• Advancing on the Scoring Tracks
• Upgrade Tiles
  • General upgrades
  • Die upgrades
  • Slot upgrades
• Game Ends
• Variant: Goal Tiles
• Variant: Assistant Draft
• Solo Game
• Assistant Cards
• Symbols

Components

• 1 score board
• 1 junk yard
• 4 player boards
• 56 robot cards
• 32 assistant cards
• 22 sparks
• 25 cogs
• 4 level markers
• 16 score markers
• 44 dice
• 1 dice bag
• 8 bonus tiles
• 16 production tiles
• 32 upgrade tiles
• 6 goal tiles
• 1 first player marker

Setup

1. Place the score board and the junkyard in the middle of the table.
2. Shuffle the 8 bonus tiles and place one chip face up on each bonus space on the score board.
3. Sort the upgrade tiles by type and place them in 8 separate stacks. Randomly place one stack on each of the 6 designated spaces in the junkyard. All tiles in a stack should be identical. 2 of the stacks are not used. Return these to the game box.
4. Put the cogs and sparks in two piles next to the game board.
5. Shuffle the robot cards and the assistant cards separately and place them in 2 face-down decks next to the game board.
6. Put all the dice in the bag.

Return the 6 goal tiles to the game box. They are not needed in the first game but can be added later for more variation (see "Goal tiles" below).

Each player takes the following

7. 1 player board (the frame indicates your player color).
8. 4 score markers (robots) in your player color. Place them to the left of the scoring board, one marker outside each scoring track.
9. A set of 4 production tiles. Place them above your player board. In a game with 1-3 players, use the "5"-side of this tile. With 4 players, use the "2" side.
10. 1 spark. Place it in the storage on your player board.
11. 1 level marker. Place it on the lowermost space of the factory level track on your player board.
12. Draw 4 robot cards from the deck. Choose 3 to place in the 3 slots below your player board (these 3 slots are your assembly line) and return the last card to the bottom of the robot deck.
13. Draw 6 assistant cards from the deck (keep these cards in your hand).

The player considered most likely to be a robot is the active player on the first turn (if all players would pass a Turing test equally well, just choose a player at random). Give this player the first player marker. You are now ready to start the game.

Goal of the Game

Players take turns being the active player. When you are the active player, you must place one of your production tiles onto the junkyard. This lets you take several dice from the junkyard, while the other players get to take one die each. All players then simultaneously use their dice, before the next turn begins, with the next player as the active player. Dice are used to complete robots (and advance on the scoring tracks) or level up your factory. You may alter your dice or play assistant cards by paying cogs. The game ends when all players have been active player four times (and all production tiles have been played). You then tally your points (mainly from the scoring tracks, your upgraded factory level, and from played assistant cards). The player with the most points wins the game.

How to Play

At the beginning of each turn, discard any remaining dice in the junkyard and refill the junkyard (from left to right) by drawing 7 dice from the bag. When you draw a die, you can place it directly onto the junkyard without rotating it so that the value facing up is random. If you prefer, you can instead roll each die before placing them into the junkyard.

During the game, discarded dice are put in a discard pile next to the score board. When the bag of dice runs out, return all dice in the discard pile to the bag.

The active player chooses one of their remaining production tiles and places it in the junkyard, above the dice. Then, take the number of dice indicated on your production tile, either from the left or the right side of the junkyard. Also take any additional effect shown on your production tile.

Whenever you take a die from the junkyard, place it next to your player board without changing the value of the die.

Then the other players (clockwise around the table) each take 1 of the remaining dice. Each of these players must also take their die from either the left or the right side of the junkyard.

2-player game: In a 2-player game, the non-active player takes any 2 dice (instead of just 1) and both must be taken from the same side of the junkyard.

When all players have taken dice, all players simultaneously use their dice to carry out actions.

Example: Your production tile shows 4 dice. You must either take the 4 leftmost or the 4 rightmost dice from the junkyard.

Tip: The played production tiles form a stack above the junkyard. You can easily see who the current active player is by looking at the tile on top of the stack.

Production tile effects

Most production tiles provide an additional effect:

• 3 dice (bag icon): Draw 2 additional dice from the bag.
• 3 dice (anywhere icon): The dice you take this turn can be taken from anywhere in the junkyard (the three dice must still be adjacent).
• 4 dice (reroll icon): Once during this turn, you may reroll any number of your available dice.
• 2/5 tile: In a 2-3 player game, just take 5 dice from the junkyard. In a 4-player game, you take 2 dice and one cog.

Actions

All players act simultaneously and may use their available dice (any dice placed next to their player boards), cogs and sparks to carry out actions. You may carry out the actions how often you like and in any order. In the rare event that a player's choice depends on another player's actions, players can carry out their actions in a clockwise order, starting with the active player.

Dice are mainly used to either Upgrade factory or Build robot. A die that has been placed on an action is normally locked in place until the action is completed (exceptions: Additional action "Sell die", and upgrade tile "Rearrange").

Upgrade factory

Upgrade factory: Place a die on an available space in the upgrade section on your player board. The die's color must match the color of the space. You can have at most 3 dice in your upgrade section.

If the sum of all dice in your upgrade section matches or exceeds the value directly above your current factory level, you upgrade to the next level: Advance your level marker to the next level and gain the shown reward. After upgrading, discard all dice in your upgrade section.

• Upgrade tile reward: Take one upgrade tile from the junkyard. You can never have two identical upgrade tiles. Upgrade tiles are explained in "Upgrade tiles" below.
• Spark reward: Take one spark from the supply and add it to your storage.

Example: You play a green 5 in your upgrade section. Together with the red 4, you meet the requirement of the next level (which is 7). You advance your level marker and gain a spark. You then remove the dice from your upgrade section and put them in the discard pile.

Build robot

Build robot: Place the die on a vacant die space on a robot in your assembly line. The die must match the color/value shown in the space.

If you cover the last space on a robot card, this robot is complete: Place this card to the right of your player board, advance your scoring marker that corresponds to the robot's color, and take any immediate rewards listed on the card (if any). Place the used dice in the discard pile. You will get a new robot card to your assembly line at the end of this turn.

When you complete a robot, you always advance on a scoring track. The scoring track is explained in "Scoring tracks" below.

Example: Completing this robot lets you advance 2 spaces on the red scoring track. You also gain 1 cog.

Some robots have a power box that can be activated with a spark after the robot has been completed.

Activate a power box: If you have a completed robot with a power box, you may - at any time - use a spark from your storage and place it on the power box to activate its effect. Each power box can only hold one spark and cannot be activated again until the spark is removed. You can only activate the power box of completed robots. You can also use the power box preprinted on your player board.

At the end of each round, when all players have had a turn and the turn comes back to the first player, all players move sparks from their activated power boxes back to their own storage.

Additional actions

A reminder of the following actions is shown on the left side of your player board. Whenever you pay a cog, return it to the supply.

Sell die: Put the die in the discard pile and take 1 cog from the supply. You may sell a die at any time (even a die that has been locked in your upgrade section or on a robot card in your assembly line).

Change a die value: At any time, you may pay cogs to alter the value of one of your dice. Pay one cog to increase or decrease the die value by 1. You cannot change a value above 6 or below 1.

Ignore a color requirement: When placing a die, pay 2 cogs to ignore a color requirement.

Recruit an assistant: Pay cogs to play an assistant card from your hand. The first assistant card you play costs 1 cog, the second costs 2, the third 3, and so on. Played assistant cards are kept face up next to your player board. Assistant cards either have an immediate or a permanent effect (see "Assistant cards" below).

Turn example

1. Adam is the active player. He has played a production card and taken four dice from the junkyard, while each other player has taken 1 die each. All players now use their dice for actions.
2. Adam uses two of his dice to complete a robot. He advances on the scoring track and moves the completed robot card to the right of his player board.
3. Adam activates a power box to gain 2 cogs.
4. He sells a die to gain a cog, and then pays 3 cogs to play his third assistant card.
5. He places his last die in his storage to save it for the next round.

End of Turn

When all players are done with their actions, the turn ends.

Refill assembly lines: Players who have completed any robots this turn must now refill their assembly lines. All players can do this simultaneously. Refill your assembly line by drawing one more card than you have free slots below your player board. Place one card in each of your empty slots and return the last card to the bottom of the deck.

Before drawing cards, you may choose to discard any unfinished robot card(s) below your player board and return them to the bottom of the deck. Any dice on such cards should be sold for cogs.

Players may keep at most 1 die in their storage for the next round (but you can store any number of sparks and cogs). If you have several unused dice, you should sell them for cogs.

The player seated to the left of the current active player becomes the new active player and starts the next turn.

Example: Audrey has 2 vacant spaces in her assembly line. She draws 3 cards from the deck, places two of them below her player board in her assembly line and returns the last card to the deck. Before drawing cards, she could have discarded the last card below her player board and instead drawn 4 cards and chosen 3.

End of Round

When all players have been active player and the turn comes back to the player with the first player marker, all players take back any sparks from their activated power boxes and place the sparks back in their storage. The sparks can be used again during the next round.

The first player takes the first turn of the next round. Do not pass the first player marker!

Advancing on the Scoring Tracks

Completing robots (and some other effects) lets you advance on a given scoring track. If you reach the end of a scoring track, any subsequent moves in this color let you move on any other track instead.

Do not count bonus tiles when moving. Instead, skip over them and gain the shown reward:

• +die: Draw 1 die from the bag, roll it and place it next to your player board.
• +2 cogs: Take 2 cogs from the supply.
• +advance: Advance one space on any one scoring track.
• +spark: Take one spark from the supply and place it in your storage.
• +cog and card: Take one cog and draw one assistant card from the deck into your hand.
• +upgrade tile: Take one upgrade tile from the junkyard and place it on your player board. You can never have two identical upgrade tiles (see Upgrade tiles below).
• Colored die: Take a die of the indicated color from the discard pile (or find it in the bag if needed). Roll it and place it next to your player board.

During the game, whenever you gain a die from the bag, place it in the orientation you draw it (with a random side facing up) next to your player board. If you find this difficult, you may agree to roll all dice drawn from the bag.

When you gain a die of a given color, its easiest to take it from the discard pile (or find it in the bag) and then roll it.

Upgrade Tiles

There are three types of upgrade tiles, all with permanent effects. When you gain an upgrade tile, place it on your game board. You can never have two identical upgrade tiles! There are three types of upgrade tiles. Some tiles are worth points at the end of the game.

General upgrades

General upgrades are placed in the top section of your player board.

• Rearrange: At any time, you may rearrange your dice, moving them between your upgrade space, your storage space or robot cards in your assembly line.
• Discount: Permanently reduce the cost of playing assistant cards by 1 cog.
• Sales boost: You may sell dice to the supply for 2 cogs (instead of 1).

Die upgrades

Die upgrades affect all dice of your own player color (i.e. red dice for red player, blue dice for blue player etc).

• Ignore color: You may ignore color requirements when using dice of your player color (as if the die had any color).
• Ignore value: You may ignore value requirements when using dice of your player color (do not change the value of the die).

Slot upgrades

Slot upgrades are placed above one of your card slots in your assembly line. Each slot can have at most one upgrade tile. A slot upgrade is activated each time you complete a robot in that slot.

• Bonus point: If you complete a robot in this slot, advance one additional space on the scoring track that matches the completed robot's color.
• Bonus cog: If you complete a robot in this slot, gain 1 cog.
• Recycle: If you complete a robot in this slot, you may move one of the dice used to complete the robot to a vacant space on any other robot card in your assembly line. You may pay cogs or use other effects to alter the die before placing it. If there are no suitable spaces on other robot cards, this upgrade tile has no effect (i.e. you may not instead place the die in your upgrade section or sell it for a cog).

Example: Eva has completed the red robot in her second slot. As she has the "Bonus point" upgrade there, she advances one additional space on the red scoring track (in addition to the other rewards for this card).

She then completes the robot in her third slot with the "Recycle" upgrade. After scoring the robot, she takes a blue die from the card and moves it to the leftmost card in her assembly line.

Game Ends

The game ends at the end of the round when all players have played their four production tiles. Players do not need to refill their assembly lines.

Each player sums up their points from the following sources:

• Each marker on the scoring tracks is worth the number of points shown above the track.
• Score points equal to your current factory level multiplied by the number of assistant cards you have played. Example: Your factory level is 4, and you have played 5 assistant cards. You score 4 x 5 = 20 points.
• Played assistant cards are also worth any points shown in their top right corner.
• Score any points shown on your upgrade tiles.
• Score 3 points for each set of four differently colored robot cards you have completed. Example: You have completed 3 red, 3 yellow, 2 blue and 2 green robots. You have two full sets and score 6 points.
• Score 1 point for every 3 cogs you have.
• Advanced game: Score 5 points for each fulfilled goal tile.

The player with the most points wins the game. If there is a tie, the tied player with the most remaining cogs wins. If still tied, break the tie in favor of the player with the highest factory level, or (if still tied) the most completed robots. If the tie remains, players share the victory.

Variant: Goal Tiles

At the beginning of the game, place two random goal tiles face up on the junkyard. At the end of the game, you score 5 points for each goal tile if you have met (or exceeded) its requirements:

• Play 6 assistants.
• Reach factory level 5.
• Build 4 robots of the same color.
• Complete 5 robots with a power box.
• Have 4 sparks.
• Reach the third bonus space on two different scoring tracks.

Variant: Assistant Draft

Once all players are familiar with the game, you can try this variant. At the beginning of the game, deal 7 assistant cards (instead of 6) to each player. Everyone simultaneously chooses 1 of their cards to keep and passes the remaining cards to the player to their left. Again, everyone chooses 1 card to keep and pass the remaining cards left. Keep doing this until all players have chosen 6 cards. Shuffle the remaining assistant cards into the assistant card deck.

Solo Game

A solo game is set up like a regular two-player game, but you must use the goal tiles: Place one goal tile on the junkyard. If you do not meet the requirement on this goal tile at the end of the game, you lose.

In a solo game you alternate between regular and secondary turns:

Start by taking a regular turn: Play a production tile to take dice from the junkyard and take actions as usual. At the end of the turn, refill your assembly line with new robot cards if needed. But do not empty or refill the junkyard!

Then take a secondary turn: Do not play a production tile. Instead, take 2 dice from the ones remaining in the junkyard. Then perform actions as usual. At the end of the secondary turn, refill your assembly line with new robots as normal, and take back any sparks from your power boxes. Then remove any remaining dice from the junkyard and refill it.

Keep alternate taking regular and secondary turns. The game ends after 8 turns (you will have taken 4 regular turns and 4 secondary turns).

Note: The secondary turns are played as if you are the non-active player in a 2-player game. Remember to take back spark and reset the junkyard at the end of each secondary turn!

At the end of the game, tally your points. To win the game you must have met the requirement on the goal tile and have scored at least 50 points.

You may reduce the difficulty by playing without goal tiles, or increase the difficulty by playing with 2, 3 or even 4 goal tiles. Remember, you must fulfill the requirements on all goal tiles to win the game!

Assistant Cards

Assistant cards carry one of three effect symbols:

• Star: One-time effects that apply immediately when the assistant is hired.

• (1) arrow: These effects can be applied once per turn (even on other players' turns).

• Hourglass: Permanent effects that can be used as often as you want.

• Conrad – Tuck this card partly below any other of your played assistant cards. Conrad copies the effect (and points) of the other card. If you copy a card with a one-time effect, apply it immediately.

• Emma – You may place one cog on a power box to activate its effect (as if the cog was a spark). You cannot activate a power box with both a spark and a cog. At the end of the round (when you take back spark markers), the cog is discarded.

• Frank – Once per turn you may discard a die with value 5 or 6 to advance one space on the scoring track that matches the color of the die. Example: You discard a green 5 to advance one space on the green scoring track.

• Gordon – At any time you may discard one cog to ignore a color requirement when placing a die.

• Max – Whenever you complete a robot with a power box, you may discard 1 cog to immediately activate its effect. You may still activate this power box with spark later.

• Margot/Theodora – Counts as +2 towards the requirement every time you upgrade your factory to the next level.

• Octavia – Once per turn, you may turn one of your available dice to its opposite side (a 2 turns to 5, a 6 turns to 1 and so on).

• Olympia – Immediately gain the effect of two of your available power boxes (it does not matter if the power boxes have already been activated with spark).

• Penelope/Walter – Whenever you are supposed to advance on the red (Penelope) or blue (Walter) scoring track, you may choose to advance on any other scoring track instead.

• Quincy – When you take a die on other players' turns, you can take it from anywhere in the junkyard (you don't have to take it from one of the sides). In a 2-player game, the two dice you take need not be adjacent. In a solo-game, Quincy's effect applies on secondary turns.

• Silas – At any time you can discard a die, and then use its value to adjust other dice up or down. You do not need to use the full value of the discarded die. Example: You discard a die with value 3 to adjust another die two pips up from 4 to 6, and then a third die 1 pip down from 3 to 2.

Symbols

• Blank die: Draw a random die from the bag and roll it.
• Die with a value: Draw a random die from the bag and set it to the shown value.
• Colored die: Take a die of the indicated color from the discard pile (or from the bag if needed) and roll it for a random value. If there are no more dice of the indicated color in the supply, draw a random die from the bag instead.
• Colored arrow: Advance one space on the indicated score track.
• Rainbow arrow: Advance one space on any one score track.
• Cog: Take 1 cog from the supply.
• Spark: Take 1 spark from the supply and place it in your storage.
• Assistant card: Draw 1 assistant card from the deck and add it to your hand.
• Assistant card (played): Play 1 assistant card from your hand for free.
• +2 factory: Counts as 2 (or any shown value) towards upgrading your factory level.
• Reroll: Reroll any number of your available dice.
• +/-: Increase or decrease the value of any of your dice by 1. Set the die to its new value.
• Ignore number: Ignore a number requirement when placing a die. This does not change the value of the die.
• Ignore color: Ignore a color requirement when placing a die.
• Power box: Use a spark marker from your storage to activate this power box. Take back the spark marker at the beginning of the turn of the player with the first player marker.
• Wrench: Take one upgrade tile from the junkyard and place it on your player board. You can never have two identical upgrade tiles (Upgrade tiles are explained in "Upgrade Tiles" above).

Most often when you gain a die, you just draw it from the bag. When you gain a die of a given value, draw a random die from the bag and set it to the correct value. If you gain a die of a given color, it's easiest to take it from the discard pile and then roll it for a random number.