The Quest for El Dorado: The Golden Temples
The Quest for El Dorado: The Golden Temples Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Description
You are a group of bold adventurers who have reached El Dorado, the legendary land of gold. Slip into the role of brave expedition leaders and guide your team through the lost kingdom. Choose your expedition members and equipment wisely to give you the best chance of outwitting your opponents and be the first on the hunt for unlimited treasure. The first player to collect the three gems in the three golden temples and return with them to the treasure chamber wins the treasure of El Dorado and the game.
Before reading these instructions, please follow the assembly guide and set up the game as described.
How the Game Works
Each player starts with a face-down deck of cards — their expedition — to draw from.
At the beginning of the game, your deck consists of the following 8 cards: 2x Traveler, 2x Photographer, 2x Student, 1x Scout, and 1 Skipper. This is your draw pile. You start each turn with 4 cards in your hand. Use expedition cards to move through the temple complex or hire more people for your expedition.
Structure of an expedition card
Each expedition card shows: the card name, its power, its color/symbol, its purchase price, and a setup symbol.
Turn Structure
Each player's turn consists of 3 phases:
Phase 1 – Play cards - Play cards to move your expedition or to buy new cards.
Phase 2 – Discard played cards - Put all played cards on your discard pile.
Phase 3 – Draw cards - Draw cards until you have 4 cards in hand.
The player with the starting player hat token starts the race and completes all 3 phases. Then it's the next player's turn in clockwise turn order. Your goal is to collect the three gems in the three golden temples and be the first to reach the treasure chamber of El Dorado.
Phase 1 – Play cards
Play any number of cards from your hand to (A) move your playing piece and/or (B) buy up to 1 new card for your expedition. Each card in your hand can only be used once per turn. First, play cards that you want to use for moving. Use the rest of your cards to buy up to 1 new card.
A – Movement
The path through El Dorado leads through different types of terrain: landscape (green, yellow, blue), torch (orange), and base camp (red).
Each hex space shows the requirements you have to meet to move onto it. The more symbols depicted on the space, the more difficult it is to move there. The number of symbols equals the space's power.
Landscape and torch spaces
Play one card from your hand and place it above your expedition board. Most cards have a power value. Use it to move 1 or more spaces of the same type adjacent to the position of your playing piece. Then you may play another card to make an additional move.
Any played card must meet 2 requirements:
- The symbol on the card must match the color/symbol on the hex space that you want to move to.
- The power value of the card must be equal or higher than the power of the space.
If both conditions are met, you can move onto that space.
Example: Sarah plays a Scout and moves onto the power 2 jungle space. Then she plays a Traveler and advances 1 yellow space. Finally, she plays a Gentleman and advances 2 torch spaces.
If you have "leftover" power, you may use it to continue moving to the next space. The same 2 requirements apply, but you first subtract the power you already spent from the played card's power value.
You can stop moving at any time. In that case, you lose any unspent power immediately.
Important: You cannot combine multiple cards to move onto a landscape space with high power value!
Special spaces
To move onto a base camp space, use any cards from your hand. The number of symbols on the space indicates the number of cards you need to play. The identity of those cards is irrelevant. Cards you play to move onto a base camp space aren't discarded. Instead, they are completely removed from the game. They won't be used again this game.
Hint: This is a great way to get rid of weak cards from your deck and to keep your expedition "lean". This makes it possible for you to keep drawing your best cards with the highest power level.
Important: You can never move onto mountains (black) or spaces that are already occupied by other playing pieces.
B – Buy new cards
You can buy up to 1 card per turn, whether you have moved this turn or not.
Yellow cards with a coin symbol are worth their power. All other cards are worth ½ a coin each. Play any number of cards to add their values together. This is the total amount of money you can spend on the new card.
Choose a card on the market board that you can afford and put it face up on your discard pile. You cannot use that card during this turn, nor put it directly in your hand. The card will eventually be shuffled into your draw pile together with the rest of the discard pile.
Example: John decides not to move this turn and only buy a card. First, he plays all the cards from his hand: 1 Traveler, 1 Photographer, 1 Scout, and 1 Student. Then he adds up their coin values: 1 coin + 2 coins + ½ coin + ½ coin = 4 coins. Purchase price: 4 coins. John can now afford any card from the market board that costs 4 or less coins. He chooses the Scroll (purchase price 4 coins) and puts it on his discard pile.
How can I buy the rest of the expedition cards?
At the beginning of the game, you may choose from any of the 6 different expedition card piles on the market board. Once all 3 cards of a pile have been sold, you gain access to the cards next to the market board.
If there is at least one vacant spot on the market board, you may choose any expedition card that you can afford, even if it isn't on the market board. If the chosen card is from one of the piles next to the market board, place its pile on the vacant spot. Each time there is a vacant spot on the market board, you have access to all face up expedition cards.
Special cards: Items
These cards are marked by a crossed-out card symbol. Item cards can only be played once per game. After an item card is used, remove it from the game (put back into the box). Do not place it on your discard pile!
Exception: If you play an item card without using its function (e.g. to spend it as ½ a coin), place it above the expedition board after you played it, then put it on your discard pile.
Cards with prices in black: These cards can only be purchased. It is not allowed to take those cards when using an effect or ability (only relevant for the combined game).
Phase 2 – Discard cards
At the end of your turn, put all cards you placed above your expedition board during phase 1 (i.e. all the cards you played excluding any cards that were completely removed from the game) face up on your discard pile.
If you still have cards in your hand (experts or items), you can now choose to keep them in your hand for your next turn or discard them as well. You may decide for each card individually.
Phase 3 – Draw cards
Finally, draw cards from your draw pile until you have 4 cards in your hand.
Your draw pile is empty? If your draw pile doesn't contain enough cards to draw for your next turn, draw as many as possible. Then, shuffle your discard pile to form your new draw pile, then draw the rest of the cards you need.
Blockades
Blockades are obstacles on your path. The first player who wants to pass a blockade must overcome it by fulfilling its power requirement. To do that, play cards from your hand just like you would for movement, or let each other player perform an action (e.g. draw a card, remove a card from their hand from the game, etc.). The player who removed the blockade gets to keep it. Use blockades as a tie breaker at the end of the game. After a blockade has been removed, all players may now freely enter the previously blocked spaces.
Blockades work very similar to hex spaces, except you cannot move onto them. For example, you can use a Professor (Torch 5) to meet the blockade's Torch 1 requirement, then continue moving onto an adjacent orange space (if there is one). The other symbols on the blockades work just like the guardian symbols. A cave token or a guardian behind a blockade cannot be reached or is inactive until the blockade has been removed.
Gold coins
Gold coins match the value of coins on cards and has the same function as the Traveler. Collect gold coins next to your player board. Whenever you gain a gold coin, take it from the supply. Whenever you spend a gold coin, return it to the supply. You cannot own more than 3 gold coins.
You may spend a gold coin to move onto a yellow landscape space with a coin symbol. You cannot use multiple gold coins or a combination of gold coins and cards for movement.
When you purchase a card, you may use any number of gold coins. You have the option of using a mix of gold coins and hand cards to pay for a card.
Sometimes during the game, you will be asked to pay gold coins. You cannot use cards to pay for these effects.
Important: During your turn, if you neither move your expedition (that includes removing a blockade) nor purchase a card from the market place, you may take 1 gold coin from the supply at the end of your turn (unless you already own 3 gold coins).
Guardian
If your expedition comes to a halt next to a guardian after completing a movement (i.e. after using up a card), do the following:
- If the guardian token is still face down, reveal it. The token stays face up until the end of the game.
- Activate the guardian. You do not need to play a card to activate a guardian. Each guardian has its own power:
- Coin guardian: Each other player gets a gold coin. Always remember that no player may own more than 3 gold coins.
- Card guardian: Each other player may draw a card. If your draw pile is empty, first shuffle the discard pile as usual, then draw.
- Removal guardian: Each other player in turn order may remove a card from their hand completely from the game (put it back into the box). (This action is optional.)
- Coin-loss guardian: You lose all your gold coins. Return them to the global supply.
Note: Once you have activated a guardian by stopping next to it, a subsequent movement that ends next to that same guardian will not activate that guardian again. However, if your expedition has moved away from the guardian and has come to a stop on a space that is not adjacent to the guardian, the guardian is "reset". The next time your expedition comes to a halt next to that guardian, it will be activated again.
Temples and Gems
Each temple has 3 spaces. If your expedition comes to a halt on a temple space after completing a movement (i.e. after using up a card), you collect one of the gems. You can only collect 1 gem from each temple. Place the gems in front of you.
End of the Game
Once a player has collected 1 gem from each of the 3 temples and then reached the treasure chamber, the final round of the game begins. (That player removes their playing piece to make space in the treasure chamber.)
Each player left in that round will now play their final turn. Once that round is completed, the game is over. If only one player has reached the treasure chamber, they win the game.
What happens if the game is tied?
If the final round ends up with multiple players reaching the treasure chamber, the player who has collected the most blockades wins the game. If there is still a tie, the player who collected the blockade with the highest number wins. If none of these players has a blockade, the player who reached the treasure chamber first is the winner.
Rules for 2 Players
Assemble the game as usual. The rules for movement, market and discarding are unchanged. Each player gets a second playing piece in their color. The starting player places their playing pieces on starting spaces #1 and #3, the other player on #2 and #4. To win, you must reach the treasure chamber first with both of your pieces. If both players manage to reach El Dorado with their second playing piece during the final turn, use the normal tie-breaker rules.
When moving for your turn, for each card you play, choose which playing piece that card applies to. Move that playing piece, then choose again for your next card.
You cannot use a card for both of your playing pieces by splitting up its power. Also, all playing pieces still function as barriers — you can't move onto a space that is already occupied by another playing piece, even if it is yours.
Example of a Complete Turn
Anne has 4 cards in her hand.
Phase 1 – Play cards
- First, she plays the Gatherer, takes 1 gold coin from the supply, and draws an additional card from her draw pile.
- a) Next, Anne starts moving. She moves onto the adjacent base camp. To do that, she must remove one card from her hand. She chooses the Traveler and removes it from the game.
- b) To continue moving, Anne plays the "Jeep" item. She uses it to move across the 5 adjacent torch spaces. The "Jeep" is removed from the game.
- c) Next, she plays the "Scroll" and moves two more adjacent spaces. The "Scroll" is also removed from the game.
- Anne uses her final card to buy a new card. She plays the "Photographer" to gain 2 coins.
- Since there is a vacant spot on the market board, she can purchase any expedition card she likes. She chooses the card "Hunter" (purchase price 3). The "Photographer" is only worth 2 coins, so she adds the gold coin she gained earlier this turn. She now has 3 coins and can buy the Hunter. Anne puts the Hunter face up on her discard pile and returns the gold coin to the global supply.
- Finally, she puts the remaining cards from the Hunter pile on the vacant spot on the market board.
Phase 2 and Phase 3
Anne puts all cards that she played this turn on her discard pile and draws 4 cards from her draw pile.
Expanding the World of El Dorado
If you own The Quest for El Dorado base game and perhaps also The Quest for El Dorado: Heroes & Hexes expansion, you can combine them for a truly epic gaming experience. You can either combine The Quest for El Dorado with The Golden Temples, or, as an option, you can play with all three games at the same time. It is not possible to combine the Heroes & Hexes expansion with just The Golden Temples, though.
The setup sheet will show you example routes for the combined game. We recommend the combined game to all experienced expedition leaders.
Each player gets the usual items from the base game (playing pieces, expedition board, and base deck in their color). The base deck cards from The Golden Temples aren't used in the combined game.
The new market
Each combined game is played with all cards of the base game and the chosen expansion(s). For example, if you play with the base game and The Quest for El Dorado: The Golden Temples, there are 36 different cards.
Separate the cards into piles. Place the cards marked for the base game on the market board. Cards marked for The Quest for El Dorado: The Golden Temples are added to all the other market cards. Base cards from The Golden Temples stay in the box.
Of the remaining piles, take 1 card each and shuffle them into a replenishment deck. Draw 12 cards and place them next to the market board. For each of those cards, add the 2 other cards of the same type to form 12 piles of 3 cards each. The cards next to the market board are randomly selected each game, so that each game will be different.
Place the replenishment deck face down next to the market board. The remaining cards can be set off to the side right now.
As per the normal rules, whenever there is a vacant spot on the market board, you may purchase an expedition card from one of the piles next to the market board. If you do, place the rest of that pile onto the market board, as usual. That will free a spot next to the market board. Draw the top card of the replenishment deck and place it on the vacant spot, together with its 2 other cards.
The next time a player purchases a card from next to the market board, they will have the full range of 12 different cards to choose from. That way, new cards are continuously added to the game.
End of the combined game
In the combined game, only 2 temples are used. The treasure chamber will open for you once you have collected 2 different gems.
Cave tokens
In the combined game with the base game, cave tokens are optional. If you combine both games with the Heroes & Hexes expansion, cave tiles are mandatory.
Creating your own routes
Of course, you can assemble your own routes for the combined game. For maximum fun, please refer to the tips and tricks on the setup sheet.
Glossary
Expedition cards
- Orange cards enable you to move onto torch spaces.
- Use the Archaeologist to move across two adjacent torch spaces (ignore the spaces' power). You can also use it to remove a corresponding blockade.
- Yellow cards give you coins to travel through villages or hire new expedition members.
- Green cards help you clear a path through the jungle.
- White cards are wildcards and allow you to choose one of the 2-4 symbols whenever you play them: machete, paddle, coin, or torch. Each time you play a wildcard, you can choose a different symbol.
Action cards
Purple action cards can be played at any time during your turn, either while moving or while buying. Follow the card's instructions and then continue playing. Don't forget to remove cards with the crossed-out card symbol from the game after using them!
- Scroll: Move your piece up to 2 times onto an adjacent space. Ignore those spaces' requirements. You can't move onto an occupied space or onto a mountain space.
- Hunter: Take 1 gold coin. You can never own more than 3 gold coins at one time. Then you may remove 1 card from your hand from the game.
- Gatherer: Take 1 gold coin. You can never own more than 3 gold coins at one time. Then you may draw 1 card.
- Treasure Map: Take 1 gold coin. You can never own more than 3 gold coins at one time.
- Tracker: Move your piece up to 2 times onto an adjacent 1-power space (single symbol, including demon spaces). You cannot use this to move onto spaces with more than one symbol. You may also use this to remove blockades with 1 symbol.
- Explorer's Hat: Take 3 gold coins. You can never own more than 3 gold coins at one time. During this turn, if you buy a card, you may choose from any face up pile.
- Outfitter: Pay up to 3 gold coins. Move your piece that many times onto an adjacent space. Ignore those spaces' requirements. You can't move onto an occupied space or onto a mountain space. Example: Pay 2 gold coins to move 2 spaces.
Credits
Reiner Knizia thanks all the playtesters who contributed to the development of El Dorado — The Golden Temples, in particular Sebastian Bleasdale, Florian Ionescu, Stefan Willkofer, Peter Wimmer, and Vroni Sigl. Special thanks to Philipp Winter for his significant contribution to the game's development.
© 2019 Ravensburger Ltd. / Ravensburger Verlag GmbH