Wild World Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Setup
• Overview
  • Worker Placement
  • Multi-Use Cards
  • Defeating Monsters
  • The Goal of the Game
• Playing the Game
  • Anytime Actions
  • Use of Crystals
  • Gaining and Spending Resources
• Anytime Actions In Detail
  • Play a Card Into Your Home Section
  • Play a Card Into Your Travel Regions
  • Discard a Card to Gain Gold
• Option A, B, and C In Detail
  • Option (A): Place Worker (perform action and buy card)
    • (1) Place One Worker
    • (2) Perform One Action
    • (3) Buy One Card
    • The Bonus Spaces
  • Option (B): Defeat Monster
    • Step 1: Play a Card
    • Step 2: Calculate Strength
    • Step 3: After Defeating a Monster
  • Option (C): Move and Rest Worker (gain reward)
    • The Reward Spaces on the Island
• The End of the Round
• The End of the Game & Scoring

Components

• 1 Game Board
• 1 Alternative Action Board
• 5 Player Boards (double-sided)
• 150 Creature Cards (including 35 starting cards)
• 50 Monster Cards
• 24 Workers (6 of each of 4 colors, plus 6 extra white workers used in solo games)
• 4 Cauldron Tokens
• 4 Potion Tokens
• 42 Gold Coins
• 40 Crystals
• 12 Evolve Tokens
• 1 Round Marker
• 1 Score Pad
• 10 Bonus Tokens (used only with variants, described in the Appendix sheet)
• 6 Income Tiles (used only with variants, described in the Appendix sheet)
• 25 Solo Cards (used only with variants, described in the Appendix sheet)

Setup

1. Place the game board in the middle of the table.
2. Place the alternative action board in the middle of the game board so that the colors of its sectors align with the preprinted colors in the middle of the game board.
3. Place the round marker on space 1 of the round track.
4. Give each player 1 random player board. For your first game, use the A-side of the player board. Return unused player boards to the box.
5. From the creature cards, shuffle the 35 starting cards by color into 5 decks. Then, draw 2 cards from each deck and place them face up on the two matching card spaces on the game board (10 cards in total).
6. From the remaining starting cards, deal 5 starting cards to each player's hand, as indicated in the reference table at the top-left of their player boards. Any unused starting cards are returned to the box.
7. Shuffle the remaining 115 creature cards by color into 5 decks. Place each deck face down on its corresponding space of the game board.
8. Each player chooses a player color (independent of player board color) and places 3 workers of that color in their personal supply (near their player board). The remaining 3 workers are placed in the worker supply on the game board. Workers of any unused colors are returned to the box.
9. Each player places one cauldron token and one potion token on the potion track of their player board as follows:
   • The cauldron token on space "0".
   • The potion token on space "1".
10. Place all gold coins, evolve tokens, and crystals in their matching supply spaces on the game board.
11. Each player takes 6 crystals from the supply and places one crystal onto each lock symbol on their player board (on the A-side, there are 3 lock symbols at the top and 3 lock symbols at the bottom of the player board).
12. The player who last visited a forest is the starting player.
    • The starting player takes 4 gold and 1 crystal from the supplies.

Tip: Before you start the game, check the Appendix to get familiar with the ability, instant bonus, and scoring criteria of your monster cards.

Overview

Worker Placement

At its core, Wild World is a worker placement game. Each player begins with three workers. Over the course of the game, players may unlock up to three additional workers through various means. When placing a worker, the player may perform the realm's action and then acquire the adjacent card.

Multi-Use Cards

There are 150 unique creature cards in the game. Each player starts with five creature cards and may hold an unlimited number of cards in hand. One of the central challenges in Wild World is deciding how best to use each card, as every card has four distinct uses:

• Play it next to your player board (home section) to build your engine to buy stronger cards.
• Play it to the bottom of your player board (travel regions) for end-game points and bonuses (preprinted on the board).
• Play it above your player board to defeat monsters to gain abilities, bonuses, and points.
• Discard it to gain its gold value.

This flexibility creates meaningful decisions throughout the game.

Defeating Monsters

There are 50 unique monster cards in the game, in addition to one preprinted monster on each player board. Defeating monsters requires more than just playing a creature card. Players must also brew potions (by advancing their potion token) and often evolve the fighting creatures (by using evolve tokens).

The Goal of the Game

The goal of the game is to gain the most points after 3 rounds of play. Most of your points come from:

• Defeating monsters
• Creature cards in your travel regions (at the bottom of your player board)
• Points on creature cards in your home section (to the right of your player board)

Playing the Game

The game is played over 3 rounds. Each round, the starting player takes the first turn, followed by the other players taking turns in clockwise order. On your turn, you must choose one (and only one) of the following options:

• (A) Place Worker (perform action and buy creature card)
• (B) Defeat Monster
• (C) Move and Rest Worker (gain reward)

When each player has chosen option C at least once, the round ends (see The End of the Round).

See details of the three options in Option A, B, and C In Detail below.

Anytime Actions

On your turn, you may additionally perform an unlimited number of anytime actions. Using anytime actions is a significant aspect of the game and an important way to generate the resources needed for completing the other game actions. You may perform anytime actions before, during, and/or after you perform option A, B, or C (see above). This is probably necessary already on your very first turn.

Since these are essential, details of all anytime actions are described first (see Anytime Actions In Detail below).

Use of Crystals

Crystal is a wild resource. You may always:

• Exchange 1 crystal for 1 gold at any time
• Spend 1 crystal for each missing element symbol when:
  • Buying a card
  • Defeating a monster

The rules implement short reminders of this opportunity whenever applicable. Note: 1 evolve token may be exchanged for 1 crystal at any time. Since this is rare, we will use crystal as a term for wild resource, although evolve tokens may be used for the same purpose.

Gaining and Spending Resources

• Whenever you gain gold, crystals, or evolve tokens, take them from the game board supply and add them to your personal supply. If any of the game board supplies are exhausted, use any item as a substitute.
• Whenever you spend gold, crystals, or evolve tokens, return them from your personal supply to the corresponding game board supply.
• Whenever you gain 1 potion, advance your potion token one step on the potion track of your player board.

Anytime Actions In Detail

Play a Card Into Your Home Section

Play a card from your hand, face up to the right of your player board overlapping any previously played cards so that only the left symbols on the covered cards are visible. Immediately gain the bonus (if any) depicted at the bottom-left of the played card:

• Gain 1 gold
• Gain 1 crystal
• Gain 1 potion
• Draw 1 creature card from any deck to your hand.

Play a Card Into Your Travel Regions

Play a card from your hand, face down into any unlocked (see Option A, B, and C In Detail below) travel region (column) at the bottom of your player board, adhering to the following restrictions:

• Your card must match the color of any cards already in the region.
• Your card must be a different color than the cards in every other region.
• Your card must cover the bottommost vacant space in the region, overlapping any previously played cards.

Immediately gain the bonus (if any) depicted on the covered space (see Appendix).

Discard a Card to Gain Gold

Discard any card from your hand to the discard space at the bottom-right of the game board to gain gold equal to its gold value.

Option A, B, and C In Detail

Option (A): Place Worker (perform action and buy card)

Execute the following 3 steps in the order shown:

(1) Place One Worker

Place one worker from your personal supply on a vacant worker space in any of the 5 realms (sectors) of the game board.

There is one free worker space below each card (you place your worker here if not occupied). The other two spaces can only be used if you first pay the required cost:

• Pay 1 gold to the player whose worker is on the free worker space.
• Pay 2 gold: 1 gold to the player whose worker is on the free worker space + 1 gold to the player whose worker is on the worker space costing 1 gold. Important: This space is not used in a 2-player game!

Exception: If paying this cost would ever result in paying yourself, pay the gold to the supply instead.

Remember: You may use crystals instead of gold. However, when paying to an opponent, first exchange 1 crystal into 1 gold, and then pay 1 gold to your opponent.

(2) Perform One Action

Choose one of the following:

a) Perform the main action in the realm where you placed your worker.

b) Spend 1 gold to perform the alternative action on the alternative action board adjacent to the realm where you placed your worker. If you do not have a gold (or crystal) to do so, you must perform the main action instead.

There are 5 different actions (one for each realm):

• Draw 1 creature card from any of the five facedown decks to your hand.
• Gain 1 evolve token.
• Gain 7 gold. You may at any time exchange five 1-value coins for a large 5-value coin (or vice versa).
• Unlock: Take one crystal (if any) from any of the lock symbols on your player board and place it in your personal supply. This unlocks the opportunity to play cards here (see Anytime Actions In Detail above and Option (B) below).
• Gain 2 potions. Gain 1 crystal for each step you would advance beyond space "6".

(3) Buy One Card

Remember: Even before buying your very first card in the game, you must probably perform one or more anytime actions to afford it.

You may optionally buy the faceup creature card adjacent to your worker by meeting the strength and gold requirements at the top of the card:

• Strength requirement: You must have at least as many corresponding element symbols in your home section, including the preprinted symbol on your player board, as the element symbol value on the card. Note: You do not spend anything (you only need to possess these symbols).
• Gold cost: You must spend the indicated number of gold.

Remember: You may spend one crystal for each missing gold or element symbol.

If both requirements are met:

• Take the acquired card to your hand.
• Replenish the card space with a new card from the corresponding deck (if any).
• You may optionally gain the bonus depicted below the card space on the game board. See list of all bonus spaces below.

Note: The purchased card may immediately be used for anytime actions, if needed, for example to gain the card bonus for the card you just acquired.

Special case: If the adjacent card space is empty when you place your worker (because the corresponding deck is exhausted), you may instead choose to buy one faceup creature card from any realm, gaining the bonus from the space adjacent to your worker.

The Bonus Spaces

• Spend 2 gold to draw a magic OR water creature card from the corresponding facedown deck to your hand.
• Spend 2 gold to draw a fire OR ice creature card from the corresponding facedown deck to your hand.
• Gain 1 potion.
• Spend 1 crystal to draw a card from any facedown deck to your hand.
• Gain 2 gold.
• Spend 1 crystal to gain 4 gold.
• Gain 1 crystal.
• Gain 3 gold.
• Gain 2 potions.
• Advance your cauldron token 1 space (max to space 5). If this would place your cauldron token on the same space as your potion token, advance your potion token 1 space forward, as well.

Option (B): Defeat Monster

Execute the following 3 steps in the order shown:

Step 1: Play a Card

Choose an undefeated monster on your player board with an unlocked (see Option (A) above) sword space.

Play 1 creature card from your hand in the slot above the chosen monster. The element symbol of the creature card must match one of the two monster strength element symbols.

Step 2: Calculate Strength

To defeat the monster, your total strength must be equal to or higher than the monster strength of the matching element symbol on the monster. If you are unable to generate enough strength to defeat a monster, you must return the played card to hand and choose a different action instead (Place Worker or Move and Rest Worker).

Your total strength is calculated as follows:

• Creature: The value of the element symbol on your creature card (1–5 strength).
• Evolve: + 5 strength if you place an evolve token on the evolve symbol of the creature card. Note that you cannot spend evolve token unless the card has an evolve symbol.
• Potion: The value indicated by your potion token (1–6 strength).
• Crystals: + 1 strength per crystal you spend.

Note: Monster strength follows the cycle of dominance (Fire beats Ice, Ice beats Magic, Magic beats Forest, Forest beats Water, Water beats Fire).

Step 3: After Defeating a Monster

When the monster is defeated:

• Return the spent crystals and evolve token on your creature card (if any) to their respective supplies.
• Flip your creature card face down and tuck it underneath your player board.
• Reset your potion token to the space immediately to the right of your cauldron token. Important: You must reset fully, even though you do not have to use all your potion to defeat the monster.
• If the defeated monster is a scoring card (all scoring cards have a + symbol), gain 1 worker of your color from the worker supply. Important: If you gain a worker when no workers of your color are left in the worker supply, instead, immediately perform one of the five main actions (see Perform One Action above).
• Resolve any instant bonus effect at the bottom of the monster card. See Appendix for a detailed description of all monster effects, including permanent abilities and scoring criteria.

Option (C): Move and Rest Worker (gain reward)

Move one of your already placed workers from the realms to a vacant space on the island at the top-right of the game board to gain the reward indicated on the island space (see below). If you are unable to pay the cost associated with an island space, you must choose a different island space instead. Note that moving a worker from the realms will make the worker space your worker was moved from available.

Note: Once a worker is moved to the island, it remains there for the remainder of the round.

The Reward Spaces on the Island

• Gain 2 coins OR 1 crystal. Important: This space is always considered vacant and can hold an unlimited number of workers (including from the same player). Place workers moved here to the right of any workers already on the space (the player with the leftmost worker on this space becomes the starting player in the next round).
• Gain 3 gold
• Gain 1 potion AND 1 gold
• Spend 2 gold to gain 2 crystals
• Spend 2 gold to unlock (see Option (A) above).
• Spend 3 gold to gain 1 creature card from any of the decks to your hand.

Beware: A consequence of choosing Move and Rest Worker may be that the round ends before your next turn (see The End of the Round below).

Special case: It may happen that a player is unable to place or move a worker based on their current personal supply (regardless of cards in hand). In this rare case, the player may use their whole turn to gain 2 gold OR 1 crystal instead of taking a normal turn.

The End of the Round

The round ends immediately at the end of a turn when at least one worker from each player is present on the island.

After round 1 and 2, complete the following steps:

1. The player who owns the topmost worker on the island becomes the starting player in the next round. If more than one player is on the topmost space, the player whose worker is furthest to the left becomes the starting player.
2. Each player takes their workers back from the realms and the island to their personal supply.
3. Rotate the alternative action board one sector clockwise.
4. Advance the round marker to the next space.

Start a new round with the new starting player, with turns continuing clockwise (regardless of relative positions on the island).

The End of the Game & Scoring

Use the score pad to calculate the total points for each player in the following categories:

• Defeated Monsters: Add the points in the upper-left corner of each defeated monster. Note: To be defeated, the monster must have a tucked creature card above it.
• Monster Scoring Cards: Score points according to the criteria shown at the bottom of your defeated monster scoring cards. See Appendix.
• Cauldron and Potion: Score points equal to the position of your cauldron token and potion token.
• Travel Regions: Score points for each creature card equal to the value at the top of its region (1–5 points).
• Home Section: Add the points depicted in the upper-left corner of each creature card.
• Evolve Tokens: Score 1 point for each evolve token in your personal supply.
• Gold and Crystals: Score 1 point for every 5 gold and/or crystals in your personal supply.

Total the points for each player. The player with the highest score wins. In case of a tie, the tied player with the topmost worker on the island wins. If still tied, the tied player whose worker is furthest to the left on the topmost space wins.