Genotype

Genetically modify pea plants

From BGG:
Gregor Mendel is the 19th Century Augustinian Friar credited with the discovery of modern genetics. In Genotype, you play as his assistants, competing to collect experimental data on pea plants by trying to control how the plants inherit key Traits from their parents: seed shape, flower color, stem color, and plant height. The observable Traits of a Pea Plant (its Phenotype) are determined by its genetic makeup (its Genotype). The relationship between Genotype and Phenotype and the nature of genetic inheritance are at the heart of Genotype: A Mendelian Genetics Game. During the game, players get Pea Plant Cards which show a set of Phenotype Traits they hope to produce and collect (such as pink flowers and tall height) in order to score points. Each round, Dice are rolled to represent Plant breeding, which may result in the Traits players are looking for. After the Dice Roll, players take turns drafting Dice towards completing their Pea Plant Cards or advancing their Research. The Traits produced during the Dice Roll come through the science of Punnett Squares, which show how the parent genes combine, one from each parent plant. By changing the genes of these parent plants, players can influence the likelihood of rolling the Traits they need. The completion of Pea Plant Cards via the Dice Draft is the main way players score points. Each round consists of 3 phases: Worker Placement, Dice Drafting, and Upgrades. 1) During Worker Placement, players take actions to get more Plant Cards, change the genes of a parent plant, Garden, Research, stake Phenotype claims, gather new Tools, or even position themselves ahead of other players for the Dice Drafting Phase in a couple of ways. 2) Dice Drafting features a couple of interest steps, including the possibility to get first pick of dice, but only for one type of Trait (like plant height), or the possibility to get a pick of any dice, but only after those first picks have happened. De Novo Mutation Dice allow players to change the Trait of other Dice or gain additional Research. 3) The Upgrades phase lets players spend their Research to gain upgrades that let them work on more Plant Cards, draft more Dice each round, or gain additional Workers to be used during the Worker Placement Phase of each round. Players work to match their Pea Plant Cards to the outcome of the Dice Draft and complete the cards for points. If they've placed a Phenotype marker, they will earn bonus points for every completed card that matches their claim. At the end of 5 rounds, the player with the most points wins. -description from designer

Setup

1. Place the board.
2. Place the 5 offspring dice and the 2 parent gene tiles next to the board and their matching punnet squares.
3. Create a supply of coins and trait markers.
4. Place 4 starting coins on the board in the matching spots next to the 4 punnet squares.
5. Place the round tracker on the 1 space (upper right).
6. Place the 4 abacus price markers on their starting spaces (darker beads).
7. Place the new plot tiles, dice slots, and assistant cards next to the research upgrades area.
  1. Draw 3 assistant card and place them face up next to the deck.
8. Shuffle the pea plant and tool cards, then place them face down next to the nursery and tool shed (respectively).
  1. Flip cards face up to fill the nursery and tool shed from their decks. (See the table below for the number of cards based on player count)
9. Give each player a player mat as well as 3 action markers and 3 phenotype research markers in their color.
  1. The 2 additional action markers for each player are placed with the research upgrades.
  2. Each player takes 1 coin, then draws 3 pea plant and 1 tool cards from their decks. Players then place 1 pea plant in a garden plot on their player mat, keep 1 of the remaining 2, and discard the last.
10. Give the 1st player marker to the player who has most recently done any garden work.
Pea Plant and Tool Cards Table

Players 1-2 3 4-5

Cards 3 4 5

Players	1-2	3	4-5
Cards	3	4	5

Gameplay

The game takes place over 5 rounds, with each round consisting of 3 phases.
Working Phase
- In this phase, players take turns placing action markers and executing the actions selected.
- Gardening
  - This action is taken on your player mat. Follow these steps for this action:
    1. Draw 1 pea plant or tool card, either face up or face down.
    2. Harvest any pea plant cards that have all their traits covered with trait markers. Return trait markers to the supply and place the pea plant face down next to your player mat for end game scoring.
    3. You may place pea plant cards from your hand in any open slots on your player mat.
- Temporary Dice Slot
  - - When you place an action marker in one of the slots on your player mat, there is no immediate effect.
    - During the plant breeding phase, you will be able to take an additional die and place it in this slot.
- Setting Parent Genes
  - - Take 1 of the 4 set parent genes actions.
    - You then either add 1 gene tile to the board face up on either side or remove a gene tile. *You cannot flip a tile already on the board.
    - If there is a coin next to the corresponding punnet square, take it.
- Shifts
  - 1st Shift
    - Taking this action has no immediate effect, but it will allow you take 1st pick of a die during the plant breeding phase.
    - If there is a coin next to the corresponding punnet square, take it.
    2nd Shift
    - Taking this action has no immediate effect, but it will allow you take 1 earlier pick of a die during the plant breeding phase.
    - The 2nd shift may hold any number of action markers.
    - Action markers are added to space from right to left.
      
      Players will also receive their picks from right to left.
- Set Phenotype Research Goal
  - - Pay the cost shown on the action space (2-3 coins) and place 1 of your phenotype research markers on any unoccupied research space.
    - During end game scoring, you will earn additional points for each completed pea plant with the matching genotype(s) above their chosen goal(s).
- Treasury
  - - Take 2 coins.
- University
  - - Pay the cost shown (1-2 coins) to validate (cover) any 1 trait on your pea plant cards.
- Nursery and Tool Shed
  - - Take the nursery action to draw 2 pea plant cards from the face up cards or the deck.
      
      Add these cards to your hand.
      
      Pea plants can only be placed on your player mat with a gardening action.
    - Take the tool shed action to draw 1 tool card from the face up cards or the deck. See tool cards for a list of effects.
Plant Breeding Phase
- 1. Roll all 20 dice and sort result according to the current punnet square layout for dice I-IV.
    - A die showing an X is rerolled exactly once.
      
      If it shows a number, put it in the appropriate place.
      
      If it again shows an X, place it in the De Novo mutations area for its color (see below).
  2. Players take turns picking dice to validate (cover) traits on their pea plants. Each die taken is used to cover a trait on the player's board and then is place in an unused die slot. In order to take a die, the player must have an available die slot and must use the die.
    1. Players with 1st shift spots take a die of the matching color
    2. In right to left order, players with action markers on the 2nd shift select any 1 die.
    3. Finally, players continue taking dice in turn order beginning with the 1st player until everyone passes.
  De Novo Mutations
  - The dice in these slots can be taken instead of normal dice. When taking taking these dice, they are used in 1 of 2 ways:
    - Gain 1 coin and place the X die in a die slot.
    - "Mutate" another die: Take the X die and another die of the same color and place them in 2 dice slots. You may validate (cover) any trait of the die color.
Research Upgrade Phase
- - Skip this phase in round 5.
  - Players can purchase 1 or more permanent upgrades.
  - Turns are taken in reverse turn order. Start with the player to the right of the 1st player.
  - There are 4 types of research upgrades:
    - New Plot: Take a new plot tile and place it next to your player mat.
    - Dice Slot: Take a dice slot and place it next to your play mat.
    - Action Marker: Take an additional action marker in your player color.
    - Hire Assistant: Take 1 of the available face up Assistant cards and place it next to your player mat. Assistant cards are not refilled until the end of the round.
  - Player must pay the cost in coins of the current price of that upgrade. Each time a player purchases an upgrade, the price is increased by 1.
  - Players continue taking turns (again, in reverse turn order) buying 1 upgrade at a time until all players have passed.
  - Players may choose not to buy any upgrades.
End of Round
- - Advance the round tracker.
  - Pass the 1st player marker clockwise.
  - Move each abacus marker 1 space to the left.
  - Discard the remaining pea plant, tool, and assistant cards. Refill tool and pea plant cards based on player count in the setup. If decks have run out, shuffle the discards to make a new deck.
  - Refill 1 coin next to each punnet square.
  - Return all action markers to players.
  - Return all dice to their pools next to the board.
  - Do NOT remove or modify the parent gene tiles or any of the players' phenotype research markers, pea plants, trait markers, or research upgrades.
  - Start the next round by going back to the working phase.

End of Game

The game ends after the plant breeding phase of round 5. Each player may harvest any completed pea plant cards.
- Completed pea plant cards: Score the points printed on completed pea plants.
- Phenotype research goals: Score the indicated points for each instance of the matching trait(s) among completed pea plants.
- Incomplete research: Players score 1 point per trait marker on their incomplete pea plants.
- Unspent coins: Players score 1 point for each unspent coin.
The player with the most points wins. If tied, the player with the most completed pea plants wins. If there's still a tie, the tied players share the victory.

Tool Cards

These provide a 1 time benefit and are kept in hand until played. Discard these once played. These can be played any time during the working phase and do not replace your normal action. Tool cards with an → may only be played when the condition to the left of the arrow is met.

Seed Bag: Draw 5 pea plant cards from the deck, keep 2, and discard the rest.

Watering Funnel: Validate (cover) any 1 trait. This must be played immediately when received!

Dissertation: Pay 1 coin to set a phenotype research goal.

Flower Pot: Play next to your player mat and immediately take 1 pea plant card from the nursery or deck and place it on the flower pot. This acts as another plot in your garden until the plant is harvested, after which the pot is discarded.

Graft Knife: Play when taking a die to immediately take another die. Place the additional die on graft knife.

Rake: Play when taking a die to validate (cover) any 1 trait of the die color instead of using the die as normal.

Pollen Brush: Play when validating (covering) a trait to cover every copy of the same genotype on your pea plants.

Hand Lens, Pocket Watch, Garden Line: Play when taking the parent gene, 1st shift, or 2nd shift (respectively) to gain 2 coins.

Grant: Play when purchasing a research upgrade to discount it by 2 coins.

The Assistants

Assistants provide ongoing benefits. Assistants showing the symbol may only be used once per round. Tap the card to show it's used. Assistant cards with an → may only be played when the condition to the left of the arrow is met.

Brother Alipius: When gardening, draw another card, face up or from the deck.

Sister Elisabeth: Once per working phase you may validate (cover) a trait that matches 1 of the phenotype research markers you have placed.

Sister Anna: Once per working phase you may pay 1 coin to validate (cover) a trait.

Father Omari: You may place an action marker on this card during the working phase to take a special action.
- Roll 1 die of each color and re-roll any X results until they are not X results.
- For each die, you may validate 1 matching trait (according to matching punnet squares) on your pea plants as though you had taken a die.
- Return the dice after using them.
Father Anton: In the breeding phase, you are always 1st in the 2nd shift area without placing an action marker. After 1st shifts, you select a die before anyone in the 2nd shift area.

Brother Franz: You have 2 additional dice slot during the breeding phase, but you must pay 1 coin to use them for the round. Pay before taking the 1st die that would be placed here.

Sister Maria: Once per breeding phase, when taking a die, you may validate (cover) any trait of that color instead of using the die normally.

Brother Leopold: All your coin costs are reduced by 1, to a minimum of 1.

Sister May: Whenever you validate (cover) a trait, you may validate every copy of the same genotype on your pea plants.

Brother Eduard: This acts as a permanent extra plot with its own pea plant that automatically refills. When hired, immediately take 1 pea plant card (face up or from the deck) and place it on this card. When the pea plant on this is harvested, take another pea plant in the same way.

How to Play Videos 📹

Credit:	Jay Deiman
Version:	1.0

Genotype

Pea Plant and Tool Cards Table

1st Shift

2nd Shift

De Novo Mutations