Raising Robots

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• Setup
  • • Place the board.
    • Place the round marker on the 1st spot of the round tracker.
    • Create a supply of energy cubes.
    • Shuffle the robot cards into a facedown deck.
    • Shuffle the class cards into a facedown deck.
    • Shuffle the inventor cards into a facedown deck.
    • For each player:
      • Take a player board.
      • Take a meeple in your favorite color and place it in the inventor area in the bottom left corner of your player board.
      • Take 4 of each type of upgrade token and place them on your player board on the spaces with a matching colored circle border.
      • Take 3 arrow tokens and set them near your player board.
      • Take 1 resource marker of each type.
        • Place the energy and duct tape markers in the "3" slot.
        • Place the rest of the markers near the inventory spaces.
      • Take 1 of each phase card (5 in total) and place them in a stack near your player board.
      • Return the 4 energy cards that do not match the player count to the box. Shuffle the remaining 8 cards into a face down deck near your player board.
      • Draw 8 robot cards, keep 5 and discard the rest to a discard pile.
      • Draw 2 class cards, keep 1 and discard the other to a discard pile. Place it face up to the left of your player board.
      • Draw 2 inventor cards, keep 1 and discard the other to the box.
      • Assemble 2 robot cards from your hand at no assembly cost into your play area.
        • If you place multiple robot cards in the same row, the extra resource cost printed on your player board must be paid.
          • You may use duct tape or discard a robot card from your hand to pay the cost at this point.
      • Unlock 1 upgrade token at no cost. This token may be placed before the game begins.
    • If playing with 2 players:
      1. Take an unused set of 5 phase cards, shuffle it, and deal them in a face down line in the middle of the table.
      2. Reveal the 1st 2 cards at the start of the line.
      3. Add 1 energy cube to the 3rd card in the line (1st face down).
      4. Add 2 energy cubes to the 4th card in the line.
• Gameplay

  • The game is played over 8 rounds and each round consists of 3 steps. The steps are all performed simultaneously, but all players must finish a step before moving on to the next step.

  • 1. Round Preparation
    • 1. Draw 2 energy cards from your deck and place them face up near your player board.
      2. Place energy cubes on each card matching the number of energy cube symbols on each card.
      3. Secretly assign 2 of your 5 phase cards that you wish to perform and place them face down underneath your chosen energy card.
         • Each phase is performed at a specific energy amount, which is used to determine the actions you can perform. The energy card will contribute to total energy with which you perform a phase.
         • All players must assign cards before moving to the next step.
      4. Flip the assigned phase cards face up.
      5. If playing with 2 players, reveal the next unrevealed phase card in the middle of the table and place the energy cube(s) on the matching phase.
      6. Move all energy cubes onto the matching phase spaces of the main board.
  • 2. Round Phases

    • All players simultaneously complete each phase that they are able to perform.

      Phase Rules

      • You perform a phase only if you assign that phase card during [round preparation(#prep) or an energy cube is placed on the relevant space on the main board.
      • You will perform at least 2 phases, and maybe more depending on where energy cubes are placed.
      • When performing a phase, always determine total energy 1st. Total energy cannot be modified retroactively.
      • Phases are always performed in the same order, starting with upgrade and ending with recycle (as printed on the central board).
        • You should mark the current phase you are working on by moving it into the relevant section of your player board.
      • Each phase must be fully completed before moving to the next phase.
        • All actions within a phase are optional.
      • Players may complete phases independently. e.g. Player 1 could still be working on the upgrade phase while player 2 has moved on to the assemble phase.
    • Upgrade
      • • To unlock an upgrade token:
          1. Pay the upgrade cost. You can choose a combination of energy and resources as printed on your player board.
             • If performing multiple upgrades, the same combination can be chosen more than once.
          2. Remove an upgrade token from your player board back to your supply.
             • If you remove an upgrade token from the upgrade section of your player board, immediately gain inspiration.
        • You place an upgrade token from your supply onto a robot, class, or inventor card with the matching upgrade type at any time during the game to gain special actions/effects.
          • Once an upgrade token is placed, it cannot be moved.
          • Upgrade tokens are limited.
    • Assemble
      • • To assemble a robot:
          1. Choose a robot card from your hand and place it on your player board.
             • A robot card must always be placed in the leftmost available space matching its associated phase.
             • You may have a max of 5 robots in in any row. If a row is full, you may not assemble a robot there.
          2. Pay the resource cost.
             1. You may choose either column in the top left part of the robot card as the assembly cost.
             2. The extra resource cost to assemble a robot is printed on some spaces in your play area. You must be able to pay the extra cost to assemble a robot.
             3. Spend the energy and resources. Any leftover energy is lost.
                • You may split energy to assemble more than 1 robot in a single assemble phase.
    • Design / Fabricate / Recycle

      • These phases work the same way and allow you to run the associated phase row.

        • To run a phase row:
          1. Do the actions shown on your player board.
             • You may do any/all actions in the matching phase that <= your total energy.
             • Actions must be performed 1 at a time, top to bottom (on the player board).
          2. Activate robots.
             • You may do any/all actions in the matching phase row that <= your total energy.
             • Actions must be performed 1 at a time, left to right (on the robot cards in the row).
             • You may only use the upgraded action if you have a matching upgrade token on the robot.
  • 3. Round End

    • When all players are finished with the round phases, then all players:

      1. Perform any abilities that trigger during Round End.
         • If you have multiple, you determine the order.
      2. Discard your 2 energy cards face up next to your deck of energy cards. These won't be available again until a break period (see below).
      3. Take back both of your phase cards to your hand (you can use them again next round).
      4. Return energy cubes on the central board to the supply.
      5. Move the round marker 1 space.
         • If the round marker moves off the last space, the game is over.
         • If the round marker moves onto the 5th round, then immediately complete a break period (below).
         • Proceed to round preparation for the next round.
      6. If playing with 2 players and 4 of the phase cards in the middle of the table are revealed, do the following (same as during setup):
         1. Shuffle all 5 phase cards and deal them in a face down line in the middle of the table.
         2. Reveal the 1st 2 cards in the line.
         3. Place 1 energy cube on the 3rd card in the line.
         4. Place 2 energy cubes on the 4th card in the line.

      Break Period

      • All players draw 3 new class cards, keep 1 and discard the other 2.
      • All players shuffle up all of their energy cards to form a new deck of 8 energy cards.
• Game End

  • The game ends after the completion of the 8th round.

    • Add up VP from the following sources:
      • VP as printed on robot cards.
      • VP on class cards based on the class grade earned
      • VP as indicated in your inventory.
      • Each battery + resources (including duct tape) + the number of robot cards in hand divided by 3 (rounded down) VP. e.g. If you have 2 batteries, 2 duct tape, 3 gears, and 1 robot card, you would gain 2 VP (8 / 3 rounded down).

    Whoever has the most VP wins. Ties are broken by VP from robot cards in your play area. If still tied, the player with the most VP from class cards wins. If still tied, players share the victory.

• Game Concepts
  • Inspiration
    • • When gaining inspiration, you may gain 1 of the following benefits:
        • Draw 3 class cards, keep 1 and discard the rest.
        • Gain 2 wilds. They do not need to be the same type.
        • Gain 4 batteries.
  • Resources & Inventory

    • Resources

      Symbol	Description
      	Victory points accumulated during the game.
      	Sensors, Gears, Microchips, and Programs -- various resources.
      	Duct tape can be used in place of any other resource. Cannot be spent as a wild.
      	Batteries can be used to increase your energy when performing phases.
      	Robot cards can be built or used as resource. e.g. When completing upgrades.
      	Wilds represent extra benefits/costs chosen by the player. Each time you gain/spend a wild, you gain/spend a sensor, gear, microchip, program, or robot card. Duct tape cannot be spent as a wild.

      Inventory

      • This track at the top of your player board is used to track the number of resources you have during the game.
      • If you have zero of a resource, place the token above the board.
      • If you have more than 10 of a resource, flip the marker to the +10 side. For VP, move the large VP marker.
      • Resources are not limited by your board. If you exceed 20, keep track of this in some manner.
      • Robot cards are not tracked on your board.
        • There is no limit to the number of robot cards a player can have in hand.
  • Total Energy

    • To determine total energy, add up energy from the following:

      • The energy value of the energy card you assigned to the phase.
      • Each energy cube on the phase provides 1 energy (it doesn't matter who placed it).
      • If an energy card has an energy cube multiplier symbol, double the energy acquired from the energy cubes on the phase space. e.g. If there are 2 cubes on the phase, they would be worth 4 energy instead of 2.
      • You may spend batteries to increase the energy value of a phase by 1 for each battery spent.
        • Batteries do not allow you to perform phases that you have not selected or that do not have energy cubes. See also phase rules.
        • You must always determine total energy 1st, so you cannot use batteries acquired during a phase retroactively.
        • You may use batteries acquired during a phase in later phases.
      • Any upgrades you have unlocked that provide energy bonuses on your player board.
        • Like batteries, these do not allow you to perform phases you have not selected or do not have energy cubes. See also phase rules.
        • These will increase your energy for the matching phase (when performing it).
      • You may split your total energy into smaller chunks to perform multiple actions only during the upgrade and assemble phases.
        • You should use an arrow token to track your energy remaining when splitting it up.
  • Class Cards
    • • If you gain inspiration, you may obtain a new class card.
        • You can only have a max of 3 class cards.
        • You may discard 1 of your existing class cards to take 1 of the new cards when gaining inspiration.
      • Each class card to the left of your player board at game end will give you VP based on the grade earned.
        • To determine the grade, count the number of items that meet your class objective and use the table on the card to determine VP.
          • Improve your class grade by 1 row if you unlocked extra credit.

      Class Objectives

      All class objectives are counted at the end of the game.

      Symbol	Description
      	The number of unlocked upgrade tokens of the depicted type. The token does not have to be on a card to count.
      	The total number of unlocked upgrade tokens. The token does not have to be on a card to count.
      	The number of the depicted resource in your inventory at the end of the game. Duct tape does not count.
      	The number of VP in your inventory.
      	The number of robot cards in your hand.
      	The total number of robot cards in your hand, gears, programs, sensors, and microchips you have.
      	The number of sets of sensors, gears, programs, and microchips you have. Duct tape does not count.
      	The number of assembled robots in your play area.
      	The number of assembled robots in the depicted phase row.
      	The number of assembled robots that require the depicted resource in any assembly cost column.
      	The number of assembled robots that award the depicted number of vp.
      	The number of assembled robots with an action that requires the depicted amount of energy to activate it. You may only count upgrade actions if they have been upgraded.
      	The number of assembled robots that require the depicted amount of energy in any column of its assembly cost.
      	The number of columns in your play area that are filled with assembled robots.

  • Inventor Cards

    • Inventor abilities are permanent and provide ongoing benefits throughout the game unless noted by the symbols below.

      Symbol	Description
      	These abilities take effect at the start of the game or immediately when upgraded.
      	These abilities may be performed during round end.
      	These abilities are only resolved at game end.

  • Adjacency (Pets)

    • When determining adjacency, you may wrap around columns, but not rows. e.g. A robot in the Design row would be considered adjacent to a robot in recycling (if they're in the same column).

      

• Icons

  • Also see class cards and inventor cards.

    Symbol	Description
    	Draw the indicated number of robot cards from the deck.
    	Draw 3 class cards, keep 1, add it to the left side of your player board, and discard the rest.
    	Gain the indicated number of resources.
    	Gain either of the indicated resources.
    	Gain the indicated number of VP. Gain 3 in this example.
    	Gain the indicated number of wilds. These are immediately converted to resources or robot cards (do no have to be the same).
    	Pay the cost to the left of the arrow to gain the benefit on the right. You can only do this conversion once.
    	You may discard any number of robot cards from your hand (X) to draw the same number + 1 from the deck. You may discard 0 robot cards to draw 1.
    	Add the indicated energy to your total energy when you perform the phase associated with this effect.
    	Pay the cost to assemble a robot. Don't forget to pay any extra resource cost for the slot.
    	Pay the cost to unlock 1 upgrade token.
    	Gain inspiration.
    	Gain VP based on the total number of assembled robot cards in the matching phase row.
    	Requires 4 robot cards in your play area.
    	Requires 3 unlocked upgrade tokens. The upgrade tokens do not need to be placed on cards. Note that the 3rd unlocked upgrade token can be used to upgrade this inventor ability.
    	(Pets) These robots can be assembled in any row. When assembled, they then count as part of that phase row for all purposes.
    	(Pets) Activate any orthogonally adjacent robot ignoring total energy requirements. You can use the upgraded action only if there is an upgrade token on it.
    	(Pets) Activate any robot card in the same row or column ignoring total energy requirements. You can use the upgraded action only if there is an upgrade token on it.
    	(Pets) For each robot card in your play area that is orthogonally adjacent, gain a matching number of resources shown (max of 3).
    	(Pets) For each robot card in your play area that is orthogonally adjacent and has the depicted resources in any column of its assembly cost, gain a matching number of resources shown (max of 3).
    	(Pets) For each robot card in your play area that is orthogonally adjacent and has the depicted number of VP printed on it, gain a matching number of resources shown.
    	(Pets) For each robot card in your play area that is orthogonally adjacent and has the depicted energy amount in any column of its assembly cost, gain a matching number of resources shown.
    	(Pets) Assemble a robot by paying its cheaper assembly cost (the one with the fewest resources). You must also pay any additional resources show to the left of the arrow and any extra resources printed in the slot on your player board.

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