Aquatica

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• Setup
  • 1. Shuffle the Ocean Characters deck and place it in the bottom row. Fill the 6 slots with cards from the deck.
       • (Cold Waters): Separate the Ocean Characters into 2 decks based on the ◯ or ◇ symbol in the lower right of the card.
         • 5 players: Shuffle both decks together.
         • 4 players: Discard 5 random cards from 1 of the decks and shuffle together.
         • 2 or 3 players: Discard 10 random cards from 1 deck and shuffle together.
       • (Coral Reefs): Separate the Ocean Characters into 2 decks based on the ◯ or ◇ symbol in the lower right of the card.
         1. Shuffle both decks separately.
         2. Place one deck on top of the other (order doesn't matter) to create the ocean characters deck.
    2. Shuffle the Locations deck and place it in the middle row. Take 6 cards from the top of the deck to fill the 6 slots.
       • (Cold Waters): Change the Locations deck by adding the expansion cards and removing some based on player count:
         • 5 players: Shuffle the expansion deck in.
         • 4 players: Discard 2 random locations of each type (10 total).
         • 3 players: Discard 4 random locations of each type (20 total).
         • 2 players: Discard 6 random locations of each type (30 total).
    3. Place all Wild Mantas effect side up next to the board.
    4. Determine a 1st player.
    5. Setup either turn order mantas (Coral Reefs) or use King cards:
       • (Coral Reefs): give the #1 turn order manta to the 1st player, followed by #2 to the 2nd player, and so on. These act like standard wild mantas. Unused mantas are returned to the box.
       • Standard Setup:
         • If you are playing the basic game, give king card 1 to the 1st player, 2 to the 2nd player, and so on.
         • If you are playing with the advanced setup, shuffle as many King cards as players + 1 and give them to the last player. That player takes 1 and passes the rest counter-clockwise.
    6. You can use the 4 printed goals or do the advanced setup (below). Note that goals are not used if you are using the Tribes module (also below).
    7. Advanced Goals Setup:
       1. Shuffle the Goal tokens and take 4 at random and place them on the goal spots in any order. counter-clockwise.
    8. Each player takes 1 of the player boards.
    9. Each player takes the colored symbol mantas of a color/symbol and the matching 6 starting character cards.
    10. Each player turns all their Mantas effect side up.
    11. (Cold Waters) / (Coral Reefs) Tribe Module:
        1. Place the Tribe board on top of the Ocean board so that it covers the Goal Tracks. Goals are not used with this module.
        2. Take the Tribe cards and divide them into 2 decks based on their backs (I or II). Note that you won't have to shuffle or divide these if playing with just the Coral Reefs expansion.
        3. Shuffle the decks separately and draw 4 cards from each deck and place them face up in their slots on the tribe board.
    12. (Coral Reefs) with Coral Reefs module:
        1. Shuffle the reef tokens and create a common deck based on the number of players:
           • 1-2: 18 tokens
           • 3: 22 tokens
           • 4: 26 tokens
           • 5: 30 tokens
        2. Reveal 6 reef tokens and place them face up in their slots below the character cards.
        3. Divide the coral into 2 piles, the supply and final reserve.
           • The final reserve consists of 10 corals of 1 color. Keep these separate from the supply.
           • The supply of coral is based on the number of players:
             • 1-2: 30 coral
             • 3: 40 coral
             • 4: 50 coral
             • 5: 60 coral (you will use all the coral between the supply and the reserve)
        4. Each player receives a 5th +1 coin / +1 power manta. This manta cannot be used for goals or tribes.
        5. Each player also receives 1 "Medusa Arcadio" starting character card.
• Gameplay

  • On a turn, players must do 1 Main action and may also do any number of additional actions. These can be done in any order.

  • Main Action
    • • During your turn, you must play 1 of the character cards from your hand.
        • If you can perform all of the card's effects, you must do so. You may still play the card if you can't use all the effects.
      • After playing the character card, put it in your personal discard pile (right slot above your player board) face up.
  • Additional Actions
    • • Flipping Mantas: You can use a ready manta to resolve it and flip it to its used side.
      • Exploiting Locations' Depths:
        • You slide the card up 1 space (left side of the card) to "exploit" it and take the printed reward.
        • Resources: You can only gain resources (coins and power) during your main action.
        • Effects: You can use these before and/or after your main action.
        • You can only exploit the top depth that is shown on a location card.
        • Empty depths are blocked until you use a raise effect.
  • Effects

    • An effect can be gained by playing a character card, using a Manta, or exploiting depths.

      • Matrona:
        • When playing with 2 players, you also discard the leftmost character (the free one) from the character row, then refill
          • (Coral Reefs): Do not discard the reef token below the discarded character.
      • Recruit:
        1. Choose 1 character from the board.
        2. Pay the amount of coins show below the card and put it in your hand.
        3. (Coral Reefs): Also take the reef token below the character you purchased and slot it above 1 of the 5 location slots on your player board.
           • You may place the token on top of another reef token on your player board (the bottom ability is no longer active).
        4. Slide the other characters to the left, filling any empty spaces, and turn over the top card from the deck to fill the space.
        5. (Coral Reefs): Slide the other reef tokens to the left, filling any empty spaces, and turn over the top reef token from the deck to fill the space.
      • Buy Location:
        1. Choose a location from the board.
        2. Pay the number of coins shown at the top of the card.
           • (Coral Reefs): If buying a location in the top row, receive 1 coral to your supply. Note that this does not count as a seed effect.
        3. Insert the location in an empty slot of your player board so the top depth is visible in the circle.
      • Conquer Location:
        1. Choose a location from the board.
        2. Pay the amount of power shown at the top of the card.
           • (Base rules): Receive a 1 power discount if conquering a location in the top row.
           • (Coral Reefs): If conquering a location in the top row, receive 1 coral to your supply. Note that this does not count as a seed effect.
        3. Insert the location in an empty slot of your player board so the top depth is visible in the circle.
      • Raise Location:
        1. Choose a location, or multiple locations (if the effect is more than 1 move), and move it up the number of depths specified by the effect icon. You do not get any resources or effects from the depths you covered!
        2. When a location is fully risen, you receive the specified wild manta if there is one on the card. This manta can be used immediately.
      • Score (treasure chest): This allows you to move a fully risen location and place it in your scoring pile face down.
        • (Coral Reefs): If there is coral on the location, move it to your personal supply.
      • Scout:
        1. Take every location from the top location row and place them in the discard pile.
        2. Move every location from the bottom row to the top row. If there are more than 4 locations in the bottom row, discard your choice of locations until 4 remain.
        3. Refill the bottom row with 6 locations.
      • (Coral Reefs) Seed:
        1. Place 1 coral on a location card located on your player board.
           • This can be placed on a fully raised location.
           • If it is a multi-seed effect, place the corals on different locations.
      • (Coral Reefs) Defend:
        1. Place 1 of your mantas (exhausted or ready) in your player color on a location on the main board. This is known as a "defended location".
           • This location cannot be conquered/bought by any player (including the defender).
           • When the defended location is to be discarded, the player defending it takes it onto their player board instead. Note that this can happen on other players' turns.
             • If the defending player's board is full, it is instead discarded.
             • The player does not receive a coral when this happens.
             • The manta is returned to the player in an active state (even if the location was discarded).
           • If a goal is completed by receiving the location, the goal cannot be claimed until the receiving players next turn.
• End of the Game

  • Players take turns until 1 of the 3 game end conditions are met. When this happens, everyone (including the player who triggered the game end) takes 1 more turn. Game end conditions:

    (Coral Reefs): If you are playing with the turn order mantas, finish the current round, then each player takes 1 more turn. Do this instead of the above with the Kings.

    • 1 player has accomplished all 4 goals (with mantas on them).
      • (Cold Waters) / (Coral Reefs): This is no longer an end game trigger if playing with the Tribes module.
    • The location deck runs out.
    • The character deck runs out.
      • (Coral Reefs): This is no longer an end game trigger if playing with the Coral Reefs module. Instead, if the reef deck (tokens) runs out.
    • (Coral Reefs): If the main supply of coral is depleted.
      • Use the reserve coral to complete the game.

    Scoring is as follows:

    • 1 point for each character card in your hand, including your king, but not counting those in your discard pile.
    • The number of points shown above your mantas on the goals track.
    • The total number of points from locations in your scoring pile. Locations on your player board do not give you any points.
    • (Coral Reefs): Each coral in your supply is 1 point.

    Tie breaks:

    1. The player with the most mantas in their reserve.
    2. The player with the lowest number on their king card.
    3. (if not playing with kings) The last player in turn order wins.
• Goals

  • If a player fulfills a goal on their turn, they can place one of their (their player color) mantas on the 1st available spot for that goal. The manta can be used or unused. Each goal can only be completed once by each player.

    Tokens

    Symbol	Description
    	Have at least 11 locations on your player board and scoring pile.
    	Have 3 or more wild mantas.
    	Have 1 or more location cards of 4 different types in your scoring pile.
    	Have 10 or more character cards in your discard pile.
    	Have 5 fully risen locations on your player board at the same time.
    	Have at least 15 points worth of locations in your scoring pile.
    	Discard all but 1 of your character cards.
    	Have 4 locations of the same type on your player board and/or in your scoring pile.
    	Have 5 or more character cards that have the conquer effect in your hand and/or discard pile.
    	Recruit a character that costs 5 coins.
    	Have 5 locations with different point values on your player board.
    	Have 5 locations on your player board, each with a different number of unexploited depths. (It doesn't matter how deep the locations really are, you only count the open and unexploited depths.
    	Have at least 7 locations in your scoring pile.
    	Have at least 4 locations with a value of <= 3 points in your scoring pile.
    	Have at least 9 corals in your personal supply.
    	Have at least 4 scored locations with the same coin cost.
    	Have at least 4 locations on your player board worth different amounts of points.
    	Have at least 5 scored locations without a manta icon.
    	Have at least 5 reefs on your player board.
    	Have at least 4 locations with coral on your player board.
    	Have at least 4 scored locations with the same power cost.
    	Have at least 5 scored locations worth different amounts of points.
    	Have at least 4 scored locations worth 5+ points.
    	Have at least 4 scored locations worth 5+ points.

• Icons

  • Symbol	Description
    	Gain 2 coins.
    	Gain 2 power.
    	Raise a different location 1 depth.
    	Raise a different location (or locations) by 2 total depths.
    	Fully rise a different location. Slide the location up until all the depths are covered.
    	Fully rise a different location. Slide the location up until all the depths are covered.
    	Recruit 1 character for free.
    	Choose 1 character from your discard and take it back in your hand.
    	Score 1 fully risen location from your player board. Move it into the face down pile at the top, left slot of your player board.
    	Gain 2 power you can only use to conquer a Shark Bay location.
    	Gain 2 power you can only use to conquer a Sunken Ships location.
    	Gain 2 power you can only use to conquer a Decayed Civilizations location.
    	Gain 2 power you can only use to conquer an Ocean Volcanoes location.
    	All other players must each flip 1 of their ready mantas.
    	Copy the effect from any visible depth on any other location you have on your player board. You cannot copy any depths that contain resources (coins and power), only effects.
    	Add 1 coral to your supply, not a location.
    	Raise a location by 1, 2, or 3 levels of depth.

• Cold Waters (Tribes)

  • This module adds Tribe cards of 2 different types:

    • Dark blue cards provide an ongoing bonus (bottom of the card).
    • Light blue cards provide an instant bonus (bottom of the card).
    • (Coral Reefs): You may use coral to recruit a tribe card in place of/addition to coins.

    You no longer use the Goals and instead will be recruiting Tribes to help you. To get the help of a Tribe:

    1. Choose the Tribe to recruit.
    2. Play a Recruit Character action.
    3. Calculate the cost of the Tribe card: Base cost + 1 coin for each Manta that has already been placed there by other players.
    4. Pay for the Tribe. You can help pay for the card by removing Locations from your score pile and returning them to the box. If you do this, you gain an amount of coins equal to the amount of points on the Location card.
    5. Place 1 of your mantas on the chosen Tribe card.
    6. Get the instant bonus as applicable.
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