Akua
Akua Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Parts of the Board and Marks
The board for Akua is broken into several different parts, each with empty spaces. As the game is played, players will "Make a Mark" on different spaces on the board using their dry erase marker. Making a Mark can represent several different things. Throughout the game, each player will use their own marker.
At the top of the board, there are 4 Akua. Each Akua has a Selection Space (square - to the left of its picture), and a specific Island and Mana Stone (indicated by the pictures beneath the Akua). Additionally, each Akua has an Ability and a Commune Track (circles - located directly beneath the Akua).
In the middle of the board, there are 16 Islands. Each Island has 6 Explore Spaces around it. Additionally, each Island has 6 Sides which can be used to make Leylines. Islands share sides and explore spaces with adjacent Islands.
To the side of the Islands, there are 4 Mana Stones. Each Mana Stone has 3 Gather Spaces and an Ability.
There is a Round Track (below the Islands). 8 spaces are used in the 4 player game. 9 are used in the 3 player game.
There are 4 Score Spaces. Each player has their own Score Space. As players gain points throughout the game, they write their scores in their own Score Space. If a player scores points during another player's turn, that player takes the board, records their points, and returns the board to the player who is taking a turn.
Setup
Each player takes a dry erase marker. The player who last went to the beach is the Start Player for the first round.
Players are encouraged to scan the QR Code on the Akua game board to access game reference information!
Beginning with the player to the right of the Start Player, and continuing counter-clockwise, each player takes the board and adds their mark next to an Island, a Mana Stone, and on an Akua's Commune Track. Once each player has done this, the game begins.
Playing Akua
Akua is played over 8 Rounds in a 4 player game, and 9 Rounds in a 3 player game (or when all Islands have been explored). Each Round is broken up into 4 distinct Steps. During each of the first 3 Steps, the Start Player takes a turn, and then each other player takes a turn in clockwise order. This is repeated for Steps 2 and 3. Once each player has taken 1 turn during Steps 1-3, the 4th Step is resolved, the round ends, and a new round begins. Each round, each player will receive a total of 3 turns, with 1 turn in each of the 3 steps!
Players are encouraged to take the board on their turn to make Making a Mark easier!
At the beginning of the round, the Start Player makes a mark on the Round Track. The Start Player role rotates clockwise each round.
Step 1
Each player chooses 1 of the following abilities: Explore 1 Island, Gather 1 Mana Stone, Commune with 1 Akua, or Draw 1 Leyline.
Explore 1 Island. The player makes a mark on an empty Explore Space of any Island. After making a mark, if that Island has no empty Explore Spaces remaining, the player makes an X on the Island and gains 2 points. Then, each player gains 1 point for each Mark they made on that Island.
Gather 1 Mana Stone. The player makes a mark on an empty Gather Space next to a Mana Stone of their choice.
Commune with 1 Akua. The player makes a mark on an empty Commune Space on 1 Akua's Commune Track and then gains 1 point.
Draw 1 Leyline. The player draws up to 2 connected lines, between 2 or more islands, beginning and ending on their Explore marks, and then gains 1 point for each line they drew. The player cannot draw a line over another player's line!
These 4 Abilities show up elsewhere in the game. When they are used, they should be carried out in the above manner.
Step 2
Each player chooses an Akua that no other player has chosen this round, and makes their mark in the Akua's Selection Space then:
The player Gathers 1 of that Akua's Mana Stones or Explores 1 of that Akua's Islands. If the player has 3 or more marks on that Akua's Commune Track, the player gets to do both. Note that each Akua offers a unique Island to explore and Mana Stone to gather. Then, the player makes 1 mark on that Akua's Commune Track.
Note that the player does not gain 1 point for this, as they are not using the "Commune with 1 Akua" Ability.
Step 3
The player chooses an Akua they did not choose in Step 2 and erases the mark on it and then the player uses the Akua's Ability. In the event that a player can only choose an Akua they already chose, the player is allowed to choose that Akua.
Step 4
If any Mana Stone has 3 Marks next to it, each player with a Mark on that Mana Stone gains 2 points. If any player has 2 or more Marks on that Mana Stone, they use the Mana Stone's Ability. Then, erase all Marks from that Mana Stone. If more than 1 Mana Stone has 3 Marks, the Starting Player for the round chooses the order they are resolved.
After the 4th Step of a Round has been completed, the round ends and the player to the left of the current Start Player becomes the Start Player for the next round.
General Note Regarding Abilities
If a player is unable to perform an ability due to unavailable spaces, the player does not get to perform that ability.
Ending the Game and Scoring
A game of Akua ends at the end of the 9th round in a 3 player game, and the 8th round in a 4 player game, or at the end of any round when there are no empty Explore spaces left. When the game ends, scoring takes place. Each player gains 2 points for each mark they have next to a Mana Stone. Then, each player chooses 1 Akua and gains 1 point for each of their marks on that Akua's Commune Track. Finally, the player with the most Lines gains 3 points. The player with the highest score wins. If a tie exists, the player with the most Xs on Islands wins the tie. If a tie still exists, the tied players enjoy a joint victory over the other players.
An Important Note About Erasing Marks
Small Box Games strongly recommends that players use a cloth to erase marks off of the board.