Capital Lux 2: Pocket Rulebook

Table of Contents

General Components
The Goal of the Game
Setup
Playing a Round
Game End
Credits

General Components

The following components are used in every game. However, you will only use 4 of the power cards. All power cards, the corresponding components and their effects are displayed on a separate APPENDIX sheet.

92 citizen cards: 23 of each color, valued 2-6
12 Power Cards: 3 of each color
1 emperor tile
18 gold tokens

Note: You don't need to read the whole APPENDIX before you start playing – only the rules for the chosen power cards.

The first time you play, instead of drawing random power cards, we suggest that you start with one of the 3 predefined sets (A, B or C) below. You will find the letters in the headings of the cards. They are all good ways to (re)discover the game.

If you are not familiar with Capital Lux, we recommend set A.
If you are familiar with Capital Lux, we recommend set B or C.

Set	(A) The Beginning	(B) Revolution	(C) Harmony
Blue	Agent	Infiltrator	Recruiter
Pink	Cleric	Doomsayer	Missionary
Yellow	Merchant	Follower	Sentinel
Green	Scholar	Convertor	Dualist

The Goal of the Game

The game is played over 3 rounds. In each round, the players draft a hand of 6 cards and then take turns, playing cards either in front of themselves (their HOME BASE) or in the middle of the table (the CAPITAL). Playing a card in the CAPITAL triggers the corresponding power card. When the round ends, you compare the total value of cards in your HOME BASE with the total value in the CAPITAL. If your total in any color exceeds that of the CAPITAL, you lose all cards of that color. After three rounds, the game ends. Any cards remaining in your HOME BASE are worth points equal to their values. Add the values of any bonus cards and gold tokens you have acquired during the game. The player with the highest score wins the game.

Setup

Sort the power cards by their color, shuffle each stack and randomly draw one from each stack: one blue, pink, yellow and green. Place each drawn power card face up in the middle of the table and set up the corresponding components as instructed in the separate APPENDIX.

Note: Instead of drawing random cards, you may use any of the 3 predefined sets shown in the right column.
Place all gold tokens in the general supply above the cards.
Shuffle the citizen cards and make a facedown deck at the right side of the power cards. This is the citizen deck.
Draw 3 random starting cards from the citizen deck and place them face up below their corresponding power cards (let any cards of the same color overlap).
Choose a starting player by random. Give this player the emperor tile.

Playing a Round

In each of the 3 rounds, go through the following steps in the order shown:

DRAFT CARDS
PLAY CARDS
ROUND END

1. Draft Cards

From the citizen deck, deal 6 cards face down to each player. Each player simultaneously looks at their cards and chooses 2 cards to keep, which are placed face down in front of the player. They send the remaining cards face down to the player seated to their left.
From the cards received from the player to their right, each player chooses another 2 cards to keep. Again, they pass the remaining cards to the player seated to their left.
All players keep the final cards they receive, which will conclude their starting hand of 6 cards.

2. Play Cards

The starting player begins. Then, the players take turns in a clockwise order. On your turn, you must play one card from your hand. You play the card…

EITHER in your own HOME BASE
OR in the CAPITAL

Place the card face up below its matching color (see "Districts" below). Let cards overlap.

Playing a card in your HOME BASE may give you potential end game points.
If you play a card in the CAPITAL, you must carry out the effect of the matching power card (see APPENDIX) after the card is played.

Note: Only if it's not possible to carry out the power, you may play a card in the CAPITAL without carrying out the power.

Example: Victoria plays a pink card in the CAPITAL. She immediately carries out the effect of the pink power card.

Districts: When playing a card in the CAPITAL, the card must be placed below its matching power card color. Each set of cards of the same color is referred to as a district. Similarly, in your HOME BASE, your cards must be played in separate districts, one set for each color.

3. Round End

When a player has no more cards in hand at the end of their turn, each other player gets one last turn.

LAY DOWN CARDS:

Now, any player who still has cards left in hand, must lay these cards down in matching districts in their HOME BASE.

Note: The number of cards left in the players' hands may differ due to certain powers.

Example: After his last turn, Adam has two cards left in hand. He must therefore lay them down in their matching districts in his HOME BASE.

RESOLVE:

District by district – first blue and then pink, yellow and green – each player now compares the total value of the cards in their HOME BASE with the total value in the CAPITAL.

The total card value in a CAPITAL district is the capital limit (MAX) of this district. If the total card value in your HOME BASE exceeds MAX, you must discard all cards from this home base district. If not, the cards remain in your HOME BASE.

Example: In the pink district, Victoria is above MAX (7 vs. 6). She must therefore discard all cards from her pink district.

SCORE BONUS:

After all districts have been resolved, the players score BONUS CARDS. For each district – blue, pink, yellow and green – the player with the highest total value in their HOME BASE takes the highest valued card in the corresponding CAPITAL district, placing it face down in a score pile in their play area. If there are more cards of the same value but of different types, the last placed card is taken.

Note: You must have a total value of at least 1 or more in your HOME BASE to be eligible for a bonus.

In case of a tie, each of the tied players adds 1 gold token to their score pile instead. Then, the highest valued card of that capital district is discarded. Note: The card is not discarded (and the players don't get gold tokens) if the players are not eligible for bonus.

Gold is regarded as an unlimited resource, so if the gold reserve is exhausted, use any other tokens or tiles as gold tokens.

Example: In the green district, Adam has the highest value (8 vs. Victoria's 5) and gets to take the bonus card valued 6 from the green CAPITAL district, placing it face down in his score pile.

PREPARE NEXT ROUND:

At the end of round 1 and 2: The player with the emperor tile passes it to the player sitting to their left, who becomes the starting player in the next round.

Note: Cards in the CAPITAL and in the players' HOME BASES remain in place.

Game End

After SCORE BONUS in round 3, the game ends. Add up the values of all cards in your HOME BASE and the values of all your BONUS CARDS. Add 2 points per GOLD TOKEN. The player with the highest total wins the game. In case of a tie, the tied player with least gold tokens wins (most points on cards). If it's still a tie, the victory is shared.

Example: Claire has a total value of 42 in her HOME BASE. She has BONUS CARDS for a total value of 20 in addition to 2 GOLD TOKENS, making her final score 66.

Credits

Game design: Eilif Svensson & Kristian A. Østby

Artwork: Kwanchai Moriya

Graphic design: Anthony Questel & Gjermund Mørkved Bohne

Thanks to all play testers!