Chimerium Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Components
• Setup
  • The Laboratory Boards
• How to Play
  • Start of a Round
  • Player Turn
  • Study a Chimera
  • Acquire an Artifact
  • Create Chimeras
    • Gaining a Codex
  • Release Chimeras
• Resources
  • Scrolls
  • Gems
  • Elixirs
• Prestige Track
• End of a Round
  • Majority Scoring
  • Artifact, Chimera and Codex Cards Refresh
  • Determine the First Player
  • Next Round
• End of the Game and Final Scoring
  • Artifact Collections
  • Codex
  • Scrolls, Gems & Elixirs
• Determine the Winner
• Variant: The Color Nexus
• Solo Mode
  • Setup
  • Difficulty Card
  • Rules
    • How to Play
    • Your Turn
    • Sapphia's Turn
    • End of the Game and Final Scoring
  • Behavior Card Effects
• Appendix

Overview

In Chimerium, you take on the role of a guild magician determined to preserve the magical dimension threatened by industrialization. Your mission is to collect Chimera cards, study them meticulously to acquire the necessary knowledge, and then create these legendary creatures before sending them into the Æther via the Nexus. Every Chimera saved in this way helps revitalize the fading world of magic and scores you victory points (VPs)!

To optimize your work and become the most eminent of magicians, you will utilize Artifacts with varied powers, precious Gems, Scrolls, and Elixirs to guide you toward ancient Codexes containing forgotten lore. Only the most ingenious and gifted magician will be recognized as the true master of the Chimerium by Sapphia Lorekeeper herself.

Components

Common components:

• 72 Chimera cards
• 43 Artifact cards
• 36 Codex cards
• 68 Resource tokens: Scroll, Gem and Elixir tokens
• 24 dice (4 of each color: blue, yellow, purple, red, green, grey)
• 1 main board
• 1 Æther Nexus (in 2 parts)
• 6 Attribute tokens
• 1 First Player token
• 1 round marker

Player components (4 colors, 1 color per player):

• 1 Laboratory board
• 30 cubes
• 1 score marker
• 1 Prestige token

Solo-mode components:

• 1 Sapphia board
• 3 Behavior cards
• 2 Difficulty cards

Setup

1. Place the main board in the center of the table.

2. Assemble the Æther Nexus and place it on its designated space, determining its orientation randomly.

   The Æther Nexus consists of two parts. To assemble the Nexus, place the inner tile inside the outer tile with its "values" side showing. Determine its orientation randomly.

   The "colors" side of the inner tile is used in a variant (see p. 16).

3. Shuffle the 6 Attribute tokens and place 1 at random in each location around the Æther Nexus.

4. Shuffle the Artifact cards and form a deck. Reveal 6 cards and place them randomly in their spaces on the left of the board.

5. Shuffle the Chimera cards and form a deck. Reveal 6 cards and place them randomly in their spaces in the center of the board.

6. Shuffle the Codex cards and form a deck. Reveal 3 cards and place them in their spaces in the bottom right corner of the board.

7. Create separate supply piles for the Gem, Scroll, and Elixir tokens.

8. Place the dice next to the board.

   Adjust the number of dice based on the player count. Use as many dice of each color as there are players. For example, in a 3-player game, use 3 dice of each color. Return any unused dice to the box.

9. Place the round marker on the first space of the round track.

10. Each player chooses their color, places their scoring marker on the "0" space of the score track, and places their Prestige token on the starting space (the triangle) of the Prestige track.

The Laboratory Boards

11. Each player takes their Laboratory board as well as their supply of 30 cubes.

12. Each player receives 2 Chimera cards from the deck at random and places them above their Laboratory (the order does not matter).

13. Each player receives 1 Scroll and 1 Gem from the supply and places them in the designated areas in their Laboratory.

14. Randomly determine the first player and give them the First Player token.

For instructions on setting up the solo mode, see page 17.

How to Play

Start of a Round

At the beginning of a new round, take all the dice and roll them. Place each die in the slot corresponding to its value. Then, starting with the First Player, players take their turns in clockwise order.

Player Turn

On your turn, choose 1 die from those available in the slots in the center of the board and take it.

Example: The player decides to take the green die with a value of 5.

Next, use your die to perform 1 of the following actions:

• Study a Chimera
• Acquire an Artifact
• Create Chimeras
• Release Chimeras

When you obtain one or more cards from the main board during your turn, fill the empty spaces on the board from their corresponding deck at the end of your turn. If a deck is empty, shuffle the corresponding discard pile to form a new deck, then continue filling the empty spaces.

Study a Chimera

Take the Chimera card corresponding to the value of your die. Place this card above your Laboratory and then discard your die. Fill the empty space on the main board with a new Chimera card from the deck.

Example: The player uses this die with a value of 5 to take the Chimera from the corresponding space, then they place this Chimera above their Laboratory.

NOTE: There is no limit to the number of Chimeras that can be placed above your Laboratory.

Acquire an Artifact

Take the Artifact card corresponding to the color of your die. Place this card in one of the 4 slots in your Laboratory, then discard your die. You can place your Artifact in an empty slot in your Laboratory, or on top of another Artifact card. Once placed, an Artifact cannot be moved to another slot.

IMPORTANT! Placing an Artifact in your Laboratory automatically covers a bonus (either the one directly on the slot or one from another Artifact card). As soon as this happens, you immediately gain that bonus!

Fill the empty space on the main board with a new Artifact card from the deck.

Example: The player uses this purple die to take the Artifact from the corresponding location. By placing the Artifact on this empty slot, the player immediately gains the associated bonus, which scores them 2 VPs.

Create Chimeras

Place your die on the leftmost designated space in your Laboratory. Then, choose 1 to 4 Chimera cards from above your Laboratory, and place them below it in any order, with only 1 Chimera per slot.

IMPORTANT! The Chimeras you choose must have the same color and/or the same value as your die.

Example: The player uses a green die with a value of 4 to create 2 Chimeras. Their first Chimera shares the same color (green) and the same value (4) as their die. The second doesn't share the same color, but shares the same value (4).

1. Gain the bonus located directly above your die.

2. Compare the value and color of your die to those of the Chimera below it:

   • IF THE COLOR MATCHES: You immediately score 3 VPs.
   • IF THE VALUE MATCHES: You immediately gain the indicated Resource.

   If the color AND the value match, you gain both bonuses!

   Example: For the first slot, the player gains the bonus from the Artifact card, then 3 VPs and 1 Scroll because the color (green) AND the value (4) of their Chimera match those of their die.

3. Once you've finished the comparison, place the Chimera card to the left of your Laboratory. Congratulations, you have just created a Chimera!

4. If you have a Chimera in the next slot to the right, move the die to its next space and repeat the process (gain the bonus that's above your die, make another comparison, and so on). After creating your last Chimera, discard your die.

   Example: The player moves their die to the next space. They now gain 2 Scrolls: 1 Scroll with the bonus from the empty Artifact slot, and 1 Scroll because their Chimera shares the same value (4) as their die.

MORE DETAILS:

• If you gain a Chimera during this action (because of a bonus), you must place it above your Laboratory. This means that you cannot create it immediately during this action.
• If you gain an Artifact during this action (because of a bonus), immediately place it in your Laboratory and gain the bonus you cover as usual. If you place your Artifact on a space to the right of the die and you still have a Chimera to create below that space, you can gain that Artifact's bonus.

Gaining a Codex

When you gain the Codex effect (the book-with-eye icon), take 1 Codex card of your choice from the main board.

Codex cards come in two kinds. Codex cards marked with the lightning-bolt icon grant you an immediate bonus, while Codex cards marked with the bell icon allow you to score additional victory points at the end of the game (see the Appendix at the back of this rulebook).

Release Chimeras

Place your die on the Nexus location corresponding to the value of your die. You can now release one or more Chimeras into that location.

Among the Chimeras you have created (those placed to the left of your Laboratory), you can select any whose Element and/or Attribute match those of the Nexus location that you placed your die in.

For each Chimera you wish to release:

• IF ITS ELEMENT MATCHES any of the Element icons (red flame, gold radiant symbol, green leaf, blue water drop, grey air swirl, or purple spiral): Place 1 of your cubes in that Nexus location.
• IF ITS ATTRIBUTE MATCHES any of the Attribute icons (claw marks, wing, shell, eye, brain, or fangs): Place 1 of your cubes in that Nexus location.

YOU IMMEDIATELY SCORE 2 VPS FOR EACH CUBE PLACED THIS WAY.

Example: The player uses this die with a value of 5 to release this Chimera. They can place 1 of their cubes because the Chimera's Eye Attribute matches that of the Nexus location. The cube they placed immediately scores them 2 VPs. Afterwards, place the Chimera to the right of your Laboratory—it is now released! Now that their Chimera has been released, the player moves it to the right side of their Laboratory.

Note: the bonus icons printed on each location of the Nexus tile are graphic. They are not transcribed location by location here; see the tile itself.

Once you are done releasing Chimeras, you immediately gain the bonus shown at that location on the Nexus. Then, discard your die, and rotate the Nexus 1 notch clockwise.

Example: Having finished releasing their Chimeras, the player gains the Prestige bonus (that corresponds to the location where they placed their cube), and they rotate the Nexus 1 notch clockwise.

You immediately score 2 VPs each time you place a cube in the Nexus, no matter how it was placed (through this action or thanks to a bonus).

MORE DETAILS:

• Whether you released 1 or several Chimeras, you only benefit from the Nexus bonus once and you only rotate the Nexus 1 notch during this action.
• You do not have to release all your Chimeras that have a matching Element or Attribute. You can keep some to the left of your Laboratory to release later.
• When your Chimera's Element AND Attribute match the Nexus location, you place 2 cubes.
• Cubes are not intended to be a limited resource. If you ever run out of cubes, use a suitable substitute.

Example: In this other example, the player can place 2 of their cubes because their Chimera's Element and Attribute both match with those of the Nexus location.

Resources

Scrolls

Before performing your action, you can spend as many Scrolls as you wish to modify the value of your die. For each Scroll spent, you can increase or decrease its value by 1. It's also possible to change the value from a 6 to a 1, or vice versa from a 1 to a 6, by spending 1 Scroll.

Gems

Before performing your action, you can spend 1 Gem to change the color of your die. Your die will then become the color of your choice.

Elixirs

Before performing your action, you can spend as many Elixirs as you wish to rotate the Nexus. For each Elixir spent, you can rotate the Nexus 1 notch, in the direction of your choice.

You can spend different types of Resource tokens at the same time. For example, it's possible to rotate the Nexus with an Elixir, then place a die on it whose value and color you've changed using Scrolls and a Gem. Return Resources to the general supply once spent.

Prestige Track

The Prestige effect (the top-hat icon) allows you to move forward on the Prestige track. When your token reaches or passes a space that shows a bonus, you gain that bonus immediately.

The Prestige track is infinite. If you pass the final space, continue your movement by returning to the first space (the triangle). This means you can benefit from its generous bonuses multiple times!

You can find the bonuses in the Appendix at the back of this rulebook.

End of a Round

When the last player in turn order has taken the last available die and completed their turn (each player will have played 6 turns), the current round is over.

Majority Scoring

Evaluate each of the 6 Nexus locations:

• The player or players with the most cubes in a location score 6 VPs each.
• Then, the player or players with the second-most cubes in that location score 2 VPs each.

Examples (from the rulebook's diagram): For the leftmost location, the purple player scores 6 VPs. For the center, the blue player scores 6 VPs, then the purple player scores 2 VPs, and the red player scores no points. For the rightmost location, the red and blue players each score 6 VPs, and the purple player scores 2 VPs.

Artifact, Chimera and Codex Cards Refresh

Discard the Artifact, Chimera and Codex cards, then draw new cards and place them in their respective spaces. If a deck is empty, shuffle the corresponding discard pile to form a new deck, then continue refilling the empty spaces.

Determine the First Player

The player with the highest score on the score track becomes the First Player for the next round and receives the First Player token. In case of a tie, the tied player who is earliest in turn order becomes the First Player for the next round.

Next Round

Move the round marker forward 1 space, then start a new round.

End of the Game and Final Scoring

The game ends when the third round is over. Proceed with the final scoring by following the steps below.

In addition to VPs they scored during the game, each player adds the following to their score:

Artifact Collections

Each player scores VPs for each set of different Artifacts they possess. There are 8 different types of Artifacts, and therefore a maximum of 8 Artifacts per set. It is possible to have multiple sets, but each Artifact card can only be counted as part of 1 set!

The scoring table, by number of Artifacts in a set, is: 2 = 1 VP; 3 = 3 VPs; 4 = 7 VPs; 5 = 12 VPs; 6 = 18 VPs; 7 = 25 VPs; 8 = 35 VPs.

For example, a player obtained 8 Artifacts as follows: 3x (hand type), 2x (stick type), 1x (cube type), 1x (ring type), and 1x (sack type). This player therefore has 3 sets: a set of 5 different types (12 VPs), a set of 2 types (1 VP), and a set of 1 type (no VPs).

Codex

Each player scores VPs according to their Codex cards marked with the bell icon (see the Appendix at the back of the rulebook).

Scrolls, Gems & Elixirs

Each player scores 5 VPs per set of Scroll, Gem and Elixir tokens they have in their Laboratory.

Determine the Winner

THE PLAYER WITH THE MOST VPS WINS THE GAME!

In case of a tie, the tied player who placed the most cubes in the Nexus wins. If there is still a tie, the tied players share the victory.

Variant: The Color Nexus

Once you've played a few games, you can try this variant, which offers a different experience with the Nexus.

During setup, assemble the Nexus by placing the inner tile with its "colors" side facing up.

During the game, each time you want to release Chimeras, you must use a die whose color corresponds to the desired location on the Nexus.

NOTE: This variant can also be used in solo mode.

Solo Mode

This single-player mode lets you face Sapphia, a formidable opponent controlled by the game.

How Sapphia plays and scores is defined by the combination of 2 cards:

• A Behavior card (A/B/C): This dictates the specific actions Sapphia will perform based on the value of the die she chooses.
• A Difficulty card (★ or ★★): This determines how Sapphia will score VPs at the end of the game.

Setup

Choose your player color and Sapphia's player color and set up a regular 2-player game, with the following exceptions:

• SAPPHIA'S BOARD: Sapphia doesn't use a standard Laboratory board; she has her own personal board.
• CHIMERAS AND RESOURCES: Sapphia begins the game with 2 random Chimeras to the left of her board, but no Resource tokens.
• SAPPHIA'S CARDS:
  • Randomly select 1 Behavior card.
  • Choose the difficulty level you'd like to use: ★ for the regular difficulty OR ★★ for a stronger challenge.
• SAPPHIA'S ORDER OF PRIORITY: Take a set of 6 dice (one of each different color) and place them in a random order on Sapphia's board. This order determines Sapphia's priorities for her choices during the entire game. The values of the dice are irrelevant.

NOTE: There should be 12 dice near the main board and 6 dice on Sapphia's board to start the game.

Sapphia's starting Chimeras (and any she obtains during the game) are placed to the left of her board in the "created" area. When Sapphia obtains Artifacts or Codex cards, they are placed above her board. There is no limit to the number of cards Sapphia can obtain.

• FIRST PLAYER: Sapphia receives the First Player token and starts first.

Difficulty Card

The Difficulty card (★ regular difficulty) lists how Sapphia scores at the end of the game:

• 2 VPs per Chimera Sapphia has released (hex-spiral icon in the card's parentheses).
• 1 VP per Chimera Sapphia has created (flask icon in the card's parentheses).
• Artifacts: the Artifact symbol shows the 8 Artifact types, scored by set.
• Codex: the book-with-eye symbol with the bell symbol in parentheses. No number is printed next to this row in the rulebook scan.
• 1 VP per Scroll, 1 VP per Gem, 2 VPs per Elixir (Resource tokens Sapphia has placed on her board).

The stronger ★★ Difficulty card is not reproduced in the rulebook scan, so its values are not given here.

Rules

How to Play

The start and end of a round work the same way as in a regular game (see pages 6 and 14 respectively).

Your Turn

You play your turn according to the standard rules (see pages 6 to 13).

Sapphia's Turn

Sapphia's turn consists of 2 steps:

Step 1: Choosing her die

Sapphia chooses 1 die from the main board following these rules:

• LOWEST VALUE: She always chooses the die with the lowest value available.
• IN CASE OF A TIE: If several dice share the lowest value, Sapphia chooses the die whose color appears earliest in her order of priority.

Step 2: Performing her action

Sapphia immediately performs the action corresponding to the value of the die on her Behavior card, then the die is discarded. If Sapphia obtains one or more cards during her turn, fill the empty spaces from their corresponding deck at the end of her turn.

MORE DETAILS:

• The Chimeras that Sapphia obtains are placed in a column, one on top of the other, ensuring that their Element and Attribute remain visible. This way, her oldest Chimera will be at the top and her newest one at the bottom.
• If Sapphia gains a Chimera, Artifact, Codex, or any other effect through a bonus, resolve it using the corresponding rules from Behavior Card Effects.
• Sapphia immediately scores 2 VPs when she places one of her cubes in the Nexus (through an action or a bonus).

End of the Game and Final Scoring

The game ends like a standard game (see page 15).

• YOUR POINTS: You calculate your VPs according to the standard rules.
• SAPPHIA'S POINTS: Sapphia's VPs are calculated based on her Difficulty card. The Difficulty card details how each category grants her points (Chimeras, Artifacts, Codex, and Resource tokens).

THE PLAYER WITH THE MOST VPS WINS THE GAME! IN CASE OF A TIE, SAPPHIA IS DECLARED THE WINNER!

Behavior Card Effects

The Behavior card lists a value-to-action pair for each die value 1 to 6. The Behavior card reproduced in the rulebook is card A, which pairs the values as follows:

• Value 1: Gain 1 Chimera card and 1 Scroll.
• Value 2: Release a Chimera, with the Nexus element-bonus icon (color wheel) on the card.
• Value 3: Acquire 1 Artifact card.
• Value 4: Move the Prestige token forward 2 spaces and gain 1 Elixir.
• Value 5: Gain 1 Chimera card and 1 Gem.
• Value 6: Release a Chimera, with the Nexus attribute-bonus icon (cream disc) on the card, and gain 1 Codex card.

Behavior cards B and C are not reproduced in the rulebook scan from which this text was transcribed; their values are not given here.

The effects below are the Behavior Card Effects as printed in the rulebook:

• Chimera (phoenix icon): Sapphia takes 1 Chimera card from the main board. Reading the Chimeras from left to right and top to bottom, she chooses the first Chimera whose color appears earliest in her order of priority. The chosen Chimera is placed on the left side of her board, following the others.
• Artifact (sun-spiral icon): Sapphia takes 1 Artifact card from the main board. Reading the Artifacts from left to right and top to bottom, she chooses the first Artifact of a type she doesn't already have, starting with her largest set. If all the Artifacts are of a type she already has in her sets, she starts a new set by taking the first available Artifact. When Sapphia takes an Artifact, she immediately gains that Artifact's bonus and places the Artifact above her board.
• Codex (book-with-eye icon): Sapphia takes the leftmost Codex card from the main board. If it's a lightning-bolt Codex, Sapphia immediately gains the bonus. If it's a bell Codex, it will be scored at the end of the game.
• Release (hex-spiral icon): Sapphia releases her oldest Chimera into the Nexus and moves it to the right side of her board. She places 1 of her cubes in the location corresponding to that Chimera's Element AND 1 cube in the location corresponding to its Attribute. She immediately scores 2 VPs for each cube she has just placed. Then, rotate the Nexus 1 notch clockwise. If Sapphia has no Chimera to release, she does not release a Chimera.
  • IF THE ICON IS the color-wheel symbol: Sapphia gains the bonus from the Nexus location linked to her Chimera's Element where she just placed a cube.
  • IF THE ICON IS the cream-disc symbol: Sapphia gains the bonus from the Nexus location linked to her Chimera's Attribute where she just placed a cube.
  • If Sapphia gains the Gem-and-Scroll ×4 bonus from the Nexus, she gains 2 Gems and 2 Scrolls.
• Prestige (top-hat icon): Sapphia advances her Prestige token and gains the bonuses of the Prestige track when she reaches or passes them. But be careful: If Sapphia reaches or passes the phoenix / sun-spiral / book-with-eye space on the track, she gains all 3 effects. If Sapphia reaches or passes the cube space, she places 1 cube on the Nexus location whose Element matches the color of the first die in her order of priority.

Appendix

The bonus and scoring icons used throughout the game:

• Gain 1 Scroll
• Gain 1 Gem
• Gain 1 Elixir
• Gain 4 resources in any combination of Scrolls and Gems
• Move your token forward 1 space on the Prestige track
• Score the indicated VPs
• Gain 1 Chimera card of your choice from the main board (place it above your Laboratory)
• Gain 1 Artifact card of your choice from the main board (place it in 1 of the 4 slots in your Laboratory)
• Gain 1 Codex card of your choice from the main board
• Gain 1 Chimera, Artifact, OR Codex card of your choice from the main board
• Place 1 of your cubes in the Nexus location of your choice
• Place 2 of your cubes in the Nexus location with this Element
• Score 2 VPs per Chimera with this Element (that you created and/or released)
• Score 3 VPs per Chimera with this Attribute (that you released)
• Score 1 VP per Artifact you have
• Score 2 VPs per Codex you have
• Score 1 VP per Scroll you have
• Score 2 VPs per Gem you have
• Score 3 VPs per Elixir you have
• Corresponds to 1 Artifact of any type in 1 of your sets