ChiZo RISING Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Material
• Object of the Game
• Anatomy of a Game Tile
• Main Rules
  • Preparation
  • A Player's Turn
  • Playing Tiles
• Scoring Points
  • Completing a Square
  • Battle
  • Special Effects
• Action Stack and Battle Action Stack
  • Battle Action Stack
  • Result of a Battle
  • Allies
  • Battle against Items and Obstacles
• Summary
• Compatibility Quick-Check
• Mighty Creatures

Game Material

Every player uses a personal "STACK" of ChiZo Collectible Game Tiles. The composition of a STACK is entirely up to the player . . . there are some restrictions however:

• You may only have between 30 and 60 Tiles in your Stack.
• You may not have more than 3 of any one Tile, with the exception of Basic Creature Tiles. (You may have an unlimited number of Basic Creature Tiles, i.e. Ram, Monkey, Dragon, etc.)
• The playing area is any flat surface.

Object of the Game

A player wins the game by scoring 12 points.

To score points, capture Mighty Creatures and battle enemy Creatures by skillfully placing Tiles in a playing area. By capturing Creatures, a player may score four, six, or even nine points in a single catch!

Tactics, Skill and fair Battle . . . that is how a game of ChiZo RISING is WON!

Anatomy of a Game Tile

Each tile shows the following elements: the Tile Name, the Tile Icon, the Element, the Compatibility Icons (shown on the tile's edges), the Strength Value (STR, bottom left), the Intelligence Value (INT, bottom right), and the Tile Effect (text box).

The tile type is shown by the marking on the tile's front:

• Creature: a Creature Tile (has STR and INT values; can be played in the playing area).
• Action: an Action Tile (used in an Action Stack).
• Reaction: a Reaction Tile (used in an Action Stack).
• Action/Reaction: a tile that may be played as either an Action or a Reaction.
• Item: an Item Tile (red; has STR and INT values; can be played in the playing area).
• Obstacle: an Obstacle Tile (red; has STR and INT values; can be played in the playing area).

Creature Tiles can be identified by their color. For example the RAM tiles are all light Grey. An overview with all 12 creatures is on pages 32-33 of the handbook.

Tiles that have values for STR (Strength) and INT (Intelligence) can be played in the playing area. You need the others for the "Action Stack" during a match.

All beige-colored Tiles and the red Obstacles are universal and can be used by every Creature Class and every Player.

Main Rules

The Main Rules are explained in the following sections. Pages on the left show text, and pages on the right show examples. Pages 27-30 contain further information about situations that may occur during game play. We recommend reading the rules thoroughly before starting to play ChiZo RISING.

Preparation

Terms you should know:

• Stack: The tiles the player has selected to play with; a minimum of 30 Tiles and a maximum of 60 Tiles are required. Tiles are drawn from a player's STACK during game play.
• Point Pile: Once captured, tiles are placed in the POINT PILE, face-up. Each Tile represents one (1) point.
• Discard Pile: All Tiles that have been used or that have been removed from play are placed into the DISCARD PILE, face up, so as not to be confused with tiles in play.
• Hand: A hand is made by drawing 5 Tiles from the shuffled STACK. The HAND is held until ready to be played.

First, every Player shuffles their "STACK" and places it face-down in front of them. They may have a single Stack or multiple Stacks of approximately the same height, leaving some space to the left and right of their Stack(s) for their POINT and DISCARD PILE. All players have the option to shuffle or cut their own Stacks and/or the Stacks of their opponent(s).

The handbook's illustration (p. 11) shows the seating layout: "The Players place their Stack(s) in front of them with the Point Pile on their left and the Discard Pile on their right." The Playing Area is the space between the players.

A Player's Turn

On their turn, each Player has two (2) actions and three (3) possibilities to choose from:

1. Play a Creature, Item or Obstacle by putting it next to other Tiles already in the game area.
2. Start an ACTION STACK or a BATTLE ACTION STACK with Tiles from their own hand.
3. Draw two additional Tiles from their own Stack.

Every action is optional and can be skipped, or may even be chosen twice. A player may not pass on their turn by not performing any action. At least one action has to be performed.

After every turn the game proceeds clockwise.

Playing Tiles

All Tiles played in the Game Area must be placed in a NEIGHBORING position with another Tile, with the exception of the first Tile played.

A Player should make sure that when placing Tiles in the playing area, the Tiles should always face them, allowing all Players to determine who controls the Tiles. This also makes it easier to return the Tiles to their proper owner after the game.

NOTE: A neighboring space must be horizontal or vertical, never diagonal!

Scoring Points

Points can be scored in three (3) different ways:

1. Completing a Square;
2. Battle; and
3. Special Effects.

Completing a Square

Completing a Square of Compatible Creatures: The last player to place a Tile in a position to form a square that is made of Compatible Creatures takes all of the Tiles in the Square and puts them in their Point Pile. Regardless of who controls the Tiles, they score one point for each Creature captured.

NOTE: Each Tile shows the icons of the Creatures that it is compatible with. To complete a square, all 4 Tiles must be compatible with each other, not just their neighbors! Otherwise, the Tiles remain in the game! The Compatibility Quick-Check on page 31 of the handbook provides an overview for quickly matching the compatibilities. Use it in every match!

Creatures that are not compatible may also be placed next to each other to block opponents from completing a square, because squares are not the only way to score points in ChiZo!

Example: The "Tiger" is compatible with your "Monkey" and the "Monkey" of your opponent, but not with another "Tiger". No points! The Tiles remain in the Game Area, but you should prepare for BATTLE.

Battle

Every Creature defeated in a Battle is considered to be "captured" and can be added to the Point Pile. 1 point is scored for each Creature captured.

Special Effects

Some Tiles' effects can also score points . . . if played successfully, they are added (or some others from the Discard Pile) to the Point Pile to represent the actual score. All Tiles collected or captured as Points are added to the Point Pile.

NOTE: Remember to put all Tiles in the Point Pile in the correct position facing its owner! This way they can be sorted easily and returned to their rightful owner after the game. Tiles never change ownership! If you score by a Special Effect, add the Tile that caused the effect to your Point Pile. If you need more Tiles to show your actual score, pick them from your Discard Pile!

Example (3 players, you are Player 1): You already have six (6) points. You captured a "Rat" and two "Dragons" of yours. You captured a "Rat" of Player 3, a "Dragon" of Player 2 and scored with the effect of "Undue Prejudice".

Action Stack and Battle Action Stack

An ACTION STACK is a Stack of Tiles that is separate from the playing area. It starts with an Action Tile, and Reaction tiles are placed on top of it. A player can start an ACTION STACK during their turn by playing an Action, an Action/Reaction or by starting a Battle.

Once started, all other players have the option of adding a Reaction or Action/Reaction to this Stack. Order of play is always clockwise. The Tiles are played face up to give each player the chance of thinking about their next possible Reaction. The turn is finished when the last player who added a Tile to the ACTION STACK "passes" on playing another Tile.

NOTE: Reacting to an ACTION STACK is not an "Action". All players have to be asked if they want to add a Tile to the ACTION STACK after every new Tile that is added to it. If it gets back to the player who added the last Tile, that player can decide to finish the ACTION STACK by not adding another Tile!

Then, working from the top Tile down, perform the Special Effects explained on the Tiles, placing completed Tiles into the Discard Pile of the players who played them.

Example (2 players, you are Player 1): As an Action, Player 2 played "Golden Egg" to get some points. You react by putting "Toasted" on the ACTION STACK and covering the 1st Tile. Player 2 "passes" on adding another Tile on "Toasted" because they do not have anything appropriate in their hand to react. You were the last who added a Tile to the ACTION STACK. The Action Stack is over because you "pass" on placing another Tile. Now the ACTION STACK resolves top to bottom. "Toasted" steals the Rooster and you score a Point. Now "Golden Egg" comes into effect, but because there is no more "Rooster" in play, it has no target and is put into the Discard Pile.

This was a simple Example. But it is the same thing with ACTION STACKS including more than two Tiles.

NOTE: Effects are always resolved top to bottom. If an effect has a target, you choose when it becomes effective in the ACTION STACK. If there are no more possible targets, that Effect does not resolve.

Battle Action Stack

A BATTLE ACTION STACK works like an ACTION STACK.

As an action, a BATTLE may be announced by choosing the ATTACKER (under the announcer's control) and the DEFENDER (controlled by an opponent). The chosen Tiles must be Neighbors. Then the BATTLE ACTION STACK is started.

The first Tile to start the BATTLE ACTION STACK is played face down by the Attacker. It shows that the Battle is an "Action" and that a Reaction or an Action/Reaction can now be played by the others. It doesn't matter which type of Tile is chosen to start; that is why it is played face down. This is the only difference from an ACTION STACK and is actually a great opportunity to get rid of Tiles with effects that aren't useful at the moment.

If no one wants to add further Tiles to the BATTLE ACTION STACK the effects are resolved from top to bottom like an ordinary ACTION STACK. The result of the BATTLE becomes effective if you reach the face down Tile at the bottom. If the BATTLE ACTION STACK ends before that Tile, there is no result.

Example (2 players, you are Player 1): Your "Rooster" is under attack. Player 2 declared his "Horse" the ATTACKER and your Rooster the DEFENDER. Player 2 started the BATTLE ACTION STACK with the Tile face down to show that the BATTLE is an ACTION. You react by playing "Feather Flurry". Player 2 passes on adding another Tile on "Feather Flurry", they know you will escape. You were the last who added a Tile to the BATTLE ACTION STACK. The Action Stack is over because you "pass" on placing another Tile.

Now the BATTLE ACTION STACK resolves like a normal ACTION STACK. When you reach the last face down Tile in the BATTLE ACTION STACK, the actual values of STR and INT of both sides involved in the BATTLE show the result. In many cases (like here) the BATTLE is over before you reach the face down Tile because of powerful Reactions that have already been resolved. These BATTLES are over and the rest of the Tiles are discarded.

Result of a Battle

For the result, the STR (Strength) and INT (Intelligence) values of both creatures must be compared. The creature with the greatest STR and INT values wins the battle. A higher STR or INT value is not necessarily enough . . . If both creatures have equal STR and/or INT values, then the Battle is a draw. If a Creature is defeated, the winner adds it to their Point Pile.

NOTE: The DEFENDER can also win the battle! The STR and INT values are compared, if the BATTLE ACTION STACK is worked down to the Tile faced down and the ATTACKER and the DEFENDER are still Neighbors!

Before the Battle starts, both ATTACKER and DEFENDER may ask for ALLIES.

Allies

After the ATTACKER and the DEFENDER are chosen, but before the first Action Tile is played, both players may ask for Allies. The ATTACKER is the first to ask. In order to be an Ally, the Allying Creature must be a Neighbor to the defending Creature.

If the ATTACKER or the DEFENDER has an Ally, the STR and INT values are added to the Attacking Creature when a Battle takes place.

NOTE: An Ally need not be a Compatible Creature! If a Battle is lost all ALLIES are captured by the winning side, too! All Neighbors are possible Allies but each Player may support only one side, the ATTACKER or the DEFENDER!

Example (3 players, you are Player 1): If you choose your "Horse" to be the Attacker and the "Rat" of Player 3 to be the Defender, you can pick your "Dog" as an ALLY in that BATTLE. Player 3 is on its own. The "Boulder" is an Obstacle which can not be an Ally. Player 2 can not be asked for help. The "Tiger" is not neighboring the DEFENDER (Rat).

Result: You win the BATTLE. Your STR of 5 and INT of 7 (added together) are both higher than the two values of the Rat. You score one point by capturing the "Rat" of Player 3.

Battle against Items and Obstacles

Item and Obstacle Tiles also have a STR and INT value. They can be played like Creatures and therefore be attacked like Creatures as well. Items and Obstacles can neither be chosen to be the ATTACKER in a BATTLE nor be used as an Ally. But you can ask for Allies if you attack an Item or Obstacle or one of your Items and Obstacles is attacked.

These are the main rules of ChiZo RISING. The following pages, 27-30, will give you additional information concerning questions that may occur in the game. Page 31 shows an overview for a quick check of the Compatibilities. Use it all the time when you face an opponent, it will help you win!

Summary

A Tile laid is a Tile played: Once a Tile has been placed in the playing area, the Tile is considered played. A player may not retract a Tile after releasing it.

Completing a Square: The player who controls the last Tile that completes a Compatible Square gets the Tiles. If a player completes a square with a Tile that an opponent controls, the opponent gets the square. On a similar note, if a Compatible Square is formed during an ACTION STACK or a BATTLE ACTION STACK, the square is not removed until it is completely resolved.

Remove From Play: The phrase "remove from play" means placing the Tile into the Discard Pile of the player who put it into play. If a Creature is captured, it is not considered removed from play since it ends up in a player's POINT PILE.

NOTE: The Controller of a Tile may change during a game! Removed Tiles are put into the Discard Pile of the player who put the tile into the game first . . . the Point Pile works the same way. If you control an opponent's Creature and complete a Compatible Square with it, turn it back in the correct direction before putting it into your Point Pile so it can be returned to its proper owner!

Attached Tiles: If a Tile is placed on top of or under another Tile, it is considered "attached" to the Tile it was placed on or under. If something causes the Tile to move, then the tile attached to it moves as well.

NOTE: Only one Tile can be attached to another Tile. Each attached Tile is removed from play if another Tile comes into play and is going to be attached to the same Tile!

Draw in a Battle: Not every Battle has a winner! If the BATTLE ACTION STACK has been worked down to the first Tile played face down, and the ATTACKER and the DEFENDER are no longer neighbors, the Battle is a draw . . . no Creatures are captured. There are some Special Effects that cause a draw even though the ATTACKER and the DEFENDER are still Neighbors.

Allies no more: If the first Tile in a BATTLE ACTION STACK is reached, and an Ally asked for help isn't neighboring the DEFENDER anymore, the tile no longer counts as a neighbor nor as an ally. The Tile is no longer involved in the BATTLE. It can not be captured and its values are not added to the result of the BATTLE.

Empty Space: Some effects allow you to move Tiles in the playing area. The limitations for that movement are the Empty Spaces. An Empty Space is every free neighboring space including the diagonal corners. A player may only use their effects for jumping over, pulling, or pushing Tiles in this setting.

Example: "PUSH", played as an Action, may move the "Ram" and the "Rabbit" up to three empty spaces.

NOTE: "Empty Spaces" are an exception for movement caused by Special Effects. Never forget: playing Creatures, Items or Obstacles, or while in a Battle, only the neighboring spaces are relevant!

Replacing Tiles: Some Tiles' Action Descriptions replace another Tile to be put into play. Players may only replace Tiles in their control.

Strength of 0 (Zero): If any Creature's STR ever reaches 0, immediately remove it from play. It is not considered captured.

Team Play: 4 Players can also play "2 on 2." The members of a team should sit across from each other to ensure that each player gets a turn. Every team shares one Point Pile, and the final score is still 12 points.

Fair Play: Always play fair! ChiZo RISING is an exciting game, but not a pro-sport. Players may team up against each other, but there can only be one winner. Being a player's Ally on one turn and then attacking them on the next is considered fair play.

Compatibility Quick-Check

The Compatibility Quick-Check (handbook page 31) is a grid listing the twelve Mighty Creatures (Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig) against one another, with each creature's compatibility icons shown across its row. Consult the printed grid for the icon matchings; it is artwork, not reproduced here.

Mighty Creatures

The Mighty Creature overview (handbook pages 32-33) shows the twelve creature classes: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. The printed pages are illustrated and direct players to the publisher's website for details on each creature; they are not reproduced here.