Clustered
Clustered Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Getting Started
Place the start card in the center of the table. Give some thought to your playing surface, as its size and shape may affect where you can place your cards.
Each player will choose one of the four colored decks to play with. Each player should shuffle their deck and place it face down in front of them. Each player then draws a hand of five cards from their deck to play from. The youngest player gets to play first. On a player's turn, they will play a single card from their hand in accordance with the card placement rules detailed below. If a player cannot make a legal move, they must discard one card out of the game. This counts as a turn. Players cannot opt to discard if a legal move is available. At the end of the turn, a player will draw a new card from their deck to replenish their hand.
Playing a Card
Cards have three different attributes: shape (square, triangle, or circle); fill type (hollow, dashed lines, or solid); and number (one, two, or three shapes). A card must be played adjacent to at least one card that is in play. All neighboring cards must share at least two of the three attributes (shape, fill type, and number of symbols). Each player's deck contains cards with every combination of each of the three attributes, as well as two wild cards, resulting in 29 cards per deck.
Note: Color is not counted as one of a card's three attributes. Color indicates which player a card belongs to, and thus does not affect where a card can be placed.
Examples:
- Legal move: attributes in common are shape (both squares) and number (both 1).
- Legal move: attributes in common are shape (both circles) and fill (both dashed).
- Legal move: attributes in common are number (both 1) and fill (both solid). Color can be ignored because it only indicates who played it.
- Illegal move: the only attribute in common is fill (both solid). This move is not allowed because these cards share only a single attribute in common.
Wild Cards
A wild card can be played next to any other card on the table. The wild card can neighbor up to four cards (one on each side) without any conflicts and regardless of the attributes of neighboring cards. A standard game will be played with 2 wild cards. There is an included 3rd wild card that is optional; see the Additional Wild Card section below for more information. The start card acts as a wild card in terms of what can be played off of it.
Blocking Other Players
Rather than building one's own cluster, a player can choose to place a card adjacent an opponent's card so long as it follows the rules in the Playing a Card section. A player might choose to do this in order to prevent others from scoring points or if a player does not have any legal moves available to expand their own clusters.
Scoring
Scoring takes place when all cards have been played or discarded.
Largest Rectangular Cluster
Players get points equal to the number of cards that make up their single largest uninterrupted rectangular cluster. For example, a 3X2 rectangular cluster would be worth 6 points. A 2X4 would be worth 8 points. Each of the rectangle's sides must be made up of at least 2 cards, making a 2X2 cluster the smallest legal rectangle. A rectangular cluster is considered uninterrupted when it is made up of only one player's cards and has no gaps. A player's largest rectangle cannot include the start card. Only a player's single largest rectangle scores.
(Scoring example: the largest rectangle is worth +6 points; a smaller 4-card rectangle would be +4 points.)
Line Clusters
Players get 1 point for each card in a line that is 3 cards or longer. Line clusters can be vertical or horizontal, but not diagonal. The lines must be uninterrupted to score points. A line cluster is considered uninterrupted when it is made up of only one player's cards. If another player's card, or the start card, interrupts the line, it must be scored as two separate lines.
(Scoring examples: horizontal and vertical lines of 3 cards score +3 points each; a line of 4 cards scores +4 points.)
Scoring Notes
A player's final score can be determined by counting the player's largest rectangular cluster, horizontal line clusters, and vertical line clusters. A single card can score more than one point. For example, if a card lies within your largest rectangular cluster, a horizontal line cluster, and a vertical line cluster, it would actually score 3 points! As mentioned previously, players get no points for lines of fewer than 3 cards and rectangles smaller than 2X2 cards. A line cluster extending through the start card must be scored as two separate lines, and the start card is not included in the largest rectangle.
Scoring example: the previous example would result in a total score of 16 points for blue and 13 points for orange. Note that a blue card is interrupting one of orange's horizontal line clusters, making orange's last card in the line scoreless. Also note that the start card is not included in the scoring.
Winning
A player's final score is determined by adding points from the player's largest rectangular cluster, horizontal line clusters, and vertical line clusters. The player with the highest score at the end of the game wins.
Optional Cards
Current Player Card
Give the current player card to the first player. After placing a card and drawing a new one, pass the token to the next player as a sign that it is now their turn.
Additional Wild Card
In addition to the standard game play, this edition comes with a 3rd wild card. Add this in for everyone or use it as an advantage for young or less experienced players. Players with the extra wild card will get an additional turn at the end of the game since they have an additional card.
Alternative Gameplay
Solo Play
When playing in solo mode all the standard rules apply. The difference now is that you are trying to beat your highest score rather than your opponent. Keep track of your personal best and see if you can beat it next time.
Expansion Play
With the first and second editions of Clustered, up to 8 players may play at once. To play with 5 to 8 players, place TWO start cards on the table with space for 6 cards between them. Any player can play off of either or both of the two start cards. All other rules remain unchanged.
Optional Advanced Rules
Quick Play
Start by drawing 7 cards, then discard 2. At the end of your turn, draw 2 cards and discard 1. In both cases, you should end up with 5 cards in your hand like in the basic rules.
First to Achieve Bonuses
Add bonuses for the FIRST 2X3 (or 3X2) rectangle, and the FIRST line of 5 cards long. Each bonus counts as 2 extra points (+2 points). One player may collect more than one bonus. Use the provided cards to mark the achievement: one bonus card for the first to get a line of 5 long, one for the first to get a 2x3 rectangle.
Largest Feature Bonuses
Award bonuses for the largest rectangle (by total cards), and longest line (row or column) in play. Each bonus counts as 2 extra points (+2 points). Use the provided cards to mark who currently has the achievement. The player who ends with the largest feature gets the points. One player may collect more than one bonus. In the event of a tie, no points are awarded.
Quick Facts
- Start Card: Place in the center of the playing surface; it can be played on like a wild card.
- Hand Size: Maintain a 5 card hand.
- Each Turn: Play one card or discard if you have no legal moves.
- Symbol Attributes: Symbols vary by shape, fill, and number of shapes.
- Card Placement: To play a card it must share 2 of the 3 attributes in common with every card it borders.
- Wild Cards: Can be played next to any other card.
- Scoring Lines: All lines must be 3 cards or greater to score.
- Scoring Rectangle: Only a player's single largest rectangle is scored, and the rectangle must be at least 2X2 cards in size.
- Points: Score one point for each card that makes up a legal line or rectangle; a single card can score up to 3 points.
- Winning: The player with the most points wins.