Fresco: Expansion Box
Fresco: Expansion Box Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Module 12 – The Dames
This module affects the following: planning and performing actions; Market, Theater, Cathedral, Studio, and Workshop; and the victory point track.
Additional components
- 8 Dames, 4 each in pink and purple
- 4 "ladies" action tiles
- 4 Reservation tiles, with day and night side
Changes in set-up
At the start of the game, place the 8 dames in random order on the 8 spaces of the victory point track marked with a rosary.
Important: Remove one pink and one purple dame from the game when playing with two or three players. Place the remaining 6 dames in random order on the 6 spaces of the victory points track marked with a rosary.
Each player takes one "ladies" action tile, placing it behind their small screen above their action sheet. Likewise they take and place one reservation tile.
Place the "ladies" action board on top of the regular action board.
Changes in game play
A player may acquire a pink and a purple dame over the course of the game (but never 2 of the same color). They do this by passing or landing on a space with a dame on the victory point track. If they do not have a dame of that color yet, a marriage to one of the apprentices ensues and the dame is taken from the track and placed behind the player screen.
Starting with the next planning phase, a player may deploy the dame to the "Ladies" action tile if they wish. If they have 2 ladies, they must be sent to different actions.
When performing actions, if a player earlier in turn order performed the same action with the same colored dame, the action must be forfeited. If this is not the case, they may perform the action as normal.
Example: The Green player has gained 5 VPs for restoring a fresco segment, and passes a purple dame. As she has no purple dame yet, she takes the piece behind her small screen. From the next round onwards she may deploy the dame on her "ladies" action sheet.
Example: The Red player is first in wake up order, so no player can use a purple dame before him. He performs this action at the market before those of the 3 apprentices. The Blue player is next. She cannot use her purple dame's action now, but still performs the action of her two apprentices.
The actions of dames
- Market: The player may swap two market tiles in different booths.
- Cathedral: The player may place their reservation tile with the day side up on any fresco tile that does not have the bishop. As long as it remains there, only this player may restore that segment. Once they do so, they take back their reservation tile. Reservation tiles will remain out till the end of the next round (see round end instructions).
- Studio: The player may take as many Thalers as the number of apprentices they currently have deployed to the studio.
- Workshop: The player may swap any one basic color (red, yellow, or blue) from behind their small screen with any one different basic color from the workshop.
- Theater: The player may place their master painter at the theater on the starting position. Of course, this is a wise choice only if their mood was worse at this point.
Example: The Red player swaps 2 market tiles, so his apprentices can buy 3 red, 3 yellow, and 1 green paint pieces.
Example: The Blue player reserves a fresco tile to restore in a future game round.
Example: The Green player sent 2 apprentices to the studio. Her purple dame allows her to take 2 Thalers, in addition to any she receives from the action.
Example: The Yellow player returns one blue paint piece to the common supply and takes one yellow paint piece in exchange.
Example: The red player moves their master up three spaces to the starting position.
After performing any dame's actions, the player continues with their usual apprentice actions.
Important note: A dame may be deployed to a location even if there is no apprentice at this location. However, if a certain location (market, cathedral, studio, workshop, or theater) on the action board is covered by an action tile of some other module, no dame may be deployed to that location!
End of the round
At the end of each round, all reservation tiles with their day side up are turned to their night side, and all tiles with their night side up are returned to their owners.
Example: Blue's reservation tile, played during this game round, is flipped to its night side. Red's reservation tile, on its night side already, is returned to its owner.
Final game round
Players flip their "Ladies" action tile at the beginning of the final round the same as the standard action board. The second visit to the cathedral, on the board's right edge, allows a new action.
- Cathedral: The player may move the bishop to any space inside the cathedral. They must pay 1 Thaler to do so.
2-player game
Leonardo may arrange weddings as well when moving his master painter on the victory points track on or past a space with a dame. Same as the players, he can arrange no more than two weddings; one with a pink dame, and one with a purple dame. But his weddings have no impact on game play; the dames are simply placed next to his action sheet.
Module 13 – The Catacombs
Treasures of great value are said to lie in the nearly forgotten catacombs of the cathedral. The curious painters, upon hearing of them, wish to explore the catacombs while doing their work. By chance, a cartographer is also staying at the hostel, who will happily sell you a map to explore and search for long-forgotten treasures. These treasures could be sold for valuable income, or given to the bishop for additional victory points.
This module affects the following: choose wake up time and acquire cartographer tiles; planning and performing actions.
Additional components
- 25 Catacomb tiles
- 22 Cartographer tiles (6 x 5 o'clock, 8 x 6 o'clock, 8 x 7 o'clock)
Changes in set-up
Before placing fresco tiles, randomly place one face down catacomb tile on the 25 segments of the fresco, then place a fresco tile as usual on top.
The cartographer tiles depict three different times of day on their front sides, and a segment of the fresco on the reverse. Sort them by the times of day, then place the three stacks showing the time of day on the corresponding spaces of the hostel.
Changes in game play
Choose wake up time
The players choose their wake up time as usual. If a player decides for 5 o'clock, 6 o'clock or 7 o'clock, they may pay one Thaler and take the top cartographer tile from the stack for that time; however, it is not mandatory to do so.
Example: The Red player chooses to wake up at 5 o'clock and pays 1 Thaler to take the top tile from the 5:00 stack.
Each catacomb tile represents a room of the catacomb, and at the start of the game they are all covered by the 25 fresco tiles.
The catacomb tiles show rooms of size two (7 o'clock), three (6 o'clock), or four, the location of which is highlighted in red. In order to see where on the game board the tiles indicate, the player orients their tile behind their small screen in such a way that the altar is at the same position as the altar on the game board, as seen from their perspective. Only these are the rooms that the player may explore. There is an arrow on each tile for easy reference.
Important: You may explore a room in the catacombs only if the corresponding segment of the fresco has already been restored already, meaning that the fresco tile covering the catacomb tile has been removed. As soon as a player removes a fresco tile, they flip the catacomb tile under it to the other side. Now all players can see what is inside that room.
Example: The Green player is allowed to explore the green-bordered segments. Likewise, the Red player could explore the red-bordered rooms, etc.
Exploring the catacombs
A player owning a cartographer tile may place it on any space of their action sheet during the planning phase. The cartographer tile covers the two bottom spaces of that location, meaning that only one apprentice may be deployed to that location. If a player owns more than one cartographer tile, they may place up to five cartographer tiles on different locations of their action board.
Note: As always, each player must deploy all their apprentices. In case several players have placed a cartographer tile at the same location, these are resolved in player order, as usual.
When it comes time to perform the action at a location where the player placed a cartographer tile, they remove the tile and may use it to claim catacomb tiles in the indicated segments. When exploring the catacombs, players first check to see which of the eligible segments have already had their fresco tile removed, as the catacomb tile may not be explored until then.
Please note: If a player deploys an apprentice to a location, this apprentice performs an action in addition to using the catacomb tile.
Example: Red has sent 1 apprentice to the workshop and placed a cartographer tile at that location. The apprentice may blend up to 2 paints. The cartographer tile allows him to explore up to 4 rooms, corresponding to the segments shown on that tile. Red can explore 2 rooms only, and he takes those 2 catacomb tiles. One room is still covered by a fresco tile, and one room is empty already.
The effects of the treasures
The players will find statues, chalices, or sacred scripts. Immediately after claiming catacomb tiles the player must decide for each single tile if they want to sell it or keep it for the final scoring.
If the player sells a catacomb tile, they take as many Thalers from the general supply as shown on the tile. Then, they remove that tile from the game. If they want to keep it they put it behind their large screen.
Some catacomb tiles show the icon of the theater, which allow the player to improve their mood immediately. They get to do this whether they choose to sell or keep the tile.
Example: Red decides to keep the statue he just found. At the end of the game he will gain 5 VPs for it. If he had sold it instead, he would have gained 5 Thalers.
Example: The VPs for sacred scripts are determined at the end of the game only. Red may move his painter at the theater up 3 spaces. Then, he decides to sell the holy script. He takes 2 Thalers from the general supply, and removes the tile from the game.
Game end and final scoring
All catacomb tiles which are kept will be included in final scoring. Some tiles give a fixed number of victory points; however, the sacred scripts provide a variable number of points.
Sacred scripts are arranged into encyclopedias whose value is the highest numbered volume multiplied by the number of different scripts acquired — they may thus score a maximum of 25 points. A second copy of the same script does not increase the value, and must be sold immediately after claiming.
Record the VP total on the VP track as usual, before awarding VP for money in current player order.
Example: Blue scores 3 (the number of different scripts) x 4 (the highest valued script) = 12 VPs.
2-player game
If Leonardo wakes up at 5 o'clock, 6 o'clock, or 7 o'clock, and there are still cartographer tiles for that time of day, the player currently controlling Leonardo picks up the top cartographer tile of that stack and places it on any location of Leonardo's action sheet. This round, Leonardo will go to the catacombs. However, Leonardo may not sell tiles, but rather keeps all of them. At the end of the game Leonardo scores VP for his catacomb tiles the same way as the players do. Additional copies of the same sacred script do not score Leonardo points.
Important note: If this module is used in combination with module 15 "The Dome", the dome tiles are placed between the catacomb and fresco tiles.
Module 14 – The Pews
Expenses for restoring the cathedral keep rising, and the number of visiting faithfuls is dwindling. The bishop suspects the shabby pews might be the reason for this, so he plans to restore them as soon as possible (after all, the more people visit the cathedral, the more money there is to restore the cathedral). The painters now have to work on the pews, in addition to the other work to do.
This module affects the following: Market: buy paints and acquire wooden beams; planning and performing actions: restore pews.
Additional components
- 1 Pew board
- 12 Pew tiles
- 24 small wooden sticks
- 4 "Pew" action tiles in player colors blue, green, red, and yellow
- 6 Replacement market tiles
Changes in set-up
Put the pew board next to the game board. Randomly deal the 12 pew tiles face down (VPs hidden) to the slots of the pew board.
Each player takes 6 small wooden sticks (representing beams), and places them in front of their large screen. This is each player's supply, but they do not own the sticks yet.
Each player takes one "pew" action tile in their player color, placing it behind their small screen.
Remove the following market tiles of the base game: blue, yellow, red, blue/yellow, blue/red, and yellow/red. Replace them with the new market tiles which show one or two wooden beams needed for restoring the pews in addition to the paints.
These market tiles replace those from the base game.
Changes in game play
Planning phase
The players may cover one location to restore one or more pews during their turn on the action phase for the covered location instead of the covered action.
Market
If a player purchases a market tile with wooden beams, they take the paint as usual, and in addition move the number of beams shown from their supply to behind their large screen. Only now may these beams be used. If the player's supply is exhausted, they may take the tile, but no longer receive beams.
Restore pews
One apprentice is printed on the action tile, and up to two more may be sent as well during the planning phase. However, each apprentice may carry only one wood beam (meaning a player may spend a maximum of 3 wooden beams in a round to restore pews). For each beam used to restore pews, a wooden stick is moved from behind their screen back to their personal supply.
Depending on their number of available apprentices and wooden beams the player decides how many pews they will restore and with how many beams. The number of beams needed for a certain pew is shown on the pew tile. Once restored, that pew tile is flipped, and the player scores the VPs as shown immediately. Remove restored pew tiles from the game.
Example: Red has sent 3 apprentices, and he owns 3 wooden sticks. He could restore 3 pews needing 1 wooden beam each, or 2 pews with one needing 2 beams and the other one 1 beam, or only 1 pew that needs 3 beams.
Example: Red decides for 3 pews with 1 wooden beam each, and turns over the tiles. He scores a total of 8 VPs, and records them on the victory point track immediately.
2-player game
Leonardo does not restore pews. His impact on the game is that he may close down a market booth, thus possibly preventing the players from acquiring wooden beams.
Module 15 – The Dome
Restoring the cathedral's dome will certainly be a tricky job, and must be completed last. Save your paints, for the painters who take on this challenge will certainly be rewarded.
This module affects the following: Cathedral: restore a section of the fresco and final scoring.
Additional components
- 9 Dome tiles
Changes in set-up
Randomly deal the 9 dome tiles face down (paints not visible) on the 9 inner segments of the fresco. On top of these deal the fresco tiles as usual.
Important note: If this module is used in combination with module 13 "The Catacombs," the dome tiles are placed between the catacomb and fresco tiles.
Changes in game play
Cathedral:
When a player restores a fresco tile with a dome tile underneath, they take that dome tile, and place it face up in front of their large screen.
Example: After restoring the fresco tile, the player takes it and the dome tile beneath it.
Game end and final scoring
In player order, and before scoring money, each player may discard the required paints for their dome tiles and scores the VP for the completed tiles.
Example: At the end of the game, Green possesses 2 dome tiles, as well as the paints depicted on them. She discards the paint, and advances her master painter 13 spaces on the victory point track.
2-player game
There are no special rules for Leonardo to follow when playing with this module.
Module 16 – The Black Market
A poor painter can't be faulted for succumbing to a tempting offer from the dubious merchants of the black market. Their paints, stored in large barrels, are not expensive, but you never know which paint you will get ...
This module affects the following: Market: buy paints.
Additional components
- 1 Barrel tile (depot for several market tiles)
Changes in set-up
Place the barrel tile on the game board next to market booth "I."
Changes in game play
The market is set up each round as usual, with one (4 player game) or two (2/3) market tiles left over and not placed on a market stall.
Market: Buy paints
If the player sent an apprentice to the market, and if they do not choose to close down a market stall, they may assign one of their apprentices to the Black Market instead of the selected market stall.
The following rules apply:
- The player must have sent at least one apprentice to the market.
- If the player decides to close down a market booth they cannot perform the black market action.
- If the player sent several apprentices to the market, only one of them may perform the black market action.
The black market action:
The player draws a tile from the bag and must purchase those paints (plus any wooden beams, if playing with "The Pews"), paying the same price as if buying from the regular market. If they do not have enough money, they forfeit the action.
The paint drawn from the bag is not returned, but rather placed on the barrel, remaining there for the rest of the game round.
Example: The Blue player has sent 3 apprentices to the market. First, he buys 2 market tiles at booth "II," using 2 apprentices, and takes 1 green and 3 red paint pieces from the workshop. He uses his third apprentice for a black market action, and draws one tile from the bag. It's orange! – he is lucky – and he takes an orange paint piece from the workshop. Then, he places the market tile on the barrel. At the end of this action, he returns the 3 market tiles from booth "II" to the bag.
Please note: Just as in the base game, all tiles from a market booth are returned to the bag only at the end of the player's market action. However, if a player performs only the black market action, they do not return any tiles to the bag.
2-player game
Leonardo does not perform a black market action.
Module 17 – The Painters Guild
Painters often are missing urgently needed supplies for their work, but thankfully the members of the Painters Guild stick together and are willing to exchange among themselves. A lucky painter may find what they need at the guild hall.
This module affects the following: Workshop: blend paints.
Additional components
- 1 Guild tile (storage for a basic paint and storage for a blended paint)
Changes in set-up
Place the guild tile next to the game board, to the left of the workshop. Randomly choose one basic color (red, blue, or yellow) and one random blended paint piece (orange, green, or purple) from the common supply and place each on the corresponding spaces of the guild tile.
Changes in game play
Workshop:
Each apprentice sent to the workshop may perform two actions of blending paints or exchanging with the guild, in any combination.
Important: The guild tile can be used only to exchange a basic paint with another basic paint or a blended paint with another blended paint. Pink and Brown paints are not available at the guild.
An apprentice may either
- blend up to 2 paints at the workshop, as usual;
- exchange two paints at the guild. To do this, the player takes both paint pieces from the guild tile and replaces them with a basic and blended paint they possess; or
- blend one paint at the workshop and exchange one paint (basic or blended) at the guild.
The order of blending a paint and exchanging a paint is up to the player.
Example: Red has 3 red paints and 1 yellow paint in his personal supply, and has sent 2 apprentices to the workshop. He uses his first apprentice to exchange 1 red paint for 1 yellow paint from the guild tile. Then he blends 1 orange paint by using red and yellow. With his second apprentice he blends one more orange paint, which he exchanges for green from the guild tile.
2-player game
Leonardo is not a guild member and thus may not exchange paints.