Gnomopolis
Gnomopolis Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Objective
In Gnomopolis each player pursues a prosperous future for their district by constructing buildings, earning gold and finding accommodations for their gnomes. Each building provides work for gnomes with specific professions. Meet your buildings' occupancy requirements, accumulate coins and retain councilors to earn victory points. Whoever has the most at the end of the game is the winner!
Players: 1-4. Age: 14+. Playing time: 45 min.
Components
- 28 Building cards
- 04 Councilor cards
- 04 District Boards
- 04 Plastic mugs
- 04 Armadillo Caravan meeples
- 78 Gnomeeples in 6 different colors (17 green, 25 brown, 9 red, 9 yellow, 9 blue, 9 gray)
- 12 Mechanical Assistant tokens
- 32 Coin tokens (20x1, 8x5 and 4x10)
Setup
- Separate the 4 Councilor Cards and place them on the table within everyone's reach;
- Shuffle the Building Cards and place them in a pile face-down in the center of the table;
- Draw the top 6 Building Cards and place them face-up on the table to start the Building Offers;
- Each player receives a District Board, 4 brown meeples, 2 green meeples, an armadillo and a plastic mug of the same color;
- Each player must put all 6 of their gnomes into their mug and draw three at random. Put these on the active gnomes area (active gnomes icon) of your District Board.
- In a four-player game, create the Ancient Capital by placing 9 gnomes of each color (green, brown, yellow, blue, red and gray), 12 Mechanical Assistants, and a total of 60 coins somewhere on the table within everyone's reach (see below for other player counts).
- Reserve a space on the table for the New Capital. Whenever it is necessary to acquire a resource, it must be taken from the Ancient Capital's supply first. If the resource is not available there, then take it from the New Capital's supply. Whenever a resource is returned, it is added to the New Capital's supply.
You are now ready to build Gnomopolis! The shortest player starts the game (or choose the starting player at random).
Preparing the Ancient Capital
- 1 or 2 players: 30 Coins and 5 of each gnome color
- 3 players: 45 Coins and 7 of each gnome color
- 4 players: 60 Coins and 9 of each gnome color
Each player starts with:
- 01 Cup;
- 01 District Mat;
- 01 Armadillo Caravan meeple;
- 04 Villagers (brown gnomes);
- 02 Children (green gnomes).
Remaining gnomes will not be used; they can be returned to the box. Remaining coins should be kept nearby; they will be used if the Ancient Capital runs out.
Setting up the Ancient Capital
a) Building Cards pile; b) 6 Building Offers (face-up); c) 4 Councilor Cards (face-up); d) the Ancient Capital, with all required gnomes and tokens; and e) a space reserved for resources returned to the New Capital.
Each player starts with: a) 1 District Board; b) 4 villagers (brown meeples); c) 2 children (green meeples); d) 1 plastic mug; and e) 1 Armadillo Caravan marker of the same color.
Game Overview
Starting with the first player, players take turns in clockwise order until one of the three end-game conditions are triggered (see Final Round and Scoring). When this happens, the game continues until all players have had the same number of turns. The final scores are then calculated, and the player with the most victory points is the winner.
Player Turn
During their turn, the current player performs actions and constructs buildings with their active gnomes (in the active gnomes area) until they decide to pass. At the end of their turn, they move all standing gnomes to their exhausted gnomes area (exhausted gnomes icon) and return all laying down gnomes to the New Capital before drawing a new workforce of 3 gnomes from their mug. Then the next player begins their turn.
Players have the following options during their turn (in the order they choose, unless they pass):
- Move a quantity of gnomes from your active gnomes area onto an unoccupied parchment on a Building Card, District Board or Councilor Card to immediately and completely perform the action shown on it. You can perform as many actions as you like during your turn, but each must be fully resolved before taking the next. a. If the cost has a white "X" over its icon, lay the gnomes down on the parchment and return them to the New Capital at the end of your turn (see Returning Resources); b. If the cost includes coins, Mechanical Assistants or other tokens, place them on the parchment and return them to the New Capital at the end of your turn (see Returning Resources); c. If you use your Armadillo Caravan action, move your armadillo marker clockwise to the next player's district and use one of their actions. That player receives one coin from the supply, and the costs associated with the action are placed on your Armadillo Caravan parchment (see details in Armadillo Caravans).
- Put a group of gnomes on a Building card in buildings supply to build it in your district. (Only once per turn.) a. Stand the gnomes in the Construction Team area on the left side of the card until the end of your turn (see Buildings); b. Gain the gnomes indicated on the right side of the card, if possible. Move them to your exhausted gnomes area (see Buildings).
- Choose to pass a. Return all gnomes that are laying down to the New Capital's supply, as well as any tokens that were placed on parchments (see Returning Resources); b. Move all standing gnomes to your exhausted gnomes area, including any gnomes remaining in your active gnomes area; c. Draw 3 random gnomes from your mug to replenish your workforce for the next turn. If there aren't enough available, once the mug is empty place all of your exhausted gnomes into it and continue drawing (see Draw a Gnome). With this, your turn ends and the next player's begins.
Keep an eye on your opponents! In Gnomopolis, players draw three gnomes at the end of their turn. As such, you may be able to deduce your opponents' future moves. It's a good way to help decide when to construct a building or to specialize your population.
Exhausted gnomes example: Jason wants to use an action on his District Board to earn coins. He moves one of his merchants (a yellow gnome) from the active gnomes area to the corresponding parchment – keeping it standing – and receives two coins from the Ancient Capital. At the end of his turn, Jason moves this gnome to his exhausted gnomes area.
Returned gnomes example: Lea wants to use an action on her District Board to make a gnome grow up. She moves one of her children (a green gnome) from the active gnomes area to the corresponding parchment – laying it down – and moves a villager (a brown gnome) from the Ancient Capital to her exhausted gnomes area. At the end of her turn, Lea returns the green gnome to the New Capital.
Stay alert! In Gnomopolis you must react quickly to your opponents' strategies: some rush for coins or buildings, while others strive for a well-populated district. Be careful that the game doesn't end before your best-laid plans can be realized!
Final Round and Scoring
The final round of the game is triggered when any of the three following conditions are met: a. A player has six Building Cards in their district; b. The Ancient Capital runs out of gnomes; or c. The Ancient Capital runs out of coins.
If any of these conditions are met, continue the current round normally so that all players take the same number of turns.
To calculate their final score, players start by finding accommodations for their gnomes, placing them on the bottom part of their constructed Building Cards and District Board. Each gnome can only be placed in one location (matching the icon's color) and each icon can only accommodate one gnome.
A player's Final score is calculated as the sum of their victory points (VP):
- +1 VP for each coin;
- +2 VP for each gnome accommodated on a Building Card in your district;
- +1 VP for each gnome accommodated on your District Board;
- +2 VP for each Councilor Card in your district; and
- -1 VP for each gnome in your district without accommodations.
Example: 2 VP + 2 VP + 2 VP + 6 VP + -1 VP = 11 VP
The player with the most victory points wins! Ties are resolved first by quantity of children, then quantity of gnomes, then quantity of coins, and finally by player turn order (whoever played first).
Count totals, not sets! During the game, you may look inside your mug whenever you want to compare its contents with your district's demands. Go color by color to avoid having to mentally distribute gnomes to your buildings! It is possible to partially fulfill a building's occupancy requirements; it does not need to be full to score victory points.
Scoring Example: At the end of the game, gnomes that found accommodations are worth points, while gnomes that didn't, cost points. In this example, the player scored 11 victory points: six points for six coins; six points for the blue, red and gray gnomes that found accommodations; and minus one point for the yellow gnome that didn't.
We're always hiring! During the construction of Gnomopolis, gnomes come and go between its districts. They will grow up, work, specialize and work even more – they can even decide not to work for you any more! Gnomes are limited by the number of components, so keep an eye on the supply as the game progresses!
Detailed Rules
Gnomes
Gnomes are quick-witted beings that proudly display their professions through the color of the hats that they wear. Gnome meeples – gnomeeples, to be precise! – represent the population of each district and its workforce in the game. There are 6 colors of gnomes: children are green, villagers are brown, soldiers are red, merchants are yellow, artisans are blue and inventors are gray. A white gnome icon represents a wild card: it can be a child, a villager, or any one of the four specialized gnomes.
Gnome types: Child, Villager, Soldier, Merchant, Artisan, Inventor.
Growing up and Choosing a Profession: Through their actions, children can become villagers and villagers can specialize in one of four professions: soldiers, merchants, artisans and inventors!
Gnome Actions
All the parchments in the game depict actions that your active gnomes can perform. These are performed by placing the indicated resources on its cost (to the left of the arrow) in order to receive its benefits (to the right of the arrow). You must possess the necessary quantity, types and/or colors of resources before performing the action. Gnomes or tokens used as payment remain on the parchment to show that its action has been used this turn. If a parchment has its gnomes removed, however, its action can be used again (see Search for a Gnome).
Always place gnomes standing up on the parchment, unless its action icon has an "X" on it. In this case the gnome is laid down, and, like coins and Mechanical Assistants, must be returned to the New Capital at the end of the turn (see Returning Resources).
During your turn, you can take as many actions as you want, but each action must be completely resolved before taking another. If you decide to construct a building, it can be constructed at any time during your turn.
Gain (Gaining Resources)
Whenever an effect provides gnomes, move them from the Ancient Capital to your exhausted gnomes area – they walked a long way to get to your district! If there aren't enough gnomes still living in the Ancient Capital, take as many as possible, then take the rest from the New Capital. If there aren't enough gnomes in the New Capital either, that part of the effect is ignored (gnomes are limited to the quantity available specified at the beginning of the game).
Whenever an effect provides coins or Mechanical Assistants, immediately move them from the Ancient Capital supply to your district. Coins and Mechanical Assistants are not limited to the number of tokens included with the game and you may use any method to track the quantities accumulated by players, if necessary.
While coins are worth victory points at the end of the game, Mechanical Assistants are not, so it is not a good strategy to accumulate them uselessly.
Draw a Gnome
Whenever an effect provides a Draw, without looking inside, move a random gnome from your mug to your active gnomes area. If there aren't enough gnomes in the mug, take as many as you can, and when it's empty refill it with all the gnomes in your exhausted gnomes area. Continue moving gnomes from the mug to your active gnome area, as necessary.
Search for a Gnome
Whenever an effect provides a Search, choose any gnome available in your mug or in your exhausted gnomes area and move it to your active gnomes area. Alternately, you can move a gnome that is on a parchment: if it's standing up, move it to your exhausted gnomes area; if it's laying down, return it to the New Capital. If there are no valid gnomes available for the Search, it is ignored. You can only Search for gnomes, and unlike a Draw, it will never allow you to move exhausted gnomes to your mug.
Returning Resources
If an action includes an icon marked with an "X" as part of its cost, that resource – gnome, coin or Mechanical Assistant – must be returned to the New Capital at the end of your turn. In the case of gnomes, leave them laying down on the parchment to show that they must be returned.
Buildings
During the game, buildings will provide new actions and accommodations for gnomes residing in your district. To construct a building, you must employ a specific Construction Team consisting of gnomes and/or Mechanical Assistants. Constructed buildings are immediately available for use, by yourself and by other players via their Armadillo Caravans (see Armadillo Caravans). When your district expands, the news spreads throughout the Ancient Capital and other gnomes migrate to your district!
It is a living thing! Your district comes to life when all the different gnomes are busy doing their jobs. A good balance between size and specialization can result in some very intelligent combinations!
Each Building card has: a) a parchment with an action (cost and effect); b) the construction team required to build it; c) the gnomes that migrate to the district where it's built; d) a type, that attracts one of the councilors to your district; and e) its occupancy requirements for end-game scoring.
Construction Example: Thomas wants to construct an Atelier. He moves two villagers (brown meeples) from his active gnomes area to the left side of that card, placing them upright to show that they will move to his exhausted gnomes area at the end of his turn. He moves the Atelier card and all of the gnomes on it to his district, and three children (green meeples) migrate from the Ancient Capital to his exhausted gnomes area.
Grab that Building! Don't be shy about constructing a building whose action will only be beneficial to your opponents: besides denying them this building and increasing your population, it's an opportunity to earn some coins and a good way to increase your score at the end of the game!
Expanding Gnomopolis
Building Offers: The six face-up Building Cards in the center of the table represent the current Building Offers. Whenever a player constructs a building, they must draw a Building Card from the pile and add it to the Building Offers. Each player can only build one building per turn.
Constructing a Building: To construct a building and move it to your district, use a group of gnomes and/or Mechanical Assistants that matches the Construction Team solicited on the left side of the card. The gnomes that constructed the building are kept standing on this side of the card to make it clear that they did not use its parchment action.
Similar to gnomes standing on parchments, the gnomes on the Construction Team are moved to your exhausted gnomes area at the end of your turn. Any Mechanical Assistants on the team are returned to the New Capital.
Migration: Whenever a building is constructed, word of the new business opportunities reaches the Ancient Capital and gnomes migrate to your district. Gain the group of gnomes depicted on the right side of the card, moving them to your exhausted gnome area. Follow the established rules: take gnomes from the Ancient Capital first; then from the New Capital if necessary (and if possible).
Mechanical Assistants
Inventors (and some buildings) provide Mechanical Assistants, whose useful brute force can substitute gnomes on Construction Teams by acting as wild cards. Mechanical Assistants are returned to the New Capital at the end of the turn if they participate in a Construction Team, or if the cost of an action so requires. Unused Mechanical Assistants tokens accumulate in your district, and are never placed into your mug.
Councilors
The four Councilor Cards represent the guild masters of each profession. If you impress them, they will migrate to your district – perhaps leaving another in the process – and open a small stand to assist you. They bring wealth and always provide an extra action, in addition to those of your buildings.
Each Councilor is associated with a type of building. Whenever a player constructs a building, they should check to see if they have constructed the majority of that type. If they have, they immediately receive the respective Councilor Card – even if they are tied for the majority with the player that currently has it!
Whenever a player acquires (or reacquires) a Councilor Card, they immediately gain the migration benefit shown on the right side of the card (usually a coin). At the end of the game, each Councilor is worth the number of coins indicated on the bottom of its card. Councilor Cards can also be used by other players via their Armadillo Caravans.
Councilors are valuable allies! In addition to their useful action, Councilors can provide you with a fair amount of coins and victory points. Remember that to attract one to your district you only need to tie with the player who currently has it in theirs!
Each Councilor has: a) a parchment with an action; b) an icon representing its profession; c) an immediate bonus received when it moves to your district; and d) victory points earned at the end of the game.
Armadillo Caravans
Commerce between districts is possible thanks to intrepid 'gnomadic' caravans, whose wagons full of goods are pulled by giant armadillos! With these caravans, players can access actions in other districts. To use your caravan action, advance your Armadillo Caravan marker clockwise to the next opponent's district and perform one of its actions (other than its caravan action) as if it was printed on the caravan parchment on your own District Board. Players earn one coin from the supply whenever an opponent uses an action in their district. You must always advance your caravan marker: you cannot use your caravan in the same district twice in a row, unless you are playing a two-player game. Remember to place the costs for the action on your own district's caravan parchment to show that it has been used this turn.
Solo Game
You can play Gnomopolis by yourself using the basic rules for two players. Using just your district, you will try to maximize your score before triggering any of the three end-game conditions. How many points can you score?
Alternatively, you can play one of the publisher's online scenarios, with puzzles and campaigns designed exclusively to challenge you. Subscribe to be notified when new content is made available at: http://bit.ly/gnomopolis.
Player Turn Summary
You have the following options during your turn:
- Perform actions with active gnomes (one action at a time);
- Construct a building using active gnomes (once, at any point during your turn).
Check to see if a Councilor will move to your district;
- End your turn: a. Return all gnomes laying down on parchment actions to the New Capital. b. Return all tokens used this turn to the New Capital. c. Move all gnomes standing on parchment actions and buildings to your exhausted gnomes area. d. Draw 3 gnomes from your mug, moving them to your active gnomes area. Your turn ends and the next player's begins.
Important Terms
- Active Gnomes Area: Where gnomes that are ready to work wait during your turn.
- Exhausted Gnomes Area: Where gnomes rest after working or migrating to your district.
- Construction Team: Profession (color) and quantity of gnomes required to construct a building.
- Migration: Quantity and profession (color) of gnomes that will move to your district after constructing a building.
- Draw: Move one gnome at random from your mug to your active gnomes area.
- Search: Choose one gnome from your mug or your exhausted gnomes area and move it to your active gnomes area, or move one working gnome to your exhausted gnomes area.
- Mechanical Assistants: Robotic automatons that can substitute gnomes when constructing a building. Returned to the New Capital after use.
Credits and Acknowledgements
Game Design: Igor Knop and Patrick Matheus Art Direction: Patrick Matheus Illustrations: Marcelo Bastos Iconography: Luis Brueh and Marcelo Bastos Graphic Design: Cristiano Cuty, Igor Knop and Marcelo Bastos Rulebook: Igor Knop Rulebook layout: Cristiano Cuty English Translation and Revision: Ron Halliday Review: Bianca Melyna (Portuguese), Luis Francisco, Kleber Bertazzo and Marcelo Oliveira (English) Publisher & Commercial: Conclave Editora
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