HerStory Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Game Setup
• Playing the Game
  • 1. Research
  • 1a. Go to the Library
  • 2. Draft a Chapter
  • 3. Complete a Chapter
  • 3a. Exact Bonus
  • 4. Using Chapter Card Powers
    • 4a. Symbol Powers
    • 4b. Text Powers
• 5. Game's End
• 6. Your Book Is Complete
• Credits
  • HerStory Educator Advisors
  • Meet Our Student Researchers

Components

• 1 Neoprene Mat (called the Idea Board)
• 5 Player Boards (Desks)
• 5 Wood Pushpins
• 120 Chapter Cards
• 52 Research Tokens
• 1 Drawstring Bag
• 5 Library Cards
• 5 Player Aids

Game Setup

1. Place the Idea Board in the center of the table.

2. Shuffle the Chapter Deck and place it next to the Idea Board. Then draw 5 Chapter Cards and place them face up on the Idea Board.

3. Place the Research Tokens in the bag and shuffle them. Then draw 6 Research Tokens and place them on the Idea Board as shown.

4. Give each player a Pushpin and place it next to the Scoring Track's Start space.

5. Give each player a Desk matching their Pushpin's color and place it in front of them.

   Younger players, or anyone who may struggle to read text upside down, should take a place at the table so Chapter Cards are face up.

6. Chapter Cards will be written and stacked on top of each other in this area referred to as your book.

7. Give each player a Library Card and a Player Aid.

All numbers inside circles indicate Victory Points.

Playing the Game

Taking a Turn. HerStory is played in rounds. Each player takes one turn per round, starting with the player who last finished reading a book and going clockwise.

On your turn, you must take one of the following actions:

1. Research: Take one Research Token
2. Draft a Chapter: Add a Chapter Card to an empty Drafting Area
3. Complete a Chapter: Add a Chapter Card to your book

1. Research

To Research, take one Research Token from the Idea Board and place it in one of the empty spots for them on your Desk. If you take a Research Token when there are no empty spots on your desk, discard one to make room for it.

Then replace that Research Token from the bag to refill the Idea Board.

If the Research Token bag becomes empty, put the discarded Tokens into the bag and shake the bag to shuffle them.

Research Tokens have symbols on them that stand for different aspects of your research:

• Reading
• Thinking
• Interviewing
• Searching

The research you do determines what Chapters you can write. See "Complete a Chapter."

1a. Go to the Library

Twice per game before you take a Research Token, you may "Go to the Library."

1. Discard all 6 Tokens on the Idea Board, and draw a new set of 6 from the bag to replace them. Then take a Research Token as usual.
2. The first time you do this, flip your Library Card over to indicate you've gone to the Library once.
3. The second time, discard your Library Card to the side of the Idea Board to indicate you've used your Library Card for the last time.

HerStory includes a Player Aid for each player.

2. Draft a Chapter

You may only take this action if at least one of your two Draft Areas is empty. If so, you may take a Chapter Card from the Idea Board, place it in an empty Draft Area, and move your Scoring Marker 2 points on the Scoring Track. Then draw a new Chapter Card from the deck and place it on the Idea Board so there are again 5 cards there.

Move your Pushpin 2 spaces on the Scoring Track when Drafting a Chapter.

Drafting a Chapter allows you to reserve a Chapter Card you're not able to complete yet, so no one else can complete it before you can.

3. Complete a Chapter

You may complete a Chapter from EITHER the Idea Board OR from your Drafts.

Research symbols appear on the right side of each Chapter Card. These are the research requirements for completing that Chapter.

To complete a Chapter, you must discard one or more Research Tokens from your Desk, which contain all of the Chapter's research requirements. Discard them into a pile next to the Idea Board.

It's okay to discard extra symbols, but you may not discard tokens with none of the required symbols.

For example, to complete a Chapter that requires three pink symbols and three yellow symbols, you would need to discard three pink and three yellow symbols, and could do so by discarding Tokens from your Desk that carry those symbols.

After discarding Research Tokens, move the Chapter Card to the lowest empty space in your book, which is the vertical column of card spaces in the center of your Desk.

You may only complete one Chapter Card into your book on each turn.

Then draw a new Chapter Card from the deck and place it on the Idea Board so there are again 5 cards there.

When you write a Chapter, score the points shown in the upper left-hand corner of the Chapter Card by moving your Pushpin on the Scoring Track.

3a. Exact Bonus

When you discard Research Tokens to complete a Chapter, if you discard exactly the symbols required, and no others, score 3 additional points.

For example, if a Chapter requires 3 pink symbols and 3 yellow symbols, and the player discards three tokens containing these exact symbols and no others, they score 3 additional points.

When you complete a Chapter, place it in your book higher than the last one you completed, covering it except for the space below the character's name.

4. Using Chapter Card Powers

At the bottom of some Chapter Cards are powers. After you complete a Chapter, on later turns, you may use its power. Many powers can be used on multiple turns. There are 2 kinds:

4a. Symbol Powers

These consist of 1 or 2 research symbols. Each Symbol Power acts as a permanent Research Token, which you can choose to use to complete future Chapters. When a card has two research symbols on it, you must use both or neither. You may not use only one of them.

4b. Text Powers

These are powers written in text. Some text powers are Endgame Powers. These start with "At game's end…" These powers allow you to score additional points after the game has ended. Other text powers start with "If you're in last…", or "If you're not leading…". In both cases, you may not use these when you're tied for last, or tied for leading.

5. Game's End

Once a player has completed their 8th Chapter, finish the current round so all players have taken the same number of turns. Then each player adds to their score any endgame points earned from endgame powers. The player with the most Victory Points wins!

If there's a tie, the player with the most total points on their Chapter Cards wins. If still tied, the tied players are co-winners.

Example of endgame scoring: In this example, the player has a power that gives them 2 points for each research token they haven't spent at game's end. Since they have two tokens remaining they receive 4 points.

6. Your Book Is Complete

Finally: Collect your Chapters together, turn them over, and place your Player Aid face-down on top.

You now hold in your hands your finished book! Choose one of your favorite Chapters from your book to read aloud so all players can learn about these iconic women of history.

Credits

Game Design: Nick Bentley, Danielle Reynolds, Emerson Matsuuchi

Game Development: Nick Bentley, Danielle Reynolds, Charlie Bink, Kristi B.

Illustration: Eunice Adeyi, Cristina Arctor

Graphic Design: Paolo Voto, Nayeli Acuña

Creative Direction: Alfredo Rodriguez, Cristina Arctor, Gonzalo Aguirre Bisi

Content Director: Stacy Tornio

Writers: Jill Staake, Summer McDonald, Elizabeth Russell, Ellie Piper

Playtesters: Alyssa Jacobs, Ashley Hampton, Beneeta Kaur, Brandon Stutsman, Brett Kitani, Chelsea Campbell, Florence Ng, Gonzalo Aguirre Bisi, Jess Motyl-Szary, Joshua L Godwin, Kali Reynolds, Laura Vallance, Margaret Doss, Marisa Peña, Mason Hopkins, Mike Belsole, Natasha Iris, Nate McEvoy, Rob Reynolds, Rochelle Radawiec, Stacy Tornio, Sydney Dean, Tyler DeMarcus, Tyler Oberle, and many other members of the Underdog Games Advisors and Online Playtest Groups.

HerStory Educator Advisors

We'd like to thank our advisors for this game. After starting with more than 300 names, they narrowed them to 120 through a careful selection process—you can learn more about it at HerStorytheGame.com. These advisors are all teachers, from pre-K through college, and they helped us create a diverse list of both well-known and underrepresented women.

Meet Our Student Researchers

Also a special thanks to our student research assistants at Lighthouse Middle School in Minnesota. They worked tirelessly for months, reading and researching these women. They dug up some amazing facts for us to share with you.

Thanks to all of our advisors, playtesters, and supporters for your amazing input. This game is better because of you.

© Copyright 2022 Underdog Games LLC. All rights reserved.