Karvi: Solo
Karvi: Solo Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Overview
With these solo rules you can play Karvi alone in 2 different ways using the same core mechanic. Both variants let you play the game using the normal rules, but against a simplified opponent. Neither variant requires any additional components.
Variant 1 – Highscore Mode is a beat-your-own-score for you to learn the game and improve your score. It uses simple rules where the opponent blocks spots and removes some cards and tiles.
Variant 2 – Battle against the Völva adds some opponent rules and is intended to give you a challenge where you have to beat the opponent's score.
The initial setup is identical in both variants with some additions for variant 2, which are explained later.
We recommend using Orange as your own color, which will help you to understand the examples.
Setup
Set up a 3 player game as usual with the following changes to the base rules:
2 Locations. Use only 2 raid and trade tiles for each location, as in a 2-player game (but in step 5 still use 3 special rune stones as usual).
3 Action Track. Place 2 blockades on the bottom right of the action track, 1 on the middle beer spot and 1 on the middle provision spot. These spots count as unavailable but are counted when opponent dice are moved (this will be explained on the next page).
We suggest playing the first game with the action boards showing this symbol [action board symbol icon, shown in the printed rulebook]. But these rules will work with the boards with the other symbol [second action board symbol icon, shown in the printed rulebook] as well.
6 Trade and Upgrade Cards. After forming the 3 stacks of upgrade cards, remove the top 3 cards of each stack (helmet, beer and ship) from the game.
Note: Some upgrade cards are less strong or even useless in the solo game. But you can still discard them for gold.
7 Scoring Meeple and Ships. Only setup your scoring meeple and ship. The opponent does not travel the sea nor scores any points.
Individual Setup & Start Cards
Only setup your player board, as shown in the base rules.
The opponent is using 4 dice in total. Use the 2 purple and 2 blue dice as the opponent's dice. To determine their starting positions, shuffle the 5 start cards, draw 3 at random and assign them to Purple, Blue and you. Place all 6 dice (including yours) according to the base rules for 3 players. Also take the items shown on your card. The opponent doesn't receive any items.
Variant 1 – Highscore Mode
Your goal in Highscore Mode is to beat your own score!
You play by the usual rules (see Overview and Gameplay in the rulebook). Whenever at least 1 of your opponent's dice is furthest back on the action track, it is your opponent's turn. During the game, these dice will block action spots. They don't care about costs, requirements, benefits or anything else. Their color is not relevant in this variant.
Opponent's Turn
Take all dice that are further back than your next die into your hand and roll them all at once. Put all blank rolls aside for now.
Then place each rolled die according to its pips on the corresponding spot, counting from the next spot ahead of your next die. Meaning a 1 would be placed on the first spot ahead of your next die, a 2 on the second spot, and so on. If the assigned spot is unavailable, place the die on the next available spot ahead. Ignore all beer costs.
All empty and locked action spots always count as available for the opponent. Already occupied spots and spots with a blockade count as unavailable.
After this, if you rolled any blank dice, place them on the first available yellow, red or brown spot, whichever comes first.
Generally, any die moving past the stop area is placed on the last available spot within the stop area.
Example (printed on page 2): After your turn, 1 purple and 1 blue die are further back than your die so you roll them both at once. You rolled a 3 with Purple so you count spots ahead of your die and place it on the third spot. You rolled a 4 with Blue so you count spots and would place it on spot 4. Spot 4 and 5 are occupied so you place it on the next available spot instead (spot 6 in this case).
Of the dice you've rolled, you first have placed the dice with pips. After that, you place the 2 blanks remaining. You place the blue and purple blank die each on the next available yellow, red or brown spot.
End of Round
As usual, a round ends when all the dice are back in the stop-area (see End of Round in the rulebook). This also triggers the following events:
- Discard all 3 face-up trade cards and replenish them with 3 new ones.
- Remove the top special rune stone on each spot.
- At the end of the first round: Remove 1 random raid tile from each 2, 5 and 8 raid stack and 1 random trade tile from each trade stack marked with the three trade symbols for the first round [symbol icons, shown in the printed rulebook].
- At the end of the second round: Remove 1 random raid tile from each 12, 18 and 24 raid stack and 1 random trade tile from each trade stack marked with the three trade symbols for the second round [symbol icons, shown in the printed rulebook].
- At the end of the third round: The game ends and the final scoring begins.
End of the Game and Final Scoring
Score your end game points as usual.
For your own evaluation: A score of above 170 points is a good score, above 200 is a great score and above 250 is an impressive score.
Variant 2 – Battle against the Völva
Your goal in Battle against the Völva is to beat "the Völva" (Purple), an Automa opponent (a Völva is a seeress with the ability to foretell future events). The setup is the same.
The Völva will use everything in her might to beat you, even using her magical powers (some may say cheat), but still similar to how a real player would perform those actions. She does not care about resources, beer, provisions, strength or any text on cards, but will use her magical powers to raid, trade, build, take cards and score points.
The Völva has 2 assistants: The Blazy is her local helper who is only interested in blocking action spots, drinking an unlimited amount of beer – he will not work on those action spots and points are none of his concern. The Greenhouser is only blocking building spots on the game board and has no dice.
You play by the usual rules (see Overview and Gameplay in the rulebook). Whenever at least 1 opponent die is furthest back on the action track it is the opponent's turn (see Opponent's Turn).
Additional Setup
- The Völva needs a player board. But place only 1 of each upgrade tile above it. Place 1 rune stone at random on one of the designated spots on her player board. Additionally place 2 random rune stones as a stack above. Also place the purple scoring meeple on 0 on the scoring track.
- Place all buildings (trading posts and towers) of Völva and Greenhouser in an empty tuck box. Place the tuck box next to the playerboard.
- Of the remaining trade tiles take 3 tiles with these symbols: [three trade symbol icons, shown in the printed rulebook]. Then shuffle them and place them as a stack face down next to the Völva's player board. Next take 3 tiles with these symbols: [three further trade symbol icons, shown in the printed rulebook]. Also shuffle them and put them ontop of the trade tile stack.
- Do the same with raid tiles: First shuffle a 12, 18 and 24 and place them as a face down stack next to the Völva's player board, then shuffle a 2, 5 and 8 and put them ontop. You do not need the remaining 6 trade and 6 raid tiles, leave them in the box.
Opponent's Turn
Check if any of the Völva's dice are further back than your next die. If there are any available spots in between, the Völva scores 1 point for each of these spots (locked action spots count as well). If only Blazy's dice are further back than yours, no scoring happens.
Example (printed on page 3): After your turn, at least 1 purple die is further back than your next die. The Völva scores 1 point per unoccupied spot between her dice and your next die. Since there are 5 spots in-between and there is 1 spot occupied by Purple and another by Blue, the Völva scores a total of 3 points.
After this apply the exact same opponent's rules as mentioned in Variant 1 – Highscore Mode (page 2), with a few minor changes:
- If you have rolled any of Blazy's dice, place these first according to the rules (first numbers, then blanks).
- If you have rolled any of Völva's dice, place these second according to the rules (first numbers, then blanks). However, unlike Blazy's dice, the Völva's dice perform an action based on the action spot they land on.
The Völva's Actions
Instead of the usual actions, the Völva's actions are different. She doesn't gather any resources, cards, warriors, neither does she care about requirements nor costs.
Raid. When performing the raid action the Völva takes 1 raid tile from the main board, automatically raids (activates) it and scores points for it.
To determine the Völva's raiding location look at the raid tile stack next to her player board (which was set up at the beginning). The symbol of the topmost tile indicates the Völva's raiding location. Draw the topmost raid tile from the corresponding stack on the game board. Flip it and place it on the leftmost empty space of the Völva's raid track. She will only score the points shown on that raid tile but ignore the rest. Then remove the raid tile which determined the raid location from the game (revealing the location she will raid next).
If there are no more raid tiles left (the Völva has raided 6 times), she will raid Francia and score 12 points.
Trade. When performing the trade action the Völva takes 1 trade tile from the main board, automatically trades with it (activates it) and scores points.
As with raiding, the location is determined by the topmost trade tile of the stack next to the Völva's player board. Flip the corresponding tile on the game board and place it on the Völva's trade track. Score the points shown on that tile and ignore the rest. Additionally discard all 3 trade cards in the display and replenish it with 3 new ones.
If there are no more trade tiles left (the Völva has traded 6 times), she will trade with Francia and score 8 points.
Upgrade. The Völva upgrades her ship. She doesn't care about the effects, only about the points. She places the leftmost available upgrade tile and scores the covered points: 2, 5 and then 8. Once the Völva has built all upgrades, she builds a rune stone. If there are no more rune stones left, she will simply score 5 points.
Build. Draw 2 random buildings from the chest with the Völva's and Greenhouser's buildings in it. First you place Völva's buildings, then the Greenhouser's buildings on the location that is closest to Kaupanger. If there is already a building of the same color at that location, go to the next available location, and so on. For any purple building she has placed, the Völva scores points accordingly. Greenhouser's buildings only block spots (and are not scored). If there are no more buildings left, the Völva will simply score 5 points. If a building is placed in Waterford or Vík í Mýrdal, remove the topmost special runestone.
Note: Of course you could feel if you have a trade post or a tower in your hand. Just try to randomize it, without trying to feel the shapes of the components.
Brown Spots
The Völva scores 1 point for each beer or provision she would normally get, based on the number of tiles on her raid and trade tracks. This will be between 2-5 points.
Note: If you can decide between beer or provision action, the Völva uses the action that scores more points.
Grey Spots
If the spot offers resources, the Völva scores 1 point for each resource shown. If the spot offers warriors, she scores points equal to the warrior combat strength, she would get. If the spot offers points, she scores the points.
Locked Spots
Both purple and blue dice can move onto these spots, regardless if the Völva has unlocked them on one of her tracks or not. If she has only unlocked the locked action via her trade track, she scores 2 points (corresponds to 2 resources). If she has unlocked it with her raid track (or both), she scores 3 points (corresponds to 3 combat strength).
End of the Game and Final Scoring
Score your and the Völva's end game points as usual with some adjustments:
- The Völva scores all of her built rune stones. She will score the weaker option for all activated runestones (the one with fewer points). She doesn't care about any requirements.
- The Völva never collects any combat strength, beer, provisions, upgrade cards, gold nor resources. Therefore she always scores 0 for these.
Difficulty Adjustments
Suggestions for an easier game:
- Set up the Völva's upgrade tiles as usual (2 each instead of 1).
- Draw only 1 building when performing the build action.
Suggestions for a harder game:
- Score 2 points for each resource, beer and warrior the Völva takes (instead of 1).
- The Völva scores the stronger option for all activated runestones (the one with more points).
- During setup: Mark 2 beer spots and 2 provision spots with blockades (instead of 1 each).
- The Völva starts with 1 extra rune stone.
- The Völva scores 2 points for each trade card shown on her activated trade tiles.