Kazaam Dice
Kazaam Dice Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 1 game board
- Alchemist fields in the board corners
- Target fields with the alchemists' favourite ingredients
- 32 Homunculus dice
- 1 Master Ambrosius figure
- 1 obstacle marker
- 4 normal ingredients
- 4 favourite ingredients
Object of the Game
The game ends immediately when an alchemist is connected to his favourite ingredient by an unbroken chain of homunculi.
The game does not end when the chain is interrupted by:
a) a missing die (dice count as connected only when they border each other horizontally or vertically, not diagonally);
b) Master Ambrosius;
c) the obstacle marker.
Setup
Before the first game, the homunculus stickers must be applied to the dice so that each die shows pictures of all six creatures. The stickers should be applied as the diagram shows (a die net with six creature faces).
The ingredient chips are placed as shown on the corresponding fields (colour on colour). The Master Ambrosius figure is placed on the central field of the board. The dice and the obstacle marker are laid out next to the board.
The players each choose an alchemist and decide who begins the game. The favourite ingredients mark the respective target fields of the alchemists.
The four alchemists in the game are shown on the source's setup page: each alchemist is shown with his or her favourite ingredient (a blue alchemist with a grey ink ingredient, a green-clad alchemist with a brown creature ingredient, an orange-robed alchemist with a feather ingredient, and a blond alchemist with a pink ingredient).
Special Fields
Fire fields. The fire fields can only be entered by certain homunculi. If one of the others is tipped onto such a field, it burns and the die is returned to the supply. (The source shows three homunculus faces that may not enter fire fields, and three that may.)
Water fields. The water fields can only be entered by certain homunculi. If one of the others is tipped onto such a field, it drowns and the die is returned to the supply. (The source shows three homunculus faces that may not enter water fields, and three that may.)
Master Ambrosius. The central field of the board is the starting point of Master Ambrosius. Homunculus dice cannot be placed here directly, but a die can be tipped onto this field from a neighbouring field as soon as Master Ambrosius has left it.
Course of Play
- Roll two dice.
- Use the dice result (choose one option).
Only one of the two dice is ever used.
2.1 Two Different Homunculi
If the dice result shows two different homunculi, the following options exist:
a) Place one of the two dice on a corresponding free field of the board. It does not matter in which direction the homunculus on the die faces.
b) Choose a die that is already on the board and shows the same homunculus as one of the two rolled dice, and tip it over one of its edges onto a horizontally or vertically adjacent free field (without rotating it about its own axis). Dice already on the board may be used by every player.
2.2 Pasch: Two Identical Homunculi
If the dice result is a Pasch, there are four different options:
a) place a die on a free field,
b) tip a corresponding die already on the board (a die showing the same homunculus) onto an adjacent free field,
c) move the Master Ambrosius figure to any free field (except alchemist and target fields), to block it,
d) place the obstacle marker between any two fields.
Master Ambrosius and the obstacle marker interrupt the homunculus chain, and no dice may be tipped over them. It is not permitted to completely block an alchemist field by placing Master Ambrosius and the obstacle marker on both sides of that field.
Ingredient Chips and Their Functions
How to Obtain an Ingredient Chip
As soon as an unbroken chain of homunculi arises that runs from an alchemist's field of a player to one (or more) of the ingredient chips, the player may decide to take this ingredient (or these ingredients). To do so, he removes the chip together with the die lying on it from the board. The die goes back into the supply. The ingredient chip goes to the player. With some luck, one can also obtain two or more ingredient chips in one round.
How to Use an Ingredient Chip
Ingredient chips can be used either 1) during the game or 2) at the end of the game.
- During the game:
a) If an alchemist's favourite ingredient is used, the player may carry out an additional move: he rolls two dice again and uses them in the usual way.
b) If any other ingredient is used, the player may cancel the last dice roll and roll again with the same dice. He may not place or tip any additional die.
In both cases the ingredient chips used are removed from the game.
- At the end of the game: the player receives victory points for those ingredient chips he did not use during the game.
End of the Game
The game ends immediately when a player succeeds in connecting his alchemist with his favourite ingredient, or in the unlikely event that the supply of dice is used up.
Victory Points
If a player is the first to connect his alchemist with his favourite ingredient, he receives five victory points.
Should he, while connecting his own alchemist with his favourite ingredient, also create a connection between the alchemist of a fellow player and that player's favourite ingredient, that player receives three victory points.
During the game, players can collect ingredient chips from the board, which can be converted into victory points at the end:
- 2 points for the respective favourite ingredient of the alchemist
- 1 point for each other ingredient
The Last Dice
In the unlikely event that someone places the second-to-last die (i.e. only one die remains in the supply), the game also ends immediately, and the player receives 3 victory points, and only the ingredient chips count for victory.
Scoring Example
The example shows three alchemists, scored as follows (the rows are shown with their ranks):
- Alchemist with the grey favourite ingredient (ranked 2nd): has connected his alchemist with his favourite ingredient (5 points) and collected one pink ingredient (1 point). Total 5 + 1 = 6.
- Alchemist with the green-clad figure and brown creature favourite (winner): his alchemist was connected by another player, which gives 3 points. He also holds his favourite ingredient (2 points), a green ingredient (1 point) and a grey ingredient (1 point). Total 3 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 7.
- Alchemist with the orange-robed feather favourite (ranked 3rd): not connected. He holds his favourite ingredient (2 points), a blue ingredient (1 point) and a green ingredient (1 point). Total 0 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 4.