Last Light
Last Light Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 1 rotating game board
- 4 player boards
- 4 colony ship tokens
- 15 alien faction cards
- 24 action cards (6 for each player)
- 7 asteroids
- 32 extractors (8 for each player)
- 20 small ships (5 for each player)
- 12 medium ships (3 for each player)
- 8 large ships (2 for each player)
- 15 unique planets
- 1 white dwarf star
- 20 damage tokens
- 15 planetary ID tokens
- 12 deep space exploration tokens
- 19 common planetary exploration tokens
- 14 rare planetary exploration tokens
- 1 first player token
- 4 reference cards
- 83 technology cards
- 16 planetary achievement cards (4 for each player)
- 4 graveyard cards
- 6 custom dice
- 20 attention tokens
- 30 grey common resources
- 15 purple uncommon resources
- 15 orange rare resources
- 15 large light crystals (value 5)
- 15 small light crystals (value 1)
For most components, the numbers listed are what we've asked the manufacturer to include in each copy but are more than you actually need in order to account for manufacturing variance (or in case your dog eats one). If you find your counts are over or under by a couple of pieces, in most cases, your game will still be completely playable as intended.
Setup
1. Give each player the following components in their chosen color:
- 5 small, 3 medium, and 2 large ships
- 8 extractors
- 1 colony ship
- 6 action cards
Also give each player:
- 1 set of planetary achievement cards (1 of each color)
- 2 alien faction cards (Note: some alien faction cards are labeled 3+ and should be removed when playing with 2 players.)
- 1 graveyard card (with the correct side face up, according to the number of players in your game)
- 1 player board
- 1 common resource
2. Set up the game board according to the number of players as pictured on pages 6, 7 and 8. Any unused tokens should be returned to the box.
The planets (along with their planetary ID tokens) should be randomly distributed to their locations as shown on the map.
The planetary exploration tokens should be shuffled in two face-down piles according to their type, then assigned face down to their locations as shown on the map.
Randomly distribute the deep space exploration tokens face down to their locations. Then place the asteroid tokens and the players' colony ship tokens.
Lastly, each player places one small ship in their starting sector and an extractor on one of the common resource spaces (grey) on their colony ship token.
3. Shuffle the deck of technology cards and place it near the board face down. Then deal 1 technology card to each player.
4. Place the resources, damage tokens, and dice near the board within easy reach of all players.
5. Each player secretly and simultaneously chooses 1 planetary achievement card and 1 alien faction card to keep. The rest are returned to the box face down.
6. All players reveal their alien faction card.
7. Give the first player token to the player who most recently looked at the stars.
8. You are now ready to begin!
NOTE: The combined planet-and-token graphic used on the setup maps is a combination of the random planet icon and the appropriate planetary exploration token icon.
Planetary Terminology
- Inner Planets — planets on the small inner ring.
- Outer Planets — planets on the large middle ring.
- Distant Planets — planets not on either ring.
How do I set up planets randomly?!
Due to the fact that most of the planets in Last Light move over the course of the game, the effect of any given planet's starting location on the balance of the game is negligible. Don't overthink it.
Setup Maps
The rulebook shows a full setup map for each player count.
4-player setup: the four colony ships are placed in the four corner sectors of the board, each with its starting small ship beside it.
3-player setup: three colony ships are used — two in the upper corner sectors and one in the bottom-center sector.
2-player setup: two colony ships are used, placed in opposite corners of the board.
NOTE: The 2-player game uses the variant rules on page 15. We recommend you familiarize yourself with the standard rules before reading the variant rules.
Key
- Colony ship
- White dwarf
- Planet (random)
- Asteroid
- Common planetary exploration token (face down)
- Rare planetary exploration token (face down)
- Deep space exploration token (face down)
- Stacked random planet + appropriate planetary exploration token
Winning the Game
The game ends at the end of a round when at least one player has 20+ light. Whoever has the most light at the end of the game wins.
Playing the Game
Turns in Last Light are played simultaneously. Only the Command action card must be resolved in player order, beginning with the player holding the first player token and proceeding clockwise.
Each round, players simultaneously choose a single action card to play then take the action(s) on that card. Your played action cards stay on the table until you play your Refresh card. Refresh cards stay on the table until all players have played their Refresh.
NOTE: Players always get an action. If — at the start of a round — you have no action cards in your hand, pick up all your action cards except Refresh.
After the last Refresh has been played, and all players have finished their actions, each player takes their Refresh card back and the board is rotated according to the end of round instructions (page 14).
Each action card has a unique effect listed below. Though most actions can be resolved simultaneously, if there is ever a conflict with regards to the timing resolution of actions or technologies, the player with the lower number on their played action card resolves theirs first. If the conflict occurs between players who both played the same action card, resolve beginning with the player holding the first player token and proceeding clockwise.
Overview
Your alien faction will travel the galaxy and collect the needed supplies to secure the most light by the end of the game. The following is a brief description of what each action will do for you.
- RESEARCH: Gain new technologies to enhance your other actions
- MINE: Gather resources from your extractors
- CONSTRUCT: Build ships and extractors
- TRADE: Exchange your resources for other types of resources
- REFRESH: Return all previously played action cards and gain light
- COMMAND: Move your ships and attack enemy ships
Resources (common, uncommon, and rare) are the currency of Last Light. You need them to purchase technologies, ships, and light.
Light itself is your goal for the game. It is represented by the light crystals.
Action Card #1 — Research
Research is broken into two parts (Research & Manufacture Technologies) which are resolved in order.
1. Research
Gain 1 light for every 4 technology cards you have in play. Then, draw 3 technology cards from the technology deck and add 2 to your hand as unresearched technology cards. The other card is discarded face up next to the technology deck. If you should draw a technology card but the technology deck is empty, shuffle the technology discard pile and create a new technology deck from which to draw.
2. Manufacture Technologies
Play any number of unresearched technology cards from your hand by paying the costs indicated in the center of those cards. Resources paid to manufacture technology cards are returned to the supply.
There are 3 types of technology cards which are each put into play in a slightly different way:
Each technology card shows its Name, Cost, Type, and Effect.
Civilization technology cards are played face up near your player board. If a civilization technology says to exhaust when you use it, flip it over until you play your Refresh card. If it does not say to exhaust when you use it, its effect is always on once you have it in play. There is no limit to the number of technology cards you may have in your hand or play area. No player may have two civilization technologies with the same name.
Ship ability technology cards are played on your player board to the left of the ship type they are modifying (see the example board below). Many of these cards require a player to roll a hit when attacking with a ship of the associated type in order to activate their effect. Each ship type may only have one ship ability. Playing a ship ability on a ship type that already has one causes the previously played technology card to be discarded.
Ship mod technology cards are played beneath the ship depicted on your player board and slid under the board so that only the effect icon remains visible.
Ship mods give a permanent upgrade to all ships of the associated type. These mods can give ships additional movement, additional shields, or additional attacks.
- Small ships may hold 1 ship mod.
- Medium ships may hold 2 ship mods.
- Large ships may hold 3 ship mods.
Example: The player owning this board has a ship mod attached to their small ships that affects all (and only) their small ships. They also have a ship ability that activates when one of their medium ships rolls a hit in combat. Their medium ships have two mods.
Action Card #2 — Mine
Collect a resource from the supply for each extractor you have on the board.
To see what resource is collected from planets, consult the planetary exploration token associated with the planet.
To see what resources are collected from your colony ship, consult the icons in any sector of your colony ship containing an extractor.
Action Card #3 — Construct
Construct is broken into two parts (Ships & Extractor) which are resolved in order.
1. Ships
To build a ship, pay the cost indicated on your player board for the ship type you would like to build. You can build as many ships as you can afford to pay for. Built ships are placed in your home sector (the sector which contains your colony ship). Resources paid to build ships are returned to the supply.*
*If you wish to build a ship that is in an opponent's graveyard, you must pay the ship build cost to that opponent instead of the bank and return the ship from their graveyard to play. You cannot build an extractor from an opponent's graveyard.
2. Extractor
Place an extractor either on a sector of your colony ship that does not yet contain an extractor or in the sector of a planet containing only your ships and not containing a previously built extractor belonging to any player.
- You may only build a single extractor with this action.
- Building an extractor does not require you to pay any resources.
- A planet is considered to be controlled by the player who has an extractor on that planet.
Action Card #4 — Trade
Choose 2 of the following actions to perform. You may choose the same action twice.
- Gain 1 common resource
- Trade 2 common resources for 1 uncommon resource (or 1 uncommon resource for 2 common resources)
- Trade 2 uncommon resources for 1 rare resource (or 1 rare resource for 2 uncommon resources)
- Trade 2 rare resources for 1 light
After choosing your two actions, choose 1 other player to gain 1 common resource from the supply.
Action Card #5 — Refresh
Refresh is broken into two parts (Refresh & Claim) which are resolved in order.
1. Refresh
Ready all of your exhausted technology cards and alien faction cards by flipping them face up. Remove all damage tokens currently on your ships. Pick up all your previously played action cards and return them to your hand. (Your Refresh card stays on the table.)
2. Claim
Collect light from the general supply for each of the following:
- Collect 1 light for each extractor you have on a non-blockaded* planet on the outer ring.
- Collect 2 light for each extractor you have on a non-blockaded* planet on the inner ring.
*A planet is considered blockaded if any ships of a different color than the extractor occupy that sector.
A played Refresh card cannot be returned to your hand by card or explore effects (indicated by the "no return" symbol). Played Refresh cards stay on the table until all players have played their Refresh cards, at which point a rotation occurs. This is covered in the end of round section below.
Action Card #6 — Command
Command is broken into two parts (Move & Attack). Each of these steps is resolved independently and in turn order beginning with the player holding the first player token and proceeding clockwise.
1. Move
You may move each of your ships. Ships of every size can move into 1 adjacent sector by default. Ship mod technologies can increase a ship type's movement. (Reminder: Medium ships can hold 2 ship mod technology cards & large ships can hold 3 ship mod technology cards, so it is possible that a ship moves through multiple sectors.)
Ships cannot enter a sector containing an asteroid. Ships cannot move to a sector that is connected to their current sector only by a diagonal corner.
Ships can freely enter and exit all other sectors.
After moving all of your ships, reveal any deep space exploration tokens or planetary exploration tokens in sectors you now occupy with ships. Tokens can be revealed in any order you choose but you must reveal them one at a time and completely resolve the effect of a revealed token before moving on to the next one.
Deep space exploration tokens are removed from the board after they have been resolved.
Planetary exploration tokens remain on the board as they depict what resource their associated planet produces when mined. (A planetary exploration token shows the resource collected when you mine this planet, and the effect earned immediately when the token is revealed.)
Exploration Icons Explained
- Action card icon: You may pick up an action card other than the Refresh card.
- Technology icon: Draw one tech card and put it in your hand.
- Extractor icon: You may immediately build an extractor on this planet.
- Trade icon: You may take a trade action, making one trade only.
- Small ship icon: Immediately build a small ship in this sector (if you have one unbuilt in your supply).
- Move icon: You may move one of your ships to this sector.
- Resource icons: Gain resource(s) of the type shown.
- Light icon: Gain a light.
- Manufacture icon: Manufacture a tech card from your hand without paying its cost.
2. Attack
All players that chose Command must finish their movement before the attack phase occurs; at which point, all ships controlled by those players may attack. Ships may attack even if they did not move. Ships without bombardment can only attack if there is an enemy ship present. Ships with bombardment can attack if there is an enemy ship or extractor present. The ships controlled by players that did not choose Command do not attack. Attacks are resolved sector by sector. The player holding the first player token chooses the order in which the sectors are resolved.
Attack rolls should be in turn order, but all damage is resolved simultaneously. A ship that takes enough damage to be destroyed will still roll attack dice before being removed from the board.
- Each small ship rolls 1 attack die by default.
- Each medium ship rolls 2 attack dice by default.
- Each large ship rolls 3 attack dice by default.
(These numbers may be altered by ship mods or other technology cards)
Players may roll for their ships in any order. Dice should be rolled for all ships of the same type simultaneously. Since your ships are likely to have different abilities, refrain from rolling dice for different ship types together. Attacking is optional, but once you have rolled attack dice, assigning all rolled damage is mandatory.
Damage is assigned to targets by the player rolling the dice.
Place a damage token beneath a ship for each damage it receives.
Any ship which receives damage equal to its shields is destroyed and placed on the graveyard card of the player who assigned the final damage.
Extractors may be targeted by ships with bombardment but only if there are no enemy ships remaining in the sector.
Combat Icons Explained
- Range — the range a unit can fire. Range 1 can only attack in the same sector. Range 2 can attack in adjacent sectors.
- Shields — the amount of damage a unit needs to take to be destroyed.
- Attack — the number of dice a unit rolls in combat.
- Bombardment — Hits from this ship can destroy extractors (but only if there are no enemy ships remaining).
Attention Tokens
Combat is the most complex phase of the game. The included attention tokens are provided for your use to help remember things that you might forget while resolving this phase. The most common uses are to place them in a sector to indicate that combat has already been resolved there or to place them under a ship who has a technology they need to activate.
Combat Dice Results Explained
- Blank: Miss
- Burst: Deal 1 damage
- Burst with ability symbol: Deal 1 damage and activate the ship ability associated with this ship type (if possible)
- Ability symbol: Activate the ship ability associated with this ship type (if possible)
- Burst with explode symbol: Deal 1 damage and roll another combat die, applying its result (this can result in a series of dice being added if the explode symbol appears multiple times in a single combat).
Note: As long as activating a ship ability does not cause it to exhaust, you can activate it multiple times with multiple activation symbols.
Note: Sometimes technology cards can cause a ship to move after it has participated in combat. Each ship may only participate in 1 combat per turn unless the technology card specifically states otherwise.
Graveyard
When you destroy an enemy ship or extractor, place it in your graveyard. As soon as you have 4 units in your graveyard, gain 1 light from the supply and return the units to their original owners. (In a 2-player game, you gain 2 light as soon as you have 4 units in your graveyard.)
End of Round
A game round ends after every player has resolved their played action card.
During the end of round phase, check to see if the board needs to be rotated then check if the game ends. If the game continues, the start player token passes clockwise to the next player.
Board Rotation
If all players have their Refresh card on the table, rotation occurs.
- The inner ring rotates 90 degrees clockwise.
- The outer ring rotates 45 degrees clockwise.
- Align the rotation marker to the next clockwise position to ensure the board is rotated properly.
- When the board rotates, each player collects 1 light from the supply for each ship they have in the center sector (the one containing the white dwarf star) regardless of the ship type.
- When the board rotates, the first player token is passed to the next player clockwise.
- Finally, all players pick up their Refresh cards.
Game End
If any player has 20+ light at the end of a round, the game ends.
The player with the most light wins the game.
If there is a tie, the tied player with the most Technology cards in play is the winner.
If multiple tied players have the same number of technology cards in play, then the player among them who has the most resources wins the game.
2-Player Variant Rules
When playing with 2 players, you must have at least 1 action card already played (i.e. on the table) before you can play your Refresh card.
Additionally, 2-player games include a non-player faction called "The Lumos."
During setup, select an unplayed color to act as the Lumos and set their ships next to the game board. The Lumos will need no components other than their ships.
Add 2 small Lumos ships to the center sector of the game board (in the sector containing the white dwarf star).
Every time the board rotates, add 2 more ships to the center sector. Add the two smallest ships available.
When Lumos ships are destroyed they go to the player's graveyard as normal. When they are removed from the graveyard, they are returned to the box. They are never added back to the Lumos' supply. If you run out of ships to add to the center sector, no new Lumos ships will join the game.
The Lumos are allied to whichever human player has the least light. If players are tied for light the Lumos are not allied to any player.
Lumos ships blockade planets of the player(s) they are not allied with.
When an allied player plays the Command card, they may command the Lumos ships as well.
Lumos ships do not reveal exploration tiles when entering a sector that contains them.
Lumos ships do not use your faction ability — they are their own faction.
When attacking with Lumos ships, roll separately from your own ships as Lumos ships do not use technologies associated with your civilization or your ships — they attack only using the base stats associated with their ship size.
Ships destroyed by Lumos ships that you are controlling do go to your graveyard.
The Lumos change allegiance only at the end of an action card resolution. (e.g. If you were to discover a light during the move portion of command that would tie you with the other player, you would still finish commanding all the Lumos before the alliance ended.)
STRATEGIC NOTE: Paying attention to when you gather light is important when playing with this variant. Controlling the Lumos can be key to your victory. As can making sure you don't lose control of them while they occupy your sectors lest they suddenly begin blockading your extractors!
Timing
TIMING: Most questions we receive about how to play Last Light involve some variation of "how precisely should I time the resolution of my tech card / faction ability / etc.?"
And the very specific answer to this is that players may execute their abilities and technologies during the resolution of their actions (either before or after the effect of their action card). Meaning players who played Research will resolve their actions (and the use of their technologies and faction abilities) before players who played Mine, who will resolve theirs before the players who played Construct, and so on.
Players who played the same action as each other technically resolve their actions, technologies, and alien faction effects in turn order - beginning with the player closest to the one with the start player token and proceeding clockwise.
But it is worth saying here, Last Light is not designed with turn based play in mind. In the vast majority of circumstances, effects that occur outside of the Command step will have little effect on other players and are designed to be done and resolved simultaneously. You must only adhere to the strictest timing resolutions on the rare occasions that there is a conflict between players about whose effect happens first.
Strategy Tip: The best ways to gain light are to build extractors on planets and to have ships in the center sector when the board rotates. The best way to stop a leader is to work with other players to blockade their extractors and destroy their ships.
Credits
Game Design: Roy Cannaday
Game Development: Joshua Lobkowicz
Illustration: Clark Miller
Graphic Design: Christian Strain & Jose David Lanza
Worldbuilding: Kristin Devine
Layout: Sarah Lafser
Editing: Bryan Gerding
Playtesting: Kent & Courtney Parker, Callin Flores, Rob Newman, Trevor Roberts, Catch Fullwood, Kevin Ellenburg, Chris Yi, Mike DiLisio, Steven Huang, Crystal Dax, Jerry Hawthorne, Isaac Vega, Emerson Matsuuchi, Ruthie Dominguez, Colby Dauch, Nate French, Chris Barr, Sam Healey, Rodger Moore, Lance Myxter, Mike Boseak, Jerry Lillie, Shannon Pepitone, Keri Lawrence, Kurt Pankau, James Dunn, Luke Holmes, Christopher 'cignet' James, Chris Kluwe, Clemens Jurgschat, Chris Nelson, Patryk Rurek, Joshua Anderson, Veritas, bufferunderflow, William Newell, Kyle Kennedy-LeBlanc, Gwommy, Daniel Sloan, and many more at conventions and online who took the time to play without regard for credit. Thanks to you all!