Loot (2024)
Loot (2024) Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Components
- 1 pad of game sheets
- 4 pencils
- 3 dice
- 4 player figures
- Plus 1 small dice table on the back of the box
Aim of the Game
In LOOT you will roll dice to criss-cross the convention floor at SPIEL in Essen, Germany, while visiting the most interesting convention booths.
The winner is whoever ends up having seen the most of the convention by the game's end.
Game Setup
To begin, each take 1 game sheet, 1 pencil, and 1 player figure. Place your figure on any square at the edge of the grid located on the left of your sheet.
Pick a player to roll all 3 dice and place them, in any order, on the three spaces (», ›, !) of the small dice table on the back of the box (see the example to the right).
How to Play
A turn consists of each player simultaneously moving their figure horizontally or vertically on their personal convention grid. The die on space ! of the dice table (from now on referred to as the "active die") dictates the number of squares moved.
The 2 other dice (on spaces › and ») are not relevant to the current turn. They do however preview the number of squares to be moved in the following 2 turns, thus allowing you to plan ahead.
The following rules apply to moving the player figures:
- You must move your figure by exactly as many squares as the number shown on the active die.
- You can only move your figure horizontally or vertically, without changing direction.
- You must mark the square where your figure lands with a diagonal line (a slash). If there is already a slash on the square, you must mark it again with a backslash to form a cross.
- Your figure cannot land on a square that already has a cross on it. In other words, your figure cannot occupy any one square 3 times.
- You cannot move your figure off the edge of the grid.
- If you cannot move your figure (because it can only reach crossed squares or would leave the grid), place it on any unmarked square (without any slashes) and do not mark this square.
Example: The player figure in the image to the right can currently only move to those squares that have been circled. If the active die showed a 5 or a 6, then the figure would have no legal moves because it would have to leave the grid. If, however, the active die showed a 3, the figure could only move upwards because it would leave the grid to the right and would land on a cross to the left or downwards. Whereas, if the active die showed a 1, you could either move left or up and mark one of these squares with its first slash, or move right or down and mark one of those squares for the second time.
A New Turn
After everyone has taken their turn according to the number shown on the active die, pick someone to reroll this die and slot it into space » on the dice table, thus pushing die » into space › and die › into space !. The die on space ! becomes the new active die, dictating the number of squares to be moved in the current turn, while the new die » indicates the movement for 2 turns from now.
Points and Abilities
A square (or booth) counts as "visited" once you have marked it with at least 1 slash. You can score points or even unlock new abilities by achieving certain booth combos (mark points and abilities with a circle).
To explain combos, let's take a look at the circled spaces in the below example from a game in progress. In the example, the convention grid is marked A, the combo grid is marked B, the Meeps track is marked C, and the points track is marked D.
- Each row or column that you complete on the convention grid A by visiting all its booths (marking them with a slash or cross) gains you 3 points (see the circled 3 at the top right of the grid).
- Each white Meeps square that you visit on the convention grid A either gains you 1-5 points or an ability you can use once in a later turn. Mark off these points and abilities on the Meeps track C.
- Each connected group of identically-colored squares on grid A (there are groups of 1, 2, 3, and 4 squares) scores you 1, 2, 3 or 4 points, respectively, when you complete them. Mark off these points on the combo grid B on the right.
- Once you have circled the required number of spaces in a row or column (2 circles, or 3 circles), you gain either 3 points or an ability.
Immediately circle any points you score in a turn in the appropriate place on A, B or C and note the total for that turn in a single space on your points track D. Start recording your points in the starting space and write your points for each following turn in the next empty space on the track. Always write your current total score, adding the points for each new turn to your previous total.
If you score points from multiple sources in a single turn (e.g. a completed row in A, a circled space in B etc.), you must still add all of them together and note them in a single space on the points track.
As mentioned above, circling some spaces unlocks one-off abilities instead of scoring points. Unlocked abilities provide you with a little advantage for moving your figure on the convention grid. Cross off each ability after you use it to show that it has been exhausted. You can only use 1 of your circled abilities per turn. You cannot combine 2 or more abilities.
There are 2 different abilities (the source shows them only as icons; the bold labels below are the transcriber's, added for readability):
- Beyond the edge: Your figure can move beyond the convention grid's edge, continuing its movement on the opposite side.
- +/- 1 square: You can move your figure 1 square more or less than the number on the active die.
Game End
As soon as 1 player has recorded points in the penultimate space on their points track, the game ends. That player scores a bonus 3 points, which they add to their previous total and write down in the last space on their points track. Everyone else writes their final score into the last space without adding a bonus. Whoever now has the most total points wins the game.
In case of a tie, count the number of crosses on your convention grid. The tied player with the most crosses wins the game. If there is still a tie, everybody wins.