Luthier
Luthier Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Components
- Game Setup
- Player Setup
- Workbench Board
- Game Overview
- Resources
- Tracks
- Styles of Music
- Personal Goals
- Start of Round
- Gifts & Patience
- Planning Phase
- Resolution Phase
- Market
- End of Round
- Specialty Workers
- Main Board Locations
- Salon
- Patron
- Guild
- Instruments
- Perform
- Performance Skill Track
- Repair
- Craft Skill Track
- Balcony
- Reputation Track
- Public Awards
- Workbench Location
- Completing Patrons
- Orchestra
- End of Game Scoring
- Credits
- Luthier Legacies
- Goals
- Awards
- Patron Powers
- Board Tracks
- Board Locations
- Key Term Glossary
Components
- 1 Main Board
- 1 Market Board
- 1 Resolution Board
- 4 Reversible Player Boards
- 1 Round Tracker Dome
- 1 Round Tracker
- 4 Score Modifier Tokens (1 per color)
- 2 1-2 Player Cover-up Tiles
- 15 Public Award Tiles
- 8 Luthier Family Portrait Tiles
- 8 Player Aids
- 1 Solo Aid
- 1 Rulebook
- 1 The Rehearsal
- 9 Royal Patron Cards
- 18 Patron Cards A
- 12 Patron Cards B
- 39 Instrument Cards
- 24 Performance Cards
- 24 Repair Cards
- 21 Specialty Worker Cards
- 18 Personal Goal Cards
- 18 AI Action Cards
- 8 AI Guild Cards
- 9 Orchestra Setup Cards
- 16 Market Cards
- 4 Multiplier Cards
- 20 Worker Chips (5 per color)
- 12 Specialty Worker Chips (3 per color)
- 12 Apprentice Chips (3 per color)
- 32 Performance Tokens (8 per color)
- 32 Repair Tokens (8 per color)
- 12 Award Markers (3 per color)
- 32 Instrument Tokens (8 per color)
- 16 Family Crest Tokens (4 per color)
- 4 Prestige Point Trackers (1 per color)
- 4 Market Cart Tokens (1 per color)
- 12 Player Cubes (3 per color)
- 84 Material Cubes (30 white, 30 natural wood, 24 bronze)
- 5 Performance Dice (1 purple, 2 black, 2 white)
- 24 Inspiration Tokens
- Coins (30 $1; 20 $5; 15 $10)
Game Setup
-
Place the main board in the center of the table.
-
Mix the public award tiles, then randomly draw and place tiles face up at the top of the board. For 4-player games use 4 tiles and for 2-3 players use 3. Return the rest to the box. Complete the two player additional setup steps now if playing with two players.
-
Shuffle the following decks, then place facedown on the main board: patron cards A on top of B (a), instrument cards (b), performance cards (c), and repair cards (d). Shuffle the patron A and B decks separately, placing B down first and A on top of it.
-
Draw and fill all patron card, instrument card, performance card and repair card slots. Only fill the 3-4 and 4 spaces when playing with that number of players.
-
Place the round track token on round 1.
-
Set the round 1 market card (M1) aside, face down, then shuffle the rest of the market deck and place it face down on the round 1 card. Then flip the market deck face up so the round 1 card is revealed and place it on the market location. The round 1 card has average prices.
-
Shuffle the following decks and remove cards until each deck size is equal to players plus one:
- Royal Patron Deck
- Reputation Specialty Worker Deck
- Performance Skill Specialty Worker Deck
- Craft Skill Specialty Worker Deck
Return removed cards to the box and place these four decks face down nearby. A 4-player game would include 5 cards in each of these decks.
-
Place resources within reach of all players. This includes coins, materials (animal, wood, metal), and inspiration.
-
Place the five performance dice (two white, two black, one purple) near the main board.
Details about the locations on the main board and their actions start on p. 14.
Two Player Additional Setup
Randomly draw one Orchestra setup card:
- Lay the 1-2 Player cover-up tiles over the Perform (3.c) and Repair (3.d) location spots, covering the draw deck space and next card space.
- Set aside tokens in one color to use as spare tokens.
- Place spare instrument, performance, and repair tokens in the relevant spaces of the Orchestra, occupying the First Chairs.
- Remove one of each instrument card from the deck for each instrument token placed in the Orchestra. For example, if an instrument token is placed on the Cello space, remove one of the two Cello cards.
- Place spare award markers on the 3 public award tiles, blocking the designated achievement level.
- Discard the Orchestra setup cards to the box.
Orchestra Setup Example: Place spare tokens in corresponding First Chairs in the Orchestra. Place spare award markers on public awards tiles. Ex: Filling award tiles from left to right, cover the left-most tile's middle award spot, the next tile's left-most award spot, and the final tile's right-most award spot.
Alternative Two Player Setup Using Solo AI
If you'd prefer to add a third player into your two player games of Luthier, you can play against the solo AI. Do not complete the two player additional setup steps above. Instead, set up the game for 3 players, replacing one of the players with the AI. See solo rule booklet for how to run the AI.
Player Setup
- Give each player the following, in their color:
- a. Workbench Player Board
- b. Award markers (3)
- c. Worker chips (1-5 and 3 specialty chips)
- d. Apprentice chips (3)
- e. Family crest tokens (4)
- f. Cubes (3)
- g. Market cart token
- h. Prestige point tracker
- i. Instrument, performance, and repair tokens
- j. Player reference cards (2) not pictured
- k. Score modifier token
- Place in the following locations:
- Award markers on their workbench board icons
- Worker chips #1, #3, and #5 near workbench board
- Cube on each of the left-most patron patience rows on their workbench board
- Prestige point tracker on the 0 space of the score track
Mainboard placements:
- a. One family crest token on Turn Order Track in the Balcony (turn order will be set later)
- b. One family crest token on the left-most Reputation Track spot
- c. One family crest token on the bottom-most Performance Skill Track spot
- d. One family crest token on the bottom-most Craft Skill Track spot
- e. Market cart token to the left of the Market Board
- f. Apprentice chips near the Market Board
- Set aside the following near your workbench for later access:
- Worker chips #2 and #4
- Specialty worker chips
- Instrument, performance, and repair tokens
- Score Modifier Token
- Deal each player the following:
- I. 2 instrument cards
- II. 2 patron cards
- III. 2 luthier family tiles
- IV. 4 personal goals
- Each player should then do the following, in any order:
- Choose one of the two luthier family tiles, returning the other to the box.
- Place the luthier family tile in top left location of workbench player board, face down so the setup information is visible
- Take starting resources as printed on the tile
- Choose two of the four personal goal cards, returning the others to the box.
- Choose one instrument card, returning the other to the bottom of the instrument deck.
- Choose one patron card and immediately place it in one of their workbench patron portrait spaces, receiving the placement bonus (4 money, 1 material, or 1 apprentice). Discard the other.
- Resolve the setup on the back of the chosen luthier family tiles, following turn order to resolve any contested choices (step 6). The starting abilities are one-time use.
- Rearrange the turn order markers on the main board:
Follow the numbers printed on the luthier family tiles, lowest to highest. Lowest number will be the starting player. Hand the starting player the resolution board. Afterwards, flip the luthier family tile face up.
The luthier family tile shows a Turn Order Number (lowest goes first), Starting Resources, and a Starting Ability.
Workbench Board
Each player has a workbench player board in front of them for the game. This board has a number of different gameplay functions:
Luthier Family — Where your luthier family tile will be placed.
Patron Row — Where you place active patrons. Each player may have up to a maximum of 3 active patrons. Immediately upon placing a patron card, players receive the bonus located on that space (4 money, 1 material, or 1 apprentice). The patience cube is located below each active patron, which is moved one space to the right at the start of each round. Players receive the gift located directly above that cube on the patron card. See p. 10 for more on patron gifts and patience.
Roughing Bench — Left side of workbench, 2 slots for instrument cards, one spot for worker chip.
Finishing Bench — Right side of workbench, 2 slots for instrument cards, one spot for worker chip.
Materials Storage — Your storage has a maximum capacity of 9 materials of any type. If at any point during the game you gain materials that take you above this limit, you must discard materials of your choice to the general supply until you have exactly 9 materials. You can discard unwanted materials at any time.
Award Benefits — three locations covered by an award marker. Upon claiming an award a player may remove one of the three markers to claim the benefit. The benefits include:
- a. Selecting a royal patron from the royal patron deck.
- b. Gaining the purple performance die on all performance rolls, which provides added resources.
- c. Permanently unlocking three additional material storage and gaining a free material at the start of every round.
Game Overview
The goal of Luthier is to earn the most prestige points over the course of the game. You will earn prestige in a variety of ways, such as by making new instruments on your workbench, satisfying your patrons, performing music, and repairing instruments. You will also be able to earn prestige by completing your personal goals and beating your rivals to the public awards and coveted First Chair positions.
The detailed rules are covered in the coming pages, but here is a brief overview of the game.
A luthier is an artisan crafter who specializes in building and maintaining stringed instruments. The instruments commonly associated with luthiery are primarily built out of wood and include violins, violas, cellos, double basses, and guitars.
Round Overview
Luthier takes place over six rounds. At the start of each round, advance all active patron's patience cubes and receive gifts, and add up to two desired instrument cards onto the roughing bench from your hand.
Each round is made up of two phases:
Planning Phase — Choose which locations to send your workers this round, deciding where you will use your highest skill workers in order to compete for priority at that location and unlock location bonuses.
Resolution Phase — Activate locations one at a time and perform one of the available actions in priority order, such as acquiring new patron or instrument cards, performing, repairing, or making new instruments for your active patrons.
At the end of each round update the turn order, prepare the main board, allocate any gained specialty workers, advance the round marker, and gain new worker chips in relevant rounds.
Score Modifier Token
Place this token next to the score track when you pass 50 prestige points. Flip it over when you pass 100 prestige points.
Running out of Cards or Resources
If a deck ever runs out of cards, shuffle the discarded cards of that type to form a new deck. For patrons, you can add discarded patron A and B cards together for simplicity.
Materials and Inspiration are intended to be unlimited. If you run out of these, use a multiplier card to temporarily increase the quantity.
Game End
The game ends after the sixth round has been completed. In addition to the prestige earned during the game, you score additional prestige for the following:
- First Chairs occupied in the Orchestra
- Instruments left on your finishing bench
- Personal goals
- Lifetime powers from patrons (B)
- Specialty worker cards
- Leftover resources
Whoever has the most prestige wins the game. In the event of a tie, whoever has the most money after converting resources to points wins. If there is still a tie, the tied players share the victory.
Resources
This is any sort of expendable item in the game, which includes:
Materials
The three materials are Animal, Wood, and Metal.
Animal, wood, and metal are the three materials used to craft instruments and fulfill repair orders in the game. Animal, usually the cheapest material in the game, represents bone, hide, gut (strings), ivory, hair, and other animal-derived materials. Wood represents various types of wood such as maple, pine, and mahogany. Metal, usually the most expensive material in the game, represents brass, copper, silver, iron, and gold.
Horse hair is still the most commonly used material for bows. It has tiny barbs that will grip strings giving performers better control of their sound.
Inspiration
A resource used to increase the chance of success during a performance, assist in repairs, access cards in Tier II and III, and reduce costs at the Market. Players can spend as many inspiration tokens as they have in their supply.
Inspiration tokens represent good fortune, charismatic sweet-talking, and extra work spent while burning the midnight oil when the creative sparks are flying!
Money
The resource used to purchase materials in the game, hire new apprentices, advance up skill tracks at the Market, and access Tier II and III cards. Players can earn money in a variety of ways, such as placing tokens in the Orchestra, performing, and selling materials at the Market.
Coins come in Copper, Silver, and Gold.
Tracks
There are three different tracks players may advance: Performance, Craft, and Reputation. Whenever an icon representing a track is shown, the player should move their marker along that track and claim any benefits immediately. When unlocking an effect, some are immediate one-time bonuses and others are cumulative and enabled for the rest of the game. Specific tracks are explained in the sections detailing the locations where they can be advanced.
Styles of Music
The three different styles/eras of music (Baroque, Classical, and Romantic) are found on patron cards, performance cards, and the Orchestra, and can contribute towards both personal goals and public awards.
The vast majority of the western art music canon (performed frequently today) comes from these three periods of music. The Baroque period occurred roughly between 1600-1750, the Classical era between 1750-1820, and the Romantic era over the course of the 19th century.
Personal Goals
Goals offer scaling prestige points based on achievement. Completed goals earn players points during end-game scoring based on the highest level achieved, ignoring the levels below it. Goals are private until end of game scoring. Goal icons are explained on p. 29.
Start of Round
At the start of each round perform the following steps on your workbench board before moving into the Planning Phase.
Workbench Boards
- Gain any Start of Round bonuses.
- Gain patron gifts: Advance each active patron's patience cube one step to the right and gain any resources stated above the new position.
Place up to two instrument cards from your hand onto your roughing bench (the left side of your Workbench Board has space for two).
At any point during the game you may take instrument cards currently on either bench back into your hand if you need to create space for different instruments. Any resources previously spent roughing an instrument are lost when it is removed from your finishing bench.
Gifts & Patience
Patrons award gifts for their patronage as long as they have patience. At the Start of Round, players must advance patience cubes beneath each patron card and claim the gift above the cube. If the patience cube advances to the final space, the patron loses patience and leaves: Discard the patron card and deduct 3 prestige points for each unsatisfied requirement (primary and secondary). Players' prestige cannot go below zero. Patron requirements are explained in the Salon section on p. 16.
Patrons with more than one requirement reset their patience completely each time a requirement is satisfied. Once all their requirements are satisfied, the patron is complete! See p. 23 for resolving completed patrons.
Patronage was crucial as musicians transitioned from the servant-class to freelance artists responsible for the beautiful instruments we cherish today. Some creative liberties were taken to represent some of our patrons.
Patience Cube Example
On Blue's first turn, the patience cube moves one space to the right, below the wood icon, and they gain a wood resource. Next round, the patience cube will advance again and Blue will claim an animal cube.
In the subsequent round, if Mendelssohn has not had at least one of their requirements met, they will lose patience with the blue player, costing them 6 prestige (3 per unfinished requirement).
Planning Phase
In the Planning Phase you will decide how to use your workers this round, including which locations to send your more skilled (higher number) workers to.
In turn order, take turns placing exactly one of your available worker chips face down on one of the location spaces either on the main board or on your workbench board. You cannot place worker chips on another player's workbench locations. If there are already tokens on a location, then any new chips are placed face down on top of the existing chip(s) to form a stack.
You may place more than one of your worker chips on each location space, but only one per turn. In the Resolution Phase each worker chip will act independently, so you will be able to perform the location's action as many times as you have workers in that location following priority order.
When placing a worker chip, you may also place up to three apprentices at the same location, if you have them, on top of your worker chip. Apprentices only increase the skill of the worker they are assigned to.
Once all players have placed all of their chips, the game moves into the Resolution Phase.
Apprentices
A resource used to boost the skill of your worker chips. You may have up to a maximum of 3 apprentices at a time. When placed with a worker, each apprentice adds one to that worker's skill at that location during the Resolution Phase, helping you gain priority over your rivals or unlocking location bonuses. Multiple apprentices can be placed with a single worker. Apprentices are used once and then returned to the Market. You cannot gain an apprentice if you have 3, including those in your supply, those involved in the action currently being resolved, and those placed with worker chips at an unresolved location.
Both musicians and luthiers were seen as craftspeople, so apprenticeships were the primary means to access advanced training. Early in his career, Guarneri was famously an apprentice for Amati.
Worker Skill
The higher the number on your worker chips, the higher their skill, the more bonuses they receive, and the more capable they are at performing and crafting. Your #5 worker is the head of your luthier family, while the lower numbers are their family members taking up the trade.
You begin the game with worker chips #1, #3, and #5, but gain #2 and #4 as the rounds progress, time passes, and your family grows.
Instrument making was often a family practice during these eras. Fathers, sons, and brothers often trained, apprenticed, and worked alongside each other in the family business. Heinrich Steinweg and his sons founded Steinway & Sons in 1853 in New York City.
Resolution Phase
In the Resolution Phase you will reveal all the worker chips in each of the locations, one by one, and players will be able to perform the associated action in priority order.
In turn order, take turns to activate a location on the main board or player board, or go to the Market. You may only activate a location where you have at least one worker chip.
When a location on the main board is activated, reveal all worker chips at that location, while maintaining the order in which they were placed. To do this, lay the chips in a row on the Resolution Board, the bottom chip goes to the far left (opposite the open end), and each subsequent worker to its right. Then establish priority order.
When a roughing or finishing bench location is activated, only the active player resolves that location. This does not cause other players' bench locations to activate.
If you are the only player to have worker chips at a location, then only you get to execute the action for the location. If you have multiple workers, they must still be resolved in priority order.
Once per Resolution Phase, on any of your turns, you may go to the Market to acquire or sell the materials needed to repair and make instruments, hire apprentices, and invest in training. When you take this action, move your market cart token from the left of the board to the right of it, to show that you have taken this action this round. Going to the Market does not require a worker chip. Each player will independently choose when to go to market, and doing so takes up their entire turn, so they may not also activate a location until their next turn, if they have workers left to activate. Turns can continue while players visit the Market to keep play moving.
Resolution Board
Pass the Resolution Board between players according to turn order after a location is resolved. This will help keep turn order clear as multiple players take location actions on a single player's turn.
If a player has no more workers to resolve and has already gone to the Market or doesn't wish to, they may pass their turn. Once they pass, they may take no more actions during the Resolution Phase.
Once all players have passed, the Resolution Phase is finished and it is time for end of round cleanup.
Priority Order
If multiple worker chips are at a location, determine the priority order, reordering the chips from left to right starting with the highest priority, and then perform the action for the location in priority order:
- Determine each worker's skill at the location. If you have any apprentices at the location, then your worker's skill is increased by one for each apprentice placed with it.
- The first player to perform the action is whoever has a worker with the highest skill at that location, regardless of placement order. Then the player with the second highest skill at that location gets to perform the action, and so on until all players who placed worker chips at that location have resolved their actions.
- If two or more players have the same skill at a location, then priority order between these players is determined by the order in which their workers were placed, starting with the first worker placed.
- If you have multiple worker chips at the location, they are each treated as an individual worker, following above priority rules.
Each location has a primary action and locations on the main board have alternate actions. After you have completed a single location action (with the exception of the Balcony), take your used worker chips back. Any apprentices used are returned to the Market.
Priority Order Example
In the Planning Phase, Blue placed their #1 chip on this location first as well as two apprentices, then Red placed their #5 chip on top, and then Yellow placed their #3 chip.
-
Worker chip stack and initial ordering.
-
Priority order established based on skill, then placement. When this location is activated, regardless of who activates it, Red will get to perform the action first as they have the highest skill with their #5 chip. Then, Blue will get to perform the action next, as their #1 chip with two apprentices is the same skill as the Yellow #3 chip, and they placed their chip before Yellow and therefore have priority. Finally Yellow gets to take the action after Red and Blue have gone.
Alternate Action
For each worker location, including the main board and the workbench, players can always take 2 money when resolving their worker instead of another action in the rare event they cannot or do not wish to complete the listed actions.
Market
The materials animal, wood, and metal are available for purchase and sale at the Market. The price of each material is stated on the market card and will fluctuate at the start of each round according to the newly revealed market card.
When you go to the Market you may buy as many of each material type as you can afford, paying the current price stated for each. Place materials bought into your storage. You may also sell as many of each material type as you have in your storage, gaining the current price stated for each. Discard sold materials to the general supply. You cannot buy and sell the same material in a round.
The Market also allows you to hire apprentices for 4 money each and to train your family, advancing on either the Performance or Craft Skill Track once for every 15 money spent.
Inspiration Tokens
Each individual material cube, apprentice, or skill track advancement purchased at the market can be discounted with inspiration tokens at a 1:1 ratio (minus 1 money each). Doing so does not change the sell price.
The market board includes the range of material costs above the market deck so you can see if that material is currently cheap, average, or expensive. Animal costs 1-3, wood 2-4, and metal 4-6.
Spending inspiration represents haggling on pricing and convincing apprentices that the training you can offer them is worth more to them than payment!
Luthiers required specific types of high-quality resonant and seasoned wood such as maple and spruce to make their instruments. Sometimes exotic woods like ebony (which was imported) were used for decorative parts of instruments. Their costs fluctuated depending on availability, geopolitical events, and other factors.
End of Round
If this is the end of the sixth round, proceed to end of game scoring. Otherwise, do the following:
-
Update the turn order track based on the priority order of worker chips that went to the Balcony this round. If players did not place any worker chips at the Balcony, then they will be behind all players who did in the turn order track. The turn order between players who did not place any worker chips at the Balcony does not change.
-
Retrieve any leftover worker chips.
-
If you received a specialty worker card during this round, assign one of your available numbered worker chips to the specialty worker card. This chip is now permanently assigned, face up, to this card for the rest of the game. Take the specialty worker chip with that card's icon from your player reserve.
-
Reset all Market cart tokens back to their stable on the left side of the Market.
-
Refresh the Market by discarding the top card to reveal the next market card.
-
Discard all face-up patron cards, instrument cards, performance cards and repair cards in Tier I.
Note: At the end of round 3 discard all remaining patron A cards from the draw deck to reveal the first patron B card.
-
Slide all patron cards, instrument cards, performance cards, and repair cards currently present in Tiers II and III into all available spaces, based on the number of players. Draw new cards face-up to fill all empty spaces from each respective deck.
-
Advance the round tracker one step and then proceed to the start of the next round.
Note: when moving the tracker to rounds 3 or 5, all players will retrieve an additional worker chip (2 and 4, respectively) from their personal reserve to show the growth of their family.
Specialty Workers
Each track in the game has a location that allows players to gain a specialty worker. Immediately upon advancing to that location on the track, choose one card from the specialty worker deck associated with that track, unlocking that worker at the end of the round. By permanently assigning one of their numbered worker chips to the chosen specialty worker card at the end of the round, players gain a new specialty worker chip with a unique ability exclusive to that worker for the remainder of the game. Whenever used, the specialty worker has the skill equivalent to the standard chip placed on its specialty worker card.
Players earn 1 prestige point for each specialty worker card obtained during the game, as part of endgame scoring.
Specialty Worker Example
Blue has advanced three times on the Craft Skill Track and unlocked the craft skill specialty worker. Because it's the 4th round of the game, they have their #2 worker chip and choose to place it on the specialty worker card they've selected. Now whenever they place their craft skill specialty worker chip, it will count as 2 skill and gain the card's benefits if used to complete a repair.
Main Board Locations
Each of the five main board locations has a choice of actions and you may perform one of them when that location is activated for each worker chip you have there, following priority order. The locations also have a bonus which you will receive after you've performed an action with a worker chip of 4 skill or higher.
The main board loosely represents a Symphony Hall, although we've taken liberties to include various locations that weren't always present in such buildings historically.
Four of the five main board locations have tiers that limit the access of the available cards.
Tier I: Cards that are face up in these locations are always available to players and do not require additional resources to access.
Tiers II & III: Cards that are face up in these locations are only available to players who have passed certain locations on the Reputation Track (see p. 20). Players may access these cards before unlocking them by paying any combination of inspiration and money: 4 for Tier II and 8 for Tier III.
Search: If an apprentice was assigned to the worker chip, players can pay a sum of 10 money and/or inspiration to look through the deck for a single card, looking only at the back of each card for either the instrument type, musical era, or patron type they desire. Take the first matching card found into hand, and return all other cards maintaining the same order. Sending an apprentice to fetch something specific takes time, so after the action is completed, including the location skill bonus, remove the apprentice used from the game, meaning they are no longer available to that player.
Salon
Attract new patrons to support your craft with gifts, or find inspiration and apprentices by networking.
Main Action: Take one of the available face-up patron cards and immediately place on an empty patron space on your workbench board, gaining the placement bonus stated. If you do not have any empty patron spaces on your workbench board, then you cannot take this action.
Alternate Action: Take 2 inspiration and 1 apprentice if possible from the Market.
4+ Skill Bonus: May move one patron patience cube on your player board one step to the left and immediately gain any one gift the patron offers. This bonus can be obtained even if the patience cube is already in the left-most space, so players who placed a new patron with the main action may use this bonus on their newly acquired patron.
All the patrons in Luthier are real people, and some were actual patrons of music. During these eras, all composers performed and all performers composed. However, whenever possible, patron requirements are assigned based on historical associations.
The youngest luthier dons their finery and rubs elbows with nobles and famous composers, seeking a new patron for their family business. The head of the family smooths over delays and reassures impatient performers their instruments will be finished soon.
Patron
There are four different types of patrons. Each patron has a primary requirement which can only be fulfilled by making an instrument of the matching family type. Some patrons also have secondary requirements which are more flexible and can be fulfilled with a crafted instrument, suitable performance, or repair. Players may have a maximum of three active patrons at any time, but there is no limit to the number of completed patrons a player can have. Patrons provide gifts while their patience lasts and a lifetime power once completed. Patrons (A) have ongoing and start-of-round effects, while patrons (B) have endgame scoring bonuses.
Performer — Performer patrons only have a primary requirement, and provide gifts in the form of apprentices and inspiration tokens. Performer patrons (A) have lifetime powers that enhance musical performances for that player. Performer patrons (B) award endgame points for performance tokens in the Orchestra.
Composer — Composer patrons have a primary requirement and one secondary requirement, and provide gifts in the form of apprentices and materials. Composer patrons (A) have lifetime powers which modify various actions and rules in the game, for that player. Composer patrons (B) award endgame points for repair tokens in the Orchestra, specialist workers unlocked, tracks completed, or awards scored.
Noble — Noble patrons have a primary requirement and two secondary requirements: they are more demanding than composers, but provide gifts equal to their expectations in the form of money. Noble patrons (A) have lifetime powers which provide start of round materials, apprentices, or money for that player. Noble patrons (B) award endgame points for instruments or patrons completed, or increase the number of First Chairs held.
Royal — Royal patrons can only be obtained by claiming a public award and removing the award marker next to the royal patron icon on your player board. Royal patrons only have a primary requirement. These patrons provide gifts in the form of prestige points, and have lifetime powers which provide start of round prestige points for that player.
Patron Requirements
Patron secondary requirements can be satisfied by making an instrument of the matching family type, with specific performances (matching the patron's style/era) or specific repairs (matching the instrument type they are seeking). Only the specified performance or repair type will satisfy the patron's requirement. If a performance can satisfy multiple requirements for a single patron, you don't need to specify which it counts towards until you complete that patron—you have some flexibility!
- Strings instrument OR Baroque performance OR Strings repair
- Winds instrument OR Baroque performance OR Winds repair
- Percussion & Keyboards instrument OR Romantic performance OR Percussion & Keyboards repair
Any time you add a token to the Orchestra by making or repairing an instrument or achieving a medium or high performance, if one of your patrons requires that type of instrument, repair, or performance, and it is unfulfilled, you can fulfill it: they are satisfied and their patience resets.
Patron Card Diagram
- a. Patron's Musical Era
- b. Patron Name
- c. Patron Type
- d. Primary Requirement
- e. Secondary Requirement
- f. Patron's completion reward
- g. Lifetime powers on the back of the card match the front
The back of the card shows the Patron Deck Order (A or B) and the Gifts from patron, aligned with the patience cube. If the patience cube reaches the final space the patron will immediately leave, reducing your prestige.
Guild
Obtain new plans to craft instruments, or find spare metal to build your current ones.
Main Action: Take one of the available face-up instrument cards into your hand. You will be able to place it onto your workbench at the start of the next round.
Alternate Action: Take 1 metal material from the general supply and place it in your storage.
4+ Skill Bonus: You may take 1 material of your choice and may immediately place one instrument plan from your hand onto the roughing side of your workbench, including newly acquired plans.
The master luthier strolled past inexperienced crafters who were nervously awaiting their chance to see whether their work met the standards of the guild.
Instruments
Instruments fall into one of three families: Strings, Winds, and Percussion & Keyboards. There are two of each standard instrument in the deck, except for the Violin which has four. Some instruments within these families are also "Rare" (as depicted with a diamond icon)—there is only one of each rare instrument in the deck. The three different families of musical instruments are found on the patron cards, and can contribute towards personal goals and public awards, and end-of-game scoring.
Instrument Card Diagram
- a. Instrument name & type
- b. Roughing material cost
- c. Finishing Material Cost
- d. Prestige value and completed instrument token
This violin is a Strings instrument. It requires 1 animal and 1 wood to rough out, then 1 wood to finish. Once finished, it will earn the player 2 prestige points and a placed instrument token in the Orchestra. See "Finishing" on p. 22, "Orchestra" on p. 24.
Perform
Show off just how valuable your instruments are, or find some spare strings to help you craft.
Main Action: Choose an available performance card. Roll the two white performance dice and add together the results with your worker skill, including any apprentices and inspiration spent. Gain the money from the general supply stated on the performance card for the total score achieved. Some performance levels also provide prestige—if you achieve a score that includes prestige, add the points gained to the score track. Finally, if you score a medium or high performance, place a performance token of your color in the Orchestra matching the style of music for that performance and claim its bonus (see p. 24 on the Orchestra).
- If the performance level was medium or high and the music style matches a patron's unfulfilled secondary requirement, you may assign the performance card to that active patron, fulfilling their secondary requirement, by placing it on your workbench board, directly above and underneath that patron, allowing for the top of the performance card to be visible, and resetting their patience cube or completing the patron if it was the last requirement (see p. 23 on completing a patron).
- If not assigning the performance to a patron, discard the card.
Alternate Action: Take 3 animal materials from the general supply and place them in your storage.
4+ Skill Bonus: Move up one step on the Performance Skill Track. Because you perform the worker action before the track advancement, you will not gain any newly obtained track benefit for that action. If you place two worker chips, however, advancing after your first worker's action may aid your second worker!
Performance dice are scored by counting the number of notes on the face of each die rolled. Don't forget to add your worker's skill and any apprentices used to the sum of the notes from your roll!
Inspiration Tokens
For each inspiration token spent from their supply, players can increase the overall performance result by one. The number of inspiration tokens spent by a player is only limited by the total number they have in their supply. Players choose to spend inspiration after rolling/rerolling.
Luthier's performance types are associated with distinct repertoires of music. The étude, or music exercise books, are examples of didactic music. Chamber music and sacred music are linked with noble houses and the church respectively. The symphony and concerto were genres more often connected with court performances.
Performance Example
During the Resolution Phase, the Blue player activates the Performance location and selects the Baroque performance card (P1). Blue has advanced on the performance track enough to roll one black die and one white. They roll and score 5 notes (4 from the black, and 1 from the white) and add the skill of the worker (3) for a total score of 8.
Blue needs 9 or higher to gain a prestige point from a high performance, so they spend one of their inspiration tokens to increase their result by one. They could have rerolled, but had scored the highest possible notes on the black die and didn't want to risk rolling 0 notes on the white die.
Blue gains 2 money and earns 1 prestige point, claiming the money from the general supply and advancing their prestige point tracker on the score track. They also get to place a performance token in the Baroque section of the Orchestra, and the performance was good enough to satisfy an unfulfilled Baroque patron's secondary requirement if they have one.
Performance Skill Track
This track represents the musical skills players can learn. Players can advance on this track by achieving the special bonus at the Performance location or paying at the Market.
The steps, from the Starting Position upward:
- Ongoing: May reroll 1 die each performance.
- Ongoing: Replace 1 white die with 1 black die (all future performances use 1 white & 1 black).
- Immediate: Choose one of the available specialty worker cards (a worker will be assigned at the end of the round, unlocking the specialty worker chip).
- Ongoing: May reroll a second die each performance (may be the same die).
- Ongoing: Replace 2nd white die with 2nd black die (all future performances use 2 black dice).
- Immediate: Gain 2 prestige every time you would advance further on this track.
The final step in the Craft and Performance Skill Tracks, worth 2 prestige, cannot be obtained through training at the Market. Prestige must be earned, not trained!
Improvisation was fundamental to composing and performing Baroque, Classical, and Romantic music in its time (even if this music is largely performed without it today). The dice rolling is meant to bring the unpredictability of performing into this action.
Repair
Fix, refinish, and repair instruments to showcase your skills, or find spare wood to help you craft.
Main Action: Choose an available repair card. Immediately discard the indicated materials from your storage as shown on the card. If you do not have the required materials (or inspiration) for a repair, then you cannot choose that card. Then gain the prestige stated on the repair card, adding the points to your prestige track. Finally, place a repair token of your color in the Orchestra matching the instrument family for that repair and claim its bonus (see p. 24 on the Orchestra).
- If the repair matches the instrument family for one of your active patron's unfulfilled secondary requirements, you may assign the repair card to that active patron, fulfilling that requirement. Place it on your workbench board, directly above and underneath that patron, allowing for the top of the repair card to be visible, and resetting their patience cube or completing the patron if it was their last requirement (see p. 23 on completing a patron).
- If not assigning the repair to a patron, discard the card.
Alternate Action: Take 2 wood materials from the general supply and place them in your storage.
4+ Skill Bonus: Move up one step on the Craft Skill Track.
Inspiration Tokens
For every two inspiration tokens spent from their supply, players can reduce the material required to repair by one.
While luthiers are celebrated for building instruments, maintenance is an important part of their business. Seam repairs, sound post adjustments, and bow rehairing are all crucial if instruments are going to resonate at their full potential!
Craft Skill Track
This track represents the instrument-making skills players can improve. Players can advance on this track by achieving the special bonus at the Repair location or paying at the Market.
The steps, from the Starting Position upward:
- Ongoing: Rough out two instruments with a single worker action.
- Ongoing: Each worker on your roughing or finishing bench locations has an increased skill of 1 (a #3 worker acts like a #4 worker when on either workbench).
- Immediate: Choose one of the available specialty worker cards (a worker will be assigned at the end of the round, unlocking the specialty worker chip).
- Ongoing: Finish two instruments with a single worker action.
- Ongoing: Each worker on the roughing or finishing bench locations has an additional increased skill of 1 (a #3 worker acts like a #5 worker when on either workbench).
- Immediate: Gain 2 prestige every time you would advance further on this track.
Balcony
Rub elbows with the elite to gain recognition, money, or assistants.
Main Action: Score an available level of a public award that you have qualified for.
Alternate Action: Take 6 money from the general supply.
Alternate Action: Take up to 2 apprentices from the Market if possible.
4+ Skill Bonus: Move forward one step on the Reputation Track.
In addition to the actions and skill bonus, the Balcony also allows you to change the turn order for the next round. Instead of taking back your worker chips placed here during the Resolution Phase, place them on the turn order spaces in priority order at this location. If a player sent multiple worker chips to the Balcony, only their highest priority worker is used to determine turn order. At the end of the round, the turn order will be updated based on the worker chips here.
During the time that Luthier is set, the separation of social classes was even greater than today. Musical performances were also social events, and the balcony was the most exclusive space in opera houses. The closest comparison today may be luxury boxes at sporting events!
Turn Order Example
If the worker placement at the Balcony location occurred in the same fashion as the Priority Order example on p. 12, this is how turn order would be updated:
The new turn order will be Red, Blue, Yellow, as established by the Priority Order, and Gray last because they did not place a worker at the Balcony location.
Priority order was Red first with their #5 worker, then Blue with their #1 (and two apprentices) who had placed before Yellow's #3 worker. During the End of Round Cleanup, players move the turn order markers to reflect the priority order before reclaiming their Balcony workers. Return any accompanying apprentices to the Market.
Reputation Track
This track represents players' reputation as an instrument maker throughout the region. Players can advance on this track by completing patrons and achieving the special bonus at the Balcony location.
- a. Starting position
- b. Immediate: Gain 1 apprentice (if possible).
- c. Immediate: Draw 3 instrument cards, keep 1, place the rest at the bottom of the deck.
- d. Ongoing: Access Tier II cards for free.
- e. Immediate: Choose one of the available specialty worker cards (a worker will be assigned at the end of the round, unlocking the specialty worker chip).
- f. Ongoing: Gain 2 prestige each time you finish an instrument.
- g. Ongoing: Access Tier III cards for free.
- h. Immediate: Score an available level of a public award that you have qualified for. Recurs each additional track advancement.
- i. Immediate: Gain 2 prestige and then move your token back to the previous space, triggering the public award bonus again.
Public Awards
These awards may be claimed by placing a worker at the Balcony location. Each public award tile has three achievement levels with a number of the award's criteria the player needs to have completed to qualify for that level. If the player qualifies for one of the levels on a public award tile, they may place an award marker from their workbench board covering the level and advance their prestige points accordingly. If they qualify for multiple achievement levels of the same award, they must choose which one to cover.
Once a player has claimed an achievement level on one tile, they may not claim another level on the same tile and no other player may claim that specific level, though they can claim other levels on the same award tile. Removing an award marker from your workbench board to claim a public award unlocks the benefits of the removed marker immediately.
Public Award Benefits
Extra storage: Permanently unlock three additional material storage and gain a free material at the start of every round.
Royal patron: Select a royal patron from the royal patron deck. You may immediately place it as with a normal patron, gaining the placement bonus. If you do not have space for a new patron, you may still claim the award but do not select a royal patron card.
Purple performance: Gain the purple performance die on all performance rolls, which provides added resources.
Public Award Example
Blue places their #3 worker at the Balcony in the Planning Phase. When that location is selected in the Resolution Phase, Blue claims a public award level they have achieved.
Blue has satisfied a public award requirement and moves one of their award markers onto the tile covering the achievement level and claims 1 prestige point.
Blue took their marker from the extra materials storage on their workbench board. They now have room for three additional material resource cubes and will gain a material of their choice at the start of each future round.
Workbench Location
Your workbench has two different locations where only you can place workers: roughing and finishing. Together these locations will allow you to make instruments using materials you have bought from the Market, gathered from the main board, or obtained from other bonuses.
If you do not have the required materials in your storage when trying to rough or finish an instrument, collect 2 money and reclaim your worker to use again next round.
The roughing side of the bench represents the initial phase of instrument making when the basic shape and structure of an instrument is roughed out and assembled. The finishing side represents the intricate detail work and the final touches that occur as the instrument is completed.
Roughing
To the left of your workbench board is your roughing bench where instruments are assembled before they are finished. There is space for up to two instrument cards on your roughing bench. Upon activating a worker at the roughing bench:
-
Choose an instrument card on your roughing bench, then discard from your storage the required materials as shown on the instrument card for the roughing bench action.
-
Move the chosen card to your finishing bench on the right side of your workbench board.
3+ Skill bonus: Gain two inspiration tokens.
5+ Skill bonus: Once per action, reduce the material requirement of an instrument being roughed by one.
The bonuses apply to each worker at the location and are cumulative, so a 5 skill worker gains both bonuses.
You could potentially rough out two different instruments in a single turn by doing either of the following:
- Place two worker chips in this location, allowing you to activate this location and take two separate actions following priority order.
- Unlock the "rough 2x" skill from the Craft Skill Track, allowing you to rough out two different instruments as a single action using just one worker.
If you need to create space on your finishing bench for new instruments being roughed out, you may take instrument cards currently on your finishing bench back into your hand. Any resources previously spent roughing an instrument are lost when it is removed from your finishing bench.
Finishing
To the right of your workbench board is your finishing bench where you will finish the roughed-out instruments and earn the associated prestige. There is space for up to two instrument cards on your finishing bench. Upon activating a worker at the finishing bench:
-
Choose an instrument card on your finishing bench, then discard from your storage the required materials as shown on the instrument card for the finishing action.
-
Remove the chosen card from your finishing bench and do the following:
- Increase your prestige by the points stated on the card.
- Place one of your color's instrument tokens in the space matching your instrument in the Orchestra on the game board.
- Claim the First Chair and bonus if it is unoccupied or occupied by any performance or repair tokens, moving such tokens to below the line.
- If the First Chair is occupied by another instrument token, instead place your instrument token below the line in the space to mark that you have finished one of those instruments but it does not hold the First Chair, and earn 1 inspiration or 2 money. See the Orchestra example on p. 25.
Note: Finishing rare instruments always earns a First Chair and the associated bonus! First Chair spaces for rare instruments are unlimited.
4+ Skill bonus: Once per action, reduce the material requirement of an instrument being finished by one.
6+ Skill bonus: Once per action, double the bonus earned when placing an instrument token in the Orchestra.
The bonuses apply to each worker at the location and they are cumulative, so a 5 skill worker with an apprentice gains both bonuses.
You could potentially finish two different instruments in a single turn by doing either of the following:
- Place two worker chips on the workbench location, allowing you to activate this location and take two separate actions following priority order.
- Unlock the "finish 2x" skill from the Craft Skill Track, allowing you to finish two different instruments as a single action using just one worker. Finish them one at a time. Materials and any other bonuses gained from the first instrument can be used when finishing the second. The 4+ and 6+ bonuses may only be applied once per action, though you may choose which instrument they each apply to.
You may give a finished instrument to an active patron to satisfy one of their matching unfulfilled primary or secondary requirements. If you do, tuck the instrument card underneath the patron card, allowing for the top of the instrument card to be visible. Doing this will reset that patron's patience cube back to the left-most space of their track.
If you did not give the finished instrument to one of your active patrons, discard this card.
Completing Patrons
After fulfilling an active patron's last requirement, do the following:
-
Increase your prestige by the points stated on the patron card for fulfilling all of their requirements.
-
Move forward one step on the Reputation Track.
-
Discard all repair, performance, and instrument cards from under this patron.
-
Remove the completed patron card from your workbench board, which will free up that space for a new patron, and reset the patience cube.
-
Flip the completed patron card over and tuck it under the top of the workbench board with the top showing. All patron lifetime abilities should be visible at the top of each card. Lifetime abilities apply immediately once a patron is completed.
The Tchaikovsky-von Meck relationship is an example of enduring support from a patron. Tchaikovsky had the opportunity to step back from teaching to commit himself to composition thanks to the support from Nadezhda von Meck.
Completed Patron Example
Red has already finished a Double Bass for their patron, Chopin. It is tucked behind the patron card to remind them. They know Chopin will lose patience with them next round unless they satisfy another requirement or seek additional time by claiming the Salon bonus.
Red manages to complete a Romantic performance at a medium level, completing Chopin's requirements. If their performance had been too low, they would not have satisfied the requirement. They have fulfilled all of Chopin's requirements and get to claim the completion reward!
Red advances 5 on the Prestige Track and 1 on the Reputation Track.
Red then turns the patron card over and tucks it behind the workbench with the top of the card and its ongoing completion bonus showing. From now on, once per roughing action, Red can reduce the roughing requirement of an instrument by 1 material of their choice.
Don't forget the bonus points from the Reputation Track if you've advanced far enough!
Orchestra
The Orchestra awards benefits for performances, repairs, and crafted instruments. It also tracks crafted instruments, successful performances, and repairs for endgame scoring. It is divided into spots based on instrument type (rows) and musical eras/styles (columns). Rare instrument spots do not have an associated musical era/style.
When a Violin is crafted, the instrument token can be placed in either of the two Violin spots. Each Violin spot spans two different eras, so it can accept performance tokens from either era. Tokens in these spots count for a single era for each award, goal, or patron (B) power during scoring.
The rows are Rare Instruments, Percussion & Keyboards, Winds, and Strings. The columns are Baroque Era, Classical Era, and Romantic Era.
The First Chair bonus for rare Percussion & Keyboards instruments is to draw the top card from the instrument deck, alongside one inspiration and money.
Some artistic freedom was needed for mechanical balance, but the basic shape of strings in the front, percussion in the back, and woodwinds and brass instruments in between mirrors the typical configuration of a symphony orchestra.
First Chair
Players claim First Chairs in the Orchestra by finishing instruments, performing, and repairing. Instrument tokens are placed in the corresponding instrument space. Performance tokens are placed based on their musical style (columns), and repair tokens are placed based on their instrument type (rows).
All tokens
- If the First Chair is empty, they immediately claim the First Chair and take the stated reward.
- If the First Chair is already occupied by an instrument token, they place their new token below the line in the space and may choose a reward of either 2 money or 1 inspiration.
Instrument tokens
If the First Chair is occupied by a performance or repair token, instrument tokens steal the First Chair and claim the stated bonus. Move the other tokens below the line to signify they no longer hold the First Chair. A player's own instrument tokens can displace their own performance or repair tokens this way.
Performance/Repair tokens
- If the First Chair is already occupied by either their own performance or repair token or by another player's performance or repair token, but the active player does not have more performance/repair tokens in that space, they place their new token below the line in the space and may choose a reward of either 2 money or 1 inspiration.
- If the First Chair is occupied by another player's performance or repair token and by placing a new token in that space the active player now has more performance/repair tokens than any other player in that space, they immediately steal the First Chair and take the stated bonus.
A "First Chair" in a symphony orchestra refers to the principal musician of that section. For example, the concertmaster is the principal violinist and leads the violin section. This includes making decisions on bowings for each for the strings sections as well as the responsibility to perform any solos.
First Chair Examples
Each space has a First Chair token position, a First Chair bonus, and space for all other tokens.
When Red repairs a winds instrument, they note they can take Yellow's Clarinet First Chair because they already have a performance token there. They move Yellow's token to below the line, and place their repair token in the First Chair position, claiming the First Chair reward of 2 money and 1 wood.
Later, when Red crafts a Viola, they bump Gray's performance token from the First Chair space in the associated area. Red claims the First Chair bonus of 4 money and slides Gray's token to below the line.
In another round, Red crafts a rare strings instrument and claims its First Chair space and the reward of one material of their choice, one inspiration, and one money. They do not bump Gray because there is space for an unlimited number of instrument tokens here, all of which count as occupying a First Chair for end game scoring.
End of Game Scoring
At the end of the game, you score additional prestige points from the following:
- First Chairs occupied, receiving prestige for every chair held based on the table below.
- All endgame powers from patrons (B) you have completed.
- Each instrument left on your finishing bench is worth half of its total prestige, rounded up.
- The highest level from each personal goal in your hand that you have achieved, ignoring lower levels.
- Each specialty worker card gained is worth 1 prestige point.
- The sum of unused inspiration, money, materials and apprentices, receiving 1 prestige for every 10 and ensuring remainders are money for tie-breakers.
| First Chairs | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-3 players | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 13 | 18 | 24 |
| 4 players | 2 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 13 | 18 | 24 | 24 |
Advance your prestige point tracker on the score track to show your final score. The player who has the most prestige wins the game. In case of a tie, the tied player who has the most money remaining after conversion to prestige wins. If there is still a tie, the tied players share the victory.
Did you lose the game? Don't worry, there's a prize for that too—it's the world's smallest violin, and it's playing just for you!
Scoring Example
Red has the following First Chairs in the Orchestra at the end of the game:
- Harp (Rare Strings)
- Harpsichord
- Transverse Flute
- Clarinet
- Natural Trumpet
- Viola
In a 4 player game, Red scores 13 points for occupying six First Chairs. Red also had a Viola on their finishing bench, which results in 2 points (half of three points, rounded up). Red scored 8 points from personal goal cards, and another 1 point from having 16 money at the end of the game (exchanging 10 of it for 1 point, leaving them with 6 leftover money).
Red scored a total of 24 points during end of game scoring.
Credits
- Game design: Dave Beck & Abe Burson
- Rules writing: Cody Reimer
- Game development: Richard Woods
- Music & History Consultant: Kevin Ngo
- Art & Illustration: Vincent Dutrait
- Solo Game Design: Richard Woods & David Digby
- Main Board Illustration: Guillaume Tavernier
- Graphic Design: Matt Paquette & Co.
© 2025 Paverson Games LLC. Luthier is a trademark of Paverson Games LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Special thanks to our Maximus Magnum Opus backers on Kickstarter: Mark and Fiona, Brett Christensen, Jay & Chantel Varga, Scott Headley, Alexis Ostrander Healey, David Regele, Mykalson, Mark S. Meadows, Becky & Kevin Marema, Tomoyuki Maruta, Ben Stewart, Carine COMPAIN, Deryck Beard, Ryan and Amanda Sonoda.
Luthier Legacies
Leave a lasting Luthier Legacy by achieving and recording one of these milestones! Consider pointing to your achievement with the baton and take a selfie to commemorate that standing ovation!
Inspirational Instances of Reputation & Prestige (record NAME and DATE)
- Craft a rare instrument from each instrument type
- Win a game without any performance tokens in the Orchestra
- Win a game without any repair tokens in the Orchestra
- Win a game where you had a patron run out of patience
- Complete a Noble Patron with only crafted instruments
- Win a game without climbing the Performance Skill and Craft Skill tracks
- Complete at least one of all 4 types of patrons in the same game
- Achieve the high level in three performances in the same round
- Complete three repairs in the same round
Members of the Master Luthier's Guild — IN A SINGLE GAME (record NAME and DATE)
- Score 125+ Prestige Points
- Complete 6 Patrons
- Make 7 Instruments
- Earn 8 Performance Tokens
- Complete 8 Repairs
- Score 3 Awards at Highest Tier
- Have 50 Money at game-end
- Reach the top of all 3 Tracks
Goals
- Strings instruments finished (G1)
- Winds instruments finished (G2)
- Percussion and Keyboards instruments finished (G3)
- Instruments finished from different instrument families (G4)
- Performance tokens in Romantic section of the Orchestra (G5)
- Performance tokens in Classical section of the Orchestra (G6)
- Performance tokens in Baroque section of the Orchestra (G7)
- Repair tokens in Strings section of the Orchestra (G8)
- Repair tokens in Winds section of the Orchestra (G9)
- Repair tokens in Percussion & Keyboards section of the Orchestra (G10)
- Performer patrons completed (G11)
- Composer patrons completed (G12)
- Noble patrons completed (G13)
- Patrons completed of different eras (G14)
- Instrument tokens in different musical era sections of the Orchestra (G15)
- Strings First Chairs held (G16)
- Winds First Chairs held (G17)
- Percussion & Keyboards First Chairs held (G18)
Awards
- Romantic patrons completed (A1)
- Baroque patrons completed (A2)
- Classical patrons completed (A3)
- Patrons completed of different types (A4)
- Specialty worker cards unlocked (A5)
- Repair tokens in the Orchestra (A6)
- Repair tokens in different instrument family sections of the Orchestra (A7)
- Performance tokens in the Orchestra (A8)
- Performance tokens in different musical era sections of the Orchestra (A9)
- Rare instruments finished (A10)
- Instruments finished (A11)
- First Chairs held in different instrument family sections of the Orchestra (A12)
- Instrument tokens in Romantic section of the Orchestra (A13)
- Instrument tokens in Classical section of the Orchestra (A14)
- Instrument tokens in Baroque section of the Orchestra (A15)
Patron Powers
Noble Patrons
- Madame de Pompadour: At start of round gain 1 animal and 1 wood
- Frederick the Great: At start of round gain 1 metal
- Count von Waldstein & Baron van Swieten: At start of round gain $5
- Ludwig II & Nadezhda von Meck: At start of round gain an apprentice
- House of Esterházy: End Game 1 prestige point per Instrument finished
- House of Medici: End Game 1 prestige point per patron completed
- Leopold II: End Game +1 First Chair when calculating prestige for First Chairs held
Performer Patrons
- Francesca Caccini & Maddalena Lombardini: Add 2 to the result of each performance
- Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre & Clara Schumann: Add 2 prestige points to each performance, regardless of level achieved
- Niccolò Paganini & Henryk Wieniawski: At start of round gain 2 inspiration
- Giuseppe Tartini: End Game 1 prestige point per performance token in Strings section of the Orchestra
- Marianna Martines: End Game 1 prestige point per performance token in Percussion & Keyboards section of the Orchestra
- Louise Farrenc: End Game 1 prestige point per performance token in Winds section of the Orchestra
Composer Patrons
- Johann Pachelbel: X+1 skill on roughing and finishing benches
- Antonio Vivaldi: Once per action, reduce the requirement of a repair by 1 material of your choice
- Joseph Haydn: At Market, wood costs 1 less money to buy (does not change sell price)
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: At Market, metal costs 1 less money to buy (does not change sell price)
- Frédéric Chopin: Once per action, reduce the roughing requirement of an instrument by 1 material of your choice
- Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Once per action, reduce the finishing requirement of an instrument by 1 material of your choice
- George Frideric Handel: End Game 1 prestige point per specialty worker unlocked
- Franz Schubert: End Game 2 prestige points per Reputation/Skill Track maxed
- Fanny & Felix Mendelssohn: End Game 1 prestige point per award scored
- Johannes Brahms: End Game 1 prestige point per repair token in Romantic section of the Orchestra
- Johann Sebastian Bach: End Game 1 prestige point per repair token in Baroque section of the Orchestra
- Ludwig van Beethoven: End Game 1 prestige point per repair token in Classical section of the Orchestra
Royal Patrons
- Emperor Joseph II, King Louis XIV & Queen Victoria: At start of round gain 2 prestige points
Board Tracks
Performance Skill Track
- Immediate: Gain 2 prestige every time you would advance further on this track.
- Ongoing: Replace 2nd white die with 2nd black die.
- Ongoing: May reroll a second die each performance.
- Immediate: Choose one of the available specialty worker cards.
- Ongoing: Replace 1 white die with 1 black die.
- Ongoing: May reroll 1 die each performance.
Craft Skill Track
- Immediate: Gain 2 prestige every time you would advance further on this track.
- Ongoing: Each worker on the roughing or finishing bench locations has an additional increased skill of 1.
- Ongoing: Finish two instruments with a single worker action.
- Immediate: Choose one of the available specialty worker cards.
- Ongoing: Each worker on your roughing or finishing bench locations has an increased skill of 1.
- Ongoing: Rough out two instruments with a single worker action.
Reputation Track
- a. Immediate: Gain 1 apprentice.
- b. Immediate: Draw 3 instrument cards, keep 1, place the rest at the bottom of the deck.
- c. Ongoing: Access Tier II cards for free.
- d. Immediate: Choose one of the available specialty worker cards.
- e. Ongoing: Gain 2 prestige each time you finish an instrument.
- f. Ongoing: Access Tier III cards for free.
- g. Immediate: Score an available level of a public award that you have qualified for. Recurs each additional track advancement.
- h. Immediate: Gain 2 prestige and then move your token back to the previous space, triggering the public award bonus again.
Board Locations
Salon (p. 15)
- Main Action: Take one of the available face-up patron cards and immediately place on an empty patron space on your workbench board, gaining the placement bonus stated.
- Alternate Action: Take 2 inspiration and 1 apprentice if possible from the Market.
- 4+ Skill Bonus: Move a patron's patience cube one step left and gain any one gift they offer.
Guild (p. 16)
- Main Action: Take one of the available face-up instrument cards into your hand.
- Alternate Action: Take 1 metal material from the general supply.
- 4+ Skill Bonus: Take 1 material of your choice and may immediately place one instrument plan onto the roughing side of your workbench.
Perform (p. 17)
- Main Action: Choose a performance card to complete, roll dice, and gain money and prestige. If a medium or high score achieved, place performance token in Orchestra.
- Alternate Action: Take 3 animal materials from the general supply.
- 4+ Skill Bonus: Move up one step on the Performance Skill Track.
Repair (p. 19)
- Main Action: Choose a repair card to complete, discard required materials and gain prestige. Place repair token in Orchestra.
- Alternate Action: Take 2 wood materials from the general supply.
- 4+ Skill Bonus: Move up one step on the Craft Skill Track.
Balcony (p. 19)
- Main Action: Score an available level of a public award that you have qualified for.
- Alternate Action: Take 6 money from the general supply.
- Alternate Action: Take up to 2 apprentices from the Market if possible.
- 4+ Skill Bonus: Move forward one step on the Reputation Track.
Key Term Glossary
- Apprentice — 11
- Awards, Public — 21
- First Chair — 24
- Finishing — 22
- Guild — 16
- Instruments — 17
- Inspiration — 9
- Market — 13
- Materials — 9
- Orchestra — 24
- Patience — 10
- Patron Cards — 15
- Patron, Completing — 23
- Planning Phase — 11
- Perform — 17
- Priority Order — 12
- Repair — 19
- Resolution Phase — 11
- Roughing — 22
- Salon — 15
- Scoring, Endgame — 26
- Specialty Workers — 14
- Tracks — 9
- Workbench — 7
- Worker Skill — 11