Magic: The Gathering – Explorers of Ixalan
Magic: The Gathering – Explorers of Ixalan Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- Four 60-card decks
- 50 map tiles
- 1-cost x 25
- 3-cost x 18
- 6-cost x 7
- Four scout markers
- 20 double-sided tokens
- 36 +1/+1 counters
- Four deck boxes
Getting Ready
The First Time You Play
Before your first game, pop out the cardboard map tiles, scout markers, and +1/+1 counters. Discard any extra material.
Choosing a Tribe
Each player chooses one of the four tribes: vampires, pirates, merfolk, or dinosaur riders. Grab the 60-card deck and scout marker that correspond to your tribe. You'll also need a way to track your life total.
Set aside the tokens and +1/+1 counters for now. Each deck has ways to use them during the game.
Building the Map
Map tiles affect gameplay in exciting ways! Follow these steps to build the map:
- Find the 6-cost map tile named Orazca, the Golden City and set it aside.
- Separate the other map tiles into three piles: 1-cost, 3-cost, and 6-cost.
- Shuffle each pile face down.
- Without turning over the tiles, choose sixteen 1-cost, ten 3-cost, and three 6-cost tiles. Set the rest aside — you won't be using them this time.
- Shuffle Orazca, the Golden City into the pile of 6-cost tiles.
- Arrange the tiles in the center of the table as shown in the diagram below.
The map is built as a hexagon of hexagonal tiles: a center ring of 6-cost tiles surrounded by a ring of 3-cost tiles, surrounded by an outer ring of 1-cost tiles.
Playing the Game
It's a Free-for-All!
Explorers of Ixalan is a free-for-all Magic game. If all players are familiar with Magic, choose a starting player at random. Otherwise, the most seasoned adventurer should go first. Each player starts with 20 life.
Two-Player Games
The starting player skips his or her first draw step, and each player may take a mulligan to six cards (as in a regular game of Magic).
Three- or Four-Player Games
The starting player draws a card on his or her first turn, and each player's first mulligan draws a new opening hand of seven cards rather than six. Subsequent mulligans reduce your opening hand by one card as normal.
You can attack multiple opponents in the same combat. Any time a card refers to an opponent, it means any of the other players, even if you've made a temporary pact with them.
Discovering the Map
Map tiles bring the game to different locations across Ixalan. You can discover one tile on each of your turns, but only at a time when you could cast a sorcery. Discovering a tile reveals its bonus; some bonuses are one-time effects, while others last for the entire game.
The inner jungles of Ixalan conceal many powerful secrets, but you can't jump ahead to the most expensive tiles at the center of the map. A map tile can't be discovered if it's connected to another map tile with a lower cost (see diagram below).
To discover a tile, pay its cost: one, three, or six mana. Turn the tile face up and see what happens!
Diagram: 1-cost tiles can always be discovered. A 3-cost tile can be discovered because there are no 1-cost tiles connected to it. There is still one 3-cost tile connected to a 6-cost tile, so that 6-cost tile can't be discovered yet.
Map Tiles
There are three kinds of tiles.
Events
Event tiles have an immediate effect and are removed from play after they resolve. While event effects cannot be countered, players can respond to them by casting instants or activating abilities.
Example — Broadside Assault (Event): Deal 2 damage to each opponent.
Quests
Quest tiles reward you when certain in-game conditions are met. When you discover a quest, place it face up in front of you. Once a quest is complete, the quest tile is removed from play.
Example — Can't Take It with You (Quest): The next time an opponent leaves the game, draw two cards and create four Treasure tokens.
Sites
Site tiles are placed in front of the player. Each has an ongoing effect that immediately starts affecting the game. Site tiles can be conquered. If one or more creatures you control deal combat damage to an opponent (even if that damage would knock that player out of the game), you may take one of that opponent's site tiles for yourself. Only one site can be conquered each combat.
Example — Gold-Laden Shipwreck (Site): At the beginning of your end step, create a Treasure token.
If a player leaves the game, all quest and site tiles in front of that player are removed from play. If any of that player's tile effects are waiting to resolve, they cease to exist and have no effect.
Scouting Ahead
Each player has one scout marker. If you discover a tile on your turn, you may then place your scout marker on any 3-cost or 6-cost tile that becomes available as a result.
Your scout marker reserves a map tile for you until your next turn. You don't necessarily have to discover that tile on your next turn, but no other player may discover it until then. Remove your scout marker at the beginning of your next turn.
Winning the Game
When all your opponents have been defeated, you have conquered Ixalan — and you win the game!
An Explorer's Guide to Ixalan
Here are some tips to keep in mind when playing:
- None of the map tiles have negative effects for the person who discovers them.
- Discovering tiles is exciting and can give you great bonuses, but don't forget to cast the spells in your hand. Creatures are key in multiplayer games.
- Remember that sites are conquerable. If one of your opponents has one, you may want to attack that player. If you have one, your opponents are probably thinking the same thing.
- You may make temporary truces and alliances during the game, but ultimately, you're on your own!
How to Store Your Game Components
Spindown life counters (not included) can fit in the box. Store counters and markers alongside the decks.