Mutagen Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Game Setup
  • Player Setup
• Game Overview
• 1. Select Mutations
• 2. Place Workers
  • Available spaces
  • Elements
  • Location Action
  • Worker Type Action
  • Worker Mutation Actions
  • Worker Reactions
  • Passing an Action
• 3. End of Round
  • Installed Elements
  • Element Tracks
  • Prepare for the Next Round
• End of Game Scoring
  • Completing Crew Cards
  • Elements and Tokens
  • Tree Cards
• Location Actions
  • Element Locations (three locations)
  • Storing or Installing Elements
  • Storage Tiles
  • Airship Discard
  • Tree Location
  • Element Track Location
  • Progress Track Location
• Worker Type Actions Reference
• Mutation Actions Reference
• Crew Cards
• Mini Expansion: The Plight of the People
  • Overview
  • Expansion Components
  • Setup
  • Gameplay Changes
  • Supreme Element Tokens
  • People Card Abilities
• Mini Expansion: The Palace Visitors
  • Overview
  • Expansion Components
  • Setup
  • Gameplay Changes
  • Visitor Card Benefits
• Solo Mode
• Action Icon Reference

Components

• 1 Game board
• 1 First player marker
• 1 Round tracker token
• 20 Mutation cards
• 27 Crew cards
• 30 Tree cards
• 32 Storage tiles
• 80 Element tiles
• 40 Shard Fragment tokens
• 8 Bonus tokens
• 20 Mutation attachments (the deluxe Mutation upgrades are part of the deluxe version of the game, and are available to purchase separately)

Player components:

• 4 Airship boards
• 16 Element tracker tokens
• 4 Progress tracker tokens
• 1 Score tracker token (per player)
• 16 Workers (4 Robot, 4 Thug, 4 Spy, 4 Engineer)

In Mutagen, you have assembled a team of workers who will help you claim the mantle of power and become the new Keeper of the Shard. Each round you will send your team to unearth elements that have been influenced by the Great Shard. You will use these elements to improve your airship, deliver them to the sacred tree, sell for favours in the floating city, and increase your reputation in the coastal oasis, all while gathering fragments of the Shard and improving your team with powerful mutations.

Leverage these mutations alongside your worker types, to create unique combinations and use your team wisely to gain the most power to become the successor to the most powerful person on the planet.

Game Setup

1. Place the Game board in the middle of the play area.
2. Shuffle all the Element tokens and place them face down to create a supply next to the Game board. Take 9 Element tokens from the supply and place them face up on the corresponding spaces of the Element locations.
3. Shuffle all the Storage tiles and place them face down to create a supply next to the Game board. Take 3 from the supply and place them face up on the corresponding spaces of the Element locations.
4. Shuffle the Crew cards into a face down deck and place it beside the Game board. Draw 3 from the deck and place them face up on the corresponding spaces of the Element locations.
5. Shuffle the Tree cards into a face down deck and place it beside the Game board next to the Tree location, then reveal three cards, placing them on the spots of the Sacred Tree.
6. Shuffle the Bonus tokens and place one face up on each corresponding space of the Progress track. Return any unused tokens to the game box.
7. Shuffle the Mutation cards into a face down deck and place it beside the board.
8. Create a supply of Shard Fragment tokens by the side of the Game board.
9. Choose a first player at random and give them the First Player token.

Player Setup

10. Give each player all the components in their player colour: 1 Airship board, 4 Workers (1 Robot, 1 Thug, 1 Spy, and 1 Engineer), 4 Resource tracker tokens, 1 Progress tracker token, and 1 Score tracker token. Return all unused player colour components to the game box.
11. Give each player 3 Shard Fragment tokens.
12. Each player does the following:
    • A. Place your 4 Workers on the corresponding spots on your Airship board.
    • B. Place your Score tracker token on the '0' space of the score track.
    • C. Place your Resource tracker tokens on the '0' space of each matching element track.
    • D. Place your Progress tracker token on the first space of the progress track.

Game Overview

Mutagen is played over four rounds. Each round is made up of three phases which proceed as follows:

1. Select Mutations - In reverse turn order, draft mutations and choose a worker to upgrade.
2. Place Workers - Take turns placing one of your four workers. Once all players have placed their workers, move to End of Round.
3. End of Round - Score points for installed elements and element tracks, and reset for the next round.

After four rounds, the game will end and end of game scoring will occur. The player with the most points after the end of game scoring is the winner. In case of a tie, the player with the most remaining Shard Fragment tokens wins.

1. Select Mutations

Deal a display of face up Mutation cards with a number of cards equal to the number of players plus one. For example in a four player game, deal five Mutation cards face up.

Starting with the player to the right of the first player (the final player in turn order) and proceeding in reverse turn order, each player will select a Mutation card then add that mutation to one of their Workers. For more information on the Mutation cards, see the Mutation Actions Reference.

NOTE: If you have the deluxe Mutation attachments, also take the Mutation that matches the card. The deluxe Mutation attachments are part of the deluxe version of the game, and are available to purchase separately.

2. Place Workers

The Game board features six locations. Each location has a number of Worker spaces equal to your player count. Starting with the first player and proceeding clockwise, each player will take a turn to place a Worker.

On your turn, take one of your Workers from your Airship board and place them on the highest available space at your chosen location on the Game board.

Available spaces

Each location on the board has four Worker spaces. Depending on your player count, some of these spaces may be unavailable. This is shown by the number of 'pips' in the bottom right corner of those spaces. Only one Worker may be placed on each space. A location may contain more than one of your Workers.

• One pip: available at any player count.
• Two pips: only available in games with three or more players.
• Three pips: only available in games with four players.

When you place a Worker at a location, you may take all of the following actions, in any order:

• Location action.
• Worker type action.
• Worker mutation action.

Elements

There are four element types (Crystal, Gas, Liquid, Ore) and each element has four possible colours (Blue, Green, Pink, Yellow).

Location Action

Each location has a location action. When you place any Worker at the location you may take that action, regardless of the Worker type and the presence of any other player's Worker. Details of the location actions can be found in the Location Actions section.

Worker Type Action

Each location has three additional actions, known as Worker type actions. The Worker type action you take at each location will depend on the Worker you have placed there. Details of the worker type actions can be found in the Worker Type Actions Reference.

Worker Types: Each player has 4 different Worker types: Robot, Thug, Spy, and Engineer. The Robot is a special type of Worker. It cannot be improved with a Mutation card but can take any of the Worker type actions.

Worker Type Actions: Each location on the board has 3 additional Worker type actions, one for each of the Thug, Spy, and Engineer Workers. These additional actions may be taken when you place a Worker of that specified type there or when you place the Robot there. The Robot can take any of these bonuses when placed.

Worker Mutation Actions

In addition to the location action and the Worker type action, you may also be able to activate a Mutation action if your Worker has any Mutation cards. When you place a Worker, you may activate all mutations once. You must pay the activation cost (the first cost) shown on the card (if any) for each mutation.

Details of the worker mutation actions can be found in the Mutation Actions Reference.

After you have placed your worker and carried out all of your actions, refill any empty Element, Storage tile, or card spaces.

Worker Reactions

After you have placed your Worker and resolved your actions, if another player (not you) has a Worker placed immediately above the Worker you just placed, they may perform a Worker reaction.

To perform a Worker reaction, they may choose to activate one (not both) of the mutations on their Worker by paying the second cost shown on the Mutation card.

Example: The green player's turn ends and they refill any empty card and token slots. Then, the yellow player now has the opportunity to reactivate one of their Spy worker's mutations. They can either pay 1 Shard Fragment token to move their progress marker 2 spaces on the progress track or pay 2 Shard Fragment tokens to take an element token from the (depicted) location.

After any Worker reaction, refill any empty Element, Storage tile, or card spaces. Your turn ends and the next player takes their turn.

Passing an Action

If you cannot or do not wish to perform a location action, Worker type action, or Worker reaction, you may instead take 1 Shard Fragment token for each action you do not take. This option is always available to you. You may only gain a Shard Fragment token from a Worker reaction if that Worker has one or more Mutation cards; a Worker without a Mutation cannot react and therefore you cannot take a Shard Fragment token instead.

Once all players have placed all of their workers, proceed to end of round.

3. End of Round

At the end of each round, you score points for the Elements installed into your Airship and your position on the element track.

Installed Elements

Score 2 points for each Element you have installed on your Airship (you do not score points for Elements in your storage). See Storing or Installing Elements for details on installing Elements.

Score points for each of the columns you have filled with Storage tiles, regardless of whether they have installed Elements or not. The leftmost column scores you 1 point, the middle column scores you 2 points, and the rightmost column scores you 3 points.

Element Tracks

Score points for your progress on each of the elements tracks. For each element track, score 2 points if you are in position 1, 3 points if you are in position 2 or 3, and 4 points if you are in positions 4, 5, 6 or 7.

Prepare for the Next Round

If you are in rounds 1-3, the current first player passes the First Player token clockwise and begins a new round. If you are in round 4, proceed to end of game scoring.

End of Game Scoring

After four rounds, the game ends.

In addition to the points you scored throughout the game, gain points from completing Crew cards and your completed Tree cards.

Completing Crew Cards

For each Crew card you have by your Airship board, score points based on the conditions shown on the card, which relate to your position on each of the element tracks. Full details are in the Crew Cards section.

Elements and Tokens

After scoring Crew cards, you get 1 point for each Element remaining in your storage area, then discard 3 Shard Fragment tokens to gain 1 point (do this as many times as you have Shard Fragment tokens to discard).

Tree Cards

Sort your completed Tree cards by their colour. Each matching coloured pair of Tree cards gets you 3 points. Each remaining Tree card gets you 1 point.

The player with the most points is the winner and is crowned as the new Keeper of the Shard. In case of a tie, the player with the most remaining Shard Fragment tokens wins.

As the dust settles, one Mutagen emerges superior to all others. With his dying breath the Keeper of the Shard names you as his successor and your ultimate purpose is realised. As the other Mutagen surrender and pledge their fealty to you, and you settle yourself on the specular throne of the floating city, you know that for the first time in your life there is nothing standing in your way...

Location Actions

There are six locations. Each location has a location action.

Element Locations (three locations)

At these locations, take one Element from the Elements available at this location. Refill any empty Element slots before any reactions and at the end of your turn.

When you take an Element, you may either place it into your storage or install it into your Airship.

Storing or Installing Elements

When you take an Element, you may place it in your storage or install it into your Airship.

Place it into your storage: You may wish to place it in your storage if you plan to use it later to fulfil orders at the sacred tree, or move on an element track. You may place an Element into your storage without any restriction (any Element can go next to any other Element).

Install it onto your Airship: You may wish to install it onto your Airship if you want to score points in each 'end of round' phase. You start the game with two available spaces for installing Elements; you will gain more when you gain new Storage tiles. There are two key rules you must follow when installing an Element onto an available space.

• Elements cannot be installed onto a space that shows a non-matching characteristic (either Element type or colour). The grey spaces may hold any Element colour or type, providing the following rule is also observed.
• Elements cannot be installed next to other Elements that share the same characteristic (either Element type or colour) as the Element you are trying to install.

Once installed onto your Airship, an Element cannot usually be moved again in the future.

Storage Tiles

Storage tiles are used to increase your installation capacity.

When you take a Storage tile, place it face up into your Airship covering two of the square spaces. Pay the cost in Shard Fragment tokens for both of the squares you cover up.

You should take into account the Element installation rules when placing your Storage tiles, so that you do not create a situation where you cannot place Elements.

Once placed onto your Airship, a Storage tile cannot usually be moved again in the future.

Example: The Blue player takes a Storage token and places it onto their airship, covering a space with a cost of 2 and a space with a cost of 1, so they return 3 Shard Fragment tokens to the supply.

Installation spaces may show: any type or colour; an installation type restriction (e.g. Ore type); or an installation colour restriction (e.g. Pink colour).

Airship Discard

It is not recommended, but you may discard a Storage tile and/or any Element from your Airship at any time. You do not gain any reward or refund of Shard Fragment tokens but you may wish to remove an Element or Storage tile if you have made a mistake in a previous placement.

Tree Location

At this location, you may spend Elements from your storage to complete one or more Tree cards from the display.

To complete a Tree card, return Elements to the supply which match the same colours as shown on the Tree card. Each Element can be used for only one Tree card and the type of Element used does not matter.

You immediately gain the number of Shard Fragment tokens shown on the Tree card.

Take the completed Tree card and place it by your Airship board.

Tree cards come in three colours. At the end of the game you will score 3 points if you have two of the same colour, or 1 point for each Tree card that you did not pair.

Refill any empty card slots before any reactions and at the end of your turn.

Example: The Green player wants to complete the middle Tree card. They discard a Green Element and a Blue Element from their storage and take the middle card, placing it next to their Airship and gaining 5 Shard Fragment tokens.

Element Track Location

At this location, you may spend Elements from your storage to move on one or more of the Element tracks.

Move your tracker token one space on the matching tracks for each Element spent.

These tracks will determine how many points you get from your Crew cards. You will also gain points for your position on each track at the end of each round.

Example: The Green player discards three Ore Elements and a Gas Element from their storage to move the same number of spaces on each Element track.

Progress Track Location

At this location, you may spend 2, 4, or 6 Shard Fragment tokens to move your Progress tracker token 2, 5, or 8 spaces on the progress track.

If your Progress tracker token lands on or passes one of the spaces connected to a Bonus token, resolve that bonus. Repeat this process if you passed or landed on more than one Bonus token space. Bonuses are resolved in the order in which you passed them.

If your Progress tracker token lands on or passes one or more of the spaces connected to a points bonus, gain the points of all spaces you landed on or passed.

Worker Type Actions Reference

Each location has a Worker type action for the Thug, Spy and Engineer (the Robot may take any of them). Action descriptions:

• Take 1 Element from the depicted location, following the rules as described for the main location action.
• Take a Crew card: You may take the face up Crew card at this location and place it face down by your player board. You must pay the cost in Shard Fragment tokens, shown in the top left of the Crew card. Refill any empty Crew card slots before any reactions and at the end of your turn.
• Move on an Element track: You may choose one of the Element types you have spent taking the main action at this location and move a number of spaces on the matching Element track equal to the number of Elements of that type you spent. Follow the rules for moving on the Elements tracks as described in the main location action (Element Track Location).
• Move Progress marker 2 spaces: Move your Progress marker 2 spaces on the progress track. You do not need to spend Shard Fragment tokens but you should otherwise follow the rules as described for the main location action (Progress Track Location).
• Complete Tree cards: You may spend Elements from your storage to complete one or more Tree cards from the display following the rules as described for the main location action (Tree Location).
• Take a Storage tile: Take the Storage tile from this location and place it into your Airship board following the rules for Storage tiles.
• Install Elements: You may choose one of the Element colours you have spent taking the main action at this location and instead of discarding them you may install all those Elements onto your Airship board. Follow the rules for installing Elements as described in the Element location main action.
• Gain 2 Shard Fragment tokens.

Mutation Actions Reference

Each Mutation shows an activation cost (paid when you place the Worker) and a reaction cost (paid for a Worker reaction).

Action	Activation cost	Reaction cost
Gain 2 points.	0	2
You may spend Elements from your storage to complete one Tree card from the display following the rules as described for the main location action (Tree Location) but you may spend 1 fewer Element.	1	2
Gain 3 Shard Fragment tokens.	0	2
Move your Progress marker 2 spaces on the progress track. You do not need to spend Shard Fragment tokens but you should otherwise follow the rules as described for the main location action (Progress Track Location).	0	2
You may take one of the face up Crew cards and place it face down by your Airship board following the rules as described for the Worker type action of the same type.	0	1
Take 1 Element from the depicted location, following the rules as described for the main location action.	1	2
Move 1 space on any Element track. You do not need to spend Elements but you should otherwise follow the rules as described for the main location action (Element Track Location).

Crew Cards

Description	Cost to buy
For the Element track shown, gain 1 point if your Element tracker token is on space 1-4 and 5 points if you are on space 5-7.	0
If your Element tracker of the Element shown on the left hand side is higher on the tracks than the Element shown on the right hand side, score 3 points.	0
For the Element shown, if your Element tracker token is the highest on the track (including ties), score 4 points.	1
For the Element track shown, gain 1 point if your Element tracker token is on space 1-3, 4 points if your Element tracker token is on space 4-6, and 6 points if your Element tracker token is on space 7.	2
For the Element track shown, gain 1 point if your Element tracker token is on space 1-2, 4 points if your Element tracker token is on space 3-5, 2 points if your Element tracker token is on space 6, and 7 points if your Element tracker token is on space 7.	2
For the Element tracks shown, gain 2 points for each step both Element tracker tokens have moved on the Element tracks (score 2 points for the lowest position). Example: If your Element tracker token of the Element shown on the left hand side is at space 4 on the track and the Element shown on the right hand side is on space 2, you score 4 points.	4
Gain 4 points for each step all of your Element tracker tokens have moved on the Element tracks (score 4 points for the lowest position). Example: If you have moved all Element tracker tokens 2 spaces on the track, you score 8 points.

Mini Expansion: The Plight of the People

A new hope takes hold of the common people. As the Keeper of the Shard's rule nears its end, they turn to the successors to discover their fate. Will you treat them with the kindness that they have never known, or will you push them to work harder than ever before?

Overview

In the Plight of the People expansion, you will encounter the people of the Mutagen world. As you interact with them you will have a choice, liberate them or enslave them. If you liberate them, you will gain their support and your actions will become more powerful, but the more you do this, the more it will take a toll on your reputation. If you enslave them, you will gain the ultimate power over the elements, but the cost of driving so deep into the earth to uncover these elements will increase the deeper you dig.

Expansion Components

• 16 Supreme Element tokens
• 20 People cards

Setup

1. Shuffle the People cards into a face down deck and place it beside the board.
2. Create a supply of Supreme Element tokens by the side of the Game board.
3. Place your Score tracker token on the '5' space of the score track.

Gameplay Changes

In Phase 1, Select Mutations, you will now select a People card as well as a Mutation card.

Deal a display of face up People cards by the Mutation cards with a number of cards equal to the number of players plus one. For example in a 4 player game, deal 5 People cards face up.

When selecting cards, starting with the player to the right of the first player (the final player in turn order) and proceeding in reverse turn order, each player will select a Mutation card OR a People card. Then, starting with the first player and proceeding in turn order, each player will select a card of the type they have not yet selected.

When selecting a People card, the cost you pay will depend on which benefit you wish to gain and what the current round number is.

• If you wish to gain a Supreme Element token, pay Shard Fragment tokens (0/1/2/3 Shard Fragment tokens for rounds 1/2/3/4). See below for further information on Supreme Element tokens.
• If you wish to gain the ability on the card for the rest of the game (see People card abilities below), pay points by moving your Score Tracker token back that many spaces on the points track (3/2/1/0 points for rounds 1/2/3/4).

Add the Mutation card you drafted to one of your Workers as normal.

Supreme Element Tokens

Like regular Element tokens, these can be placed into your storage or installed on your Airship. They act as any element type and any element colour.

If you spend them to secure a Tree card, they can count as any colour Element. If you use them to advance your Element markers, they count as any type.

If you install them on your Airship, they satisfy any restrictions that they are installed onto and do not restrict any other elements being placed next to them.

People Card Abilities

• Whenever you visit the depicted location, gain 2 Shard Fragment tokens.
• When you complete Tree cards, 1 Element on each of those Tree cards can be considered to require any colour instead of a specific colour.
• When you visit the Clockwork City location, advance 1 space on any Element track.
• When visiting the Nautical City location, gain 1 Element token at random from the supply.
• When you place your Spy, you may discard 1 Crew card from your hand to gain points equal to double the Shard Fragment tokens cost of that Crew card.
• Whenever your Thug gains an element (through the Location action, Worker Type action, or Mutation action), the restriction on where that Element can be taken from is removed and the Element can be taken from any location.
• Whenever you place the Engineer, gain 1 Storage token at random from the supply.
• Whenever you gain an Element token, you may choose to put it on this card. At the end of each round, gain 2 Shard Fragment tokens for each Element token on this card. (The source text reads "on this Shard Fragment tokens"; corrected here as an obvious typo.)

Mini Expansion: The Palace Visitors

High in the mountains, overlooking the domain that he rules, the Keeper sits in his palace. But the Keeper's life is not tranquil, he attends many important and powerful Mutagen at his Palace. If you take the time to assist these visitors you will gain the Keeper's favour, and he will reward you handsomely.

Overview

(The source's overview paragraph is placeholder Latin filler text and contains no rules.)

Expansion Components

• 20 Visitor cards
• 1 Palace board

Setup

1. Place the Palace board by the side of the Game Board.
2. Shuffle the Visitor cards into a face down deck and place it beside the Palace board.

Gameplay Changes

The Palace Visitors expansion adds a new location to Mutagen, which works in a slightly different way to the other locations.

You may visit this location as normal when placing one of your workers. However, Mutations, Worker Type abilities, and Worker reactions do not happen at this location. Only the Location action happens.

When you visit the location, take one Visitor card from the Palace board and immediately gain the benefit. (The source sentence here is garbled: "When you visit the location, they are shuffled into a face down deck in setup so how to do take one from the Palace board and immediately gain the benefit.")

Once all players have placed their Workers for the round, in order from top to bottom, any workers at this location may be moved to a location on the Game board. There is a cost for some of these workers to move. The first worker placed at this location costs 2 Shard Fragment tokens, and the second worker placed at this location costs 1 Shard Fragment token. All other workers can be moved to the Game board for free.

When moving from the Palace board to the Game board, all Mutations, Worker Type abilities, and Worker reactions happen as normal.

Visitor Card Benefits

• Take 1 Element from the depicted location, following the rules as described for the main location action.
• Move 2 spaces on the depicted Element track. You do not need to spend Elements but you should otherwise follow the rules as described for the main location action.
• Move 1 space on any Element track. You do not need to spend Elements but you should otherwise follow the rules as described for the main location action.
• Move your Progress marker 2 spaces on the progress track. You do not need to spend Shard Fragment tokens but you should otherwise follow the rules as described for the main location action.
• You may take one of the face up Crew cards and place it face down by your Airship board following the rules as described for the Worker type action of the same type.

Solo Mode

The solo mode section of this build of the rulebook is an empty placeholder. See the solo companion file for the community solo rules.

Action Icon Reference

• Take a Crew card.
• Take 1 Element.
• Take a Storage tile.
• Gain 2 Shard Fragment tokens.
• Move your Progress marker 2 spaces.
• Spend Element tokens to complete Tree cards.
• Choose an Element type used and move on the Element track.
• Choose an Element colour used and install them to your Airship instead of discarding them.