Nunatak: Temple of Ice
Nunatak: Temple of Ice Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Materials
- 72 Ice blocks — 18 in each of the 4 player colours
- 1 Temple cap — must be assembled before the first game
- 54 Building cards — 8 builders, 7 sculptors, 9 artisans (3 each with rope, pickaxe, pole saw), 7 beasts of burden, 6 architects, 5 elders, 4 builders/architects, 6 sculptors/artisans (2 each with rope, pickaxe, pole saw), 2 beasts of burden/elders
- 8 Frame pieces — with score track and architect tracks
- 6 Completion cards — only used in a four-player game
- 54 Floor tiles
- 4 Point discs
- 4 Markers
- 20 Blessing cards
- 4 Point tokens — 100/200
- 4 Game overview cards
- 1 First player token
Game Setup
- Before your first game, you must assemble the temple cap as shown on the punch board.
- Assemble the frame pieces in the center of the table. Rotate the frame so that each player faces an architect track.
- Sort the floor tiles into 4 piles according to the number on their back (1, 2, 3, 4) and shuffle each pile individually.
- Randomly place the 25 floor tiles of pile 1 face up, as a 5x5 display in the frame. This is your gameboard.
- Place the remaining 3 piles face down on top of each other to form a single pile of floor tiles: First place pile 4 next to the gameboard, then place pile 3 on top of pile 4, and finally place pile 2 on top of pile 3.
- Additionally, sort the building cards into 4 piles according to the number on their back (1, 2, 3, 4) and shuffle each pile individually. Place the piles face down so that pile 1 is on top and pile 4 is on the bottom. Place this draw pile next to the gameboard.
- Reveal the top 4 building cards and place them face up next to the draw pile. This is the display.
- Shuffle the blessing cards and place them in a face-down pile next to the gameboard. Reveal the top 2 blessing cards and place them face up next to the pile.
- Choose a colour and take the 18 ice blocks, the marker and the point disc of that colour.
- Place your point discs on space 0 of the score track and your marker on the first space of your own architect track (the one with the architect symbol).
- Also take 1 game overview each. One side shows the course of a turn and the other side shows how the points are awarded for the different types of cards in the final scoring.
- Set the "100/200" point token aside as a supply.
To ensure that all ice blocks are placed correctly in a game with 2 and 4 players, a few changes are necessary:
Modifications for a two-player game
Choose one of the unused colours as the third player: Siku. You only need the ice blocks of this colour. You do not need the marker and point disc of this colour. Other setup and play changes are described further under The Two-Player Game.
Modifications for a four-player game
Shuffle the 6 completion cards. They are only used in a four-player game. Place 1 card face up next to the gameboard and return the others to the box. The rules for this card are described under The End of the Game. Only take 13 ice blocks instead of 18 and place an additional ice block of each colour next to the completion card. Put the remaining 4 ice blocks back in the box.
Course of Play
The coolest player gets the first player token and begins. The game is played clockwise. In each turn you take 1 building card from the face-up display, which indicates where you place an ice block in the temple. The more ice blocks which are placed, the bigger and higher the temple grows.
You gain points during the game for placing your ice blocks in the temple and especially at the end of the game for the building cards you have collected. Whenever you get points, you advance your point discs on the score track accordingly.
Turn Overview
Your turn consists of the following steps:
- Choose 1 building card
- Place 1 ice block
- Supporting ice blocks? Adjust points on the score track.
- Row completed? Advance your marker on your architect track.
- Square completed? Adjust points on the score track.
1. Take 1 Building Card
When it is your turn, you choose 1 building card from the display and place it face up in your personal area. During the course of the game, arrange the cards in your personal area according to their colours and overlap them slightly so the number of cards in each colour is visible.
Important: You may not take a card whose symbol is not visible on a floor tile in the temple.
Example: There is a builder card in the display — but since there is currently no builder symbol in the temple, you may not take this card.
Note: On the rare occasion that there is no card with a matching symbol in the temple, take the 4 face-up cards from the display and shuffle them together with the remaining cards in the deck, then reveal 4 new cards. Repeat this step until there is at least 1 card in the display that you can take.
2. Place 1 Ice Block
After taking 1 building card, place 1 of your ice blocks on a floor tile of your choice that shows the symbol of the card you took.
Example: You choose a sculptor card. So you place 1 of your ice blocks on a floor tile that shows the sculptor symbol.
Special card abilities
The two card types "builder" and "elder" offer special advantages during the game:
Builder: Swap floor tiles with builder symbol
If you have chosen a builder card, you may swap a free floor tile showing a builder symbol with any other free floor tile in the temple before you place your ice block in the temple. A floor tile is "free" if there is no ice block already on it. Then place your ice block on the swapped floor tile with the builder symbol.
Example: You choose a builder card. Before you place your ice block, you swap the position of a floor tile showing the builder symbol with a floor tile showing a beast of burden symbol. Then place your ice block on this floor tile with the builder symbol.
Elder: Receive a blessing card
If you have chosen an elder card, after placing your ice block, you take one of the two face-up blessing cards and place it face-up in your personal area. The advantages of the blessing cards are explained under Blessing Cards.
Note: A blessing card with a 1x symbol cannot be used on the turn it was taken.
Editor's note: The floor tiles depict people and items used in the construction of the temple. They also show makeshift huts and buildings, as such a massive structure would have taken years to build. While it doesn't affect gameplay, if you wish, before placing an ice block, you can flip the floor tile so that the side without these elements is showing to indicate that this section of the temple has been completed.
3. Supporting Ice Blocks?
Immediately after placing your ice block, score 1 point for each of your supporting ice blocks. These are the ice blocks of your colour under the floor tile upon which you placed your new ice block. Therefore, no support points are possible at the lowest level.
Example: You place your ice block on this floor tile and immediately score 3 points because three of your ice blocks (turquoise) support the floor tile of your new ice block.
4. Row Completed?
Check whether you have completed any rows in the temple when placing your ice block. A row is "completed" when all tiles in a horizontal or vertical row are occupied by ice blocks. If you have completed 1 row, you advance your marker on your architect track by 1 space. If you managed to complete 2 rows at once (one vertical and one horizontal), you advance your marker 2 spaces accordingly.
Important: Only horizontal and vertical rows count, but not diagonal rows. On the fourth level of the temple (2x2 floor tiles) you do not advance spaces on the architect track for completing a row any more.
If your marker is already on space 10 of your architect track, you do not advance it any further. The architect track is important for the scoring of the architect cards you have collected (see End Scoring).
Example: You place your ice block on this floor tile. As you have completed 2 rows, you advance your marker 2 spaces.
5. Square Completed?
If you place your ice block so that it completes a 2x2 square of 4 ice blocks, that square is immediately scored as follows:
Whoever has the most ice blocks in the square scores 5 points.
Whoever has the second most ice blocks in the square gets 2 points.
In case of a tie
- The player whose turn it is wins any ties (and gets the higher score).
- In the case of a tie for 2nd place in which the player whose turn it is is not involved, the tied parties get 1 point each (the 2 points for second place are shared).
- Special case in a 4-player game: If the square consists of 1 ice block of each colour, the player whose turn it is gets 5 points and everyone else gets 0 points.
When you complete the square on the topmost level, do not forget to score the square before placing the temple cap.
Example: You place 1 ice block that completes a square. Since both you and your opponent have 2 ice blocks in the 2x2 square, you get 5 points and your opponent gets 2 points. You win the tie because it is your current turn.
Example: You place 1 ice block that completes a square. Jenny (orange) has 2 ice blocks in the square, Sam (blue) and you (turquoise) each have 1 ice block. Jenny gets 5 points and you get 2 points. You win the tie with Sam because it is your turn.
Example: You place 1 ice block that completes a square. You (turquoise) have 2 ice blocks in the square, Jenny (orange) and Sam (blue) each have 1 ice block. You get 5 points. Since it is neither Jenny nor Sam's turn at the moment, it remains a tie and they share the 2 points. They will therefore receive 1 point each.
Note: It is possible to complete multiple squares by placing 1 ice block. The current player determines the order in which the squares are scored, one after the other.
After scoring a square, you draw the next floor tile from the pile and place it face up on the 4 ice blocks. This new floor tile is part of the next level of the temple.
Important: From now on, an ice block can be placed on this floor tile. You don't have to complete all the floor tiles of a level before you can place ice blocks on a higher level. Some parts of the temple may grow faster than others.
The End of the Turn
At the end of your turn, reveal 1 new building card from the draw pile and add it to the display so that 4 face-up building cards are available again.
Note: If, towards the end of the game, the draw pile is empty, continue playing with the available building cards in the display. In the rare case that now none of the now available symbols of the cards match those of the free tiles, you can take any building card in your turn and place your ice block on any tile. Add the building card you took to the cards of the same type in your personal area.
If you took an "elder" building card and thereby received a blessing card, you now also reveal 1 new blessing card, so that 2 face-up blessing cards are available again.
Split Image Floor Tiles and Building Cards
Some floor tiles show 2 different symbols.
You can place your ice block on one of these tiles if you take a building card from the display that shows either symbol.
Example: You can place 1 ice block on this floor tile (half artisan, half sculptor) if you choose 1 artisan or 1 sculptor card.
Some building cards show 2 different symbols.
This means that if you choose this building card, you may place 1 ice block on a floor tile that shows one of these two symbols. You then place this card, showing the chosen symbol, with your other cards showing this symbol.
Example: You choose this card (half architect, half builder) and place 1 ice block on a floor tile with an architect symbol. You must now place the card next to your other architect cards, not with your builder cards.
The End of the Game
The game ends as soon as the 4th ice block has been placed on the floor tile of the top level (2x2) of the temple. This means that all building cards have been taken and all ice blocks have been placed. Then it is time for the end scoring.
Four-player game
If all players have run out of ice blocks in a four-player game, there will still be 2 cards left in the display. Check the completion card to see which of you receives an additional turn. Whoever fulfills the top line of the completion card most successfully, takes the first of the 2 remaining building cards. They then place the ice block of their own colour that was positioned next to the completion card during game setup. Whoever fulfills the top row in the next best manner, uses the last remaining building card.
Tied? Then use the second line of the completion card to determine who gets an extra turn. Still a tie? Then whoever was later in the turn order wins the tie (see the bottom line of the completion card).
Example: Everyone has placed their ice blocks in the temple and there are still 2 building cards in the display. The completion card reads "Most beasts of burden with 1 symbol". You and Carrie each have the same number of beasts of burden with 1 symbol. Therefore, the second line applies "Most beasts of burden with 2 symbols". Carrie has more beasts of burden with 2 symbols than you. Therefore, she takes the first card and places her additional ice block on the matching floor tile. You then take the last building card and place your final ice block in the temple.
End Scoring
Before the end scoring, you may use your blessing cards showing the end-of-game symbol.
Temple cap
Whoever has placed the most ice blocks on the floor tiles on the outside of the temple (outer tiles), scores 7 points and then places the temple cap on top.
In the case of a tie, the player who has placed the most ice blocks on the outer tiles of the lowest level wins. If there is still a tie, the next highest level is checked, etc. If the tie cannot be resolved, neither of you gets the 7 points. The player who is last on the score track places the temple cap.
Scoring the building cards
You now receive points for the building cards that you have collected during the game. Beginning with the first symbol row of the overview (builders), each player counts their points for this card type. Then continue with the next. For the points you score, you advance your point discs on the score track. If you score more than 100 points, you place a 100 token in front of you. If you score over 200 points, turn it over to the 200 side.
Builders
Whoever has the most builder cards receives 20 points. If there is a tie for the majority, those involved receive 12 points each. All others receive 2 points per builder.
Sculptors
The more sculptors you have, the more points you get:
| Number of sculptors: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 3 | 7 | 12 | 18 | 25 | 33 | 42 | 52 | 63 | 75 |
Artisans
There are 3 different types of artisans, each using a different tool: Pickaxe, rope, and pole saw. You get points for the number of artisans with the same tool type and 10 points for each complete set of 3 different tools:
| Number of artisans with tools of the same type: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 0 | 3 | 8 | 15 | 24 |
Note: Each tool type is evaluated individually. Each card can score points for the same type of tool as well as for a full set.
Example: You have collected 2 ropes, 2 pickaxes and 3 pole saws. For this you get 3 points for your ropes, 3 points for your pickaxes and 8 points for your pole saws. Additionally, you get 20 points for owning two complete sets of each tool type.
Beasts of burden
You receive points for the number of beast of burden cards you have, multiplied by the number of beast of burden symbols shown on the cards.
Example: 2 cards x 3 symbols = 6 points
Architects
You receive points for the number of your architect cards multiplied by the number you reached with your marker on your architect track. If your marker isn't on a number space, move it back to the last space that shows a number.
Example: 3 cards x track number 3 = 9 points
Elders
Each elder card shows the symbols of 2 of the 6 card types. You receive 1 point for each card with 1 of the symbols shown on the upper right corner of the elder card.
Example: This elder card shows the symbols for artisans and elders. So you get 1 point for each of your artisan cards and each of your elder cards (including this card itself).
Blessing cards
You receive 2 points for each blessing card that you didn't use.
Complete card sets
You receive 10 points for each complete set of 1 card of each of the 6 card types: Builder, sculptor, artisan, beast of burden, architect and elder.
Who wins?
After you have determined your points and have advanced your point discs on the score track, whoever has the most points wins. In case of a tie, whoever has the most ice blocks on the outer panels of the temple wins. If there is still a tie, those involved share the victory.
Blessing Cards
There are 3 types of blessing cards which differ in when they may be used.
Immediately:
If you wish to use such a card, you must do so immediately after you have chosen it. If you don't use the card immediately, you keep it and it earns you 2 points in the end scoring (as with any other unused blessing card).
One time:
You can keep these cards and use them in a later turn. You may use any number of blessing cards during a turn. However, you may not use a "one-time" card in the same turn in which you took it. If a "one-time" card has been used, it will then be removed from the game.
End score:
You keep these cards until the game is completed and use them in the end scoring.
Further explanation of specific cards:
Blessing of foresight
You may use this card at the end of any player's turn, after a new card is revealed.
If, on your next turn, there is a free floor tile with your reserved card's symbol, you must take this building card. If there is no such free floor tile, you take one of the other cards from the display and check again on your next turn whether you have to take your reserved card etc.
Blessing of abundance
After taking your first card and placing your ice block, you refill the display to 4 building cards before you play your second action, take another card and place another ice block. Place this card next to your personal area until your turn comes around again as a reminder to miss your next turn.
Blessing of providence / Blessing of expansion
You can also use these cards when it is not your turn.
Blessing of transference
When you change this card to an artisan card, you can choose the type of tool. If you change it to a beast of burden, it counts as a card without a multiplier symbol. If you change it to an elder card, it doesn't give you any points. It may, however, help you to finish a complete card set.
Blessing of insight
If your marker is not currently on a numbered space, you gain the points for the number space with the next highest number.
The Two-Player Game
It is best to get to know Nunatak with three or four players. In a two-player game, a neutral third player, named Siku, plays with you. Siku is part of the game but cannot score any points. You and your opponent place Siku's ice blocks.
Game setup
Remove the two blessing cards that show the "3+" symbol.
Choose ice blocks of an unused colour for Siku. Each of you takes 9 of Siku's ice blocks and adds them to the 18 of your own colour.
Next arrange them into sets of 3, each set consisting of two of your own ice blocks and one belonging to Siku. Take one of these sets and lay it out in front of you. This is your active ice block set. Place the remaining sets to one side of the gameboard for later.
Course of play for two players
When it is your turn, you take a building card from the display and decide whether to use it for Siku or for yourself:
- If you use it for yourself, put it in your personal area as usual and place 1 of your ice blocks from your active set.
- If you use it for Siku, you place Siku's ice block from your active set. Place the card in a discard pile next to the gameboard. If it was a builder card, place it face-up next to Siku's discard pile. If you chose an elder card for Siku, they do not receive a blessing card.
- Only after placing all three ice blocks of your active set may you move onto the next set.
Siku's cards do not score points. Siku also has no point disc on the score track and no marker on the architect track. However, Siku's ice blocks in the temple are taken into account when scoring squares. Siku's builder cards and ice blocks on the temple's outer panels are included when determining majorities in the end scoring.
The Solo Game
Game setup
The game is set up as per the 3-player game. There are 2 dummy players. The building cards are not laid out next to each other, but in a diamond shape as shown here. Place 1 marker for the first dummy player to the left of the left card. Lay 1 marker for the second dummy player to the right of the right card.
Place the first player token in front of you.
Remove the blessing cards which show "3+" or "4+".
Course of play
Note: When the dummy players score and complete rows, they don't actually receive any points or move along their architect track.
Your turn runs the same as in a game with multiple players. However, you do not refill the display of building cards after each turn.
When it is your turn, you are free to choose between all the cards that are still in the display and for which there are free floor tiles.
When it is a dummy's turn, it takes the card that has their marker next to it. If this card is no longer available or cannot be played, they take the next card in clockwise order, and so on.
Important: Immediately refill the display to a total of 4 cards if no card from the display can be played.
Note: Dummies cannot use the builder ability to swap floor tiles.
When placing an ice block, the dummy adheres to the following rules, in this order, depending on which card was taken:
If the dummy has a choice of several suitable floor tiles, you place its ice block where it would score the most points. Points are scored as usual for the square and for the supporting ice blocks. Additionally, the dummy will score 1 point for completing a row.
If there are several floor tiles for which the dummy would score the same number of points, determine the floor tile to be occupied in this order:
- Points for completing squares
- Points for completing rows
- Points for supporting ice blocks
If there is still a tie, place the dummy's ice block as centrally as possible in the temple and as far away from the edge as possible.
If there is still a tie, choose the floor tile that works best for you.
Any cards used by the dummies are taken out of the game, except their builder cards. These are laid out next to their supply of ice blocks to help determine the majority at the end scoring.
Note: If a dummy has chosen a split image builder/architect card, you also place their ice block on the appropriate floor tile for which they would get the most points. If, however, there is still a tie following the above steps, you place their ice block on the floor tile with the builder symbol and lay out the card with the builder side showing.
Example: The blue dummy took an artisan card. If it placed an ice block on floor tile A it would receive 3 points (2 supporting points and 1 point for completing the row). On floor tile B it would score 5 points for the square, so you place its ice block on B.
End of the round
Once you and each of the dummies have played your turn, the round ends. Then follow these steps:
- Fill up the 3 missing cards in the display (clockwise, starting next to the card that is still there).
- Place the two dummy markers one card around in a clockwise direction.
- Move the starting player token clockwise to the next player. The easiest way is to place it next to the marker of the dummy who is next in line.
Additional notes
Refill the blessing cards as usual immediately after a player's turn. Each time a card is taken, a new card is drawn and placed on the space closest to the pile. If there is already a card in this space, the display cards are moved along from the pile to create a space.
If a dummy takes an elder card, it will always take the card furthest from the pile.
At the end of the game you can read here how well you did:
| Score | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 100–150 | Slush | You can do better. |
| 151–185 | Snowball | You're making progress, but still a bit soggy. |
| 186–200 | Ice cubes | It's still small, but at least it's frozen. |
| 201–225 | Block of ice | We can work with that. |
| 226–250 | Iceberg | You've reached the right size. Now it's time to work on the details. |
| 251+ | Ice temple | You have succeeded! Your temple will stand the test of time! |