Orbis
Orbis Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 10 God tiles
- 65 Region tiles (20 of level 1; 20 of level 2; 25 of level 3)
- 100 Worshipers (20 in each of the 5 colors)
- 18 Cancelation tokens
- 5 Reduction tokens (1 in each of the 5 colors)
- 5 Temple tokens
- 1 Rulebook
Tiles Description
Each Region tile shows several pieces of information:
- Cost — the Worshipers required to take the tile (for example: 1 green, 1 blue, and 1 white).
- Color — the tile's own color (for example: green).
- Effect — the tile's special effect (see Effects of the Region Tiles).
- Mystic Value — shown only on white tiles.
- Level — the tile's level (for example: 2).
- Creation Points (CPs) — the points the tile is worth.
Object of the Game
The winner is the player who has the most Creation Points (CPs) at the end of the 15 rounds that make up the game.
Setup (for 4 players)
Setup for 2 and 3 players is explained on p. 6.
- Sort the Region tiles in 3 distinct piles (one pile per level). Each pile is then shuffled and placed facedown on the table.
- Draw 9 level 1 tiles and place them faceup in a 3 by 3 square.
- Shuffle the 10 God tiles facedown. Draw 5 and place them faceup on the table. Put the 5 remaining tiles back in the box.
- Place the 4 Temple tokens numbered 2, 4, 7, and 11 on the table, within easy reach of all players. The Temple token numbered 9 is put back in the box.
- The Worshipers and the Cancelation and Reduction tokens are placed on the table and form the aether.
The youngest player starts the game.
The number of Worshipers is not limited. In the most unlikely situation of a shortage of Worshipers, use any other component instead to complete the aether.
Game Round Detail
On their turn, a player must take a tile either among the 9 Region tiles in the center of the table or among the available God tiles (once during the game).
Then, the next player takes their turn—going clockwise—and so forth.
The game stops when all players have created their universes (15 rounds broken down to: 14 Region tiles and 1 God tile).
The Universe
Each player will create their own universe. This universe takes the form of a 14-tile pyramid: a first row of 5 tiles, a second row of 4 tiles, a third row of 3 tiles, and a fourth row of 2 tiles.
Placement Rules
- The first row of the pyramid (the 5 bottom tiles) is made up of tiles of any color. All first-row tiles must connect on at least one side.
- Valid placement: the 5 tiles all connect to each other along their edges.
- Invalid placement: a tile is left disconnected from the rest of the row.
- From the second row and up, any tile must be placed on two tiles of the previous row.
- Valid placement: the new tile sits on top of two tiles of the row below.
- Invalid placement: a tile must be placed on two tiles of the previous row — placing it on only one tile is not allowed.
- At least one of those two tiles must be of the same color as the newly placed tile.
- Invalid placement: one of the tiles of the previous row must be of the same color as the newly placed tile.
If players comply with these three rules, they can start the second and even the third row before they have completed their first row of 5 tiles.
This universe is valid once all 14 tiles are placed while respecting rules 1, 2, and 3.
Taking a God Tile
This action must be performed once (and only once) during the game. The player takes the God tile of their choice among the available ones (5 at the start of the game) and places it faceup in front of them, next to their universe.
Each God tile grants a CP bonus at the end of the game, but it may also trigger another effect (see Description of the God Tiles).
Taking a Region Tile
The player chooses one of the 9 faceup Region tiles that are available on the table and resolves the following 7 phases:
1. Generating Worshipers
The player places one Worshiper from the aether that is of the same color as the chosen tile on each adjacent tile (orthogonally, never diagonally).
Example: the player has chosen tile A. They generate 1 blue Worshiper from the aether on all adjacent tiles.
2. Collecting Worshipers
The player takes all the Worshipers from the chosen tile and adds them to their realm.
3. Paying the Cost of the Tile
The player pays the cost of the chosen tile (using the Worshipers from their realm). The multicolor symbol means "Worshiper of any color".
If the player cannot or does not want to pay the cost of the tile, they must transform it into a Wilderness tile by flipping it over (see the Wilderness box below).
Example: the cost of the tile is 1 blue Worshiper, 1 green Worshiper, and 1 Worshiper of any color.
4. Taking the Tile and Placing It in Your Universe
The player takes the tile and places it in their universe (while complying with the placement rules 1, 2, and 3). If they cannot or do not want to place it, they transform it into a Wilderness tile by flipping it over.
5. Triggering the Effect of the Tile
Some tiles produce an effect on the game. It is at that specific moment that these tiles take effect (see Effects of the Region Tiles).
6. Reorganizing the Realm
Players cannot have more than 10 Worshipers in their realm at that very moment of their turn. They must discard all extra Worshipers until they have 10 left.
7. Refilling the Central Area
The player draws the level 1 top tile to replace the tile they chose. When there are no tiles left in the level 1 pile, draw from the level 2 pile. Draw from the level 3 pile when the level 2 pile is empty.
Wilderness
A flipped-over tile is called "Wilderness". A Wilderness tile is worth -1 CP at the end of the game. It can be placed in a player's universe without compliance to placement rule 3. It counts as being a tile of all colors in any event (as much for placement as for rules applying to other tiles).
The Realm
Each player has a realm of Worshipers. At the end of their turn, a player cannot have more than 10 Worshipers. Anytime during their turn, a player can exchange 3 Worshipers of the same color from their realm for 1 Worshiper of any color from the aether.
3-Player Game
Proceed as usual with the following exceptions:
- Remove the 14 tiles marked with one or more white stars (5 at level 1, 5 at level 2, and 4 at level 3).
- Shuffle the 10 God tiles facedown. Draw 4 (instead of 5) and place them faceup on the table. Put the remaining 6 back in the box.
- Use 3 Temple tokens instead of 4 (numbered 9, 4, and 2). Put the remaining ones back in the box.
2-Player Game
Proceed as usual with the following exceptions:
- Remove the 14 tiles marked with one or more white stars (5 at level 1, 5 at level 2, and 4 at level 3) and the 14 tiles marked with one or more purple stars (4 at level 1, 4 at level 2, and 6 at level 3).
- Shuffle the 10 God tiles facedown. Draw 3 (instead of 5) and place them faceup on the table. Put the remaining 7 back in the box.
- Use 2 Temple tokens instead of 4 (numbered 7 and 2). Put the remaining ones back in the box.
End of Game
For esthetic purposes only, place your God tile on top of your pyramid.
At the end of the game's 15 rounds, the player who has the greatest number of Creation Points (CPs) in their universe (adding any points gained through their God tile and Temple token) wins. Ties are broken by counting the number of remaining Worshipers among all tied players. Whoever has the most Worshipers wins the game. If ties remain, the tied players share the victory.
Effects of the Region Tiles
Farm: You no longer pay the cost in Worshipers of the indicated color. As a reminder, take the Reduction token of the proper color. The multicolor costs are not impacted.
Example: this tile costs 1 green and 1 red. With the Reduction tile, it only costs 1 red.
Village: Discard the number of indicated Worshipers (their color is of no importance) from your realm to validate this tile (it will make you gain CPs at the end of the game). If you cannot or do not want to, hide the CP value shown on this tile with a Cancelation token.
Irrigation: A tile of the indicated color must be right underneath it to validate this tile (it will make you gain CPs at the end of the game). Otherwise, hide the CP value shown on this tile with a Cancelation token.
Temple: At the end of the game, distribute the Temple tokens (each of them makes you gain the number of indicated CPs): one per player. The player who has the most Temples gets first pick, then players proceed in decreasing order of the number of Temples. In case of a tie, the player with the white tile bearing the highest mystic value picks first. A player with no Temple in their universe does not gain any Temple token.
Forest: At the end of the game, you gain the number of indicated CPs if this tile is surrounded by a number of tiles at least equal to the indicated value (and which color matches one of the required colors).
Volcano: Destroy the indicated number of Worshipers (while complying with their colors) among those placed on the 8 remaining tiles in the center of the table to validate this tile (it will make you gain CPs at the end of the game). If you cannot or do not want to destroy all the Worshipers required by this tile, hide the CP value shown on this tile with a Cancelation token and do not destroy any Worshiper.
Proselytism: Gain 1 Worshiper of the indicated color.
Proselytism: Gain 2 Worshipers of the indicated color.
Proselytism: Gain 1 Worshiper of any color.
Sacred Stone: This tile is worth 1 CP at the end of the game.
Description of the God Tiles
Goddess of Love: When you take this God, gain 5 Worshipers of your choice from the aether. Gain 1 CP at the end of the game.
Apprentice Goddess: Gain 2 CPs at the end of the game.
God of the Oceans: If you are among the players who have the most validated Irrigation tiles at the end of the game, gain 3 CPs.
Goddess of Idleness: Wilderness tiles do not make you lose any CP. Gain 1 CP at the end of the game.
Goddess of Fire: If you are among the players who have the most validated Volcano tiles at the end of the game, gain 3 CPs.
God of Technology: If you are among the players who have the least Wilderness tiles at the end of the game, gain 3 CPs.
Goddess of Nature: If you are among the players who have the most validated Forest tiles at the end of the game, gain 3 CPs.
God of Equilibrium: At the end of the game, if you have at least one validated Village tile, one Temple, and one validated Volcano tile, you gain 3 CPs.
God of Harvests: If you are among the players who have the most validated Village tiles at the end of the game, gain 3 CPs.
God of Death: When you take this God, discard 6 Worshipers from your realm to gain 3 CPs. If you cannot or do not want to, hide the CP value shown on the tile with a Cancelation token.
The Rules That You Will Eventually Forget
- A Reduction token can never be used to pay for a "multicolor" cost.
- A Wilderness tile can be validly used for placing blue tile AND to validate its effect.
- You can pay a tile with the Worshipers collected on that tile.
- You can exchange 3 Worshipers of the same color for 1 Worshiper of any color.
- You always generate Worshipers when you take a tile, even if that tile subsequently becomes a Wilderness tile.
- You cannot have more than 10 Worshipers at the end of your turn.
Credits
Game Design
Hi,
My name is Tim Armstrong. I like to design games with grids in them. Orbis is one of those games, and I'm very excited to be able to share this game with you.
Game concepts often show up in unexpected ways, and the core mechanic in Orbis was discovered when I was attempting to re-theme another game to satisfy a publisher. That re-theme was rejected, but from the ashes of that failure the idea for Orbis was able to take on a life of its own.
I'd like to thank everyone who helped playtest this game in its rougher stages. In particular, I'd like to thank Jeff Foxwell and Shannon Zambetti for their unrelenting support throughout the years. I am also extremely grateful to Philippe, CROC, and Marc for having faith in this design and putting in countless hours to help refine it to its full potential.
Thanks for trying out Orbis. I hope you enjoyed it!
Artwork
I was born with a pencil in my hand sometime in 1978 in Piedmont, northern Italy.
I have been attracted to the art of drawing for as far as I can remember (couldn't do this without the pencil I was born with) and eventually turned my passion into my profession. A dream come true.
I got into the world of work right after completing several years in a specialized school.
From the beginning, my pencil has been led by the power of fantasy.
My customers give me great opportunities to improve my art, project after project. And this is how I successfully developed a very personal style, hated by some, loved by most.
Davide Tosello
Orbis is published by JD Éditions – SPACE Cowboys – 47 rue de l'Est – 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt – France © 2018 SPACE Cowboys. All rights reserved.
Visit www.spacecowboys.fr for the latest news about Orbis and SPACE Cowboys.