Prospectus Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Overview
• Game Materials
• Game Set-Up
• How to Play
  • Sell to the High Council
  • Make a Transaction
    • Buying Potion Cubes of One Color
    • Selling Potion Cubes of One Color
  • Cast a Spell
    • Cast for the Spell Effect
    • Sell Again to the High Council
    • Recharge Interrupt Tile
  • Execute Current Future Card
    • High Council Price Manipulation
    • Potion Market Results
  • Potion Splits
  • Potion Busts
    • Advance a Dividend
  • Make a Transaction (second)
  • Replenish Cards
• End of the Game
  • Final High Council Bonus
  • Final Sell-Off and Winner
• Spell Card Index
• Potion Ability Index
• Spell Card Index (Promo Cards)

Game Overview

In Prospectus, players are apprentice-level mages who earn their tower rent by trading potions in the underground Kriztus potion market. Using their powers, they can peer into their crystal ball to predict prices and make their fortune, but their prognostication is not perfect, especially when rival wizards cast spells to advance their own agendas!

Meanwhile, the greedy, power-mad high council demands potions as well. A timely sale will make a recipe fashionable and raise its price in the market, but if the council does not get what it wants they will retaliate by telling the townsfolk that the potion is nothing but fizzwater and newt juice.

The mage that is able to earn the most money through cunning investments, shrewd spell-casting, and lucrative sales to the council will be the most successful potion trader and win the game!

Game Materials

• 40 Future Cards
• 8 Potion Ability Tokens
• 1 Crystal Ball w/ Council Chamber base
• 40 Spell Cards (10 per player)
• 1 Game Board
• 4 Player Screens (1 per player)
• 4 Interrupt Tiles (1 per player)
• Potion Cubes in 5 colors
• 10 black Demand Blocker Cubes
• Money in various denominations
• This Rule Book

Game Set-Up

Give each player:

• A player screen.
• The matching deck of Spell Cards.
• The matching Interrupt Tile (inactive side up).
• $100 in money.

For a three-player game: Each player shuffles his 10 Spell Cards and draws a hand of 3.

For a four-player game: One player shuffles his Spell Cards and discards two at random. Each other player discards the same two cards from their Spell Cards, keeping their own discard piles. Each player then shuffles his remaining 8 cards, and draws a hand of 3.

Set the board in the middle of the table within reach of all players.

The board contains a Price Machine, which tracks the current value of each potion. Place a Potion Cube as a price marker at value 20 for each potion. This is the starting price for all potions.

Shuffle the Future Card deck. In a 4-player game, place five Future Cards on the board, one card in each of the five spaces of the Future Track. In a 3-player game, only fill the last four spaces (the space with "16" above it will not be used).

Two potions are shown at the top of each Future Card. These are the demands of the High Council. Printed on the board above these High Council demands are the prices the High Council is willing to pay for the potions.

To begin the game, place a Demand Blocker Cube on all High Council demands depicted on the Future Cards except the two potions they are currently willing to pay the least for (this will leave the 2 left-most demand indicators open).

Randomly place a Potion Ability Token in each of the five underground potion lairs in the spaces provided. This will indicate each potion's special ability for the game. Set the unused Potion Ability Tokens aside.

Create a Potion Cube supply near the board. Do the same with the money to form a bank.

Assemble and set the Crystal Ball on its Council Chamber base near the board, ensuring the slats in the top half are offset from those in the bottom half. Take 5 Potion Cubes of each color and drop them in together.

Players then take turns taking a Potion Cube that emerged from the Crystal Ball, placing the cubes behind their player screens, beginning with the start player (the player with the longest hair; beards count) and proceeding clock-wise around the table.

Players continue taking one cube at a time in turn order until all players have three Potion Cubes. Any unclaimed Potion Cubes are returned to the supply.

The trading floor is now open for business!

The area of the board depicting the underground lairs is where you will track dividends and reference each potion's special ability. Underneath each Potion Ability Token (and on the player screens) is an overview of the characteristics of each potion. The +/- number indicates how volatile the potion is. For example, Owl Spit (blue) has 40 icons on Future Cards that will potentially increase its value, and 40 that will potentially reduce it, whereas Frog Juice (green) only has 24 such icons in either direction. The number followed by "DIV" shows how many of the 40 Future Cards will advance that potion toward a dividend. So, Owl Spit is a volatile potion, while Frog Juice is a slower, steadier potion that provides frequent dividend income.

How to Play

Beginning with the start player, players will take turns, completely executing the following phases in this order before the next player takes his turn:

1. Sell to the High Council (optional)
2. Make a transaction (optional)
3. Cast a spell
4. Execute current Future Card
5. Make a transaction (optional)
6. Replenish Cards

Sell to the High Council

The active player may begin his turn by selling a single Potion Cube from behind his screen to the High Council. The potion may be sold to any open High Council demand space (one without a cube on it). If a space already has a cube on it, that demand has already been fulfilled, and a potion may not be sold to that space. Each Future Card has demand for two different potions.

To sell to the High Council, simply place one of your Potion Cubes onto a High Council demand space and take the indicated amount of money from the bank. Only one cube may be sold in this phase!

Selling to the High Council additionally activates the special power shown on the Potion Ability Token of that potion. You immediately receive this benefit.

After reading the rest of the rules, reference the Potion Ability Index portion of the rules to see what the various Potion Abilities are capable of.

Example: Caylyn wants to sell Troll Sweat to the High Council. She takes a Potion Cube from behind her screen and places it on a High Council demand space for Troll Sweat. She then receives $20 from the bank. Caylyn may then also use the ability depicted on Troll Sweat's Potion Ability Token.

Make a Transaction

The player may then execute a transaction, which consists of one of the following:

• Buy Potion Cubes of one color.
• Sell Potion Cubes of one color.

Buying Potion Cubes of One Color

The Price Machine dictates both the price and quantity a player may buy of a potion. The price per Potion Cube is simply the price the price marker cube is currently positioned on for that potion.

The quantity of Potion Cubes a player may buy of a potion is dependent on which of the five tanks of the Price Machine the price marker for that potion is within. The number of Potion Cubes that may be bought is shown near the bottom of each tank on a red warning sign.

Purchased Potion Cubes are taken from the cube supply and placed behind the player's screen. The money used to purchase them is paid to the bank.

Remember, a player may only buy Potion Cubes of one color per transaction!

Example: Daxton wants to buy Pixie Dust. Pixie Dust currently has a price of $14 each. He may buy up to 4 Pixie Dust for $14 each, taking the Potion Cubes from the supply and paying the necessary amount to the bank.

Selling Potion Cubes of One Color

A player may sell up to all of his Potion Cubes of one color for the current price as indicated by the price marker of that potion on the Price Machine.

Sold Potion Cubes are returned to the cube supply, and money from the sale is received from the bank.

Cast a Spell

The player MUST play a Spell Card from his hand, using it for one of three options:

• Cast for the spell effect
• Sell again to the High Council
• Recharge Interrupt Tile

Cast for the Spell Effect

If played for the spell, the effect of the Spell Card will take place. Make sure to chant the spell out loud for maximum effect! After reading the rest of the rules, reference the Spell Card Index portion of the rules to see what the various Spell Cards are capable of.

The player must then announce his intentions for the spell, so other players may decide whether or not to use their active Interrupt Tiles before the spell takes effect (you'll know what this means in a second!).

Sell Again to the High Council

To sell again to the High Council, simply discard the Spell Card without using its effect.

You may then sell a Potion Cube to the High Council, but you receive ONLY the money offered. You do not get to utilize the Potion Ability for this sale.

Recharge Interrupt Tile

If a player's Interrupt Tile is currently on its inactive side, he may simply discard the Spell Card without using its effect to flip it to its active side.

Players may use an active Interrupt Tile on any other player's turn, just after the player plays or discards a Spell Card (and announces his intentions for it if he uses it for its spell effect). Using an Interrupt Tile entitles the player to an immediate transaction!

After using it, the player then flips the Interrupt Tile to its inactive side.

Execute Current Future Card

The right-most Future Card is now executed. There are three steps to executing a Future Card:

1. High Council Price Manipulation.
2. Potion Market Results.
3. Advance a Dividend.

High Council Price Manipulation

Check the two High Council demand spaces on the current Future Card.

If there is an empty or blocked demand space, the High Council places a curse on that potion! Lower the price marker for that potion one space on the Price Machine.

If there is a fulfilled demand space, the High Council blesses that potion! Raise the price marker for that potion one space on the Price Machine.

After adjusting prices, place any Potion Cubes on the current Future Card into the Council Chamber. The Council Chamber is built into the base of the Crystal Ball. Just deposit the Potion Cubes into the doors! These cubes will remain hidden in the Council Chamber until the end of the game (don't worry about that now; we'll tell you what they're for later!). If there were any Demand Blocker Cubes on the current Future Card, place them back into the supply.

Potion Market Results

The market results of the current Future Card now occur.

Each Future Card shows how many Potion Cubes for each potion will be dropped into the Crystal Ball, and also whether each potion will potentially increase or decrease in price.

First, count the number of icons depicted on the mid-section of the current Future Card for each potion, and take one matching Potion Cube from the supply for each icon. Then, drop the group of Potion Cubes into the Crystal Ball together.

For each Potion Cube that emerges from the Crystal Ball, adjust the price of the corresponding potion one space either up or down on the Price Machine, according to the arrows shown on the current Future Card.

Example: The current Future Card is pictured. The following Potion Cubes are dropped into the Crystal Ball: 3 Owl Spit, 1 Goblin Wizz, 1 Troll Sweat, 1 Pixie Dust and 2 Frog Juice. After dropping the cubes into the Crystal Ball, the depicted Potion Cubes emerge (2 Owl Spit, 1 Goblin Wizz, 3 Pixie Dust and 2 Frog Juice). The following price changes take place: Owl Spit decreases 2 spaces. Goblin Wizz decreases 1 space. Troll Sweat has no price change. Pixie Dust decreases 3 spaces. Frog Juice increases 2 spaces.

Once prices are adjusted, return the Potion Cubes that fell out of the Crystal Ball to the cube supply. Any Potion Cubes remaining in the Crystal Ball stay there, possibly emerging on later turns!

Note: If any Potion Cubes fall out of the Crystal Ball outside of this phase, add them to the Potion Cubes dropped in the next Potion Market Results phase.

Potion Splits

If a potion increases in price beyond $40 at any time, the potion immediately splits!

Players reveal how many Potion Cubes of the splitting potion they own, and take that many more Potion Cubes from the supply, doubling the amount of that potion they own. Then, reset the price of the potion to $20, and reshuffle the Future Card discard pile back into the Future Card draw deck. If the split occurred in the middle of a price increase, continue with the remaining increase.

Potion Busts

If a potion decreases in price below $10 at any time, the potion immediately busts!

Players reveal how many Potion Cubes of the busting potion they own, and return them to the cube supply. Then, reset the price of the potion to $20, and reshuffle the Future Card discard pile back into the Future Card draw deck. If the bust occurred in the middle of a price decrease, ignore the remaining decrease.

Advance a Dividend

Check the bottom of the current Future Card to see which potion will advance toward a dividend. Place a Potion Cube into the potion's dividend area (the three spaces provided in each potion's underground lair).

If this is the third cube placed into the dividend area for that potion, it triggers a dividend payment to all players owning Potion Cubes of that potion. If it is not the third cube added for a potion, nothing else occurs.

The amount of the dividend depends on which of the tanks of the Price Machine the price marker is within for that potion. The dividend paid per Potion Cube owned is depicted on the pentagon icon above the tank. Players calculate their dividend payment (number of Potion Cubes owned X dividend value) and receive that total from the bank.

Once a dividend is paid for a potion, reduce the value of that potion one space on the Price Machine and return the three Potion Cubes from the dividend area for that potion back to the cube supply.

Example: A third Potion Cube was just added to Goblin Wizz's dividend area. All owners of Goblin Wizz receive a dividend payment of $5 per Goblin Wizz Potion Cube they own. Goblin Wizz then decreases in price one space, and the 3 Potion Cubes in its dividend area are returned to the supply.

Make a Transaction (second)

The player may now execute a transaction. The rules for this transaction are exactly the same as those explained in the earlier "Make a Transaction" phase.

Replenish Cards

Slide the Future Cards to the right, discarding the card that was executed on this turn. Place a new Future Card on the now vacant left-most space of future track.

The current player also draws a new Spell Card, bringing his hand back to three cards.

End of the Game

The game ends at the end of the game turn when players can no longer draw back up to three Spell Cards (six turns for 4 players, eight turns for 3 players).

Final High Council Bonus

If there are Potion Cubes left on any of the Future Cards, add them to the Potion Cubes in the Council Chamber. Now, reveal the Potion Cubes in the Council Chamber.

The High Council now pays a special bonus to owners of each potion based on how many Potion Cubes of each potion the High Council received during the game. For each Potion Cube the High Council received, they will pay a $1 bonus for each Potion Cube of that potion a player owns.

Example: The Potion Cubes revealed from the Council Chamber were 2 Owl Spit, 7 Goblin Wizz, 3 Troll Sweat, 1 Pixie Dust and 5 Frog Juice, resulting in bonus amounts of $2, $7, $3, $1 and $5 respectively. If a player ended the game with 6 Troll Sweat and 8 Frog Juice, he would receive a High Council bonus of $58: 6 x $3 for Troll Sweat, and 8 x $5 for Frog Juice.

Final Sell-Off and Winner

Players now sell off all of their owned Potion Cubes according to the current prices on the Price Machine.

After the final sell-off occurs, players count their money. The player with the most money is the most successful potion trader and ascends to his new position in the High Council!

Spell Card Index

(The Latin card titles are stylized on the printed cards; the ten spells are listed here in the manual's order, left column then right column.)

• Spell 1 (hourglass, executes two Future Cards): During the "Potion Market Results" phase, you may execute the first two Future Cards. Execute the current Future Card completely before executing the second one. At the end of the turn, two new Future Cards will be needed to replace the two vacant slots.
• Spell 2 (add two cubes): During the "Potion Market Results" phase, you may add any two Potion Cubes to those shown on the current Future Card when dropping the Potion Cubes into the Crystal Ball.
• Spell 3 (+3): For your "Make a Transaction" phase after the "Execute current Future Card" phase, you may exceed the buy limit of the potion you buy by 3. Clarification: You do not have to announce your intentions of what potion you plan to buy.
• Spell 4 (reverse arrow): During the "Potion Market Results" phase, you may reverse the arrow for one of the potions on the current Future Card. Example: According to the current Future Card, Troll Sweat will decrease in value this turn. Daxton declares Troll Sweat will increase this turn instead.
• Spell 5 (freeze): Declare a potion. Transactions of this potion may not be made by anyone until the beginning of your next turn. Players may still sell this potion to the High Council.
• Spell 6 (block two demands): You may immediately place a Demand Blocker Cube on any two High Council demand spaces. This blocks these spaces from ever being fulfilled.
• Spell 7 (change one cube): During the "Potion Market Results" phase, you may change one single Potion Cube shown on the current Future Card into a different one. Example: The current Future Card shows 2 Owl Spit and 2 Frog Juice. Caylyn decides to change one of the Owl Spit into a Frog Juice, and will thus drop 1 Owl Spit and 3 Frog Juice into the Crystal Ball this turn.

Potion Ability Index

• You may immediately advance the dividend of any potion. If this is the third Potion Cube added to the potion's dividend area, it triggers a dividend as usual.
• You may immediately trade a Spell Card from your hand for a Spell Card in your discard pile.
• You may immediately make a transaction, following the normal rules for "Make a Transaction".
• You immediately receive $10 from the bank.
• You may immediately sell an additional Potion Cube to the High Council. You only receive the money for this extra sale, and do NOT trigger the potion's ability.
• You may immediately adjust the price of any potion down or up 1 or 2 spaces. However, you may not change the price by more than $3 in doing so.
• You may immediately trade a Potion Cube you own for one from the supply.
• You may immediately add two Potion Cubes to the Council Chamber. This is done in secret; other players may not look while you perform this action.

Spell Card Index (Promo Cards)

The "Pulsa Pugnum" promo card was given to all Kickstarter backers of Prospectus, and is also available via preorders from Funagain Games, or via direct purchase from Mr. B Games at conventions.

• Pulsa Pugnum: After dropping the Potion Cubes into the Crystal Ball in the "Potion Market Results" phase, you may pound the table with your fist in an attempt to knock more Potion Cubes out of the Crystal Ball. You may only pound the table one time. Note: We do not recommend playing with this spell when playing on an overly firm/sturdy table.

The following four promo cards are brand new and were not offered in the Kickstarter.

• Swap Potion Ability Tokens: You may swap the position of any two Potion Ability Tokens, including those not currently in the game.
• Move a Future Card to the current space: You may immediately choose any Future Card on the future track to move to the current space of the future track. Slide the passed over Future Cards to the left as necessary.
• Re-drop a cube: After dropping the Potion Cubes into the Crystal Ball in the "Potion Market Results" phase, you may choose any of the Potion Cubes that fell from the Crystal Ball to drop into the Crystal Ball once again.
• Look at Future Cards: You may immediately look at the top three cards of the Future Card draw pile, putting them back on the draw pile in the order of your choice.