Quicksand (1989)
Quicksand (1989) Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Object
To be the first player to get your adventurer — or whatever remains of him! — around the board from START to the finish line back at CAMP.
Along the way, you'll encounter Mudslides that may set you back and hanging vines that may swing you ahead. You'll try to grab onto Handholds and land on Safe Rocks to keep your man high and dry. Because all along the track, Quicksand pits lie in wait to suck your adventurer down, down, down — piece by piece by piece!
And you'll always keep an eye out for the sneaky Alligator that lurks in the swamp — and on the special Quicksand die — ready to scare an unlucky player backwards on the track.
Equipment
QUICKSAND game board 4, 5-part adventurer tokens, each a different color 1 large Quicksand die with alligators 1 small movement die
Setup
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Each player picks a color and assembles that 5-piece adventurer.
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Each player rolls the large Quicksand die, and removes that number of pieces from his or her adventurer — starting with the feet and moving up and places what is left of him on START.
Example: If you roll a 2, take off the bottom 2 pieces of your adventurer and put them aside; he'll start waist-deep in quicksand. If you roll a 4, there'll be nothing left but his hat at the START!
Exception: If you rolled an Alligator on the die, your adventurer remains whole.
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The youngest player goes first. Play passes to the left, clockwise around the table.
Gameplay
On your turn you either:
- Move your man just the number of spaces corresponding to the number of pieces in his height, OR
- Roll the movement die and add that number to your height. But you must decide at the beginning of your turn, before you move, if you'll roll the movement die. NOTE: The blank side of this die represents Zero; do not add anything to your height.
Example: Your 2-piece-high man will land in Quicksand if he moves only 2 spaces ahead, so you wisely decide to roll the smaller movement die as well and move him 2 spaces (your present height) plus whatever number you roll on the movement die. Maybe you can get him over the Quicksand and onto a Safe Rock!
But you must decide to roll the movement die before you move, and once you've rolled it, you must move that number of spaces plus your height — even if it lands you in another pit of Quicksand!
Important "Quick" Notes
- Your adventurer always moves ahead the number of spaces equal to his present height.
- You must decide at the beginning of your turn, before you move, if you want to roll the movement die.
- More than one adventurer may occupy the same space at the same time.
- You follow the instructions on a space only when you've landed there on your own turn. If you're sent there by the big, nasty Alligator, you do not follow the instructions.
The Spaces
Quicksand — Roll and Sink: Land here, and you must immediately roll the Quicksand die — the one with the hungry Alligators. Your adventurer "sinks" the number you rolled, so remove that number of pieces, starting with his feet and working up to his hat.
Your adventurer can never sink below his hat. But even if you're down to just his hat, you'll roll the die anyway to try for an Alligator ...
If you roll an Alligator, you may move any other player backwards on the track the number of spaces equal to his present height. Example: Another player's 3-piece-high adventurer is ahead of you — maybe he's getting too close to CAMP. If you roll an Alligator, you may move that other piece back 3 spaces; he does not follow the directions on that space.
Handhold: Add one piece to your adventurer (unless he's already full height when he lands there).
Roll and Slip Back: Land here, and you must immediately roll the movement die. Your adventurer moves back along the track the number of spaces you rolled and then follows the instructions on that space.
Safe Rock: Land here, and you're high and dry. Immediately add back to your adventurer all his missing parts, bringing him back to full height! While he's on the rock, he's safe — the Alligator can't get him!
Swing Ahead: Swing your adventurer from his present space to the other end of the vine. Follow the directions on the space where he lands.
Pull a Friend High and Dry: Select any other player's adventurer that is not at his full height and raise him back up to full height. To reward your good deed, add 1 piece to your own adventurer.
Mudslide!: Ooops! Land here, and you must immediately slither your adventurer back to the other end of the mudslide. Follow the directions on the space where he lands.
Almost Home: Once you've reached this home stretch (the last eight spaces before CAMP), you may not use the movement die on your turn. You may move your man forward only the amount of his height.
Winning the Quicksand Game
The first player to get his adventurer all the way around the board and into CAMP wins. Any height token may win — even if there's nothing left but his hat!
And because CAMP is high and dry atop a rock, you can reconstruct your adventurer to his full height upon his triumphant entry into CAMP!
Variation for a Shorter Game
For a shorter game, always roll the movement die on your turn, moving your adventurer ahead the number rolled on that die plus the number of pieces in his height.
NOTE: This version may be easier for younger players; if they must always roll the extra die, they avoid having to make strategy decisions before their turn.