Sauros
Sauros Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Setup
- Shuffle and place the dinosaur tiles face down in the center of the play area.
- Place the Victory Point (VP) tokens within reach of all players.
Give each player:
- Seven tiles from the center (keep these secret from the other players).
- One scoring reference card.
- One playmat.
The player who most recently watched a dinosaur movie / TV show goes first.
NOTE: Before starting a round, players may exchange up to 2 tiles from their hand with tiles in the middle of the table. This is performed in clockwise order, starting with the start player.
Tile Anatomy
Each tile shows a Tile Strength number, a Scoring Icon, and a Dinosaur Suit.
Overview
Sauros is played over a series of rounds equal to player count. Each round consists of 7 tricks. Starting with the first player, players take turns choosing a single tile from their hand and playing it face up to the middle of the play area. (Rules for placing tiles and winning tricks are explained later.)
After determining who won a trick, players then arrange either 1 or 2 tiles on their playmat to score points in various ways. After playing 7 tricks, players collect VP tokens, and then swap playmats before beginning another round.
Playing a Trick
Before each trick, the start player flips a middle tile face up. The Dino Suit shown will determine the Triumph Dino for that trick only.
A Triumph Dino is also called Trump and is the dominant species for that trick.
In clockwise order beginning with the start player, each player chooses one of their tiles and places it near the center for all players to see. The Dino Suit the start player chooses is called the Lead Dino.
NOTE: If possible, players must play a tile that matches the Lead Dino. For example, if the start player plays a Microraptor (purple) tile, the next player must also play a Microraptor tile.
If a player does not have a tile matching the Lead Dino, they may play any tile. If a player decides to play a tile matching Trump, they will be winning that trick until another player plays a stronger (higher-numbered) Trump. Trump always beats the Lead Dino that was played. Any Dino Suit that is not the Lead Dino or Trump will lose regardless of its strength.
Once every player has played a tile, check to see who won the trick. If more than one Trump Tile was played, the strongest Trump Tile wins. If no Trump was played, the strongest Lead Dino tile wins (unless a T-Rex was played, see Tile Abilities below for more details).
Tile Abilities
If a 0 and a 9 are played during the same trick, the 0 is the strongest numbered tile. Tiles with a strength of 0 also have two symbols rather than one.
NOTE: 9 is the only tile that a 0 tile can beat. If any other number is played, the 0 will lose the trick unless the 0 tile is the same as the current Trump and there are no other Trump Tiles played.
The T-Rex automatically wins a trick and can be used as any Dino Suit when placed on a playmat. The T-Rex can be played at any time and does not need to match the Lead Dino. It also does not contain symbols. If a T-Rex is revealed as Trump, there is no Trump for that trick. See End of Round Scoring for example.
NOTE: Since there are only two T-Rex tiles in the game, if they are both played during the same trick, the second one wins.
Rewarding Tiles
The trick-winner will always be awarded two tiles - the tile they played and either the Trump Tile or another player's tile. If the trick-winner takes the Trump Tile as the reward, all other players add their played tile to their playmat. If the trick-winner takes another player's tile rather than the Trump Tile as the reward, the player whose tile was taken takes the Trump Tile and adds it to their playmat.
In example 1, if the player with playmat A wins the trick and chooses the Trump Tile, all other players would take the tile they played and add it to their playmats.
In example 2, if the player with playmat A wins the trick and chooses another player's tile, the player whose tile was taken takes the Trump Tile and adds it to their playmat.
Adding Tiles to Playmat
Each playmat consists of a unique pattern in which players place their tiles. Players can place their first tile anywhere except for the reserve (more on this below), but all subsequent tiles must be placed orthogonally adjacent (either above, below or beside another tile).
How players organize their tiles on their playmats determines their score for the round. Proximity of Dino Suits, Eggs, Teeth, Footprints, and Bones all factor into scoring.
REMINDER: Each tile after the first placed tile MUST be placed orthogonally adjacent to a previously placed tile.
Reserving Tiles
Instead of placing a tile, players may decide to reserve a tile to be used during another trick. To do so, simply place the tile horizontally on one of the two spaces off the right side of the playmat. Keep in mind, players can only place a maximum of two tiles per trick.
This means if a player wins a trick (earning them two tiles to place) and has a tile in reserve, they have the following options:
- Place both tiles won for that trick, leaving their previous reserved tile for later use.
- Place one tile on their playmat, and put the other tile in their second reserve spot.
- Play two tiles, picking from the two they won and any they have in reserve. This option still results in a tile being left in reserve.
NOTE: A player cannot play three tiles after a trick. If it's the last trick of the round and a player cannot play all tiles, they will lose 2 points per extra tile they cannot place. At most, a player can only be penalized for 2 left over tiles (-2 pts each). If a third tile cannot be placed, it is just discarded.
End of Round Scoring
Groups of similar Dinos score:
- 2 Dinos = 1 VP
- 3 Dinos = 3 VP
- 4 Dinos = 5 VP
- 5 Dinos = 7 VP
Only the most Eggs score 4 points. If players are tied for most Eggs, tied players get 4 points each.
Bones score 1 point for each adjacent Egg.
Each lone Tooth scores 2 VP. Touching Teeth are only worth 1 VP each.
Each pair of touching Footprints scores 5 VP (a group of four Footprints can count as two pairs). Odd-numbered groups of Footprints score 0 VP.
Each tile left in reserve scores -2 points.
In the example, this player would score 5 VP for yellow dinos, 5 VP for purple dinos, 2 VP for bones, 2 VP for touching teeth (1 VP per tooth), 5 VP for footprints, and -2 VP for the tile left in their reserve for a total of 17 VP for the round. If this player also had more eggs than the other players, they would receive an additional 4 VP for a new total of 21 VP.
End of Game
Players tally their scores and take VP tokens equal in value. At the end of the round, players remove their tiles, flip them face down and place them back in the middle of the play area. Finally, players pass their playmats clockwise before shuffling and gaining 7 new tiles to play another round.
The player with the fewest total points becomes the start player for the first trick of the new round. If two players are tied for fewest total points, whoever scored the fewest points the previous round becomes the new start player.
Play continues until each player has scored with every playmat. Tally points from all rounds to determine the winner. If there is a tie, the player with the highest score in the final round wins.
2-Player Game
A 2-player game of Sauros plays the same as a 3-5 player game except for the following changes:
- A game lasts 3 rounds and there are only six tricks each round.
- A Bot is used to mimic a third human. When it's the Bot's turn, either human player reveals a face down tile. Since this is at random, it will often not match the Lead Dino, but this is perfectly okay.
- If either human player wins the trick, they take their tile and an additional tile - the trump, opponent or Bot's tile. If the Bot wins the trick, the Bot Die is rolled. This die determines which tile the Bot selects in addition to its played tile. Both tiles are placed face up on any unused playmat. Whether or not the Bot wins, its tile always goes face up on its playmat. If the Bot wins a trick, it will go first for the next trick.
In this example, because the Bot player rolled the Bot symbol they would take the Trump Tile, adding it to their playmat. All other players would add their played tile to their playmats.
- During scoring, the Bot is only a factor when counting Eggs. If the Bot has the most Egg icons, neither human player receives 4 VP. The Bot does not score points.
The Asteroid
When played: If the Asteroid tile is played, all played tiles are discarded (including Trump) and a new trick begins, starting with the player who played the Asteroid tile. This means only six tricks will be played that particular round. If a player has not played a tile before the Asteroid is played, they must legally play a tile before discarding it (i.e. following the Lead Dino if possible).
In this example, Player A is the starting player and leads with a Purple 7. Player B follows with the Asteroid, forcing all players to discard their tiles. Player C must also follow the Lead Dino if they're able.
As Trump: If the Asteroid tile is Trump, all players must remove a tile from their playmat. Tiles in the reserve can be removed. The Asteroid Tile is discarded and a new Trump Tile is revealed for the next trick.
In this example, the Asteroid is revealed as Trump so all players must remove one tile from their playmat. Once each player removes a tile, the Asteroid is discarded and a new Trump is revealed.
On playmat: None. Does not go on playmat.
The Quetzalcoatlus
When played: The Quetzalcoatlus tile is the only tile that can defeat a T-Rex. However, the T-Rex is the only tile it can beat. It can be played at any time.
In this example, Player A leads the trick with a Purple 7, and Player B follows with the T-Rex! Normally the T-Rex would win the trick, however, Player C played the powerful Quetzalcoatlus, defeating the T-Rex and winning the trick.
As Trump: There is no Trump Dino when this tile is Trump.
On playmat: When placed on a playmat, it doubles the scoring of Eggs but only if the player in possession of this tile has the most Eggs. Otherwise, it's just taking up space on the playmat. While it can be placed in the reserve, it will not double the Egg score unless it's been placed with all other tiles.
The Therizinosaurus
When played: The Therizinosaurus is the opposite of the T-Rex. It is the weakest tile and will never win a trick. However, if the trick-winner decides they want this tile, it is the only one they can take and they must discard their played tile. If another player played the Therizinosaurus, that player gets the Trump Tile AND the winner's played tile and the winner only gets the Therizinosaurus.
In this example, Player A leads the trick with a Green 4, Player B follows with the Therizinosaurus, and player C plays a Green 9, winning the trick. They choose the Therizinosaurus tile, so Player B gets the Trump Tile and Player C's tile.
As Trump: There is no Trump Dino when this tile is Trump.
On Playmat: It represents all symbols simultaneously, similar to how the T-Rex can be all four dinos at the same time.
In this example, the Therizinosaurus would help the player score a pair of Footprints for 5 VP, provide one Egg for the Bone above for 1 VP, and one Bone for the two green Eggs for 2 VP. The Therizinosaurus tile also provides a lone Tooth worth 2 VP. The total points awarded from the Therizinosaurus tile would be 10 VP.
NOTE: Any time Trump is a special tile (T-Rex, Asteroid, Quetzalcoatlus, or Therizinosaurus), there is no Trump for that trick. Don't forget, special tiles can be played at any time!
Midnight Dice Expansion
Each player will be given a D4 Midnight Die they can use once per round. After they place a tile and before the next player goes, the Midnight Die can be rolled and applied to the strength of your tile. Players can either increase or decrease their Dino tile's strength. NOTE: If two tiles with matching Dinos and strength are played, the one played last is stronger.
In this example, Player A plays a Purple 8 and Player B plays a Purple 5. Player C plays a Purple 6 and decides to use their Midnight Die to increase the strength of their tile by 2 or greater. Player C rolls a 3 and increases their Purple tile from 6 to 9, beating Player A's tile.
Hint: Since players may not always want to win a trick, the number rolled on the Midnight Die can also be subtracted to lower a Dino's strength. In the example above, if Player A thought they may win the trick with her Microraptor with strength 5, she could roll her die and subtract the number from her Dino's strength to ensure they would lose.
6th Player Expansion
With a 6th playmat, Sauros can now host six players. The only adjustment is players will take just 6 tiles per round, rather than 7. Everything else stays the same.