Shifting Realms
Shifting Realms Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
16 black scouts, 10 black soldiers, 16 green scouts, 10 green soldiers, 16 red scouts, 10 red soldiers, 16 blue scouts, 10 blue soldiers, 25 (yellow) gold cubes, 5 (yellow) gold discs, 20 (brown) wood cubes, 5 (brown) wood discs, 20 (pink) magic cubes, 5 (pink) magic discs, 20 (gray) stone cubes, 5 (gray) stone discs, 5 realm boards, 45 structure tiles, 50 story cards, 20 task cards, 4 turn order cards, 1 dragon figure, 4 scoring track pieces, and 6 troll king tokens
Object
Have the most victory points at the end of the game. The game ends when two of the three game-ending objectives have been met, or when all structures in all realms are built.
The Five Realms and Their Objectives
Your game includes five shifting realms. In each game, three of these realms will be chosen randomly, which the factions will compete to restore. Each realm has a specific objective; once this objective is met, it cannot be undone.
Tyrfing (Ter-fing) - The bustling land of gray dwarfs
The industrious dwarfs of Tyrfing bore into the land in their eternal quest for gold. Their sophisticated tunneling technology enables them to travel quickly throughout their realm. As a ferocious dragon roams the skies, the dwarfs gather in their strongholds and plan how to protect and spend their immense wealth. Their objective is met when the dragon has moved six times. If one of their other objectives has already been met, the game will end immediately after the last dragon card is played.
Alfheim (Alv-heym) - The enchanted land of elves
Inhabiting the forests of this realm, the elves desire to live peacefully, building their castles in the trees and trading in their markets and wharfs. Their objective is met when all three elven castles have been built.
Libertatia (Lib-er-tae-she-uh) - The legendary colony of pirates
These swashbucklers spend scant time on land in their forts. They would rather sail the seas raiding for loot, burying their treasure for later use. Will the uneasy alliance between these ruthless competing crews last? Their objective is met when a player has embarked on four pirate raids and two buried treasure structures have been built.
Dovre - The land of enslaved orcs
As the orcs of Dovre bow reluctantly to their troll king, they long to escape his merciless rule. Building outposts and fortresses throughout the land, the orcs hope to free their realm of this ruthless overlord. Their objective is met when all 6 of the troll king tokens are gone.
Anunna (A-nun-na) - The mysterious land of priests
The mystic priests of this realm have an almost hypnotic hold over their followers. Converts by the thousands flock to their holy temples and shrines, many becoming unwitting slaves in the many quarries that dot the realm. Their objective is met when the last Anunna story card is drawn.
The First Time You Play
Pop out the 45 structure tiles, 4 scoring track pieces and the 6 troll king tokens. Separate the 50 story cards into 5 realm-specific story card decks of 10 cards each. Separate the 20 task cards into 5 realm-specific task card decks of 4 cards each.
Set Up
Realm boards and the scoring track
Place all five realm boards logo-side up. Randomly pick three realm boards and place them side by side, board-side up. These are the realms that the factions will be trying to restore during the game.
When placing realm boards, make sure that all town hall banners are parallel to each other so that the realm names read in the same direction. Place the scoring track pieces together on the left side of the realm boards. Place the other two boards back in the box.
Special Dovre and Tyrfing Setup: If you chose the Dovre realm, place the troll king tokens face down on the troll king space in order with the first token on top. If you chose the Tyrfing realm, place the dragon figure on the space that reads "dragon starts here."
Structure tiles
Take the three corresponding sets of structure tiles that correspond to the realm boards you chose, and place each set cost-side up in three piles on one side of each board next to their matching realm. Create the piles by placing the same structure tiles on top of each other.
(Illustration: a structure tile, Cost Side and Built Side; example Elven Wharf.)
Story cards
Take the three story card decks that correspond to the realm boards you chose. Shuffle each deck and place the decks face down on the side of the boards.
Task cards
Take the three corresponding sets of task cards. Shuffle each set and give one of each set to each player. Place your task cards face down in front of you until the end of the game. You can look at your task cards at any time.
Available resource piles
There are four types of resources; gold (yellow), wood (brown), stone (gray) and magic (pink). Each cube has a value of one. Each disc has a value of five. Place the resources in piles within easy reach of all players.
Starting gold
Give each player five gold.
Collect your scouts and soldiers
Each player does the following:
- Collects matching-colored scouts (cylinders) and soldiers, then places one scout and one soldier on each of the three starting town hall spaces.
- Places one scout on the zero space of the scoring track, to act as a scoring marker.
All scouts and soldiers not on the board are considered to be in the players' reserves.
Rules for a 3- or 4-Player Game
Bid for turn order cards
To start the game, players bid for turn order cards. The large numbers on the cards determine the turn order for the game. The turn order cards each have different amounts of starting resources. Note: In a three-player game, remove the number four turn order card from play before the bidding begins.
Turn order cards:
- Turn order 1: no starting resources.
- Turn order 2: After choosing this turn order card collect 1 gold.
- Turn order 3: After choosing this turn order card collect 2 gold.
- Turn order 4: After choosing this turn order card collect 1 gold and any 1 resource.
To bid for turn order cards, all players secretly place any amount of gold (including zero) in one hand. Then all players reveal their bids at the same time.
- The highest bidder pays his gold to the resource pile and chooses a turn order card.
- The next highest bidder pays his gold to the resource pile and chooses a turn order card.
- The next highest bidder pays his gold to the resource pile and chooses a turn order card (or takes the remaining card in a 3-player game).
- In a 4-player game, the player with the next highest bid pays his gold to the resource pile and takes the remaining turn order card.
In case of a tie, the tying players shuffle the remaining cards and each choose a card at random just for the turn order number, to break the tie. The player who chose the higher number can then choose a turn order card.
Example of bidding for turn order cards: Troy bids zero gold. Luke and Faith each bid one gold. Drake bids two gold.
Drake was the highest bidder, so he chooses to go first by selecting the number one turn order card. Faith and Luke tie for the next highest bid, so they shuffle the three remaining turn order cards and each take one at random. Faith picks number four and Luke picks number three to win the tie. Luke chooses the number two turn order card, then Faith chooses the number four turn order card because she really wants the any one resource. Troy, who bid zero, takes the remaining card, the number three turn order card.
On Your Turn
Players take turns in the order shown on their turn order cards. On your turn, do the following in order:
- Perform up to three actions
- Collect resources
Actions
You can perform up to three actions in any order. You can perform the same action twice or three times on the same turn.
Exception: You cannot perform the DRAW A STORY CARD action more than twice on the same turn.
There are four types of actions, all explained in detail below.
- RECRUIT UNITS
- MOVE
- BUILD STRUCTURES
- DRAW A STORY CARD
Recruit Units
Scouts and soldiers are units. For one action, you can pay one gold to purchase two units of any type. You can recruit two scouts, one scout and one soldier, or two soldiers. Place newly-purchased units on any town hall space, or on any space containing a structure tile that you own.
You can place the two units on the same space or on different spaces. No Scouts Rule: If you have no scouts on the board, you can place two for free.
Example: The red player pays one gold and uses one action to place a soldier and a scout on a town hall space.
Move
For one action, you can move any number of your units from one space to another space up to three spaces away.
- You cannot move diagonally.
- You can share spaces with your opponents' units.
- You cannot move the same unit more than once on your turn. For example, you cannot spend one action to move two scouts and one soldier three spaces, and then spend another action to move the same two scouts and the same one soldier another three spaces.
Build Structures
For one action, you can purchase and place one structure tile.
Pay the Cost
You must pay the required resource(s) and use the action to place the structure tile. After you place the structure tile built-side up, place one scout from your reserve onto the newly-built structure tile on the ownership spot. This unit is now an ownership marker, not a scout. If there are no scouts in your reserve, you must move any scout to this new tile.
(Illustration of a structure tile: the cost side shows the cost information and the space type; the built side shows the ownership marker spot and the victory points. Example: Elven Castle.)
Trading in Magic
At any time on your turn, you can trade in three magic for any one resource.
Where Can I Build?
Structures can be built only in the realm that they are from. Each structure is built on a specific type of space, which is indicated by the space type symbol on the structure tile. Most structure tiles are built on grass, but some are built on other types of spaces.
To build a structure, you must have a unit on the space where you want to build it, or on a space adjacent to where you want to build it. You may build on a space adjacent to another structure you own, or on a space that is occupied by your opponents' units. Diagonal spaces are not considered adjacencies.
Board Spaces and Space Type Symbols
Forest, Water's Edge, Quarry, Mine, Ruins, Town Hall, Grass.
Each grass space looks a little different in each realm. The corner details are different. In Alfheim, the corner details are bushes.
Soldier's Return
After you place a structure tile, you may move all of your soldiers on that tile to the town hall space in that realm.
Score
After placing a structure tile, move your scoring marker ahead on the scoring track the number of victory points shown on the tile.
Draw a Story Card
For one action, you can draw any one story card. You can draw up to two story cards on your turn. You can draw a story card from a realm in which you have no units occupying any of its spaces.
Playing Story Cards
There are two types of story cards: events and permanents. Events are discarded when played. Permanents are placed face up in front of a player when played.
Story cards state when they can be played: Now, Now or Later, Later, or End of Game. Playing story cards does not count as an action.
- You must play Now cards immediately.
- You may play Now or Later cards either immediately, or you may place them face down in front of you to be played later, during your current turn or a future turn.
- Place Later cards in front of you. You cannot play the card during the turn on which you drew the card, but you may play it on any future turn.
- Place End of Game cards face down in front of you. End of Game cards are played after the two end objectives have been met, or after all structures in all realms have been built.
Story Card Hand Limit
There is no limit to the number of story cards you can have in your hand.
Running Out of Story Cards
If you draw the last card from a story card deck, do not reshuffle the discard pile to form a new draw pile.
To Fight, or Not to Fight?
Fighting does not count as an action. At any time before or after an action on your turn, you may choose to fight an opponent's units that occupy a space that one or more of your soldiers occupy. You may fight more than once on a turn, but you may fight only one opponent on a space.
No-Fight Spaces: Fighting is not allowed on town hall spaces or on spaces with structure tiles.
Resolving Fights
Resolving a fight is easy: when you choose to fight an opponent's unit, you automatically destroy it.
When resolving fights, remember these two key rules:
- Each soldier protects two scouts. Soldiers can fight opponents' soldiers and unprotected scouts (scouts without soldiers to protect them). Scouts cannot fight any opponents' units.
- Each time you destroy an opponent's soldier, your own soldier on that space is also destroyed. Scouts cannot destroy soldiers.
Destroyed Units: In fights some units will be destroyed. Destroyed units are returned to the player's reserve and can be recruited on later turns.
Emptied Collecting Spots: If one or more collecting spots are emptied due to a fight and you have scouts on that space, you may immediately place your scouts on the empty collecting spots.
Soldier(s) vs. Scout(s)
If your soldier is on a space with an opponent's unprotected scout(s), you may destroy one or more of those scouts. Each one of your soldiers on that space may destroy one of your opponent's unprotected scouts on that space. Any surviving scouts belonging to that opponent flee - your opponent places them on the town hall space in that realm.
Examples
1 RED SOLDIER and 1 RED SCOUT vs. 3 GREEN SCOUTS
The red player moves a soldier and a scout onto a mine that has three green scouts. The red player chooses to fight, and destroys one green scout. The green player places the two remaining scouts on the town hall space in that realm. The red player then places his scout onto a collecting spot for that mine.
1 RED SOLDIER and 1 RED SCOUT vs. 1 BLUE SCOUT or 1 GREEN SCOUT
The red player moves a soldier and a scout onto a mine that has a blue scout and a green scout. Since he can fight only one opponent per space, the red player chooses to fight the green scout, and destroys it. He then places his scout onto a collecting spot for that mine. The blue scout remains on the mine.
Soldier(s) vs. Soldier(s) and Scout(s)
An opponent's soldier protects up to two scouts on a space. If you move onto a space where an opponent has a soldier and three scouts, you may destroy one of the opponent's scouts, since it is unprotected. The other two scouts stay on the space.
Example
1 RED SOLDIER and 1 RED SCOUT vs. 1 BLUE SOLDIER and 3 BLUE SCOUTS
The red player moves a soldier and one scout onto a forest that has a blue soldier and three blue scouts. The red player destroys one unprotected blue scout and moves his red scout onto the empty collecting spot. The space now contains one red soldier, one red scout, one blue soldier and two protected blue scouts.
Soldier(s) vs. Soldier(s)
If your soldiers are on a space with an opponent's soldiers, you must resolve fights with the soldiers before resolving fights with any remaining scouts. Remember, for every soldier you destroy, your opponent must destroy one of their soldiers on that space.
Examples
2 RED SOLDIERS AND 1 RED SCOUT vs. 1 GREEN SOLDIER and 2 GREEN SCOUTS
The red player moves two soldiers and a scout onto a mine with one green soldier and two green scouts. The red player chooses to fight and destroys one soldier, forcing the green player to destroy a soldier. Now the space contains one red soldier, one red scout and two unprotected green scouts. The red player chooses to fight again and destroys a green scout. The other green scout is placed on the town hall space in that realm. The red player then places his scout on the collecting spot.
2 RED SOLDIERS AND 1 SCOUT vs. 1 GREEN SOLDIER, 1 GREEN SCOUT, 1 BLUE SOLDIER, and 1 BLUE SCOUT
The red player moves two soldiers and a scout onto a mine with one green soldier, one green scout, one blue soldier and one blue scout. The red player chooses to fight the green player. He destroys one soldier, forcing the green player to destroy a soldier. Now the space contains one red soldier, one red scout, one blue soldier, one blue scout and one unprotected green scout. The red player chooses to fight again, destroys the remaining green scout, then places his scout on the empty collecting spot.
2 BLACK SOLDIERS AND 1 BLACK SCOUT vs. 2 RED SOLDIERS and 3 RED SCOUTS
The black player moves two soldiers and a scout onto a quarry with two red soldiers and three red scouts. The black player destroys one soldier, forcing the red player to destroy a soldier. Now the space contains one red soldier, three red scouts, one black soldier and one black scout. The black soldier chooses to fight again, destroying the red player's unprotected scout. The black player then places his scout on the empty collecting spot.
Collect Resources
Collect resources for any scouts on spaces that allow you to collect resources. Also collect resources from structure tiles you own that produce resources. There are four resources: gold, stone, wood and magic.
- Forest spaces allow scouts to collect wood.
- Mine spaces allow scouts to collect gold.
- Quarry spaces allow scouts to collect stone.
- Ruins spaces allow scouts to collect magic.
Each resource space has three collecting spots. Any scouts on these spots allow you to collect resources.
Owning an Elven Wharf allows you to collect 1 stone and 1 wood each time you collect resources.
Moving into Empty Spots
At the start of your turn, if you have a scout or scouts in a space with empty spots, you may move the scout or scouts onto the empty spots.
Unlimited Resources
Resources are considered unlimited. If you attempt to collect a resource and no tokens are available, keep track on a piece of paper or use another type of marker.
Resource Supplies
All resources a player has are considered to be in that player's supply. Players' supplies are public.
Town Hall Spaces
Town hall spaces are considered safe spaces. Realm creatures, like the dragon, cannot move into them. Players cannot move or remove an opponent's units from a town hall space. Fighting cannot happen in a town hall space.
Scoring
As players receive or lose victory points, they should move their scoring markers on the victory point track accordingly.
End of Game
The game ends when two realm-ending objectives have been met. The game ends immediately when the second objective is met, with one exception. The player that completed the second ending objective completes the Collect Resources step. All players now calculate final game scoring.
Tasks
At the end of the game, the players turn over their task cards and determine whether they receive victory points based on completed tasks. Tasks that require a certain amount of resources in your supply require you to place the required resources on the card to verify completion. These resources cannot be used in calculating end of game resource scoring.
Resource Scoring
Each player receives one victory point for every five resource cubes in his supply. Cubes placed on task cards do not count for end of game resource scoring.
Story Cards
Players play any End of Game story cards and score any victory points awarded.
The Winner
The player with the most victory points is the winner. If there is a tie, the player that has built the most structure tiles is the winner. If there is still a tie, the players share the victory.
Story-Specific Rules
Tyrfing Dragon
The dragon is a realm creature. If you draw a Dragon Moves card, place it face up in front of you and gain one victory point. Then move the dragon up to four spaces, and remove one unit of your choice from each space the dragon moves into (these may include your own units).
Dragon Movement Rules:
- The dragon cannot move diagonally.
- The dragon cannot move into the same space twice per move.
- The dragon cannot land on a town hall space or the troll king space.
- The dragon can move through (fly over) a town hall space or the troll king space, but does not remove any units in the town hall space he flies over.
- The dragon can move into spaces in other realms.
Nothing can move onto the space where the dragon lands, and players cannot build on this space. Units may move off the space with the dragon. On the sixth Dragon Moves card, the dragon leaves the board after moving into its last space. Place the dragon on the Tyrfing story deck to show that no more cards can be drawn from that deck. If drawing the last dragon card would end the game, the player who drew the card moves the dragon before the game ends.
Libertatia Pirate Raid
Once per turn, a player owning a pirate ship structure tile may spend an action to complete a pirate raid. A player may take a standing soldier on a pirate ship and lay it flat on the structure tile to indicate that the ship has gone on a raid. The player immediately receives 2 gold and 2 victory points, and may pick a card from any story deck from any realm in play.
A player may only raid 4 times for each pirate ship he builds. Soldiers that are placed flat on a pirate ship may not be moved off of or removed from the structure. They are still considered soldiers. If the game ends with a player making a fourth pirate raid, that player gets to draw a card and complete the actions stated on the card before the game ends.
Pirate Ship tile text: Once, anytime on your turn; if you have a standing soldier on this structure, you may spend an action to perform a Pirate Raid.
Dovre Troll King
A player may spend one action to fight the troll king.
To fight the troll king, a player must move a group of two soldiers onto the troll king space. The player then destroys the soldiers and takes the top troll king token. Players should move their scoring markers on the scoring track when they receive a troll king token. Most of the troll king tokens include resource icons on them. The player places the token in front of him. When that player gathers resources the player may take resources shown on the token. When all 6 of the troll king tokens have been taken, the end condition is met. Players cannot build on the troll king space. When all troll king tokens are taken, players can move their units onto and through the troll king space without fighting the troll king.
Anunna Story Cards
If drawing the last Anunna story card would end the game, the player that draws the last card may complete the actions stated on the card before the game ends.
Rules for a 2-Player Game
The two-player game plays exactly the same as the three- and four-player game with these additional rules:
Bid for turn order cards
In a two-player game, remove the number three turn order card and the number four turn order card from play before the bidding begins.
2-Player Fight Rule
It takes two soldiers, instead of one, to remove an opponent's soldier.