Sky Towers Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Multiplayer Rules
  • How to Win
  • Components
  • Setup
  • How to Play
• Actions
  • Play
  • Draw
  • Return
• Effects
• Game End
• Light Solitaire
  • How to Win Light
  • Light Setup
  • Light Difficulty
  • How to Play Light
  • Hand Size
  • Light Actions
  • Light Effects
  • Light Game End
• Taroma Solitaire
  • How to Win with Taroma
  • Taroma Setup
  • Taroma Difficulty
  • How to Play with Taroma
  • Taroma's Turn
  • Taroma Effects Variances
  • Taroma Game End

Multiplayer Rules

How to Win

Try to complete your towers by playing cards. A tower is completed when its total value adds up to 21.

At the end of the game, the player with the most yellow kites wins.

Components

• 50 Tower cards, each showing: (1) Flag, (2) Number of copies, (3) Effect, (4) Value, (5) Kite
• 4 Bonus cards

Setup

1. Set aside the bonus cards.
2. Shuffle all of the other cards and form a face down draw deck.
3. Each player draws 5 cards. Players take their cards in hand, keeping them secret from other players.

How to Play

Starting with the youngest player, take turns in a clockwise manner. On your turn, take 2 actions; they can be the same or different, and in any order. They are: Play, Draw, and Return.

Tip: Remember to take 2 actions by saying the actions you take. For example, "Draw and... Play. I'm done." It also lets others know it's their turn.

Actions

Play

Place a card from your hand on top of your tower or in front of you to start a new tower. Each player may only build 1 tower at a time in a 3-4 player game, and up to 2 towers at a time in a 2 player game.

• You may NEVER play a card that matches the top card of the tower to your left or right. In a 2 player game, this refers to both of your opponent's towers, if any.
• You may NEVER play a card that makes a tower go over 21.

If your tower adds up to 21 exactly, it is complete. Set these tower cards aside. They no longer block. They will score at the end of the game.

Example: Laurence plays 2 cards from his hand to his tower. The tower adds up to 21. The cards are set aside to score 4 points at the end of the game. Laurence took 2 actions, and thus his turn has ended.

Some cards have an effect when played. Resolve the card before continuing. For example, when a 5 is played, all players must discard down to 5 cards before taking the next action. See Effects.

There are 4 bonus cards in the game. After you complete a tower as described on a bonus card, take it (from the table or from another player) and set it aside.

Draw

Take the top card from the deck and add it to your hand. There is no hand limit. Tip: Beware of the 5.

Return

Take all of the cards from 1 of your incomplete towers back into your hand. Tip: Beware of the 5.

Effects

1: You can only cover a 1 with another 1. No other card can cover this card. A 1 is worth 2 points. Tip: Play these later, to complete a tower.

4: You may play any number of 4 cards (on 1 tower) with 1 Play action. Only this card has this ability. Tip: Hold on to your 4 cards to play them all at once.

5: When a 5 is played, starting with the active player, all players with more than 5 cards in their hand must place their extra cards (in any order) on top of the draw deck, face down. Tip: Play it when others have many cards.

6: When you play a 6, you must either: A) ask a player for a card by number. If they have it in hand, they must give it to you. Add it to your hand. Or B) Draw a card. Tip: Be nice.

8, 9: When you play an 8 or a 9 you may immediately take 1 additional action. You may play an 8 or a 9 onto your tower or another player's tower. Tip: Cover a tower that is blocking you, or deny someone a bonus card.

10: A 10 cannot cover another card. It can only be played as your first card. Tip: Play or discard it as soon as you can. Helps to complete a tower in the 3 actions of the last turn (10+6+5).

Game End

When the player who draws the last card from the draw deck ends their turn, all players take 1 more turn, including the player who took the last card. During this "last turn" players may take up to 3 actions. If cards are discarded (see 5), normal play resumes after the active player takes (up to) 3 actions and ends their turn.

After the players' last turn, the game ends. Cards from incomplete towers and players' hands do NOT score. The player with the most yellow kites on their completed tower cards and bonus cards wins.

In case of a tie, the tied player with the most pink flags (see 1 in Components) wins. Players who are still tied share the win.

Light Solitaire

You do NOT need to read the multiplayer rules before reading these rules. In this fast and fun solitaire game you will try to beat your highest score.

How to Win Light

Try to complete your towers by playing cards. A tower is completed when its total value (the pink number of each card) adds up to 21. Your score is the total number of completed towers and bonus cards.

Light Setup

1. Set aside the bonus cards.
2. Shuffle all of the other cards and form a face down draw deck.
3. Draw 4 cards to your hand.
4. Draw and set aside 4 cards, face down. These cards are out of the game.
5. Assign a space for a discard pile.

Light Difficulty

You can adjust the difficulty of the game during setup (in step 3 and 4).

• For an easier game: Deal 5 cards and set aside 5 cards.
• For a more challenging game: Deal 3 cards and set aside 3 cards, or deal 2 cards and set aside 2 cards.

How to Play Light

Take actions repeatedly until you can no longer do so. You may freely choose between Play, Draw, and Return. These actions are explained in Light Actions.

Most of the cards have an effect. Only the effects on the cards with values 1 and the 10 are used. All other effects are ignored. Effects are explained in Light Effects.

Hand Size

The number of cards you were dealt during setup determines your maximum hand size. If you have a full hand, you must discard a card before drawing a new card.

Light Actions

Play: Place a card* from your hand on top of your tower or in front of you to start a new tower. You may build up to 2 towers at the same time.

* You may NOT play a card that makes a tower go over 21.

If your tower adds up to 21 exactly, it is complete. Set these tower cards aside. Keep each completed tower in a separate face down stack. Each stack will score 1 point at the end of the game.

The effects on cards 1 and 10 must be respected. See Light Effects.

There are 4 bonus cards in the game. After you complete a tower as described on a bonus card, take it and set it aside. Each bonus card obtained will score 1 point at the end of the game.

Draw: Take the top card from the deck and add it to your hand. If you have a full hand, you must discard a card face down to the discard pile before drawing a new card.

Return: Discard all of the cards from 1 of your incomplete towers (your choice) to the discard pile.

Light Effects

Only the effects on the 1 and the 10 are used. All other effects are ignored.

1: You can only cover a 1 with another 1. No other card can cover this card. Tip: Play these later, to complete a tower.

10: A 10 cannot cover another card. It can only be played as your first card. Tip: Play it as soon as you can.

Light Game End

The game ends when you can no longer take an action.

Count the number of completed tower stacks and bonus cards. The yellow kites or pink flags do NOT count in this game. Cards from your hand or from incomplete towers do NOT score.

If you scored 10 points or more, or achieved all of the bonus cards, you are considered a master builder. But can you do better next time?

Taroma Solitaire

To play this mode, read the multiplayer rules before reading these rules. In this solitaire game you will be playing against Taroma, an automaton player.

How to Win with Taroma

As usual, try to complete your towers (making their value add up to 21) by playing cards. Your score is the total number of yellow kites on your completed towers and bonus cards.

At the end of the game, you win if your score is greater than the total number of yellow kites on Taroma's completed towers, bonus cards, incomplete towers, and row (hand).

Taroma Setup

1. Set aside the bonus cards.
2. Shuffle all of the other cards and form a face down draw deck.
3. Draw 5 cards to your hand.
4. Deal 5 cards face down to form Taroma's row.

(The diagram shows Taroma's towers above Taroma's row, and your towers beside your hand; arrows show where to build.)

Taroma Difficulty

For a more challenging game, Taroma may build an additional tower, which also blocks you.

How to Play with Taroma

This solitaire game is very much like a 2 player game. Taroma always takes the first turn. Both players take 2 actions per turn, as usual. You may freely choose between Play, Draw, and Return. The actions are the same as in the multiplayer game. Both players may build up to 2 towers each. As usual, the topmost card on your opponent's tower(s) blocks you, and vice-versa. Taroma will gain bonus cards if completed, though this is rare. Also see Effects Variances.

Taroma's Turn

Taroma normally takes 2 actions, but might take more if they play an 8 or 9. For each action, go through each option in step 1 (1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, and 1E) until 1 action is taken. Then see if their turn has ended as explained in step 2.

Taroma never takes the Return action.

Taroma's name comes from blending 'Taro', a common Japanese name, and 'Automaton', a self-operating machine.

1A. Complete a Tower. Play Taroma's highest face up card to any of Taroma's towers to complete it.

1B. Play Highest Card. Looking at the numeric value of Taroma's face up row cards, Play the highest card to one of Taroma's towers, always choosing the rightmost tower possible.

1C. Play Next Highest. If the highest card cannot be played (blocked), Play the next highest face up card until a card is played.

1D. Flip and Play. If no face up cards can be played, flip over Taroma's rightmost face down card, one by one, until you can Play a card. Revealed cards remain face up.

1E. Draw Face Down. If still no card can be played (all cards are face up or there are no cards), Draw a card to the left of Taroma's row, face down.

2. Repeat or End. If Taroma has played their last action, their turn ends. Otherwise, repeat this process starting from 1A.

Taroma Effects Variances

1: Taroma can only play the 1 card on a tower of 19 or 20.

5: When a 5 is played, both players must discard as normal. If Taroma needs to discard, reveal any of their face down row cards and discard the highest number card until there are 5 cards left. Shuffle and return these, face down, to Taroma's row.

6: When a 6 is played, shuffle the cards in the opponent's row and draw one at random to the active player's row. Then return the remaining cards, face down if to Taroma's row, or face up if to your row. If an opponent has no cards, Draw a card instead.

4: When a 4 is played by Taroma, also play as many of their face up 4 cards as possible to the same tower.

Taroma Game End

When the last card is drawn and the current turn has ended, both players take 1 more turn consisting of up to 3 actions. If cards are discarded, normal play resumes. Once the last turn has ended, count your kites in completed towers. Kites from your incomplete towers and row do NOT score.

At the end of the game, you win if your score is greater than the total number of yellow kites on Taroma's completed towers, incomplete towers, and row (hand). In the case of a tie, refer to Game End in the main rules.