Spirits of the Wild: Awakening
Spirits of the Wild: Awakening Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Object of the Game
Use action tiles to collect and place colorful stones onto your animal boards for points, while avoiding Coyote. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.
Contents
- 56 stones
- 1 bowl
- 1 Coyote figure
- 30 animal boards
- 1 cloth bag
- 12 action tiles
- 36 Spirit Power cards
Setup
- Place the bowl between both players.
- Set the Coyote figure to the side.
- Choose the 5 animal boards you will use this game. Both players must use the same five animals. Take the animal boards in the color of your choice and place them in front of you.
- Place your 6 action tiles in front of you faceup.
- Choose a starting player. The starting player must flip their "Take Two Stones" tile facedown. It will not be available until tiles are recovered (more on that later).
- Shuffle the Spirit Power cards and deal 6 cards into two faceup piles that have 3 cards in each. Return the remaining cards to the box.
- Put all the stones into the bag and shake. Draw 4 stones and place them in the bowl. If you drew any special iridescent Spirit Stones, return them to the bag and draw new stones until there are 4 regular stones in the bowl.
How to Play
On your turn, choose one of your faceup action tiles and complete its action, then flip it facedown. Your turn is over and play passes to your opponent.
Action Tiles
Take One Stone (x2)
Take 1 stone from the bowl and place it onto one of your animal boards.
The back side of these tiles creates an image of Coyote. After you flip the second tile you may move Coyote to one of your opponent's animal boards.
Note: You cannot choose this action if there are no stones in the bowl.
Take Two Stones
Take 2 stones from the bowl and place them onto one or more of your animal boards.
Note: You cannot choose this action if there are fewer than two stones in the bowl.
Add Two Stones & Take One Stone
Draw 2 stones from the bag and add them to the bowl. Then, take 1 stone from the bowl and place it onto one of your animal boards.
Add Three Stones & Move Coyote
Draw 3 stones from the bag and add them to the bowl. Then, you may move Coyote to one of your opponent's animal boards.
Recover Tiles & Use Spirit Power
Flip all 6 of your action tiles faceup. Choose one of the two faceup Spirit Power cards and perform its action(s) in the order it is written. When finished, move the card to the bottom of its original pile.
Note: You cannot choose this action unless you have at least 3 other action tiles facedown.
Taking Stones
When taking a stone, you must place it in an available space on one of your animal boards. Once you place a stone, you cannot move it. Each animal has special requirements for placing stones such as "all different colors" or "all one color." If a stone does not meet the animal's requirements, you cannot place it on that animal board.
Linked spaces, such as pairs or 3-of-a-kind, are connected by lines, can only hold stones of the same color, and do not score unless complete. If there is a stone in a linked space, you can only place stones of the same color in the other linked spaces.
If you ever end up taking a stone that you cannot place, add it to the bowl instead of placing it.
Spirit Stones
Spirit Stones are special, iridescent stones. There is a bonus space in the corner of each animal board just for Spirit Stones. Only Spirit Stones can be placed in these spaces. Likewise, Spirit Stones cannot be placed in normal spaces.
Placing a Spirit Stone on an animal board doubles the points earned for that animal at the end of the game, BUT that animal board is now closed. Unless the Spirit Stone is removed, no more stones can be placed on it.
Coyote
Coyote is a trickster who loves distracting other animals. If Coyote is on one of your animal boards, you are not allowed to place any stones on that board until Coyote moves.
Coyote only prevents you from placing stones on an animal board. It does not prevent effects that remove stones, nor does it prevent that animal from scoring at the end of the game.
Moving Coyote is always optional. If an effect allows you to move Coyote, you may move it to a different one of your opponents' animal boards or keep it where it is. You can never move Coyote to one of your own animal boards.
Passing
If your opponent agrees that you have no legal move on your turn, flip one of your action tiles facedown without performing the action and pass your turn.
Note: Do not move Coyote if you flip your second Take One Stone action tile as a result of passing your turn.
Ending the Game
If there are 5 or more Spirit Stones out of the bag at the end of any player's turn, the game ends immediately. The stones may be in the bowl or on animal boards.
Scoring
Add up the points you earned for each animal board. If a Spirit Stone is in the bonus space, that animal earns double.
The player with the most points wins the game.
In case of a tie, the player with Coyote loses.
Now You're Ready to Play!
The rest of these rules contain detailed information on the individual animal boards and Spirit Power cards. You should only need this section if questions come up during play.
Animal Boards
Ants
This animal earns points based on the total number of stones on it. No color restrictions. Stones must always be placed on the leftmost open space. As soon as you place a stone on a space marked with the Coyote symbol, you may immediately move Coyote. This can happen between placing stones on turns where you have more than one stone to place.
Maximum score: 7 points. 14 points with Spirit Stone.
Beaver
Score 5 points for completing the 3-of-a-kind. Score 2 points for completing the pair. If you complete both sets, score an additional 7 points. Incomplete sets score zero points.
Maximum score: 14 points. 28 points with Spirit Stone.
Bullfrog
As soon as you complete the 3-of-a-kind, add three stones to the bowl and then take two stones. Score 2 points if complete. Incomplete sets score zero points.
Maximum score: 2 points. 4 points with Spirit Stone.
Condor
No color restrictions. Stones must always be placed on the leftmost open space. If both stones in the spaces marked A are the same color, score an additional 5 points. If both stones in the spaces marked B are the same color, score an additional 3 points.
Maximum score: 13 points. 26 points with Spirit Stone.
Gila Monster
Only up to two different colors may be placed. Score 1 point per stone. If an equal number of stones are used of each color, score 2 points per stone instead.
Maximum score: 12 points. 24 points with Spirit Stone.
Jackrabbit
All stones must be different colors. As soon as you place the third stone on this animal, you may immediately move Coyote and, at the end of this turn, take an extra turn. Take the extra turn even if the game would have ended during the previous turn. Score 3 points if completed.
Maximum score: 3 points. 6 points with Spirit Stone.
Errata note: the instruction sheet carries a printer revision instruction updating this animal's maximum score line to "Maximum score: 4 points. 8 points with Spirit Stone."
Moose
All stones must be the same color. Score 1 point per stone. If your Moose has more stones than your opponent's Moose, score 2 points per stone instead.
Maximum score: 16 points. 32 points with Spirit Stone.
Moth
Score 4 points for completing the 3-of-a-kind. Score 1 point for the single stone. As soon as both sets are completed, use one of the faceup Spirit Power cards and then move it to the bottom of its original pile. If this happens while resolving another Spirit Power card, move that card to the bottom of its stack before using the new Spirit Power card.
Maximum score: 5 points. 10 points with Spirit Stone.
Otter
No color restrictions. As soon as you complete the set, immediately take one stone of your choice from the bag. Score 4 points if complete. If incomplete, score zero points.
Maximum score: 4 points. 8 points with Spirit Stone.
Owl
Score 3 points for each completed pair. Incomplete sets score zero points.
Maximum score: 9 points. 18 points with Spirit Stone.
Packrat
Except for the Spirit Stone space, you cannot place stones on this animal normally. Immediately after you move Coyote, draw one random stone from the bag and place it into Packrat's Nest. Do not add stones to the Nest if there is a Spirit Stone on the Spirit Stone space. Score 1 point for each normal stone in the Nest. Score 3 points for each Spirit Stone in the Nest. Spirit Stones in Packrat's Nest do not double this animal's score or prevent you from adding stones but they do count towards the Spirit Stones required to end the game.
Maximum score: varies.
Rabbit
All stones must be different colors. Score 6 points if complete. If incomplete, score zero points.
Maximum score: 6 points. 12 points with Spirit Stone.
Raven
All stones must be the same color. Each stone is worth a number of points equal to the number of Spirit Stones you have on all of your animal boards.
Maximum score: varies.
Salmon
This animal earns points based on the total number of stones on it. All stones must be different colors.
Maximum score: 13 points. 26 points with Spirit Stone.
Turtle
This animal earns points based on the total number of stones on it. All stones must be the same color.
Maximum score: 14 points. 28 points with Spirit Stone.
Spirit Power Cards
The Spirit Power card actions must be performed in order, as written. If you cannot complete all actions shown on the card, complete as much as you can.
Badger
You may move Coyote. Then, return any one stone to the bowl (including a Spirit Stone) from the animal board Coyote is on.
Bear
Count the number of stones currently in the bowl and return them to the bag. Then, draw the same number of stones from the bag and add them to the bowl. Lastly, take one stone from the bowl.
Bison
Draw three stones from the bag and add them to the bowl. Then, take one stone from the bowl. Lastly, choose one stone in the bowl and return it to the bag. The stones taken from the bowl and returned to the bag do not have to be from among the three added using this card.
Cougar
Draw two stones from the bag and add them to the bowl. Then, take two stones from the bowl.
Deer
Remove any one stone from one of your animal boards (including a Spirit Stone) and add it to the bowl. Then, take two stones from the bowl. You may take the stone you initially returned.
Eagle
Take one stone from the bowl. Take another turn at the end of this turn. Take the extra turn even if the game would have ended during the previous turn.
Elk
Choose one: either take two non-Spirit Stones from the bowl, or take one Spirit Stone from the bowl and take another turn at the end of this turn. You can only choose the second option if there is a Spirit Stone in the bowl. Take the extra turn even if the game would have ended during the previous turn.
Fox
Draw four stones from the bag and add them to the bowl. Then, take one stone from the bowl. Lastly, choose one stone in the bowl. Your opponent must take that stone and place it if possible. If placing these stones causes either player to take an extra turn, those extra turns happen at the end of your turn in the order they were triggered and before your opponent's next normal turn.
Orca
Draw five stones from the bag and add them to the bowl. Choose a color from among the stones in the bowl and take all the stones of that color. Spirit Stones count as a color. Then, your opponent chooses a color from among the stones remaining in the bowl. Return all the stones of that color from the bowl to the bag.
Porcupine
Take all the stones from one of your animal boards (including Spirit Stones, if any) and place them onto your other animal boards. You may place the stones on one or multiple animal boards. You cannot place any of the stones back onto the original animal board.
Raccoon
Take one non-Spirit Stone from any animal board, including your own. Then, add three stones from the bag to the bowl.
Ram
Draw two stones from the bag and take them both. Add any stones you are unable to place onto your animal boards to the bowl.
Seal
Return any one stone from one of your animal boards to the bag. Then draw three stones from the bag and take them all. Add any stones you are unable to place onto your animal boards to the bowl.
Skunk
Take one stone from the bowl. You may place this stone on an animal being blocked by Coyote. If you do, you may move Coyote. This power does not allow you to place a stone on an opponent's animal board.
Spider
Name a color and then draw eight stones from the bag. Take all the stones of that color from among those you drew. Return the remaining stones to the bag. Spirit Stones count as a color.
Squirrel
Draw stones one at a time from the bag until you decide to stop. You must draw at least one stone. Take one stone from among those drawn, then your opponent takes one stone from those drawn. Finally, return any remaining drawn stones to the bag.
Vulture
Return all the stones in the bowl to the bag. Then draw one stone from the bag and take it.
Wolf
Draw four stones from the bag and add them to the bowl. Then, take one stone from the bowl.
Animal Board Sets
Spirits of the Wild Awakening can be played with any grouping of five animal boards and six Spirit Power cards. Part of the fun is exploring new combinations. If you find it hard to choose, here are five recommended sets that have been designed around fun interactions or interesting themes.
First Steps
- Animal boards: Owl, Rabbit, Beaver, Salmon, Turtle
- Spirit Power cards: Bear, Bison, Eagle, Deer, Wolf, Ram
Coyote's Mischief
- Animal boards: Ants, Jackrabbit, Moose, Condor, Packrat
- Spirit Power cards: Badger, Skunk, Spider, Squirrel, Bison, Vulture
Condor's Challenge
- Animal boards: Condor, Gila Monster, Owl, Bullfrog, Jackrabbit
- Spirit Power cards: Orca, Porcupine, Raccoon, Badger, Fox, Deer
Big and Small
- Animal boards: Rabbit, Bullfrog, Packrat, Raven, Moth
- Spirit Power cards: Bear, Wolf, Cougar, Ram, Elk, Bison
River and Sea
- Animal boards: Salmon, Beaver, Turtle, Moose, Otter
- Spirit Power cards: Raccoon, Bear, Seal, Orca, Eagle, Spider
Credits
- Game Design: Nick Hayes
- Illustration: Rachel Quinlan
- Art Direction: Jeff Ipjian
- Copywriting: Mary Sadonsky
2 players, ages 10+.