Tavarua
Tavarua Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Box Contents
- 1 Game Board — The game board is where your surfers will paddle out, catch waves, and ride them in. The backside of the board features an alternate surf spot with unique artwork. The difference is aesthetic, there is no change in gameplay mechanics.
- 6 Wave Tiles — Wave tiles are placed on the game board in the break spaces. The backside of the wave tiles features artwork that matches the alternate side of the game board.
- 6 Wave Dice — Dice are used together with wave tiles to create waves.
- 1 Score Track — This is where you track your wave scores.
- 1 First Player Token — This token denotes the first player.
- 3 Trophy Tokens — These tokens are given to the champions at the end of the game.
- 60 Player Cards — Players hold a hand of 5 player cards at a time. These cards are used to take actions.
- 42 Wave Cards — Wave cards show the current section of the wave (on the front) and the upcoming section of the wave (on the back).
- 27 Stoke Cards — These cards are one-time-use-cards that grant special abilities.
- 12 Surfboards — (6 Shortboards/Longboards in each color) Shortboards and longboards have different characteristics.
- 6 Wooden Surfers — (One in each color) Your surfer represents you on the game board and rides a surfboard.
- 6 Balance Tokens — (One in each color) This token represents your balance on your surfboard.
- 24 Score Tokens — (2 Shortboard and 2 Longboard in each color) Score waves by placing on the score track.
- 6 Mats — (One in each color) Player mats show your current surfboard and balance. They also act as a reference for playing actions.
- 12 Barrel Tokens — Barrel tokens are worth points. They're earned for riding barrel waves.
- 12 Hang-Ten Tokens — Hang-Ten tokens are worth points and can be earned when riding a longboard.
- 18 Stoke Tokens — Stoke tokens are an indication of how enthusiastic your surfer is. They may be spent to help you out in various ways.
- 6 Perfect Tokens — Perfect tokens are worth points and indicate that you caught a perfect wave.
- 6 Reference Cards — These serve as quick rules references for each player.
Summary / Overview
Tavarua is a competitive surfing board game for 1 to 6 players. You are a surfer, ready to ride the waves in a friendly competition to see who's the best. Choose a surfboard, paddle out and watch for the perfect wave to catch. Once you're up and riding you'll need to maintain your balance by performing tricks and watching the shifting water to keep from wiping out. Each successful wave counts towards your score, but in the end, only one surfer will win the Grand Champion trophy!
Game Setup
A game in progress is laid out around the central game board with each player's own area radiating outward. The shared components in the middle are:
- Wave Deck — placed near the game board, with the wave tiles drawn from it and placed in the board's break spaces, and the wave dice nearby.
- Wave Discard — where used wave cards are placed.
- Score Track — placed to the side of the board for tracking wave scores.
- Stoke Deck and Stoke Discard — the shared deck of one-time-use ability cards and its discard pile.
- Token Pile — the shared supply of Barrel, Hang-Ten, and Perfect tokens.
Each player has their own area consisting of:
- Player Deck, Player Cards (hand), and Player Discard.
- Player Mat, showing the player's current surfboard and balance, with the Player Balance token tracked on it.
- Longboard and Surfer/Shortboard components placed near the game board — the player's surfer figure starts on their shortboard.
- Reference Card — a quick rules reference for that player.
- Score Tokens in the player's color, drawn from the token pile as waves are scored.
- The First Player Token is given to one player to start.
Setup
Step 1 – Set out Game
Set out the game board (1) and place the 6 wave tiles (2) on the "break" spaces. Roll all 6 dice (3) and place one on each wave tile. Set out the score track (4) and the barrel/stoke/hang-ten/perfect tokens (5) in a pile.
Step 2 – Player Setup
Each player selects a different color and takes the matching mat, balance token, shortboard, longboard, surfer, and score tokens. Place any unused colors back in the box.
Each player chooses to start with either their longboard or shortboard by placing that token on the shore space with their surfer lying on top.
Set your unused surfboard token on the shore to the side. Flip your mat to show the board you are currently riding (longboard or shortboard), then set your balance token on the center space of the mat.
Preparing the Wave Deck
The wave deck is a means to prevent card counting from affecting the game. First, go through the wave cards and remove all 9 of the blue barrel cards.
Shuffle the barrel cards and deal 4 onto the rest of the wave cards. This is the wave deck. Place the remaining 5 barrel cards into a new pile, which will be the wave discard pile.
Shuffle the wave deck and deal the top 12 cards onto the discard deck face down without looking.
Now you have your two decks. Return the discard deck to the box without looking at the cards, and place the wave deck face down on the table.
Step 3 – Card Setup
Prepare the wave deck (see: Preparing the Wave Deck) and place it face-down in the play area.
Shuffle the player deck, and the stoke deck, and place them face down in the play area. Each player is dealt 5 player cards face down and is given 1 stoke token. At this time, you may look at the cards in your hand and choose any number of them (0-5) to discard, then draw back up to 5 cards. You must keep your new cards.
Finally, give the first-player token to the player who has most recently visited the ocean.
The game is now ready to begin!
Rounds Overview
The game is played over a number of short rounds. Each round is comprised of three phases. Each phase is simultaneously carried out by all players; there are no individual turns. Once a phase has been completed by all players, the next phase begins. After the end of the last phase of one round, a new round begins. Rounds continue until there are no more cards in the wave deck, at which point the game ends and one player claims victory. Here is an overview of each round:
1. Advance / Play
The waves move towards the shore and players choose actions by playing cards face down next to their mat.
2. Resolve
Players reveal and resolve their chosen actions.
3. Wave / Score
The top card on the wave deck is revealed and all players riding a wave shift their balance accordingly. Any players who completed a wave now score it.
If any cards remain in the wave deck, the first-player token is passed to the left, and another round begins. If no cards remain, the game ends.
Component Details
Game Board
The game board is divided into 4 main sections: channel, break, wash and shore.
- Channel: Surfers paddle in the channel, positioning themselves to move into the break and catch waves.
- Break: This is where you can ride broken waves in and score points. Waves in the break advance towards the shore each round.
- Wash: If you wipeout on a wave, you'll end up in the wash, where you must swim back to the safety of shore.
- Shore: The shore is where you start each game. It is the first space of the channel. While at the shore you may switch surfboards and purchase stoke cards.
Player Cards
Each player will hold a hand of 5 player cards at all times. Whenever you play or discard a card, draw back up to 5 player cards immediately.
Player cards can be used to take a variety of actions in the game. Each player card has:
- Power: The number in the top left denotes the power of this card.
- Balance: This arrow shows which direction it will shift your balance when riding a wave.
- Name: The name of the card.
- No Longboard: Cards with this icon cannot be used by when riding a longboard. When riding a longboard, any cards with a No Longboard icon are immediately discarded, and replacements are drawn.
If the player card deck ever runs out, the player discard pile should be reshuffled to make a new player card deck.
Mats
Player mats are double-sided: a longboard on one side, a shortboard on the other. The board you are currently riding is displayed face up in front of you. Your mat has:
- Balance spaces: Each side of the mat has a different number of balance spaces. These spaces hold your balance token and determine your position on your board when riding a wave.
- Action spaces: These spaces adjacent to the mat are where you place cards to take actions. The placement of the card in relation to the mat determines which action you choose.
Shortboards
The shortboard side of the mat only has 5 balance spaces, so it's more difficult to keep your balance. However, shortboards allow you to hold and play cards with a power of "4". It's easier to successfully ride barrels on a shortboard.
Longboards
The longboard side of the mat has 7 balance spaces, so it's easier to keep your balance. However, when riding a longboard, you cannot hold or play cards with a No Longboard icon. Longboards allow you to earn hang-ten tokens. It's more difficult to ride barrels on a longboard.
Balance Token
Anytime you are not riding a wave, your balance is placed on the center space of your mat. Your balance token indicates your current balance on your board. Both player cards and wave cards will move your balance token on your mat. If at any time your balance moves off of the mat, you wipeout.
Wave Cards
Wave cards determine how the riding player's balance is affected by the wave. Additionally, they serve as a timer for the game, when the deck of wave cards runs out, the game ends.
The back of each wave card has:
- Possible Power: The number range in this box shows the possible number of spaces this card could move your balance.
- Possible Direction: These arrows show which direction this wave could move your balance.
The front of each wave card has:
- Actual Power: The number of spaces this card moves your balance.
- Actual Direction: An arrow showing which direction this wave moves your balance.
- Type: The name of this type of wave card.
Stoke Cards
Stoke cards are one-time-use special abilities that do not count toward your player card hand size. You may keep stoke cards face down in front of you.
Stoke cards can be purchased while at shore during the Advance/Play phase at a cost of 1 stoke token per card. To purchase a stoke card, return a stoke token to the token pile and draw the top card off of the stoke deck. Cards purchased cannot be played until the following round.
Stoke cards can be played during the Advance/Play phase and are resolved immediately. Each player may play a maximum of 1 stoke card per round. In the event multiple players wish to play stoke cards, they are played and resolved in clockwise order starting with the first-player.
First-Player Token
At the start of the game, give the first-player token to the player who's been to the ocean most recently—they are now the first player!
The first player is in charge of walking everyone else through the round. When you are the first player, you will:
- Advance the wave tiles and roll the wave die
- Walk everyone through playing/resolving cards
- Reveal/resolve the wave card
At the end of the round the first-player token is passed to the left, and the new first player then begins another round. If there are any timing conflicts, these are resolved in clockwise order starting with the first player.
Surfer Tokens
Surfers must have a surfboard to paddle out and catch waves. The orientation of your surfer on the surfboard is important. When in the channel your surfer should be lying down. When riding a wave, your surfer should be standing. When surfer has wiped out, he should be lying down in the wash to the side of his surfboard. Finally, when bailing from a wave, he will be standing on his surfboard in the wash, then once scored, he will move into the channel and lie down.
Waves
Waves are made up of a wave tile and a die. Each round the waves will move one space towards the shore, with the one closest to shore moving back up to the top.
- Waves are either unbroken, or broken. Waves with a die number less than their space in the break are unbroken. Waves with a die number equal to or higher than their space in the break are broken. To catch a wave, it must be broken, and there must be space available on the wave.
- The number of spaces available on a wave depends on the number of players in the game:
- 1-4 Player games: 1 surfer per wave
- 5-6 Player games: 2 surfers per wave
Game Overview
Goal
The goal of the game is to win the Grand Champion trophy, by having the highest score. You score points by catching and riding waves, but you may only keep your top two wave scores for each board type. General gameplay involves looking for a wave to ride, paddling to the wave, catching the wave, riding the wave, then scoring the wave. When the game ends, the trophies are given out, and whoever gets the Grand Champion trophy wins!
Looking For a Wave
At the start of each round all the wave tiles advance one space towards the shore. When looking for a wave to catch, you'll need to remember that you can only catch a broken wave. Waves are either unbroken or broken. Waves with a die number less than their space in the break are unbroken. Waves with a die number equal to or higher than their space in the break are broken.
Waves advance toward shore every round.
Paddling to a Wave
Paddling moves your surfer in the channel. You can play any card to paddle; the number on the card determines how many spaces you move.
Catching a Wave
You can only catch the wave that's in the space adjacent to your surfer in the channel. To catch a wave, you'll need to play a card. The number and direction on the card will shift your balance. You now move your surfer/surfboard onto the wave tile (standing your surfer up) and finally move your played card over to your score pile.
Riding a Wave
Once you've caught a wave, you are riding it. While riding, your goal is to maintain your balance while maximizing scored points. Cards you play will both shift your balance and count as your score for the wave. The higher the number on the card, the more points it's worth. However, higher-numbered cards also shift your balance more, making it more difficult to not wipeout! After you play a card and shift your balance, a wave card will be revealed, and it too will shift your balance. Be careful: if your balance token moves one or more spaces off the nose or tail of your surfboard, you'll wipeout!
Scoring a Wave
Cards played and tokens earned when riding a wave are placed into your score pile. The total of the cards and tokens in your score pile is your score for that wave. When you stop riding a wave you will score it during the "Wave / Score" phase of that round. To score a wave take one of your color score tokens, with the board you're currently riding, and place it on the score track at the number equal to your wave score point value. Finally, discard all the cards/tokens in your score pile.
A wave score of 8 is a 3.5 out of 10.0 (example: Cards (5) + Tokens (1) + Bonus (2) = Wave Score (8))
Round Phases
These are the three phases broken down into more detail:
Phase One: Advance / Play
Advance
- Take the wave tile that's closest to shore and place it at the top of the board.
- Slide that wave tile down, pushing all the other wave tiles towards the shore. Any surfers riding waves advance along with the wave tile they are riding.
- Roll the die for the new wave and place it on the wave tile so that the number rolled is on top.
Play
All players now choose which action they wish to take.
The four action arrows on your mat are:
- Catch (Channel) / Ride (Break)
- Paddle Out (Channel) / Score (Break)
- Wait (Channel) / Bail (Break)
- Paddle In (Channel) / Recover (Wash)
To choose an action, select a card and place it face down next to the corresponding arrow on your mat. Each card can be used in a variety of ways. Your position on the board and the placement of the card in relation to your mat determines which action that card represents. Players must play cards every round.
Once all players have played a card, this phase ends and the next begins.
Phase Two: Resolve
Players now flip their played card face up and resolve the action they have chosen. Once the action is complete, the card is discarded* to show the action is resolved.
Once all players have resolved their actions, this phase ends and the next begins.
Except when riding a wave; the card is scored instead.
Phase Three: Wave / Score
The top card of the wave deck is flipped face up and placed on the wave discard pile. All players riding a wave must shift their balance accordingly. If any players lose their balance, they wipeout.
All players who've ended riding a wave will now score their wave. Once all waves have been scored, the round ends.
If there is at least one card in the wave deck, another round begins. Otherwise, the game ends and a winner is determined.
Actions
There are three groups of actions that you can take determined by your placement on the board: channel, break, and or wash. Each action involves playing one or more cards next to your mat, during the Advance / Play phase, and then resolving that action during the Resolve phase. We will now look at the available actions in detail.
Channel
The channel is where you'll position yourself to catch waves or switch out your surfboard. Place your surfer lying down on the board while in the channel to indicate you are paddling. There are four actions available while in the channel: Paddle Out, Paddle In, Catch, and Wait.
Paddle Out
This action will move your surfer away from the shore a number of spaces equal to the number on the card played.
- Play: Place 1 card face down next to the "Paddle Out" arrow on the top right of your mat. (You may add stoke tokens by placing them on top of the played card.)
- Resolve: Flip your card over and move your surfer away from the shore a number of spaces equal to the number on the card played (plus or minus any stoke tokens played), then discard the card.
- Excess Movement: If the number on the card exceeds the number of spaces available in the channel, end movement at the last available space in the channel. You may not otherwise choose to move fewer spaces than the number on the played card.
Paddle In
This action will move your surfer towards the shore a number of spaces equal to the number on the card played.
- Play: Place 1 card next to the "Paddle In" arrow on the bottom right of your mat. (You may add stoke tokens by placing them on top of the played card.)
- Resolve: Move your surfer towards the shore a number of spaces equal to the number on the card played (plus or minus any stoke tokens played), then discard the card.
- Excess Movement: If the number on the card exceeds the number of spaces available in the channel, end movement at the last available space in the channel (the shore). You may not otherwise choose to move fewer spaces than the number on the played card.
Catch
This action will move your surfer from the channel onto the adjacent wave in the break and earn you 1 stoke token. Before you can take this action, the wave in the break must be broken. There must also be space available on the wave for your surfer: 1 surfer per wave in 1-4 player games, or 2 surfers per wave in 5-6 player games.
- Play: Place 1 card next to the "Catch" arrow on the top left of your mat. (You may add stoke tokens by placing them on top of the played card.)
- Resolve: Place your surfer on the wave in the break occupying the adjacent space to your surfer's channel space. Stand your surfer up on the surfboard. This is considered "catching" the wave. Move your balance token on your mat according to the number and direction on the card (plus or minus any stoke tokens played). If you maintain your balance, place the card into your score pile and gain 1 stoke token. If you lose your balance, you wipeout discarding the played card.
- Contests: If two or more players try to catch the same wave, in the same turn, and there isn't enough space on the wave for all of the surfers, the played cards are compared.
- If any players played the same color and number card, they have collided and immediately wipeout; they are no longer able to catch the wave.
- If there still isn't enough space on the wave for all surfers, the player with the highest printed number on their card catches the wave. In the case of a tie, numbers with a teal background are consider higher than maroon numbers.
- If there is still an available space, the player with the next highest printed number catches the wave.
- When there is no more available space on the wave, the player(s) with lower number(s) remain in the channel.
Wait
This action will keep your surfer in the current position in the channel and allow you to discard unwanted cards.
- Play: Place 1 or more cards next to the "Wait" arrow on the bottom left of your mat.
- Resolve: Discard all played cards.
- Details: You may discard any number of cards in order to draw new ones at the start of the next round.
Break
The break is where you will ride waves to score points. While in the break, you are considered to be riding a wave. Your surfer will advance each round with the wave tile you are riding until you reach the shore, or exit the wave either by wipeout or bailing. There are two actions available to you while riding a wave: ride and bail.
Ride
This action will let you perform maneuvers on the wave, adding points to your score pile while moving your balance token on your mat.
- Play: Place 1 card next to the "Ride" arrow on the top left of the mat. (You may add stoke tokens by placing them on top of the played card.)
- Resolve: Move your balance token according to the number and direction on the card (plus or minus any stoke tokens played). If you maintain your balance, place the card into your score pile. If you lose your balance, you wipeout, discarding the played card.
- Details: If you maintain your balance, your surfer will advance toward the shore along with the wave tile you are currently riding in the next Advance/Play phase.
Bail
This action will let you exit the wave gracefully, allowing you to score any points in your current score pile while discarding any unwanted cards from your hand.
- Play: Place 1 or more cards next to the "Bail" arrow on the bottom left of the mat.
- Resolve: Move your surfer into the Wash space adjacent to the wave tile from which you're bailing. Remain standing up on your surfboard.
- Details: During the Wave / Score phase, you will score your wave and move your surfer into the channel, laying your surfer down on the board.
Wash
The wash is where the calm channel and the breaking waves meet. If you wipeout, you will move into the wash and fall off of your surfboard. You'll be unable to catch more waves until you return to shore by taking the recover action.
Recover
This action will allow you to return to shore after you've had a wipeout. It is the only action available while you are in the wash.
- Play: Place 1 card next to the "Recover" arrow on the bottom right of the mat.
- Resolve: Move your surfer/surfboard to the shore then discard the played card.
- Details: Your surfer always moves to shore regardless of the card played.
Shore
The shore is the bottom space on the game board – it is considered to be a "Channel" space. While on the shore, during the Advance/Play phase you can switch between available surfboards and/or purchase stoke cards.
Switch
During the Advance/Play phase, you may switch your current surfboard. To switch: move your surfer onto the new surfboard, flip your mat over, and set your balance token on the center space of the mat. You may only switch once per round.
Purchase Stoke Card
Stoke cards can be purchased while at shore during the Advance/Play phase at a cost of 1 stoke token per card. Return the stoke token to the token pile and draw the top card off the stoke deck. Cards purchased cannot be played until the following round.
Scoring
You track your wave scores by placing score tokens on the score track. You have two score tokens for each board type (shortboard / longboard). Whenever you stop riding a wave you will record your score.
Score Track
The score track is where you place your score tokens to record wave scores. Each space on the score track has a point value on the bottom of the space and a decimal number on top of the space. The decimal numbers are used at the end of the game to determine the winner.
Record
To record a score, take an unused score token of your current board type and place it on the score track space with a point value equal to the current point value for your wave. Then discard the cards/tokens in your score pile.
Additional wave scores
You can only have two scores per board type, so if this is your third (or more) score for that board type, determine if your current wave score is higher than your lowest-scored wave. If the score is higher, take your lowest score token of that type and move it up to reflect the score of your new wave. If the score is lower than your lowest score token, don't move anything! You never lower your score.
Point Value
The point values for the cards, tokens and bonus points are as follows:
Cards
The number on the top left of the card is how many points that card is worth. The balance direction is ignored when determining value. Cards are always scored on their printed value.
Tokens
Tokens have their point value printed on the back of the token:
- Barrel: 5 points
- Stoke: 1 point
- Hang-Ten: 2 points
- Perfect: 1 point for each card in the score pile
Shore Bonus
Shore Bonus: When you ride a wave all the way to shore, you gain this bonus.
- Shore Bonus: 2 points
Ending riding a Wave
There are three ways to stop riding a wave, each of which requires a different resolution:
- Ride to shore: If you maintain your balance after the wave card is resolved and your surfer is on the "1" space of the break, you have ridden to shore! Move your surfer/surfboard onto shore. Record your score (remember the shore bonus 2 points).
- Bail: If you bailed this round your surfer is in the wash standing on the surfboard. Move your surfer onto the adjacent space in the channel and lay your surfer down on the surfboard. Record your score.
- Wipeout: If you had a wipeout this round, your surfer is lying in the wash off the surfboard. Unlike riding to shore or bailing, your wave score is equal to the single highest card in your score pile, including any tokens on it. Record your score.
Wipeout
When catching or riding a wave, if your balance token moves one or more spaces off either the tail or the nose of your board, you wipeout! When you wipeout, you will:
- Place your surfer and board into the wash in the corresponding space to your level in the break.
- During the Wave / Score phase, you will score the highest point card (including any tokens on that card) in your score pile, then discard it along with the rest of the cards and tokens in the pile.
- In the next round, you must take the recover action. Taking this action will move your surfer and surfboard (regardless of the number of spaces, or the card played) to the shore.
Barrel Cards / Tokens
A barrel, considered to be the crown jewel of surfing, is when a perfectly formed wave creates a tube of water around the surfer. Unlike other wave cards, your balance token is not affected by the value of the barrel card. If you successfully ride a barrel you will earn a barrel token, worth 5 points.
Riding a Barrel
When a barrel wave card is revealed, your played card (for a ride/catch action) is compared to the revealed value of the barrel card. Successfully riding a barrel depends on your current board type:
- Longboard: The printed value of your played card must match the number on the barrel card.
- Shortboard: The printed value of your played card must not match the number on the barrel card.
If you successfully ride a barrel wave card, take 1 barrel token from the token pile and place it in your score pile on the card you just played. If your card does not succeed, you immediately wipeout, regardless of your current balance.
Avoiding Barrels
If you played a card with printed value of 4 (only available when riding a shortboard) when riding a barrel wave card, you are considered to be avoiding the barrel, by jumping over it, and you ignore the success/failure. However, you do not gain a barrel token when you avoid a barrel.
Stoke Tokens
Stoke tokens are worth 1 point. Stoke is an indication of how enthusiastic your surfer is. Stoke may be spent to increase the effectiveness of your actions, increase your score, or purchase stoke cards while at shore.
Getting Stoked
You can gain stoke tokens in 3 ways:
- Catch: Any time you take the catch action, you'll gain 1 stoke token.
- Shore: When you ride a wave all the way to shore, you'll gain 1 stoke token.
- Wipeout: Whenever you wipeout, you'll gain 1 stoke token.
You may have no more than 3 stoke tokens at a time.
Altering Cards
Stoke may be spent to alter played cards. During the Advance / Play phase, you may spend one or more stoke tokens on your face-down played card. During the Resolve phase, you may alter the number of that card by 1 (adding or subtracting*) for each stoke token played. When the card is discarded, so are the stoke tokens. You may spend stoke on the following actions:
Paddling Out/Paddling In – You may alter the number of spaces you paddle by +1 or -1 for each stoke spent.
Riding/Catching Waves – You may alter the number of spaces a card would move your balance by +1 or -1 for each stoke spent. The token(s) are placed in the score pile along with the card it was played on.
You must either add all or subtract all stoke tokens played on a card; you cannot mix adding and subtracting.
Hang-Ten Tokens
Hang-ten tokens are worth 2 points and are only available when riding a longboard. If you end the wave phase with your balance on the last space of the nose of your board, take one hang-ten token from the token pile and place it in your score pile on the card you just played.
Perfect Tokens
If you catch a wave as it breaks, you earn a Perfect token; this occurs when the wave's die is equal to the its current space in the break. Place the perfect token on the card you caught the wave with. This token is worth one point for every card in your score pile.
Game End
After the final round, if there are no more cards in the wave deck, the game ends and three trophies are given out. First, the Shortboard Champion and the Longboard Champion will be crowned, giving them their respective trophies. Finally, either the Shortboard Champion or the Longboard Champion will be determined as the Grand Champion, earning the Grand Champion trophy and winning the game!
Determining Champions
Have everyone simultaneously look at the score track to find their score tokens. Starting with the first player – go around the table stating your total combined shortboard score. The player with the highest combined score for shortboard waves is the Shortboard Champion - they receive the Shortboard Trophy.
Next, go around the table stating your total combined longboard score. The player with the highest combined score for longboard waves is the Longboard Champion - they receive the Longboard Trophy.
For the Grand Champion:
- Shortboard Champion states his total combined Longboard score. This is his Grand Champion score.
- Longboard Champion states his total combined Shortboard score. This is his Grand Champion score.
- Whoever has the highest Grand Champion score is crowned the Grand Champion!
In the case of a tie, the tying player who has the single highest-scoring wave (on either board) is the winner. If those are tied, then check the second-highest-scoring wave. If those are tied, check the third highest wave. If a tie still persists, both players should hold a real surf contest at the closest ocean to determine a winner.
Tavarua Single Player Variant: Career Mode
Overview
You've been practicing hard and honing your skills, and you've just cracked the top 50 surfers in the world! You're now ready to compete in Events throughout the year, keeping track of your Rank in an effort to become the number-one-ranking surfer!
Goal
You begin your career at Rank 50 – your goal is to reach Rank 1 by participating in events. You will record your Rank after each event in the space provided. For example, after your first event, you will record your resulting Rank under JAN. Your career ends after the DEC event or if you've achieved Rank 1. If you ever fall to Rank 60 you immediately lose. If you ever reach Rank 1 you immediately win! If you are not Rank 1 by the end of the DEC event you lose.
Event Schedule
Each event has a corresponding column for the Month of the year, the Name of the event, any Special Rules for the event, how to build the Deck of wave cards, the number/difficulty of AI opponents, and how you Score. You'll play through each event, starting in January and carrying over your Rank from month to month until the end of the year.
AI Opponents
Events will have 0 to 3 AI Opponents. These opponents are governed by very simple rules, but they are very challenging to defeat! When playing with AI opponents, choose one color for each AI, set out the matching balance and score tokens, and place the surfer with starting surfboard on the shore.
Each AI opponent on the Events sheet is made up of a letter and number like this: "S:3". The letter represents the starting surfboard ("S" for Shortboard; "L" for Longboard). The number represents their Target Number (1-6)—this number is where they will paddle out to and catch a wave from.
AI opponents take actions similar to players, except they don't hold a hand of cards. Instead, they take actions automatically and only draw cards when they are catching/riding a wave. AI opponents start the game on the shore and follow these rules to determine which actions they will take:
- AI opponents on shore or in the channel will PADDLE to their target space (regardless of the number of spaces, for example an AI opponent can paddle from shore to the 6 space in one action).
- Once in their target space, the AI opponent will WAIT for a perfect* wave to CATCH. The die on the wave matches their Target space in the channel.
- If there are no upcoming perfect waves in the Break, the AI opponent will CATCH the next possible wave (this means Snaking if the wave is occupied).
- AI opponents will RIDE all the way to shore unless they have a Wipeout or are Snaked.
- If an AI opponent is in the Wash – it will RECOVER to the shore.
- After an AI rides all the way to shore it will SWITCH boards (if the event allows).
Points of note for the AI opponents
- When an AI opponent catches/rides a wave, the top card of the player deck is drawn and placed face up in front of that AI opponent's balance token, this is that AI's score pile for that wave.
- When an AI opponent completes a wave, it will score (using the same score system as a player), placing a score token on the track, then discarding all cards/tokens in its score pile.
- You don't keep track of the AI opponents' balance on a mat – the AI opponents always succeeds in riding waves and barrels, earning barrel tokens regardless of card played.
- AI opponents do not earn stoke or hang-ten tokens, but can earn perfect and barrel tokens.
- When playing with AI the variant rule "Snaking" is used. AI can compete with you for the same wave using the same rules as players competing or snaking. When competing, the drawn card for the AI opponent counts as its "Catch" card.
- Longboarding AI opponents cannot play cards with a No Longboard icon. Any drawn for them should be discarded and replaced with a new card.
Scoring
Scoring in Career Mode is different than a normal game of Tavarua. Trophies are not given out since the goal isn't to win the Grand Champion trophy. Each event has different scoring depending on how you perform. For example, getting first in the January event will earn you 5 Rank (your rank would go up from 50 to 45) while losing that event would lose you -3 rank (your rank would go down from 50 to 53).
Event Types
There are three types of events, each with special rules.
Longboard/Shortboard Contests are similar to a normal surf contest, except there are fewer cards in the wave deck and only one board type is allowed. This means you and the AI opponents can score a maximum of 2 waves each. Combined Contests allow both boards, and you can score a maximum of 4 waves (2 for each board). Photo Shoots are special events where your score is determined by special challenges.
Wave Deck
When playing Tavarua in solo mode, you will need to build the wave deck (and discard deck) following each event's specifications (The deck chart looks like this "G:4 / L:3 / S:3 / C:2 / B:1 (remove 6)" and stands for "Glass / Lull / Surge / Chop / Barrel and # of cards to remove to randomize the wave deck"). To build the wave deck, shuffle all wave cards face down and then set aside the specified quantity of cards for each wave card type. This is the wave deck, and the remainder of the cards make up the discard deck. Shuffle the wave deck and, without looking, remove the number of cards specified, adding them to the discard deck. Set the wave deck face down in the play area and place the discard deck back in the game box.
Surfer Sheet
When you begin Career mode you can make a copy of the included Surfer Sheet (or print one from the PDF available at www.faroffgames.com). Name your surfer and write the name in the top left of the sheet. You will use this sheet to keep track of your surfer as you progress in rank and unlock special abilities.
Stoke Cards
Unlike a normal game of Tavarua, you cannot purchase stoke cards during a game. Instead, you'll unlock cards as you progress in Rank (see Surfer Sheet for details). However, once they are spent, they are gone forever!
When you reach an Unlock Rank for the first time, you'll unlock 1 card, and you'll get to check an "Unlocked" box of your choice. At the start of the next event, you'll receive all cards you've unlocked that haven't been spent. When you spend a card you'll check the corresponding box in the "Spent" row.
(Example: You reach Rank 45 and are allowed to check one Unlocked box – you decide to unlock a Jetski card by checking Unlocked/Jetski box "A". At the start of all future events, you'll start with 1 Jetski Stoke Card until you spend it. When you spend your unlocked Jetski card, you'll check the Spent/Jetski box "A" and no longer gain that card at the beginning of events.)
Note: you'll only ever be able to unlock and spend up to 3 of each card type throughout your career, so choose wisely!
Surfer Sheet
The Surfer Sheet tracks your name, your six unlockable Stoke Cards (Energy Drink, Jetski, Call It, Focus, Inspiration, In The Zone) each with three Unlocked boxes (A, B, C) and three Spent boxes (A, B, C), and your Rank recorded for each month (JAN–DEC).
Check one "Unlocked" box at Rank: 45 (JAN), 40 (FEB), 35 (MAR), 30 (APR), 25 (MAY), 20 (JUN), 15 (JUL), 10 (AUG), 5 (SEP).
Events Sheet
| Month | Event | Special Rules | Wave Deck | AI | Scoring |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Longboard Contest — "The Big Grom" | Longboards Only, 2 Waves Scored Max | G:7 / L:5 / S:5 / C:4 / B:2 (Remove 10) | L:4 | 1ST:4 / Last:-3 |
| February | Shortboard Contest — "Amateur Thrashfest" | Shortboards Only, 2 Waves Scored Max | G:5 / L:5 / S:5 / C:4 / B:4 (Remove 10) | S:4 / S:2 | 1ST:4 / 2ND:2 / Last:-3 |
| March | Photo Shoot — "Hang Ten!" | Earn Toes Tokens to increase your Rank! | G:9 / L:5 / S:5 / C:4 / B:0 (Remove 6) | None | 1 for each Toes Token earned. |
| April | Combined Contest — "Rip for Charity!" | AI switch boards after completing a wave. | G:9 / L:7 / S:7 / C:3 / B:5 (Remove 6) | L:4 / S:2 | LB: 1ST:4 / 2ND:2 / Last:-3; SB: 1ST:4 / 2ND:2 / Last:-3 |
| May | Longboard Contest — "Lazy Sunday Classic" | Longboards Only, 2 Waves Scored Max | G:2 / L:6 / S:6 / C:6 / B:3 (Remove 10) | L:5 / L:3 / L:2 | 1ST:4 / 2ND:2 / 3RD:-1 / Last:-3 |
| June | Shortboard Contest — "Marlin Invitational" | Shortboards Only, 2 Waves Scored Max | G:7 / L:4 / S:4 / C:4 / B:4 (Remove 10) | S:5 / S:4 / S:2 | 1ST:4 / 2ND:2 / 3RD:-1 / Last:-3 |
| July | Photo Shoot — "Big Air!" | Perform as many Aerials as possible! | G:3 / L:8 / S:8 / C:2 / B:2 (Remove 6) | None | 1 for each Aerial scored. |
| August | Combined Contest — "Big Down Classic" | AI switch boards after completing a wave. | G:7 / L:6 / S:6 / C:5 / B:5 (Remove 6) | L:6 / S:3 / S:2 | LB: 1ST:4 / 2ND:2 / 3RD:-1 / Last:-3; SB: 1ST:4 / 2ND:2 / 3RD:-1 / Last:-3 |
| September | Longboard Contest — "Pro Restaurant's" | Longboards Only, 2 Waves Scored Max | G:4 / L:6 / S:6 / C:4 / B:3 (Remove 10) | L:6 / L:4 / L:3 | 1ST:4 / 2ND:2 / 3RD:-1 / Last:-3 |
| October | Shortboard Contest — "Desperations Pro-Am" | Shortboards Only, 2 Waves Scored Max | G:0 / L:7 / S:7 / C:4 / B:5 (Remove 10) | S:6 / S:3 / S:2 | 1ST:4 / 2ND:2 / 3RD:-1 / Last:-3 |
| November | Photo Shoot — "Barrel Riding!" | Earn Barrel Tokens to increase your Rank! | G:9 / L:3 / S:3 / C:0 / B:9 (Remove 6) | None | 1 for each Barrel Token earned. |
| December | Combined Contest — "Cloudbreak World Tour" | AI switch boards after completing a wave. | G:7 / L:7 / S:7 / C:4 / B:6 (Remove 6) | S:6 / L:5 / L:3 | LB: 1ST:4 / 2ND:2 / 3RD:-1 / Last:-3; SB: 1ST:4 / 2ND:2 / 3RD:-1 / Last:-3 |
Advanced / Variant Rules
To add some variety into your games of Tavarua, here are some variant rules with which you may wish to play:
Snaking Waves
This variant allows you to catch currently occupied waves to try to knock the rider off the wave and take it for yourself.
Snake: You may now attempt to Catch occupied waves. Doing this is called "Snaking" the wave and costs 1 stoke token (discarded to the token pile) and you do not gain 1 stoke token for taking the catch action. When catching an occupied wave, if the player currently riding takes the Ride action, you will have a contest (similar to when two or more players try to catch a wave). If the current rider takes a Bail action, no contest ensues—you will catch the wave as normal, and they will exit the wave as normal.
Snake Contest: If a contest ensues, you will compare the printed value of the card you played against the printed value of the card they played (regardless of stoke tokens spent), the player with the highest number (ties broken by color: teal beats maroon) wins the contest. In the event of a perfect tie (same number and color), the current rider wins.
- If the current rider wins, they continue riding as normal. The loser loses 1 stoke token (if possible).
- If the current rider loses, they got "snaked". They will place their surfer in the wash standing up, the card they played to Ride that round is discarded, and they score as if they had taken a Bail action. The winner (the "Snake") catches the wave as normal.
Shortboard or Longboard Only / Short Game
These two variants are for a shorter version of the game that only use one board type.
To play the Longboard or Shortboard variant you'll make the following changes: Choose which board type you will play, and remove the other board type's surfboards and score tokens placing them back in the box. When building the wave deck discard 23 cards to the discard deck (instead of the usual 12). You are now only able to score two waves of the chosen type of surfboard. The winner is now determined simply by the player with the highest combined wave score.
Longboard Note: When playing Longboards only, you should remove all the cards with the No Longboard icon from the player card deck and set them in the box.
Credits
Cody Miller: Designer / Artist / Publisher
John Ariosa: Illustrations
Mr. Cuddington: Graphic Design / Illustrations
Tom Miller: Surf Specialist
Matt Shinners: Editor
Tess Miller: Photographer/Videographer
Key Consultants: Abby Miller, James Hoover, Tess Miller, Dylan Miller.
Creative Advisors: Shawn Charney, Andrew Ronzino, Micah Short, Shayne "Pa" Judkins, Nicolas Thériault-Langelier, Dave Griffin, John Montag.
Lead Testers: Ryan Allen, Drew Buring.
Playtesters: Camren Whitney, Kiara Whitney, Todd Jackson, Mikaila Schwartz, Jace Schwartz, Tilly Miller, Lindsey Palmer, Jonee Wright, Nate Wright, Logan, Ty Nowark, Tabitha Nowark, Tim Henton, Jeremy Rasmussen, Sadie Buring, Matthew Bayer, Evan Landfill, Isaac Charney, Lucas Charney, Rachel Charney, Craig Sanderlin, Natasha "Nana" Judkins, Will Judkins, Jay Hancock, Grayson "G-Man" Johnson, Sean Searle, Becky Searle, Andrew "Roo" Civis, Kaleigh Civis, Thomas Behrens Jr., Ben Crawford, Ian Saunier, John Wondolowski, Johnnathan Kim, Richard Battaglia, Adam Hanson.
Proof Readers: David Murphy, Mel Nicholson, Nate Mayer, Dustin Vance, Pierre Viau, Feld Fan, Val Ofiesh, Greg Albright, Pang Rudy, Darryl Shannon, Sean Guilfoyle.
Thanks
Tavarua is a product of a successful Kickstarter campaign, funded by incredibly smart, generous, beautiful, patient, and forward thinking individuals!
Thank you, Backers, for making this dream a reality! I couldn't have done it without you!
Special Thanks
My alluring wife Abby! You are more valuable than all the treasures in the sea! I wouldn't have been able to do any of this without your loving support and encouragement!
My amazing kids Zealan, Judah and Zoey! I hope you will enjoy this game in years to come. I love you more than you'll ever know!
Dad: Happy Father's Day! So proud and thankful to have you in my life!
God! Thank you for giving me the ability and the inspiration! John10:10b
And thank you, fellow gamer, for purchasing Tavarua! Cheers, -Cody
For more information, questions, suggestions visit the Far Off Games website at: www.faroffgames.com
©2016 Far Off Games, LLC