Tolomeo Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Contents
• Game Setup
• Objective
• Gameplay
  • Planet and Comet Movement: Astronomical Event Cards
• A Gaming Turn
  • A) Draw a Constellation Card
  • B) Use the Comet
  • C) Watch a Constellation on the Board
• Configurations
  • Conjunction
  • Opposition
• Studying a Planet: Planet Bonuses and Bonus Points
• Bonus Actions
  • Side A
  • Side B
• Bonus Points
• End of the Game
• Final Score
• Mini-Expansion: Eclipsis

Game Contents

• 1 rulebook (Italian and English);
• 1 astral field board;
• 5 10-pawn sets (1 set per player);
• 5 player sheets;
• 1 d4 die;
• 65 constellation cards;
• 12 astronomical event cards;
• 7 planet cards;
• 1 comet card;
• 9 bonus points cards;
• 1 first player card;
• 5 starting position cards;
• 1 customizable starting position card;
• 1 eclipse card (mini-expansion).

Note: The starting position cards feature the actual planets' locations in the specific date printed on the card. You can select any other alignment you prefer for your setup.

Game Setup

1. Place the astral field board on the table and give each player 1 player sheet, 1 pawn set, and 5 constellation cards (make sure all player sheets are on the same side, A or B). Place the remaining constellation cards next to the board and reveal 6 of them.

2. Place the d4 die on Earth, showing its "4" face. Randomly determine the first player, who will get the "first player" card. Place the astronomical event deck next to the first player, reveal its first card and place it on the top.

3. Select a starting position card and place the planets on the constellations around the board, as shown. Place the comet card on the constellation in direct opposition to the moon.

4. Reveal a 2 points bonus points card and a number of 1 point bonus cards equal to the number of players. Return the remaining bonus cards to the box.

Objective

Your objective in the game is to score the highest number of victory points. The planets you studied and the bonus points cards will grant you victory points at the end of the game.

Gameplay

Tolomeo is played in a series of rounds. Each round is divided into 4 game turns. At each turn, the players perform one action in gaming order. At the end of the round, the planets will move along the constellations. The transition to the next round is tracked by a die, whose score is reduced by one each time a player is about to take their turn. On the last turn of the current round, the die's value is 1. At the start of a new round, its value is 4.

Planet and Comet Movement: Astronomical Event Cards

Each time a round ends:

• The planets shown on the astronomical event card move to the next constellation, proceeding clockwise.
• The comet moves to the next constellation, proceeding counterclockwise.
• Reveal the next astronomical event card and place it on the top of the deck. If there are no more cards, the last game round begins. (See "End of the Game")
• Turn the die back on its "4" face.

To better predict the planets' moves, each planet card shows the overall moves a planet may perform taking all astronomical event cards into account (e.g., a total of 4 moves for Mars).

The planets' movement does not affect the pawns placed on the board.

A Gaming Turn

Each player performs one single action during their turn, which they can choose from the following list:

• A) DRAW a constellation card
• B) USE the comet
• C) WATCH a constellation on the board

A) Draw a Constellation Card

A player can draw a facedown card from the top of the constellation deck, or one faceup card from the six revealed ones next to the deck. When a revealed card is drawn, replace it immediately with the first card of the deck.

Whenever there are four cards of the same color among the six revealed cards, immediately discard all cards and replace them with 6 new cards. If the constellation deck is depleted, shuffle the discard pile and use it to create a new constellation deck.

At the end of your turn, you can have a maximum hand of 8 cards. If you have more than 8 cards, discard any excess cards of your choice until you only have 8 cards in your hand.

B) Use the Comet

You can discard a constellation card matching the constellation where the comet is located (or the Tolomeo card) to use one single comet effect of your choice.

The comet effects are:

1. Move one of your pawns on the astral quadrant board two constellations clockwise or counterclockwise; you may also study a planet (see below).
2. Discard the six revealed constellation cards, draw six new cards from the top of the deck and performs a normal draw action, as detailed in step A.

The comet is not a planet, so Step C) does not apply to the comet.

C) Watch a Constellation on the Board

To watch a constellation you need to discard constellation cards from your hand. Put any discarded card on the discard pile.

To watch a constellation, at least one planet must "have entered" (is placed on) that constellation. Place one of your pawns on the constellation to mark that it has been watched.

You must select one of the following combinations to place a pawn:

• Discard one constellation card whose name exactly matches the name of the watched constellation.
• Discard two constellation cards whose name does not match the name of the watched constellation, but whose color matches its color.
• Discard three constellation cards of the same color, even if the color does not match the color of the watched constellation.

For example, in order to watch Aries, you can discard the Aries constellation card, or you can discard two red cards, or three cards of any one color (such as 3 yellow cards).

You can only watch one constellation per turn, except when certain "configurations" arise (see below).

If you run out of pawns to mark a watched constellation, you can use one of your pawns already on the board, taking it from another constellation.

Tolomeo: You can discard the Tolomeo card to watch any constellation, even where there are no planets or there is only a comet.

Configurations

A configuration is a special case which only comes to pass when certain planets "align" and allow you to watch two different planets with one action. You have the opportunity to study a planet (see below) after watching it.

The Tolomeo card can never be used in a configuration.

Conjunction

In this configuration, two or more planets are on the same constellation. In this case, you can watch the constellation twice and, if you discard the required cards, you can place two pawns on that constellation.

Opposition

In this configuration, at least two planets (one per constellation) have entered two directly juxtaposed constellations. In this case, you can watch both constellations at once. You can choose which combination to discard for every pawn you want to place.

The juxtaposed constellations are: Aries-Libra, Taurus-Scorpio, Gemini-Sagittarius, Cancer-Capricorn, Leo-Aquarius, Virgo-Pisces.

Studying a Planet: Planet Bonuses and Bonus Points

You can watch a constellation where you already have two of your pawns to study a planet you haven't studied yet, if that planet is located on that constellation. Add a third pawn to that constellation, then collect them all and place one on the matching planet on your sheet and put the others back in the stockpile. Then you immediately perform the bonus action granted by that planet (if able).

If there are two or more unstudied planets on a constellation, you can choose which one to hide on your sheet.

You can study a planet even when you have the opportunity to move a pawn to a constellation where there are already two of your pawns: all three pawns are immediately removed from the constellation and you can use one of them to hide the planet on your sheet. Place the two other pawns back in the stockpile.

Only the current player can move a pawn to study a planet. A third pawn cannot be added if there are no planets to study.

A planet can only be studied once.

Bonus Actions

Side A

• Moon: Replace a pawn on a constellation with a pawn from your own pool. The replaced pawn is returned to the opponent's pool. If in doing so a planet becomes available for you to study, you can study it.
• Mercury: Move one pawn on each of two different constellations of two pawns on one constellation. If in doing so a planet becomes available for you to study, you can study it (only one planet).
• Venus: Take the 6 faceup constellation cards and the top card from the deck: Choose 3 cards to add to your own hand and deal one card of your choice to each opponent. Discard any remaining cards and refill the 6 faceup card set.
• Sun: Immediately perform two additional turns.
• Mars: Move to their pools any enemy pawns located on a constellation.
• Jupiter: Each opponent discards two cards. The current player selects two cards among the discarded cards and adds them to their hand.
• Saturn: Use again the effect of a planet you have already studied or repeat your last action (playing a card from your hand or moving one of your pawns).

Side B

• Moon: +2 victory points at the end of the game. Each opponent discards one card.
• Mercury: +1 victory point at the end of the game. Draw one constellation card.
• Venus: Draw two constellation cards of your choice (faceup or facedown).
• Sun: Immediately perform an additional turn.
• Mars: Move all enemy pawns on a constellation to the opposed constellation.
• Jupiter: Draw one card from every opponent's hand and add it to your own hand.
• [Planet name not printed in source]: Use again the effect of a planet you have already studied. You do not get additional victory points if you study the Moon or Mercury again.

Source note: the printed Side B list gives no planet name for its last entry (it is the only entry without one, and its text parallels the Side A Saturn effect). The name is left out here rather than guessed; the entry is transcribed as printed.

Bonus Points

At the end of your turn, you can take 1 bonus point card from those available: you must have studied the planets shown on the card (either in this turn or previously). A player can never gain a bonus card outside of their turn.

Place that card faceup in front of you: it will grant you the amount of shown victory points.

End of the Game

The game ends:

• At the end of a game turn in which a player has studied all 7 planets on their sheet.
• At the end of a round in which you cannot move any planet because the astronomical event deck has been depleted.

Final Score

Each player adds together:

1. Any points granted by their studied planets, as shown on the conversion table featured on their player sheets. (e.g., 3 studied planets will grant you 4 victory points);
2. Any points granted by bonus points cards;
3. Any bonus points granted by the studied planets (if available).

The player with the highest total is the winner and will be named Tolomeo's first disciple.

In case of a tie, the player who studied more planets is the winner. If a tie persists, the player with more pawns on the board is the winner.

Mini-Expansion: Eclipsis

The Eclipsis (Eclipse) card is an expansion you can add to the astronomical event deck during setup. If you choose to add the Eclipsis card, perform the following steps:

1. Remove 2 astronomical event cards without revealing them;
2. Shuffle the eclipse card in the remaining 10 cards;
3. Take one of the cards you removed and place it on the bottom of the deck; place the other on the top of the deck.

The Eclipsis card is the only astronomical event card whose effect immediately applies as soon as it is revealed. Discard it immediately and reveal the next astronomical event card.

Effect: Each player returns each pawn placed in each constellation without a planet to the supply. Each player also places all of their pawns on the Moon back to the supply.

The eclipse card should be added when the players have already played a few games.