Trial of the Temples Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Game Setup
• Goal of the Game
• How to Play
  • 1. The Day-and-Night Phase
  • 2. The Temple Phase
  • 3. The Resource Phase
  • 4. The Trial Phase
    • Trial (main action)
    • Rest (pass)
    • Convert (extra action)
• Game End
• Final Scoring
• Credits
• 2-Player Variants
  • Game Setup
  • How to Play
• Appendix: Spell Board
  • Resource-Gaining Spells (only can be activated during 3. The Resource Phase)
  • Resource-Converting Spells (only can be activated during 4. Trial Phase)
  • End-Game Bonus Spells (add up the number shown on the top-right corner during the Final Scoring)
  • Resource-Gaining Spells (Immediately)

Components

• 12 Temple Tiles
• 12 Action Tokens
• 4 Spell Mats
• 3 Trial Boards ("Fire", "Water", "Sand")
• 6 Round Tiles (for 2-player variants only)
• 4 Archmage Figures
• 38 Crystals — 10 red, 10 yellow, 10 blue, 8 purple
• 1 Day-and-Night Tile
• 16 Player Markers — 4 each of red, yellow, blue, green
• 29 Spell Cores — 7 red, 7 yellow, 7 blue, 8 purple
• 1 Starting Player Token
• 1 Rulebook

Game Setup

1. Trial Boards. Place the 3 Trial Boards in the configuration shown in the example.
2. Temple Tiles. Flip the 12 Temple Tiles to DAY side up and randomly place them around the Trial Boards, forming a circle.
3. Spell Cores. Sort the 29 Spell Cores by colors and place them onto the Trial Boards with the corresponding colors. Then, place the purple Spell Cores onto the center of the Trial Boards.
   • 4 Players — Use ALL Spell Cores.
   • 3 Players — Remove 1 red, 1 yellow and 1 blue Spell Core, place them back into the box.
   • 2 Players — Remove 2 red, 2 yellow and 2 blue Spell Cores, place them back into the box.
4. Day-and-Night Tile. Cover a randomly selected Temple Tile with the Day-and-Night Tile. The DAY side must be on the right.
5. Round Tiles. Shuffle the 6 Round Tiles into a pile, and place it next to the Day-and-Night Tile, forming a "Round Pile".
6. Supply. Sort the 38 Crystals and 12 Action Tokens by colors and place them in a "Supply". These are tokens accessible to all players.
   • Note: The Supply is not limited. If any type of resource is unavailable, use a temporary substitute.

A. Each player chooses a player color and receives:

• 1 Spell Mat. It determines how much resources you begin with.
  • Gain 1 non-purple and 1 purple Crystal.
  • Gain 1 Action Token and 6 Mana Points.
  • Advance your Player Marker 1 space on 1 of the 3 Trial Tracks. Gain 4 Mana Points.
  • Gain 1 purple Spell Core.
• 1 Archmage Figure.
• 4 Player Markers. Place 3 of them on the "Starting Space" on each Trial Track of the Trial Boards. Then, place the last 1 on the "0" space on the Mana Track of your Spell Mat.

B. The youngest player will be the starting player and receives the Starting Player Token.

Goal of the Game

The game is played over 5 days (rounds) at most. At the end of the game, whoever has the highest Trial Points (VP) will be the winner.

How to Play

The game is played over 5 rounds at most, each of which is composed of 4 phases. During each phase (except for the phase 1), beginning with the starting player, each player takes turns in clockwise order.

1. The Day-and-Night Phase — Determine whether each Temple Tile should be day side up or night side up. Players do NOT take turns.
2. The Temple Phase — Each player places their Archmage Figure on the Temple Tiles.
3. The Resource Phase — Each player gains resources from the Supply.
4. The Trial Phase — Each player takes actions in clockwise order. This phase continues until all players have passed.

1. The Day-and-Night Phase

• The starting player reveals the first Round Tile from the "Round Deck".
• According to the number shown on the revealed tile, move the Day-and-Night Tile corresponding spaces clockwise.
• Starting from the counterclockwise direction of the Day-and-Night Tile, flip the corresponding number of Temple Tiles to night side up, and then flip those previous night side up Temple Tiles to day side up.
• Exception: During the first round, after revealing the first Round Tile, do NOT move the Day-and-Night Tile. Simply flip the corresponding number of Temple Tiles to night side up starting from the counterclockwise direction of the Day-and-Night Tile.

Example: It is the second round. The number shown on the revealed Round Tile is "4". Move the Day-and-Night Tile 4 spaces clockwise. Flip 4 Temple Tiles to night side up starting from the counterclockwise direction of the Day-and-Night Tile. Then, flip the 3 previous night side up Temple Tiles to day side up.

2. The Temple Phase

Beginning with the starting player and continue clockwise, place your Archmage Figure on any Temple Tile of your choice following these rules:

• Rule 1: You can NOT place your Figure on the Day-and-Night Tile.
• Rule 2: Each Temple Tile can ONLY have 1 Figure.
• Rule 3: Figures are NOT allowed to completely surround or be surrounded by other Figures and/or the Day-and-Night Tile.

Designer's Note: The Archmages are surrounded by forces, unexpected disaster might happen when the forces collide. We must avoid that by spacing out the Archmages.

Example: On Green's turn, she can NOT place her Figure on the Day-and-Night Tile, a tile that has other Figures, a tile that is surrounded by Red and Blue, a tile that is surrounded by Tile and Red, or a tile where Yellow will be surrounded by Tile and Green.

3. The Resource Phase

Beginning with the starting player and then continue clockwise, collect resources from the Temple Tiles:

1. The Main resources (top-left corner) and also the Linked resources (bottom side) indicated on the Temple Tile that your Archmage Figure occupies.

2. The Linked resources (bottom side) indicated on all the unoccupied Temple Tiles that are connected to your Archmage Figure following clockwise and counter-clockwise direction, until blocked by another "Archmage Figure" or the "Barrier".

   Barrier. The "Barrier" is a vertical line that divides the day side and the night side of the Day-and-Night Tile. The player closest to the day side gains the extended resource on the day side. The player closest to the night side gains the extended resource AND the Starting Player Token on the night side, and becomes the new starting player during next phase (the Trial Phase).

3. If you only collect resources from 2 Temple Tiles (regardless of the amount of resources), gain additional 4 Mana Points; if you only collect resources from 3 Temple Tiles, gain additional 2 Mana Points. (Note: Day-and-Night Tile is NOT considered as a Temple Tile.)

Example: Red collects resources following these steps below.

1. He collects a "yellow Spell Core" and an "Action Token" from his occupied Temple Tile.
2. Following clockwise direction, he collects nothing because he is blocked by the Green Figure.
3. Following counter-clockwise direction, he collects a yellow Crystal, a blue Crystal and an Action Token until blocked by the "Barrier".
4. Since he only collects resources from 3 Temple Tiles, he gains additional 2 Mana Points.

Place the Crystals and Action Markers in front of you. If you gain Mana Point(s), immediately record that on your "Mana Track" by advancing your Player Marker. If you gain Spell Core, immediately place it on any legal space on your Spell Mat. See the Appendix for details.

Resource icon key:

Icon	Meaning
Red / Yellow / Blue / Purple crystal	Gain 1 red / yellow / blue / purple Crystal.
Multicolor crystal	Gain 1 red, yellow or blue Crystal.
Blue starburst token	Gain 1 Action Token.
Green diamond with "2"	Gain 2 Mana Points.
Red / Yellow / Blue gem	Gain 1 red / yellow / blue Spell Core.

4. The Trial Phase

The Trial Phase is slightly different from the other phases. Beginning with the starting player and then continue clockwise, each player takes turns. On your turn, you may either:

1. Spend 1 Action Marker to Begin Trial, or
2. Spend nothing to Rest. Once a player Rests, he may take no further actions in this phase, and the turn order continues clockwise, skipping that player. This phase ends when all players have Rested.

Trial (main action)

• Chose 1 of the 3 Trial Tracks, advance your Player Marker up to 3 spaces by spending indicated Crystals on each space.
• Your Player Marker automatically skips over any spaces occupied by other Players' Markers without spending Crystals and do not count as spaces. Each space can only be occupied by 1 Player Marker at a time. When your Player Marker is skipped over by other players, you immediately gain 1 Mana Point.
• After advancing, if you pass by or stay at any space containing a Reward icon, you immediately gain the corresponding Spell Core. If there are none of that color, take the purple Spell Core instead; if there are none of the purple Core, gain 2 Mana Points instead.

Example:

1. On Blue's turn, she chooses to spend 1 Action Token to advance her Marker 2 spaces on the Fire Track by spending 1 red and 1 purple Crystal.
2. On Yellow's turn, she chooses to spend 1 Action Token to advance her Marker 2 spaces on the Fire Track by spending 2 red and 1 yellow Crystal. She immediately gains 1 red Spell Core as a Reward.
3. Since Blue's Marker is skipped over by Yellow's Marker, Blue gains additional 1 Mana Point.

Rest (pass)

On your turn, if you cannot or do not want to perform the main action, you must Rest. Once you rest, you may take no further actions in this phase, and the turn order continues clockwise, skipping you.

1. Take your Archmage Figure back.
2. Return all of your Crystals and Action Tokens back into the Supply. For each resource returned this way, gain 1 Mana Point.
   • Note: If you have learned the "Storage Spell" on your Spell Mat (see the Appendix), you may store 1 Crystal of any color on each storage space; you do NOT have to return them to the "Supply".

After all players have Rested, the round is over and start the next round. If any of the end conditions is met, the game ends and final scoring begins.

Designer's Note: All of the conjured resources will disappear within a day. Only by learning the "Storage Spell" can maintain the effect of them!

Convert (extra action)

ANY TIME during the game, you may convert as many times as you wish. Therefore, you have the 3 following options:

1. Spend 2 Mana Points for 1 Action Token.
2. Spend 4 Mana Points for 1 Crystal of any color.
3. Spend 1 Action Token or 1 Crystal for 1 Mana Point.

Game End

At the end of the current round, the game ends when any of the following conditions is met:

1. There are no purple Spell Cores left.
2. The last space of any 2 Trial Tracks are occupied.
3. This is the 5th round (there are 5 revealed Round Tiles).

Final Scoring

Each player follows each of these steps to calculate their Trial Points:

1. Trial Tracks. Check the spaces of your Player Markers on each of the 3 Trial Tracks individually, score or lose Points according to the corresponding level.
2. Core Connection. Check your Spell Mat, each horizontal and vertical line with 3 / 4 Spell Cores will give you 2 / 4 Points.
3. Spell Bonus. Check your Spell Mat, each learned spell with end-game Points will give you the indicated Points.

Example:

1. Check the Fire Track, Red gains 15, Yellow gains 10, Blue gains 3, and Green loses 2 Points.
2. Red checks his Spell Mat. There is a horizontal line with 4 Cores, and another vertical line with 3 Cores, which will give him 4+2=6 Points.
3. Red gains 3+1=4 Points from each learned spell.

After calculating, the player with the most Trial Points (VP) wins the game.

In the case of a tie, the tied player with more Mana Points wins the game. If there is still a tie, the tied players share the victory.

Credits

• Game Design: Michael Mihealsick, Wei-Min Ling
• Illustrations: Maisherly Chan
• Producer: Wei-Min Ling
• Graphic Design: Maisherly Chan
• Playtesting: EmperorS4
• Proofreading: Winnie Chang, Lorna Dune

Development by © 2019 EmperorS4 Technology Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. 1F., No.9, Ln. 212, Sec. 3, Heping E. Rd., Da'an Dist., Taipei City 106, Taiwan (R.O.C.) — www.EmperorS4.com

2-Player Variants

The 2-player variant provides new conflict through the use of "Arcane Clone" and "Neutral Markers". This is a more aggressive play mode than a 3 or 4-player game, and also requires long-term planning.

Game Setup

The game setup is similar to a base game with 2 players (see Game Setup) except for the followings:

• Each player gains 2 Mana Points in addition to the resources indicated on the Player Mat.
• Each player chooses an unused player color and take 1 Archmage Figure. The Figure is a "Clone".
• Take 4 Player Markers of the 2 unused player colors, place 3 of them on the "Starting Space" on each Trial Tracks; place the remaining 1 next to the "Round Pile". The Player Markers are "Neutral Markers".

How to Play

The game is similar to a base game (see How to Play) except for the followings:

1. The Day-and-Night Phase. After normal steps, move 1 of the Neutral Markers which placing next to the Round Pile to the top-left corner of the revealed Round Tile, and move another one to the bottom-left corner in the configuration shown in the example. Then, advance the Neutral Markers on the Trial Tracks according to the icon shown on the corner:
   • Advance to next Scoring Level icon — Advance the Neutral Marker to an unoccupied space of the next Scoring Level that is nearest to the Starting Space.
   • Advance to next Core Reward icon — Advance the Neutral Marker to an unoccupied space of the next Core Reward that is nearest to the Starting Space.
   • Note: The Neutral Markers automatically skips over any spaces occupied by other Players' Markers. When your Player Marker is skipped over by a Neutral Marker, you immediately gain 1 Mana Point.
2. The Temple Phase. On your turn, you may place your Archmage Figure or your Clone. The phase continues until both player have placed all Figures.
3. The Resource Phase. On your turn, you may choose to collect Resources with your Archmage Figure OR your Clone (choose 1 of 2). If you choose your Clone, you must pay additional 2 Mana Points.
4. The Starting Player Token. Do NOT pass the Starting Player Token to the player who is nearest to the night side. Instead, pass the Starting Player Token to your opponent at the beginning of the next round.

Example: After revealing the Round Tile, move the unused yellow Neutral Marker to the top-left corner, and the green Neutral Marker to the bottom-left corner. According to the icon, advance the yellow Neutral Markers to an unoccupied space of the next Scoring Level on the "Water Track" and the "Sand Track"; advance the green Neutral Marker to an unoccupied space of the next Core Reward on the "Fire Track", automatically skip over Blue's Marker. Blue gains 1 Mana Point though.

Designer's Note: Each Archmage has the ability to create and manipulate clone, but it will consume precious mana.

Designer's Note: In order to avoid using Clone to repeatedly grab the starting player token, it will be more "fair" to take turns.

Appendix: Spell Board

When you receive a Spell Core, you must place it on any empty spaces on your Spell Mat immediately. After placing it, you cannot move it. (Note: If there is a "gain 1 Mana Point" icon in the space, gain 1 Mana Point when placed.)

Placement Rule: On each of the 4 vertical and the 4 horizontal lines on your Spell Mat, no color may appear more than once.

Special Case: In rare case, it may happen that you are not able to place a Spell Core on your Spell Mat. In this case, you must return that Spell Core to the corresponding Trial Board, and gain 2 Mana Points instead.

Optional: Some spells can be activated only once per round. After activating such spells, move the Spell Core from left to right to cover the symbols as indicated. Reset the Spell Core at the beginning of the next round.

Resource-Gaining Spells (only can be activated during 3. The Resource Phase)

• Once per round. When you collect at least 1 Action Marker, you may collect additional 2 Mana Points.
• Once per round. When you collect at least 1 blue Crystal, you may collect an additional 1 blue Crystal.
• Once per round. When you collect at least 1 yellow Crystal, you may collect an additional 1 yellow Crystal.
• Once per round. When you collect at least 1 red Crystal, you may collect an additional 1 red Crystal.

Resource-Converting Spells (only can be activated during 4. Trial Phase)

• Once per round. Any time during your turn, you may transform 1 non-purple Crystal to 1 purple Crystal.
• Once per round. Any time during your turn, you may transform 1 purple Crystal to 1 non-purple Crystal.
• Once per round. Any time during your turn, you may transform 1 Action Marker to 1 non-purple Crystal.
• Once per round. Any time during your turn, you may transform 1 Crystal of any color to 3 Mana Points.

End-Game Bonus Spells (add up the number shown on the top-right corner during the Final Scoring)

• No effect. (worth 3 points, no ability)
• When you Rest: You gain 1 Mana Point. (worth 1 point)
• When you Rest: you may store 1 Crystal of any color on each storage space. You can use them normally on the next round. (worth 1 point for the first storage space, 2 points for the second)

Resource-Gaining Spells (Immediately)

• Once per game. Gain 1 purple Crystal and 2 Mana Points.
• Once per game. Gain 1 blue Crystal and 2 Mana Points.
• Once per game. Gain 1 yellow Crystal and 2 Mana Points.
• Once per game. Gain 1 red Crystal and 2 Mana Points.