Villa Panda Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Component List – Base Game
• Component List – Emperor Variant
• Setup
• Game Overview
  • 1. Panda Cards
  • 2. Villa Panda Game Board
  • 3. Building Cards
  • 4. Player Board
• Game Sequence
  • 1. Dice Phase
  • 2. Activation Phase
  • 3. Action Phase
• Game End
  • Scoring
• Emperor Variant
  • A – Missions of the Emperor
  • B – Tasks of the Emperor
• Two-Player Variant
• Pandagraphy

Component List – Base Game

• 1 Villa Panda game board
• 4 player boards
• 2 dice
• 13 bamboo resources (green)
• 13 bao resources (brown)
• 13 water resources (blue)
• 10 gold resources (yellow)
• 10 building cards Type A
• 12 building cards Type B
• 10 building cards Type C
• 8 panda meeples
• 12 starting panda cards
• 70 panda cards

Component List – Emperor Variant

• 8 Emperor mission cards
• 8 Emperor task cards

Note: Resources are limited in both the base game and the Emperor variant. They cannot be replaced by markers or other resources available in the game.

Setup

1. All players choose their player color and take the matching panda meeples (2) as well as the corresponding player board.
2. Each player receives one set of starting panda cards and lays them face up in their personal play area. A set consists of 3 panda cards with the same symbol (square, circle, triangle, or bar).
3. Place the game board in the middle of the table, so that it is easily reachable for everyone.
4. Prepare the building market: Shuffle the Type A, B, and C building cards into a single shared deck. Place it within reach of all players next to the game board and reveal 5 cards face up to form the building market.
5. Prepare the panda market: Shuffle the panda cards, place the deck next to the game board, and reveal 5 cards face up to form the panda market.
6. Place the dice and all resources – sorted by type – next to the game board.
7. Whoever names an interesting fact about pandas first begins the game.

Game Overview

1. Panda Cards

There are four types of panda cards: Builders, specialized in hiring pandas; Traders, specialized in exchanging resources; Collectors, specialized in acquiring resources; and Monks, specialized in activating other pandas. Starting panda cards are marked with a symbol at the bottom edge of the card. Some panda cards allow you, as an effect, to activate other pandas of a specific type.

A panda card shows: its panda type, its activation die value(s), and its effect.

2. Villa Panda Game Board

Each area of the Villa Panda consists of three different spaces:

• A – Upper left space: Receive 1 resource (gold, bamboo, water, or bao).
• B – Upper right space: Allows you to carry out a specific action*.
• C – Lower space: Used to place a panda meeple.

*Available actions are: exchange resources, build a building, hire a panda, and activate a panda. Only one panda meeple may be in an area at a time. If a player places their own panda meeple onto an already-occupied area, the other player's meeple is returned to its rest area. The player's own meeple may then be placed there and the action carried out. A panda meeple in the rest area counts as available again at the start of its owner's next turn.

3. Building Cards

Building cards are obtained through the build action. Each card has a cost in the form of resources and panda cards. After paying, the panda cards are slid behind the building so that only their type remains visible (see example on the next page). There are 3 types of building cards – A, B, and C – with different victory points. Type A and B additionally have a card effect. Type B and C have a condition for their victory points. They work as follows:

• A: Has an effect that is triggered by actions in the Villa (market, building, hiring a panda, or activating a panda), and no condition for victory points.
• B: Has an effect that is activated when rolling dice, as well as a victory-point condition that refers to panda types behind all of your own buildings. In this example, the owner of this Type B building must have 3 Collector pandas behind their buildings at the end of the game to receive 3 victory points.
• C: Has no effect, but a victory-point condition that refers to the panda cards slid behind this building. In this example, the owner of this Type C building must have three slid-in Collector pandas in this building at the end of the game to receive 3 victory points.

IMPORTANT: Card effects can only be used by the active player during their turn.

Note: Building cards may be built even if their victory-point condition is not yet fulfilled. This can be fulfilled over the course of the game.

A building card additionally shows: its cost, its victory-point condition, its victory points, the prerequisite for using this effect (the requirements in this field must be met to use the effect), its card effect, and its building type.

Example: To build this building, Agapito must pay 1 bao, 2 bamboo, and 3 panda cards of any type from his hand or his play area (he does not necessarily need 3 Collector pandas to pay). This building's victory-point condition is: 3 Collector pandas slid behind buildings in your play area. This condition can be fulfilled at any time during the game.

4. Player Board

There are 4 player boards in different colors. Each board is divided into 3 areas:

• Resource spaces: Resources received during the game are placed here. The resource limit is 8 at the end of your own turn. Excess resources go into the "storage area."
• Storage area: Stored resources are returned at the end of your own turn into the general supply. The player chooses which ones.
• Rest area: Inactive panda meeples are placed here. If your own meeple is displaced from the Villa Panda board, it is returned to this area. If you want to carry out a Villa action but have no available meeples, you may take 1 or 2 of your meeples from the game board and place them in your player board's rest area. Your turn ends immediately.

Game Sequence

The game is played in successive rounds in clockwise order, until a player reaches 12 victory points (VP). Each round consists of three phases, which all players carry out in the following order: 1) Dice Phase, 2) Activation Phase, 3) Action Phase.

1. Dice Phase

At the start of your turn, you roll both dice. The dice are then resolved in the Activation Phase.

Exception: If the sum of both dice is 7, you choose a resource type – all players return 1 resource of this type to the general supply.

2. Activation Phase

After rolling, starting with the active player, panda cards are activated. First, ALL players activate panda cards matching the sum of both dice. Then the active player chooses one of the two dice and activates only their own panda card(s) with that value. If you can activate multiple panda cards, you decide the order yourself.

Example: Agapito is on turn and rolls a 3 and a 6. The sum of both dice is 9. All players activate their panda cards with a 9. Agapito receives resources, while Mia chooses a panda from the panda market. Daniel has no pandas that can be activated with the 9. Then Agapito chooses the die with the 3 and activates one of his own panda cards again. In this example, Agapito receives a total of 4 gold (2 from the dice sum, 2 from the chosen die).

Note: Before the Dice Phase, you may reshuffle a market if 3 pandas or 3 buildings of the same type are there. You then reveal 5 new cards.

3. Action Phase

You may carry out as many actions as you have available panda meeples at the start of your turn. Each of the 4 areas of the game board offers two possible actions; place your meeple and choose one of them.

Market:

At the Market, you may either receive 1 gold, or carry out 1 to 3 exchange actions:

1. 1 of your own resources for 1 of any type.
2. 2 of your own resources for 1 of any type.
3. 3 of your own resources for 2 of any type.

You do not have to use all 3 exchange actions; however, they must be carried out in the correct order. That is, a maximum of 6 resources can be exchanged for 4 others.

Example: Agapito places his meeple on the Market and either takes 1 gold or carries out 1 to 3 exchange actions (in order: 1×1, 2×1, and 3×2). In this case, Agapito exchanges 1 water for 1 bamboo.

Build:

In the Build area, you either receive 1 bamboo or may build a building from the market. Choose one of the available buildings from the market, pay the listed cost in resources and panda cards (you may build even if you do not yet have the pandas for the victory-point condition), and place the building in your play area – or receive 1 bamboo. The paid panda cards (from your hand or your play area) are slid behind the building so that their type remains visible. After building, the market is immediately refilled.

The build action can also be used to place a panda card behind an already-built building in your play area. This lets you fulfill victory-point conditions retroactively. There is no limit to how many pandas may lie behind a building.

Example: Agapito places his meeple in the Build area and chooses between taking 1 bamboo or building a building from the market and paying its cost. In this case, the building costs 2 bao and 1 bamboo, plus 3 panda cards, which are slid behind the building.

Hire a Panda:

Take one of the face-up panda cards from the market into your hand, or receive 1 water. After hiring a panda, the panda market is refilled.

Example: Agapito places his meeple in this area and chooses either 1 water or a panda card from the market. He takes the chosen card into his hand.

Activate a Panda:

Activate 1 panda card of your choice from your play area and carry out its effect, or receive 1 bao. If the card activates further pandas, you carry out their effects in any order you choose.

Example: Agapito places his meeple in this area and chooses either 1 bao or activates a panda card from his play area. If this activation triggers further pandas, Agapito also carries out their corresponding effects.

Receiving Resources:

Place your meeple on the space of your choice and receive the corresponding 1 resource: gold, bamboo, water, or bao.

Playing a Panda Card:

You may at any time during your turn play a panda card in order to use its effect later in the game (during panda activation). Choose a panda card from your hand, pay its cost, and place it in your play area. You may play as many panda cards as you like, as long as you can pay their cost.

Activating a Building Effect:

There are various ways to activate the effects of building cards in your play area (see page 5, "Building Cards" above). You can activate them through a die roll or through an action in the Villa Panda. (You can find the exact effects in the "Pandagraphy" on the back of the rulebook.)

Reminder: Each space of the game board may hold only one meeple. If an action space is already occupied, you take the meeple that is there back off the Villa Panda board and place it in the rest area of the corresponding player board. You then place your own meeple on the space and carry out the action.

Example: Agapito (blue meeple) wants to receive bao, but the space is occupied. He takes the meeple that is there back from the Villa Panda board and places it in the rest area of Mia (pink meeple). Agapito then places his meeple on the space.

If you want to carry out a Villa action but have no available meeples, you may take 1 or 2 of your meeples from the game board and place them in your player board's rest area. Your turn ends immediately. After you have completed all possible actions, you pass the dice on and the next player takes their turn.

Game End

As soon as you reach 12 victory points (VP), or the panda cards from the panda market are used up, the end of the game is triggered. The current round is played to completion.

Scoring

Points are counted as follows:

• Victory points of all buildings in your play area (as indicated on the cards).
• Additional victory points for fulfilled conditions on other cards in your play area (Emperor variant).

The person with the most victory points wins the game. In case of a tie, whoever has the most pandas slid behind buildings wins. If the tie persists, whoever has the most pandas in their play area wins. If the tie persists again, victory is shared.

Emperor Variant

Prepare for an exciting variant in the world of Villa Panda: the "Emperor Variant." While the base rules of the game remain unchanged, this mode brings a strategic expansion through two types of special goal cards into the game. These cards, which come from the Emperor himself, challenge you to fulfill certain tasks and missions. If you succeed, you receive valuable victory points.

Will you live up to the Emperor's whims and outdo your rivals on the way to leadership of Villa Panda?

Choose between Mode A and Mode B. As you gain experience, you can also combine both modes. Conditions may be fulfilled with pandas in your play area and behind your buildings. Pandas in hand do not count.

A – Missions of the Emperor

Each person draws 2 cards and chooses 1 of them, which is kept secret. In "Missions of the Emperor" mode, you reveal your card at the end of the game and receive victory points for the pandas that are behind your buildings.

Example: Agapito receives 8 VP for his 4 Builder pandas, 2 VP for 2 Trader pandas, 1 VP for 3 Monk pandas, and 0 VP for his single Collector panda.

B – Tasks of the Emperor

Reveal as many cards as there are players at game end + 1 (e.g., with 4 players: lay out 5 cards face up).

In "Tasks of the Emperor" mode, as soon as you are the first to fulfill the condition of one of these cards, you claim the card and immediately receive the victory points indicated on it.

Example: Agapito takes a Task card of the Emperor, since he owns 2 Type B buildings, 3 Builder pandas, 3 Monk pandas, and 1 Collector panda.

Two-Player Variant

In the two-player variant, an additional meeple comes into play, representing the Emperor. This meeple has a color not used by the players, and is placed at the start of the game in the market area of the game board.

At the start of each turn, the Emperor meeple moves clockwise to the next space of the Villa Panda.

If the Emperor enters a space with a meeple on it, that meeple is placed in the rest area of its player board. If you place your meeple on a space currently occupied by the Emperor, the Emperor immediately moves on to the next space. If there is another meeple there, it is likewise placed in its rest area.

Always keep track of the Emperor's movements, as they significantly affect your planning.

Pandagraphy

This is a glossary of the icons used on panda cards and building cards.

• Builder panda: icon of a panda with a hammer.
• Trader panda: icon of a panda with a dollar sign.
• Collector panda: icon of a panda with a basket.
• Monk panda: icon of a panda with a cup.
• Hire a panda: clipboard icon.
• Exchange resources at the market: icon showing 1→?, 2→?, 3→? exchange ratios.
• Build a building: icon of a building outline.
• Activate a panda of your choice: four-colored circular icon.
• Activate a specific panda type: icon of the relevant panda type (Builder/Monk/Collector/Trader) with a lightning bolt.
• Send a panda to its rest area: icon of a meeple with a sleeping panda ("zzz").
• Bamboo resource: green bamboo icon.
• Gold resource: yellow/orange coin icon.
• Water resource: blue droplet icon.
• Bao resource: brown bao (bun) icon.
• Victory points (VP): star icon with a number.
• Cost: number of panda cards to slide in (behind the building): stacked panda-card icon.
• Receive 1 resource of your choice: four-colored pie icon.
• Victory-point condition – pandas behind any buildings in your play area: frame icon showing a panda behind a building outline with a dashed border around your whole play area.
• Victory-point condition – pandas behind this building: frame icon showing pandas behind a single bordered building.
• +1/-1 die adjustment: after rolling, you may increase or decrease the result of one die by 1. (Applies to ALL players.)
• -2 die adjustment: after rolling, you may decrease the result of one die by 2. (Applies to ALL players.)
• +2 die adjustment: after rolling, you may increase the result of one die by 2. (Applies to ALL players.)
• Die result icon: shows the numeral result needed.
• Use the opposite face of ONE die: icon of two dice with a swap arrow.
• Reroll ONE die: circular arrow icon.