Zodiac Clash Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Assembling the Solar System Board
• The Four Elements of the Zodiac
• Choosing a Zodiac
• Setting Up the Board
  • Choosing the Starting Player
• 2 Player Gameplay
  • 1. To Win
  • 2. Neighboring Spaces
  • 3. Spinning Rings
  • 4. Actions
• Interesting Sign Matchups
• 4 Player Variation (2 Teams)
• Variation for Highly Strategic Players
• The Inner and Outer Planets
• Zodiac Cards
  • Aries
  • Taurus
  • Gemini
  • Cancer
  • Leo
  • Virgo
  • Libra
  • Scorpio
  • Sagittarius
  • Capricorn
  • Aquarius
  • Pisces

Components

• 12 x Zodiac Movers
• 12 x Zodiac Cards
• 20 x Night Stars
• 1 x Center Post
• 2 x Sun Halves
• 18 x Disc Clips
• 1 x Solar System Board, consisting of:
  • 1 x Sun Ring (smallest)
  • 1 x Inner Planets Ring
  • 1 x Outer Planets Ring
  • 1 x Constellation Ring (largest)
  • 3 x Thick Washers
  • 1 x Center Stump
• 1 x Instructions

Assembling the Solar System Board

1. Take the 18 Disc Clips from the box and place 6 on each of the three top rings of the Solar System Board. There are 6 small notches on each of those rings where the clips should rest.
2. Take the Center Post and the 2 Sun Halves. Place the top of the Center Post in one of the Sun Halves, and then connect the opposite Sun Half to create the Sun and Post.
3. Place the bottom of the Center Post into the Center Stump in the middle of the Solar System Board. A thick washer sits in between each disc in the Solar System Board.

The Four Elements of the Zodiac

Fire Signs: Fire signs are high-action, intense and passionate individuals. They love to explore new worlds and spark change, either destructive or constructive, within their solar journeys. As a result, the Fire Powers all channel strength from the impressive planets around them, granting increased movement and Star creation.

Earth Signs: Earth signs are grounded, balanced, and have a love to exert control to organize their lives. Strongly set in their ways, they move everything else to achieve their goals rather than changing themselves. As a result, the Earth Powers cause Stars to move, giving more control and the ability to organize them efficiently.

Air Signs: Air signs tend to have a problem fitting into the established order of the universe. They relish following the beat of their own drum and often find unique and artistic solutions to mundane problems. As a result, the Air Powers all exhibit unusual characteristics that take skill, strategy, and an unfettered mind to master.

Water Signs: Water signs are the most emotionally deep of the Zodiac. Intuitive and mystical, they seem to exhibit great depths of understanding concerning themselves, others, and their environment. As a result, the Water Powers have increased their own movement capabilities, leaping through shortcuts others cannot perceive.

Choosing a Zodiac

To begin the game, choose a Zodiac to play as. While many people like to play with their own Zodiac sign, the choice is yours. Different signs have different powers, so it's recommended that you try playing with different signs each game until you find the ones you like the most. If you are unsure about which Zodiac sign is yours, turn this instruction sheet over to see the details of all twelve. Your Zodiac sign is determined by your birthday.

Setting Up the Board

Take the Zodiac Card associated with your sign, the 3D Zodiac Mover, and 10 Night Stars of a single color. Place your Zodiac Mover on your Constellation space, located on the largest ring of the Solar System Board. Place the Solar System Board in the middle of the table and position all the rings so that the circular spaces and lines are aligned. There are 12 spaces on the Constellation Ring, half of those spaces won't align with any ring. It doesn't matter which spaces align or how the rings are oriented.

Choosing the Starting Player

Once both Zodiac Movers are on the board, if only one mover doesn't have a straight path to the Sun Ring, that player will go first. If both movers have a straight path to the Sun Ring, rotate all rings besides the Constellation Ring so neither player has a straight path. The least experienced player goes first in this situation.

2 Player Gameplay

1. To Win

On your turn, if 4 of your Night Stars are in a straight line connecting the Constellation Ring to the Sun Ring, you win!

2. Neighboring Spaces

Spaces on the Solar System Board are connected by dotted lines. Lines between rings should always connect, except for 6 of the 12 spaces on the Constellation Ring.

3. Spinning Rings

"One Alignment" means spinning the ring, and all rings above it, until the ring that is being manipulated connects with the next space on the ring directly below it. This concept is explained in detail below, for clarification. When spinning, rings must be rotated in a specific direction, denoted by the direction of the comets printed on that ring. However, since all rings above it are spun with the ring being manipulated, all the rings above will move with the ring being manipulated.

Rings Spin Together: All red rings spin together to align the 4 yellow spaces.

• The Sun Ring spins clockwise. When spinning this ring, it spins by itself, and the Sun Ring aligns with the next space on the Inner Planets Ring.
• The Inner Planets Ring spins counter-clockwise. When spinning this ring, the one ring above spins with it, and the Inner Planets Ring aligns with the next space on the Outer Planets Ring.
• The Outer Planets Ring spins clockwise. When spinning this ring, the two rings above spin with it, and the Outer Planets Ring aligns with the next space on the Constellation Ring.

The Constellation Ring does not spin.

4. Actions

You have 2 Actions per turn, both of which must be used. You can do any of the 4 Actions below:

• Introduce a new Night Star of your color in any unoccupied space neighboring your Zodiac Mover. You may only do this once per turn. This Night Star cannot be removed during the next player's turn.
• Remove any Night Star from the Solar System Board located in a space neighboring your Zodiac Mover. You may only do this once per turn.
• Move your Zodiac Mover 1 space into any unoccupied neighboring space connected by a dotted line.
• Spin the Outer Planets Ring, the Inner Planets Ring, or the Sun Ring One Alignment. You may do this twice per turn.

Interesting Sign Matchups

2 Players, Compatible Signs: Players who desire a peaceful and strategic game should look to signs which are compatible in love and life. These personalities often intermingle and share similar traits with each other, making them balanced partners. Relationships will emerge stronger after a bit of friendly competition between these signs. If you're lucky enough to experience one of these pairings, endless lighthearted yet deeply strategic fun is within your grasp!

• Cancer vs Scorpio
• Pisces vs Scorpio
• Gemini vs Libra
• Taurus vs Virgo
• Leo vs Sagittarius

2 Players, Incompatible Signs: Underneath the surface, their blood is boiling. These incompatible signs cause heightened emotions in each other, creating conflict and an undulating change for the entirety of their time together. These signs approach life so differently that their pairings often seem like they're from different planets entirely. Indeed, their elements are at odds the vast majority of the time. These relationships never have a dull moment, the competition and power struggles will never die down because shock, passion, and anger are in the air! Approach these matchups with caution, they will be unforgettable... and possibly painful!

• Aries vs Scorpio
• Leo vs Pisces
• Virgo vs Gemini
• Capricorn vs Sagittarius
• Aquarius vs Taurus

4 Players, Mixed Compatibility: These paired matchups are sure to cause excitement and unforgettable moments. Each pair is strongly compatible as a team. Their personalities and powers work in perfect step, each complimenting the other, doubling their collective strength. However, each perfect team is completely incompatible with the opposing team, setting the stage for a battle more spectacular than a fireworks show in the sky. These combinations are truly unforgettable due to the strong teamwork between partners and the equally devastating but balanced competition.

• Aries and Aquarius vs Cancer and Taurus
• Libra and Gemini vs Virgo and Capricorn
• Leo and Sagittarius vs Scorpio and Pisces

4 Player Variation (2 Teams)

Each player will choose a Zodiac to play as. Choose a teammate. Each team takes the 10 Night Stars of a single color. Place the Zodiac Movers on the Constellation Ring like normal. Whichever team has more movers that do not have a direct path to the Sun Ring goes first, and whichever player who doesn't have a direct path to the Sun Ring at the start of the game has priority to go before their teammate. The game is played normally, and table talk is allowed. You may only move your own Zodiac Mover. Teammates alternate turns.

Variation for Highly Strategic Players

The Action of placing a Star on your turn is eliminated. You will continue to perform 2 Actions per turn, but after your 2 Actions you MUST place a Star, keeping with placement rules. Example: Move, Move, Place Star. Or Spin, Remove Star, Place Star. If you cannot place a Star on your turn, you lose.

The Inner and Outer Planets

The rings of the Solar System Board are named after the following bodies.

The Inner 6 Planets: Venus, Mercury, Ceres, Mars, Earth, The Moon

The Outer 6 Planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Chiron, Pluto, Neptune, Uranus

Zodiac Cards

Each Zodiac Card lists the sign's element, ruling planet, personality traits, life direction, and Astral Power. Your Astral Power is the rule-breaking ability of the Zodiac you choose to play as.

Aries

Element: Fire. Ruling Planet: Mars. Traits: Honest, Impulsive, Energetic. Life Direction: Courageous.

Personality: Aries fearlessly roams the cosmos, brimming with the fire of new adventures. Your deep-seated wanderlust drives you to constantly explore new directions, forever building your empire with energy and courage. Intent on traversing your own way, you express the power of a warrior when opposed; channeled through your ruling planet Mars.

Astral Power: You may use an Action to warp to Mars or Chiron, destroying any Stars that are on it.

Taurus

Element: Earth. Ruling Planet: Venus. Traits: Affectionate, Stable, Stubborn. Life Direction: Dependable.

Personality: Like a bull peacefully grazing in a pasture, Taurus is not looking for a fight, but it would be a fatal error for anyone to challenge you. A determined Taurus builds strength with community on the way to greatness and riches, focusing on establishing the seeds of civilization. With such power in your unyielding purpose, your will alone is known to pull loyal followers along your path, leading them to a bountiful life.

Astral Power: Whenever your Zodiac Mover moves, you may pull a connected chain of up to 3 Stars of your color along with you, each Star in the chain moving into the space vacated by the object just moved. You decide the length of the chain and which Stars are included in the chain. Included stars may change between actions.

Gemini

Element: Air. Ruling Planet: Mercury. Traits: Curious, Versatile, Intellectual. Life Direction: Responsive.

Personality: Gemini is quick-witted and fast to act, often rapidly moving in multiple directions at once, due to being ruled by Mercury. You have a versatile personality and are able to adapt to environments and aggressive threats simultaneously. Maintaining split motives and values, the great communicator Gemini entertains two perspectives about everything, coalescing only when absolutely necessary.

Astral Power: You have two Zodiac Movers clipped together as one Zodiac Mover to start. You may unclip or re-clip at any time as a free Action as long as the two occupy the same space. An unclipped single Mover can use both Actions, but may not use the Move Action twice in a turn.

Cancer

Element: Water. Ruling Planet: The Moon. Traits: Sympathetic, Tenacious, Persuasive. Life Direction: Loyal.

Personality: Cancer, because of its ruler the Moon, exists as a series of contradictions, such as the love of new adventures contrasted with an absolute yearning for security and safety. You creatively overcome obstacles and courageously initiate adventure, while embodying the very nature of caution in the actions you take. Your position is fleeting and you enjoy positioning yourself in the location you feel suits you best at any given time.

Astral Power: If on the Constellation Ring, your Zodiac Mover can spend an Action to warp to any open space on the Constellation Ring.

Leo

Element: Fire. Ruling Planet: Sun. Traits: Powerful, Creative, Generous. Life Direction: Exuberant.

Personality: Leo is the undeniable ruler of the kingdom. Second best is never an option, nor is constraint by petty rules. Through creative passion and your ruling planet the Sun, Leo exudes power from the top, generating fierce loyalty, warm generosity, and greatness. You take the spotlight in life, ready and willing to expand your influence from the castles you reign in, growing the community that you cherish.

Astral Power: If you have a Star on Mercury or Neptune, you may use an Action to place a Star in any open space next to that planet.

Virgo

Element: Earth. Ruling Planet: Mercury. Traits: Practical, Industrious, Analytical. Life Direction: Conscientious.

Personality: Not one to wait for anything, Virgo takes action first out of all 12 signs. Misunderstood as being prude, you are ruled by higher motives, purity of purpose, and would never cheat or act in a way that would betray your higher intentions. Practical and organized, Virgo is always doing and moving towards a well-defined goal, so much that the individuals around you systematically take action towards it as well.

Astral Power: If your Zodiac Mover is next to one of your Stars, you can spend an Action to move the Star as if it were a Zodiac Mover.

Libra

Element: Air. Ruling Planet: Venus. Traits: Active, Artistic, Diplomatic. Life Direction: Charming.

Personality: As a charmer seeking balance, Libra is the heart of fair play and diplomacy. Superior intellect wrapped inside an easygoing exterior, you are always ready and looking to start a new adventure. Ruled by Venus, you entertain the need to be enriched through art, music, and beautiful locations. Libra is the born diplomat, able to charm others present into changing direction to create the balance you wish to bring to the world.

Astral Power: When your Zodiac Mover is on a ring, you may move that specific ring the opposite direction. All rings above the one you're spinning still move with the ring you're manipulating. If you spin a ring in the opposite direction, the opponent may not spin that ring in their next turn. However, it does still move if rings below it are spun.

Scorpio

Element: Water. Ruling Planet: Pluto. Traits: Idealistic, Passionate, Unyielding. Life Direction: Brave.

Personality: Scorpio is a sign of polarizing extremes and contradictions. The magnetic and passionate Scorpio never accepts defeat, always uncovering solutions to difficult problems. There is an innate desire to transform situations, driven by your ruling planet Pluto. As a result, you seek to create order out of chaos, controlling the situation in order to help others. You rush quickly to the point of conflict and fight until order has been restored.

Astral Power: Your Zodiac Mover can move twice as a single Action.

Sagittarius

Element: Fire. Ruling Planet: Jupiter. Traits: Optimistic, Ambitious, Humorous. Life Direction: Philosophical.

Personality: Always in the right place at the right time, lady luck is a constant companion to Sagittarius. Your options seemingly spring up out of nowhere, giving you a plethora of paths to follow in life. Not one to be tied down, you're always exploring new and wondrous places and ideas. With an expansive personality granted from your ruling planet Jupiter, your message cannot be contained. You hop from place to place, spreading your influence across the world.

Astral Power: If the space is empty, you may use an Action to warp your Zodiac Mover to The Moon, Jupiter, the Sagittarius Constellation, or the Gemini Constellation.

Capricorn

Element: Earth. Ruling Planet: Saturn. Traits: Patient, Strategic, Disciplined. Life Direction: Steady.

Personality: Capricorn is a born climber on the path to destiny, a path in which nothing can stand in your way. Disciplined and logical, you move purposefully through life with experience and strategy directing your movements rather than employing force. Through patience and persistence you find ways to coordinate movements with anyone, enabling cooperation and action.

Astral Power: Your Zodiac Mover can swap spaces with any object next to it as an Action.

Aquarius

Element: Air. Ruling Planet: Uranus. Traits: Assertive, Eccentric, Inventive. Life Direction: Friendly.

Personality: Aquarius is an unorthodox seeker of knowledge with little regard for the conventions of society. This makes Aquarius unparalleled in inventive capability, giving you the power to quickly combine logical strategies and creative solutions to send you on the path to greatness. Occasionally mistaken as eccentric due to Uranus being your ruling planet, you move to the beat of your own drum and control your own path in an efficient, unique way.

Astral Power: You may transport yourself through a pathway of your own Stars. If you neighbor one of your Stars, you may use an Action to move to any empty space that is connected to your current space by an unbroken pathway of your own Stars.

Pisces

Element: Water. Ruling Planet: Neptune. Traits: Intuitive, Musical, Adaptable. Life Direction: Compassionate.

Personality: As Pisces, you are the mystical sign of eternity and reincarnation. The final of the 12 signs, you encompass traits of every other sign giving you a cosmic presence, an unearthly intuition, and a vast understanding of others through your lifetimes of experience. As the mystical sign of the Zodiac, your motives and movements often surprise others, bouncing joyfully over obstacles that halt most individuals in life.

Astral Power: Your Zodiac Mover can perform a single jump over any object if the space directly after it is empty.