Nidavellir

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Details

Sourced from: https://jmo.name/games

Player Aid Author: Jarrod Moore

Description

Assemble and prepare a formidable crew of dwarfs to fight the mighty Fafnir!

Expansions in Use

  • Thingvellir

  • Place 3 tavern signs and gem trade markers
  • Place cards on displays:
    • Hero cards
    • Distinction cards
  • Set up Royal Treasure display:
    • 2-3P: Remove each of the following:
      • 2 "7" coins
      • 2 "9" coins
      • 2 "11" coins
  • If less than 5 players are playing, remove cards with a "5" in the bottom right corner
  • Shuffle decks for Ages 1 and 2 separately and place next to Royal Treasure

  • Each player receives:
    • 1 player board
    • A randomly chosen gem
    • A set of 5 basic coins
  • Place gem in cavity face-up at top of board

Gameplay takes place over two ages, where players will draft dwarves into their army. Each age continues until the deck for that age has been exhausted.

Each turn has the following phases:

  • Turn Prepartion Phase
  • Tavern Resolution Phase

As the name suggests, Age 1 is played first with the Age 1 deck. At the end of Age 1, you prepare for Age 2 and play with the same rules using the Age 2 deck. After the two ages have both been completed, final scoring will commence.

  • Place one card next to each tavern for each player playing:
    • 2P: Place 3 cards
  • Players then make bids:
    • Each player places a coin face-down on the space on their board corresponding to the tavern icon
    • The two unused coins are placed face-down in the cavities at the bottom of the board

  • For each tavern:
    • All players the coin they placed for that tavern:
      • From highest coin to lowest, players take turns choosing cards:
        • In case of a tie:
          • The player with the highest value gem breaks ties, continuing in descending order
          • After all tied players have taken cards, they trade gems such that gem value order is reversed among them
      • Place the card in your play area:
        • Stack cards by type such that only the top is showing
        • When the card you place creates a line of 5 dwarves in the same row, you can recruit a hero:
          • Take the hero of your choice from the display:
            • If you choose a neutral hero, it is placed to the left of your board unless the hero's power says otherwise
          • Resolve any effects of the hero card
            • Placing this hero could allow you to recruit another hero
            • If the hero has multiple icons on it, it could allow you to hire more than one hero
        • If you played a 0 coin for that tavern:
          • Sum the value of the coins at the bottom of the board
          • Exchange the highest value of the two coins for a coin equal to this sum from the royal treasury:
            • If the coin you should take is not available in the royal treasury, take the next coin of higher value:
              • If no such coin is available, take the next coin of lower value
            • If the highest value coin is a starting coin, discard it from the game
            • Otherwise, exchange this coin with the one you take from the treasury

Before starting Age 2, a troop evaluation is performed. The player with the most dwarves of each rank takes the corresponding distinction card for that type of dwarf. If there are ties, no player receives the distinction card for that type of dwarf.

The distinction cards must be awarded in this order:

  • Warriors (red)
  • Hunters (green)
  • Miners (yellow)
  • Blacksmiths (purple)
  • Explorers (blue)

If the distinction card for Explorers is not taken, discard the first card from the Age 2 deck.

Age 2 begins using the Age 2 deck, with play following the same rules as in Age 1.

At the end of Age 2, you calculate the sum of bravery points in your army as follows:

  • Add the bravery for each type of dwarf
  • Add the sum of the coins you finish the game with
  • If you have the most warrior ranks at the end of the game:
    • Add the value of your highest value coin a second time

Thumbnail courtesy of BoardGameGeek and the respective publisher.