Tabletop games
Scythe
MatagotJamey Stegmaier2016
- players
- 1–5
- minutes
- 115
- years
- 14+
In the box
1 board · Faction boards and Player boards · Character and mech figures · Wooden workers, buildings and recruits · Encounter, Combat, Factory and Objective cards · Resources and coins · Automa cards for solo play
Official rules (publisher's site)
Box details
- Designer
- Jamey Stegmaier
- Artwork
- Jakub Rozalski
- Publisher
- Matagot
- Mechanics
- Hexagon GridZone of ControlOnce-Per-Game AbilitiesIncomeSolo Play
- Expansions
- Scythe: Invaders from Afar · 2016
- Scythe: The Wind Gambit · 2017
- Scythe: The Rise of Fenris · 2018
Where to buy it
Near you and online
In a shop
Within 50 km.
Online
Affiliate link: Marquoir may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
The basics
The aim is to have the most coins at the end of the game. On your turn, choose a section of your player mat, different from the previous one, and take its top-row action (Move, Trade, Produce, Bolster), then, if you can pay for it, its bottom-row action (Upgrade, Deploy, Build, Enlist); each feat achieved places a star. As soon as a player places their sixth star, the game ends: stars, territories and resources earn coins according to your popularity, and the richest player wins.
The rules, step by step
Setup
1 character, 2 workers, 2 objective cards, Structure bonus
- Each player receives a faction mat, a player mat, their character, two workers, and their mechs, structures and recruits.
- Starting popularity, power and coins are shown on the mats.
- Reveal the structure bonus tile and deal two Objective cards to each player.
How to play
1 section per turn, Top-row action, Then the bottom row
- On your turn, choose a section of your player mat, different from the one used on your previous turn.
- Take the top-row action (Move, Trade, Produce, Bolster), then, if you can pay for it, the bottom-row action (Upgrade, Deploy, Build, Enlist).
- Combat breaks out when you move into a territory occupied by an opponent's character or mech: each side secretly commits power and combat cards.
- You place a star when you achieve a feat: all upgrades, all mechs, all structures, all recruits, all workers, an objective, a combat victory (two at most), 18 popularity or 16 power.
Scoring
By popularity, Coins in hand, Structure bonus
- Depending on your popularity: from 0 to 6, star 3, territory 2, pair of resources 1; from 7 to 12, 4, 3 and 2; from 13 to 18, 5, 4 and 3.
- The Factory counts as three territories.
- Add the coins already in hand and the structure bonus.
End of the game
6th star placed, Game ends at once, Most coins
- The game ends immediately when a player places their sixth star.
- The most coins wins.
Going further
Frequently asked questions · In the same family
Frequently asked questions
Do workers count towards controlling a territory?
Yes: a territory is controlled by whoever has a unit there (character, mech, worker) or, failing that, a structure. Lakes do not count.