Atlantis Rising is a cooperative game, where players must work together as a team in order to win the game. You and your fellow players portray the leading citizens of Atlantis on the eve of its destruction.
Send your faithful followers out to various placements around the island to gather material resources and mystic energy or to use advanced Atlantean technology and mysterious ancient artifacts.
Using these resources and actions, you must work together to construct a cosmic gate capable of transporting the remaining population of the island to safety, before your civilization is lost forever to the sea.
Thus, players will either all share the victory (if they can save the people of Atlantis) or all share the defeat (if Atlantis sinks beneath the waves before the gate is built).
Components
- 37 Island Board Tiles
- 1 Cosmic Gate Board
- 21 Cosmic Gate Component Tiles
- 10 Councilor Player Boards
- 1 Wrath of the Gods Round Track and Wave Token
- 6 Mystic Barriers and Plastic Stands
- 2 Dice
- Starting Player Marker
- 33 Library Cards
- 67 Misfortune Cards
- 7 Leaders
- 37 Followers
- 7 Player Markers
- 8 Atlantean Volunteers
- 24 Mystic Energy
- 12 Crystal, Meteoric Iron Ore, and Gold
- 16 Atlantium Metal
- 1 Automaton
- 1 Hologram
- Rulebook
Setup
Introductory game mode (4-7 players)
1 Set up the island of Atlantis by laying out its tiles as shown.
2 Place the mystic barriers in their plastic stands. Place these, the resources (ore, Atlantium, gold, and crystal), mystic energy, and dice within easy reach of all players, near the game board.
3 Randomly select 4 of the 10 artifacts (cards with stone backgrounds) and shuffle them into the rest of the library deck (the cards with parchment backgrounds). Place the shuffled deck near the library peninsula of the island.
4 Ensure that the misfortune deck includes the appropriate number of Calm Seas and Controlled Flood cards. For the introductory game, the deck should have 9 Calm Seas and 3 Controlled Floods (return the unused Controlled Flood cards to the box). Then shuffle the misfortune deck and place it beside the board.
5 Place the Wrath of the Gods track near the misfortune deck and place the wave token on the zero (0) space.
6 Take the Power Core and 10 of the 20 remaining component tiles. For your first game, select the following components: All 5 components marked with an A, along with Mystic Siphon (B), Matter Converter (B), Numinous Beacon (C), Entropy Drive (C), and the Power Core.
Lay these component tiles in a row (called the Blueprint). In subsequent games, or if you wish to have a more challenging initial experience, you will use different components based on the difficulty of the game you wish to play.
7 Each player chooses a councilor board (or you may select randomly). For your first game, make sure one player selects the Artificer board. Each player then chooses a color and takes the token and 3 Atlanteans (meeples) matching their color, one of which should be the larger meeple. The colored token displays a player's color for others to see. Each player takes 2 mystic energy.
8 Place 3 Atlanteans of each selected color, as well as the small gray volunteers, in the supply area of the Wrath of the Gods track. Place any unused Atlanteans back in the box.
9 Place the Cosmic Gate board beside the board.
10 The player who most recently went swimming becomes the starting player and takes the starting player marker.
Object of the Game
You win the game by building all of the components in the Blueprint, including the Power Core. You activate the Cosmic Gate and transport your people to safety!
You lose the game if every island tile is flooded. Atlantis is lost forever beneath the waves!
Game Play
The game is played in rounds. Each round is broken into four phases, as outlined below.
- Place Atlanteans
- Suffer Misfortunes
- Take Actions
- Endure Wrath Of The Gods
Start of Round
Before beginning each round, the starting player in the previous round passes the starting player marker to the player on their left. Players may also make use of their councilors' special abilities or play library cards (if applicable).
1. Place Atlanteans
Players must place all of their Atlanteans from their councilor's pool (their collection of available player pieces) onto empty crystal discs on one or more island tiles, or on built component tiles.
Players may place Atlanteans in whatever order they choose, potentially placing simultaneously or bouncing back and forth between players. If there is ever a dispute over who will place their Atlantean on a specific disc, or placement spot, the starting player decides.
Each tile (except the center tile) can only support a fixed number of Atlanteans, as indicated by the number of discs on the tile. Except in the Cities, each disc represents one opportunity to take the action of its corresponding tile.
Players may place fewer than the maximum number of Atlanteans allowed on a tile. Atlanteans of multiple colors may share a tile, as long as the total capacity of the tile is not exceeded.
The center tile represents the mystic power source of Atlantis and may support any number of Atlanteans.
Some components, once built, also support a fixed number of Atlanteans.
2. Suffer Misfortunes
Beginning with the starting player and proceeding clockwise, each player must draw one misfortune card. If a misfortune card requires a decision, all players may discuss the decision, but the player who drew the misfortune has final authority. Resolve each misfortune card before drawing the next.
Flooding
When a misfortune card instructs a player to flood (flip over) an island tile, the selected tile(s) must always be the next available tile in a peninsula, starting from its tip and working towards the island's center.
Whenever the group is presented with a choice, but cannot decide which tiles to flood, the starting player chooses. If the center tile is flooded, players lose the game.
Important: Any Atlanteans on a flooded tile are returned to their owners' pool of Atlanteans.
3. Take Actions
All Atlanteans still remaining after the misfortunes now take the actions associated with their placement spots, described in detail in the next section of the rules.
Players may resolve the actions of their Atlanteans in whatever order they choose, potentially bouncing back and forth between players. If there is ever a dispute over which action to resolve next, the starting player decides.
Once an Atlantean has performed its action, that player should place the Atlantean on its side. This can help players keep track of special abilities, including Leaders, used throughout the current phase. At the end of the phase, return all Atlanteans to their owner's pool of Atlanteans.
4. Endure the Wrath of the Gods
In the Endure Wrath of the Gods phase, the players choose and flood (flip over) tiles equal to the number shown on the current level of the Wrath of the Gods track.
Then, the starting player moves the Wrath counter (wave token) up one level (do not move the counter if the track is already at the highest level).
At the end of this phase, the current game round is complete. Remember to pass the starting player marker to the next player in clockwise order.
Actions
The Wild Peninsulas
Mountains, Hills, and Forests
Atlantis is rich in resources: gold in the hills'rivers, crystals hidden in forest deposits, and strange ore found in craters in the mountains. While each of these resources has been more widely extracted near the center of the island, they are largely untapped near its edges.
Roll 1 die for each of your Atlanteans placed here; for each success, take one resource according to your Atlantean's location: Mountains - ore; Hills - gold; Forests - crystal.
Success is achieved by rolling equal to or higher than the target number printed on the tile (2,3,4 for ore; 3,4,5 for go Id; and 4,5,6 for crystal).
Important: regardless of how much higher the die value is, you still collect only 1 resource of that type.
Mystic energy guides the Atlantean follower, allowing them to find resources they may otherwise have missed.
After the die is rolled for an action taken in the Forests, Hills, or Mountains, mystic energy may be spent to add 1 to the result. A player may spend any number of mystic energy in this way, increasing the result by 1 for each mystic energy spent. Only the player who rolled the die is able to spend mystic energy in this way.
The Civilized Peninsulas
Cities, Libraries, and Forges
The citizens of Atlantis are proud and logical - they not easily convinced that the gods will actually destroy their island; it will take the testimony of several followers to recruit them to your cause.
Yet those who dwell closer to the sea can more clearly see the oncoming waves and may be more easily convinced to join the effort to save their civilization.
As destruction becomes more certain, and the wrath of the gods against Atlantis becomes more evident, Atlanteans will more readily join the cause of the resistance.
Cities
The Atlantean Cities tiles are marked by a double disc, requiring a pair of Atlanteans to activate:
These Atlanteans may be from the same or different players. Players roll 2 dice, 1 for each worker (if two players share the tile, they should both roll a die).
When rolling for success in the Cities, players add the current value of the Wrath of the Gods track to the sum of their die roll. If the result is equal to or higher than the target number for the tile, they successfully recruit one new follower.
The new follower must be the same color as one of the Atlanteans used to activate the space.
If two players share the tile, they must decide which of them receives the new follower. That Atlantean is returned to their follower pool, along with any Atlantean that performed the action.
Mystic energy may be spent by any involved players to increase the result of the rolL
Libraries
The libraries of Atlantis are the very best in the world, containing the wisdom of an advanced civilization (and some of its most powerful artifacts as well!). While some may believe it folly to retreat into these stacks of books and scrolls when the island is sinking around them, wise councilors recognize the true value of knowledge.
For each Atlantean placed here, draw 2 library cards, then keep cards as shown on the tile:
If the library' deck should at any point run out of cards, you do not reshuffle the discard to create a new deck. Instead, the discard pile stays and the library deck is expended (though some effects may allow you to replenish it).
Mystic energy aids the research of the Atlanteans, allowing them to retain more knowledge than they otherwise might.
Other effects or abilities may also allow you to draw cards from the library deck. Whenever you draw more cards than you may keep, the player who drew the cards may spend mystic energy to keep additional cards. For each additional card that they keep, they must spend 1 mystic energy.
All players have a maximum hand limit of four library cards. If a player has more than four cards in their hand at any time, they must immediately play or discard library cards until they have four cards in hand.
Forges
The forges of Atlantis are legendary. Only here can the precious alloy Atlantium be refined from the ore found in the mountains. While simple ore is useless for building the components of the cosmic gate, Atlantium is critical to the advanced technology of Atlantis.
The smiths at the island's center are already overworked, but those who brave the waves can command the full attention of the smiths who dwell near the island's edge.
For each Atlantean placed here, transmute one ore into one or more Atlantium. You may convert ore to Atlantium at a rate of 1:3,1:2, or 1:1, depending on the tile.
Each Atlantean placed here may convert only one ore into Atlantium (a player with multiple Atlanteans on a Forges tile may convert multiple ore into Atlantium, one for each Atlantean present).
Mystic Power Source
Center Tile.
The mystic power source is the key to the Atlanteans' advanced technology. Unlike other cultures, who would war among themselves for the right to control such a potent force, the Atlanteans have always granted free access to all citizens.
For each Atlantean placed here, take 1 mystic energy. There is no limit to the number of Atlanteans that may be placed on the Mystic Power Source.
Cosmic Gate Board
Build Components
When players wish to build a gate component, they must place Atlanteans on one of the special placements spots in the middle of the Cosmic Gate board. Each spot allows the players to build one component.
Thus, players may build two components per round in 1-4 player games and three per round in 5-7 player games.
Each player may place up to 1 Atlantean on each spot, so that, depending on player count, a single build spot may contain between 1 and 7 Atlanteans/players.
When taking actions, each player with an Atlantean on a spot may contribute 1 or more resources to build a single component. To build, players cooperate to pay the component's cost in resources, then return their Atlanteans to their follower pools.
If the players contributing Atlanteans to the build do not have the necessary resources to create any component, they must return their Atlanteans to their follower pools, with their actions wasted.
Important: Remember that players may take actions in any order, so they may attempt to gain new resources before building any components for the round.
Using Components
Once a component is built, take it from the Blueprint and place it on the Cosmic Gate board, flipping it from its unbuilt (parchment) side to its built (blue) side. Some components provide a one- time benefit when built. Others provide new action spots where Atlanteans can be placed on future rounds.
Note: The D components use the double ring worker spaces, requiring a pair of workers to activate.
The Power Core
The island doesn't have much more time now. To activate the gate and save your people, leaving the Atlantis behind, you must power the Cosmic Gate.
The Power Core is always the last component built. When completed, the other components will form a circle on the Cosmic Gate board, where the Power Core can slip inside.
You cannot build the Power Core until you have built all other components in the Blueprint. To successfully build the Power Core, each player's Leader must be placed on the same build spot, and each player must contribute at least one resource or mystic energy towards the building cost.
If any player is unable to do this, the Power Core cannot be built this turn.
Misfortune Cards
Flooding isn't the only concern for the Atlanteans. Earthquakes and plagues ravage the island from without while hopelessness and sabotage undermine the councilors'efforts from within.
Most misfortunes are basic "Flood" cards. These cards depict a peninsula of the island (e.g., Forests). When a basic (Flood) misfortune is drawn, the current player must flood (flip over) the next available tile in the peninsula depicted.
Important: Any Atlanteans on a flooded tile are returned to their owners' follower pools.
If a peninsula of the island is already completely flooded and a tile in that peninsula should be flooded, the current player must choose two other tiles to flood (in one or two peninsulas) instead.
If there are not two other tiles remaining, the players lose the game.
Some misfortunes are special misfortunes. Follow the instructions on the card when one is drawn. When a player draws a Calm Seas card, nothing happens.
When the Spur the Cycle card is drawn or discarded, shuffle the misfortune deck and discard pile together, along with Spur the Cycle. The active player does not draw another misfortune this turn (although any remaining players will still draw a misfortune).
Library Cards
Library cards can be played at any time, although never to interrupt an action. For example, a "Science of Shielding" could be played in reaction to a "Forges" misfortune, but the misfortune would take effect before the mystic barrier was placed.
Because it was already drawn, the misfortune must be resolved before the library card goes into effect.
Remember: Each player has a hand limit of four library cards. If a player has more than four cards in their hand at any time, they must immediately play or discard library cards until they have four cards in hand.
Artifacts
Artifacts are a special type of library card. When you keep an artifact, instead of adding it to your hand, place it on the table in front of you. Each artifact provides a permanent, ongoing benefit for as long as your control that artifact.
Artifacts DO count towards your hand limit of four cards, even though they are not in your hand. Artifacts can be discarded, just like other library cards, and can be traded when an effect allows players to trade library cards.
Mystic Barriers
During the course of the game, players may gain access to mystic barrier tokens. Mystic barriers are usually purchased using mystic energy1, but some cards or effects may award them. Once gained, a mystic barrier token may be placed next to any island peninsula. If a tile in that peninsula would be flooded, instead discard the mystic barrier.
Each peninsula may only support one mystic barrier token at a time.
A mystic barrier always prevents a tile in the protected peninsula from flooding (using a mystic barrier is not optional).
Note that while mystic barriers will prevent any basic flood misfortune or floods caused by the Wrath of the Gods, the Controlled Flood special misfortune cannot be stopped by mystic barriers. When you draw a Controlled Flood, first remove the barrier, then flood the chosen tile(s).
Reminder: A mystic barrier purchased with mystic energy can only be placed during the Place Atlanteans or Take Actions phases, and never during the Suffer Misfortunes phase.
Mystic Energy
The power of mystic energy can guide followers to the resources they seek, turn back the oncoming waves, or even raise the land from the ocean
Mystic energy can be used to:
Add 1 to a die you just rolled (per 1 energy)
Keep 1 additional library card after drawing (per 1 energy)
Place a mystic barrier during the Place Atlanteans or Take Actions phase (4 energy)
Unflood a flooded tile (5 energy).
Several players may contribute mystic energy towards placing a mystic barrier or unflooding a flooded tile. Players may not contribute mystic energy to increase another player's die roll or to keep additional library cards.
Unflooding a Tile
When players have the opportunity to Ullflood = tile, they do so by proceeding from the center of the island towards the edge.
Resources and Knowledge Cards
Resources are not limited by the game's components. Should you run out, simply use replacement pieces of your choice. However, if the library deck should run out of cards, you do not reshuffle the discard to create a new deck.
Instead, the discard pile stays and the library deck is expended (though some effects may allow you to replenish it).
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