The Tomb Raider (2-player Game)
In a 2-player game, the tomb raider comes into play. The tomb raider blocks one of the research funds spaces each round and, in addition, loots finds and research funds.
In the following, all amendments to the rules will be shown that are necessary to play with the tomb raider.
Phase 2: Distributing research funds
After you have laid out the two research funds cards, place the tomb raider on a research funds space.
If you drew 2 cards with money bags on them, place the tomb raider on the space showing 2 money bags (the 5th space from the right).
If you drew 1 card showing a money bag and 1 card showing a chest, place the tomb raider on the space showing 1 money bag and 1 chest.
If you drew 2 cards with chests on them, place the tomb raider on the space showing 2 chests.
Phase 3: Excavating, exhibiting, storing finds
The players and the tomb raider carry out their actions according to their positions on the research funds spaces (from right to left). When it is the tomb raider's turn he excavates in the most expensive gallery he can afford and in which he may carry out an excavation according to his research funds space.
Return the coins to the stock and the looted finds to the box. If there are no finds in that gallery, he will turn to the next highest gallery that has finds on it. If the tomb raider does not have to use all of his coins, he keeps the remaining coins and may spend them during his next turn.
Example: The tomb raider is sitting on research funds space 7 and receives 3 coins. According to his space, the deepest gallery he may excavate is gallery III, so he loots the finds in that gallery after having paid 3 coins. The looted finds are removed from the game and returned to the box.
After the players have also placed their figures on free research funds spaces, the tomb raider and the players collect research funds according to their positions (from right to left).
A New Turn
Of the two players, the one who was the last to carry out an action in the previous turn is going to be the first player of the new turn. Still the tomb raider is always placed first on the respective research funds space, and only afterwards the first player places their figure.
Variations for more tactical depth
If you would like the game to be a little more tactical, try one or both of the following variations.
Variant 1: Player Order (for 3 And 4 Players)
The current turn has ended. Return the two research funds cards to the box.
Move your player figures from the research funds spaces onto the four order spaces on the right side of the game board. Place the leftmost figure on space 1, the one next to it on space 2, and so on.
The player who last excavated finds and whose figure is now sitting on space 1 is the new first player. You lay out the new finds in phase 1 and are the first to choose a new research funds space in phase 2. The remaining players choose their spaces afterwards in clockwise turn order.
Variant 2: Sorting Finds
When during phase 1 the first player lays out the 5 tiles, one below the other, face-up on the galleries of the excavation site, those are still sorted by century (1-5).
But if there are several finds from the same century, the starting player may choose among those the order in which he wants to distribute them to the galleries (regardless of the two-digit figure on each tile).
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