Set the board up as you would for a 2-player game.
Draw 28 Construction Cards from the deck and form a separate deck to be placed next to the game board. From this moment on, this deck will be called the Timer. You are the first player.
Note: If you want to increase the level of difficulty, form the deck with 26 cards instead of 28. If you want an even bigger challenge, form the deck with 24 cards.
Object of the Game
To win, your scoring marker must reach 60 or more VP before the last card is drawn from the Timer deck (this will give you 14 turns).
Game Play
Take your turn as normal. After your turn, perform the following steps:
-
Draw the top card of the Timer deck. Look at its number and discard from the board the Construction card and the Public Contract that are currently in that position.
-
Then, draw another card from the top of the Timer deck. Add the number of this card to the number of the previously drawn card, and discard from the board the Construction card and Public Contract that are currently on that position.
When the total value of both cards is 5, Public Contracts are not discarded (there are always only 4 face-up Public Contracts). In the rare case that the value of both cards is 6, do not discard any Construction or Public Contract cards from the board.
When drawing from the Timer deck, if the deck is empty, the game will immediately end after step 4.
Example: After performing your turn, you draw a red 2 from the Timer.
You discard the second Construction card from the board and the second Public Contract card. Afterward, you draw a blue 3 from the Timer and discard the fifth (2+3) Construction card from the board but do not discard a Public Contract card.
-
Using the 2 cards drawn from the Timer, you MUST then build tiles according to the game rules.
Note that you will not score any points for tiles built this way (you only score Points for tiles built on your turn). However, you may use this as an opportunity to open possibilities for your next turns!
Tiles constructed this way must follow all rules of placement, BUT they do not score points, and they don't score VP from tokens taken when building a Ground Floor tile (you decide which empty roof will receive the VP token), they don't score the VP tokens when placing a Roof tile (the token is discarded), and they do not fulfill Public Contracts.
After building, discard the 2 cards into the discard pile.
Example: With the red 2 and the blue 3, you decide to build 3 red floors. Because you built a Ground Floor tile, you place the VP token into an empty roof of your choice.
In the rare case that you cannot build with those cards, and only if there are no legal options to do so, you don't build any tiles.
-
Draw cards from the Construction deck to refill the board. Draw cards from the Public Contract deck to refill the Public Contract cards.
Remember: cards are only refilled after tiles are constructed!
-
If the game has not finished, continue from step 1.
End of the Game
Unlike in a 2-player game, the end of the game does not happen when 6 houses have been completed.
Instead, in this solo variant the game ends when the last card is drawn from the Timer (i.e., after steps 1 - 4). If you have reached 60 VP or more, you have won. Otherwise, you have lost.
If you have won, add to your score any points gained by fulfilling Private Contract cards. Take note of your score and try to beat it next time!
If you have lost the game, DO NOT take into account any points gained from Private Contracts. We're sure you'll do better next time!
| Level | Score |
|---|---|
| Apprentice | 60VP to 69VP |
| Builder | 70VP to 79VP |
| Master | Builder: 80VP+ |
Continue Reading