Objective

The goal is to score the most victory points by exploring and conquering locations, recruiting characters, and fulfilling specific objectives.

Components

• Game Board: Representing the ocean and various locations.

• Player Boards: One for each player, representing their kingdom.

• Location Cards: Various underwater locations players can explore and conquer.

• Character Cards: Characters players can recruit to their kingdom.

• Manta Tokens: Representing various resources and abilities.

• Ocean Tokens: Representing resources to be harvested.

• Scoring Tokens: For keeping track of victory points.

• Action Decks: Each player starts with a set of basic action cards.

• Objective Cards: Specific goals that provide bonus points when achieved.

• Player Markers: Used to track progress on the scoring track.
  

Setup

1. Prepare the Game Board: Place the game board in the center.

2. Distribute Player Boards: Each player takes a player board.

3. Location Deck: Shuffle the location cards and place them face-down in the designated area. Draw and place a number of them face-up in the exploration zone, based on the number of players.

4. Character Deck: Shuffle the character cards and place them face-down in the designated area. Draw and place a number of them face-up in the recruitment zone, based on the number of players.

5. Ocean Tokens: Place ocean tokens on the game board in their designated spots.

6. Manta Tokens: Distribute manta tokens to each player according to the starting setup in the rulebook.

7. Objective Cards: Shuffle the objective cards and place a number of them face-up on the game board, based on the number of players.

8. Starting Deck: Each player shuffles their starting action deck and draws a hand of five cards.

9. Player Order: Determine the starting player randomly.
   

Gameplay

Aquatica is played over a series of rounds, with each round consisting of players taking turns performing actions until all players have passed. A turn consists of the following steps:

Player Actions

On their turn, a player can perform one of the following actions:

1. Play an Action Card:

   • Choose an action card from your hand and play it, executing its effect.

   • Discard the played card unless otherwise specified.

2. Explore a Location:

   • Pay the cost shown on a face-up location card in the exploration zone.

   • Place the location card in an empty slot on your player board.

3. Conquer a Location:

   • Use a manta token or card effect that allows you to conquer.

   • Move the location card to the conquered zone on your player board.

4. Recruit a Character:

   • Pay the cost shown on a face-up character card in the recruitment zone.

   • Add the character card to your discard pile.

5. Use Manta Tokens:

   • Activate one or more of your manta tokens to gain resources or special abilities.

   • Manta tokens are flipped face-down after use and can be refreshed later.

6. Pass:

   • If you cannot or choose not to perform any other action, you may pass.

   • Once you pass, you cannot take any more actions for the remainder of the round.
     

End of the Round

• The round ends when all players have passed.

• Players refresh their manta tokens and draw back up to five cards from their action deck.

• If a player has fewer than five cards in their action deck, they shuffle their discard pile to form a new deck and continue drawing.
  

Scoring and Winning

• The game continues until one of the end-game conditions is met (e.g., a certain number of locations have been conquered or objectives have been fulfilled).

• Players score points based on their conquered locations, recruited characters, fulfilled objectives, and remaining resources.

• The player with the most victory points at the end of the game wins.
  

Tips and Strategies

• Resource Management: Efficiently manage your resources to explore and conquer valuable locations.

• Character Recruitment: Recruit characters that complement your strategy and provide useful abilities.

• Objective Fulfillment: Focus on fulfilling objectives for bonus points.

• Manta Token Use: Use manta tokens strategically to gain temporary advantages.