Cryptid

2018

Dive into the world of cryptozoology with Cryptid, a unique deduction game where players juggle between revealing and concealing clues to find the elusive creature.

50
minutes

3 - 5
player(s)

10+

Medium

About the game

Embark on a thrilling journey of mystery and exploration in the board game, Cryptid. This deductive reasoning game invites you to unravel the secrets of an elusive creature, known as the Cryptid, that’s hidden in the unknown corners of a beautifully crafted board.

In the mesmerizing world of Cryptid, players find themselves in an alternate modern reality where cryptozoologists are racing to be the first to discover the existence of a cryptid – a creature whose existence is disputed or unsubstantiated. The game unfolds on a modular board that represents a variety of terrains – from dense forests to tranquil lakes and rugged mountains.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Cryptid is a unique deduction game where players must use their logical thinking and deductive reasoning skills to locate an unknown creature. The game is played with various components that each have a specific function in the game. Below, we list and describe each component:

1. Game Board: The game board is a hexagonal grid that represents the terrain where the cryptid is believed to be hiding. Each hexagon represents a different type of terrain, including forest, water, mountains, desert, and swampland. The game board is modular and can be arranged in different ways to create a variety of game scenarios.

2. Clue Books: Each player receives a clue book. The clue book is a key component as it provides the player with a unique piece of information about the cryptid’s location. Players must interpret the clues from their own and other players’ books to narrow down the possible locations of the cryptid.

3. Cubes: These are used by players to mark spaces on the game board where they believe the cryptid cannot be. They can be placed anywhere on the board based on the information players have gathered from their clues.

4. Discs: Discs are used by players to mark spaces where they believe the cryptid might be. They are used when a player has strong suspicion about a location but is not yet ready to make a final guess.

5. Pawn: Each player has a pawn that represents their position on the game board. While the pawn’s position does not directly influence the gameplay, it serves as a visual representation of the player’s presence in the game.

6. Structures: There are three types of structures in the game: animal habitats, standing stones, and abandoned shacks. These structures provide additional clues about the cryptid’s location and add complexity to the deduction process.

7. Setup Cards: These cards provide different setup options for the game board. Each setup card indicates how to arrange the board and where to place the structures. The card also points out which page of the clue book each player should refer to.

In Cryptid, all these components interact together to create a complex and engaging game of deduction. The players must use their reasoning skills to interpret the clues, eliminate possible locations, and eventually pinpoint the exact location of the cryptid.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Cryptid is a unique deduction game of honest misdirection where players must try to uncover information about their opponents’ clues while throwing them off the scent of their own. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to set up the game:

Step 1: Prepare the Game Board

Firstly, take the game board and lay it out on your playing surface. The board is made up of hexagonal tiles, each representing different types of terrain. These tiles are double-sided, providing a huge variety of possible configurations for each game.

Step 2: Select a Setup card

Next, shuffle the deck of Setup cards and draw one. This card will tell you how to arrange the tiles on the game board. Follow the instructions on the card to set up the initial board state. Ensure you select a Setup card appropriate for your player count.

Step 3: Prepare the Clue Books

Each player will receive a Clue Book. The Clue Book will be used to record the clues each player receives about the cryptid’s location. The clues are selected based on the color of the player’s pieces and the number of players in the game, as indicated by the Setup card. Distribute the Clue Books according to these rules.

Step 4: Distribute Tokens and Markers

Each player should then receive a set of tokens and markers in their chosen color. These will be used to mark your guesses and deductions on the game board during play.

Step 5: Place Initial Structures

Based on the instructions on the Setup card, place the initial animal habitats and structures on the game board. These may include things like bear dens, standing stones, or abandoned shacks.

Step 6: Deal Clue Cards

Finally, deal one Clue Card to each player. This card will give each player a unique hint about the cryptid’s location. Players should keep this information secret from their opponents. The goal of the game is to be the first to correctly deduce the location of the cryptid based on these clues.

With the setup complete, you’re now ready to start hunting for the elusive cryptid!

Game flow Round and round we go

Cryptid is a unique deduction game of monster hunting where players try to find out the location of a cryptid, a creature unknown to science. The game is divided into a series of rounds, with each player taking a turn in clockwise order. The main actions that players can perform during their turn include asking a question, searching a territory, or making a guess about the cryptid’s location. The game continues until a player correctly identifies the cryptid’s habitat.

Setup Phase:

Each player selects a color and takes the corresponding player pieces and clue book.
The map tiles are arranged according to the selected scenario and clue cards are distributed to each player.
Each player looks at their clue card in secret. The cryptid’s habitat fulfills all the conditions on the players’ cards.

Question Phase:

During their turn, a player may ask one other player a question to try and deduce the location of the cryptid. The question must refer to a single terrain or structure type and the asked player must place a cube (possible) or disk (impossible) on a space of that terrain or structure.
Questions should be based on the clues given and must be answered truthfully according to the player’s clue card.

Search Phase:

Instead of asking a question, a player may choose to search a territory. They indicate a space on the board and all other players must place a cube or disk on that space, based on whether it could be the cryptid’s habitat according to their clue card.
If all players place a cube, the searching player places one of their cubes on the space. If any player places a disk, the searching player places one of their disks.

Guess Phase:

When a player thinks they know the cryptid’s habitat, they may make a guess during their turn instead of asking a question or searching a territory.
They indicate a space on the board and all other players, in turn order, must confirm whether it could be the cryptid’s habitat according to their clue card.
If the guess is incorrect, the guessing player places a disk on the space. If the guess is correct, the game ends and the guessing player is the winner.

The game continues in this manner with each player taking a turn to ask a question, search a territory or make a guess. Deduction, bluffing and strategic questioning are key to finding the cryptid before your opponents.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

Cryptid is an engaging deduction game where players act as cryptozoologists trying to discover the habitat of a legendary creature. The gameplay is divided into turns where each player takes specific actions. Below is a detailed breakdown of what happens during a player’s turn in Cryptid.

1. Player’s Turn: The player’s turn in Cryptid consists of two possible actions – Questioning and Searching.

A. Questioning: The player may choose to question an opponent about their clue. This action involves selecting a space on the board and asking a specific player whether the Cryptid could inhabit that space according to their clue.

Answering: The player being questioned must answer truthfully. They place a cube (indicating ‘no’) or a disk (indicating ‘yes’) on the selected space.
Strategic Choices: Strategy is crucial in questioning as it allows a player to gather information about their opponents’ clues without giving away too much of their own insight.

B. Searching: The player may choose to search a space. This action involves selecting a space and declaring that they believe the Cryptid could inhabit that space. All players must then indicate whether the Cryptid could inhabit that space according to their clues.

Answering: All players, including the searching player, must answer truthfully. They place a cube (indicating ‘no’) or a disk (indicating ‘yes’) on the selected space.
Strategic Choices: Searching is a strategic move that can potentially reveal the Cryptid’s habitat if all players agree. However, it also risks revealing crucial information to opponents.

2. Gameplay Effects: Both questioning and searching actions have significant effects on the gameplay.

Information Revelation: Each turn, whether a player chooses to question or search, additional information about the Cryptid’s possible habitat is revealed.
Strategy Formation: The information revealed from each player’s turn helps in formulating strategies and making educated guesses about the Cryptid’s habitat.
Game Progression: As each player’s turn progresses, the board fills up with more cubes and discs, narrowing down the possible habitats.

In conclusion, a player’s turn in Cryptid involves strategic questioning or searching, each contributing to the revelation of the Cryptid’s habitat and shaping the game’s progression.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

The game of ‘Cryptid’ ends when a player correctly identifies the exact location of the Cryptid, a mythical creature, on the game’s map. This location is determined by a unique combination of clue cards, each held by one player, that collectively point to a single hex on the board.

Victory Conditions:

The primary victory condition in Cryptid is to be the first player to correctly identify the Cryptid’s location. A player can attempt to do this on their turn instead of asking a question or making a search. They indicate a single hex on the board and if that hex fits all the clues from the players’ cards, that player wins.
If multiple players guess the Cryptid’s location on the same turn (such as in response to another player’s guess), the game ends in a draw between those players.

Actions Before Final Scoring:

Before final scoring, the players must confirm whether the indicated hex is indeed the Cryptid’s location. This involves:

The guessing player pointing to a hex and stating that they believe the Cryptid is located there.
Every other player, in clockwise order, confirming whether the chosen hex fits with the clue on their card. If it does not, they must say so and the turn ends immediately.
If the hex fits with the clues on all players’ cards, the guessing player wins. If not, play continues with the player to the left of the guesser.

Note: If a player guesses incorrectly, their pawn remains on the guessed hex until their next turn. This can provide extra information to the other players, as every hex a player’s pawn is on must fit with their clue.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In the board game ‘Cryptid’, players are cryptozoologists trying to discover the habitat of a mysterious creature. However, the scoring system for Cryptid is unique in that it isn’t based on a point system.

The primary goal of the game is determining the exact location of the cryptid. This is achieved by asking questions to other players and deducing the location based on the clues given. The first player to correctly identify the cryptid’s habitat is the winner.

In the process, there are a few important rules to keep in mind:

Players cannot lie: When asked a question, you must answer truthfully based on your clue.
Players cannot guess randomly: You have to have some basis for your guess, you cannot just throw out random guesses.

If multiple players find the cryptid’s location at the same time, the game does have a tie-breaking rule. The tie-breaker is determined by the number of clues each player has used to reach the conclusion.

The player who has used the fewest clues is the winner.
If there is still a tie, the player who started the game last wins.

Remember, the joy in Cryptid comes from the hunt and the deduction, not from accumulating points. So, get your thinking caps on and happy hunting!

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

In Cryptid, a deductive logic game where players seek to uncover information about a hidden creature, there are several rare or special rules, exceptions, and rule clarifications that players should be aware of.

Special Rules:

Multiple Guesses: During a player’s turn, they can make as many guesses about the creature’s habitat as they want, but only one guess can be made per turn about the creature’s exact location. This special rule prevents players from spamming guesses in an attempt to find the creature quickly.
Shifting Clues: At the start of each game, players receive new clue cards. These clues shift each game, making each game a fresh experience. The clue that was true in one game may not be true in the next game.

Exceptions:

Empty Spaces: If a player’s clue references a specific terrain or landmark and there are none of these on the board, the clue is considered to be false. This is an exception to the general rule that clues must always be true.
Structure Limit: There is a limit to the number of structures (cabins, tents) a player can place on the board. Once a player has placed all their structures, they cannot place any more, even if they have the necessary resources.

Rule Clarifications:

In the case of a tie, the player who made the correct guess first is considered the winner. This emphasizes the importance of making accurate deductions as quickly as possible.
Even though players can ask each other questions during the game, they should remember that they are competitors and that revealing too much information could help other players.
The creature’s habitat must be consistent with all the clues. If a player’s guess does not match all the clues, it is incorrect.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Cryptid is a thrilling board game that requires strategic thinking and deductive reasoning. Here are some tips and strategies to optimize your gameplay and avoid common mistakes.

Advanced Strategies:

Keep your information private: While it’s tempting to share your knowledge, remember that information is power in Cryptid. The more you keep your cards close to your chest, the more advantage you have over the opponents.
Make educated guesses: Note the moves of your opponents and use that information to make educated guesses. It’s better to make a calculated guess than to make a random one.
Use your questions wisely: You are only allowed a certain number of questions throughout the game. Use them strategically to gather as much information as possible.

Beginner Tips:

Understand the game rules: Before starting to play, ensure that you understand the game rules. The better you understand the rules, the better your strategies will be.
Start with simple clues: If you’re new to the game, start with simpler clues that are easier to deduce. As you gain more experience, you can move on to more complex ones.
Practice makes perfect: The more you play, the better you will get at deduction and strategy. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t win the first few games.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Rushing the game: Cryptid is a game of patience. Rushing can lead to overlooking important clues and making wrong deductions.
Ignoring other players’ moves: Every move in the game contains information. Ignoring them can cause you to miss out on crucial clues.
Not keeping track of information: Noting down each clue and the responses of other players can be helpful in making deductions. Ignoring this can lead to missed opportunities.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Keep a poker face: Try not to reveal your deductions through your facial expressions or body language. This can give away your strategies to the opponents.
Be unpredictable: Try to be unpredictable in your moves. This can confuse your opponents and give you an edge.
Stay focused: The game requires a lot of concentration. Make sure you stay focused throughout the game to avoid missing any important clues.