Elysium

2015

Elysium is a strategic board game of set collecting and combinations. As a demigod, gather heroes, artifacts, and earn the favor of the Olympian gods to write your own legendary tale.

60
minutes

2 - 4
player(s)

14+

Medium

About the game

Welcome to Elysium, a delightful strategy board game with a tantalizing blend of mythology and fantasy. As players, you’re brought into the vibrant world of Greek mythology, where you’ll take on the roles of ambitious demigods striving to earn your place among the pantheon of Greek gods.

Set in the heart of the ancient world, Elysium is a game of set collecting and combinations in which you recruit cards representing heroes, items, powers and gods. These cards have known and secret powers and are your means of performing actions which can lead you to victory. Your goal is to create the best combinations of cards—more powerful, more efficient, more rewarding—to earn the maximum amount of victory points.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

‘Elysium’ is a strategic board game that is set in Ancient Greece. The game comes with several components which interact in various ways to create a unique gameplay experience. Here are the components included in the game:

1. Game Board

The game board features a Pantheon, a temple dedicated to the gods, along with an Agora which is a place for players to acquire cards. The game board also has a track for victory points and gold.

2. Player Boards

Each player receives a player board. This board is where players will store their columns, level markers, and cards. It’s also where players will track their progress throughout the game.

3. God Cards

These are the main components of the game. Players will use these cards to perform various actions such as gaining resources, transferring cards, and manipulating the order of play. There are five different gods, each with their own unique set of cards and powers.

4. Quest Tiles

These tiles determine the order of play for each round. Players will select these at the start of each round and the player who selects the lowest numbered tile will go first.

5. Gold Coins

Gold coins are a form of currency in the game. Players can earn these through various means such as playing certain God cards or completing quests. They can be used to purchase other cards or to pay for certain actions.

6. Victory Point Tokens

Victory Point tokens are the main way players score in the game. Players earn these by performing certain actions or achieving certain goals. The player with the most Victory Point tokens at the end of the game is the winner.

7. Column Tokens

Each player starts the game with four Column tokens. These tokens are used to purchase God cards from the Agora. The color of the Column tokens must match the color of the card being purchased.

8. Level Markers

Each player has two Level markers. These markers are used to keep track of a player’s current level in the game. As players progress, they will move their Level markers up to indicate their new level.

9. Family Tokens

Family tokens are used in the second part of the game, known as the Elysium stage. Players will use these tokens to create legends, which can earn them Victory Points.

Each component of ‘Elysium’ has been designed to work together to create a strategic and immersive gameplay experience. Understanding how these components interact is key to mastering the game.

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

Elysium is a game of set collection and combinations where players recruit cards representing heroes, items, powers and gods. These are represented by four domains: Citizen, War, Commerce and Death. Follow these steps to set up and start an exciting game of Elysium:

Step 1: Prepare the Game Components

Place the main board in the middle of the table.
Separate the Quest tiles by number. Shuffle each pile and place them on the matching spaces on the board.
Each player selects a color and takes the corresponding Player board, Player pawns (1 Oracle Pawn, 4 Family Pawns), and 8 colored columns.

Step 2: Setup the Card Deck

Select 5 God decks from the 8 available and shuffle them together to form a single deck. The unused God decks can be returned to the box.
Deal out cards in a 3×5 grid next to the main board, the Agora. The total number of cards should always be three times the number of players.

Step 3: Position Player Pawns and Determine Player Order

Each player places their Oracle Pawn on the zero space of the Oracle track.
For the first round, player order can be determined randomly. Each player places one Family Pawn on the player order track in the determined order.

Step 4: Initial Resources

Every player starts the game with 4 gold coins, 2 victory points, and one player aid card.

Step 5: Random Elements

The Quest tiles and the cards in the Agora offer random elements in each game, as they are shuffled and dealt out anew for each game/round.

With these steps, you are ready to begin your quest in the world of ‘Elysium’. Good luck!

Game flow Round and round we go

Elysium is a strategy board game where players take on the roles of demigods in ancient Greece. The game is played over five epochs, each comprised of four phases: Awakening, Actions, Writing the Legends, and End of Epoch.

1. Awakening

During the Awakening phase, players prepare for the new epoch. This involves revealing new cards, resetting the Agora (the game’s marketplace), and preparing their player boards. The steps for this phase are:

Reveal new cards: The top card of each deck is revealed and placed in its respective column in the Agora.
Reset the Agora: All remaining cards from the previous epoch are discarded and replaced with new ones.
Prepare player boards: Each player resets their player board, placing their family tokens in their respective areas.

2. Actions

During the Actions phase, players take turns performing one action each until all players have performed two actions. Possible actions include claiming a card, transferring a card to the Elysium, or activating a card’s power. The steps for this phase are:

Claim a Card: The player can claim a card from the Agora by paying its cost and placing it in their domain.
Transfer a Card: The player can transfer a card from their domain to the Elysium. This is how players score points, but the card’s power can no longer be used once transferred.
Activate a Card: The player can activate one of their card’s powers. This typically involves paying a cost to gain a benefit.

3. Writing the Legends

During the Writing the Legends phase, players score points based on the cards in their Elysium. This is the main way players score points in the game. The steps for this phase are:

Score Points: Players score points based on the legends (sets of cards) in their Elysium. The score is calculated based on the number and type of cards in each legend.
Check for Victory: If this is the end of the fifth epoch, the game ends and the player with the most points wins.

4. End of Epoch

During the End of Epoch phase, players prepare for the next epoch. This involves discarding remaining cards, returning family tokens, and passing the first player marker. The steps for this phase are:

Discard Remaining Cards: All remaining cards in the Agora are discarded.
Return Family Tokens: Each player returns their family tokens to their respective areas on their player board.
Pass First Player Marker: The first player marker is passed to the next player clockwise.

This cycle continues until the end of the fifth epoch, at which point the player with the most points is declared the victor.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In the board game ‘Elysium’, each player’s turn is divided into multiple phases. The decisions made and actions performed during these phases can significantly influence the flow of the game. Here is a detailed breakdown of what happens during a player’s turn.

1. Awakening Phase

The first phase is the Awakening Phase. During this phase, the player can draw cards from the deck, which are referred to as God cards. These God cards represent the various Gods one can call upon for help.

Action: The player can choose to draw one, two, or three cards.
Strategic Choice: The player must decide how many cards to draw. Drawing more cards provides more options during the turn but depletes the deck faster.
Impact on Gameplay: The number of cards drawn can influence the player’s options for future turns. If the player draws too many cards early on, they may find themselves with fewer options later in the game.

2. Actions Phase

Next is the Actions Phase. In this phase, the player can perform various actions using the God cards they have drawn.

Action: The player can choose to play a God card, offering the player various abilities or bonuses.
Strategic Choice: The player must decide which card to play and when. Some cards may be more beneficial if played at specific times.
Impact on Gameplay: The decisions made during this phase can strongly influence the player’s position in the game. Playing the right card at the right time can provide a significant advantage.

3. Writing Phase

The third phase is the Writing Phase. During this phase, the player can add the played God cards to their ‘Elysium’, which is a space on their player board.

Action: The player can choose to transfer one or more of their played God cards to their Elysium.
Strategic Choice: The player must decide which cards to transfer. Once a card is in the Elysium, it can no longer be used for its abilities but will score points at the end of the game.
Impact on Gameplay: This phase requires players to balance between keeping cards for their abilities and transferring them to score points. The timing of these transfers can greatly affect the final score.

4. End Phase

Finally, the End Phase concludes the player’s turn. During this phase, the player prepares for the next round by replenishing their hand.

Action: The player draws cards from the deck until they reach their hand limit.
Strategic Choice: The player has no choices to make during this phase; they simply draw up to their hand limit.
Impact on Gameplay: This phase ensures that players start their next turn with a full hand, maintaining the pace of the game and ensuring that everyone has options on their turn.

In conclusion, ‘Elysium’ is a game of strategic decision-making, where players must balance immediate gains with long-term scoring. The choices made during each player’s turn can greatly influence the outcome of the game.

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

The game of Elysium ends after five epochs (rounds). An epoch ends after all players have taken four turns and the draw deck is empty. Once the fifth epoch is completed, the game ends and final scoring takes place.

Each player’s final score is calculated based on the victory points they have accumulated throughout the game. These points can be earned in a variety of ways:

Level Cards: Players earn points equal to the values indicated on the level cards in their Elysium.
Family Bonus: Players earn points if they have collected cards from the same family in their Elysium. The more cards from the same family, the higher the bonus.
Citizen Cards: Some Citizen Cards (gold cards) award points at the end of the game.
Quest Bonus: At the beginning of the game, each player receives a set of Quest tiles. These tiles can be used to earn bonus points if the player meets certain conditions.
Prestige Points: Players can also earn Prestige Points throughout the game. These points are added to the player’s final score.

Before final scoring, players should ensure that all cards in their Domain have been transferred to their Elysium. Players should also verify all points earned from cards, bonuses, and Prestige Points.

The player with the highest score at the end of the game wins. In the event of a tie, the player with the most gold wins. If there is still a tie, the player with the most transferred cards in their Elysium wins.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

Elysium is a strategy board game where players aim to earn the highest number of victory points by creating powerful combinations of cards and transferring them to their Elysium. The scoring system in Elysium is quite detailed and is done at the end of the game. Here’s how the points are awarded:

Quests: At the end of each round, players earn points from their completed quests. The points vary depending on the quest card.
Card Sets: Players earn points from their card sets in their Elysium. A set is a group of cards from the same family. The more cards in a set, the more points a player earns.
Card Levels: Players also earn points from having different levels of cards in their Elysium. A level is indicated by the number on the top left of the card.
Chronos: Some cards in the game have a Chronos ability. These abilities give players additional ways to score points at the end of the game.
Gold and Victory Points: At the end of the game, each player can convert their remaining gold into victory points at a rate of 3 gold for 1 point. Additionally, any remaining Victory Point tokens are added to a player’s score.

At the end of the game, the player with the most victory points wins. In the case of a tie, the tie-breaking rules are as follows:

The player with the most cards in their Elysium wins.
If there is still a tie, the player with the most gold wins.
If there is still a tie, the player who is earlier in the player order wins.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Elysium is a strategy-based board game that offers a unique blend of card drafting and set collection. While the basic rules are straightforward, there are certain special rules and exceptions that players should be aware of:

1. Card Types:

Green Cards: Green cards are the only cards that can be used in the Elysium. If a player wishes to transfer a non-green card from their Domain to their Elysium, they must first convert it into a green card.
Gold Cards: Gold cards have a special ability that can be used only once per turn. After using this ability, the player must turn the card sideways to indicate it has been used.

2. Card Abilities:

Instant Abilities: These abilities are activated immediately after the card is acquired. However, they can only be used once.
Permanent Abilities: These abilities remain active as long as the card is in the player’s Domain. They are deactivated once the card is moved to the Elysium.

3. Quests:

Quests can only be achieved if the player has the required cards in their Elysium.
A player can only complete a Quest once, and they cannot complete a Quest that has already been completed by another player.

4. Transferring Cards:

It’s important to note that once a card is transferred from the Domain to the Elysium, it cannot be moved back. This action also deactivates any abilities the card may have had.

5. Special Rule Clarification:

If a player is unable to complete a Quest due to not having the required cards in their Elysium, they can still earn victory points by possessing the most cards of that color in their Elysium at the end of the game.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Elysium is a game of set collection and combinations where players recruit cards representing heroes, items, powers and gods. These cards have known and secret combinations to score potentially game-winning bonus points. Here are some advanced strategies, beginner tips, and common mistakes to avoid.

Advanced Strategies:

In the long term, try to focus on just one or two colors. The bonuses for having a lot of cards of the same color can greatly outweigh the benefits of a more balanced approach.
Don’t forget to keep an eye on your opponents’ boards. If you see a player collecting a particular color, consider taking cards of that color not only to build your own domain, but also to potentially disrupt their strategy.
Use your gold wisely. It can be tempting to spend it all at once, but remember that it’s also used to break ties and can make the difference between winning and losing a game.

Beginner Tips:

Early in the game, focus on building up your columns rather than transferring cards to your Elysium. This will provide more options and flexibility in later rounds.
Don’t underestimate the power of Citizen cards. Even though they don’t provide any abilities, they are a cheap and efficient way to complete a family of cards.

Common Mistakes:

Many beginners make the mistake of transferring cards to their Elysium too early. While this might score you a few points in the short term, it can leave you in a vulnerable position in later rounds when you have fewer options for card play.
Another common mistake is neglecting to plan for the end of the game. Always keep an eye on the number of rounds remaining and start preparing to maximize your points as the end approaches.

Optimizing Gameplay:

Always have a flexible strategy. The availability of cards can change quickly, and being able to adapt your strategy on the fly is key to winning.
Take advantage of the order of play. Going first can give you the first pick of available cards, but going last can give you more information about what your opponents are planning.