Finis Terrae

About this board game

Finis Terrae is a game of exploration, commerce, and piracy for 2–4 players, with an average play time of 85 minutes. Each game unfolds on a map created in a different and unexpected way, simulating the discovery of an unknown world.

Across a sea of shifting territories and abyssal spaces, new opportunities gradually emerge. Explorers may save Castaways, recover buried Treasures and Underwater Finds, establish new Merchant Ports, and trade Spices. But changing conditions, Pirates, and Bad Weather can disrupt even the most carefully considered plans.

Every turn follows four distinct phases:

• Cartographic Phase: players place game tiles to reveal another part of the map.
• Preparation Phase: the weather and trade conditions for the round are determined.
• Navigation Phase: explorers sail, found ports, trade Spices, and recover valuable discoveries and Castaways.
• End of the Day: the next day’s navigation is prepared and the First Player is established by the “Rising of the Sun” rule—the player furthest east takes the lead.

Pirates are led by each player in turn, creating a shifting presence that affects everyone and continually changes the strategic situation. Explorers can also choose to embrace piracy themselves, plundering other players rather than remaining honest traders.

Victory goes to the explorer who collects the most points across Exploration, Trade, and Colonisation. With its evolving map, changing conditions, and moderate luck element, Finis Terrae supports both direct play and more strategic, challenging approaches.