The Quest for El Dorado

2017

Unleash your inner explorer in The Quest for El Dorado! Assemble your team, plan your tactics, and race through dense jungles to claim the golden prize.

60
minutes

2 - 4
player(s)

10+

Medium Light

About the game

The Quest for El Dorado is a captivating and colorful board game that takes you on a thrilling journey into the unknown. It is set in the lush landscapes of South America, where players are in a race to discover the legendary city of gold, El Dorado.

Designed by renowned game designer Reiner Knizia, this game combines the excitement of exploration with the strategic elements of deck-building. As you navigate through dense jungles, across rushing rivers, and over towering mountains, you’ll need to carefully manage your resources and plot your path to be the first one to reach El Dorado.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

The Quest for El Dorado is an adventurous board game that takes players through dense jungles, across rushing rivers and up treacherous mountains, all in a race to be the first to find the legendary city of El Dorado. The game comes with various components, each serving a unique purpose within the game.

1. Game Board: This is the playing surface. It is made up of a series of hexagonal spaces that are composed of different terrain types. Players must navigate these terrains using their cards in order to reach El Dorado.

2. Cards: There are four different types of cards in the game: Machete, Paddle, Coin, and Jungle. Each card allows players to move across the corresponding terrain on the game board. The deck also includes special helper cards which provide unique abilities.

3. Player Pieces: Each player has a piece that represents their expedition team. These pieces move along the game board based on the cards played by the player.

4. Terrain Tiles: These are used to set up the game board. There are seven different types of terrain, each requiring a specific type of card to cross.

5. Blockades: These are obstacles that players must overcome by using their cards. Blockades are placed on the game board at the start of the game and can only be removed by using a specific combination of cards.

6. Market: This is where players can purchase new cards to improve their deck. The market contains a variety of cards that can help players navigate the different terrains more efficiently or overcome blockades.

7. Cave Tokens: These tokens are placed on cave spaces on the game board. When a player lands on a cave, they can choose to take a cave token, which provides a special one-time bonus.

Throughout the game, players will use their cards to navigate the various terrains and obstacles on the game board, enhancing their decks by purchasing new cards from the market, and utilizing cave tokens to gain an advantage. The first player to reach El Dorado is the winner.

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

The Quest for El Dorado is an adventurous board game that brings together the thrill of exploration with strategic decision-making. The objective of the game is to be the first player to lead your expedition from the starting point to El Dorado, the city of gold. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set up the game:

Step 1: Prepare the Game Board

First, lay out the game board. The board is modular, meaning it is made up of several pieces that fit together to make a unique map for each game. Use the suggested layouts in the game manual for your first few games. As you become more familiar with the game, you can create your own layouts for added fun and difficulty.

Step 2: Sort the Cards

Separate the cards into their different types. You should have a deck of Terrain cards, a deck of Cave cards, and a deck of Market cards. Shuffle each deck separately and place them face down on their designated spots on the board.

Step 3: Set Up the Market

Draw six cards from the Market deck and place them face up in the Market area. This area is where players can purchase new cards to add to their deck.

Step 4: Distribute Starting Decks

Each player receives an identical starting deck of eight cards. This deck should include three Machete cards, three Travel cards, and two Gold cards. Players should shuffle their deck and draw a hand of four cards.

Step 5: Place the Explorers

Each player chooses a color and places their explorer token on the starting hex of the board. The order of play is determined by the player who last visited a foreign country, as they have the most recent experience in exploration.

Step 6: Distribute Starting Resources

Each player receives two gold coins as their starting resources. These can be used to buy additional cards from the Market during the game.

Step 7: Set Up the Caves

Shuffle the Cave cards and place one face down on each cave on the board. These cards are not revealed until a player enters the cave.

Step 8: Random Elements

The Quest for El Dorado includes random elements to make each game unique. These include the layout of the board, the cards available in the Market, and the cards found in the Caves. The randomness ensures that no two games are the same, making each exploration a new adventure.

Game flow Round and round we go

The Quest for El Dorado is a deck-building game where players race to reach the golden city of El Dorado. The game consists of several rounds that continue until one player reaches El Dorado. Each round comprises two main phases: the ‘Action Phase’ and the ‘Buy Phase’.

The Action Phase

In the Action Phase, players have three actions they can perform, in any order:

Play a Card: Each card in a player’s hand represents a certain type of terrain, along with a number of symbols that indicate how much progress can be made through that terrain. Players play these cards to move their expedition along the game board.
Draw a Card: If a player’s hand is empty, or if they choose, they can draw cards from their personal draw pile into their hand. If their draw pile is empty, they shuffle their discard pile to create a new draw pile.
Discard a Card: Players can discard a card from their hand. This is usually done to make room for better cards.

The Buy Phase

During the Buy Phase, players can purchase new cards from the market. Each card has a cost, paid by discarding cards from hand with enough gold symbols to cover the cost. The purchased card is placed in the player’s discard pile, to be shuffled into the draw pile later. Players can also choose to not buy any cards.

The rounds continue in this way, with players strategically playing cards to progress towards El Dorado, while acquiring new cards to enhance their deck. The game ends when a player reaches El Dorado, with that player being declared the winner.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

The Quest for El Dorado is a thrilling board game where players take on the roles of expedition leaders guiding teams through a dense jungle in a race to find the legendary city of gold, El Dorado. The gameplay is based on a deck-building mechanism where players strategically acquire and play cards to progress through the game.

Each player’s turn in ‘The Quest for El Dorado’ primarily involves these actions:

Playing Cards: The first option a player has on their turn is to play cards from their hand. The cards can either be used for their specific abilities or traded in for coins.

Specific Abilities: Each card has a specific ability that can help players navigate through the jungle. For example, some cards may allow players to move through forests, others through water, and some can even help players dig through mountains. The type of card played will determine the player’s options for movement on the board.
Trading Cards for Coins: If a player cannot or chooses not to use a card for its specific ability, they may instead trade it in for coins. Each card is worth a certain number of coins, which can be used to purchase new cards from the market.

Purchasing Cards: After playing their cards, a player has the option to purchase new cards from the market. The cost of each card in coins is indicated on the card itself. Purchased cards are added to the player’s discard pile and can be drawn and used in later turns.
Discarding Cards: At the end of their turn, the player discards any remaining cards in their hand and draws a new hand of four cards.

The strategic choices in ‘The Quest for El Dorado’ revolve around how players choose to play their cards and which cards they decide to purchase. Players must carefully consider the terrain they need to traverse and the cards available in the market when making these decisions. For example, a player who needs to move through a lot of water might prioritize purchasing and playing cards that allow for water movement. Additionally, players may choose to save their coins to purchase more powerful cards that can provide significant advantages later in the game. Understanding the different cards and how they can be best utilized is key to success in ‘The Quest for El Dorado’.

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

The Quest for El Dorado is a thrilling board game where players lead their expedition team through the Amazon jungle in search of the golden city, El Dorado. The game ends when certain victory conditions are met, which are detailed below.

The primary victory condition for ‘The Quest for El Dorado’ is quite straightforward:

A player’s main explorer reaches the golden city, El Dorado. This player is then declared the winner.

However, there are additional rules and actions that need to be taken into account before the final scoring:

If two or more players reach El Dorado in the same round, the game continues until the end of this round. The player who has the most explorers in El Dorado at the end of this round wins.
If there’s still a tie, the tied player who is earlier in the turn order wins.
It is important to note that, for a player to officially reach El Dorado and potentially end the game, they must end their movement phase on the El Dorado tile. That means they must have sufficient movement points to move onto the tile. Just reaching it is not enough; they must also be able to stop there.

In order to carry out final scoring and declare a winner, all players must have had an equal number of turns. If the player who triggers the end of the game is not the last player in turn order, the remaining players should finish their turns before final scoring begins.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

The Quest for El Dorado is a deck-building game where players compete to be the first to reach the city of El Dorado. The scoring system is fundamentally focused on the race to the finish line rather than accumulating points. However, there are rules to break ties and determine the winner in different scenarios.

Scoring:

In ‘The Quest for El Dorado’, the primary goal is to reach El Dorado before the other players. Therefore, the player who arrives first at El Dorado is the winner. The game doesn’t use a traditional point scoring system. The focus is on using strategy to navigate the map as efficiently as possible using the cards in your deck.

Tie-breaking:

If two or more players reach El Dorado in the same round, the game goes into a tie-break. The tie-breaking rules are as follows:

Remaining Cards: The player with the most cards left in their hand is the winner.
Draw Deck: If there’s still a tie, the player with the most cards in their draw deck wins.
Discard Pile: If a tie persists, the player with the fewest cards in their discard pile wins.

These tie-breaking rules encourage strategic play. Players must consider not only the quickest route to El Dorado but also manage their deck efficiently to have an advantage in case of a tie.

Remember, the key to winning ‘The Quest for El Dorado’ is efficient exploration and strategic deck management. The first player to reach El Dorado may not always be the one with the most cards or the quickest route, but the one who has managed their resources most efficiently.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

The Quest for El Dorado is a deck-building board game where players embark on a perilous journey through jungles, deserts and rivers to reach the golden city of El Dorado. While the game rules are simple, there are some rare or special rules, exceptions, and clarifications that might be important to understand.

Blockades: Blockades are special obstacles that require a specific card to pass. They are not removed from the board after being passed and can be crossed by other players in future turns. However, only the player who first passes a blockade can claim the corresponding card.

Rare Rule: Two Explorers on a Single Hex: A rare rule that might occur is having two explorers on a single hex. In this case, the second explorer must spend one additional movement point to enter the hex with the other explorer.

Exception to Movement Rule: If a player has no cards left in their draw pile and they need to draw a card, they shuffle their discard pile and create a new draw pile. However, they do not draw a card if they are in the middle of a movement action. The movement action must be completed before any cards can be drawn.

Rule Clarification: Explorers and Water Spaces: Water spaces (blue hexes) can only be entered by using a paddle card or a card with a coin. Explorers cannot enter water spaces by using a card with a machete or a wild card.

Rule Clarification: Discarding Cards: Players are not obliged to use all the cards in their hand during their turn. They can choose to discard any unused cards at the end of their turn.
Rule Clarification: Using the Wild Card: The wild card can be used as either a paddle, a machete, or a coin. However, it cannot be used as a combination of these items.
Rule Clarification: Using the Same Card Multiple Times: Players cannot use the same card multiple times during their turn. Once a card is used, it is placed in the discard pile and cannot be used again until it is reshuffled into the draw pile.