Arboretum

2015

Arboretum is a captivating game of strategy for 2-4 players. Create the most beautiful garden paths, manage your hand wisely, and outscore your opponents in this mesmerizing arboreal adventure.

30
minutes

2 - 4
player(s)

Medium

About the game

Arboretum is a captivating and enchanting board game that transports players into the world of botanical wonders. As the name suggests, the game revolves around planting an arboretum, a living collection of trees. The game effectively blends strategy, planning, and subtle elements of luck, offering a unique gaming experience.

The theme of the game is deeply rooted in nature. Players find themselves in the role of gardeners, meticulously planning and planting their arboretum. The setting, although centered on a board, creates an immersive environment that brings alive the visuals of a diverse tree collection – from the majestic Jacaranda to the elegant Dogwood, and many more.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Arboretum is a card game that involves strategy, hand management, and some amount of luck. The game includes a number of components, each with a specific role and interaction with the gameplay.

80 Cards

These are the main components of the game. Each card represents a tree of a specific species. There are 10 different species (such as oak, maple, willow, etc.) and each species has 8 cards numbered from 1 to 8. Players use these cards to create their own arboretums on the table in front of them. The cards also determine the scoring at the end of the game.

Rulebook

This is the guide to play the game. It provides detailed instructions on how to set up the game, the gameplay, and how to score at the end. The rulebook also includes some variants and advanced rules for experienced players.

4 Reference Cards

These cards are used as a handy reminder of the scoring rules. Each player can have one in front of them during the game. The reference cards do not interact directly with the gameplay but assist in understanding the scoring.

Interaction of Components

The game begins with each player drawing a hand of 7 tree cards from the deck. During their turn, players draw two cards (from the deck or from the discard piles), play one card into their arboretum, and then discard one card. The aim is to create chains of cards of the same species with ascending numbers.

The game ends when the deck is exhausted and players cannot draw any more cards. Scoring is then determined by the cards in players’ arboretums and the cards remaining in their hands. The player with the highest total score wins the game. The interplay of the different components – the tree cards, the arboretum layout, and the hand management – makes Arboretum a game of strategic decisions and careful planning.

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

Arboretum is a strategic card game that involves players planting different types of trees in their arboretum. The game is suitable for 2-4 players, and each game usually lasts around 30 minutes. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set up the game.

Step 1: Prepare the Deck

First, shuffle all 80 cards well. These cards consist of 10 different tree species, each ranging from 1 to 8. If there are only two players, remove two tree species from the deck. If there are three players, remove one tree species from the deck. For a four-player game, use all the cards.

Step 2: Distribute Starting Hands

Deal each player 7 cards to form their starting hand. Remaining cards form the draw pile and should be placed in the middle of the playing area.

Step 3: Determine the First Player

Determine the first player randomly. This player will take the first turn once the game starts.

Step 4: Set Up Player Area

Each player should have a playing area in front of them. This is where they will create their arboretum. They can start placing cards here during their turn.

Step 5: Prepare Discard Piles

Set aside an area near the draw pile for the discard piles. Each player will have their own discard pile, which starts empty.

Note: During the game, players will carefully create paths through their arboretums to score points. The player with the highest total points at the end of the game wins. The game involves a lot of strategy and decision-making, especially when deciding which trees to plant, which to keep in hand, and which to discard.

Step 6: Begin the Game

With all these steps completed, you are now ready to start playing Arboretum. Remember, the objective of the game is to create the most beautiful path in your arboretum, which is done by playing cards in numerical order on your turn. The game ends when the draw pile is exhausted and players count the points they have earned from their arboretums.

Game flow Round and round we go

Arboretum is a strategic card game where players create paths through a beautiful botanical garden. The game is played over several rounds, and each round comprises three phases: the Drawing Phase, the Planting Phase, and the Discarding Phase.

Drawing Phase: At the start of each round, the active player draws two cards. These cards can be drawn from the deck or any of the discard piles. Players must always draw cards before moving to the planting phase.

The deck: This contains the unplayed cards.
Discard piles: Each player has their own discard pile. The top card of each discard pile is face-up, revealing the type and value of the card.

Planting Phase: After drawing, the active player may play a card from their hand onto the table in front of them, starting their arboretum. The arboretum is a grid-like structure where the placement of the cards is important. When planting, the following rules apply:

Each player starts their arboretum with a single card and expands it on subsequent turns.
Each card has a specific species and a numbered value. The value determines the card’s rank within its species.
Cards of the same species must be placed adjacent to one another, either horizontally or vertically.
Cards can be placed in any order, but higher-ranked cards cannot be placed adjacent to lower-ranked cards of the same species.

Discarding Phase: After planting, the active player ends their turn by discarding one card from their hand onto their discard pile. This card is placed face-up, and its value and species are revealed to all players. Players should be careful which card they discard, as it may be used by other players in future turns.

The game continues in this way, with players taking turns in clockwise order, until the deck is exhausted. At this point, the game moves to the scoring phase. Players score points for the paths they have created in their arboretum, with longer paths and paths of rare species scoring more points. The player with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

Arboretum is a strategy card game where players try to create the most beautiful path through the garden. Each turn in the game comprises three actions: drawing two cards, playing a card, and discarding a card. Here’s a breakdown of each action:

1. Drawing Two Cards:

At the start of their turn, a player must draw two cards. These can come from either the top of the deck or any of the discard piles. Players can mix and match where they draw from. However, if they choose to draw from a discard pile, they must pick up the top card.

Strategic Choices: Choosing where to draw from depends on the player’s current hand and intended path. Drawing from the deck provides unknown opportunities, while taking from a discard pile is a known quantity. However, drawing a desired card from a discard pile may give away your strategy to other players.

2. Playing a Card:

Next, the player must play a card from their hand into their arboretum. This card can be placed in any row or column, but must connect to another card (unless it’s the first one). The card doesn’t need to be sequential, but creating a sequence from the same tree type increases the path’s value.

Strategic Choices: The choice of which card to play will depend on the player’s current sequence, the cards they hold, and what they think others are collecting. Additionally, the spatial placement of the card in the arboretum can affect future scoring opportunities.

3. Discarding a Card:

Finally, the player ends their turn by discarding a card from their hand onto one of the discard piles. Each player has their own discard pile, and the card discarded is placed face up.

Strategic Choices: The card a player chooses to discard can be just as significant as the one they play. Discarding a card may provide it to another player, so it’s crucial to be aware of what others might be collecting. However, keeping too many high-value cards in hand may limit a player’s options.

It’s important to remember that in Arboretum, the player with the highest total value of cards in their hand of each species gets to score that species in their Arboretum. Therefore, the game requires careful planning, strategic thinking, and a little bit of bluffing.

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

The game of Arboretum ends once all the players have drawn their last card from the deck, signifying that there are no more cards left to draw. At this point, all players will have the same number of cards in their hand as they started the game, and it’s time to move onto scoring.

Before the final scoring begins, each player must take the following actions:

Deck Check: Ensure that all the cards in your hand are from your deck. If any cards from other players’ deck are found, they should be returned.
Card Count: Count the number of cards in your hand. This number should be equal to the number you started with at the beginning of the game.

The victory conditions for Arboretum are based on the paths that players have built throughout the game. The scoring goes as follows:

Each player, starting with the player who drew the last card, reveals their hand to all other players.
The player with the highest total value of each tree species in their hand earns the right to score the paths of that species in their arboretum. In case of a tie, the player with the single highest card of that species wins. If there’s still a tie, all tied players may score for that species.
Scoring a path requires the path to be at least 2 cards long and the numbers on the cards to form a sequentially increasing series. The path must start and end with the same species of tree.
Each card in the path scores one point. If the path of that species of tree is at least 4 cards long and starts and ends with the same species, it scores an additional point for each card.
If the path begins with a 1 and ends with an 8 of the same species, it scores an additional 2 points.

The player with the highest total score at the end of the game is declared the winner. In case of a tie, the player with the most species of tree in their arboretum wins. If there’s still a tie, the tied players share the victory.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

The game of Arboretum has a unique and strategic scoring system which involves creating a path of sequentially numbered trees in the same species. The scoring takes place at the end of the game, and the player with the highest score wins.

Calculating Scores:

A player can score points for a particular species if they have the highest total value of that species in their hand at the end of the game. The player then lays out a path of trees in ascending order, starting and ending with the same species. The points are calculated as follows:

Path of at least 1 card: The player scores a number of points equal to the highest value card in the path.
Path of at least 4 cards: The player scores a number of points equal to the sum of all the cards in the path.
Path that starts and ends with the same species: The player scores an additional 1 point.
Path that starts with a 1 and ends with an 8: The player scores an additional 2 points.
Path of 8 cards: The player scores an additional 3 points.

Tie-Breaking:

In the event of a tie, the player who has the most cards left in their hand is the winner. If there is still a tie, the player with the highest total value of cards in their hand is the winner. If there is still a tie, the victory is shared.

Please note that players do not score for a path if they do not have the highest total value of that species in their hand at the end of the game, even if they have a path laid out on the table.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Arboretum is a strategy card game that is simple yet complex due to its intricate scoring system. While the basic rules are straightforward, there are a few special conditions and rule clarifications that might be important to keep in mind while playing.

Starting the Game:

Each player is dealt seven cards to start with. Despite the fact that the deck consists of 80 cards, only a portion of these cards are used based on the number of players. For instance, in a two-player game, only 40 cards (10 of each color) are used.

Gameplay:

Although players can hold more than seven cards in their hand during their turn, they must discard down to seven at the end of their turn. This is one of the exceptions to the general rule and can significantly affect a player’s strategy.
Discarded cards are placed face up in a player’s personal discard pile. Players can draw from any player’s discard pile during their turn, not just their own. However, they must use the top card of the discard pile.

Scoring:

One of the complexities of Arboretum comes from its scoring system. A path in the arboretum is scored based on the sequence of cards, with each card’s value contributing to the total score. However, there is a special rule that if the path starts and ends with the same color, the total score is doubled.
Only the player with the highest total value of a particular color in their hand at the end of the game can score paths of that color. If there is a tie for highest value, no one scores for that color. This rule can lead to strategic decisions about which cards to keep and which to discard.

End of the Game:

The game ends when there are no more cards to draw from the deck. The player who drew the last card finishes their turn, and then scoring begins. It’s important to note that players do not get an extra turn or any other special actions at the end of the game.

Arboretum is a game of strategy and planning, and understanding these special rules and exceptions can significantly enhance your gameplay experience.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

The game ‘Arboretum’ is both a strategy and a card game that requires careful planning and foresight. Here are some advanced strategies, beginner tips, common mistakes to avoid, and ways to optimize gameplay.

Advanced Strategies:

Hand Management: Always keep track of the cards in your hand. Try to maintain a balance between high and low value cards and different tree types. This will give you more options during your turn.
Deny your opponents: Pay attention to the cards your opponents are collecting and try to hold onto cards they need, especially if they are high scoring ones.
End Game Planning: Do not forget about the end game scoring. Try to keep at least one high value card of the trees you are planting in your arboretum to ensure you get to score those paths.

Beginner Tips:

Start Simple: As a beginner, it may be beneficial to focus on one or two tree species to score points. This will make it easier to understand the scoring system.
Keep an Eye on the Discard Pile: Remember that players can draw from the discard pile. This can be used to your advantage to predict what trees other players are collecting.
Stay Flexible: Your strategy will need to change as the game progresses. Be ready to switch paths if you see a better opportunity.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Ignoring Opponents: While focusing on your own strategy is important, you should also keep an eye on what your opponents are doing. You might be able to block them or adjust your strategy accordingly.
Forgetting the Scoring: Don’t forget that the highest card in your hand of the corresponding tree type allows you to score that path. Many players forget this rule and lose out on points.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Card Counting: Keeping track of which cards have been played and which are likely still in players’ hands can help you make more informed decisions.
Path Planning: Try to plan your paths in such a way that they can be extended or modified easily in later turns.
Use All Information: Use all the information available to you – what cards you have, what cards have been discarded, and what trees your opponents are focusing on.