Draftosaurus

2019

Draftosaurus, a unique and exciting board game where you draft dino meeples to build the most popular park. Navigate placement restrictions and dice roll constraints to outsmart your opponents.

15
minutes

2 - 5
player(s)

Medium Light

About the game

Draftosaurus is a lively, fast-paced board game that takes you into the prehistoric era, where you become the manager of a dinosaur park. This charming game is set against a vibrant backdrop of lush greenery and towering mountains, transporting you to a world where dinosaurs still roam freely.

In Draftosaurus, your main task is to create the most attractive dinosaur park to bring in the most visitors. This game is unique in the sense that it combines the elements of strategic planning, chance, and friendly competition to create an experience that is both challenging and fun.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Draftosaurus is a fun and engaging board game that involves a variety of components. Each of these components contributes to the overall gameplay in a unique way. Here’s a detailed description of each component:

1. Dinosaur Meeples:

There are 60 dinosaur meeples in the game, divided into six different types. Each type has a unique color and shape. Players select these dinosaur meeples from the bag and place them in their zoos, trying to meet the conditions of their enclosure for the best score.

2. Zoo Boards:

Each player gets a zoo board to keep their dinosaur meeples. The board has different enclosures, each having specific scoring conditions. The arrangement of dinosaur meeples in these enclosures can earn players bonus points.

3. Dice:

There is a single die in the game with six faces, each showing a different area of the zoo. At the beginning of each round, the first player rolls the die. The outcome of the roll restricts where players can place their dinosaur meeples during that round.

4. Bag:

The bag is used to hold all the dinosaur meeples. At the start of each round, each player draws six dinosaur meeples from the bag.

Here is a brief overview of how these components interact with the gameplay:

At the beginning of each round, players draw six dinosaur meeples from the bag and the first player rolls the die.
Each player chooses one dinosaur meeple from their hand and places it in their zoo, taking into account the die roll restriction. They then pass the remaining dinosaur meeples to the player on their left.
This process continues until all dinosaur meeples have been placed. Then, players draw new dinosaur meeples and start a new round.
The game ends after two rounds. Players calculate their scores based on the arrangement of dinosaur meeples in their zoos. The player with the highest score wins the game.

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

‘Draftosaurus’ is a fun and engaging board game that requires strategic thinking and planning. The game allows players to build their own dinosaur park. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set up the game:

Step 1: Setting up the Game Board

The game board in Draftosaurus is an individual player board. Each player receives a player board that represents their own dinosaur park.

Step 2: Understanding the Player Roles

Each player in the game acts as the manager of their own dinosaur park. The players’ role is to attract as many visitors as possible by having the best variety of dinosaurs. This is achieved by placing dinosaur meeples in different pens that offer varying amounts of points.

Step 3: Distributing the Initial Resources

At the beginning of the game, each player is given a set of 6 dinosaur meeples. These dinosaurs represent the potential attractions for the players’ parks. The color of the dinosaur does not indicate its species but represents its value. For example, T-Rex (the green dinosaur) is worth more points than others.

Step 4: Introducing the Random Elements

The game introduces randomness through the use of a dice. Once per round, the first player rolls the “Season die”. This die determines a placement rule that all players must follow for the round. For example, the die may dictate that players can only place dinosaurs in the forest areas of their park. This element adds a level of unpredictability to the game and forces players to adapt their strategies.

Step 5: Starting the Game

The game begins with the first player rolling the dice to determine the placement rule for the round. Players then select one of their dinosaur meeples and place it in their park, following the placement rule. The remaining dinosaurs are then passed to the player on their left. This process continues until all dinosaurs have been placed. The player with the most points at the end of the game is declared the winner.

Note: The game has a total of 2 rounds, each with 6 turns (equal to the number of dinosaurs). At the end of the 2nd round, players add up their points and the player with the highest score wins.

Game flow Round and round we go

Draftosaurus is a fast-paced, strategic board game where players build their own dinosaur park. The game is played over two rounds, each consisting of six turns. The specifics of each round and turn are outlined below.

Round Structure

First Round: The first player rolls the die and places it on the river. Each player then selects a dinosaur from their hand and places it in their park. At the end of the turn, each player passes their hand to the player on their left. This continues for six turns, after which the first round ends.
Second Round: The process is the same as in the first round, except that the die is rolled by the last player to place a dinosaur, and hands are passed to the right. After six turns, the game ends.

Turn Structure

Roll the Die: The die is rolled by the first player during the first round, and by the last player to place a dinosaur during the second round.
Select a Dinosaur: Each player selects a dinosaur meeple from their hand.
Place the Dinosaur: The player places the dinosaur meeple in their park, following the restrictions of the current die face and the specific rules of their park’s pens.
Pass the Hand: At the end of the turn, players pass their remaining meeples to the player on their left in the first round, and to their right in the second round.

Each player’s park consists of six different pens, each with a specific scoring rule. These rules significantly influence how a player should strategically place their dinosaurs.

At the end of the game, the player with the most points is the winner. Points are awarded based on the specific scoring rules of each pen, as well as bonus points for having different types of dinosaurs in your park.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

Draftosaurus is a unique and engaging board game where players build their own dinosaur park. During each player’s turn, there are several possible actions and strategic choices that can significantly affect the gameplay. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of what happens during a player’s turn:

Step 1: Draw Dinosaurs

At the beginning of each turn, every player draws six dinosaur meeples out of the bag. This is the pool of dinosaurs that players will be choosing from during this round. The dinosaurs drawn could influence your strategy based on their type and the requirements of your park.

Step 2: Roll the Die

The first player rolls the placement die. The result of this roll restricts where players can place their dinosaurs for the current round. For instance, if the die shows a ‘Forest’, players must place their dinosaur in a forest area of their park.

Step 3: Choose a Dinosaur

Each player chooses one dinosaur from their hand and places it in their park, following the restrictions from the die roll. This requires strategic thinking, as the choice of dinosaur and its placement can either gain points or lose opportunities for scoring later.

Step 4: Pass the Dinosaurs

Players pass the remaining dinosaurs in their hand to the player on their left. This continues until each player has placed six dinosaurs in their park. It’s crucial to predict what dinosaurs other players might need and make choices that could potentially disrupt their plans.

Step 5: End of Turn

After all players have placed their dinosaurs, the turn ends. The first player token passes to the left, and a new turn begins with drawing new dinosaurs. The game continues in this way until the end of the game.

Strategic Choices: There are numerous strategic choices to consider during each turn. Players must decide which dinosaur to keep and where to place it for optimal points. They must also anticipate what dinosaurs other players might want and consider this when passing dinosaurs around.
Gameplay Impact: The choices made during each player’s turn directly affect the scoring at the end of the game. Strategic placement of dinosaurs can earn players bonus points, while poor placement or giving advantageous dinosaurs to opponents can lead to lost points.

Ultimately, each turn in Draftosaurus offers a mix of strategy, chance, and player interaction, making each game unique and exciting.

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

The game of ‘Draftosaurus’ is played over two rounds, with six turns per round. A round ends when each player has placed all six of their dinosaurs in their zoo. At the end of the second round, the game is over and scoring can commence.

Victory Conditions:

The player with the most victory points at the end of the game is declared the winner. If there’s a tie, the player with the most dinosaurs in their T-Rex pen wins. If there’s still a tie, the player who went first wins.

Final Scoring:

Before final scoring, all players must ensure that they have correctly placed their dinosaurs according to the placement rules of the game. After this, players calculate their scores based on the following criteria:

T-Rex Pen: This pen scores differently depending on the number of dinosaurs. For example, one dinosaur scores 1 point, two dinosaurs score 3 points, three dinosaurs score 6 points, etc.
Triceratops Paddock: This scores 7 points if it is filled with dinosaurs of the same type.
Brachiosaurus Meadow: This scores a number of points equal to the number of Brachiosaurus in this meadow multiplied by the number of Brachiosaurus in the longest continuous line of Brachiosaurus in the zoo.
Pterodactyl Flight: This scores 2 points per dinosaur in the flight.
Stegosaurus Park: This scores 7 points if the dinosaurs in this park are all different types.

After tallying up all the points, the player with the highest score wins the game of ‘Draftosaurus’. If two or more players have the same score, the tie-breaker rules are used to determine the winner.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

Draftosaurus is a quick and light drafting game where players aim to score the most points by strategically placing dinosaurs into their zoo. The scoring system in Draftosaurus is quite straightforward, with points awarded based on the location and type of dinosaurs in your zoo.

Scoring the pens:

T-Rex Pen: This pen scores 7 points for each T-Rex present.
Stegosaurus Pen: This pen scores 7 points if it contains exactly 2 dinosaurs.
Brachiosaurus Pen: This pen scores 2 points for each Brachiosaurus.
Triceratops Pen: This pen scores a number of points equal to the square of the number of Triceratops present. For example, 3 Triceratops would score 9 points (3×3).
Pterodactyl Pen: This pen scores 1 point for each Pterodactyl in your entire zoo, not just this pen.
Velociraptor Pen: This pen scores 5 points if there is at least one Velociraptor.

Scoring the river:

The river in your zoo scores points based on the variety of dinosaurs present. The more different types of dinosaurs along the river, the more points are scored.

6 different dinosaurs score 21 points.
5 different dinosaurs score 15 points.
4 different dinosaurs score 10 points.
3 different dinosaurs score 6 points.
2 different dinosaurs score 3 points.
1 dinosaur scores 1 point.

Tie-breaking rules:

In the event of a tie, the player with the fewest dinosaurs wins. If there is still a tie, the victory is shared.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

The board game ‘Draftosaurus’ is relatively simple and straightforward, but there are a few special rules, exceptions, and clarifications that players should be aware of. Below are some of the most crucial ones:

1. The Restriction Die:

The restriction die determines where players can place their dinosaurs during each round. The player who rolled the die cannot be affected by the restriction it imposes. This rule can often be overlooked by new players.

2. Same Dinosaur Limit:

Each pen can only hold one type of dinosaur, and the number of dinosaurs it can hold varies. If you have a dinosaur that can’t be placed in a pen due to this limit, it has to be placed in the river, which is a less valuable space.

3. The T-Rex:

The T-Rex is a special dinosaur that scores points based on its rarity. It’s worth 7 points if it’s the only one in your park, 6 points if there’s one in another player’s park, and so on. The T-Rex does not count towards the pen limit for other dinosaurs and can be placed in any pen.

4. End of Game Scoring:

At the end of the game, players score points based on the dinosaurs in their pens and the number of visitors in their park. However, players do not score points for dinosaurs in their river, even though they count towards the total number of dinosaurs.

5. The Summer and Winter Boards:

The game comes with two different boards, the Summer side and the Winter side. Each side has different pens with different scoring rules. Players should make sure they understand the scoring rules for the side they are playing on before the game starts.

6. Drawing Dinosaurs:

At the start of each round, players draw six dinosaurs from the bag. If the bag is empty before all players have drawn their dinosaurs, all the dinosaurs in the box are put back in the bag and the drawing continues.

7. The Final Round:

In the final round, players only draw two dinosaurs instead of six. This can often cause confusion for first-time players.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Draftosaurus is a fast-paced, strategic game where players aim to create the most lucrative dinosaur park. Here are some strategies, beginner tips, common mistakes to avoid, and ways to optimize gameplay.

Advanced Strategies

Optimize your Pen Assignments: Always strategize on which dinosaur you place in which pen. Maximizing the number of dinosaurs in a specific pen can yield higher points.
Adapt to the Dice Roll: The die roll restricts where you can place your dinosaur. Be ready to adapt your strategy based on the die roll.
Keep an Eye on Your Opponents: Monitor what dinosaurs your opponents are choosing. If a particular type of dinosaur seems popular, it might be worth stealing it to prevent others from scoring.

Beginner Tips

Start Simple: Start by focusing on filling up your pens with dinosaurs, as this is the most straightforward way to score points.
Use the River: The river is a versatile scoring area. It’s a good spot to place dinosaurs that don’t fit into your other pens.
Don’t Ignore the T-Rex: The T-Rex can score you a significant number of points, so don’t ignore it even though it’s harder to get.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Ignoring the Restrictions: Each round, the die imposes a restriction on where you can place your dinosaur. Ignoring this can cost you points.
Forgetting about Species Diversity: While it’s important to fill up your pens, don’t forget about species diversity. Having a wide range of dinosaur species can earn you bonus points.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay

Plan Ahead: Try to plan a few moves ahead. If you know what dinosaurs you want, you can make more strategic choices.
Balance Your Strategy: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Balance your focus between filling your pens, species diversity, and keeping an eye on your opponents.