Imhotep

2016

Imhotep is a strategic board game where players become Egyptian builders aiming to create monuments. With four actions to choose from, players must strategically plan and time their moves while competing with rivals. Who has the stones to become Egypt's best builder?

40
minutes

2 - 4
player(s)

10+

Medium

About the game

‘Imhotep’ is a riveting board game that whisks you back to the epoch of ancient Egypt, a time when mythical Pharaohs ruled the land and colossal pyramids dotted the horizon. In this immersive game, players take on the role of master builders in the service of the Pharaoh, vying for his favor by constructing the most magnificent and enduring structures.

The game’s unique setting is brought to life through beautifully designed components, including wooden blocks that represent stone, and a game board that evokes the sun-scorched sands of Egypt. The vivid artwork and carefully crafted components add a layer of tactile satisfaction and visual appeal to the strategic gameplay, making ‘Imhotep’ a treat for both the mind and the senses.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Imhotep is a strategy board game that requires players to transport stones to different building sites in Egypt to earn points. The components of the game are integral to its mechanics. Here is a detailed description of each component:

1. Game Board: The game board is the central piece of the game. It features different building sites such as the Market, Pyramids, Temple, Burial Chamber, and Obelisks. Players place their stones on the board and move them to these sites to earn points.

2. Site Boards: There are 4 double-sided Site Boards in the game. Each side represents a different building site with unique scoring rules. The sites are interchangeable and can be mixed and matched for each game for varied gameplay.

3. Market Cards: Market Cards represent various tools, statues, and other items that can help players during the game. Players can acquire these cards at the Market site. The cards are shuffled and placed face down, with the top four cards revealed.

4. Boats: There are 7 boats of varying sizes. Players load their stones onto these boats, which are then sailed to the different building sites. The size of the boat determines how many stones it can carry.

5. Stones: Each player has a set of 15 stones in their color. These stones are used to build structures at the various sites. The stones are placed on boats and then transported to the sites.

6. Sled Tokens: Each player has a sled token. The sled token is used to store the player’s unused stones. Players start the game with 2 stones on their sled and can add more by taking a quarry action.

7. Action Tokens: There are 34 action tokens in the game. These tokens are used to track which actions a player has taken during their turn. Each player has an action token in their color, which they move on the game board to indicate their actions.

8. Score Track: The score track is located around the edge of the game board. Players move their score markers along this track to keep track of their points throughout the game.

9. Round Cards: There are 4 round cards which are used to track the rounds in the game. At the beginning of each round, a new round card is revealed which dictates the arrangement of boats for that round.

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

Imhotep is a board game where players take on the roles of ancient Egyptian architects. The aim of the game is to transport stone blocks to different sites and score points. Here is the step-by-step guide on how to set up ‘Imhotep’.

Step 1: Setting up the Game Board

Lay out the game board in the center of the play area. The game board consists of five different sites: the Market, the Pyramids, the Temple, the Burial Chamber, and the Obelisks. Each of these sites has its own board.

Step 2: Setting up the Supply Sleds

Each player receives a supply sled in their chosen color and places it in front of them. Each sled has a number of spaces for stone blocks. At the start of the game, each player should put four stone blocks of their color on their supply sled.

Step 3: Placing the Stone Blocks

Place the remaining stone blocks in a general supply next to the game board. The number of stone blocks should be based on the number of players. For a two-player game, use 21 blocks per color. For a three-player game, use 28 blocks per color. And for a four-player game, use 35 blocks per color.

Step 4: Setting up the Market Cards

Shuffle the market cards and place four face up next to the market. The remaining cards are placed face down in a draw pile. These cards provide different tools and abilities to players during the game.

Step 5: Setting up the Round Cards

Shuffle the round cards and draw one for each round of the game. For a short game, play only four rounds. For a long game, play all six rounds. Each round card affects the rules of the game for that round.

Step 6: Assigning the First Player

The player who most recently visited Egypt or an architectural site is the first player. If no player qualifies, choose the first player randomly. Give this player the ‘First Player’ marker.

You have now completed the setup for ‘Imhotep’. All players should have their supply sleds filled with four stone blocks, the round card is revealed, and four market cards are face up next to the market. It’s time to start building!

Game flow Round and round we go

Imhotep is a strategic board game where players take on the roles of ancient Egyptian architects. The game is played over six rounds where players gather stones, load them on their sleds, and then ship them off to five different building sites; market, pyramids, temple, burial chamber and obelisks, in a bid to earn the most points.

Game Setup

Each player gets a sled board and places it in front of them.
The site boards get arranged in the middle of the table in any order.
Each player gets a supply of stones in their color which are placed in the quarry.
Shuffle the market cards and put four face up next to the market board. The rest form a draw pile.
Set the round cards in ascending order and flip the first one to its boat side to begin the round.

Gameplay

The game is played over six rounds and each round has three phases: card phase, action phase and cleanup phase.

Card Phase

At the beginning of each round, the topmost round card gets flipped and the boats shown on the card are placed next to the board. No stones are placed on these boats at this point.

Action Phase

During the action phase, players take turns doing one of four actions:

Get new stones: A player can get up to three stones from the quarry and place them on their sled. However, the sled can only hold a maximum of five stones at any given time.
Place a stone on a ship: A player can take a stone from their sled and place it on any free space on any ship. However, a ship cannot sail unless it’s full.
Sail a ship: A player may choose to sail a ship to a site. The ship must have at least the minimum required number of stones as shown on its mast. The player does not need to have stones on the ship to sail it.
Play a blue market card: A player can play a blue market card from their hand. These cards grant various benefits to the player.

Cleanup Phase

At the end of the round, players prepare for the next round. Any stones remaining on ships are returned to the quarry. Any unsold market cards are discarded and replaced with new ones from the draw pile. The next round card is turned to its boat side to begin the next round.

Scoring

Players score points based on the placement of their stones at the different sites. The game ends after the sixth round and the player with the most points is declared the winner.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In the game of ‘Imhotep’, each player takes on the role of a master builder in Ancient Egypt, aiming to construct monuments and amass the most points. During a player’s turn, they can take one of four possible actions. These actions and their strategic implications are detailed below:

1. Get new stones:

The player can choose to get new stones from the quarry. They can take up to three stones in the color of their choice and place them on their supply sled. A player’s supply sled can hold a maximum of five stones at any given time. Strategically, this action is critical as it replenishes a player’s resources and enables them to execute future actions. The timing and color choice of the stones can influence the player’s future moves and scoring opportunities.

2. Place stones on a ship:

The player can choose to place one of their stones from their supply sled onto a ship. The ships have varying capacities and will sail to different building sites. Strategically, this action is important as it allows players to position their stones for transportation to the building sites where they can be scored. Players must consider the capacities of the ships, the current positions of other player’s stones, and the potential benefits of the various building sites when deciding where to place their stones.

3. Sail a ship to a building site:

The player can choose to sail a ship that has at least as many stones on it as indicated by its sail value to a building site of their choice. Once a ship has sailed, the stones on it are unloaded in order from front to back at the chosen building site. Strategically, this action is key as it determines the scoring opportunities for all players. Players must consider the potential benefits of each building site, the order of the stones on the ship, and the possible actions of future players when deciding when and where to sail a ship.

4. Play a blue market card:

The player can choose to play a blue market card from their hand. These cards provide various benefits such as immediate points, additional actions, or end game bonuses. Strategically, these cards can provide a significant advantage if used correctly. Players must consider the timing and potential long-term benefits of each card when deciding when to play them.

In summary, ‘Imhotep’ is a game of strategic planning and timing. Each action a player takes has direct implications on their scoring potential and the opportunities available to their opponents. Therefore, players must carefully consider their actions and the potential responses of their opponents to maximize their points and achieve victory.

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

The board game ‘Imhotep’ is designed for 2-4 players, and it ends after 6 rounds of play. Each round represents a day during which players, who take on the roles of ancient Egyptian architects, transport stones to various building sites with the aim of earning points. The game ends once all six rounds (days) are completed.

Victory Conditions:

In ‘Imhotep’, the player with the most points at the end of the game is declared the winner. Points are collected by players in various ways during the game. These include:

Building monuments: Players gain points by contributing stones to the construction of monuments. The number of points received depends on the monument and the placement of the stone.
Market cards: These cards provide players with special abilities, additional points, or extra resources. Some of the cards, known as ‘end of game’ cards, award points only at the conclusion of the game.
Obelisk: The player who constructs the tallest obelisk earns bonus points.

Actions before Final Scoring:

Before the final scoring, players must carry out certain actions. These include:

Exhausting remaining actions: Players must make sure they have taken all available actions in the final round. This includes placing stones on ships, moving ships to building sites, and using action cards.
Resolving ‘end of game’ cards: If a player has an ‘end of game’ card, its effect is resolved before final scoring. These cards typically award additional points based on certain conditions that have been met during the game.

After the completion of these actions, players calculate their total points. The player with the highest score is declared the winner. In case of a tie, the player with the most leftover stones wins. If there is still a tie, the victory is shared.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In the board game ‘Imhotep’, scoring plays a pivotal role and can often dictate the strategies players employ throughout the game. Points are awarded based on the construction and delivery of stones to different sites, and each site has its own unique scoring system.

Market:

No points are directly scored at the Market. However, players can obtain cards that can contribute to their final scores at the end of the game.

Pyramid:

At the Pyramid, points are awarded immediately after a ship is unloaded. The first stone unloaded scores 1 point, the second stone 2 points, the third stone 3 points, and so on.

Temple:

In the Temple, points are awarded at the end of each round. Each visible stone scores 1 point.

Burial Chamber:

In the Burial Chamber, points are awarded at the end of the game. Stones are scored based on connected groups. A group of 1 stone scores 1 point, 2 connected stones score 4 points, 3 connected stones score 9 points, and so on.

Obelisks:

At the Obelisks, points are awarded at the end of the game. The player with the tallest obelisk scores 1 point per stone in their obelisk.

For end game scoring, players also add points from green cards and blue cards obtained from the Market. The player with the most points wins the game. If there is a tie, the player with the most leftover stones on their sled wins. If there is still a tie, the player who is earliest in the player order wins.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

‘Imhotep’ is a strategic board game that requires players to transport blocks to various building sites in ancient Egypt. However, there are several special rules, exceptions, and clarifications that are important for players to understand.

1. The Market Card Exception: In usual instances, players can only use one action per turn. However, an exception to this rule is the Market card. If a player has a Market card, they can use it in addition to their one action during their turn.

2. The Stone Delivery Rule: If a player chooses to deliver stones on their turn, they must deliver as many stones as the ship can carry. They cannot choose to deliver less. If a player cannot deliver the full capacity of stones, they cannot choose this action.

Rule Clarification: If a ship has not reached its capacity, it cannot be sailed to a building site. This rule holds even if there are no stones left to load onto the ship. The only exception is in the endgame, where ships can sail with less than their capacity.

3. The Obelisk Special Rule: When delivering stones to the obelisk, players stack their stones on top of each other. The order of the stones in the stack does not change the player’s score. Therefore, players can choose to stack their stones in any order, regardless of the order in which they were delivered.

Rule Clarification: At the end of the game, the player with the highest stack of stones on the obelisk scores the most points. Ties are broken by the player who added stones to their stack first.

4. The Endgame Rule: The game ends immediately when the supply of stones runs out, or when all ships have sailed to their building sites in the last round. Players cannot continue to take actions after the game has ended.

Rule Clarification: Players add together their points from all building sites, as well as any points from cards. The player with the highest total point score is the winner. In the case of a tie, the player with the most leftover stones wins.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Imhotep is a strategy board game where players take on the roles of ancient Egyptian architects. Optimal play requires careful planning and consideration of both your own plans and those of your opponents. Here are some advanced strategies, beginner tips, common mistakes to avoid, and ways to optimize gameplay.

Advanced Strategies:

Plan Your Actions: You have a limited number of actions each turn, so make sure to plan them carefully. Consider what resources you need, what buildings you want to construct, and where you can thwart your opponents’ plans.
Control the Market: The market is a key aspect of the game, allowing you to obtain cards that provide various benefits. Try to maintain control of the market to ensure you have access to the cards you need.
Build Strategically: Each building provides different benefits and points. It’s important to build a balanced set of buildings that align with your overall strategy.

Beginner Tips:

Learn the Basics: Take the time to learn the rules and mechanics of the game before diving in. This includes understanding how to gain and use resources, how to build structures, and how scoring works.
Start Small: Don’t try to build too many things at once. Start with a few key structures and expand from there as you become more comfortable with the game.
Use Your Cards Wisely: Cards can provide a significant advantage, but only if used correctly. Make sure to use your cards at the right time and in the right way to maximize their benefits.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Ignoring Your Opponents: Imhotep is a game of strategy and competition. Ignoring what your opponents are doing can leave you vulnerable to their actions. Make sure to keep an eye on their strategies and adapt your own plan accordingly.
Wasting Resources: Resources are limited, so wasting them can put you at a disadvantage. Always consider the most efficient use of your resources before making a decision.
Forgetting the Scoring System: It’s easy to get caught up in the gameplay and forget about the scoring system. However, the player with the most points wins, so always keep scoring in mind when making decisions.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Balance Your Strategy: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. A balanced strategy that includes resource gathering, building, and market control will usually be more successful than focusing on just one aspect of the game.
Adapt to the Game: The game board and available resources will change each game, so it’s important to adapt your strategy to the current game state. Be flexible and willing to change your plans as needed.
Practice: Like any game, the more you play Imhotep, the better you’ll get. Practice different strategies and learn from your mistakes to continuously improve your gameplay.