Libertalia

2012

Libertalia is an exciting pirate-themed board game where players strategically employ crew members to outsmart competitors and gather the most loot.

60
minutes

2 - 6
player(s)

14+

Medium

About the game

Set sail into the intriguing world of Libertalia, a riveting board game that will transport you and your friends into the golden age of piracy. In this game, you’ll find yourself in the role of a ship’s captain leading a crew of pirates, with an unquenchable thirst for treasure. Your goal? To amass the greatest fortune by the end of three campaigns, while navigating the treacherous waters of piracy and deceit.

The game’s setting is the mythical Libertalia – a pirate utopia in the Indian Ocean rumored to have been the home of pirates of all nations. Here, you’ll be conducting your nefarious activities, aiming to outwit and outmaneuver your fellow pirates to secure the biggest share of the loot.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Libertalia is a pirate-themed board game that requires strategic planning and cunning tactics. It comes with a variety of components that each have their own role in gameplay. Here are the different pieces included and their respective roles:

1. Game Board:

The game board is where all the action takes place. It is designed to represent the pirate ship, Libertalia, with spaces for dawn, day, and dusk cards. Players place their crew members on this board, and it serves as the main area where players interact with each other.

2. 30 Dusk Cards:

These are the mission cards. Each player receives an identical set at the beginning of the game. The cards are numbered from 1 to 30, and each card has a unique character with special abilities. These abilities can be activated at different times during the game, providing players with various advantages or disadvantages.

3. 6 Ship Tokens:

These are used to keep track of each player’s ship. At the beginning of each round, players put their ship token on the game board to indicate their current position. The ship’s position can change throughout the game due to various card effects.

4. 78 Loot Tokens:

These tokens represent the various treasures and items that players can collect during the game. They include jewels, goods, Spanish officers, treasure maps, and cursed relics. Each type of loot has a different effect on gameplay and scoring.

5. 6 Score Tokens:

These tokens are used to track each player’s score on the scoring track during the game. The player with the highest score at the end of the game is the winner.

6. 6 Den Tokens:

Each player has a den where they store their loot. When a player receives a loot token, they place it in their den.

7. 6 Character Summary Cards:

These cards provide a quick reference for each character’s abilities. This helps players understand what each character card can do without needing to constantly check the rule book.

Game Board: The main area of interaction between players.
Dusk Cards: Used for planning and executing strategies.
Ship Tokens: Indicates each player’s current position.
Loot Tokens: Represents the treasures and items players can collect.
Score Tokens: Tracks each player’s score.
Den Tokens: Storage for each player’s loot.
Character Summary Cards: Quick reference for character abilities.

Understanding each component and how they interact with each other is crucial for mastering the game of Libertalia.

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

Libertalia is a thrilling pirate-themed board game where players take on the roles of pirate captains leading their crew on a week-long plunder. The game is played over three rounds, each representing a week. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to set up the game:

Step 1: Board Placement

Place the main game board in the center of the table. This board contains spaces for the day’s booty, the ship, and the den. All players should be able to access it easily.

Step 2: Player Roles

Each player chooses a color and takes the corresponding ship and den boards, 30 doubloons, and a set of 30 identical character cards. The ship board is the player’s hand, while the den board is for the characters who have been played.

Step 3: Character Deck Setup

For each “week” of play, the players should each select nine character cards from their deck. The cards are then shuffled and drawn one at a time.

Step 4: Booty Tokens

In the bag, mix the booty tokens and randomly draw six tokens per day plus two. Place these tokens on the corresponding spaces of the main game board.

Step 5: Setting the First Player

Randomly determine the first player and give them the parrot token. This player will be the first to play a character card in the first campaign.

Step 6: Preparing for the First Campaign

Each player should draw six character cards from their deck to form their initial hand. They should look at these cards but keep them secret from other players.

Step 7: First Day of Plunder

After the setup, the first day of plunder begins. Each player selects a character card from their hand and places it face down on the table. Once all players have chosen, they simultaneously reveal their cards and place them on the ship board in order of rank, from highest to lowest.

Remember, the goal of the game is to amass the most riches by the end of the third week. Good luck and happy plundering!

Game flow Round and round we go

Libertalia is a strategic board game that involves pirates, loots, and lots of plotting. The game is played over three rounds, each representing a week, and each round is divided into several phases. Below is a breakdown of the game’s structure and how each phase is played:

Phase 1: Sunrise

During the Sunrise phase, players simultaneously reveal the cards they’ve chosen from their hand. The cards represent the crew members they wish to send on the day’s mission. The player with the highest-ranking crew member goes first, with ties broken by the player who has the Captain’s parrot.

Phase 2: Day

The Day phase is when players take turns using their crew members to perform actions. The action depends on the crew member’s rank, as indicated on the card. Actions can include things like stealing loot from other players or grabbing loot from the ship’s hold. The player with the lowest-ranking crew member goes first in this phase.

Phase 3: Dusk

At Dusk, players arrange their crew members in their den from left to right in ascending order of rank. Any crew members with a Dusk ability can use it at this time. Next, starting with the player who has the highest-ranking crew member, each player takes one booty token from the ship’s hold. This continues in a clockwise direction until all booty tokens are claimed.

Phase 4: Night

During the Night phase, players receive the benefits and penalties of the booty tokens they’ve collected. This could include gaining or losing doubloons (the game’s currency), discarding crew members, or other effects. Crew members in the den with a Night ability may use it now.

Phase 5: End of the Week

At the end of the week (after seven days), all remaining booty tokens in the ship’s hold are discarded, and all crew members in each player’s den are also discarded. Each player then receives a new set of nine cards, and a new week begins. After three weeks, the game ends and the player with the most doubloons wins.

It should be noted that planning, strategy, and a bit of bluffing are key to winning in Libertalia. Also, remember that the ranks of the crew members and the timing of when to use them can greatly affect the outcome of the game.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

The game of ‘Libertalia’ is a pirate-themed board game where players aim to accumulate the most wealth by strategically using their crew cards. A player’s turn in Libertalia can be broken down into several stages with different actions and strategic choices available at each point. Understanding these actions can greatly enhance gameplay.

Phase One: Sunrise

The first phase of a player’s turn is the Sunrise phase. During this phase, players reveal the crew card they have chosen for the round. The player with the highest ranked card goes first. In case of a tie, the player with the highest numbered tie breaker token goes first.

Phase Two: Day

Next, during the Day phase, players can use the special ability of their crew card if the card indicates that it is to be used during this phase. Some crew cards have abilities that allow players to steal from the booty, swap cards with other players, or gain additional points. This phase requires strategic planning as the player must anticipate the potential actions of their opponents.

Phase Three: Dusk

The Dusk phase allows the player to take one booty token from the ship if their crew card is still in play. The player with the lowest ranked crew card gets to choose first. The booty tokens can be treasure, jewels, Spanish officers, sabers, or cursed relics. Each of these has different effects on the player’s score, with some adding points and others potentially subtracting points. Therefore, the player must choose wisely.

Phase Four: Night

During the Night phase, players can use the special ability of their crew card if the card indicates that it is to be used during this phase. Like the Day phase, this phase requires strategic foresight as the player must anticipate the actions of their opponents.

Phase Five: End of the Round

At the End of the Round, players count the booty they have acquired and add up their scores. Players then prepare for the next round by drawing a new hand of crew cards and setting out new booty tokens. The game continues for three rounds, and the player with the highest total score at the end of the three rounds is the winner.

Understanding these steps and the strategic choices available at each point can greatly enhance players’ enjoyment and success in the game of Libertalia.

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

The game of ‘Libertalia’ ends after the conclusion of the third campaign, which represents three weeks of pirate activities. After the third campaign, players proceed to the final scoring. The victory conditions for ‘Libertalia’ are based on the total sum of doubloons each player has amassed during the game. The player with the highest number of doubloons is declared the winner.

Before final scoring, players must carry out the following actions:

Inventory of Booty: Players must first take stock of their booty tokens. Each booty token has a specific value in doubloons. Players add up the doubloon values of all their booty tokens to find the total sum.
Count Remaining Denari: Players should count the number of denari (coins) they have. Each denari is worth one doubloon. This value is added to the total sum from the booty tokens.
Penalty for Cursed Relics: Players must subtract 3 doubloons for each ‘cursed relic’ booty token they possess from their total sum. These tokens are negative and detract from a player’s score.
Character Card Scoring: Some character cards have special abilities that provide additional doubloons at the end of the game. Players need to apply these abilities and add the resulting doubloons to their total sum.

After these actions have been taken, players compare their final doubloon totals. The player with the most doubloons is declared the winner of ‘Libertalia’. In the event of a tie, the player with the most booty tokens is the winner. If there is still a tie, the player with the highest rank character card in their den wins.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

Libertalia is a captivating board game where players take on the roles of pirate captains competing over three weeks to accumulate the most wealth. The full scoring system in ‘Libertalia’ involves earning doubloons, collecting treasure, and utilizing character abilities. Here’s a detailed breakdown:

Doubloons:

At the end of each day (round), players earn doubloons based on their character’s rank. The higher the rank, the more doubloons a player earns.
At the end of each week (cycle of 6 days), players can also earn doubloons for having the most of certain types of booty. The player with the most ‘Maps’ earns 10 doubloons, while the player with the most ‘Goods’ earns 5 doubloons. These are called ‘majority bonuses’.

Treasure:

Players can collect different types of treasure (‘booty’) throughout the game, each worth a specified number of doubloons. ‘Jewels’ are worth 5 doubloons, ‘Goods’ are worth 3, ‘Maps’ are worth 1, and ‘Spanish Officers’ are worth -3 (representing a penalty).
At the end of each day, the player with the highest-ranked character gets first pick of the available booty. This continues in rank order until all booty has been chosen.

Character Abilities:

Many characters have abilities that can earn players extra doubloons. For example, the ‘Brute’ can steal 3 doubloons from another player, while the ‘Cook’ earns 1 doubloon for each ‘Goods’ booty a player has.
These abilities are activated at specific times during each day, as indicated on the character card. The timing of these abilities can significantly influence a player’s strategy and scoring potential.

After three weeks (three cycles of 6 days), the player with the most doubloons is declared the winner. If there is a tie, the following tie-breaking rules are applied:

First Tie-Breaker:

The player with the most booty (regardless of type) wins the tie.

Second Tie-Breaker:

If there is still a tie, the player with the most ‘Goods’ wins.

Third Tie-Breaker:

If there is still a tie, the player with the least number of ‘Spanish Officers’ wins.

If there is still a tie after these three tie-breakers, the victory is shared.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Libertalia is a strategic board game where players take on the roles of pirate captains dividing their loot at the end of a long voyage. While the game is quite straightforward, there are certain special rules, exceptions, and clarifications that players should be aware of:

Character Card Abilities: Most of the character cards have special abilities. These abilities should be taken into consideration when planning your strategy. They can significantly influence the game’s outcome.

Parrot: The “Parrot” card allows you to copy the ability of a card that is already in play. However, it cannot copy the ability of another Parrot card.
Cabin Boy: The “Cabin Boy” card allows you to discard another player’s character card. This ability can only be used once per round.
Monkey: The “Monkey” card forces all players to pass a booty tile of your choice from their den to the player on their left. If a player does not have the chosen type of booty tile, they don’t pass anything.

Booty Tiles: Some booty tiles have special rules attached to them. They can either benefit or harm the player who possesses them.

Treasure Chests: These tiles add to your wealth at the end of the game. They do not have any special effects during the game.
Sabers: These tiles allow you to discard a character card from another player’s den. However, you cannot discard a character with a higher rank.
Cursed Relics: These tiles deduct from your wealth at the end of the game. It is generally a good idea to avoid these tiles if possible.

Daylight Phase: During the daylight phase, players reveal their character cards simultaneously. However, if two or more players reveal the same character card, the player whose token is farthest to the right on the ship’s log goes first. If there is still a tie, the player with the highest-ranked character card goes first.

End of Campaign: At the end of the campaign (after three weeks), the player with the most doubloons is the winner. However, in the case of a tie, the player with the most booty tiles of any kind is the winner. If there is still a tie, the player with the highest total rank of character cards in their den is the winner.