Nidavellir

2020

In Nidavellir, bid on the best dwarves, recruit heroes, and utilize smart 'coin-building' to defeat the mighty dragon Fafnir. A strategic game of power and prestige!

45
minutes

2 - 5
player(s)

10+

Medium

About the game

Nidavellir, the Dwarf Kingdom, is threatened by the dragon Fafnir. As a venerable Elvaland, you have been appointed by the King. Search through every tavern in the kingdom, recruit the most skillful dwarves, gather the most prestigious battalion, and defeat your draconic foe. This is the thrilling premise of Nidavellir, a unique bidding game that combines strategy, intrigue, and legendary mythical lore.

Set in a world of Nordic mythology, Nidavellir is a strategy game that revolves around the recruitment and management of an army of dwarves. The game is played across several rounds, each representing a journey to various taverns in search of the most skillful warriors. The setting is richly detailed, immersing players in a realm where valor and strategy go hand in hand, and where the right decisions lead to ultimate victory over the menacing dragon Fafnir.

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

‘Nidavellir’ is a bidding and set collection game where players take on the role of Elvaland dwarven lords in search of warriors to bolster their armies. The game is set in the mythical world of Nidavellir, a place of great riches and powerful warriors.

Here is a detailed step-by-step guide on how to set up ‘Nidavellir’:

Player Roles: In ‘Nidavellir’, every player is a Dwarven lord seeking to recruit the most powerful army. Each player has the same abilities and goals.

Note: The game can accommodate 2-5 players.

Board Placement: Place the three tavern boards in the center of the table. These boards are where players will bid for dwarf cards to build their armies. Arrange them in numerical order (1, 2, 3).
Initial Resources:
- Each player receives a set of five gold coins with values 0, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
- Deal three dwarf cards face-up to each tavern board.
- Each player also receives two hero cards, from which they choose one to keep. The chosen hero card is placed face-down in front of the player.
- The remaining hero cards are placed back in the box unseen.
Random Elements: The dwarf cards are shuffled and placed in a stack next to the tavern boards. During the game, the top three cards of this stack are revealed and placed on the tavern boards, introducing a random element into the game.

Once the game setup is complete, players can start bidding on the dwarf cards in the taverns. The player who successfully recruits the most powerful army of dwarfs by the end of the game is the winner.

Game flow Round and round we go

‘Nidavellir’ is an engaging and strategic bidding game where players aim to build the most powerful army of Dwarves. The game is divided into two Ages, each consisting of five Rounds. Each Round involves three phases: the Tavern phase, the Bid phase, and the Recruitment phase. The game ends after the Recruitment phase of the 10th round and the player with the highest total score wins.

Tavern Phase:

In the Tavern phase, players draw Dwarves from the deck and place them face-up in three Taverns. The number of Dwarves drawn depends on the number of players.
Each Tavern should have one more Dwarf card than the number of players. For example, in a 4-player game, each Tavern will have 5 dwarf cards.

Bid Phase:

During the Bid phase, each player uses their coin cards to bid on the order of selection of Dwarves in the Taverns. Players have three coin cards at the start of the game, and they place one face-down in front of each Tavern.
Once all players have placed their coin cards, they are revealed simultaneously. The player who has placed the highest value coin gets to choose first from the Dwarves in that Tavern.
One unique feature of ‘Nidavellir’ is the ability to combine two of your coins to create a new value. If you place your zero value coin in a bid, when it’s revealed, you can add the values of your other two coins and create a new coin of that value. This new coin replaces the zero value coin for future rounds.

Recruitment Phase:

In the Recruitment phase, players select one Dwarf card from the Tavern corresponding to their successful bid. The chosen Dwarf card is added to the player’s army.
Dwarves come in five different classes (Warriors, Hunters, Blacksmiths, Explorers, and Miners), each with unique scoring mechanisms. Players must strategize to recruit Dwarves that will maximize their score.
After all Dwarves have been chosen, the round ends. If it was the 5th or 10th round, an Age ends. At the end of an Age, players can recruit a Hero or an Elite Dwarf to join their army, providing powerful bonuses and scoring opportunities.

After the end of the second Age and the final recruitment, players calculate their scores based on the Dwarves in their army. The player with the highest total score becomes the champion of ‘Nidavellir’.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

‘Nidavellir’ is a strategic bidding game where players are trying to build the most powerful dwarf army. The gameplay takes place over several rounds, each divided into different phases. Below is a detailed breakdown of what happens during each player’s turn.

1. Coin Preparation Phase

At the start of your turn, you must prepare your coins in order to place bids on the available dwarves. You have five coins numbered from 0 to 5 and you must decide which three to use for this round.

Strategic Choice: The decision of which coins to use can greatly affect your gameplay. A higher numbered coin increases your chances of winning a bid, but using all your high numbered coins early can leave you at a disadvantage in later rounds.

2. Bidding Phase

After preparing your coins, you place them face-down on your three tavern tiles. Once all players have placed their bids, all coins are revealed simultaneously.

Strategic Choice: It’s important to consider what dwarves are available and what your opponents might bid. If you really want a specific dwarf, you might need to bid high. But remember, if there’s a tie, the player who placed their bid first wins!

3. Recruitment Phase

Starting with the highest bid, each player chooses a dwarf from the tavern corresponding to the tile they placed their coin on. This dwarf is added to their army (placed in front of them).

Strategic Choice: You’ll want to choose dwarves that synergize with the dwarves you already have. Some dwarves give bonuses based on the type or number of other dwarves in your army, so it’s worth thinking about your overall strategy when choosing.

4. Coin Upgrade Phase

After all players have recruited a dwarf, you get to upgrade one of your coins. You add the values of the two remaining coins and take the coin of the resulting value from the reserve. If there isn’t a coin with that exact value, you take the next lower value coin.

Strategic Choice: This is a crucial part of the game strategy. Choosing the right coins to upgrade can give you a significant advantage in the bidding wars. You’ll want to upgrade your lower value coins to increase your overall bidding power.

5. Tavern Refill Phase

Finally, the taverns are refilled with new dwarves from the deck and a new round begins.

At the end of the game, players add up the points from their dwarves and the player with the highest total wins.

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

The game of ‘Nidavellir’ ends after the third age, when all dwarves have been recruited from each tavern. Each player must then follow specific steps to finalize their score and determine the ultimate winner of the game. The victory conditions are based on the total value of the player’s army, their rank tokens, and the value of their Hero tokens.

Steps to take before final scoring:

Calculate Army Value: Each player adds up the value of all the dwarves in their army. This includes all the miners, blacksmiths, hunters, explorers, and warriors they’ve recruited throughout the game.
Calculate Rank Tokens: The player adds up the value of all their rank tokens. These tokens are earned by having the highest total coin value in each tavern.
Calculate Hero Tokens: Each hero token has a specific value. The player adds these values to their total score.

Victory Conditions:

Most Total Points: The player with the highest total points from their army value, rank tokens, and hero tokens wins the game.
Tie-Breaker: If there’s a tie, the player with the most valuable rank token wins. If there’s still a tie, the player with the highest total coin value wins.

If none of these conditions break the tie, then the game ends in a draw. The player with the most points is declared the winner and earns the honor of leading the dwarves in the fight against the dragon Fafnir.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

‘Nidavellir’ is a unique bidding and collection game where players aim to recruit the most prestigious company of dwarves. The final score in ‘Nidavellir’ is calculated based upon the player’s collection of dwarves, treasure, and rank insignia. Here is how each component contributes to the player’s final score:

Dwarf Collection: There are five types of dwarves in ‘Nidavellir’, each with its own scoring mechanism:

Blacksmiths: The score is the square of the number of blacksmiths a player has.
Explorers: The score is the sum of the values of the explorers a player has.
Hunters: The score is the number of hunters multiplied by the value of the highest hunter.
Miners: The score is the sum of the series from 1 to the number of miners a player has.
Warriors: The score is the sum of the values of the warriors a player has.

Treasure: Each treasure token a player has is worth 5 points.

Rank Insignia: Each rank insignia a player has is worth 5 points, plus any bonus for having the most of a particular type of dwarf.

Players calculate their final scores by adding up the points from their dwarf collection, treasures, and rank insignia. The player with the highest total score wins the game.

If there is a tie, the game has specific tie-breaking rules:

The player with the most coins remaining wins.
If there is still a tie, the player with the highest total of dwarf values wins.
If there is still a tie, the player who recruited the most dwarves wins.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Nidavellir is a unique bidding and set collection game where players lead a team of dwarves to earn the most glory. While the game’s rules are generally straightforward, there are a few special rules, exceptions and clarifications that are important to note:

1. Hero Card Exceptions:

The Hero cards in Nidavellir are distinguished by their unique abilities, and they often have exceptions to the standard rules. For instance, the Commander card is not considered part of any class but can be used as a wild card to complete any set. Similarly, the Blacksmith card’s value isn’t determined by its rank, but rather by the number of Blacksmiths you’ve collected.

2. Coin Value Increase Rule:

One of the unique mechanics in Nidavellir is the way coin values increase. When a player bids with two coins, those coins are returned to the bank and replaced with a single coin of a value equal to their sum. This rule can lead to strategic decisions about when and how to increase your coin values.

3. The Royal Offering:

Another special rule revolves around the Royal Offering. This phase only occurs after the second and fourth rounds. During a Royal Offering, players can trade in their dwarves for more powerful ones, potentially dramatically altering the balance of their armies.

4. Scoring Exceptions:

Scoring in Nidavellir is largely based on set collection, but there are a few exceptions. For example, the Warrior class scores based on the rank of your highest-ranked Warrior, multiplied by the number of Warriors in your army. Additionally, Explorer cards score points equal to their rank, but also give bonus points based on the number of different ranks of Explorers you have.

Rule Clarifications:

In the case of a tie in the taverns, the player with the lower overall coin value wins.
During a Royal Offering, a player can only trade in dwarves of a single class, not a mix of classes.
If the draw deck runs out, reshuffle the discard pile to form a new deck.
The total value of coins used to recruit dwarves is not added to a player’s final score.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Nidavellir is a unique bidding and set collection game where players are trying to build the most powerful army of dwarves. The game centers around the clever coin management system and the tavern drafting mechanic. Here are some expert strategies, beginner tips, common mistakes to avoid, and ways to optimize gameplay.

Advanced Strategies:

Manage your coins wisely: The clever coin management system is the heart of Nidavellir. You should aim to increase the value of your coins whenever possible. If you bid with your lowest coin, you will get to upgrade one of your other coins. This can lead to powerful combinations in the later rounds.
Plan your sets: Concentrate on collecting dwarves of a few types to maximize your points. Trying to collect all types of dwarves can spread you too thin.
Use Hero cards effectively: Hero cards can provide huge point bonuses or powerful abilities. If you can get a Hero card that synergizes with your dwarf collection, it can greatly increase your score.

Beginner Tips:

Remember to use your lowest coin from time to time to upgrade your other coins.
Try to focus on a few types of dwarves at the start of the game. It’s easier to collect dwarves of a few types than to try to collect all types.
Pay attention to the abilities of the Hero cards. They can greatly enhance your strategy if used correctly.

Common Mistakes to avoid:

Ignoring Coin Upgrades: Upgrading your coins is crucial in Nidavellir. If you ignore this aspect of the game, you will find it hard to win the higher value dwarves in the later rounds.
Spreading too thin: Trying to collect all types of dwarves can be a mistake. It’s better to focus on a few types and try to collect as many dwarves of those types as possible.
Underestimating Hero cards: Hero cards can be game changers. Underestimating their power can be a big mistake.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Efficient Coin Management: Always keep an eye out for opportunities to upgrade your coins. This will give you an edge in the bidding phase and help you build a stronger army.
Strategic Set Collection: Choose a few dwarf types to focus on and collect them strategically. Remember, the more dwarves of the same type you have, the more points you can earn.
Utilize Hero Cards: Incorporate the usage of Hero cards into your strategy. They can provide significant point bonuses and abilities that can greatly enhance your gameplay.