Paleo

2020

Embrace the challenges of 10,000 BCE in Paleo, a co-op board game. Gather resources, craft tools, feed your tribe, and leave your mark with a mammoth painting!

60
minutes

2 - 4
player(s)

10+

Medium

About the game

Paleo is a cooperative board game that transports you back to the early days of human history. You and your fellow players will form a tribe of early humans struggling to survive and thrive in the harsh conditions of the Stone Age.

The game is set in prehistoric times, a period full of danger, discovery, and raw survival instincts. Each player leads a person in the tribe, navigating the challenges of the harsh environment, hunting for food, crafting tools, and building shelters, all while exploring a world full of hidden surprises and dangers.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Paleo is a cooperative adventure game where players work together to complete a cave painting. The game comes with various components that are essential to gameplay. Here’s a breakdown of each component and its role in the game:

1. Game Cards: These are the primary game pieces. They include:

Module Decks: These are a set of 10 decks, each with its own theme, represented by a symbol on the back of the cards. These decks make up the majority of the cards that will be encountered during the game.
Base Camp Deck: This deck represents the home of the players’ tribe and contains several important cards, such as the cave painting card and the graveyard card.
Morning Deck: This deck is drawn from at the start of each day in the game, setting the scenario for that day’s adventure.

2. Player Boards: Each player has a board that represents their character in the game. The board has spots for health, tools, and a dream card. The health and tool spots are self-explanatory, while the dream card represents a personal goal for the character.

3. Tokens: These are various game pieces that are used to represent different things in the game. They include:

Health Tokens: These are used to keep track of a character’s health on their player board. If a character loses all of their health, they die and the game ends.
Tool Tokens: These are placed on a character’s player board and represent the tools they have available to them.
Food Tokens: These are collected during the game and are used to feed the tribe at the end of each day.

4. Dice: The game comes with three dice that are used during certain card actions. The symbols on the dice represent different possible outcomes of those actions.

5. Cave Painting: This is the primary objective of the game. It starts blank, and players must work together to complete it. Once it’s completed, the players win the game.

6. Life Points Marker: This marker keeps track of the tribe’s collective life points on the cave painting card. If the marker ever reaches zero, the game ends and the players lose.

7. Mission Cards: These cards provide specific objectives that the players can attempt to complete for additional benefits.

Each of these elements interact in unique ways to create a dynamic and challenging game experience. Players must use their tools and resources wisely, make strategic decisions, and work together to stay alive and complete the cave painting.

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

Paleo is an adventurous cooperative board game where players take on the roles of prehistoric humans striving to survive and improve their community. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to set up the game:

1. Player Roles:

Each player will assume the role of a prehistoric human. The roles aren’t specific and don’t have unique abilities. All players will work together to make decisions and overcome challenges.

2. Board Placement:

Place the base camp board in the middle of the table. This board will serve as the central point for all players. It’s where you’ll place the various piles of cards and tokens used throughout the game.

3. Initial Resources:

Each player begins the game with a deck of 7 personal cards. Shuffle these cards and place them face down in front of you. Each player also receives 1 random tool from the tool bag.

4. Card Piles:

Shuffle the Day deck and place it face down on the base camp board. Do the same for the Night deck. These decks will provide the challenges and opportunities your group will face during the day and night phases. Separate the module cards into five piles, shuffle each pile, and place them face down on the base camp board.

5. Placing Tokens:

Place the food tokens, wood tokens, and skull tokens in separate piles on the base camp board. Each player starts with 2 food tokens and 1 wood token. Skull tokens represent the health of your group – if you ever have to draw a skull token and none are left, your group has perished and the game is over.

6. Random Elements:

Next, place the hazard die near the base camp board. This die adds a random element to the game, as it is rolled to determine the outcome of certain card actions. Likewise, the tool bag, from which you draw your initial tool, introduces a random element to the game.

7. Setting Up Players:

Each player draws the top card of their personal deck and places it face up in front of them. This card represents the current task your prehistoric human is working on.

With the setup complete, you’re ready to start playing Paleo!

Game flow Round and round we go

‘Paleo’ is a cooperative adventure game where players work together to complete a cave painting and overcome different challenges thrown their way, from building tools to fighting off wild animals. The game is played over several rounds, each comprising different phases. Below is a detailed description of the game structure and what actions players perform at each stage.

Setup Phase:

Place the base camp in the middle of the table.
Shuffle the module decks separately and place them in a pile next to the base camp.
Each player receives a player board and places it in front of themselves.
Place the food, wood, and stone resources next to the base camp.
Shuffle the cave painting tiles and draw one, placing it next to the base camp. The rest can be returned to the box.

Day Phase:

Draw Card: Each player draws the top card from their deck and places it face-down in front of them without looking at it.
Choose Card: Players discuss and decide which cards to play. Once decided, they flip their chosen cards face up.
Action: The players then perform the actions depicted on the cards. This could be gathering resources, crafting tools, fighting off threats, or undertaking expeditions.
Cleanup: After the actions are resolved, players discard their cards and the day ends.

Night Phase:

Feeding: Each player must discard one food from their supply for each of their people who are not in a sleep area.
Rest: Players can discard cards from their hand into their discard pile and draw new cards from their deck until they have 3 cards in their hand.
Preparation: All cards in the discard pile are shuffled back into the deck, and the next day begins.

The game ends in victory if players complete the cave painting, and it ends in defeat if the group suffers too many wounds or if the deck runs out of cards for the third time.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

Paleo is a cooperative board game that requires strategic decision-making to survive in the Stone Age. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what happens during a player’s turn:

1. Drawing a Card: At the start of each player’s turn, they draw a card from their personal deck, keeping it secret from other players. Each card represents a task or challenge that the player can choose to tackle during their turn.

2. Choosing an Action: After drawing a card, the player has the option to choose one of three actions:

Work: The player can choose to work on the task represented by their card. This often requires the use of resources or skills, and may result in gaining a reward or facing a hazard.
Rest: If the player chooses to rest, they can return one of their exhausted people back to their supply and draw a new card, which they can choose to work on in their next turn.
Assist: Alternatively, the player can choose to assist another player with their task. This can be beneficial if the other player’s task is particularly difficult or if the assisting player is not equipped to handle their own task.

3. Resolving the Action: After choosing an action, the player resolves it. This may involve rolling dice, spending resources, or making strategic decisions. The outcome can impact the player’s resources, health, or progress towards winning the game.

4. Ending the Turn: The player’s turn ends after their action has been resolved. If the player completed a task, they place their card in the discard pile. If the player rested or assisted, their card remains face up in front of them. The next player then begins their turn.

In Paleo, strategic choices are crucial. The players must work together to survive, balancing the need to gather resources, tackle tasks, and handle any hazards that arise. The cooperative nature of the game means that players must constantly communicate and strategize, making it a dynamic and engaging gaming experience.

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

The game of ‘Paleo’ ends when either a victory condition is met or a defeat condition is triggered. The end of the game can occur on any player’s turn, immediately after either condition is met.

Victory Conditions

Victory in ‘Paleo’ is achieved cooperatively. All players win together when one of the following conditions is met:

Completing a Cave Painting: The primary victory condition is to complete a cave painting which consists of 5 pieces. Players collectively gather these pieces by successfully overcoming challenges throughout the game. When the fifth piece of the cave painting is added, all players immediately win the game.
Special Scenarios: Some modules introduce special scenarios with unique victory conditions. If these conditions are met, all players win the game together.

Defeat Conditions

Conversely, all players lose the game together when one of the following conditions is triggered:

Exhausting the Life Point Marker: If the group’s life point marker is moved to the last space of the life point track, all players immediately lose the game.
Unable to Draw More Cards: If a player cannot draw a card at the start of their day phase because their deck is empty, all players lose the game.

Before final scoring, players must ensure they have resolved any remaining actions or events from the current turn. If the victory condition was met during the middle of a turn, the turn is completed before the game ends. Any end-of-turn effects or actions should be resolved as usual.

Final Scoring

Although ‘Paleo’ is primarily a cooperative game, players can still compare scores at the end to see who contributed the most to the group’s survival. Points are awarded for the following:

Survivors: Each survivor in a player’s group awards 1 point.
Tools: Each tool a player has crafted awards 1 point.
Cave Painting: If the players have completed the cave painting, each player receives a number of points equal to the number of painting pieces they contributed.

The player with the highest score is considered the most valuable member of the group.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

Paleo is a cooperative strategy board game where players work together to overcome the Stone Age’s challenges. The primary objective is to create a wall painting, which requires collecting 5 “Victory Point” cards. However, the scoring system is multi-faceted and includes both positive and negative points.

Here’s how the full scoring system works:

Victory Points: Players earn victory points by completing modules, overcoming challenges, and surviving the day. Each victory point card is added to the group’s wall painting.
Death Tokens: These tokens represent the setbacks and casualties of the group. Each death token equates to negative points. If a player collects 5 death tokens, the game ends immediately, and all players lose.

The game ends either when players have collected 5 victory point cards and completed their wall painting, or when a player collects 5 death tokens. If players complete the wall painting, they win the game. If a player collects 5 death tokens, all players lose.

In case of a tie, where two or more players complete their wall paintings on the same turn, the tie-breaking rules are as follows:

Least Death Tokens: The player with the fewest death tokens wins. If there’s still a tie, move to the next rule.
Most Food and Wood: The player with the most combined food and wood resources wins. If there’s still a tie, move to the next rule.
Most Resources: The player with the most total resources (including spears, pelts, and stones) wins. If there’s still a tie, then all tied players share the victory.

Remember, Paleo is a cooperative game. So, even if one player does slightly better than the others, the entire group wins or loses together.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Paleo is a cooperative adventure board game that demands strategic thinking and careful planning. While the game rules are quite straightforward, there are certain special rules, exceptions, and clarifications that players should be aware of to ensure a smooth gaming experience:

1. End of the Day Exception: Generally, players draw a new card from their deck at the start of a new day. However, if a player’s deck is empty at the start of a new day, they do not draw a new card. Instead, they must take one of their people from the camp and place it in their personal area.

2. Special Rule for ‘Fire’ Cards: When you play a ‘Fire’ card from your hand, it’s not discarded like other cards. Instead, it’s placed on your ‘Fire’ space. It remains there for the rest of the game and can be used in later rounds.

3. Food Card Clarifications: When a player uses a ‘Food’ card to feed their people, the card is not discarded. Instead, it is returned to the player’s hand.

4. Rule for ‘Spear’ Cards: A ‘Spear’ card provides a player with one spear point. However, a player can only use a ‘Spear’ card if they have at least one person in their area. If a player has no people in their area, they cannot use a ‘Spear’ card.

5. Exception for ‘Injury’ Cards: If a player draws an ‘Injury’ card, they must immediately place it in their area. Unlike other cards, an ‘Injury’ card cannot be placed in the camp.

6. Special Rule for ‘Sleep’ Cards: If a player has a ‘Sleep’ card in their hand at the end of the day, they must discard it. However, if a player has a ‘Sleep’ card in their area at the end of the day, it remains there and can be used in the next day.

7. Exception for ‘Woolly Mammoth’ Cards: Unlike other animals, a ‘Woolly Mammoth’ cannot be defeated by spear points alone. It also requires a ‘Fire’ card.

8. Clarification for ‘Tool’ Cards: A ‘Tool’ card can be used by any player, not just the player who played it. However, a ‘Tool’ card can only be used once per day.

These are some of the special rules and exceptions that make ‘Paleo’ a unique and challenging game. Understanding these rules will help players navigate the game and work together more effectively.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Paleo is a cooperative adventure game where players work together to manage a prehistoric tribe. Players will have to make strategic decisions to survive the various challenges of the Stone Age. Here are some tips, strategies, and common mistakes to avoid to optimize your gameplay.

Advanced Strategies:

Efficient Card Management: Manage your cards wisely. Focus on completing the modules that will bring the most benefit to your tribe. Remember, every card you draw brings a new challenge or opportunity.
Resource Optimization: Always aim to optimize your resources. You should share resources among players whenever possible to ensure the survival of your tribe.
Strategic Planning: Plan your moves in advance. The order in which you play your cards can significantly influence the outcome of the game.

Beginner Tips:

Learn the Rules: Understand the game mechanics before you start playing. This will help you make better strategic decisions.
Cooperate: Paleo is a cooperative game, so teamwork is crucial. Communicate with your fellow players and plan your moves together.
Adapt: Be ready to adapt to changing circumstances. The game is full of surprises, and your survival depends on your ability to adjust your strategy on the fly.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Ignoring Threats: Never ignore the threats that come with each card. Neglecting to address these threats can lead to severe consequences.
Over-Reliance on Resources: Don’t rely too heavily on one type of resource. Diversify your resource collection to avoid being left vulnerable.
Isolated Gameplay: Avoid playing in isolation. Remember, Paleo is a cooperative game. The key to victory lies in effective team collaboration.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Use the game’s cooperative nature to your advantage: Discuss your cards and plan your actions with your teammates. Effective communication is key in Paleo.
Manage your tribe members wisely: Each member of your tribe has unique abilities. Make sure to utilize them effectively to overcome the challenges of the game.
Aim for the most beneficial modules: Some modules provide more benefits than others. Strive to complete these modules first to gain a significant advantage.