Pandemic Legacy: Season 2

2017

An immersive 2-4 player board game, Pandemic Legacy: Season 2, where players strive to survive a global plague and rescue the remnants of civilization.

60
minutes

2 - 4
player(s)

14+

Medium Heavy

About the game

Pandemic Legacy: Season 2 is a captivating, cooperative board game that thrusts players into a dystopian future where humanity is on the brink of extinction. This game is the sequel to the critically acclaimed Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 and continues to push the boundaries of interactive, narrative-driven gameplay in the board game arena.

The setting of the game is a post-apocalyptic world, 71 years after the first dreadful pandemic. The world’s major cities have collapsed due to the ravaging disease, and a small group of survivors, living on floating stations known as “havens,” is all that remains of civilization. The players are part of a team of specialists who strive to keep the last cities alive, deliver supplies, connect fragmented communities, and prevent the complete annihilation of humanity.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Pandemic Legacy: Season 2 is an innovative, cooperative game experience that carries over the span of a year. The game components allow players to navigate through a world ravaged by plagues, working together to survive. Here are the components you will find in your game box:

1. Rulebook: The rulebook guides players through the gameplay, explaining how to set up the game, the order of play, and the rules for various actions. As the game progresses, new rules and components will be introduced, so the rulebook is an essential guide.

2. Game Board: The game board is a map of the world, featuring various cities, sea routes, and haven locations. Players move their characters across the board to deliver supplies and prevent the spread of plagues.

3. 16 Character Pawns: Each player will control a character pawn, representing their character on the game board. These pawns move around the board, performing actions to help prevent the spread of the plague.

4. 5 Dossiers: These dossiers are sealed packages that contain new rules, components, and plot developments. Players will be instructed to open these at certain points in the game.

5. 4 Haven Worker Pawns: These pawns represent the workers stationed in the havens, the last safe places in the world. They can be used to perform special actions that help the players.

6. 36 Supply Cubes: Supply cubes represent the resources players have to combat the plague. They are placed in cities to prevent outbreaks and can be moved around the board by the players.

7. 8 Plague Cubes: Plague cubes represent the spread of the plague. When a city has too many plague cubes, an outbreak occurs, spreading the plague to adjacent cities.

8. 96 Player Cards: These cards give players special abilities and resources. They can also trigger outbreaks of the plague. Player cards are drawn at the beginning of each turn.

9. 6 Reference Cards: These cards provide a quick reference to the rules of the game, helping players remember their options during their turn.

10. 4 Character Cards: Each player has a character card that represents their role in the game. These cards have special abilities that can aid the players in their mission.

11. 61 Legacy Cards: Legacy cards introduce new rules, components, and plot developments. They are drawn at certain points in the game and can dramatically alter the course of play.

12. 48 Infection Cards: These cards dictate where and when the plague spreads. At the end of each player’s turn, a number of infection cards are drawn, and plague cubes are placed in the corresponding cities.

13. Various Stickers: Stickers are used to permanently alter the game board, character cards, and other components. This represents the ongoing changes in the world as the game progresses.

14. 4 Civilian Pawns: These pawns represent non-player characters. They can be moved by players to help deliver supplies or combat the plague.

15. Scratch-Off Locations: Scratch-off locations on the game board reveal secrets and surprises when scratched off. Players will be instructed to scratch these off at certain points in the game.

16. 4 Pawns with Plastic Stands: These pawns can be customized with stickers to represent unique characters. They can be used in place of the standard character pawns.

17. 3 Sealed Packages: These mysterious packages contain unknown components that will be introduced at specific points in the game. They add new twists and challenges to the gameplay.

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

Setting Up Pandemic Legacy: Season 2

Pandemic Legacy: Season 2 is a cooperative game where players work together to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. The game combines elements of role-playing, strategy, and luck.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to set up the game:

Board Placement: Place the game board in the center of the table where all players can easily reach it. Make sure there is enough room around the board for the player cards, infection cards, and supply cubes.
Player Roles: Each player chooses a character and takes the corresponding character card. The characters have unique abilities that can help the team during the game. Place the characters on the “Haven” space on the board.
Initial Resources: Each player starts with a number of supply cubes equal to the population of their starting location. These cubes can be used to build structures, cure diseases, or trade with other players. In addition, each player is dealt a number of player cards equal to the number of players plus two.
Random Elements: Shuffle the infection cards and place them face down next to the board. Draw the top two cards and place the corresponding number of plague cubes on the indicated cities. Then, shuffle the player cards and deal a number of cards to each player equal to the number of players plus two.
Setup Objectives: Choose your starting objectives from the “Legacy Deck”. These objectives will guide your actions during the game. Place the objectives next to the board where all players can see them.
Preparation: Place the “Haven” and “Supply Center” tokens on the board. The supply centers are where players can gather resources and the havens are safe spaces where players can rest and heal.

With everything in place, you are now ready to start your adventure in Pandemic Legacy: Season 2. Remember, teamwork is key to survival in this challenging game.

Game flow Round and round we go

Pandemic Legacy: Season 2 is a cooperative game where players work together to save humanity from a deadly plague. The game is played in a series of rounds, each consisting of three parts: the Do Actions phase, the Draw Cards phase, and the Infect Cities phase.

Do Actions Phase:

In this phase, each player can perform up to four actions on their turn. These can include:

Drive/Ferry: Move from one location to an adjacent location.
Make Supplies: Create new supplies at your current location, if it has a supply center.
Deliver Supplies: Place supplies from your character card onto your current location.
Build Supply Center: If you have five cards of the same color as your current location, discard them to build a supply center.
Produce Supplies: If you are in a location with a supply center, you may fill it with supplies.

Draw Cards Phase:

The active player draws two cards from the player deck. If they draw an Epidemic Card, the following steps must be followed:

Move the infection rate marker up one space.
Draw the bottom card from the infection deck, place three cubes on that city, and place the card into the infection discard pile.
Shuffle the cards in the infection discard pile, place them on top of the infection deck.

Infect Cities Phase:

The active player draws a number of cards equal to the current infection rate from the top of the infection deck. Each drawn city either loses one supply cube (if present) or gains one plague cube (if no supply cubes are present).

The game continues in this way, with players aiming to complete the objectives given at the start of the game. These objectives can include creating a certain number of supply centers, connecting a certain number of cities to the grid, or finding a cure for the plague. The game ends when either all objectives are met (a win) or when eight outbreaks occur, the player deck runs out, or the supply of cubes runs out (all losses).

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In Pandemic Legacy: Season 2, a player’s turn is divided into three steps: Do Actions, Draw Cards, and Infections. Here’s a detailed explanation of these steps:

1. Do Actions:

The player may perform up to four actions, choosing from the following options:

Drive/Ferry: The player can move to a connected city.
Sail: The player can discard a city card to move to any location on the grid.
Make Supplies: The player can spend an action to fill their current city with supplies from the reserve.
Deliver Supplies: The player can spend an action to place one supply cube from their character card onto their current city.
Charter Boat: The player may discard a city card to move to any location on the grid from the city named on the card.
Build a Supply Center: The player may discard five cards of the same color to build a supply center in their current city.
Inoculate: The player can remove one plague cube from a city, if they have the corresponding city card.

2. Draw Cards:

The player draws two cards from the player deck, adding them to their hand. If an Epidemic card is drawn, the player must immediately resolve it.

3. Infections:

The player draws a number of cards equal to the current infection rate from the infection deck, adding plague cubes to the corresponding cities. If a city is out of supply cubes when it is infected, it gains a plague cube instead.

Strategic choices in Pandemic Legacy: Season 2 involve managing resources effectively, cooperating with other players to distribute supplies, and deciding which cities to prioritize for building supply centers. The consequences of these decisions can greatly impact the game’s progression, making each turn a critical part of the overarching strategy.

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

Pandemic Legacy: Season 2 is a cooperative board game that unfolds over the course of a year in your game world. Each game session represents a month, and your actions have permanent impact on the game world. The game ends when you have completed the December game session, but the exact conditions for victory can vary depending on your actions throughout the game.

Victory Conditions:

The primary victory condition in Pandemic Legacy: Season 2 is to complete the objectives given on the objective cards for each month. These objectives can involve a variety of tasks, such as building supply centers, finding specific locations, or delivering certain resources. If players complete all of the objectives for a given month, they win that game session and can proceed to the next month.

However, the game also includes a secondary victory condition known as the “Final Cure”. If players can discover the cure to the plague that is spreading across the world, they can instantly win the game, regardless of whether they have completed all of the objectives for the current month. Discovering the Final Cure requires players to collect and deliver a specific set of resources to a certain location.

End of Game Actions:

At the end of each game session (whether you win or lose), you must perform the following actions before moving on to the next session:

Record your actions: Use the included stickers to mark your progress on the game board. This includes noting which cities have been infected, which supply centers have been built, and any other changes to the game state.
Adjust your resources: Count up the total number of supply cubes left on the board and use this to adjust the “population” of your game world. Cities with no supply cubes are in danger of being lost, which can have serious consequences in future game sessions.
Check your funding level: Depending on whether you won or lost the previous game session, your funding level may increase or decrease. This affects how many resource cards you get at the start of the next game session.
Choose upgrades: If you won the game session, you can choose two upgrades to apply to your game world. These can include things like permanent supply centers, character abilities, or city defenses.

Remember, in Pandemic Legacy: Season 2, your actions have long-term consequences. The choices you make in one game session can affect your chances of victory in future sessions. So plan carefully and work together to save humanity!

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

Pandemic Legacy: Season 2 is a cooperative legacy game. Throughout the game, players work together to save humanity from a plague that threatens to wipe out civilization. The players’ performance across the game’s 12 ‘months’ (or rounds) will determine the final score. Here’s how the scoring system works:

Scoring at the end of each month:

Each city that remains on the grid at the end of the game scores 1 point.
Each city with a supply center scores 1 additional point.

Scoring at the end of the game:

At the end of the final month (December), players total their scores from each month to get the final score. The scoring is as follows:

For each month you won in the first attempt, you get 2 points.
For each month you won in the second attempt, you get 1 point.
For each month you lost twice, you get 0 points.

Tie-Breaking Rules:

In the event of a tie, the following rules are applied in order, until the tie is broken:

The team with the most supply centers on the grid wins.
If still tied, the team that won the most games wins.
If still tied, the team that won the earliest game in the year wins.

Remember, the objective of the game is not just to score points, but to save humanity. So, work together and strategize your moves carefully!

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Pandemic Legacy: Season 2 is a cooperative strategy game with a progressive campaign, which introduces new rules and game elements as you play. Here are some of the key special rules, exceptions, and clarifications:

1. Exposures: Unlike the original Pandemic, players can be exposed to the plague, which can lead to various consequences including scars and character loss. The exposure is tracked on a personal exposure track.

Scar: If a player receives a scar, they must choose a scar sticker from the sticker sheet and place it in a scar slot on their character card.
Loss: If a player would have to add a scar and no empty scar slots are available, the character is lost.

2. Havens and Supply Centers: These are safe places where the plague cannot spread. They are represented by different symbols.

Havens: Havens are not cities and cannot be infected by the plague. They also can’t be built or destroyed.
Supply Centers: Supply Centers protect cities from plague cubes as long as the center remains. If a city with a supply center is to be infected, nothing happens.

3. End of Game: The game does not end immediately when the player deck runs out. Instead, players finish the current round so that all players have an equal number of turns.

4. Stockpile Cards: Players can hold any number of these cards. They don’t count against the hand limit.

5. Exploration: At the beginning, not all cities on the board are accessible. Players have to explore to discover new cities, which could reveal new rules or components.

Recon: A recon action allows players to open a sealed package or box, revealing new rules, components, and parts of the game board.

6. Game Calendar: The game progresses over a year, with each game representing a month. Players have two attempts to win each month. If they lose the first game in a month, they try again.

7. Sticker Placement: Stickers, once placed on the board or cards, generally cannot be removed. Incorrect placement can have long-term effects on the game.

Permanent Changes: Certain actions will cause permanent changes to the game, such as marking a city as fallen or adding a sticker to a card. These changes are permanent and affect future games.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Advanced Strategies:

Pandemic Legacy: Season 2 requires strategic planning and collaboration. Here are some advanced strategies:

Focus on creating supply centers early in the game. They provide critical advantages and can be used for various purposes.
Use your character abilities wisely. The right use at the right time can significantly impact the game.
Conserve your resources. Only draw supply cubes when necessary.
Always have a back-up plan. The game is unpredictable, and you need to be prepared for any scenario.

Beginner Tips:

For those new to Pandemic Legacy: Season 2, here are some helpful tips:

Ensure you understand the rules thoroughly before beginning. It will help you make better strategic decisions.
Communicate with your teammates. The game is collaborative, and open communication can make a big difference.
Start with a balanced team. Having a variety of abilities can be highly beneficial.
Don’t be afraid to take risks. It’s part of the game and can lead to great rewards.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

It’s easy to make mistakes in Pandemic Legacy: Season 2. Avoid these common pitfalls:

Don’t forget the infection rate. It’s easy to focus on other aspects and forget about this crucial element.
Don’t ignore the Hollow Men. They pose a significant threat and should be dealt with appropriately.
Avoid using all your supplies at once. You might need them later.
Don’t forget to plan for the future. The decisions you make now can affect later rounds.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

To optimize your gameplay in Pandemic Legacy: Season 2, consider these tips:

Use your actions wisely. Every action counts, so think carefully before making a move.
Keep track of the cards. Knowing what’s in the player deck can help you plan better.
Remember to replenish supplies regularly. Running out can lead to disaster.
Work as a team. Collaboration is key in this game, and working together can lead to success.