PRINT & PLAY

Despite a war-torn land, elders from rival nations still convene to try and find
peace. The tool for that diplomacy? The elegant, and time-honored game of
Paiko. Outwitting another elder on the game board wins you the respect you
need to make your case for peace in the land. Can you out-fox your opponent
and win that coveted prize?

PLAYTESTING
This game does not head to print until early Summer 2016. If you’ve any
feedback on the rules or the rulebook, feel free to email that to
randall@catalystgamelabs.com. Note that if any of your suggestions are
used to improve the game, there is simply no room for your name in the rule-
book, nor is there other compensation in any form.
To Start Playing...
Who Gets White or Black
• Randomly determine who receives which color (or simply choose).
• Choose a homeground. Both homegrounds (Fishes/Flowers) are equivalent.
• White will start first with fewer tiles.
• Black will go second with more tiles.
Build Your Hand
Rules of Engagement
• Gather all 24 of your tiles into a pile, called your tile reserve. All tiles are always face up.
For 2 players. 20-45 minutes.
• White picks out 7 tiles into a starting hand. The Board Opponent’s
• Black picks out 9 tiles into a starting hand. homeground
• White then picks out 1 more tile for their hand.
Middle
White Starts Play ground Half squares are not used.
• White plays a turn followed by black, and players continue to alternate until one wins.
Black squares are not used.

To Win, Obtain 10 points

• 2 points for each of your tiles currently on your opponent’s homeground.
• 1 point for each of your tiles currently on middle ground.
• The game ends as a tie if each player has lost 13 or more tiles and has 5 or fewer points. Your
homeground Discard pile
You start play here. Captured tiles end here.
Tiles: Threat and Cover
• All tiles take 2 Threat to capture, or 3 if in Cover. Tiles can shift up to 2 unless noted. The Tiles
• The tiles’ special abilities are exceptions to the regular game rules.
• White tiles are shown below.
• The tiles Threaten red squares ( ), and provide Cover to redheart squares ( ). Your Your hand • 3 each of 8 tiles
tile reserve Play from these tiles. in black and white.
Spend a turn to
draw from here. Tiles are placed in the squares, not on the lines. Icons on the edges
of tiles shows Threat with triangles and Cover with circles.

The Goal
Air Fire Bow Sai To win, obtain 10 points
Cannot shift. Threatens itself and all tiles in Can shift 2 immediately
• 2 points for each of your tiles
Threatens like a its Threat. Thus it is captured upon being deployed, currently on your opponent’s
knight in chess. by 1 Threat, or 2 if in Cover. before capture phase. homeground.
You can’t deploy on its Threat.
• 1 point for each of your tiles
currently on middle ground.
• The game ends as a tie if each player has lost 13 or more tiles and has 5 or fewer points.

Game & Graphic Design: Mike Irving, Marianne Waage

Lotus
Covers itself. Cannot shift.
Can deploy in any unoccupied
square, even in up to 2 Threat
or in the black squares.
Gives no points toward victory.
Development: Randall N. Bills
Layout: Matt Heerdt
Earth Water Sword Playtesters: Too many to thank individually. Thank you for helping make a great game!
Only shifts Optionally, instead of shifting,
1 square. a Water already on the board can be ©2016 Catalyst Game Labs. All Rights Reserved. Paikō is a trademark of Catalyst Game Labs in the United States and/or other
countries. No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,
re-deployed like a tile from your hand. without the prior permission in writing of the Copyright Owner, nor be otherwise circulated in any form other than that in
You can re-deploy water in its own Threat. which it is published. Catalyst Game Labs and the Catalyst Game Labs logo is a trademark of InMediaRes Productions, LLC.
Catalyst Game Labs logo is a trademark of InMediaRes Productions, LLC.
 Tiles Threat 2xThreat Cover
On Your Turn... 2x Deploying
Yours Shifting and
Key 2x
...do one of these three things in your Action Phase Theirs rotating

Deploy a Tile deploy

• Deploy a tile from your deploy Can’t
hand onto the board. deploy Can’t
deploy
• Hint: Can get you more points.
• Hint: Can strengthen your forces.
Your hand
You can also deploy Cannot deploy on Cannot deploy on
You can deploy a tile squares that Threaten other tiles or on
in your homeground. a tile on squares
Draw 3 Tiles you Threaten. you, even in your black squares.
homeground or cover.
• Draw up to 3 tiles of your choice from
your tile reserve into your hand. All
tiles are always face up.
2x
2x

Shift a Tile
• Shift a tile already on the board.
• Hint: Get into already Threatened squares.
• Hint: Run away! You can shift up to 2 squares Cannot shift to or through Cannot shift to or Cannot shift the same tile
• Hint: Conserve your hand. (each non-diagonally) and rotate squares with enough Threat through other tiles 4 turns in a row. Water and
to face any non-diagonal direction. to capture your tile. or black squares. Sai’s special shifts count
toward this limit.

and Capture Tiles... CHECK

2x
...after your Action Phase, capture based 2x
1. Tile THREAT
on Threat during the Capture Phase deployed 2x
3. New tile 2x
in Action 2x 2x
Threat Phase CAPTURE
• Capture tiles in 2 or more Threat.
• Hint: Use Threat to spread your
forces and block your opponent. 2. Capture :) After capturing, recheck
Cannot end your action with For each tile captured, Threat and repeat. Wait
Capturing tiles is a pleasant one of your tiles Threatened Capture opponent’s tiles Threatened your opponent will choose
secondary objective. by at least 2 of yours. Set aside to capture fire tiles last
enough to be captured. a tile for you to draw. and all at once.
captured tiles in the discard pile.

Captured
Cover
• A tile in Cover requires 3 Threat to
capture rather than 2.
• Cover does not allow you to deploy tiles. 3x

• Even in Cover you can't deploy in

opponent’s Threat.

After your Action Phase and the Capture Phase, Your homeground Your tiles can also Unlike Threat, 3 Threat captures a tile
your opponent takes their turn. grants you cover. grant you Cover. Cover is no cumulative. in any amount of Cover.
(Lotus tile shown.) (Lotus tile shown.) (Cover and Threat not shown.)