Torres Rules Summary and Player Aids v1

This document contains a rules summary and player aids for Torres. It is based on the latest
rules and includes information on the master version, variants, and the designers stated
preference for using the 3 block per stack limit (old rules) when playing 2 player.

Page 1: Contents
Page 2: Rules Summary
Page 3: 4 Player Aids (front)
Page 4: 4 Player Aids (back)

Created by Henry Allen (with permission from Paul Raggett for re-using the formatting and much of the text from his excellent
rules summary which can be found here: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/filepage/40329/torres-rule-summary-teaching-
aid).
Game Overview
Torres is a game that is played over 3 phases. Each phase is made up of a number of rounds in which players perform a variety of
actions to rebuild the kingdom’s castles. Scoring occurs at the end of each phase, based on the height of each player’s highest placed
knight within each castle, multiplied by the surface area of the castle. At the end, the player with the highest score wins.
Set Up
 Set out the game board.
 Place the King & the tower blocks next to the board.
 Place 8 tower blocks on the indicated spaces on the board.
 Each player
o Selects a color & takes the corresponding
 6 Knights
 Scoring marker
 Codex card
 Action cards
o Places their scoring marker at the start of the scoring
track and shuffles their action cards
 Select the Phase card that applies to the number of players.
The other Phase cards are discarded.
 Discard the Master cards (or see ‘Master Version’).
Game Flow
In the Beginning
 The youngest player starts the game.
 Play moves in a clockwise direction.
 Each player places one of their knights on an unclaimed
castle.
 The last player places the king on an unclaimed castle.
Game Play
 At the start of each phase, players are given stacks of tower
blocks from the common supply according to the Phase
card. The card indicates per phase how many stacks and the
size of each stack.
 Each phase is made up a number of rounds equal to the
number of tower block stacks assigned in the phase.
 Players have 5 action points (AP) to use on their turn each
round. Refer “Available Actions” for details.
End of Phase
 Scoring: At the end of each phase, players are scored in
clockwise order beginning with the starting player. All
players score for knights and castles first, then king’s bonus.
 The player with the lowest score may move the king to any
unclaimed castle space & starts the next phase.
Scoring
Knights and Castles
 Players score points for their highest placed knight in each
castle, multiplied by the surface area covered by the castle.
 Only one of each player’s knights is scored in each castle.
 Once a player has scored all his castles, if his scoring
marker is on an occupied space, the player moves his
marker to the next empty space (there can be no ties).
King’s Bonus
 After all players have scored for Knights and Castles,
players with knights in the castle where the King resides
receive the King’s bonus if they have at least one knight at
the appropriate level. The required level and associated
bonus per phase are indicated on the Phase card.
o Ex: For phase 2, the player earns 10 points if they have
a Knight on level 2 of the castle with the King.
 Each player can only earn one King’s Bonus per scoring.
End of Game
The game ends after scoring the third phase. The player with the highest score wins.
Player Turn
On a player’s turn, the player has 5 action points (AP) to use.
At the start of each turn, the player chooses a tower block
stack for the current turn. At the end of the turn, un-played
blocks in the chosen stack may be redistributed to the player’s
remaining stacks (blocks left after the last turn of the phase
may be kept and added to stacks for the next phase)*.
Available Actions
 2 Add a knight
o orthogonally adjacent to a knight of the same color
o at either the same level or lower than the existing
knight
 1 Move a knight
o moves orthogonally to an adjacent empty space, may
move up only one level per move but may move down
any number of levels
OR
o may enter through an adjacent castle door & exit
through any other door of the castle at the same level
or lower
 1 Place a tower block
o can only be added to any existing castle
o cannot increase the height of a castle beyond its
surface area
o cannot join two castles (they may touch diagonally)
 1 Acquire an Action card (max twice per turn)
o draw 3, keep 1, return the others to the top or bottom
 0 Play 1 Action card (max once per turn)
o cards cannot be played in the turn in which they are
acquired
o played cards are discarded after use
 1 Move along the scoring track
o The player moves their scoring marker 1 space forward.
o If the player’s scoring marker lands on a space that
already has a scoring marker on it, the player places
their scoring marker on the next empty scoring space.
-----------------------------------------
Master Version (rules page 9)
 Initial placement of castles: players take turns placing
blocks to form initial castles (see page 9 for details).
 Action cards: each player starts with all action cards of their
color available in their hand. Acquiring a card is no longer an
available action.
 Turn order: After each round, the player with the most
points becomes the starting player.
 Master cards: During setup, shuffle the master cards and
draw one to be used this game (see pages 11-12 for
descriptions).
-----------------------------------------
Other Variants
 Stack limit*: No stack can be larger than 3 blocks. Blocks
that cannot be redistributed are returned to the supply.
 Common draw deck: All action cards are shuffled together
as a common deck at the beginning (instead of individual
decks). When acquiring a card, just take the top card.
* For 2 players, the designer recommends using the 3 block per
stack limit variant.
Available Actions (use 5 action points per turn)
 2 Add a knight
o orthogonally adjacent to a knight of the same color
o at either the same level or lower than the existing
knight
 1 Move a knight
o moves orthogonally to an adjacent empty space, may
move up only one level per move but may move down
any number of levels
OR
o may enter through an adjacent castle door & exit
through any other door of the castle at the same level
or lower
 1 Place a tower block
o can only be added to any existing castle
o cannot increase the height of a castle beyond its
surface area
o cannot join two castles (they may touch diagonally)
 1 Acquire an Action card (max twice per turn)
o draw 3, keep 1, return the others to the top or bottom
 0 Play 1 Action card (max once per turn)
o cards cannot be played in the turn in which they are
acquired
o played cards are discarded after use
 1 Move along the scoring track
o The player moves their scoring marker 1 space forward.
o If the player’s scoring marker lands on a space that
already has a scoring marker on it, the player places
their scoring marker on the next empty scoring space.
Available Actions (use 5 action points per turn)
 2 Add a knight
o orthogonally adjacent to a knight of the same color
o at either the same level or lower than the existing
knight
 1 Move a knight
o moves orthogonally to an adjacent empty space, may
move up only one level per move but may move down
any number of levels
OR
o may enter through an adjacent castle door & exit
through any other door of the castle at the same level
or lower
 1 Place a tower block
o can only be added to any existing castle
o cannot increase the height of a castle beyond its
surface area
o cannot join two castles (they may touch diagonally)
 1 Acquire an Action card (max twice per turn)
o draw 3, keep 1, return the others to the top or bottom
 0 Play 1 Action card (max once per turn)
o cards cannot be played in the turn in which they are
acquired
o played cards are discarded after use
 1 Move along the scoring track
o The player moves their scoring marker 1 space forward.
o If the player’s scoring marker lands on a space that
already has a scoring marker on it, the player places
their scoring marker on the next empty scoring space.
Available Actions (use 5 action points per turn)
 2 Add a knight
o orthogonally adjacent to a knight of the same color
o at either the same level or lower than the existing
knight
 1 Move a knight
o moves orthogonally to an adjacent empty space, may
move up only one level per move but may move down
any number of levels
OR
o may enter through an adjacent castle door & exit
through any other door of the castle at the same level
or lower
 1 Place a tower block
o can only be added to any existing castle
o cannot increase the height of a castle beyond its
surface area
o cannot join two castles (they may touch diagonally)
 1 Acquire an Action card (max twice per turn)
o draw 3, keep 1, return the others to the top or bottom
 0 Play 1 Action card (max once per turn)
o cards cannot be played in the turn in which they are
acquired
o played cards are discarded after use
 1 Move along the scoring track
o The player moves their scoring marker 1 space forward.
o If the player’s scoring marker lands on a space that
already has a scoring marker on it, the player places
their scoring marker on the next empty scoring space.
Available Actions (use 5 action points per turn)
 2 Add a knight
o orthogonally adjacent to a knight of the same color
o at either the same level or lower than the existing
knight
 1 Move a knight
o moves orthogonally to an adjacent empty space, may
move up only one level per move but may move down
any number of levels
OR
o may enter through an adjacent castle door & exit
through any other door of the castle at the same level
or lower
 1 Place a tower block
o can only be added to any existing castle
o cannot increase the height of a castle beyond its
surface area
o cannot join two castles (they may touch diagonally)
 1 Acquire an Action card (max twice per turn)
o draw 3, keep 1, return the others to the top or bottom
 0 Play 1 Action card (max once per turn)
o cards cannot be played in the turn in which they are
acquired
o played cards are discarded after use
 1 Move along the scoring track
o The player moves their scoring marker 1 space forward.
o If the player’s scoring marker lands on a space that
already has a scoring marker on it, the player places
their scoring marker on the next empty scoring space.
Place a tower block from any stack in your supply under
one of your knights. You may create a new castle but
may not make a castle taller than its surface area.
Place an additional tower block from the general supply
using normal placement rules.
Move any empty tower block on the board to another
empty space on the board. A castle may not be divided
by this action and you cannot use this action to make
either castle taller than its surface area. You may create
a new castle or you may eliminate a castle as long as
the total number of castles does not drop below 6.
Jump one of your knights up two levels to an empty
orthogonally adjacent space.
Move one of your knights into an adjacent door and exit
into an empty space out of any door in this castle.
Move one of your knights 1 space diagonally. You may
also move upward 1 level and/or move between castles.
Move one of your knights to an empty space on the
board as though you were adding a knight.
Move one of your knights past one other knight by
jumping over it. The knight must move in a straight line
orthogonally and into an empty space. In moving, the
knight may move up 1 level or down any number of
levels. The knight you jump over may be on any level.
You may use 6/7 action points instead of 5 on this turn.
Place a tower block from any stack in your supply under
one of your knights. You may create a new castle but
may not make a castle taller than its surface area.
Place an additional tower block from the general supply
using normal placement rules.
Move any empty tower block on the board to another
empty space on the board. A castle may not be divided
by this action and you cannot use this action to make
either castle taller than its surface area. You may create
a new castle or you may eliminate a castle as long as
the total number of castles does not drop below 6.
Jump one of your knights up two levels to an empty
orthogonally adjacent space.
Move one of your knights into an adjacent door and exit
into an empty space out of any door in this castle.
Move one of your knights 1 space diagonally. You may
also move upward 1 level and/or move between castles.
Move one of your knights to an empty space on the
board as though you were adding a knight.
Move one of your knights past one other knight by
jumping over it. The knight must move in a straight line
orthogonally and into an empty space. In moving, the
knight may move up 1 level or down any number of
levels. The knight you jump over may be on any level.
You may use 6/7 action points instead of 5 on this turn.
Place a tower block from any stack in your supply under
one of your knights. You may create a new castle but
may not make a castle taller than its surface area.
Place an additional tower block from the general supply
using normal placement rules.
Move any empty tower block on the board to another
empty space on the board. A castle may not be divided
by this action and you cannot use this action to make
either castle taller than its surface area. You may create
a new castle or you may eliminate a castle as long as
the total number of castles does not drop below 6.
Jump one of your knights up two levels to an empty
orthogonally adjacent space.
Move one of your knights into an adjacent door and exit
into an empty space out of any door in this castle.
Move one of your knights 1 space diagonally. You may
also move upward 1 level and/or move between castles.
Move one of your knights to an empty space on the
board as though you were adding a knight.
Move one of your knights past one other knight by
jumping over it. The knight must move in a straight line
orthogonally and into an empty space. In moving, the
knight may move up 1 level or down any number of
levels. The knight you jump over may be on any level.
You may use 6/7 action points instead of 5 on this turn.
Place a tower block from any stack in your supply under
one of your knights. You may create a new castle but
may not make a castle taller than its surface area.
Place an additional tower block from the general supply
using normal placement rules.
Move any empty tower block on the board to another
empty space on the board. A castle may not be divided
by this action and you cannot use this action to make
either castle taller than its surface area. You may create
a new castle or you may eliminate a castle as long as
the total number of castles does not drop below 6.
Jump one of your knights up two levels to an empty
orthogonally adjacent space.
Move one of your knights into an adjacent door and exit
into an empty space out of any door in this castle.
Move one of your knights 1 space diagonally. You may
also move upward 1 level and/or move between castles.
Move one of your knights to an empty space on the
board as though you were adding a knight.
Move one of your knights past one other knight by
jumping over it. The knight must move in a straight line
orthogonally and into an empty space. In moving, the
knight may move up 1 level or down any number of
levels. The knight you jump over may be on any level.
You may use 6/7 action points instead of 5 on this turn.