feat: add game tutorials and fix holdem community card animation
- Add tutorial.md for Farkel (written by Gerome, ski-themed), Forbidden Island (written by Balam, jaguar god), and Splendor (written by Juliet, florist) - Fix Holdem community card reveal: fly face-up cards with longer delay, remove flip animation, and suppress new community cards immediately after play action animation to prevent flash visibility
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# YO! Welcome to Farkle, My Friend!
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*By Gerome — free skier, powder chaser, cliff jumper, and certified dice maniac*
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---
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HEYYY! Gerome here. Just got back from a 47-inch powder day in the back bowls and I am WIRED. Come in, come in — kick the snow off your boots, grab a hot chocolate, and sit down because I am about to teach you the greatest dice game on the mountain. Or anywhere, really. But especially on the mountain.
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I found Farkle last winter at the ski lodge when the lifts shut down for wind. Six of us huddled around a table, dice flying everywhere, people screaming and groaning. First time I dropped four dice and scored zero? Total Farkle? My soul left my body. Just like that time I aired off the 60-foot cliff at Revelstoke and my brain went "wait, IS this a good idea?"
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Spoiler: the cliff was worth it. Farkle — also worth it. Let me show you why.
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## What's the Goal?
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First player to reach **10,000 points** triggers the final round, and the player with the highest score at the end wins. Simple as that. You build points by rolling six dice, picking out the ones that score, and then deciding: do you bank what you've got, or do you push your luck and roll again?
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It's exactly like standing at the top of a double-black diamond. You COULD ski the groomed run. Safe, easy, boring. Or you could drop into the couloir. Bigger reward. Bigger risk. Gerome drops into the couloir. Every time.
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## Getting on the Board
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Here's the thing — when you first start, **your points don't count** until you score **500 or more in a single turn**. That's your ticket onto the scoreboard. Think of it as your first run of the day: you gotta get down the mountain once before you can really start sending it.
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Once you're on the board, even small banking turns count. Until then? You're hiking back up with your skis on your shoulder.
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## How a Turn Works
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### Step 1: Roll All Six Dice
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Slap that Roll button and let 'em fly! Six dice, all tumbling. Your first read after the roll is: *is there anything here I can score with?*
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If there's NOTHING — no 1s, no 5s, no three-of-a-kinds, nothing — that's a **Farkle**. Turn over. Points lost. It's like dropping into a sick-looking line only to find the snow under the crust is pure ice and you're on your butt before you even get going. Happens to everyone. Pick yourself up. Next run.
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### Step 2: Set Aside Your Scoring Dice
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You MUST set aside at least one scoring die each roll. Click the dice you want to keep and they'll lock in. Check the scoring chart below — it tells you exactly what each combination is worth.
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The dice you set aside are done for this turn. The ones you didn't pick? Those are still live. You can keep rolling them.
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### Step 3: Roll Again or Bank
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Now the real decision. The moment of truth. The top of the cliff.
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**Bank it** — lock in your turn total and pass to the next player. Safe. Boring. Sometimes smart.
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**Roll again** — throw your remaining dice and try to score more. Every extra roll adds to your turn total. But if you roll and NOTHING scores? FARKLE. You lose every single point from this turn.
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More dice = more scoring combinations. Fewer dice = higher Farkle risk. When you're down to one or two dice, you're basically pointing your skis straight down a sheet of ice and hoping for the best. Thrilling? Yes. Recommended? Debatable.
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### Hot Dice — The Mountain Calls!
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Here's the best rule in the entire game: if you manage to set aside ALL SIX DICE in a single turn, you get **Hot Dice**. You pick up all six dice and roll again, keeping every point you've built up so far.
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Hot Dice is like hitting a perfect powder stash, ripping through it top to bottom, and then discovering there's a SECOND untouched powder field right below it. You are not stopping. You are rolling again. You are absolutely sending it.
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## Scoring Quick Reference
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| Combo | Points |
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|---|---|
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| Single 1 | 100 |
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| Single 5 | 50 |
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| Three 1s | 1,000 |
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| Three 2s | 200 |
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| Three 3s | 300 |
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| Three 4s | 400 |
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| Three 5s | 500 |
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| Three 6s | 600 |
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| Four of a kind | 1,000 |
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| Five of a kind | 2,000 |
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| Six of a kind | 3,000 |
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| Straight (1-2-3-4-5-6) | 1,500 |
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| Three pairs | 1,500 |
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Note: a straight and three pairs use all six dice at once — the game will recognize them automatically.
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## Gerome's Mountain Wisdom (Tips)
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**1. Get on the board first.** Until you've scored 500 in a turn, nothing you do matters. Go for that on-board roll like you're charging for first tracks. Get there. Then you can start playing for real.
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**2. Three or more dice left? Keep rolling.** The more dice in your hand, the more ways to score. Three dice is the minimum I'd comfortably roll on. Two dice is a coin flip. One die is pure chaos and I love it, but maybe not in a close game.
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**3. Respect the Farkle.** Every extra roll is a gamble. When you're sitting on 800 points mid-turn with two dice left, ask yourself: is this worth it? You might double up to 1,600. Or you might go home with nothing. I'm not saying don't do it. I'm saying know what you're doing.
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**4. Chase Hot Dice.** If you can see a path to using all six dice, go for it. Hot Dice is the powder day of Farkle. It doesn't come around every run, but when it does — GO.
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**5. Watch your opponents.** When someone else is close to 10,000, you need bigger turns. Time to leave the groomed runs behind. If you're 2,000 points behind with one round left, banking 150 per turn isn't going to cut it. Rip the couloir.
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**6. Three 1s is the jackpot.** That's 1,000 points from three dice in one shot. It's like dropping off a cliff and landing in bottomless pow — it doesn't get better than that moment.
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## When the Final Round Hits
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The first player to cross 10,000 triggers the **final round** — everyone else gets one last turn to beat that score. No sudden death. Everyone gets their shot.
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This is where Farkle turns into a chase scene. Trailing by 800 points with one turn left? That's your moment. Roll big. Bank nothing until you know you've got enough. This is Gerome's favorite part of the game, honestly. Pure mountain energy. All or nothing.
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## A Note on the AI Opponents
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The computer players are smart. They've read the odds. They know when to bank and when to push. I won't lie to you — they'll Farkle sometimes, and when they do, it's extremely satisfying. But they'll also rip off a 3,000-point turn right when you think you've got it locked up.
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Treat them like the locals at a powder day. Respectful. A little competitive. Always slightly better at reading the mountain than you'd like.
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---
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Alright! That's everything you need to know. The dice are loaded. The mountain is open. There's 47 inches of fresh powder and a game of Farkle waiting and I am ready to SEND IT.
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Good luck out there. And remember — in skiing AND in Farkle — the brave get the best runs. 🎿🎲
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# Forbidden Island — A Guide by Balam
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*Greetings, mortals. I am Balam. Jaguar god. Keeper of the night sky, the crossroads, and what lives between them. I have walked eternity, yes, pero your little planet… it is fascinating to me. Especially these — how do you call them — "juegos." Your games. I have studied many. This one, Forbidden Island, it speaks to me in a language I recognize: the language of the world consuming itself.*
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*Come. I will teach you. Pay attention — the island does not wait.*
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---
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## What Is This Game?
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Forbidden Island is a cooperative adventure for up to four players. You do not compete against each other. No, no — you compete against the island itself, which is slowly, inevitably, sinking into the sea.
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Together you must:
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1. **Collect all four ancient treasures** hidden across the island
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2. **Gather at Fools' Landing** — the one helicopter pad — with all treasures in hand
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3. **Escape by helicopter** before the waters close over everything
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Everyone wins together, or everyone loses together. There is no in-between. *Como en la vida real,* yes?
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---
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## The Island
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The island is made of **24 tiles** arranged in a diamond shape — a beautiful thing, like a jade mosaic. Each tile is a named location: temples, caves, gardens, palaces. At the start of the game, six tiles are already flooded. *El agua ya viene.* The water already comes.
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Each tile can be in one of three states:
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| State | Meaning |
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|-------|---------|
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| **Dry** | Safe to walk on, normal |
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| **Flooded** | Water is rising — shore it up or it sinks |
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| **Sunk** | Gone. Beneath the waves. Do not go there. |
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When a flooded tile is flooded again — it sinks. A sunk tile is removed from the game. *For ever.*
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---
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## The Four Treasures
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Hidden on this island are four sacred relics. Each treasure can be found at **one of two special tiles**. You must stand on one of those tiles and discard four matching treasure cards from your hand to claim it.
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| Treasure | Tiles Where It Is Found |
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|----------|-------------------------|
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| The Earth Stone | Temple of the Moon, Temple of the Sun |
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| The Statue of the Wind | Whispering Garden, Howling Garden |
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| The Crystal of Fire | Cave of Embers, Cave of Shadows |
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| The Ocean's Chalice | Coral Palace, Tidal Palace |
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*Mira* — if BOTH tiles for an unclaimed treasure sink before you capture it, the treasure is lost forever. And so are you. *Game over, mis amigos.*
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---
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## The Adventurers
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Each player commands one of five adventurers, each with a unique power. These are not ordinary people, comprende? They are specialists. *Como yo.*
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| Role | Color | Special Power |
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|------|-------|---------------|
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| **Pilot** | Blue | Once per turn: fly to ANY tile on the island for one action |
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| **Engineer** | Red | Shore up TWO flooded tiles for the cost of ONE action |
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| **Navigator** | Gold | Move another adventurer up to two tiles per action |
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| **Diver** | Black | Swim through flooded AND sunk tiles to reach dry land |
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| **Explorer** | Green | Move and shore up diagonally, not just the four cardinal directions |
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Choose your team carefully. The island does not care how strong you are — only how smart.
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---
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## On Your Turn
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Each adventurer takes a turn with **three phases**:
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### Phase 1 — Take 3 Actions
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You have exactly **three actions** to spend. Each of the following costs one action:
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- **Move** — step to any adjacent tile (up, down, left, right). The tile must not be sunk.
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- **Shore Up** — flip a flooded tile back to dry. You may shore up your own tile or an adjacent one.
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- **Capture a Treasure** — if you stand on a treasure tile AND hold four matching treasure cards in your hand, discard those four cards and claim the treasure. *Magnifico.*
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- **Give a Card** — pass one treasure card from your hand to another player **on the same tile** as you.
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- **Navigator: Move Another** — if you are the Navigator, spend an action to move any other adventurer up to two tiles.
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- **Pilot: Fly** — if you are the Pilot, spend one action to fly to any tile on the island. You may do this only once per turn.
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You may take the same action multiple times. You may pass (do nothing) if you wish, pero *¿por qué?*
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### Phase 2 — Draw 2 Treasure Cards
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After your actions, draw two cards from the Treasure Deck. These are handed to you — you do not choose them. Most cards are treasure cards in four types (earth, wind, fire, ocean). But some cards are special:
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- **Helicopter Lift** — play at any time to fly any group of adventurers to any non-sunk tile. Or, if all four treasures are claimed and everyone is at Fools' Landing, use it to escape and WIN.
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- **Sandbags** — play at any time to shore up any one flooded tile on the island, from wherever you stand.
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- **Waters Rise!** — not a gift. The water level rises one step, and the flood discard pile is shuffled back on top of the flood deck. *Dios mío.* The same tiles flood again.
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Your hand limit is **five cards**. If you draw past five, you must immediately discard down to five. Choose wisely what you keep.
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### Phase 3 — Flood the Island
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Draw a number of Flood Cards equal to the current water level. Each card names a tile:
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- If that tile is **dry**, it becomes **flooded**.
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- If that tile is **flooded**, it **sinks** — remove it from the island permanently.
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Flooded tiles go to the Flood Discard pile. When the Flood Deck runs out, the discard pile is reshuffled and reused. *The same tiles flood again and again, more and more often.* That is the horror of this game, yes?
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After the flood phase, your turn ends and the next adventurer begins.
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---
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## The Water Level
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On the side of the board sits the **Water Level track**. It starts at your chosen difficulty and climbs whenever a Waters Rise! card is drawn.
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| Difficulty | Starting Level | Flood Cards Per Turn |
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|------------|---------------|----------------------|
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| Novice | 1 | 2 |
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| Normal | 2 | 2 |
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| Elite | 3 | 3 |
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| Legendary | 4 | 3 |
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As the water rises, more flood cards are drawn each turn. At the highest levels, five cards per turn. If the water level reaches the skull marker — *the maximum* — the island is consumed and everyone loses.
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---
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## The Ways to Lose
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There are four ways the island defeats you. *I have seen them all.*
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1. **Fools' Landing sinks** — your only way off the island is gone.
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2. **Both tiles for an uncaptured treasure sink** — the treasure is lost forever.
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3. **An adventurer cannot swim to safety** when their tile sinks beneath them.
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4. **The water level reaches the skull marker** — the sea wins.
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---
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## How to Win
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All four conditions must be met:
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1. All four treasures have been captured — by any player, in any combination.
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2. All adventurers have gathered at **Fools' Landing**.
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3. One adventurer plays a **Helicopter Lift** card to escape.
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*Then* you win. *Todos juntos* — together, or not at all.
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---
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## Balam's Notes from the Field
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I have observed your kind play this game. I offer you what I have learned:
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1. **Shore up early, before you need to.** A flooded tile is a warning. An ignored warning becomes a sunken tile. Do not wait for disaster — prevent it. *Your ancestors knew this. Some of them, anyway.*
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2. **The Messenger's gift crosses any distance.** If you have the Messenger on your team, they can hand cards to anyone on the island regardless of position. Use this to concentrate four matching cards in one hand quickly.
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3. **The Helicopter Lift does two things.** It rescues — and it wins. Do not play your last one just to reposition a player. Save at least one for the escape.
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4. **Flood cards cycle.** The tiles that flood once will flood again. Watch the discard pile. When Waters Rise! hits, whatever was recently flooded goes back on top of the deck — and floods first. *The island has a memory.*
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5. **Capture treasures early, not late.** In the endgame, the island is shrinking fast. Take treasures when you have four cards and a chance. You may not get another one.
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6. **The Diver is worth more than they look.** When half the island is sunk or flooded, the Diver swims through it like it is nothing. In the late game, they become the only one who can reach certain tiles at all.
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7. **Regroup before the final escape.** Getting everyone to Fools' Landing while it is still above water is harder than it sounds. The Navigator can pull teammates in. The Pilot can fly in alone. Plan this move before the island forces your hand.
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---
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*And so, adventurers — that is Forbidden Island. A game of water, time, and trust. I find it muy hermoso, in its terrible way. It reminds me of things I have watched — civilizations reaching for what they treasure most, racing against a tide they cannot stop.*
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*I will be watching from the shadows, sí? Always watching.*
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*Now go. The island does not wait.*
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*— Balam, Jaguar God, Keeper of Crossroads, Occasional Visitor to the Realm of Earth*
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@ -745,6 +745,12 @@ export default class HoldemGame extends Phaser.Scene {
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this.playActionAnimation(seat, action, () => {
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this.animating = false;
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this.renderAll();
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// Suppress any new community cards immediately so they don't flash
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// visible before the deal animation reveals them one by one.
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for (let i = prevCommunityCount; i < this.gs.community.length; i++) {
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const slot = this.communitySlots[i];
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if (slot.cardObj) slot.cardObj.setVisible(false);
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}
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if (this.gs.phase === 'game_over') {
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this.time.delayedCall(800, () => this.showGameOver());
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@ -1056,6 +1062,8 @@ export default class HoldemGame extends Phaser.Scene {
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onComplete: () => {
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cardCont.destroy();
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playSound(this, SFX.CARD_DEAL);
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const sc = this.seatContainers[seat];
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if (sc?.cardObjs[cardIdx]) sc.cardObjs[cardIdx].setVisible(true);
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done++;
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if (done === sequence.length) onComplete();
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},
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@ -1064,12 +1072,12 @@ export default class HoldemGame extends Phaser.Scene {
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});
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}
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// Animate newly added community cards flying from deck and flipping face-up.
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// Animate newly added community cards flying face-up from deck to their slot.
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animateCommunityReveal(prevCount, onComplete) {
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const newCount = this.gs.community.length;
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if (newCount <= prevCount) { onComplete(); return; }
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// Hide the cards that renderAll() already placed so animation can reveal them
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// Hide pre-rendered slot cards — the flying animation reveals each on arrival
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for (let i = prevCount; i < newCount; i++) {
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const slot = this.communitySlots[i];
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if (slot.cardObj) slot.cardObj.setVisible(false);
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let done = 0;
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const toReveal = newCount - prevCount;
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const CARD_DELAY = 180;
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const CARD_DELAY = 1200;
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const FLY_DURATION = 260;
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const FLIP_DURATION = 100;
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for (let i = prevCount; i < newCount; i++) {
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const slot = this.communitySlots[i];
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const delay = (i - prevCount) * CARD_DELAY;
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this.time.delayedCall(delay, () => {
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// Fly a card-back from the deck position to the slot
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// Fly a face-up card from the deck position to the slot
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const temp = this.add.container(CX, CY).setDepth(D.cards + 10);
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const g = this.add.graphics();
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this.drawCardBack(g, -CARD_W / 2, -CARD_H / 2);
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temp.add(g);
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this.renderCard(temp, card, true);
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this.tweens.add({
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targets: temp,
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ease: 'Power2.easeOut',
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onComplete: () => {
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temp.destroy();
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// renderAll() already populated slot.cardObj — just flip it in
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if (!slot.cardObj) {
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slot.cardObj = this.add.container(0, 0);
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slot.container.add(slot.cardObj);
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this.renderCard(slot.cardObj, card, true);
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}
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slot.cardObj.setVisible(true).setScale(0, 1);
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slot.cardObj.setVisible(true);
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playSound(this, SFX.CARD_SHOW);
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this.tweens.add({
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targets: slot.cardObj,
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scaleX: 1,
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duration: FLIP_DURATION,
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ease: 'Power2.easeOut',
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onComplete: () => {
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done++;
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if (done === toReveal) onComplete();
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},
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});
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done++;
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if (done === toReveal) onComplete();
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},
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});
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});
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@ -0,0 +1,178 @@
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# Splendor: A Tutorial by Juliet
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*Hi! I'm Juliet. I own a flower shop downtown — Petal & Stem, if you've been by. I've been running it for three years now, which means I know a thing or two about managing cash flow, sourcing inventory on a budget, and building the kind of reputation that makes customers drive past the grocery store just to come to you.*
|
||||
|
||||
*Splendor is basically that. In gem form. Let me walk you through it.*
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## What Is This Game?
|
||||
|
||||
Splendor is a 2–4 player engine-building game about becoming the most prestigious jewel merchant in Renaissance Europe. You collect gem tokens, use them to buy development cards, and use *those* cards to buy even better cards — all while attracting the attention of powerful Nobles who grant bonus prestige.
|
||||
|
||||
The first player to reach **15 prestige points** triggers the end of the round. Once everyone's had an equal number of turns, the player with the most points wins.
|
||||
|
||||
It sounds simple. It is not simple. But it is deeply satisfying once it clicks — like the moment you realize your shop doesn't need to be the cheapest in town, just the one people trust most.
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## The Components
|
||||
|
||||
### Gem Tokens
|
||||
|
||||
There are six types of tokens, stacked in little poker-chip piles in the center of the table:
|
||||
|
||||
| Token | Gem | Color |
|
||||
|-------|-----|-------|
|
||||
| White | Diamond | Ivory |
|
||||
| Blue | Sapphire | Deep blue |
|
||||
| Green | Emerald | Green |
|
||||
| Red | Ruby | Red |
|
||||
| Black | Onyx | Dark |
|
||||
| Gold | Wildcard | Gold |
|
||||
|
||||
Gold tokens are wildcards — they can substitute for any color when you're buying a card. You get them by **reserving** cards (more on that in a minute). Think of gold like a same-day loan from a supplier: useful, but you only get it under specific circumstances.
|
||||
|
||||
The number of each colored token in the bank depends on player count:
|
||||
- **2 players:** 4 of each color, 5 gold
|
||||
- **3 players:** 5 of each color, 5 gold
|
||||
- **4 players:** 7 of each color, 5 gold
|
||||
|
||||
### Development Cards
|
||||
|
||||
There are **90 development cards** across three tiers, dealt face-up in rows of four (one row per tier). The deck for each tier sits face-down next to its row.
|
||||
|
||||
Each card has three things:
|
||||
1. **A cost** — how many gems you spend to buy it (paid in tokens)
|
||||
2. **A gem bonus** — a permanent colored gem added to your collection once you own it
|
||||
3. **Prestige points** — 0 to 5 points, depending on tier and card
|
||||
|
||||
Here's how the tiers break down in general:
|
||||
|
||||
| Tier | Cards | Point Range | Notes |
|
||||
|------|-------|-------------|-------|
|
||||
| 1 (lowest) | 40 | 0–1 pts | Cheap; mostly 0-point engine starters |
|
||||
| 2 (middle) | 30 | 1–3 pts | Where the game opens up |
|
||||
| 3 (top) | 20 | 3–5 pts | Expensive; these close out a win |
|
||||
|
||||
The **gem bonus** on a card acts like a permanent free token of that color. So if you own three green cards, every future card you buy is automatically discounted 3 green tokens — even if you have zero green tokens in hand. That's the engine.
|
||||
|
||||
### Nobles
|
||||
|
||||
At the start of the game, **three to five Noble tiles** are placed in a row (one more than the number of players). Each Noble has a requirement — a certain combination of gem bonuses across your cards — and is worth **3 prestige points**.
|
||||
|
||||
Here's the thing about Nobles: you don't *buy* them. If you meet a Noble's requirements at the end of your turn, they visit you automatically. You don't choose them — if you qualify for more than one, the game picks one for you.
|
||||
|
||||
I always think of Nobles as the wholesale clients of the gem world. You don't chase them down. You build enough of a reputation that they come to *you*.
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Setup
|
||||
|
||||
1. Shuffle each tier separately. Deal **4 cards face-up** from each tier into a 3×4 grid. Place the remaining cards face-down as the draw decks.
|
||||
2. Place the Noble tiles in a row (player count + 1 Nobles total; extras are removed from this game).
|
||||
3. Set out the gem token piles according to player count.
|
||||
4. The player who most recently visited a jewelry store goes first. (The rules suggest this. I appreciate the commitment.)
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Your Turn
|
||||
|
||||
On your turn, you do **exactly one** of the following four actions:
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
### Action 1: Take 3 Different Gem Tokens
|
||||
|
||||
Take one token each from any three different colored piles (not gold).
|
||||
|
||||
This is your bread-and-butter early move. You're stocking up on raw material. I spend a lot of time at the flower market just grabbing a bit of everything — roses, eucalyptus, ranunculus — before I know exactly what arrangements I'll need. Same energy.
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
### Action 2: Take 2 of the Same Gem Token
|
||||
|
||||
Take two tokens of the same color — but **only if that color's pile has at least 4 tokens in it**.
|
||||
|
||||
This is more focused. You're loading up on a specific resource because you have a card in mind. Use this when you're close to affording something specific and you know exactly what you need.
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
### Action 3: Reserve a Card (and Take 1 Gold Token)
|
||||
|
||||
Pick any face-up card from the grid (or the top card of any face-down tier deck, sight unseen) and place it in your **hand**. You may hold up to **3 reserved cards** at a time.
|
||||
|
||||
You also receive **1 gold token** from the bank (if any remain).
|
||||
|
||||
Reserved cards are only visible to you. No one else can buy them while they're in your hand.
|
||||
|
||||
This action does two things:
|
||||
- It protects a card you want before someone else grabs it
|
||||
- It gives you a gold wildcard token
|
||||
|
||||
The downside is that reserved cards don't score points — they just sit there until you buy them. Reserve sparingly. I've seen players hoard three cards they never buy because they kept pivoting to the next shiny thing. Don't do that.
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
### Action 4: Buy a Card
|
||||
|
||||
Pay the card's cost in gem tokens (from your personal supply), then take the card.
|
||||
|
||||
- Cards you own permanently reduce future costs by their gem bonus color — no limit, forever.
|
||||
- Your tokens go back to the bank.
|
||||
- If you can't pay exactly, you can use **gold tokens** to cover the shortfall (one gold per missing token).
|
||||
|
||||
You can buy any face-up card from the grid, or any card you've previously reserved.
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## The 10-Token Limit
|
||||
|
||||
You can never hold more than **10 tokens** at the end of your turn. If an action pushes you over, you must immediately return tokens to the bank until you're back at 10.
|
||||
|
||||
Cash flow management. I track my petal budget obsessively. You can't just keep accumulating resources — you have to move them.
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Noble Visits
|
||||
|
||||
At the end of your turn, after buying or taking tokens, check whether you qualify for any Noble tile. If you do, one Noble automatically joins your tableau and awards you **3 prestige points**. If you qualify for more than one, you take only one (the game picks for you).
|
||||
|
||||
Once a Noble is claimed, they're gone from the board.
|
||||
|
||||
Nobles are worth planning around. Early on, scan the Noble tiles and notice which gem bonuses they're asking for. If two Nobles both want green cards, someone is going to pivot hard into green. Pay attention to what your opponents are collecting — they're probably not doing it randomly.
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Winning
|
||||
|
||||
The game ends when any player reaches **15 prestige points** at the end of their turn. That player doesn't win immediately — everyone else finishes the round first, so all players get the same number of turns.
|
||||
|
||||
After the round completes:
|
||||
- **Most prestige points wins.**
|
||||
- If there's a tie, the player with **fewer development cards** wins. (Efficiency counts — I respect that rule.)
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Juliet's Strategy Notes
|
||||
|
||||
**Buy Tier 1 cards, even the zero-point ones.** This is the hardest thing to get new players to do. A Tier 1 card that costs 4 red tokens and gives you a permanent green bonus feels like a waste. It is not. It's infrastructure. At Petal & Stem, I spent the first six months of business buying equipment that didn't directly make money — refrigeration, delivery bags, the good scissors. You need the foundation before you can build the thing.
|
||||
|
||||
**Pick a Noble early and commit.** Look at the Noble tiles before your first turn. Pick one that appeals to you and quietly build toward their requirements. Don't let yourself get distracted by every good card on the board. Focus wins this game. Scattered wins almost nothing.
|
||||
|
||||
**Watch what other players are taking.** If someone keeps grabbing blue tokens, they're either saving for a specific card or gunning for a blue-heavy Noble. Either way, start thinking about whether you want to grab the blue cards they need before they do. Not to be mean — just to be smart.
|
||||
|
||||
**Don't over-reserve.** Reserving a card to block an opponent is a real tactic, but only when you're actually going to buy it eventually. Holding three reserved cards you can't afford is like committing to three wholesale orders without the cash to pay for them. It locks up resources you could be spending elsewhere.
|
||||
|
||||
**Gold tokens are late-game fuel.** Early on, you don't need gold — you should be building your engine from color tokens. But in the mid-to-late game, a well-timed reserve action that nets you a gold token can make the difference between buying that Tier 3 card this turn or three turns from now. Timing matters.
|
||||
|
||||
**The endgame is a sprint.** Once someone starts collecting prestige points quickly — multiple Tier 2s and 3s, a Noble or two — the pace picks up fast. Don't fall so in love with your engine that you forget to spend it. At some point you have to stop buying roses and start making bouquets.
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
*That's really the whole game. It's elegant once you see how the pieces fit — token to card to bonus to better card, with Nobles as the bonus objective tying it all together. It rewards patience, a little attention to what other people are doing, and knowing when to stop building and start finishing.*
|
||||
|
||||
*Good luck out there. And hey — if you're ever near downtown, stop by Petal & Stem. I'll be the one in the back doing cost analysis on peony margins.*
|
||||
|
||||
*— Juliet*
|
||||
*(Florist, Aspiring Gem Merchant, Believer in Tier 1 Infrastructure)*
|
||||
Loading…
Reference in New Issue