Wondrous Creatures

Standard multiplayer supports two to four players with 10, 14 or 16 trophies respectively. Only three players reduce time tokens to four; otherwise use five. Each player has three crew including a captain, one of each resource, one net, four cards kept from eight, and a chosen captain. Players second, third and fourth also gain one each of one, two or three different resource types respectively.

On your clockwise turn take exactly one basic action: place a crew member, play up to two creature cards, complete one achievement, or recharge. Net and energy abilities are additional free actions subject to their own restrictions.

A placed crew spans two adjacent empty hexes and cannot occupy lakes or habitats. Plains are free; occupying any mountain normally costs one resource in total. Each adjacent habitat independently offers its resource or a matching creature card. Acquired cards enter your hand; the Wilderness normally refills at turn end.

The play action pays for and resolves up to two cards sequentially into your reserve. Types are instant, continuous, recharge, energy and end. Energy cards receive their printed energy; each energy card activates at most once per turn, and energy cannot be pooled between cards.

Egg storage holds twelve eggs; each excess egg gained becomes two VP. Achievements check reserve cards and unhatched eggs. Hatch eggs used to meet a condition, but do not spend creature cards. One basic action completes one achievement, and your first achievement unlocks your captain.

Recharge requires all three crew on the map: retrieve them all, advance time and resolve its effects, discard down to five cards, then activate recharge cards in your chosen order. Cards gained in that last step can exceed five again. Reaching the end of time does not itself end the game.

Spend one net to collect one egg or activate one special effect adjacent to any of your crew. Each physical special-effect icon can be activated through nets only once per turn; separate captain or card activations are not subject to that net limit. Nets cap at three, with each excess net becoming one VP.

Each resource type caps at six. Immediate VP moves your marker and earns track rewards; discoveries at 5, 25 and 40 let you cover a lake with a habitat available to everyone. Rewards do not repeat after passing 50, and end-game scoring does not trigger track rewards.

When trophies run out, finish the current turn, then each other player takes one final turn; the triggering player gets no additional turn. Add printed card VP and end abilities, achievements, three VP per trophy and one VP per four resources and nets combined. Break ties by trophies, then remaining resources, then share victory.

Official solo uses eight trophies against Tingent. Its card-driven AI has two crew, pays no resources and does not activate creature abilities. If you empty the trophies, the AI takes a final turn; if the AI empties them, the game ends immediately thereafter. Solo ties compare trophies, then favor the AI.