Overview
In Nunatak: Temple of Ice, players take on the role of builders using blocks of ice to construct a temple. As they build, players must balance immediate points with long-term strategy while competing against fellow players for the best opportunities.
Setup
The game is played within a frame that is used to track points and is lined by four Architect tracks, one for each player.
The floor tiles are divided into four piles, numbered 1 to 4 and shuffled separately. Then the 25 tiles from pile 1 are placed face up in a 5x5 grid inside the frame. This forms the base of the temple that players will be building.
The remaining floor tiles are stacked in order to form the tile deck, which will be used to build the higher levels of the temple.
Next, the building cards are placed into four numbered piles and shuffled separately. As with the floor tiles these are stacked in order starting with those labelled 4. Then the top four cards are revealed to create a display. There are also Blessing cards, which are shuffled separately and two cards are revealed, these will provide additional points over the course of the game.
Each player chooses a colour and takes their corresponding ice blocks, scoring disc, and Architect marker. Scoring discs start on 0 on the score track and Architect markers are placed on the first space of each player's individual Architect track.
It sounds like a lot of setup, but once you understand where everything goes the only slow bit is laying the floor tiles to create the starting floor of the temple.
Turn breakdown
On your turn, choose one of the four available Building cards in the display and add it to your personal area. When you collect a card you should group them according to their type; each type will earn points at the end of the game.
Once you have picked a card, place one of your ice blocks on an empty floor tile that shows a matching symbol (each tile has small slots that make it easy to place the blocks). Some cards and floor tiles have two symbols, either symbol can be used but make sure you put the card in the appropriate pile in your personal area.
Two of the cards have special abilities which when picked give you additional actions. Firstly, if you picked a builder you can exchange an unoccupied Builder floor tile with another unoccupied floor tile before placing your ice block. There are also Elder cards, which let you choose one of the two face-up Blessing cards. Each has its own effect and timing: some are immediate, some can be used later, and some affect end-game scoring. Some are immediate, some can be used later, and some affect end-game scoring.
After placing your block on the appropriate tile and taking any additional actions, it is time to check whether you earned points by placing your block:
If your block is placed on a tile supported by four ice blocks from a lower level, score one point for each of your own coloured blocks supporting that tile.
If your block has completed a row or column you advance your marker one space on the Architect track for each one you completed.
If your block completed a 2x2 section of four ice blocks then you and the other players earn points based on who has the most ice blocks in the grid. The player with the most blocks scores 5 points, while the second player scores 2.
Once all of these checks have been made, refill the Building card display and, if necessary, the Blessing card display. Play then passes to the next player.
Scoring Points
There are several ways to score points during the game. As mentioned above, these include completing a 2×2 grid or placing a block on a higher level of the temple.
Collecting Building cards is where many of the end-game points are earned and each of the six types of card score differently.
- Builders reward having the most cards of that type. The player with the most Builders scores 20 points, or 12 points each if there is a tie. All other players score 2 points for each Builder they have.
- Sculptors provide a progressive scoring opportunity, the more Sculptors you collect, the more points they are worth.
- Artisans score points based on groups of matching symbols (from three available), and you can also score for sets containing one of each.
- Beasts of Burden score based on the number of cards you have multiplied by the total number of symbols shown across those cards.
- Architects reward you for progressing along the Architect track. Multiply the number of Architect cards you have by the position you reached on your track to determine their value.
- Elders reward you for collecting other types of cards. Each Elder shows the symbols of two Building card types, and you score points for the cards in your collection that match those symbols.
There is also a 10-point bonus for each complete set containing one of each of the six Building card types.
The key to scoring high in Nunatak is to think beyond the points available on your current turn. Taking a card because it gives you a useful placement now might be tempting, but keep in mind which cards you might need to finish sets at the end of the game.
End Game
The game ends once the final level of the temple has been completed. Before calculating the final scores, players check the outside of the temple and the player with the most ice blocks on the perimeter scores an additional 7 points and gets the honour of placing the temple cap atop the finished structure.
Players then calculate the points from their Building cards, working their way through the six types of cards, and adding unused Blessing cards, worth 2 points each.
All of these points are added together, using tokens to track which players get more than 100 or 200 points, then the player with the most points wins.
