How to Play Abyss: Kraken

Objective of the Game

In Abyss: Kraken, players dive into the depths of the kingdom of Abyss, where the Smugglers guild operates among the skeletons of giant sea creatures. Using the dangerous black pearls called Nebulis as a parallel currency, players must navigate political intrigue while avoiding corruption. The goal is to gain the most Influence Points by recruiting Lords, controlling Locations, and managing resources wisely. Beware—holding too many Nebulis at the end of the game will cost you points!

Preparation (Setup)

1. Shuffle the new Allies, Lords, and Locations from the expansion into their respective decks from the base game.
2. Place the Nebulis in a cup and set it next to the Kraken figure and the base game’s Pearls cup.
3. Place the 3 Sentinel tokens next to the Lords deck.
4. Shuffle the Loot cards and place them face-down next to the Locations deck.
5. Proceed with the base game’s setup as described in its rulebook.

Flow of the Game

The game follows the same structure as the base game, with players taking turns to explore, recruit Lords, and control Locations. The expansion introduces new elements like kraken Allies, Nebulis, and Sanctuaries, which add layers of strategy and risk. The Kraken figure tracks the most corrupt player (the one with the most Nebulis), and Sentinel tokens allow players to reserve key game elements.

Actions and How to Play

New Allies: The Kraken

Kraken Allies are wild cards—when used, you choose which Race they count as. However, using them grants you Nebulis:

• When recruiting a Lord with kraken Allies, discard them first, then affiliate the lowest-valued remaining Ally.
• Before tallying Influence Points, discard any remaining kraken Allies in your hand and take their Nebulis.

The Nebulis

Nebulis are a risky currency:

• You can spend ONE Nebulis per purchase, but only if you’ve spent all your Pearls.
• At game end, each Nebulis costs you 1 Influence Point, and the player with the most loses 5 additional points.
• The Kraken figure moves to whoever holds the most Nebulis.

New Locations: Sanctuaries

Four Sanctuaries (Cetaceous Cemetery, Abandoned Convoy, Megalodon, and Battlefield) use a push-your-luck mechanic:

1. Draw Loot cards one by one, taking rewards (e.g., Keys, Pearls, or Allies).
2. If you draw a card matching a previous value, discard both and end your search.
3. Stop early to keep your rewards, or risk continuing for higher-value Loot.

Sentinel Tokens

Recruiting certain Smuggler Lords (Watcher, Vigil, or Lookout) grants a Sentinel token, which lets you reserve:

• A Lord at the Court.
• A Council stack (even if empty).
• An available Location.

Only one Sentinel can be placed per board area at a time.

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends as per the base game’s rules. Final scoring includes:

• Influence Points from Lords, Locations, and other sources.
• Subtract 1 point per Nebulis in your reserve.
• The player with the most Nebulis loses 5 additional points.

The player with the highest total Influence Points wins.

Tips for Winning

• Manage Nebulis carefully: Spend them early to avoid penalties, but don’t hoard them.
• Use kraken Allies strategically: Their flexibility is powerful, but the Nebulis they grant can backfire.
• Push your luck wisely in Sanctuaries: Weigh the risks of drawing more Loot cards against potential rewards.