Game Objective

Prepare to create the most stunning of gardens! In Arboretum, your objective is simple yet challenging: be the player with the highest score at the end of the game by building a lush and well-planned arboretum. Beauty and strategy intertwine as you choose which trees to plant and which to keep in hand, as this balance is the key to victory!

Setup

Let's set up the table and start planting the seeds of your victory!

1. Preparing the Deck:
   • The game comes with 80 cards, divided into 10 different colors, with 8 cards (numbered 1 to 8) of each color.
   • If there are 4 players, all 80 cards are used.
   • For 3 players, return 2 complete colors to the box (it doesn't matter which ones).
   • For 2 players, return 4 complete colors to the box (it also doesn't matter which ones).
2. Dealing Cards and Preparing Discard Piles:
   • The player who last watered a plant is the starting player. What an honor!
   • The player to the right of the starting player will be the dealer. They must shuffle the deck well.
   • The dealer deals 7 cards to each player. These 7 cards form each player's starting hand.
   • Then, the dealer deals 1 additional card, face up, to each player, except the starting player. These face-up cards represent each player's discard piles.
   • The remaining cards of the deck are placed in the middle of the table, face down, forming the draw pile.

Ready! Your garden is almost ready to bloom.

The Game Turn

Life in the arboretum is a cycle of growth and planning. On their turn, each player must follow these steps, in order:

1. Draw 2 Cards:
   • You must draw 2 cards, one after the other.
   • Cards can be drawn from the top of the draw pile (face down) or from the top of any player's discard pile (face up) (yes, including your own!).
   • You can take both cards from the same pile or from different piles, the choice is yours!
2. Play 1 Card from Your Hand to Your Arboretum:
   • On your first turn, you simply place a card from your hand face up in your playing area. This is the beginning of your arboretum.
   • In subsequent turns, cards must be placed adjacent (horizontally or vertically) to a card you already have in your arboretum.
   • Remember: once a card is placed, it cannot be removed, moved, or covered by another card. Choose the location wisely!
3. Discard 1 Card:
   • To end your turn, you must discard one card from your hand onto your own discard pile.
   • After discarding, you must have exactly 7 cards in your hand.

The game continues clockwise, with the next player starting their turn. Keep an eye out for opportunities and your opponents' plans!

End of Game and Scoring

The harvest moment has arrived! But before declaring the winner, we need to count the points.

1. End of Game:
   • The game ends when there are no more cards in the draw pile.
   • The player who took the last card still plays their turn normally (drawing, playing, and discarding). Only after that is scoring done.
2. Earning the Right to Score Paths:
   • A path is a sequence of cards of increasing value in your arboretum, where the first and last cards are of the same color.
   • The dealer will call out each color, one after another.
   • For each color, all players reveal the cards of that color they have in their hand.
   • The player who has the highest sum of cards of that color in hand earns the right to score points for a single path of that color in their arboretum.
   • In case of a tie in the sum of cards in hand, all tied players earn the right to score a path of that color.
   • Important exception: If a player has the 8 card of a color in hand, but one of their opponents has the 1 card of the same color, the value of the 8 card is reduced to 0 when determining which player has the right to score. The 1 card is always worth 1.
   • Note: It is possible to earn the right to score a path of a color that you don't even have in your arboretum! And if no player has cards of a certain color in hand, all players have the right to score points for paths of that color.
3. Scoring Paths:
   • To score a path, each card in the path must have a higher value than the card that precedes it.
   • The only cards that need to match the color being evaluated are the card at the beginning and the card at the end of the path. The colors of the cards in the middle are only important for determining the value of the path.
   • Points are counted as follows:
     1. Score 1 point for each card in the path.
     2. Score 1 additional point for each card in the path that is of the same color as the path.
     3. Score 1 additional point if the path starts with the 1 card of that color.
     4. Score 2 additional points if the path ends with the 8 card of that color.
   • Note: A tree can be used in more than one path, so plan well!
4. Declaring the Winner:
   • After the sum of points for all paths of each player is determined, the player with the highest total score is the winner!
   • In case of a tie in score, the player with more different colors present in their arboretum is the winner.
   • If there is still a tie... well, you'll have to plant a real tree and see which one grows tallest in 5 years! (Just kidding, but the manual suggests it!)

Tips for Winning

To become a master gardener in Arboretum, consider these tips:

• Balance is Everything: Remember that the cards in your hand are as important as the ones you plant. Keeping cards of a certain color can guarantee the right to score a path, even if your arboretum isn't the most impressive for that color.
• Eye on the Opponent: Keep an eye on your opponents' discard piles and the cards they are planting. This can give you clues about which colors they are looking for and which ones you can try to "steal" or block.
• 1 and 8 Strategy: The 1 and 8 cards are crucial! An opponent's 1 card in hand can nullify the power of your 8 card in hand for scoring disputes. Additionally, starting a path with a 1 and ending with an 8 yields valuable extra points. Plan your paths to include these cards whenever possible!

With these tips and a little practice, you'll be ready to cultivate the most sumptuous arboretum and take home the victory! Good luck and happy gaming!