Manual — Photosynthesis: Under the Moonlight

Expansion rules
1 Great Elder Tree
1 Moon token
1 Moon Phase Tracker
8 Forest Animal boards
8 Animal meeples
4 Lunar Point Trackers
(1 per player)
1 Dam tile
8 Baby Turtle tokens
3 Moonstones
Game Contents
One of the most important aspects of playing Photosynthesis is anticipating Sun
movements and carrying out actions at the correct time. Strategizing when you
use or keep light points is crucial to success.
The UNDER THE MOONLIGHT expansion requires the same forward-thinking
strategy as Photosynthesis, with the added element of the combined powers of
the Moon and the Forest Animals. Choosing the right moment to activate your
Animal’s ability is just as important as where you place it on the board and
how you move it.
Enhance your Photosynthesis experience
with the Under the Moonlight expansion!
The Moon is added to the Sun to bring to
life the rhythm of the forest. Animals draw
their energy from the moonlight and use
it to activate their skills. The forest is also
filled with Moonstones and the majestic
Great Elder Tree which will both interact
with the moonlight.
Introduction
Reminder

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The UNDER THE MOONLIGHT expansion includes one main mode and two additional modes. Each mode can be used independently of one another or be combined:
• The Moon and the Forest Animals:
Ê The Moon moves in the opposite direction to the Sun and gives lunar points to the Animals in the paths of the moonlight.
Ê Animals move in the forest and use lunar points to activate their abilities.
• The Great Elder Tree: The Great Elder Tree is the soul of the Forest. This ancient and massive Tree casts a shadow onto all Trees and Animals, on the side opposite the Sun AND the Moon. These Trees cannot receive any light points and Animals do not receive direct moonlight.
• Moonstones: Moonstones are mysterious gems that radiate the moonlight that lands on them. Animals around them then earn lunar points.

ModesSetup
The player who has most recently gazed at the Moon takes the First Player token. Follow the setup steps for Photosynthesis from setting the main board to setting up players’ boards. Decide which mode(s) you want to play and follow the setup for each. Once you have completed the setup for each of these modes, continue the setup for Photosynthesis with the placement of Small Trees by each player.

The Moon and Forest Animals Mode
Ê Place the Moon on the starting point (see image below), Half-Moon side up and place the Moon Phase tracker on the space shown.
Ê Shuffle the Forest Animal boards together and then give 2 to each player. Players keep the board of their choice and place the other in the game box. Each player then places their chosen Animal board counter side up next to their Photosynthesis player board.
Ê Each player then takes one Lunar Point Tracker which they place on the number 2 of their chosen Animal board.
Ê Each player takes the Animal meeple corresponding to their board.
Ê Starting with the player to the right of the First Player and moving counter-clockwise, players place their Animal meeple on one of the spaces on the board that displays 3 leaves and that does not already have an Animal on it.

A E B C C C D D D A E B D C
Example of 3-player setup.
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Note: Depending on the Animals picked for the game, extra steps might be needed in the setup. To see when extra steps are necessary, check the Animal descriptions below.
The Great Elder Tree Mode
The last player in the turn order places The Great Elder Tree on the empty space of their choice.
Be careful: If one of the player is playing with the Turtle, the Great Elder Tree cannot be placed on a space with a Baby Turtle token.
Moonstones Mode
The number of Moonstones used in the game depends on the number of players:
2 player game: 3 Moonstones.
3 player game: 2 Moonstones.
4 player game: no Moonstones, unless playing the Great Elder Tree mode in which case use 1 Moonstone.
If the Great Elder Tree mode is being played, the player to the right of the player who placed the Great Elder Tree on the board places a Moonstone on an empty space on the board. Players then continue in counter-clockwise turns placing the Moonstones on the board.
If the Great Elder Tree mode is not being played, the last player in the turn order places a Moonstone on an empty space on the board. Players then continue in counter-clockwise turns placing the Moonstones on the board.
Rounds are played in the same way as the original game with the following added modifications:
The Moon and Forest Animals Mode
The Moon
Throughout the game the Moon and Moon Phase Tracker are always placed outside the forest so that they are touching two spaces on the border of the board.
The Moon turns at the same time as the Sun each turn, and replaces the Moon Phase Tracker
A. The Moon Phase Tracker turns at the same time as
B, but moves counter-clockwise by five spaces each turn
CC.
This token shows players where
the Moon will move next and
on which side it will be, which
allows players to strategically
plan their actions.
Example of the Moon
Phase Tracker moving a
total of 5 spaces.
How To Play?
Be careful: If one of the player is playing with the Turtle, the Moonstones cannot be placed on a space with a Baby Turtle token.
BB CC
AA
When the Moon and the Sun cross paths, the Moon
Phase Tracker is flipped over as shown on the example.
A Full Moon becomes a Half-Moon or vice versa.
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During the Photosynthesis Phase, you now collect lunar points in addition to
light points. Each Animal on a space in a path of moonlight receives 1 lunar
point if the Moon is a Half-Moon or 2 lunar points if it is a Full Moon.
The Moon lights up two paths only. These paths of moonlight are indicated
by the arrows on the Moon token (see example below). These paths are
being directly lit up by the Moon. Trees never block the moonlight with their
shadow (except for the Great Elder Tree).
Two different examples of paths being lit up by
the Moon according to the Moon’s position.
Be careful: The Great Elder Tree and
the Moonstones affect the moonlight,
as indicated in the corresponding
‘How to Play’ sections.
Note: Players cannot have
more than 14 lunar points at
any given time and any excess
points will be lost.
The Forest Animals
During the Life Cycle Phase, on
their turn, players may move their
Animal (to anticipate the Moon’s
next position) and/or they may
use their Animal’s abilities.
Moving an Animal: Animals can move one adjacent space in any
direction. They can move to a space containing a Tree or a Seed but they
cannot move to a space containing another Animal, a Moonstone or the
Great Elder Tree.
Animal abilities:
Each Animal has one or several
varying abilities that require
lunar points to be activated. To
activate abilities, players must
spend as many lunar points as
required. If a player does not
have enough points, then the
ability cannot be activated.
Be careful: Each ability can only be
used once per turn. An ability is defined
by its name. Players cannot use multiple
levels of the same ability in the same
turn but they might use several abilities
of different names on their turn. For
example, the Hedgehog can run and
plant in the same turn, but the Boar
cannot dig twice in the same turn.
Note: If an Animal’s ability contradicts a pre-established rule then the
Animal’s ability always takes precedence over the standard rule.
Animal Abilities
The Boar
Ability: Collecting a Tree.
Digging (level 1): 5 lunar points.
The Boar can collect a Large Tree on the space
it is placed on without spending light points. The
collected Tree must belong to the player with
the Boar.
Digging (level 2): 8 lunar points.
If activating Level 2 Digging, the Boar can complete Level 1 Digging actions. In
addition, it can plant one of the Seeds from its available area in the space
it took the Tree from. The Seed cannot grow during the same turn.
Note: An Animal doesn’t interfere with
any action (Planting, Growing, Collecting)
a player might want to carry out on the
same space the Animal is on (unless the
Animal’s abilities are activated).
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Stealing: 4 lunar points.
The Fox steals 2 light points from a player of their choice whose Animal is on a space adjacent to the Fox.
The Fox
Ability: Moving another player’s Animal, moving a Seed and stealing lunar points.
Scaring: 1 lunar points.
The Fox can move one Animal that is adjacent to it by one space.
Scratching the soil: 3 lunar points.
The Fox moves any Seed from the space it is on to another space 1 or 2 away from it in a straight line. This movement does not count as an action carried out on either spaces.
The Hedgehog
Ability: Moving forward and planting a Seed.
Running: 1 lunar points.
The Hedgehog can move one additional space.
Planting: 3 lunar points
If the Hedgehog is on an empty space it can plant a Seed on that space. The Seed does not need to be bought and comes directly from the player's board.
The Squirrel
Ability: Moving forward and eating a Seed.
In addition to its Eating ability, the Squirrel has a passive ability which is permanent and doesn’t cost any lunar points. On each turn the Squirrel can move one or two spaces. If it moves two spaces, it does not have to move forward but can change direction.
How the active ability works: The Squirrel can eat the Seed of an opponent if it finds itself on a space with a Seed. The Seed that has been eaten is moved back to a free space on its owner’s board and that player earns 1 light point for compensation.
The player with the Squirrel earns 1 light point per leaf shown on the space where the Seed was eaten.
Eating (level 1): 5 lunar points.
The Squirrel can eat a Seed on a space with 1 leaf.
Eating (level 2): 6 lunar points.
The Squirrel can eat a Seed on a space with 2 leaves.
Eating (level 3): 7 lunar points
The Squirrel can eat a Seed on a space with 3 leaves.
Eating (level 4): 8 lunar points.
The Squirrel can eat a Seed on a space with 4 leaves.
Note: Eating a Seed is not considered as an action and so does not count as one of the limited number of actions that can be carried out per space. This means that the player with the Squirrel can plant one of their Seeds and eat someone else’s at the same time on the same space.
Important: It is possible to move a Seed that has just been planted, however, in this case this Seed cannot grow during this turn.
Note: The Seed to be moved may belong to the player with the Fox or another player.
The Owl
Ability: Changing lunar points into light points.
Nighttime Hunting (level 1): 5 lunar points.
The player earns 3 light points.
Nighttime Hunting (level 2): 9 lunar points.
The player earns 7 light points.
Nighttime Hunting (level 3): 12 lunar points.
The player earns 10 light points.
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Improving the Dam: 5 lunar points.
If the Beaver is on any of the 3 spaces taken up by the Dam, it can make one of its Trees or one of its Seeds located on the Dam grow for free. The next size Tree must be in their available area.

The Badger
Ability: Growing a Seed.
Growing (level 1): 4 lunar points.
The Badger makes the Seed on its space grow into a Small Tree. The Seed must belong to the player with the Badger. The Small Tree must be taken from the available area.
Growing (level 2): 6 lunar points.
The Badger makes the Seed on its space grow into a Small Tree. The Seed must belong to the player with the Badger. The Small Tree can be taken directly from the player's board.
No matter the level of the Badger’s ability:
* The Badger’s ability cannot be used on a Seed that has been planted in the same turn.
* Growing a Seed does not count as an action carried out on this space. The Small Tree can plant a Seed or grow again during the same turn.
Be careful: each owner can make their Seed or Tree grow as long as they have the next size Tree in their available area.

Notes:
* The Dam tile must be placed on two spaces with 1 leaf and one space with 2 leaves as shown on the example:
* It is possible to use this ability several times in the game but to do this the Dam tile must be repositioned on a space that is different from the previous position.

The Turtle
Ability: Varies depending on the hatched Baby Turtles.
Setup for the Turtle:
* Shuffle the 8 Baby Turtle tokens face down
* Take 6 random Baby Turtle tokens and place them face down on the beach spaces shown in

The Beaver
Ability: Growing Trees.
Setup for the Beaver: the player with the Beaver takes the Dam tile.
Building the Dam: 6 lunar points.
The Beaver can build a Dam on its space as long as the Dam tile takes up one space touching the river on the board. The Dam tile must cover at least one of the following spaces on the image on the example:
When the Dam is built, all the Trees or Seeds on any of the 3 spaces taken up by the Dam tile grow once for free regardless of their owner(s).
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The Great Elder Tree Mode
The Great Elder Tree doesn’t belong to any player and therefore cannot be collected. Unlike the other Trees, the Great Elder Tree casts a shadow onto all spaces on the side opposite the Sun and it also casts a shadow onto all spaces on the side opposite the Moon.
The Animals and the Moonstones which are in its shadow, in the moonlight’s path, do not receive direct moonlight. Trees in its shadow, in the Sun paths, do not receive light points.
The Great Elder Tree is an obstacle space. Seeds cannot be placed on this space and no Animal can be placed or moved onto this space.
the image on the example. Any remaining Baby Turtle tokens are placed back in the game box.
Hatching a Baby: 4 lunar points.
The Turtle hatches the Baby found on its space and the Baby Turtle token is placed face up in the player’s available area.
The Baby Turtle’s first steps: 1 lunar points.
The Turtle uses one Baby Turtle’s ability (one of the face up Baby Turtle tokens in the player’s available area). Baby Turtles’ abilities are always applicable regardless of the Turtle’s location on the board.
Once used, the Baby Turtle token is returned to the game box and is not used again.
The player is allowed to carry out 2 actions on the same space in the same turn.
The player takes one Small Tree for free from their player board and places it in their available area.
The player takes one Medium Tree for free from their player board and places it in their available area.
The player collects one of their Large Trees for free.
The player wins 3 light points.
The player plants one Seed from their available area on any empty space on the board for free.
3 Scoring Points.
Important: when this Baby is used, it is not returned to the box but it is placed on top of the Turtle board to be added to the Scoring tokens at the end of the game.
When a player carries out the action Collect a Tree, they take a Scoring token showing one extra leaf.
Reminder: The Turtle’s abilities are Hatching a Baby or Baby Turtles first steps. As Animals’ abilities cannot be used more than once in the same turn, it is impossible for the player with the Turtle to use several Baby Turtles in the same turn.
Example: The yellow spaces show where the shadow from the Great Elder Tree is being cast from the Sun. The white spaces show where the shadow from the Great Elder Tree is being cast from the Moon.
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Moonstones Mode:
Moonstones do not belong to any player. They cannot be picked up or moved throughout the entire game. Their shadow is equivalent to the shadow cast by a Small Tree: they cast a shadow onto one space on the side opposite the Sun. This shadow can only affect a Small Tree.
A Moonstone lit up by the moonlight starts shining and indirectly shines moonlight onto all the spaces adjacent to it.
During the Photosynthesis Phase, all Animals located on a space adjacent to a shining Moonstone receive lunar points, even if the Moon does not shine directly onto these Animals (1 or 2 points depending on the side of the Moon).
Spaces with Moonstones are also obstacles.
Seeds cannot be placed onto them and no Animals can be placed or moved onto these spaces.
Example: The Moonstone is in the path of the moonlight, therefore it shines moonlight onto the 6 highlighted spaces adjacent to it. The one yellow highlighted space shows where the Moonstone is casting a shadow from the Sun.
Note: If several Moonstones are adjacent to one another and one receives direct or indirect moonlight, then that stone transfers light onto the other stones which, in turn, also shine indirect moonlight around them.
Example: The Moonstones are all adjacent. They all shine moonlight onto one another and onto the 10 highlighted spaces around them. The 3 yellow highlighted spaces show where the Moonstones are casting shadows from the Sun.
Note: if the Great Elder Tree or any Moonstones are placed in the center space of the board they will never be in the moonlight. Since they will not move during the game, players will not be able to collect Scoring tokens with four leaves (except for the player with the Turtle using the 3 Scoring Point ability).
At the end of the game, players count their points following the Photosynthesis rules.
In addition they earn 1 Scoring Point for every unused lunar point.
Moreover, if the player with the Turtle has used the 3 Scoring points Baby Turtle token, they add these points to their total.
The player with the most points wins the game.
In the event of a tie, the Photosynthesis rules apply.
The rules for this expansion were developed in collaboration with Anthony Gall.
© 2020 Blue Orange Edition, France, all rights reserved for all countries.
Photosynthesis Under the moonlight and Blue Orange are trademarks of Blue Orange Edition, France. Distributed under license by Blue Orange USA, 1415 Oakland Blvd., Walnut Creek, CA, USA 94596.
www.blueorangegames.com.
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