Objective of the Game

Welcome, aspiring dinosaur park managers! In Draftosaurus, scientists have finally cloned dinosaurs, and it's up to you to build the most spectacular zoo. Your goal is to organize your dinosaur pens in the best possible way to attract curious visitors and score the most victory points!

The game is played over two exciting rounds, and at the end, the player with the most points will be crowned the ultimate dinosaur zoo manager!

Preparation (Setup)

Getting your dino park ready is quick and easy:

1. Each player takes a Zoo board and places it in front of them. For your first few games, make sure everyone uses the Summer side of the board.
2. Place the dinosaurs into the draw bag. The number of dinosaurs used depends on the player count:
   • 2 players: 2 dinosaurs of each species are left in the box (48 go in the bag).
   • 3 players: 4 dinosaurs of each species are left in the box (36 go in the bag).
   • 4 players: 2 dinosaurs of each species are left in the box (48 go in the bag).
   • 5 players: All 60 dinosaurs are used (all go in the bag).
3. The youngest player takes the placement die and places it in front of them.

And just like that, you're ready to start drafting some prehistoric pals!

The Turn of Play

Draftosaurus is played over two rounds, with each round consisting of six turns. Here's how a round unfolds:

1. Start of Round: At the beginning of each round, all players simultaneously take six dinosaurs from the draw bag and keep them hidden in their hands.
2. Rolling the Die: The player with the placement die rolls it.
3. Choosing and Placing Dinosaurs:
   • All players (including the one who rolled the die) simultaneously choose one dinosaur from their hand.
   • Once everyone has chosen, all players reveal their chosen dinosaur and place it in one of the Pens on their Zoo board.
   • Important: All players, except the one who rolled the die, must obey the placement condition imposed by the die. If a player cannot or does not want to place a dinosaur in a specific Pen due to the die condition or Pen rules, they can always place it in The River.
4. Passing Dinosaurs: After placing a dinosaur, players pass the remaining dinosaurs in their hands (still hidden) to the player on their left. The player with the placement die also passes it to the player on their left.
5. New Turn: A new turn begins with the new player rolling the placement die, and the process repeats.

Turns continue until all players have six dinosaurs in their Zoos. This marks the end of the first round. The second round is played exactly the same way. At the end of the second round, each player will have twelve dinosaurs in their Zoo.

Understanding the Placement Die

The placement die adds a fun twist to where you can place your dinosaurs. Here are the possible conditions:

• Woodlands: Dinosaurs must be placed in a Pen in the woodlands section of your Zoo.
• Grasslands: Dinosaurs must be placed in a Pen in the grasslands section of your Zoo.
• Restrooms: Dinosaurs must be placed on the restroom side of your Zoo (to the right of The River).
• Food Court: Dinosaurs must be placed on the food court side of your Zoo (to the left of The River).
• Empty Pen: Dinosaurs must be placed in an empty Pen.
• Watch Out for T-Rex: Dinosaurs must be placed in a Pen that does not contain a T-Rex. (Note: You can still play a T-Rex this turn, as long as there isn't one already in the Pen in question.)

Dinosaur Pens & Scoring

Each of your six Pens has unique placement conditions and scoring opportunities:

• The Forest of Sameness: Holds only dinosaurs of the same species, filled left to right without gaps. Scores based on the number of dinosaurs in it.
• The Meadow of Differences: Holds only dinosaurs of different species, filled left to right without gaps. Scores based on the number of dinosaurs in it.
• The Prairie of Love: Holds any species. Scores 5 victory points for each same-species dinosaur couple (2 dinosaurs of the same species).
• The Woody Trio: Holds up to three dinosaurs of any species. Scores 7 victory points if it contains exactly 3 dinosaurs, otherwise 0 points.
• King of the Jungle: Holds only one dinosaur. Scores 7 victory points if your Zoo has at least as many dinosaurs of that species as each opponent's Zoo; otherwise 0 points.
• Solitary Island: Holds only one dinosaur. Scores 7 victory points if the dinosaur in it is the only one of its species in your Zoo; otherwise 0 points.

Special Zones & Dinosaurs

• The River: A special zone, not a Pen. Each dinosaur placed here is worth 1 victory point at the end of the game.
• T-Rex: A special dinosaur! Each Pen that contains at least one T-Rex brings in 1 additional victory point (even if it has more than one T-Rex).

End of Game and Scoring

The game concludes after the end of the second round. It's time to tally up those points!

1. Players count the victory points from all their Pens and The River, considering all special conditions and T-Rex bonuses.
2. The player with the most points wins!
3. In case of a tie, the player with the fewest T-Rexes wins.
4. If there's still a tie, the tied players share the win.

Tip: Grab some paper and a pencil to keep track of everyone's scores!

Tips for Winning

To become a truly legendary dinosaur zoo manager, keep these tips in mind:

• Flexibility is Key: Don't get too attached to a single Pen strategy. The placement die can force your hand, so be ready to adapt and make the most of unexpected placements, even if it means using The River for a guaranteed point.
• Watch Your Opponents: Pay attention to what species your opponents are collecting, especially for King of the Jungle. If you see someone heavily investing in a particular species for that Pen, you might want to deny them by drafting those dinosaurs yourself or focusing on other scoring opportunities.
• T-Rex Power: Don't underestimate the power of the T-Rex! Placing them strategically in different Pens can add up to significant bonus points, turning a good score into a great one.