How to Play Fresco

Hey there, art and board game enthusiasts! Welcome to the definitive guide for Fresco, the game that will transform you into the greatest master painters of the Renaissance! Prepare your brushes, mix your paints, and come restore the most glorious fresco the cathedral has ever seen. I'm the senior editor at BoardGameBot, and I'm here to demystify every stroke of this classic.

Game Objective

In Fresco, you are fresco painters hired by the bishop to restore the magnificent painting on the cathedral ceiling. But don't think it's just about showing up and painting! You'll need to plan each day's work with mastery: wake up early to buy and mix the right paints, restore sections of the fresco, and if money gets tight, even paint some portraits in the studio to ensure income. Oh, and watch out for the apprentices' mood! Good planning is key to accumulating the most victory points and becoming the most renowned painter of the Renaissance. Whoever restores the fresco to its former glory and has the most points wins!

Preparation (Setup)

Let's set up the table for our masterpiece! Follow these steps to prepare your game of Fresco:

1. Main Board: Place the double-sided board in the center of the table. For 4 players, use the side with starting spaces S1-S4 facing up. If there are 3 players, flip the board to the side with spaces S1-S3.
2. Initial Master Painters: Each player takes one of their master painters and places it in the cloth bag. Draw them one by one and place them on the starting spaces S1 to S4 (or S1-S3 for 3 players) in the order they were drawn.
3. Player Materials: Each player chooses a color and takes:
   • 1 small screen and 1 action sheet (place the sheet behind the screen with side "1" visible).
   • 1 large screen (hide 1 yellow, 1 red, 1 blue paint block, and 12 Thalers behind it).
   • 1 card with basic paint mixing table.
   • The 2 remaining master painters and their 5 apprentices.
4. Studio: Place all remaining coins (Thalers) in the three free spaces of the studio, separated by value. This is the common supply.
5. Workshop: All paint blocks are placed in the 6 spaces of the workshop, separated by color. This is the common supply.
6. Theater: Each player places one of their master painters in the corresponding space on the mood track. A neutral apprentice is placed in the space above each column.
7. Bishop: The bishop takes his place in the center of the fresco.
8. Inn: Each player places one of their master painters in a space above the inn.
9. Market: Place the 14 market tiles in the cloth bag and mix well. Draw the appropriate number of tiles for each stall (I-IV for 4 players, I-III for 3 players) and place them face up. For 3 players, remove the extra tiles from the game, and 2 will remain in the bag.
10. Cathedral: Take one of the fresco tiles with a value of 11 and place it face up in the center of the fresco. Shuffle the remaining fresco tiles and distribute them randomly face up in the fresco segments.

The Game Turn

A game of Fresco unfolds over several rounds, and each round is divided into two main phases:

1. Choosing Wake-Up Time and Adjusting Mood

This phase defines the order and some conditions for the round:

• Choice Order: The player who is last on the score track starts. They take their master painter from the space above the inn and place it in a wake-up time of their choice (column to the left of the inn). The other players do the same, in order from second-to-last to first place, choosing an empty time slot. Only one painter can occupy each time slot!
• Time Slot Effects: The chosen time slot affects:
  • Mood Change: Immediately after choosing the time, the player adjusts their mood by moving their painter up or down their mood column in the theater.
    • If the painter is in a "+1" space, the player takes the neutral apprentice and can use it for 1 additional action (total of 6 actions). Return the apprentice when leaving the space.
    • If the painter is in a "-1" space, the player dismisses 1 of their apprentices (total of 4 actions). Recover the apprentice when leaving the space.
  • Market Prices: The column to the right of the inn shows the price the player will pay for each market tile.
  • Action Order: The player who chose to wake up earliest will be first in Phase 2, followed by the others in increasing order of wake-up time.

2. Planning and Performing Actions

This is where the magic happens!

1. Planning Actions: All players, simultaneously and behind their small screens, send their available apprentices to the 15 spaces on their action sheet. Only 1 apprentice per space, activating the corresponding action.
2. Performing Actions: After everyone has planned, they remove their screens and visit the 5 locations on the board, one after another. The order is defined by the chosen wake-up time. The current player performs ALL their actions at a location before the next player. If a player did not send apprentices to a location, they are skipped. It is not mandatory to perform an action, and if you don't have money or paints, the action must be forfeited.

Available Locations and Actions:

• Market:
  • Buy Paints: Each apprentice in the "market" column can buy a market tile from a chosen stall. The price depends on the wake-up time. Take the indicated paint blocks and hide them behind the large screen. After finishing purchases at the stall, return its tiles to the cloth bag.
  • Close Market Stall: If you sent at least 1 apprentice, you can choose not to buy and close a chosen stall. All tiles from that stall return to the cloth bag. This is a free action!
• Cathedral: Each apprentice in the "cathedral" column can restore a section of the fresco OR the altar.
  • Restore a Fresco Section: To restore a fresco section, you need the paint blocks shown on the tile. Return the paints to the common supply, gain the victory points (VP) from the tile plus any bishop bonus (if applicable). Advance your master painter on the victory point track. If you land on an occupied space, choose the nearest empty space ahead or behind. Remove the fresco tile from the board (place it face down in front of you) and move the bishop to the restored section.
  • Restore the Altar:
    • Using 3 Basic Paints: Return 1 yellow, 1 red, and 1 blue paint block. Gain 2 VP. You can substitute any of these paints with green, orange, or purple, gaining 1 additional VP for each substitution.
    • Using Only 3 Mixed Paints: Return 1 orange, 1 green, and 1 purple paint block. Gain 6 VP.
  • Moving the Bishop (Optional): Before restoring, you can move the bishop 1 space in any direction (vertical, horizontal, or diagonal) by paying 1 Thaler to the common supply.
    • Bishop Bonus: If the bishop is in the section to be restored, gain 3 bonus VP. If adjacent, gain 2 bonus VP.
• Studio: Paint Portraits: For each apprentice in the "studio" column, you receive 3 Thalers from the common supply.
• Workshop: Mix Paints: For each apprentice in the "workshop" column, you can mix paints up to 2 times. Return the paint blocks to be mixed to the common supply and take the resulting ones.
• Theater: Improve Mood: For each apprentice in the "theater" column, you can move your master painter 2 spaces up on the mood track.

Preparation for the Next Round:

After all players have finished their actions:

• Draw the appropriate number of market tiles for each stall and place them face up.
• Each player receives 1 Thaler income for each face-down fresco tile in front of them (after restoring at least 1 section).
• All players move their master painters back to their dormitories in the inn.
• The player in the last position on the victory point track starts the next round by choosing the wake-up time.

End of Game and Scoring

The game approaches its end when:

• If there are 6 or fewer fresco tiles remaining on the board at the start of a round, that is the final round. Everyone flips their action sheet to side 2. The game ends after this round, even if the fresco is not complete. Income is not paid in the final round.
• If the fresco is completely restored during a round without the above condition being triggered, that round becomes the final round and final scoring is done immediately. No income is paid.

Final Scoring

After the final round, it's time to tally the points:

1. Money: All players receive victory points for their money. Every 2 Thalers are worth 1 victory point. These points are awarded in the order of players (wake-up time) of the final round.
2. Winner: The player with the highest total victory points is the master of all fresco painters and the winner of the game!

Attention: If a master painter stops on an occupied space on the victory point track during final scoring, they are moved forward to the next free space.

Tips for Winning

To stand out among the master painters, keep these tips in mind:

1. Wake-Up Time Planning: Choosing your wake-up time is crucial! It defines the order of actions, the price of paints in the market, and even the mood of your apprentices. Think carefully if it's worth waking up super early to be the first to act, even if it costs more or puts your apprentices in a bad mood. Balance is key!
2. Apprentice and Mood Management: Keep an eye on your apprentices! Having an extra apprentice can be a huge advantage, allowing more actions. On the other hand, losing an apprentice can limit your options. Use the theater to improve mood and ensure your team is always productive, or plan your actions to avoid negative mood spaces.
3. Cathedral Strategy: The cathedral is your main source of victory points. Prioritize the fresco tiles that are worth more points and that you can restore with the paints you already have or can easily acquire. Don't forget the bishop! Moving the bishop strategically to gain 2 or 3 VP bonuses can make a big difference in the end. And remember, restoring the altar can be a great option, especially at the end of the game when fresco sections are scarce.

Now that you have the complete guide, it's time to grab your brushes and show who the true master painter of Fresco is! Good luck and have fun!