How to Play Merchants Cove: The Entertainer Crossover Pack

Objective of the Game

In Merchants Cove: The Entertainer Crossover Pack, you take on the role of an Entertainer, using your musical talents to captivate audiences, recruit fans, and earn gold. Your goal is to strategically compose songs, perform at various locations, and maximize your earnings by leveraging your skills and resources. The game ends after a set number of rounds, and the player with the most gold wins.

Preparation (Setup)

Follow these steps to prepare the game:

1. Place the Bardwood Grove player board in front of you.
2. Set the Volume tracker on the “0” space of the Volume track.
3. Place the Song tracker above your Tempo Wheel on the player board.
4. Place 6 Badge tokens into the 6 rightmost spaces on the Badge track.
5. Place 1 Coin token into each Rune bonus space around your Tempo Wheel, then stack 1 Rune token onto each coin.
6. Shuffle the 14 Skill cards and place them face-down on the deck space of your player board.
7. Place the 4 Creature cards in a stack on Dragon Island on the main board.
8. Place the 4 Improv cards in a stack near the Town Square on the main board.
9. Place the 4 Skill cards in a stack near the Bazaar pier on the main board.
10. Place the Instrument card onto the window space of your player board (the side with Corruption is considered the front).
11. Place your Bard meeple near your player board.
12. Set your Tempo Wheel so that the Rune on it is in the top-right quadrant.
13. Draw 2 Skill cards from your deck. If you draw a Creature card, place it in the Boast area. If you draw an Improv card, place it in your Song tableau. Continue drawing until you have 2 Skill cards.

Flow of the Game

Each turn consists of three steps: the Composition Step, the Singing Step (if triggered), and the Downtime Step.

• Composition Step: Play 1 Skill card to your Song tableau and discard the other. Rotate your Tempo Wheel based on the Hourglass icons on the discarded card. If the Tempo Wheel completes a full rotation, trigger a Singing Step.
• Singing Step: Perform at various locations using Faction icons and resources. Move your Bard meeple and gain gold or other benefits.
• Downtime Step: Advance your Time tracker, discard cards from your Song tableau (if you had a Singing Step), and draw new Skill cards to refill your hand.

Additionally, during the Market Phase, you may perform a Swan Song, allowing you to sing again regardless of your Tempo Wheel position.

Actions and How to Play

Here’s how to perform key actions:

• Composition Step: Play Skill cards to build your Song tableau and rotate your Tempo Wheel. Adjust Volume and Corruption based on the discarded card.
• Singing Step: Move your Bard meeple to locations like Piers, Town Square, Faction Halls, or Dragon Island. Spend Faction icons and resources to gain gold or other benefits.
• Boast: Spend 3 Volume to activate the effects of all Creature cards in your Boast area, then discard them.
• Recruiting Fans: Use Faction icons to place Badges on Townsfolk in the Town Square, increasing your Hand Size and earning Sponsorship.

Consult the manual for details on specific locations and their benefits.

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends after a set number of rounds. Players count their gold, and the player with the most gold wins. Additional points may be earned through Sponsorship from Townsfolk fans.

Tips for Winning

• Maximize Your Singing Steps: Use your Tempo Wheel strategically to trigger Singing Steps as often as possible, allowing you to perform and earn gold.
• Recruit Fans Early: Placing Badges on Townsfolk increases your Hand Size and provides Sponsorship, giving you more flexibility and points.
• Leverage Creature Cards: Use the Boast action to activate Creature cards in your Boast area for powerful effects before discarding them.