Pandemic: In the Lab — How to Play

Game Objective

In Pandemic: On the Brink, scientists work against time behind closed containment doors to sequence diseases and test cures to save humanity. The main objective is to develop the necessary cures for the diseases plaguing the world. In the Laboratory Challenge, cures must be developed in the lab before they are discovered. In Team Play, rival teams compete to prevent pandemics and cure diseases, aiming to accumulate the most prestige.

Setup

The setup varies depending on the game mode, but general instructions include:

• Board and Components: Place the Laboratory Board near the main game board. Position the 5 Sample Dishes in their corresponding circles. Replace the Cure Vials with Cure Markers.
• Characters: Distribute 1 Character Card to each player. In the Laboratory Challenge, use the laboratory versions of the Researcher and Epidemiologist and do not use the Field Operative.
• Sequence Cards: Shuffle the Sequence Cards and place the draw pile on the laboratory board. Draw one card and place it in the top sequence slot.
• Events: Add the 3 new Event Cards to the deck. In team mode, use 2 event cards per player.
• Other: Distribute 1 Laboratory Reference Card to each player.
• Specific Settings:
  • Solo Play: Place the CDC Card nearby. Distribute between 8 and 16 City Cards face up in the player's discard pile (depending on difficulty).
  • Team Play: Each team receives 1 Research Station (in addition to Atlanta). The Infection Marker starts on the third "2" space. Each team receives a secret Objective Card.

Game Flow

The game follows the turn structure of the base game, with the following phases:

1. Player Actions: The player performs their actions (normally 4 actions, or 6 actions divided among members in Team Play).
2. Draw Cards: The player draws 2 cards (or 1 card in Team Play).
3. Epidemic Resolution: Resolve any drawn Epidemic Cards and discard excess cards to maintain the hand limit of 7 cards.
4. Infect Cities: Cities are infected according to the infection rate.

In Solo Play, after infections, the CDC may perform 1 action (such as moving the player, swapping characters, exchanging information, drawing a card, or discovering a cure).

Actions and How to Play

Revised Actions (Laboratory Challenge)

• Treat Disease: Remove 1 disease cube from the current city. If the color is already cured, remove all cubes of that color. A removed cube can be placed on one of the 2 Sample Dishes instead of the supply.
• Discover a Cure: At a Research Station, discard 3 City Cards of the same color (instead of 5) to cure the disease, provided the research line has been completed (characterized, tested, and with the Sequence Card filled).
• Build a Research Station: Discard the City Card of the current city to build the station. As a bonus, the player can perform 1 Laboratory Action for free.
• Share Knowledge: Give or receive the City Card of the current city from another player who is in the same location. In Team Play, sharing knowledge between different teams costs 2 actions.

Laboratory Actions (Must be performed at a Research Station)

• Characterize a Disease: Play a City Card in the characterization slot to define the cure color for that line. The color must match the vial symbol on the Sequence Card. Move the Cure Vial to mark the card.
• Process a Sample: Move all cubes from a dish following 1 arrow:
  • To Centrifuge: Keeps only cubes of a single color, discarding the rest.
  • To Separator: Keeps 1 cube of each color present, discarding the rest.
  • To Culture Dish: Doubles the quantity of each cube moved (using the supply).
  • To Sequence Card: Fills empty slots on the Sequence Card (1 cube per slot). Gray slots must be filled with the cure color.
• Test a Cure: Play a City Card of the cure color on the research line (which must have at least 1 cube). Remove 1 cube of the cure color from any city to the supply.
• Sequence a Disease: Draw a Sequence Card to open a new line, replace an existing one, or discard it.

Character Abilities

• Field Director: Can Treat Disease in connected cities; can move another pawn (with permission) as a bonus action.
• Virologist: Can discard 2 City Cards of the same color to replace 1 card of the cure color when Discovering a Cure; can discard 1 card to remove 1 cube of that color from any city.
• Local Contact: Can give a City Card of the current city's color to a player in any city of the same color (1 action per turn). In the lab, can Characterize a Disease or Test a Cure as a bonus action.
• Pilot: Does not make normal moves or build stations. Can fly to any city with up to 3 connections (as 1 action) and take another pawn with them.
• Epidemiologist (Lab): Can Sequence a Disease as a bonus action at stations.
• Researcher (Lab): Can Process a Sample as a bonus action at stations.

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends when players lose (according to base game rules) or win.

Victory Conditions

• Cooperative Mode: Cure all diseases.
• Team Play: The game ends when a team wins by:
  • Discovering the cure for 4 diseases.
  • Discovering the cure for 3 diseases and eradicating them.
  • In the Mutation Challenge: Curing the 5 diseases; or curing the 4 common ones and removing all purple cubes.

Scoring (Prestige in Team Play)

The team with the most prestige wins. Prestige is accumulated through:

• Award Markers: Earned by curing or eradicating diseases (including awards for the first cure/eradication and for the virulent strain).
• Objective Cards: Specific points defined on each team's objective card.
• Bonus Cards: Extra points if kept until the end of the game.
• Mutation: 4 prestige points for the team that removes the last purple cube from the board.

Tips for Winning

• If there are few cubes of a specific color on the board, prioritize using them to cure that color of disease first.
• Remember that in the Laboratory Challenge, the mandatory sequence is: Characterize $\rightarrow$ Sequence/Process $\rightarrow$ Test $\rightarrow$ Discover Cure.
• In Team Play, keep your objectives hidden to prevent opposing teams from eradicating diseases just to stop you from scoring.