# Sea Salt & Paper ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2022 - **BGG Rating**: 7.5 - **BGG Rank**: #258 - **Players**: 2-4 (Best with: 2) - **Duration**: 30-45 min - **Weight**: 1.48 / 5 - **Designers**: Bruno Cathala, Théo Rivière - **Artists**: Lucien Derainne, Pierre-Yves Gallard - **Publishers**: Bombyx, Buró, CMON Global Limited, Cranio Creations, Dice&Bones, Fabrika Igr - **Categories**: Animals, Card Game - **Mechanics**: Hand Management, Melding and Splaying, Open Drafting, Push Your Luck, Score-and-Reset Game, Set Collection ## Verdict If you enjoy quick card games with a dash of luck and plenty of strategic decisions, Sea Salt & Paper is the perfect choice for your table!Quick to learnStrategic decisionsCharming illustrationsPush your luck mechanicHigh replayabilityCan be too luckyIndirect interactionNot for all 'push your luck' fansHIGHLY RECOMMENDED ## Description In Sea Salt & Paper, get ready to dive into an ocean of strategy and luck, where every card is an origami work of art! This super charming card game challenges you to build the best possible hand, using the set collection mechanic to accumulate points. Each turn, you'll draw a card from the deck or from one of the two discard piles, trying to form valuable combinations. But that's not all: some cards have special effects that can turn the game in your favor, such as stealing cards from opponents or protecting your own. The big dilemma of the game is when to end the round. Do you feel confident with your score? Then you can decide to stop the round immediately, but be careful: if you're not the player with the most points, your opponents get an extra turn to try and beat you! Or, if you're feeling bold, you can give them that extra chance, betting that you'll still be able to increase your lead. It's a true 'push your luck' that adds delicious tension to every game. The game continues over several rounds until a player reaches a final score (which varies from 30 to 40 points, depending on the number of participants). With marine animal origami illustrations that are a spectacle in themselves, Sea Salt & Paper is a light experience, yet full of strategic decisions! ## How to Play Game Objective Ahoy, sailors! In Sea Salt & Paper, you will embark on a strategic journey to collect the right cards and outwit your opponents. The main objective is to be the first to reach the number of victory points required for your crew: For 2 players: 40 points For 3 players: 35 points For 4 players: 30 points You will do this by choosing your cards wisely, activating their effects at the right moment, and, who knows, catching your opponents by surprise. But beware, for the luck of the sea can change quickly! Preparation (Setup) Let's set up the table for our maritime adventure! Distribute the player aids so that all players have them at hand. They will be your compasses during the game. Shuffle all cards face down and form a central deck, within reach of everyone. Reveal the first two cards from the deck and place them face up, side by side, forming two discard piles. Randomly choose the first player. May luck be with them! The Game Turn The game unfolds in turns, clockwise. In each turn, a player performs the following steps: Add a Card to Hand You have two options to take a card and add it to your hand: Option 1: Draw from the Deck Take the first two cards from the deck. Choose one of them to add to your hand and discard the other, face up, into one of the two discard piles. If one of the discard piles is empty, you will have no choice and must place the card there. Remember: you cannot consult the discard piles before choosing! Option 2: Rescue from Discard Take the top card from one of the two discard piles and add it to your hand. Play Pairs (Optional) If you have a pair of identical cards (pairs) in your hand, you can play them! To do this, lay them face up in front of you and activate their effect. You can activate more than one effect during your turn if you have more pairs. Important Note: The points from pairs count even if they haven't been played. However, the effect is only activated when you lay them down in front of you. Pair Effects: Crab: Choose a discard pile, consult it without shuffling, and choose a card from it to add to your hand. You do not need to show the chosen card to other players. Boat: You immediately take another turn! Fish: Add the top card of the draw deck to your hand. Swimmer and Shark: (This is a special pair!) Steal a random card from another player's hand and add it to your hand. End the Round (Optional) After drawing and, optionally, playing cards, you can decide to end the round if the sum of your cards' points (both those in your hand and those in front of you) is equal to or greater than 7 points. If you don't reach 7 points or decide not to end the round, the turn passes to the player on your left. End of Game and Scoring The game can end in two ways: Instant Mermaid Victory If a player lays down all 4 mermaid cards in front of them, they win the game immediately, regardless of points! Victory Scoring Otherwise, the game ends as soon as one of the players reaches or exceeds the necessary victory points (40, 35, or 30, depending on the number of players) at the end of a round. The player with the most points wins the game. In case of a tie, the player who scored more points in the last round wins. End of Round When a player decides to end the round (by having 7 or more points), they must reveal their hand cards and announce one of two options: STOP: You don't want to take risks. All players reveal their hands and immediately score the cards they have (in hand and in front of them). The round's points are added to the points from previous rounds. LAST CHANCE: You are confident and bet that you have the highest score at the end of the round. The other players each take one last turn (draw cards and play cards), then reveal their hand cards (which are now protected from attacks). Then, all players count the points of their own cards (in hand and in front of them). Bet Won! If your points are greater than or equal to your opponents' points, you score your cards' points + the color bonus (1 point for each card of the color you have the majority of). Opponents only score the color bonus. Bet Lost! If your score is less than the score of at least one of your opponents, you only score the color bonus. Opponents score the points of their own cards. Card Scoring (Important Details!) When talking about scoring or counting card points, this includes both the cards in your hand and those laid open in front of you. Pairs: Crab, Boat, Fish: 1 point for each pair. Swimmer and Shark: 1 point for each combination. Mermaid Cards: 1 point for each card of the color you have the most of. If you have more than one mermaid, check which other colors you have the most of (the same color cannot be counted for more than one mermaid). Mermaids are considered white cards. Collectible Cards: Shell: 1=0, 2=2, 3=4, 4=6, 5=8, 6=10 points. Octopus: 1=0, 2=3, 3=6, 4=9, 5=12 points. Penguin: 1=1, 2=3, 3=5 points. Sailor: 1=0, 2=5 points. Point Multiplier Cards: The Lighthouse: 1 point for each boat card (does not count as a boat). The School of Fish: 1 point for each fish card (does not count as a fish). The Penguin Colony: 2 points for each penguin card (does not count as a penguin). The Captain: 3 points for each sailor card (does not count as a sailor). Special Case: Empty Deck If the deck is empty at the end of a player's turn, the round ends immediately without scoring. All cards are shuffled for a new round. Start of New Round If no one has reached the victory points, a new round begins. All cards are shuffled, and the deck and discard piles are created again. The player to the left of the one who ended the previous round starts the new round. Tips for Winning To become a true master of the seas in Sea Salt & Paper, keep an eye on these tips: Manage Your Discard Piles: The choice of where to discard a card can be crucial. Try to "feed" the pile that is least interesting to your opponents or, strategically, leave a card that you know they cannot take (or don't want to) on top, so you can take it on your next turn. Observe Opponents and the Deck: Pay attention to the cards your opponents take from the discard piles. This can give a clue about what they are collecting. Also, if the deck is running out, prepare for the end of the round, as it may end without scoring if the deck runs out. Bet Wisely on "LAST CHANCE": Announcing "LAST CHANCE" is a risky bet, but it can yield many points. Only do it if you have a good point advantage and, ideally, a good color bonus. If you are not sure you will win, "STOP" is the safest option to secure your points. ## FAQ ### How many players can play Sea Salt & Paper? The game is ideal for 2 to 4 players, offering a fun and strategic experience in any of these configurations. ### What is the average playtime? A game of Sea Salt & Paper usually lasts between 30 to 45 minutes, perfect for filling some free time or for several consecutive rounds! ### What is the complexity level of the game? It's considered a light game (BGG weight of 1.4786/5), which means it's super easy to learn the rules and start playing, but it has enough depth to keep players engaged. ### Who is Sea Salt & Paper recommended for? It's highly recommended for anyone looking for a fast-paced card game with simple rules but offering interesting decisions. Great for families, beginners, and those who enjoy a fun 'push your luck' element. ### Are the components language-dependent? No, the components of Sea Salt & Paper are language-independent. The cards are illustrated and use universal icons, so anyone can play without issues. ### What are the origami cards mentioned? The cards in Sea Salt & Paper feature beautiful illustrations of marine animals made from origami, giving the game a unique and charming visual touch. ## Price Comparison ### Best Offers in Brazil - **Caixinha Boardgames**: R$ 64,17 (https://www.caixinhaboardgames.com.br/produtos/sea-salt-paper/?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **Omniverse**: R$ 65,01 (https://www.omniverse.com.br/sea-salt-e-paper-pr--venda-?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **Pittas Board Games**: R$ 65,01 (https://www.pittasboardgames.com.br/produtos/sea-salt-paper/?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **Ludostation**: R$ 69,21 (https://ludostation.com.br/produtos/sea-salt-paper/?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on Compara Jogos: https://www.comparajogos.com.br/item/sea-salt-paper ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 13.95 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=4535814&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/45551/sea-salt-paper?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com