Minecraft: Builders & Biomes
Template:Italic title Template:Board game
Minecraft: Builders & Biomes is a board game published by Mojang Studios and Ravensburger.<ref>Template:Mcnet</ref> In the game, players explore the Overworld and build structures while defeating hostile mobs, with the goal being to score as many experience points as possible. Players are also allowed to collect blocks and weapons.
Player board
Each player board consists of an experience point tracker that runs across the edge, totaling fifty experience points, as well as nine squares containing random biomes.
Equipment
A standard set of Minecraft: Builders & Biomes includes:<ref name=MCB&BGameRules>Minecraft: Builders & Biomes game rules</ref>
Blocks
A set of sixty-four wooden blocks which comprise the following materials:
- Sixteen wood
- Fourteen sand
- Twelve stone
- Twelve emerald
- Ten obsidian
The blocks are used to form a cube (four blocks long, four blocks wide, four blocks high) which is made by putting them on a block base.
Tiles
A set of sixty-four tiles which are divided into sixteen stacks of four tiles each. Half contain buildings, and the other half contain hostile mobs.
Weapon tokens
A set of thirty-six weapon tokens; sixteen are colorless and are placed on the ends of the stacks of tiles. The remaining twenty are colored for players, consisting of the following items for each player:
- One stone sword
- One wooden sword
- Three poisonous potatoes
Character skins
Four character skins for players, consisting of Steve, Alex, Hex, and Valorie.
Overview cards
Twelve overview cards, which consist of info on scoring rounds.
Rules
Official rules
The player who recently found a diamond in Minecraft is the starting player. Otherwise, the youngest player is the starting player.
During a turn, the player must perform two different actions. The same action cannot be performed twice. Once the actions have been performed, play proceeds to the left of the starting player.
Actions
Collecting blocks
Players are allowed to take two blocks from the cube. Blocks can only be collected if their top side plus at least two other sides are exposed. The emerald blocks are wildcards (e.g. they can be used as a substitute for other blocks when building structures). Players are also free to rotate the block base to find any blocks they need for structures.
Exploring the Overworld
Players are allowed to move their character anywhere between zero, one, or two spaces. "Spaces" are the crossing points in the grid of tiles and weapon tokens. Characters are not to be placed on a tile or token.
Once the character has been moved, the player is to reveal the top tiles of the stacks around the character's position. Tiles that are already face-up are to remain as is.
Crossing points can be occupied by multiple characters. Tile stacks / weapon tokens may also be depleted during the course of the game. Nonetheless, players can move their character, even if stacks are empty.
Building
Players may only build a structure if their character is next to a building tile on the grid. The number of blocks needed to build the structure are shown on the bottom right of the tile. Players must possess the necessary blocks to build the structure. Any blocks used are to be returned to the game box.
Emerald blocks can be used as a substitute for any other block (e.g. if the structure requires three wood blocks, and the player has two wood blocks and one emerald block, the emerald block can also be used in addition to the two wood blocks).
Once the structure is built, it can be placed on any space on the player board.
Some structures will require several blocks and have an icon consisting of a lightning bolt and an experience counter on the top right of the tile. When said structure is built, the player immediately gains that many experience points, and is to move their experience counter that many spaces on their experience point tracker.
Structures can be built in any biome (e.g. a forest structure doesn't have to be placed on a forest space), however, players may place structures next to spaces that share the same characteristic (e.g. the same biome) to gain more experience points. Players may also build over existing structures by placing the structure tile over one they no longer need.
Fighting hostile mobs
If the character is next to a revealed mob tile, the player may attempt to defeat it. To fight a hostile mob, the player is to shuffle their weapon tokens face-down and reveal three of them. Then, the player is to compare the number of hearts on the revealed weapon tokens to the number of hearts on the mob tile. Poisonous potatoes have no hearts and are considered "blank".
If the number of hearts on the weapon tokens are equal or greater than the hearts on the revealed mob tile, the mob is defeated. The player is to then remove the mob tile from the grid and place it face-down next to their player board. In addition, the player immediately gains the number of experience points printed next to the lightning bolt and experience counter.
However, if the number of hearts on the weapon tokens are less than the hearts on the revealed mob tile, the mob stays where it is.
After the fight, the player shuffles their revealed weapon tokens back into their pile.
There are two kinds of mob tiles:
- A mob tile with a hunger icon (File:Hunger.svg) can be traded to gain one additional action during a turn (e.g. when its the player's turn, the player executes their two different actions as usual; then, the player returns as many mob tiles with the hunger icon to the game box, allowing them to execute additional actions. As opposed to a normal turn, the player is allowed to execute an action that had already been executed earlier in the same turn).
- A mob tile with an experience counter and icon are to be kept until the end of the game, in which they will gain the player additional experience points for all spaces with matching characteristics (e.g. mob tiles with an experience counter of two and a forest biome gain the player two experience points for each forest space on the player board).
Collecting weapons
Players are allowed to collect a weapon token if their character is next to a weapon token. Once collected, it is shuffled into their pile of weapon tokens.
Players are allowed to look at their weapon tokens at any time during the game, such as making sure they have enough hearts to defeat a mob.
There are four weapons with special abilities:
- Template:ItemSprite Bow: The player can reveal one additional weapon token.
- Template:ItemSprite Golden hoe: The player immediately gains two experience points.
- Template:ItemSprite Stone pickaxe: The player may collect one additional block from the cube.
- Template:BlockSprite TNT: The player is allowed to detonate TNT if necessary. TNT tokens have five hearts.
Scoring
The first scoring round (biomes) happens when any player completely mines the first layer of blocks of the cube. The second scoring round (materials) happens when any player completely mines the second layer of blocks of the cube. The third scoring round (type) happens when any player completely mines the third layer of blocks of the cube.
The player who finishes their turn is the first to score.
After each player scores, the overview cards for that scoring round are returned to the game box, and play proceeds to the left of the player who initiated scoring.
Scoring round A (Biome)
In the first scoring round, players choose one of the four biomes: forest, desert, mountains, or snowy tundra. Then, the players identify the largest group of connected spaces that share the same biome. For each space that shares the same biome, the players gain the number of experience points printed on the overview card. Spaces that are diagonal from connected spaces do not count towards the total.
For example: A player has four connected spaces of desert, forming the largest biome on their player board. For each desert space, they gain four experience points, for a total of sixteen experience points.
Scoring round B (Materials)
In the second scoring round, players choose from one of four materials: wood, sand, stone, or obsidian. Then, the players identify the largest group of connected spaces that share the same material, and so on.
For example: A player has five connected spaces of wood structures, which gives them three experience points each, for a total of fifteen experience points.
Scoring round C (Type)
In the third scoring round, players choose from one of four structures: decoration, dwelling, animal house, or bridge. Then, the players identify the largest group of connected spaces that share the same structure, and so on.
For example: A player has three connected spaces of bridges, which gives them six experience points each, for a total of eighteen experience points.
End of the game
After the third scoring round, players score each mob tile with an experience counter and icon. As opposed to the three scoring rounds, mob tiles count all spaces of a characteristic, regardless if the spaces are connected or not.
For example: A player defeated four mobs throughout the game. The scoring is as follows.
- The player gained two experience points for each forest space, for a total of four.
- The player gained three experience points for their obsidian structure.
- The player gained three experience points for their two animal houses, a total of six.
- The player had no sand structure, so no points are awarded (if they did, it would be two experience points for each).
In total, the player gained thirteen experience points.
After each mob tile with an experience counter and icon is scored, experience points are compared among the players. The player with the most experience points is the winner. If there is a tie, the player with the most blocks from the cube is the winner. If there is still a tie, the tied players are the winners.
Related games
Farmer's Market
An expansion to the base game, titled Minecraft Builders & Biomes: Farmer's Market was released on October 1, 2020 throughout Europe, and October 15, 2020 worldwide.<ref>Template:Mcnet</ref> The expansion allows players to grow vegetables, trade vegetables with villagers, and obtain items with abilities to use for their player board.
The Farmer's Market expansion includes:
- Sixteen building tiles
- Eighteen item tiles
- Thirty-two vegetable tokens
- Four item reference cards
- One marketplace board
- Four overview cards
- Eight experience counters
Setup
Setup is as described in the base game with the following exceptions:
- The sixteen building tiles are added to the sixty-four tiles in the base game and shuffled, creating sixteen stacks of five tiles each and laid out in a four-by-four grid.
- Next, the marketplace board is placed next to the play area, followed by separating the eighteen item tiles by the letter on the back ("X", "A", or "B") and shuffling them. Then, one tile is placed on each space of the marketplace board that matches the letter shown, followed by returning the unused tiles to the game box.
- Next, the four item tiles marked "X" are turned face-up.
- Players are then given a starting farmland structure. In a two-player game, the structure is flipped to the side marked "2". In a three or four-player game, the structure is flipped to the side marked "3-4". The farmland structure is then placed on a forest space of the player's choice on their player board.
- Next, the thirty-two vegetable tokens are placed in a pile next to the play area, with players placing one or two tokens on the spaces of their farmland structure, depending on the number of players.
- Then, the overview cards for scoring round C and turn actions from the base game are replaced with the aforementioned cards from the expansion.
- Finally, eight experience counters are put in a pile next to the play area. These are used when a player completes a lap around the experience point tracker on their player board, taking one and placing it next to their board with the "50" side up, and turned to the "100" side when another lap is completed.
Rules
The rules are described as in the base game with an additional action.
Actions
Buy from the marketplace
Four item tiles are turned face-up at the beginning of the game (marked "X"), and after scoring rounds A and B (marked "A" and "B", respectively), making them available for purchase. Items are paid for with vegetables, in which how many needed to pay for an item are noted on the bottom right corner of the item tile. Once paid for, the vegetable tokens are removed from the player's farmland structures and returned to the pile of vegetable tokens, followed by taking the purchased item and placing it next to their player board.
The special ability tied to the item may be used immediately after purchasing it (e.g. if a player buys an item as their first action, they may use the special ability of the item during their next action, if applicable). The player may buy an unlimited number of items.
The items, the amount of vegetables required to pay for them, and the special abilites for each item are described as follows:
| Item | Amount of vegetables required to pay | Special ability |
|---|---|---|
| Template:ItemSprite | 1 | The player may move their character between zero and three spaces while exploring the overworld. |
| Template:BlockSprite | 2 | The player may use any block they have as an emerald block while building a structure. |
| Template:BlockSprite | 2 | The player gains one experience point when they gain experience via the lightning icon (this applies to defeating a mob as well as building expensive structures). |
| Template:ItemSprite | 4 | The player may attempt to fight a mob a second time if they lose; the weapon tokens they have will need to be re-shuffled and three are revealed as per the normal rules when fighting a mob. |
| Template:BlockSprite | 4 | The player gains one experience point while collecting blocks from the cube. |
| Template:BlockSprite | 1 | The player gains two additional actions that they may use during their turn if they turn in a defeated mob; the player may also execute actions that they have executed earlier in the same turn. |
| Template:BlockSprite | 2 | The player may move their character an unlimited amount of spaces while exploring the overworld. |
| Template:ItemSprite | 3 | The player may collect three blocks from the cube. |
| Template:BlockSprite | 4 | All structures cost one block less than normal to build; structures that cost one block are free to build, but the "Build" action must still be performed. |
| Template:BlockSprite | 5 | The player may reveal four weapons while fighting a mob. |
| Template:BlockSprite | 6 | The player may execute three different actions during their turn. |
| Template:BlockSprite | 2 | At the end of the game, the player gains one experience point for each block they have. |
| Template:BlockSprite | 3 | At the end of the game, the player gains two experience points for each structure built on their player board; only the top structure is counted. |
| Template:BlockSprite | 4 | At the end of the game, the player gains two experience points for each defeated mob they own. |
| Template:BlockSprite | 5 | At the end of the game, the player gains three experience points for each farmland structure that is visible on their player board; farmland structures that have been built over do not count. |
| Template:BlockSprite | 6 | At the end of the game, the player gains four experience points for each item they have bought from the marketplace; the bell counts as an item. |
| Template:BlockSprite | 7 | At the end of the game, the player gains twenty experience points. |
Scoring
Scoring is the same as the base game with the following exceptions:
- After the first scoring round, the four items marked "A" on the marketplace are revealed, followed by all vegetable structures that are visible on the player board being replenished with vegetable tokens on any empty spaces.
- After the second scoring round, the four items marked "B" on the marketplace are revealed, followed by as described above.
- After the third scoring round, the player may select to score farming structures, which are two experience points each.
Gallery
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Skins from the Builders & Biomes skin pack.
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Skins from the Builders & Biomes skin pack.
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Skins from the Builders & Biomes skin pack.
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Promo art for Builders & Biomes.
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Promo art for the Farmer's Market Expansion.
