Advanced Game

The optional asymmetric characters and their printed powers.

Using the advanced characters

The advanced game adds a distinct character ability for each naturalist. Choose or assign characters as instructed by the rulebook, then use the character’s matching components and ability. The base game instead uses the standard character boards and ignores their special powers. Do not combine character powers with the asymmetric start-tile option; the rules specify that start tiles are for the base game only.

Character abilities

The rulebook describes four characters:

• Carl von Linné — Develop taxonomy: take the nine green sample markers. Each time you gain a basic or exotic sample, put a marker on a matching realm space on the character board. Connected markers grant the rewards between them; completing a row immediately gives 2 points.
• Jeanne Baret — Circumnavigate the world: shuffle and place the destination tokens on the board’s blank spaces, and put her ship at the top of its route. When sailing, she may move this ship instead of a voyage ship; once per turn she may instead pay 2 coins as a free action to move it one space. Gain the space reward. Completing the route gives 7 points and ends further movement.
• Maria Sibylla Merian — The perfect illustration: place her canvas tokens on the 12 illustration spaces and shuffle five of six metamorphosis tokens above the available lenses. When the token above a lens matches that instrument’s multiplier, remove a canvas token and take its reward. Begin at a corner and continue only to orthogonally adjacent spaces; you cannot start a second corner. At each income phase, shuffle and place tokens above the lenses on your work table.
• Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon — Histoire Naturelle: shuffle the volume tokens and reveal three. Once per turn, as a free action, complete a token whose condition you meet, place it horizontally in an available board space, and take its reward plus the rewards directly above or below. Refill to three at the end of your turn. The display cannot be refreshed, and you may place at most ten volume tokens.

Each player uses only their chosen character’s components and ability. Follow the board’s illustrated spaces and matching icon for the exact token reward; never infer a reward from its art.

Asymmetric start tiles

For a base-game variant, shuffle the 15 start tiles. Instead of the standard one container, one tool and one coin, each player draws two tiles and chooses one, taking the resources shown. Return the unused tiles to the box. A tile that grants knowledge lets the player place one marker in any notebook space. Letters and sketches are drawn randomly from their face-down supplies. Do not use this option with advanced characters.

Component limits

The rulebook lists 25 upgraded lenses plus two replacements, and character-specific boards, markers, ships, canvas and destination pieces. Use the boards and token text as printed; do not infer a character power from its illustration alone. See Cards & Components for the components documented in this guide.