FAQ
88 answered questions48 official
Rules questions from the BoardGameGeek forum. Answers marked Official were confirmed by ThunderGryph Games or the designers.
Common mistakes
- With 1–3 players each Main Diary is one section: a second worker anywhere in it pays the placement penalty — even if the first worker is yours. Ruling · Rule
- Unlocking a Lens location lets you do that space’s actions at once, without a worker and without seals — but no distinction bonus. Ruling · Rule
- Purple seals and Temporary Knowledge never count for Objectives; purple seals do count for Crew cards. Ruling · Rule
- The silver research reward researches one specimen, not every specimen on the island. Ruling · Rule
- A distinction gained during an action only works from the worker’s next placement. Ruling · Rule
- Explorers and Ships always move at least one space; you cannot stay put to repeat a reward. Ruling · Rule
- Players who take an Envelope reward discard half their Stamps there, rounded up. Ruling · Rule
- Research tokens stay on your board after you deliver the specimen. Ruling · Rule
Showing 88 of 88
Can I place a second worker in the Small Diary if my own worker is already there?
Yes, if the other Lens space is still free — and you pay the placement penalty, because the section is occupied even though the worker there is yours. On the app, a space is only offered if you can pay both the penalty and an unlock cost.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
Placing a worker on a small Lens in an occupied Diary section: do I pay the penalty plus 1 Coin? Official
You pay only the normal placement penalty: 3 Coins with two players, 2 with three or four, however many workers are already there. The 1 Coin for the owner of the Lens comes from the supply, not from you.
Source: BGG thread
With two or three players, is each page of a Main Diary a separate section?
No. The red bookmark that splits each Diary into two sections is printed only on the four-player side of the board. With 1–3 players each whole Diary is one section, so a second worker anywhere in it pays the penalty.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread · BGG thread
Can I send more than one of my workers to the Turn Order space?
Yes. The rectangular magnifying glass takes any number of workers, yours included, with no penalty; each one takes the Coins. In a two-player game that is 3 Coins each time.
Source: BGG thread
Is the turn order changed before or after the Reward phase ties are settled? Official
Before. The Turn Order phase comes first, so a player who took the first spot this round already goes first in that round's Reward phase and wins its tie order.
Source: BGG thread
What does the last player in turn order get to make up for it? Official
First choice of the Starting Objective pairs. The publisher calls a well-chosen starting Objective that you complete quickly very strong — for example one that frees you from Scroll costs in the Academy. Going later also lets you leapfrog Explorers already on the tracks.
Source: BGG thread
Can I use a silver-distinction Coin bonus to pay the placement penalty of that same space? Official
No. You must be able to pay the penalty when you place the worker; the distinction bonus only comes after.
Source: BGG thread
If a worker gains its 4th or 6th seal during an Academy action, does it get the distinction bonus straight away? Official
No. The bonus depends on the distinctions the worker had when it was placed; the new one counts from its next placement.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
Is buying two seals at the Academy one action or two? Official
Two separate Academy actions. A silver distinction adds a single extra Academy action to the visit, not one per action. The golden distinction's 1-Coin discount applies to every Academy action you take there.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
What does a seal discount apply to, and can I split it between two seals? Official
Add the Scroll cost and the cost of the space on your board, then take the discount off that total. A discount belongs to one action and cannot be carried over to another seal — but you choose the order, so you can buy the dearer seal with the discount.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread · BGG thread
Is a "free" Academy action (red X) also free to place on my board? Official
Yes. The red X means the whole action costs nothing — the Scroll, the board space and, with Fireland, any Time penalty.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread · BGG thread
What happens to the seals removed in Cleanup, and when the seal pile runs out? Official
Removed seals leave the game and never go back into the pile. When the pile is empty, no more seals come out.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread · BGG thread
Can Special Wax Seals or Temporary Knowledge count for Objective seal requirements? Official
No. Special (purple) seals count for placing workers and for Crew cards only — not for Objectives or Beagle goals. Temporary Knowledge only helps when placing a worker: never for Objectives or Crew cards.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread · BGG thread
Must the seals an Objective asks for be in the same worker row? Official
No. They can be anywhere on your board, including the seals you received at setup. Only Crew cards need the seals in one row.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
Does the order of the seals in a row matter?
No. Placement spaces and Crew cards only count how many seals of each colour the worker has.
Source: BGG thread
Do you get a distinction bonus when you unlock a Lens location? Official
No. You do the unlocked space's actions, but no worker is placed there, so no silver or golden bonus applies.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread · BGG thread
Do Main Diary spaces have to be unlocked in order?
Yes: on each page of the two Main Diaries, top to bottom. Special Action tiles can be unlocked in any order.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
Is the printed Lens beside the Museum open from the start of the game? Official
Yes. It is a printed Lens space, usable by one worker per round from round 1. Your own Lens tokens only go on locked spaces, paying their Coin cost.
Source: BGG thread
Can "Perform Locked Action" be used on a locked Special Action tile 8 to unlock that very tile? Official
Yes. Doing tile 8's free unlock, you may put the Lens on tile 8 itself, whose unlocking bonus lets you place a second Lens — two Lenses in one move. Crew card 9 can do the same.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread · BGG thread
How does Special Action tile 12 work if my Objective spaces are full? Official
The tile is an exception to "any order": first gain an Objective, then fulfil any one Objective — it may be the one you just took. If you cannot take a new Objective, you can still do the fulfil part.
Source: BGG thread
Can an Explorer or Ship move zero spaces to use its space again? Official
No. An Exploration or Navigation always moves at least one space.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
What about map spaces marked 3+ or 4 at lower player counts? Official
They still count for movement. With fewer players no Specimen goes there, so you take the bonus printed underneath instead; the unused Specimens start in the Museum.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread · BGG thread
A Crew card shows two Exploration actions. Same Explorer or two? Official
Either. They are two separate Exploration actions; each may move up to its value and may stop earlier.
Source: BGG thread
Does the research-island reward research every specimen on the island? Official
No — one specimen, on any island where you have an Explorer, anywhere along that track (ahead of or behind the Explorer). An early French translation said "all", which is wrong.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread · BGG thread
Does "Move up to the HMS Beagle" ever move a Ship backwards, and does it trigger silver banners?
It only moves forward: a Ship level with or ahead of the Beagle stays put. Players report the designer answering that the silver banners crossed on the way are triggered.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
Is the end of an Island or Ocean track one space or two?
One space. The 3 bonus victory points go only to the first Explorer or Ship to arrive.
Source: BGG thread
Can one player put two Tents on the same campsite? Official
No, not even with Establish Any Campsite. When a campsite shows two bonuses, you get both.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
What does Reactivate a Tent give? Official
All the actions of one campsite where you have a Tent, without its cost — not the bonus on your personal board. A slash between two icons always means "choose one".
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
I have no Tents left. Can I move a placed Tent? Official
No. Placed Tents never move. Your Explorer may still stop at a campsite, you just cannot camp there.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread · BGG thread
Can I stop at a campsite I cannot afford, or pay for it later?
You may stop there — all rewards are optional and you choose their order, so Coins from another reward of the same move can pay for the Tent. You cannot come back and pay in a later turn.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
Can each Correspondence action go to a different Envelope? Official
Yes. Each action picks its own Envelope, even within one turn — for example a Tent bonus's Stamp after a main action's three.
Source: BGG thread
Are empty-stack bonuses taken again by later Correspondence actions? Official
No. Each stack's bonus is taken once, when it empties. Empty two stacks in one action and you take both.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
What if I have no Stamps left on my board?
Take Stamps of your colour back from the used Stamps tray. Alfred does the same.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
Can a reward from one Envelope add Stamps to an Envelope not yet scored this phase? Official
Yes; Envelopes are scored top to bottom, so new Stamps on a lower one count when it is scored. On the Envelope that just paid you, first discard half your Stamps there, then add the new ones for the next round.
Source: BGG thread
Must I place the full number of Stamps?
No, a Correspondence action places up to its number.
Source: BGG thread
Do I remove my Research token when I deliver that specimen? Official
No. Research tokens stay on your board all game.
Source: BGG thread
Does a Repeat Delivery to a full row give the extra Evolution step, and the row's Coin? Official
Treat it as lifting the tile out and putting it back: if the row is full you get the extra step. The row's Coin goes to the first player who actually delivers into that row — so if the row was filled at setup, or nobody has delivered there yet, a Repeat Delivery takes it.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread · BGG thread
What is Research Museum Specimen for? Official
Marking specimens already in the Museum on your board, mainly to fulfil Objectives and Beagle goals. You cannot deliver them unless the Repeat Delivery tile is out.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
Can I achieve an Objective between my two Museum deliveries? Official
Yes — for example research a specimen with a reward and deliver it as the second one. Stamp-stack and Tent bonuses can be fitted in the same way.
Source: BGG thread
We ran out of Research tokens. Are they limited? Official
No — use a substitute. Wax Seals, though, are limited.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
What happens past the end of the Theory of Evolution track? Official
Nothing: extra steps are lost.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
Does the Objective reserve have colour limits, and can I slot an unfinished reserve tile to make room? Official
Any two colours. With the reserve full, the new tile goes face up on an empty space of its colour, paying that space's cost; you cannot move an older reserve tile to the board instead, nor flip a finished tile and leave it in the reserve.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
When can I achieve Objectives — and can I wait? Official
On your turn, or in the Reward phase during your Correspondence rewards (or in turn order during Beagle scoring if you got none). Timing is yours, but you must meet the requirements at the moment you achieve it — Coin or Temporary Knowledge goals can slip away if you spend them.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
What if I have no empty space of that colour left?
Then you cannot take or achieve that Objective: both need an empty space of its colour.
Source: BGG thread
A specimen-colour requirement shows no number. How many do I need?
One specimen of that colour, of any type.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
Does the Gain Objective space pay Coins too?
Yes, the board space shows Gain Objective and 2 Coins; with no tiles left on display you still take the Coins.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
Can I buy a seal, achieve a Crew card with it, and use its Coins for my second seal? Official
Yes: each seal purchase is a separate action, and you may achieve Crew cards between them.
Source: BGG thread
Does a worker with one yellow seal from its Crew card start able to explore?
No. The seal in a Crew card's corner only decides your starting seal; after setup the card belongs to no worker. Exploration needs a green (or purple) seal on the placed worker, or Temporary Knowledge.
Source: BGG thread
With the lagging-cap Objective, do I lose 2 per threshold or 2 in total?
Each threshold between your Ship and the Beagle is capped at 2: two thresholds behind cost 4, not 2.
Source: BGG thread
How is the Museum scored at the end? Official
2 points plus 1 for each completed Museum row, multiplied by your Theory of Evolution books.
Source: BGG thread
If two players tie for the most Stamps, does anyone get the second reward?
Yes. Tied players all take the first reward and the next player still takes the second.
Source: BGG thread
[Fireland] Is a Time Wax Seal's Time paid once or every time the worker is used? Official
Once, when you buy it.
Source: BGG thread
[Fireland] Can a discount be applied to the Academy Time penalty? Official
Yes: the discount comes off the whole cost of that seal, Time penalty included. The penalty applies to each Academy action.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
[Fireland] Does the one-Stamp-fewer penalty apply to Special Action tile F8? Official
Yes, it applies to F8 too.
Source: BGG thread
[Fireland] An Adventure would move my Ship back. Do I finish my move first? Official
You choose: the Adventure is a bonus action you can resolve at any point of your turn, so draw it, set it aside and finish your move first if you like.
Source: BGG thread
[Fireland] What if the Adventure deck runs out? Official
Reshuffle its discards.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
[Fireland] Which Ship counts for lagging penalties? Official
Your Ship on the HMS Beagle's track.
Source: BGG thread
[Fireland] How does Beagle Goal F3 score? Official
Twice the number your Time marker currently stands on.
Source: BGG thread
[Fireland] Special Action tiles F6 and F9 with the base map, and bonuses in the middle of F6? Official
On the base map, F9 moves two Explorers one step each and your single Ship one step; F6 moves up to two Explorers 4 steps in total, or your Ship 4. Bonuses gained along the way may be used at any time during your turn.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
[Fireland] My Fireland Scenario cards list B tiles I do not have. What do I use? Official
Golden-banner Scenario cards should not need B tiles; red-banner cards belong to the Scenarios mini-expansion. Some print runs were misprinted, and the publisher posted replacement tile lists in the thread.
Source: BGG thread
[Oceania] With my Employee unlocked, can one Correspondence action use two Envelopes?
Once your Employee stands next to the new Envelope, one Correspondence action may put Stamps on the new Envelope and on one regular Envelope. Without the Employee the new Envelope is closed to you.
Source: BGG thread · Oceania rulebook p. 3
[Oceania] Can I take a Wax Seal from the top Scroll row during the Reward phase?
Yes. If your Professor is in the Academy, any Academy action you gain in the Reward phase may take from the top row too. Follow turn order when it matters.
Source: BGG thread
[Oceania] Is the top Scroll row cleared at Cleanup even if nobody took from it?
Yes. The new row is now the top row of the Academy, so it is emptied and refilled at every Cleanup like the top row in the base game.
Source: BGG thread · Oceania rulebook p. 6
[Oceania] Can every player stop on a Village space, and do I have to stop there? Official
Village spaces hold every player, like the start and end of a track, so nobody jumps over them. You do not have to stop at a silver Village, but the space counts when you move, even if it is occupied.
Source: BGG thread
[Oceania] Does the Special Tent replace one of my five Tents?
No. Keep it beside your board and place it instead of a Tent from your board when you choose. Your five regular Tents stay where they are.
Source: BGG thread
[Oceania] If I reactivate my Special Tent, do I get its Campsite twice again?
No. A reactivated Special Tent counts as a normal Tent: you take the Campsite once.
Source: BGG thread
[Oceania] What does the Special Coin from the silver Village cover?
One single Coin cost of the action. Example: on an occupied Unlock space in a 2-player game you owe a 3-Coin placement penalty and, say, a 6-Coin unlock cost. The Special Coin cancels one of the two, so you would pick the 6.
Source: BGG thread
[Oceania] The fifth-Tent bonus returns a worker. Can I return the Special Worker or the Darwin worker, and what if it happens in the Reward phase?
Neither the Special Worker nor the Darwin worker can be returned. A returned worker goes to any row on your board; if you get it back during the Reward phase you use it next round.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
[Oceania] The Ocean-track Campsite shows three Stamps. Is that one Correspondence action or three?
Three separate Correspondence actions of one Stamp each, so each Stamp can go on a different Envelope.
Source: BGG thread
[Oceania] A Campsite on the second island has no Tent icon. Is it a Campsite?
Yes, it is a misprint: it is a normal Campsite with its usual first and second Tent costs.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
[Oceania] With fewer players, is a ribbon marked "4+" worth its points?
Yes. The player-count mark only decides whether a Hazard token goes there; the victory points on the ribbon are always available.
Source: BGG thread
[Oceania] When do I gain a Hazard token?
Only when you are the first to cross a ribbon holding one. Researching a Hazard specimen, or being hit by Correspondence tile O1, moves your Hazard marker but gives no token.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
[Oceania] Correspondence tile O1: who advances on the Hazard track when two players tie for first?
The tied players are safe. Every other player advances one step, however many players tied.
Source: BGG thread
[Oceania] Can I keep the Antidote from my personal board for later?
No. The Antidote token replaces that board reward: when you unlock it, use the Antidote at once or lose it. Leaving the token on the Objective space also reminds you not to score that Objective at the end.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
[Oceania] Which player is "furthest down" the Hazard track?
The one who has advanced furthest, i.e. encountered the most Hazards this round. That player takes the Consequence tile and its one-time reward; on a tie it is discarded.
Source: BGG thread · Oceania rulebook p. 6
[Oceania] Consequence 7: where does the removed Explorer go, and does an Explorer at the end of its track count?
The removed Explorer goes back to your supply and can be placed again. You may remove an Explorer that has already reached the end of its track, so the Consequence can cost little late in the game; your Employee and Professor count as Explorers too.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
[Oceania] Special Action tile O2: if I ignore a Hazard, do I still get the space?
Yes. You skip only the Hazard; you still place the new Explorer, score the ribbon and research the specimen.
Source: BGG thread
[Oceania] Can I use an unlocked Map Lens location again in later rounds?
Yes. Once a Map Lens location is unlocked, anyone whose Ship or Explorer has reached or passed it may place a worker there on any later turn, with no Wax Seal requirement.
Source: BGG thread · Oceania rulebook p. 4
[Oceania] The golden Objective that copies a Crew card: does that card count as achieved, and what about ongoing abilities?
The card counts as achieved for Objectives. If it has an ongoing or once-per-round ability, keep it face up. A Crew card's ongoing or once-per-round ability is never doubled, even by an effect that doubles Crew rewards.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
[Oceania] The Objective that delivers a specimen: do I need its Research token?
Yes. It is a normal delivery, so you need the Research token on that specimen and its Museum tile must not be on display yet.
Source: BGG thread
[Oceania] Does the Special Action Board row cost still apply to "unlock for free" and "perform a locked action"?
Yes. Effects that unlock for free (base tile 8), perform a locked action or copy a tile still pay the Coin cost of that row on the Special Action Board. Neither effect can target the two Special Action tiles on the Oceania map.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread · BGG thread
[Oceania] Travel tile C1: which Ship can I jump in front of, and can it move me backwards?
Any opponent's Ship you choose, but only forward: pieces never move backwards unless an effect says so.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
[Oceania] Does the extra Wax Seal from Crew cards C3, C8, C10 and C16 count for a distinction?
No. That seal only meets the Wax Seal requirement of an action location, as the card says.
Source: BGG thread · Oceania rulebook p. 8
[Oceania] Fireland's tile "1 Stamp on up to 3 different Envelopes": can the new Envelope be one of them?
Yes, if your Employee is unlocked: choose any 3 of the 4 Envelopes.
Source: BGG thread
Does Alfred score the 3 and 10 points for workers with 5 or 6 seals? Official
No. When he places second on Correspondence tile 8 he uses his priority colour to choose, and a tie for a majority with Alfred pays you both.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
Does Alfred research a specimen my Explorer is standing on? Official
Yes, he researches every specimen he passes. His two actions are the space he lands on and the one just before it.
Source: BGG thread
Can Alfred chain a bonus delivery between actions? Official
Yes; like a player, he resolves bonus actions in between his actions.
Source: BGG thread
Which locked space does Alfred unlock first?
The top-most locked space whose requirement his top worker meets; when the top spaces of that worker's colours are already unlocked, move to the next worker. In effect the top locations of the board fill first.
Source: BGG thread