How to Play Pylos - Board Game Rules | Happy Piranha

How to Play Pylos | Board Game Rules & Instructions

Here's how to Play Pylos - the strategic yet satisfying game of stacking spheres!

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Read the Rules

The aim of the game

In Pylos, the winner is the player who places the last sphere on top of the pyramid.

Gameplay

  • To start the game, place all spheres in the trough around the edge of the board.
  • Randomly decide your colour  - the light player goes first.
  • Take it in turns to place a sphere of your colour into the circular indents, building up the pyramid.

Placement Rules:

1. If a  square of spheres is formed (of any colours) at any level, on your turn, you may stack one of your spheres on top of it to build a higher level, either:

  • Using a sphere from your reserve.
  • OR Moving one of your spheres already on the board.

You can only move your own sphere, and only if it is raising it a level.

A sphere can not be moved if it is supporting another sphere.

2. If, by placing a sphere, you make a square entirely of your own colour at any level, you  can pick up one or two of your spheres from the board and place them back into your reserve. This may include the sphere you just placed, but not one supporting other spheres.

You could, for example, move one of your spheres from the board on top of a square, raising its level, to make a squares of your own colour on that level, allowing you to take up to 2 spheres back!

3. Even if placing a sphere makes more than one square, you may only pick up 1 or 2 of your spheres to return to your reserve.

4. For a more advanced game: you may also pick up one or two spheres if you make a straight line of your colour.  This must be 4 spheres on the bottom layer, or three spheres on the one above. Diagonal lines do not count.

 

Game End

Taking spheres back into your reserve is good, because if you run out of spheres, you lose!

Place the final one on top of the pyramid though, and you win the game!

That’s Pylos!

Satisfying spheres, placed in a pyramid!

 

Like the sound of that?
Pick up a copy of Pylos from the Happy Piranha store!

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