How to Play

Elysium

2-4 players 60-60 min 7.2 Board Game Geek Rating

In Mythic Greece, aspiring demigods compete for Zeus's favor by recruiting heroes, artifacts, and divine powers through set collection mechanics. Players build card combinations to earn gold and victory points, then transfer cards to Elysium to create Legends—sets of matching families or levels. However, cards lose their powers when moved to Elysium, creating strategic tension between immediate benefits and long-term scoring opportunities.

Published 2015

Get Ready

Setup the game with these step-by-step instructions before diving into your turn.

Place the Pediment

Randomly pick a side and place the Parthenon top piece on the table

Arrange Quest cards

Put the 4 Quests matching your player count in order below the Pediment (use ·· for 2 players or ···/···· for 3-4 players)

Position the Steps

Place the Steps below the Quests and set the Epoch Marker on space 1

Assign player discs

Pick a start player and give them Disc #1, then assign remaining discs clockwise to other players

Distribute player components

Each player receives a player board, 4 gold, 1 column of each color, and VP equal to the number on their disc

Establish play areas

The area above your player board is your Domain; the area below is your Elysium

Select Families

Choose 5 of the 8 available Families and shuffle their cards together

Create the Agora

Draw (3 × number of players) + 1 cards and place them face-up in the middle of the table; remaining cards form the draw pile

Setup Apollo (if in play)

Place the Oracle above the Temple and place 4 cards face-up under the Oracle

Setup Ares (if in play)

Place all Prestige Points in the common reserve

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

Refresh the Agora

Discard any remaining cards from the Agora, then draw (3 × number of players) + 1 cards face-up

Refresh the Oracle (Apollo)

Slide any remaining Oracle cards to the Agora, then add 4 new cards face-up to the Oracle

Take one card per turn

Either take 1 Quest card or 1 Family card; you must end the phase having taken exactly 3 Family cards and 1 Quest card

Check column requirements

You must have columns on your board matching the card's acquisition condition; black requirements are wild (any column works)

Discard a column

After taking any card, discard 1 of your columns (does not need to match the card's requirement)

Place Quest cards

When taking a Quest (maximum 1 per Epoch), place it to the left of your player board

Place Family cards

Put acquired Family cards above your board in your Domain

Avoid duplicates

You cannot have 2 identical Family cards in your Domain (duplicates in Domain and Elysium are allowed)

Handle forced pass

If the last available card is a Quest you cannot fulfill, pass; once all players pass, take 1 Quest and flip it to the incomplete side

Take a Citizen

If the last card is a Family card you cannot acquire, draw the top card from the draw pile and place it face-down in your Domain as a Citizen (wild card for Legends)

Use Instantaneous powers

These trigger immediately and only when you first take the card

Use Permanent powers

These remain active as long as the card is in your Domain

Use Activate powers

These may be activated once per Epoch; turn the card sideways after use

Use Eleusis powers

You may only activate these if you have at least 1 other Eleusis card in your Domain

Use Trigger powers

These can be used once per game; place a Trigger ring on the card when acquired and remove it when used

Reassign turn order

Reallocate player order discs based on Quest card numbers; incomplete Quests receive the highest number

Collect Quest rewards

All players receive VP and gold shown on their Quest card

Transfer cards

Following the new turn order, transfer cards from Domain to Elysium; the number allowed equals the Lyre symbol on your Quest

Pay transfer costs

Pay gold equal to each card's Level (1-3) when transferring

Use Legend powers

These can be used once per Phase III while the card is in your Domain

Build Level Legends

Include only cards of the same Level but different Families; maximum 5 cards

Build Family Legends

Include only cards of the same Family but different Levels; maximum 3 cards

Add Citizens to Legends

Citizens can only be added to Legends with at least 2 cards; cost equals the Level being replaced

Claim Family Legend bonus

First player to complete a Family Legend takes the highest remaining Bonus tile for that Family

Claim Level Legend bonus

First player with a Level Legend containing at least 2 cards at each of the 3 Levels takes the Level Bonus tile; players with more cards (up to 5) can steal it

Reset columns

Return all 4 columns to your player board

Straighten cards

Turn all sideways Activate cards upright in your Domain

Advance the Epoch

Move the Epoch marker 1 space and begin the next Epoch with Phase I