How to Play

Teotihuacan: City of Gods

1-4 players 90-120 min 7.8 Board Game Geek Rating

Players control worker dice that strengthen through use in this ancient Mesoamerican city-builder. Move workers around a modular board, selecting actions that upgrade dice or powerful bonuses without upgrades. Develop technologies, construct temples and houses, and build the iconic Pyramid of the Sun while managing resources across three eras with periodic evaluations. Highest fame wins.

Published 2018

Teotihuacan: City of Gods

Get Ready

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

1
Place the game board
Position the game board in the center of the table
2
Shuffle and place Action Boards
Mix Action Boards numbered 2-7 and place them face-up on their corresponding numbered spaces (covering the pre-printed boards)
3
Select Royal tiles
Randomly choose 3 Royal tiles (one from each category A, B, C) and place them face-up on the Palace (1) Action Board
4
Arrange Technology tiles
Take the 6 Technology tiles, sort by reference number, and place them on the Alchemy (5) Action Board from top-left to bottom-right in ascending order
5
Place Temple Bonus tiles
Randomly select 3 Temple Bonus tiles and place one on the second-to-last step of each temple
6
Position Calendar discs
Place the Sun disc on space 0 of the Calendar track; place the Moon disc based on player count (4 players: space 12, 3 players: space 11, 2 players: space 10)
7
Set up Buildings
Place one wooden Building on each space in the Buildings row except the leftmost space
8
Prepare Decoration tiles
Shuffle all Decoration tiles face-down on the Decorations (7) Action Board, then draw 4 and place them face-up in designated spaces
9
Prepare Pyramid tiles
Shuffle all Pyramid tiles face-down near the Construction (8) Action Board, then draw 3 and place face-up in designated spaces
10
Create initial Pyramid base
Randomly place Pyramid stones on the Pyramid grid according to player count patterns shown in rules
11
Prepare Discovery tiles
Shuffle all Discovery tiles and place face-down in several stacks near the board
12
Distribute Discovery tiles to Action Boards
Draw 5 Discovery tiles and place face-up near Worship spaces on Palace (1), Forest (2), Stone Quarry (3), Gold Deposits (4), and Decorations (7)
13
Place Discovery tiles on Avenue of Dead
Draw 6 tiles and place face-up: 3 on first space, 2 on second, 1 on third
14
Distribute Discovery tiles to temples
Place tiles face-up on temple main steps according to player count indicators
15
Distribute color markers
Give each player a color token and all components matching that color (4 dice as workers, 12 wooden discs)
16
Determine first player
Randomly select first player, give them 1 cocoa and the "1" Player Order token
17
Give starting resources to last player
The player to first player's right receives 3 cocoa and the Player Order token matching player count
18
Distribute cocoa to other players
All other players receive 2 cocoa and Player Order tokens matching their position
19
Reserve Technology markers
Each player keeps 6 discs as Technology markers
20
Place track markers
Each player places 6 discs on: Pyramid track (0), Avenue of Dead track (bottom), bottom step of all 3 temples, and Victory Points track (0)
21
Place starting worker in Ascension wheel
Each player places 1 worker showing power 3 in the Ascension wheel
22
Set worker in Ascension wheel
Place 1 worker showing power 3 in the Ascension wheel
23
Receive starting resources by player position
First player: 5 cocoa, 1 wood, 2 stone, 4 gold, advance in green temple; Second player: 5 cocoa, 4 wood, 1 stone, advance in red and blue temples; Third player: 4 cocoa, 3 wood, 4 stone, advance in blue temple, advance on Avenue of Dead; Fourth player: 2 wood, 5 gold, advance in green temple, Technology marker on lowest 3rd Technology tile
24
Place workers on designated Action Boards
Position workers according to predetermined setup for each player position
25
Prepare starting workers
Set 1 worker to power 3 in Ascension wheel, set other 3 workers to power 1
26
Deal Starting tiles
Give each player 4 random Starting tiles
27
Preview Discovery tiles
If a Starting tile shows Discovery tile icon, draw a random Discovery tile to view before choosing
28
Select Starting tiles
Each player simultaneously chooses 2 Starting tiles and returns the other 2
29
Apply Starting tile benefits
Gain all advantages shown: power increases, temple advances, Technology markers (placed on lowest numbered Technology tile), resources, and cocoa
30
Position starting workers
Place each of your 3 starting workers on different Action Boards matching the 3 unique numbers on your chosen Starting tiles
31
Add neutral workers (3 players)
Draw 2 Starting tiles and place 3 workers of unused color on the first 3 different Action Boards shown
32
Add neutral workers (2 players)
Repeat the above process twice with both unused colors

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

1
Choose turn option
Select either: perform a normal move OR unlock all locked workers for free
2
Advance Calendar (last player only)
After completing your option, if you hold the Last Player token, advance the Sun disc one space on the Calendar track
3
Select and move a worker
Choose one unlocked worker and move it clockwise 1, 2, or 3 Action Boards
4
Perform one action
At the destination Action Board, execute one of three possible actions: Collect Cocoa, Worship, or perform the Main action
5
Count different colored workers
Before placing your moved worker, count the number of different colored unlocked workers already on the board (ignore locked workers)
6
Receive cocoa
Gain cocoa equal to the number of colors plus 1
7
Place worker
Position the worker in the Action Board's general area
8
Available locations
Worship can only be performed on Palace (1), Forest (2), Stone Quarry (3), Gold Deposits (4), or Decorations (7)
9
Select Worship space
Choose a Worship space (Tapınak kenar çubukları or Royal tile spaces on Palace)
10
Pay to unlock opponent's worker
If another player's worker occupies the space, pay 1 cocoa to the supply and move their worker to the general area
11
Place your worker
Position your worker in the chosen Worship space (worker becomes locked)
12
Choose Worship benefit
Either perform the space's ability (temple advance for temple sidebars, Royal tile ability for Palace) OR claim the nearby Discovery tile by paying its cost
13
Pay for both benefits
Optionally pay 1 additional cocoa to gain both the ability and the Discovery tile
14
Refill Discovery tile
If you claimed a Discovery tile, draw a new one and place it face-up in that space
15
Move marker up one step
When advancing in a temple, move your marker one step higher
16
Claim small step rewards
Immediately gain the reward shown on small steps (resources, cocoa, Victory Points)
17
Choose large step rewards
On large steps, choose either a Discovery tile present on that step OR the printed reward
18
Note second-to-last step
Reaching the second-to-last step unlocks the Temple Bonus tile for end-game scoring
19
Top step restriction
You may only advance to the top step if no other player's marker is there
20
Pay cocoa cost
Count different colored unlocked workers already on the board (excluding your newly moved worker) and pay that many cocoa
21
Place worker
Position your worker in the Action Board's general area
22
Resolve Main action
Execute the specific Main action for that Action Board
23
No Main action available
Palace has no Main action; workers here perform Worship on Royal tiles or Collect Cocoa
24
Determine row
Count your unlocked workers on this board (including newly placed) to select a row (max 3)
25
Determine column
Use the power of your lowest-powered worker on this board
26
Claim rewards
Gain rewards shown in the corresponding cell (wood/stone/gold, cocoa, Victory Points, temple advances)
27
Power up worker
Increase power of one of your workers on this Action Board by 1
28
Bonus for 3+ workers
If you have 3 or more workers here, you may power up twice instead (same or different workers)
29
Select Technology tile
Choose based on worker count: 1 worker limits to first row; 2+ workers allows any row
30
Exception for single powerful worker
One worker with power 4 or 5 may select from second row but forfeits the power-up
31
Pay gold cost
Pay the gold amount shown on the chosen tile
32
Place Technology marker
Put one of your Technology markers on the tile
33
Reward existing researchers
Each other player with a marker on that tile gains 3 Victory Points
34
Advance in temple
Progress in the temple matching the tile's column (left: blue, middle: red, right: green)
35
Power up worker
Increase power of one worker on Alchemy board (unless exception was used)
36
Pay building cost
Spend 2 wood to claim the leftmost available Building from the game board
37
Determine placement row
1 worker: top row; 2 workers: middle row; 3 workers: bottom row (if row is full, place in available row above)
38
Place Building
Put the Building in the leftmost empty space of the determined row
39
Score Victory Points
Gain Victory Points equal to the printed value on the covered space
40
Advance on Avenue of Dead
Move your marker one step on the Avenue of Dead track (max 9)
41
Power up worker
Increase power of one worker on Nobles board; with 3+ workers, power up twice
42
Pay gold cost
Spend 3 gold to select one of 4 available Decoration tiles (2 workers: ignore 1 gold; 3 workers: ignore 2 gold)
43
Place Decoration tile
Position on Pyramid following placement rules (arrow pointing toward center, proper level requirements, adjacent Decoration requirements)
44
Score matching symbols
Gain 1 Victory Point for each symbol on the Decoration tile that matches a covered symbol
45
Advance in matching temple
If a colored symbol (red/green/blue) on your tile earned a point, advance in that temple
46
Score placement bonus
Gain 3 Victory Points
47
Advance on Pyramid track
Move your marker one step
48
Power up worker
Increase power of one worker on Decorations board
49
Refill tiles
Draw a new Decoration tile to replace the selected one
50
Select Pyramid tiles
Choose up to as many available Pyramid tiles as you have workers on this board (minimum 1)
51
Pay placement costs
Level 1: 2 stone; Level 2: 2 stone + 1 wood; Level 3: 2 stone + 2 wood; Level 4 (top): 2 stone + 3 wood
52
Score level points
Level 1: 1 VP each; Level 2: 3 VP each; Level 3: 5 VP each; Level 4: 7 VP
53
Rotate tiles freely
Position each tile in any orientation when placing
54
Score matching symbols
Gain 1 Victory Point for each symbol on the Pyramid tile matching a covered symbol
55
Advance in matching temples
For each colored symbol earning a point, advance in that temple
56
Advance on Pyramid track
Move one step for each tile placed
57
Power up worker
Increase power of one worker on Construction board; with 3+ workers, power up twice
58
Refill tiles
Draw new Pyramid tiles to replace selected ones
59
Trigger game end
Placing the fourth level (top) tile completes the Pyramid and triggers the final Eclipse
60
Power range
Worker power ranges from 1 to 5 (shown on die face)
61
Trigger Ascension
When a worker reaches power 6, Ascension occurs immediately
62
Advance on Avenue of Dead
Move your marker one step (max 9)
63
Reset worker
Move the ascending worker to Palace (1) general area and reset to power 1
64
Select Ascension reward
Choose one: 5 Victory Points, 5 cocoa, advance in one temple, pay 3 cocoa to advance twice in temples, or if you only have 3 workers, gain your 4th worker at power 3 plus 2 cocoa
65
Advance Sun disc
Move the Sun disc one space on Calendar track (may trigger Eclipse)
66
Locked status
Workers in Worship spaces (thick-bordered with key symbol) are locked
67
Cannot move locked workers
Locked workers may not be selected for movement
68
Pay to unlock
During your turn, pay 3 cocoa to unlock all your locked workers (move them to general area of same board)
69
Free unlock option
Instead of a normal move, choose to unlock all locked workers for free
70
Pay acquisition cost
Pay resources shown in tile's top-left corner to claim it
71
Place in front of you
Keep acquired Discovery tiles face-up before you
72
Masks score at Eclipses
Mask tiles score during each remaining Eclipse
73
Use non-mask tiles
Flip face-down anytime on your turn to gain the shown benefit
74
Keep face-down tiles
Retain used tiles as they may score at final Eclipse

Winning

How to claim victory.

1
Sun meets Moon
An Eclipse triggers when the Sun disc reaches the space occupied by the Moon disc
2
Complete extra turns
If triggered during Last Player's turn, play one complete round (each player gets one more turn) then score; if triggered during another player's turn, finish current round plus one complete round before scoring
3
Score Avenue of Dead
Find lowest visible number in Buildings row; each player scores that many Victory Points per step advanced on Avenue of Dead track
4
Award Pyramid leader bonus
Player(s) furthest on Pyramid track gains 4 Victory Points
5
Score Pyramid track progress
Each player scores per step on Pyramid track: 4 VP (first Eclipse), 3 VP (second), 2 VP (third)
6
Reset Pyramid track
Return all player markers to starting position
7
Score mask sets
Each player organizes masks into sets of different types; score 1/3/6/10/15/21/28 Victory Points for sets of 1/2/3/4/5/6/7 different masks
8
Pay worker salaries
Pay 1 cocoa per worker plus 1 additional cocoa for each worker at power 4 or 5; lose 3 Victory Points per unpaid cocoa (minimum 0 VP total)
9
Reset Calendar
After first or second Eclipse, return Sun disc to start and adjust Moon disc (2 players: 9/8; 3 players: 10/9; 4 players: 11/10)
10
Redistribute neutral workers (2-3 players)
Draw Starting tiles and relocate neutral workers to different Action Boards
11
Third Eclipse
The game ends after resolving the third Eclipse
12
Pyramid completion
If any player places the top (fourth level) Pyramid tile, immediately move the Sun disc to the Moon disc position, triggering a final Eclipse
13
Score Temple Bonus tiles
Each player who unlocked a Temple Bonus tile (reached second-to-last or top step) scores according to that tile's condition
14
Calculate final totals
Add all Victory Points accumulated throughout the game
15
Highest Victory Points wins
The player with the most Victory Points wins the game
16
First tiebreaker
Player with more cocoa wins
17
Second tiebreaker
Player with lower numbered Player Order token wins

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