Moonwakers

Strategy,

Action,

And a touch of luck.

Moonwakers SEED is a game where you explore a planet and collect the essential elements for ligfe: Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), Nitrogen (N), Oxygen (O), Phosphorus (P), and Sulfur (S). These elements allow you to obtain COMBINATION cards. The goal is to earn the highest number of combination points.

Moonwakers is best played with 2 to 4 players, but you can accommodate up to 6 players.

Board game rules :

Setup

How does a game work?

Each player is randomly dealt one CHARACTER card and one SCAN/PROTECTION card.
Everyone draws one TERRAIN card to hold in their hand, with the terrain side facing the other players.

A pile of COMBINATION cards is placed in the center of the table. The first two cards are revealed (2 cards for 2–3 players, 3 cards for 4 or more). These cards are available for acquisition.
When a player acquires a COMBINATION card, it is immediately replaced with a new one from the deck.

Roll the die whoever rolls the highest number goes first.
Then, each turn, initiative passes to the next player, who places TERRAIN cards in the center of the table.

Phase 2 : POSITIONING

Each player, in clockwise order, places their CHARACTER card under the TERRAIN card of their choice.

Blue and Harvest Moon may attempt to use their special abilities to play before their turn.

The reveal

Each player then announces the action they will take with the TERRAIN card their character is placed under:
MAP or EXPLORE.

MAP:
You take the TERRAIN card your character is under and place it in front of you without flipping it over.
No action from the card is triggered.
EXPLORE:
You flip the TERRAIN card face up for all players to see.

Be careful! Explored cards may reveal ACCIDENTS!

If the revealed card shows an ACCIDENT:

You can avoid the accident by:

Succeeding on a die roll, or
Playing a SHELTER card.

If successful:

The ACCIDENT card is kept in your hand.
The SHELTER card is placed at the bottom of the TERRAIN deck.

If you have no SHELTER card and you fail the roll:

If you have a mapped TERRAIN card in front of you, you lose one of them (your choice), placing it under the TERRAIN deck.
If not, you must discard one card from your hand (your choice).
That card and the ACCIDENT are placed under the TERRAIN deck.

Turn sequence

Phase 1 : Kick off

The starting player lays TERRAIN cards in the center of the table. The number of cards placed equals the number of players plus one.
They are placed face up (terrain side visible).
Example: for 3 players, 3 + 1 = 4 TERRAIN cards are placed face up on the table. (See photo for reference!)

Once the cards are set, each player simultaneously chooses their strategic OPTION by selecting either the SCAN or PROTECTION side of their card.
This card is placed in front of them, face up, and the choice is announced to the other players.

SCAN: you may secretly look at the back of one of the TERRAIN cards on the table.
However, you’ll receive a -1 penalty on all dice rolls this turn.
PROTECTION: you cannot scan any card, but you gain a +2 bonus on all rolls this turn.

Once everyone has made their choice… let’s go!

Players who chose the SCAN option may now secretly look at one TERRAIN card on the table (no specific order).
Multiple players can scan the same card.

Now it’s time to choose a card and place your CHARACTER under it.

Phase 3 : ACQUIRING COMBINATION CARDS

At the end of the reveal phase, and before setting up the next round, players may acquire a COMBINATION card.

Using the elements shown on the TERRAIN cards, players collect the necessary resources.

The TERRAIN side of a card shows one single element (C, H, N, O, P, or S).
The explored side may display several elements.

All cards count toward gathering the required elements: both mapped TERRAIN cards (in front of you) and explored cards (in hand).

The first player to collect enough matching elements may claim a COMBINATION card by announcing it.
If two players attempt to claim the same card at the same time, the winner is decided with a dice duel.

Example: if the WATER card is revealed, it can be acquired by combining at least 2 Hydrogen (H) and 1 Oxygen (O).

Extra elements do not give any advantage or bonus—you cannot keep the difference.

The cards used to form the combination are discarded, and a new COMBINATION card is revealed from the deck.

Available actions during your turn

LAB

Allows you to explore any mapped terrain and add it to your hand without triggering an accident.

CRYOGEN

Allows you to freeze another character’s special ability, preventing them from using it during this turn.

DAMAGED SHELTER

Allows you to damage the shelter just placed by another player, canceling their protection.

SCAN

Allows you to secretly look behind the terrain card of your choice.

SHELTER

Allows you to seek refuge in your shelter when an accident occurs.

SHIELD

Protects you from attack cards except the LAB card!

Using the 12-sided dice

Simple dice roll example:

Player A explores a terrain and reveals an accident by flipping the card. She must roll at least a 7 to avoid it.

Dice duel example:

Player A decides to use her special ability on Player B, who has no defense cards.
In case of a tie, the duel is re-rolled.

SHORTCUT

Blue Moon

During positioning, can interrupt turn order and place themselves before others.

SHORTCUT

Harvest Moon

During positioning, can override the turn order and place their character before others.

PERMUTATION

Blood Moon

During positioning, swaps their place with another character under a TERRAIN card.

DASH

Snow Moon

Before positioning, replaces a TERRAIN card of their choice with the top card of the deck.

DASH

Purple Moon

Before positioning, swaps a TERRAIN card of their choice with the top card of the deck.

PERMUTATION

Dark Moon

During positioning, swaps their place with another character under a TERRAIN card.

Characters’ Special Abilities

How to win a game ?

End game conditions

The first player to collect at least 20, 22, or 24 combination points (depending on the number of players) can end the game.
Players who haven’t taken their turns yet finish their actions and may acquire a combination card.

The player with the most combination points wins the game!