Imhotep

To set up the game, each player receives a set number of stone blocks (e.g., 2 for the first player, 3 for the second, 4 for the third). The game board is laid out with a stone quarry, a main game board, and individual player depots. Round cards are chosen based on the number of players (e.g., 6 cards for a 3-player game) and shuffled. Four market cards are drawn and placed face-up in the market area. Eight boats are available, with capacities varying from 2 to 4 stone blocks. The game begins with the player who has the fewest stone blocks.

The objective of Imhotep is to accumulate the most victory points by the end of the game. Players achieve this by strategically delivering their stone blocks to different construction sites: the Pyramid, Temple, Burial Chamber, and Obelisk. Each site has unique scoring conditions, and players must decide where to send their blocks to maximize their points, often by influencing where boats are sailed and which blocks are unloaded.

On your turn, you must choose one of four possible actions. You can take three stone blocks from the quarry and add them to your personal depot, up to a maximum of five blocks. Alternatively, you can place one of your stone blocks onto an empty space on any available boat. A third option is to sail a boat that has met its minimum stone block requirement (indicated on the boat) to any of the five construction sites. Once a boat is sailed, it remains at that site until the end of the round. Finally, you can play a blue market card from your hand, which provides immediate benefits or special abilities.

Points are primarily awarded for contributions to the five construction sites. The Pyramid awards points based on the height of your stone blocks. The Temple gives points for visible blocks from a top-down perspective. The Burial Chamber scores points for adjacent blocks of the same color. The Obelisk awards points based on the height of your obelisk relative to others. Additionally, certain market cards (green and purple) provide victory points at the end of the game, while red cards offer immediate actions and blue cards provide special abilities.

The game concludes after six rounds, as indicated by the round cards. At the end of each round, points are calculated for the Temple, Pyramid, and Obelisk. The Burial Chamber and market cards are scored at the very end of the game. The player who has accumulated the highest total number of victory points from all sources is declared the winner. In case of a tie, the player with the most remaining stone blocks wins.