Diamant (2024 Edition)

Diamant (2024 Edition), is a game of exploration and risk-taking for up to eight players. You’ll take on the role of adventurers searching for hidden treasures. It’s easy to learn, full of tension, and plays in around 30 minutes.

Setup

To get started, place the game board in the centre of the table and arrange the five cave entrance tiles to form the expedition area. Shuffle the expedition cards and place them face down in a single deck. This deck includes treasure cards and trap cards.

Treasure cards show a ruby symbol and a number, which tells you how much treasure is available. Trap cards show a grim end for unlucky explorers.

Each player chooses an explorer figure, takes the matching loot chest, and receives two decision cards. Place the rubies and diamonds within easy reach of all players.

Into the Caves

Diamant is played over five rounds, each representing a new expedition into a different cave. At the start of each round, the expedition leader reveals the top card from the deck and places it next to an open cave entrance. You’ll begin with entrance 1 and work your way through to entrance 5, using a new one for each round.

If the card is a treasure card, the rubies are split evenly between all players still in the cave. Any leftover rubies that cannot be divided stay on the card. If a trap card is revealed, nothing happens in the first instance.

After each card reveal, players decide whether to continue deeper into the cave or head back to camp. Everyone secretly chooses one of their decision cards and then reveals their choice at the same time.

Players who return to camp take all the rubies they’ve collected and safely store them in their loot chest. They also collect any unclaimed rubies on expedition cards, dividing them evenly with any other players who also head back. If a ruby cannot be split evenly, it stays on the card.

Players who choose to continue, draw another expedition card and place it next to the last card, creating a cave network. If a second trap card of the same type is revealed, all players still in the cave lose everything they collected during that round. None of it goes into their loot chest and the round is considered a failed expedition. The trap card that caused the failure is removed from the deck, slightly lowering the risk in later rounds.

If all players make it back safely, the deck is reshuffled with all the expedition cards still in play. Any rubies that were banked are now safe and ready for final scoring. After each round, the cave entrance closes. These counters are to help you keep track of how many rounds you’ve played.

Players can also exchange five rubies, each worth one point, for a diamond worth five points. This helps manage space in your loot chest and makes scoring easier at the end.

Game End and Scoring

After five rounds of cave exploration, players count the total value of the gems stored in their loot chests. The player with the most points wins the game. If there’s a tie, the victory is shared.

Relic Variant

If you want to add an extra layer of strategy, the Diamant 2024 edition includes the relic variant.

To set it up, stack the relic cards in ascending order (5, 7, 8, 10,12). This stack is placed face up next to the board. At the beginning of each round, the top relic card is shuffled into the expedition deck.

If a relic card is drawn during a round, it joins the cave network as usual. However, no rubies are placed on it. The first player to return to camp alone claims the relic card and stores it under their chest. At the end of the game, this relic is added to their score based on the value shown on the card.

If more than one player leaves at the same time, or everyone gets caught by traps, the relic is lost and removed from the game. If the relic card isn’t drawn that round, it is shuffled back into the deck for the next expedition, increasing the number of relics in the deck and the chance of one surfacing.

This variant rewards players’ who can time their escape carefully. Returning too early could mean the relic hasn’t even appeared, or someone else might return at the same time and ruin your plan. Wait too long and a trap might cost you everything.

Top Tips For Exploring

If you want to succeed in Diamant, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

● Know when to quit: Sometimes the safest option is to leave with your rubies rather than risk drawing a second trap card. The tricky part is knowing when. It’s easy to get carried away, especially when you’re left in the cave network with your best friend or sibling. In your head, you know you should turn back as the likelihood of a trap increases, but also, you can’t let them run away with more rubies. It’s a common mistake I always make, and eventually my luck runs out because of it. Like in the tale of the tortoise and the hare, slow and steady often wins the race.

● Take calculated risks: Think about the odds. If one type of trap has already shown up, the risk of a second identical one is higher. But that first trap card only acts as a warning. Sometimes it’s worth pressing on, especially early in the round. There are only three of each trap type in the deck. If you know one or two have already been taken out of the game, you can be a little braver. But remember, this is still a card game, and luck plays a big role.

● The Relic Variant: You need to return alone to claim a relic. But if you go too early, you might miss it entirely or have another player leave at the same time and spoil your plan. Watch how your opponent’s usually play and adjust your strategy to catch them out.

Now you’re ready to explore the caves of Diamant. Will you strike it rich or push your luck too far?

* Sophie is a gamer, blogger, podcaster, and book lover with a passion for solo narrative video games. When she’s not immersed in games or writing, she’s probably out hiking. Her favourite board games feature worker placement, nature themes, and smart tableau-building mechanics.

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