Sage Stones Rules and FAQ
Can you outsmart your fellow sages in a game of wit, tactics, and a bit of luck?
First player is the oldest sage at the table. Play continues clockwise.
Players roll 3d3 (six sided dice numbered 1 through 3 twice), and place their colored stones on a space in the column matching the dice total.
The exception to this is where the three dice are all different (1-2-3), wherethe player is distracted by the musings of their opponent and lose their turn!
Furthermore, should the dice have all 3 faces of the same number (1, 1, 1 /2, 2, 2 / 3, 3, 3), that sage can play their turn again.
The moment a sage places a stone and surrounds another sage's stone on two sides, the second sage's stone is removed from play and returned to the owning sage. This can happen vertically, horizontally, diagonally, and wrapping along the long, non-numbered edge of the board (not along the shorter, numbered edge).There may be more than one stone, and indeed more than one sages' stones, between the first sage's two. In this case, all stones between are removed! Should a row be full of stones and that row's number is rolled, treat the roll as a “6.” No second turn is taken, however.
Example Dice roles:
1, 1, 3 = Total 5, place a stone of your color in column 5 in any row
1, 2, 3 = Your opponent has distracted you! Place no stone, your turn ends!
3, 3, 3 = Total 9, you have a stroke of genius! Place one stone in row 9
and take a second turn. This can happen multiple times in a row.
Q: What’s the best way to play with only 2 players?
A: For two player game play, we like to play with two colors per player. We find that if you each only use one color, both colors can end up on opposite ends of the board, making it a game of “keep away,” and the first person to play is generally the one to win. With two colors, you can use one to win with and one to attack with. Treat the colors separately, the same way you would if you had 4 players. You can even remove your own pieces!
Q: When a column is completely full of stones and I roll that number on my turn, what happens?
A: In this situation, your roll counts as a roll of “6.” You can place your stone in column 6 but you don’t get the extra turn like you would if you had rolled a natural “6” (2, 2, 2). If the 6 column is also already full when you do this, you are playing the game wrong! That being said - on the very, very rare chance that this does happen, it is an apocalyptic occurrence and the entire board is wiped clean! Start the game over on a new clear playing field.
Q: Can I place my stone in between anther player's two stones if they are already on the board?
A: Yes! Surrounded stones are only removed the moment the sandwich is made. It is perfectly legal to jump into open spaces between already placed stones on the board.
Q: When does the game end?
A: The game ends the moment any player places their last stone. The results of that final piece placement do not change the win. However, my family sometimes continues the game to see who is the second place winner or the third, and so on. In this case, if you had already won and your pieces are later removed by continued play, just ignore them and skip your turn. You won, no need to keep beating up the other opponents!