Overview

Blox is a tower-building strategy game designed by Wolfgang Kramer and published by Ravensburger in 2008. Players build towers of varying value on a shared game board using cards and tactical block placement. The game proceeds through four phases, combining card-driven actions with spatial reasoning. Players try to build the most valuable towers, then clear them to collect points, while strategically timing when to knock opponents off the board.

Components

• Game board with a grid of building spaces
• Colored building blocks (multiple colors)
• Action cards
• Scoring tokens/track
• Rules booklet

Setup

Place the game board in the center. Distribute building blocks to players. Shuffle and deal action cards. Determine the first player. Place scoring markers at zero.

Turn Structure

The game is played over four phases:

1. Building Phase: Players take turns placing blocks on the board to construct towers. Cards determine where and how blocks may be placed.
2. Claiming Phase: Players claim towers they have majority presence in by placing their markers.
3. Clearing Phase: Players remove claimed towers, scoring points based on tower height and composition.
4. Conflict Phase: Players may knock opposing blocks off contested towers, affecting scoring.

Actions

• Place Blocks: On your turn, play a card and place one or more blocks on the corresponding board space. Tower height increases value.
• Claim Towers: When you have the most blocks in a tower, you may claim it during the claiming phase.
• Clear Towers: Remove towers you’ve claimed to score points. Taller towers score more.
• Knock Off Opponents: Strategic card play can remove opponent blocks from contested towers before scoring.
• Card Management: Cards determine available actions. Hand management is crucial for timing your moves.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Points are scored when towers are cleared during the clearing phase. Tower value is based on height and block composition. The player with the most total points after all four phases wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Tower Height Matters: Taller towers are worth more points, incentivizing building up rather than wide.
• Majority Control: Only the player with the most blocks in a tower can claim it. Ties may result in the tower being contested.
• Timing: Knowing when to build, when to claim, and when to knock opponents is the key strategic decision.
• Card Luck: While cards introduce randomness, skilled hand management and timing mitigate luck.
• Phase Transitions: The transition between phases creates strategic tension, as actions in one phase set up scoring in the next.

Player Reference

Phase	Activity	Goal
Building	Place blocks on board	Build valuable towers
Claiming	Mark your towers	Secure majority towers
Clearing	Remove claimed towers	Score points
Conflict	Remove opponent blocks	Disrupt enemies