Overview

Endeavor: Deep Sea is a scenario-driven game where players lead ocean research teams exploring from the shallows to the mysterious depths. Over 6 rounds, players recruit Specialists, activate them with discs to perform actions (Travel, Sonar, Dive, Conserve, Journal), and develop four attributes (Reputation, Inspiration, Coordination, Ingenuity) that determine their capabilities. Each scenario provides unique setup, scoring goals, and an Impact board. The player with the most points wins.

Components

• 4 Player Mats (with attribute tracks, staging area, research track)
• 46 Specialist Tiles (Junior/Senior sides, Tiers 1-5)
• 4 Team Leader Tiles
• 32 Ocean Boards (5 different depths)
• 30 Dive Tokens
• 23 Journals + 7 Anchor Journals
• 120 Discs (30 per player), 20 Track Cubes (5 per player)
• 80 Impact Markers (20 per player), 12 Vessels (3 per player)
• 1 Wave Marker, 4 Double-Sided Scenario Sheets
• 6 Co-op Goal Cards, 1 Score Pad

Setup

1. Select a Scenario Sheet (Mission 1: The Call of the Ocean for first game).
2. Place starting Ocean Boards per scenario diagram. Shuffle remaining boards into 5 depth-based stacks.
3. Place Dive tokens face-down on zones with Dive sites.
4. Lay out 4 Anchor Journals and keep Journal deck face-down.
5. Each player takes a Player Mat, Team Leader, and components (30 discs, 5 track cubes, 20 Impact markers, 3 Vessels).
6. Place track cubes on 0 of all attribute and Research tracks.
7. Place Team Leader with 1 disc on its activation circle. Deploy starting Vessel to launch zone.
8. Prepare Specialist tray (Tiers 1-4 organized by title, Tier 5s shuffled and distributed).
9. Randomly choose start player (receives Wave marker).

Turn Structure

The game lasts 6 rounds. Each round has 2 phases:

Phase 1: Preparation (all players simultaneously)

1a. Recruitment: In turn order, recruit 1 Specialist from the tray. Your Reputation track determines the highest tier you can recruit from. Resolve any immediate gains.

1b. Effort: Gain discs from your supply to your Staging Area. Number equals your Inspiration track’s Effort level.

1c. Reassignment: Reclaim discs from your Specialists to your Staging Area. Number equals your Coordination track’s Reassignment level.

Phase 2: Staging (turn-based)

Starting with the Wave holder and going clockwise, each player takes one turn or passes. Continue until all have passed.

Taking a Turn: Activate a Specialist by placing a disc from your Staging Area onto its empty activation circle, then perform its action(s).

Actions

Travel

Move one Vessel to a different zone. Maximum distance and depth are determined by your Ingenuity track’s Technology level. Gain the destination zone’s Arrival bonus upon landing.

Sonar (requires a second disc)

Place a disc from your Staging Area onto a Sonar track space in a zone where you have a Vessel. May gain rewards and/or Discover a new zone:

• Discover: Draw 2 Ocean boards from allowed depth stacks, choose 1 to place, return the other. Gain the new zone’s Discovery bonus. Place Dive tokens if the zone has a Dive site.

Dive

Reveal the top face-down Dive token at a Dive site in your Vessel’s zone. Gain its reward.

Conserve (requires a second disc)

Place a disc from your Staging Area onto a Conservation site in your Vessel’s zone. Gain the Conservation reward (often Impact or attribute advances).

Journal

Publish a Journal by paying its Research cost (advance your Research track to meet requirements). Gain the Journal’s benefits. Journals provide ongoing or one-time rewards.

Completing Links

When discs on Sonar tracks in adjacent zones complete a “link” (connected across zone borders), gain the link reward shown.

Promotions

Flip a Junior Specialist to its Senior (gold) side. Senior Specialists have enhanced actions and/or additional benefits. Promotions are gained through various rewards.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

End-Game Scoring (after 6 rounds)

Points come from:

• Attribute tracks: Each attribute track has scoring brackets worth VP.
• Impact Board: VP based on Impact marker placement on the scenario-specific Impact board.
• Scoring Goals: Each scenario has unique goals worth VP.
• Specialists: Senior Specialists may provide VP.
• Journals: Published Journals may provide VP.

Winning

Highest total score wins. Tiebreaker per scenario rules.

Co-op/Solo Mode

Each scenario can be played cooperatively or solo with minor rule changes and Co-op Goal cards.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Discs in your supply are NOT available; they must enter play via the Effort step before you can use them.
• Specialists always enter play on their Junior (blue) side.
• You may recruit duplicate Specialists.
• If you reach the end of an attribute track’s Impact symbol, gain 1 Impact. If you advance beyond, retreat to the Impact symbol and gain it again.
• The Ingenuity track unlocks additional Vessels when you reach Vessel icons.
• Some Specialists offer a choice of actions (marked with “/”); others let you perform multiple actions in any order.
• You may activate a Specialist and choose not to perform its action(s).
• Dive tokens and Ocean boards are limited; when stacks run out, those actions become unavailable at those depths.
• At end of round: pass the Wave marker clockwise. All players gain any End-of-Round benefits.

Player Reference

Rounds: 6

Phase 1 (Preparation): Recruit (Reputation) > Effort (Inspiration) > Reassignment (Coordination)

Phase 2 (Staging): Activate Specialists with discs to perform actions

Actions: Travel, Sonar (+ Discover), Dive, Conserve, Journal

Attributes: Reputation (recruitment tier), Inspiration (disc gain), Coordination (disc reclaim), Ingenuity (vessel range/depth)

Win condition: Most points from attributes, Impact, goals, Specialists, and Journals