Pylos

Overview

Pylos is a two-player abstract strategy game where players build a pyramid of spheres on a 4x4 board. By stacking balls and reclaiming your own, you try to conserve your supply while forcing your opponent to run out. The winner is the player who places the last ball on top of the pyramid.

Components

Component	Quantity
Game board (4x4 grid with hollows)	1
Light-colored balls	15
Dark-colored balls	15

Setup

1. Place the board in the middle of the table.
2. Each player takes the 15 balls of their color and places them on the border of the board.
3. Randomly determine who starts first.

Turn Structure

On your turn, perform one of the following:

1. Place a ball from your reserve into a hollow on the board (or onto a higher level).
2. Elevate one of your own unsupported balls from the board to a higher level.

If you complete a same-color square, immediately reclaim 1 or 2 of your balls.

Actions

Placing a Ball

Place one ball from your reserve into any vacant hollow on the board at the base level.

Stacking / Elevating

When a square of 4 balls exists (at any level), a ball may be placed on top. You may either:

• Take a ball from your reserve and stack it, or
• Move one of your own balls already on the board upward (it must not be supporting any ball above it). This saves a ball from your reserve.

Reclaiming Balls (Square Bonus)

When you complete a square of exactly 4 of your own color, immediately take back 1 or 2 of your balls from the board and return them to your reserve. You may reclaim the ball you just placed that completed the square. You may only reclaim balls that are not currently supporting other balls above them.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

The player who places the last ball on top of the pyramid (the single apex position at level 4) wins the game.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• You can only move a ball from the board if it is not supporting any balls above it.
• The pyramid has 4 levels: 4x4 base (16 spaces), 3x3 (9 spaces), 2x2 (4 spaces), and 1x1 apex (1 space) = 30 balls total.
• The game is fundamentally about conservation: reclaiming balls gives you more turns and forces your opponent to deplete their supply faster.

Player Reference

Action	Description
Place ball	Put one ball from reserve into any open position
Elevate ball	Move your unsupported ball to a higher level (saves reserve)
Square bonus	Complete a 4-ball square of your color: reclaim 1-2 unsupported balls
Win condition	Place the final ball on the pyramid apex
Balls per player	15
Board	4x4 grid, 4 levels forming a pyramid