Santorini

Overview

Santorini is an abstract strategy board game designed by Gordon Hamilton (Gord!), originally published in 2004 and republished by Roxley Games via Kickstarter in 2016. Players build and climb a 3D city on a 5x5 grid, attempting to be the first to reach the third level of a building. Each turn, a player moves one of their two workers and then builds an adjacent block. The game features optional God Power cards that grant players unique abilities, dramatically changing the strategy. Simple to learn but deeply strategic, Santorini plays in about 20 minutes.

Components

• 1 Ocean board with cliff pedestal
• 1 Island board (5x5 grid)
• 6 Worker figures (2 per player in 3 colors)
• 22 Level 1 blocks (white, square)
• 18 Level 2 blocks (white, narrower)
• 14 Level 3 blocks (white, smallest)
• 18 Dome pieces (blue)
• 30 God Power cards
• 10 Hero Power cards

Setup

1. Place the cliff pedestal on the ocean board, then place the island board on top.
2. The youngest player is the Start Player.
3. Starting with the Start Player, each player places 2 workers on any unoccupied spaces on the board.
4. (Optional) God Powers: The Challenger selects God Power cards equal to the number of players. Starting clockwise from the Challenger, each player chooses one God Power. The Challenger receives the last remaining card.

Turn Structure

On each turn, a player selects one of their workers and must perform both steps in order:

1. Move: Move the selected worker to an adjacent space (orthogonally or diagonally).
2. Build: Build one block or dome on an unoccupied space adjacent to the moved worker.

Both steps are mandatory – if a player cannot complete both, they are eliminated.

Actions

Movement Rules

• Move to one of the (up to 8) neighboring spaces.
• A worker may move up a maximum of one level (e.g., ground to Level 1, Level 1 to Level 2, Level 2 to Level 3).
• A worker may move down any number of levels.
• A worker may move laterally (same level).
• The destination space must be unoccupied (no other worker, no dome).
• Workers cannot move onto domed spaces.

Building Rules

• After moving, build on one unoccupied space adjacent to the worker’s new position.
• Build the appropriate piece for the current level of the space:
  • Empty space: Build Level 1 block
  • Level 1: Build Level 2 block
  • Level 2: Build Level 3 block
  • Level 3: Build a Dome (caps the tower; no one can enter)
• Only one block/dome per turn.
• Domes can only be placed on top of Level 3 (unless a God Power says otherwise).

God Powers (Optional)

• God Powers modify standard rules, granting unique abilities.
• Examples: Apollo (swap positions with an adjacent opponent worker), Artemis (move worker an additional time), Atlas (build a dome at any level), Demeter (build twice), Hermes (unlimited ground-level movement), Minotaur (push opposing worker away), Pan (win by moving down 2+ levels).
• God Powers are optional for 2 players but mandatory for 3-4 players.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Instant Win: If a player moves one of their workers onto the third level (Level 3) of a tower, that player immediately wins.

Elimination: If a player cannot perform both the Move and Build steps on their turn, they are eliminated. The last remaining player wins.

Note: Moving a worker onto Level 3 by being pushed or forced does not trigger a win – the player must actively choose to move there on their own turn.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Dome Capping: Placing a dome on Level 3 prevents anyone from climbing to that space. Use domes defensively to block opponents from winning.
• Cannot Move Up 2+: A worker can never move up more than one level in a single move (ground to Level 2 is illegal). Moving down any number of levels is always allowed.
• Worker Blocking: Workers block spaces. You can trap opponents by surrounding their workers.
• 3-4 Player Rules: With more players, God Powers are mandatory. Eliminated players remove their workers. Last player standing wins.
• Hero Powers: More advanced variant with stronger, one-time-use powers.
• God Power Interactions: Some God Power combinations create unique strategic situations. The game includes guidelines for balanced pairings.

Player Reference

Level	Block Type	Move Up?
Ground	(empty)	Yes (+1)
Level 1	White square	Yes (+1)
Level 2	White narrow	Yes (+1)
Level 3	White smallest	WIN if moved onto
Dome	Blue dome (on Level 3)	Cannot enter

Turn: Move one worker (up max 1 level, down any), then Build adjacent block/dome.

Win: Move your worker onto Level 3. That is an immediate victory.