Strength, Balance, Bravery and Good Sense

Game Preparation

Game Play

Strength, Balance, Bravery and Good Sense

Game Preparation

Game Play

These are the four key words of the Castellers. In this game you will need all of them to emulate the brave Castellers and build the highest towers of the game.

Players: 2 to 4Playing Time: 30 to 45 minutesComponents: 66 castellers (wooden pieces), 12 base tiles,

2 bonus tokens, 1 bag.Game design: Dr. Reiner KniziaIllustrations: BiéGraphic design: Antonio CatalánPublisher: Devir Iberia.

Put the stickers on the wooden castellers. Separate the base tiles and leave them on the table, available to all the players. Put all the castellers into the bag. Then each player draws two castellers and places them in front of him, towards the middle of the playing area. These castellers form the supply for each player.

The player with the lowest sum of castellers value in his supply starts. Ties are broken in favour of the younger player. Then play progresses clockwise. On your turn, you are allowed two of thefollowing activities, either two different ones or two of the same:

Recruit one casteller: Draw one casteller from the bag and place him in your supply.

Increase a tower: Select one casteller from your supply and add him to one of your towers. To start a new tower, place one of the base tiles directly in front of you, then place the first casteller onto the base tile. To add to an existing tower, place the next casteller onto one of your base tiles. You must follow the tower building rules described below.

Swap a casteller and add to a tower:Select one or more castellers from your supply and transfer them to the supply of any one other player. In return, select one casteller from that player's supply whose number must be smaller than the total value of the casteller you have transferred. Use the new casteller to start or increase one of your towers. You may not place the new casteller into your supply, you must add him to a tower right away.

Tower Building Rules

Falling from a Tower

Game End

Scoring and Winning

Tower Building Rules

Falling from a Tower

Game End

Scoring and Winning

Only one colour: All castellers that are placed onto one base tile must be of the same colour. White castellers are jokers that can be used with any colour.One level after another: Each tower consists of several levels. First build the lowest level. This level may consist of one or more castellers, all placed next to one another directly on the base tile. As soon as you start the next level by placing a casteller on top of one casteller on the lowest level, you can no longer add castellers to the lowest level. Now continue to build the next level. When the next level is complete, with one casteller standing on top of each casteller of the previous level, start the next level, and so on.Ascending numbers: A casteller placed on top of another casteller must have a higher value than the casteller below him.

When you recruit a new casteller and you draw a white casteller from the bag, place him in your supply as usual. If you have towers, you must then choose one casteller with the highest possible number from one of your towers and place him back in your supply. This casteller has fallen from the tower.

The game ends when one player reaches the following end condition at the end of his turn:2 players: 4 active towers of which one must contain at least

8 castellers.3 players: 3 active towers of which one must contain at least 8 castellers.4 players: 2 active towers of which one must contain at least 8 castellers.

A tower is active when it contains two complete levels and at least four castellers.

At the end of the game, each player counts his points.Only active towers score: In complete towers, the castellers with a 'blue sky' background count 2 points and the castellers with a white background count 1 point. For each base tile deduct 1 point.

Inactive towers do not score: Do not count the castellers of incomplete towers, but still deduct 1 point for each base tile used.

Bonus tokens of 4 points are awarded to the player with the highest tower and to the player with the widest tower (with most castellers in a level). Ties are broken by the greater number of castellers in the tower; if there is still a tie, the bonus is not awarded.

The player with the most points wins. Ties are won by the player with the highest white casteller.

InactiveTower

ActiveTower

A Quick Overview of the Casteller World

Strength

Balance

Bravery

Good Sense

A Quick Overview of the Casteller World

Strength

Balance

Bravery

Good Sense

A casteller is a member of a group of people who try to build human towers that sometimes can have up to nine or ten levels. The story of Castellers comes from the eighteenth century. The first ones were done in Southern Catalonia, and in the 1980's spread to all of Catalonia. The castellers have a motto: "Strength, Balance, Bravery and Good Sense”. This summarizes the characteristics of a casteller:

These people tend to be stout. Historically they came from peasantry and so they were used to carrying heavy weights.

, They have to stand on the shoulders of other people for several minutes, so Balance is very important.

This is one characteristic of the people who climb the tower, especially children.

The tower needs to be planned to ensure that everybody is in the right place at the right time.

Pinya

(base)

Trunk

Upper

level

A tower is formed by various parties, which have different functions and ways to build: Base: This is where the bulk of the people meet, to serve as the base of the tower.

Trunk: This is the visible part of the tower. It consists of several levels (normally between two to six). The number of people in each level determines the name of the tower. For instance, a tower of six levels with three people in each level of the trunk is called a "Three of six" tower.

Upper level: The upper level of a tower is always the same and is formed by four persons (the youngest and smallest). When the first person passes over the second person and raises his hand, the tower is considered built and it is time to disassemble it. The castellers are organized in groups that compete between them to build the highest towers. The current record is a tower of ten levels and four people in each level (called a four of ten).

Pillar

Tower

build

Seconds

Thirds

Quarters

First personSecond

person