Endeavor: Deep Sea · Board game rules
How do Ocean Zones affect gameplay?
Quick answer
Ocean Zones are the game's play areas where players perform actions, each with unique features, actions, and bonuses that influence strategy and progression.
Details
Ocean Zones form the core gameplay environment, each representing a distinct underwater area with specific features and opportunities. Zones are organized by depth (indicated by Ω symbols) and contain action symbols (e.g., Travel, Sonar, Dive, Journal) that players can use if they have a Vessel present [p.9 — THE ACTIONS].
Zone Actions & Features
- Zones enable actions like Travel (moving Vessels), Sonar (discovering new zones), Dive (drawing Research tokens), and Journal (publishing for benefits).
- Some zones have special features (marked by yellow symbols) that grant unique effects, such as bonus actions, modified movement, or repeated plays [p.13 — SPECIAL ZONE FEATURES].
- Discovery Bonuses are awarded when a new zone is added to the game, providing one-time rewards like attribute gains or Impact [p.10 — DISCOVERY BONUS].
Dive Sites & Links
- Zones with Dive sites hold tokens that provide Research or special effects when drawn [p.11 — DIVE TOKENS].
- Links between zone features, when both ends are occupied by discs, trigger rewards for involved players [p.13 — COMPLETING LINKS].
Impact & Strategy
- Zones influence Impact Board placement, as players gain Impact markers by advancing attributes or completing actions, which are then placed on hexes for scoring [p.14 — THE IMPACT BOARD].
- Expanding into deeper zones requires higher Ingenuity (technology) to access, creating a progression dynamic [p.9 — TRAVEL].
Watch out:
Zones have depth restrictions, and players must ensure their Ingenuity level matches or exceeds a zone’s depth to move there. Misjudging this can limit actions or block progress.