Ark Nova · Board game rules
How does adjacency work with enclosures?
Quick answer
Enclosures must be built adjacent to an existing building (sharing at least one edge), except the first building, which must be placed on a border space of the zoo map. Kiosks require at least 2 spaces between them.
Details
General Adjacency Rules
- When building an enclosure (standard or special), it must be placed adjacent to an existing building, meaning at least one edge of the new building must touch an edge of an existing one [p.10 — BUILD].
- The first building placed in your zoo must instead be positioned so that at least one of its spaces is on a border space of the zoo map [p.10 — BUILD].
Kiosk-Specific Rule
- Kiosks must always be at least 3 spaces apart from every other kiosk. This means there must be at least 2 empty spaces between any two kiosks [p.10 — BUILD].
Special Enclosures
- Special enclosures (e.g., Reptile House, Large Bird Aviary) follow the same adjacency rules as standard enclosures. They can be built adjacent to existing buildings or on border spaces if they are the first building [p.10 — BUILD].
Placement Restrictions
- Buildings cannot overlap, extend beyond the map edges, or cover water/rock spaces unless the Build action is upgraded [p.10 — BUILD].
- Upgraded Build action allows building on spaces marked with the "C" icon [p.10 — BUILD].
Watch out:
- Ensure new enclosures do not block future expansion. Adjacency requirements can limit where you place buildings later in the game.
- Kiosk spacing is easy to overlook. Always count the spaces between kiosks to avoid invalid placements.