Ark Nova reference sheet

Overview

• 1–4 players, ~150 min; build a modern zoo and support conservation projects [p.6 — Gameplay]
• Goal: cross your Appeal counter and Conservation counter into the same scoring area — then outscore opponents [p.19 — End of Game]
• Core loop: play 1 action per turn using 5 Action cards; card position (slot 1–5) determines action strength [p.8 — A Turn]
• Three card types: Animals (fill enclosures, gain appeal), Sponsors (effects/income), Conservation Projects (gain conservation points) [p.7]
• No fixed rounds; Breaks occur when the Break token reaches the end of its track [p.6 — Gameplay]
• Victory Points = your Appeal value minus the lowest appeal value in your conservation scoring area [p.19 — Determine Victory Points]

Setup

1. Place game board; put Break token on start space for your player count [p.4 — Global Setup]
2. Shuffle 9 Bonus tiles; place 4 face-up on blank yellow Bonus spaces; return 5 to box [p.4]
3. Shuffle Zoo cards; deal 6 face-down to display (reveal at end of setup) [p.4]
4. Place Association board; add 1 partner zoo per continent and 1 of each university [p.5]
5. Shuffle Base Conservation Projects; reveal 4 (4-player) or 3 (2–3 player) below Association board [p.5]
6. In 2-player: block 3 spaces on Association board and 1 level on each of 3 Base Conservation Project cards with unused-color tokens [p.5]
7. Each player: take Map A zoo map, 1 set of 5 Action cards (Animals in leftmost slot), choose color, place counters (Appeal offset by turn order: 0/1/2/3), take 7 player tokens on zoo map, 4 association workers (1 active), 25 money [p.4–5]
8. Each player draws 2 Final Scoring cards (secret); draws 8 Zoo cards, keeps 4, discards 4 [p.5]

Turn structure

1. Choose 1 Action card; shift it down to show it's active [p.8 — A Turn]
2. Note the slot number — that is your strength X for this action [p.8]
3. Optionally spend X-tokens (1 each = +1 strength, max 5 total) before acting [p.8]
4. Perform the chosen action (Cards, Build, Animals, Association, Sponsors, or X-token) [p.8]
5. Move chosen Action card to slot 1; shift all cards that were to its left one slot right [p.8]
6. Execute any "after finishing" effects; replenish display if cards were taken from it [p.9]

Actions

Association task costs (strength required): Reputation +2 = 2 · Partner Zoo = 3 · University = 4 · Conservation Project = 5 [p.14–16]

Scoring

• Income per Break: money = value shown next to Appeal counter on Appeal track [p.18]
• Kiosk income per Break: 1 money per adjacent unique building, special enclosure, occupied standard enclosure, or pavilion [p.18]
• Conservation track milestones: 2 pts = upgrade Action card or gain worker; 5/8 pts = 5 money or Bonus tile; 10 pts = all players discard 1 Final Scoring card [p.18]
• Reputation track: bonuses on certain spaces; reaching 15 converts further rep gains to 1 appeal each [p.9]
• Final Scoring cards: each grants 0–4 conservation points based on icons/cards in your zoo [p.19]
• End-game card effects: Sponsor and Animal cards with brown/end-game icon score at game end [p.19]
• Victory Points = your Appeal − Target Number (lowest appeal value in your conservation scoring area); highest VP wins [p.19]

End of game

• Triggered when your Conservation counter and Appeal counter are in the same scoring area (or have passed each other) at end of your turn or during a break [p.19]
• If triggered at end of your turn: all OTHER players take 1 more turn, then final scoring [p.19]
• If triggered during a break: ALL players (including you) take 1 more turn, then final scoring [p.19]
• If no player reached 10 conservation points: everyone discards 1 Final Scoring card before scoring [p.19]
• Score Final Scoring cards + end-game card effects, then calculate VP [p.19]
• Tiebreaker: most conservation projects supported (player tokens removed from zoo map left edge); if still tied, share victory [p.19]

Glossary

• Strength (X): the slot number (1–5) of the chosen Action card; determines how powerful the action is [p.8 — A Turn]
• Snap: take exactly 1 card from the display instead of drawing from deck; requires X≥2 on Cards action [p.9 — Cards]
• Reputation range: cards in the display on folders numbered ≤ your Reputation counter; determines which display cards you can access [p.9 — Reputation Track]
• Break: administration phase triggered when Break token reaches the end of its track; discard to hand limit, recall workers, gain income [p.18 — Break]
• X-token: resource that increases action strength by 1 each; max 5 held at once [p.8 — A Turn]
• Partner Zoo: tile granting -3 money per continent icon when playing animals from that continent, plus 1 continent icon [p.14 — Association]
• University: tile granting reputation, research icons, and optionally raising hand limit to 5 [p.14 — Association]
• Placement bonus: immediate bonus gained when a newly built building covers a bonus space on your zoo map [p.10 — Build]
• Special Enclosure: Petting Zoo, Reptile House, or Large Bird Aviary; only 1 of each per zoo; marked with player tokens instead of flipping [p.12 — Special Enclosures]
• Release into the Wild: conservation project type requiring you to discard an Animal card from your zoo; lose that animal's appeal [p.15 — Conservation Projects]
• Target Number: lowest appeal value in your conservation scoring area; subtracted from your appeal to calculate VP [p.19 — Determine Victory Points]

FAQ

• Q: Can I do nothing with my action? — A: No. You must perform a meaningful action (e.g. cannot play 0 animals). Take an X-token action instead if needed [p.8 — A Turn]
• Q: When do I replenish the display after taking cards from it? — A: Only after completing your entire turn, not mid-action [p.9 — Cards]
• Q: Can I use X-tokens gained during an action to boost that same action? — A: No. Strength is set before the action begins [p.8 — A Turn]
• Q: When do I move animals to a new special enclosure? — A: Only immediately when you build the Reptile House or Large Bird Aviary; not at any other time [p.12 — Special Enclosures]
• Q: Does a 3rd or 4th partner zoo require an upgrade? — A: Yes. You must have upgraded the Association action to side II to take a 3rd or 4th partner zoo [p.14 — Association]
• Q: What happens if the Reputation counter reaches 15 and I gain more reputation? — A: Counter stays at 15; take 1 appeal per remaining reputation step instead [p.9 — Reputation Track]