Quest for El Dorado

SETUP: Each player receives an identical starting deck of 8 cards (machete, rope, and provisions cards) and places their explorer pawn at the jungle start. Shuffle the market deck and lay out 5 cards as the available market. Set the jungle map between players with various terrain tiles creating a path to El Dorado.

GAMEPLAY: On your turn, execute these steps in order:

1. Play cards from your hand to determine movement. Each card shows terrain symbols (jungle, river, mountain) and movement points. You can only move through terrain matching your played cards.
2. Move your explorer along the jungle path by spending movement points on terrain obstacles. Different terrain requires specific card types; playing the right cards lets you move farther.
3. Purchase new cards from the market using gold earned from your played cards. This improves your deck for future turns. Discard all played cards.
4. Draw 5 new cards from your personal deck. If your deck runs out, shuffle your discard pile as your new deck.

PLAYER INTERACTION: Both players move simultaneously on the same jungle path, creating a race dynamic. The map is shared, so strategic card purchases matter—if one player dominates river cards, the other must adapt.

WINNING: The first player to move their explorer completely across the jungle and reach El Dorado wins immediately. There are no ties.

KEY MECHANICS: This is a deck-building race, combining strategic card acquisition with tactical movement. Your deck improves as you buy better cards, creating a satisfying progression. The 2-player format intensifies competition since you're constantly aware of your opponent's progress and deck strength.

GAME LENGTH: Most 2-player sessions complete in 30-45 minutes, making it ideal for quick competitive sessions.