Twilight Imperium: Prophecy of Kings - Accelerated Re-Learn & Expansion Guide

This guide is designed to help your group, including both returning players needing a refresher and a brand new player, to quickly get up to speed with Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition and seamlessly integrate the Prophecy of Kings expansion.

• For the New Player: Part 1 will be most crucial for understanding the basic flow and concepts.
• For Returning Players: Part 1 will be a quick refresher. Parts 2 and 3 will be key for understanding the setup with PoK and the new mechanics.
• Universal Note: This guide aims for clarity and accelerated learning. For exhaustive rules and specific edge cases, the Living Rules Reference (LRR v2.0) remains the definitive source.

Introduction

Welcome, or welcome back, to the vast and tumultuous galaxy of Twilight Imperium! You are the leader of a unique faction, vying for control of Mecatol Rex and the Imperial Throne. Through diplomacy, trade, technological advancement, and, inevitably, warfare, you will expand your empire, complete objectives, and stake your claim as the new rulers of the galaxy. This guide will refresh the core concepts and introduce the exciting new elements from the Propody of Kings (PoK) expansion.

Part 1: Welcome Back to the Galaxy (Core Refresher)

1.1 Game Objective & Winning

The goal is to be the first player to score 10 Victory Points (VPs). (Your group can opt for a longer 14 VP game by flipping the VP track). VPs are primarily scored by:

• Public Objectives: Revealed throughout the game, any player can score them. You cannot score public objectives if you do not control all planets in your home system.
• Secret Objectives: Each player starts with one (and can gain more, up to a maximum of three scored and unscored). These are kept hidden until scored.
• Other game effects (e.g., controlling Mecatol Rex when using the Imperial strategy card, removing the Custodians token).

1.2 Key Concepts You Remember (Let's Reconfirm!)

• Systems & Planets: The game board is made of system tiles. Systems may contain planets. You gain control of planets to get their Planet Cards, which provide Resources (yellow triangle) and Influence (blue hexagon). Exhaust (flip facedown) planet cards to spend these values.

  [Visual: Planet card showing Resources and Influence areas]

• Units: Plastic figures representing your forces.

  • Ships: For space travel and combat (Carriers, Destroyers, Cruisers, Dreadnoughts, Fighters, War Suns, Flagships). Placed in space.
  • Ground Forces: For invading and holding planets (Infantry). Placed on planets.
  • Structures: Military installations (Space Docks, PDS). Placed on planets.

  [Visual: Pictures of different unit types from LTP page 5]

• Command Tokens (CTs): Essential for taking actions and maintaining fleets. Kept on your Command Sheet in three pools:

  • Tactic Pool: Spend CTs from here to perform Tactical Actions (activating systems).
  • Fleet Pool: The number of CTs here (ship-silhouette side up) limits how many non-fighter ships you can have in any single system.
  • Strategy Pool: Spend CTs from here to use the secondary ability of other players' Strategy Cards.

  [Visual: Command Sheet showing the three pools from LTP page 10]

• Strategy Cards: Chosen each round, these grant powerful abilities and determine initiative order (player turn order based on the card's number).

  [Visual: Montage of Strategy Card headers from LTP page 8-9]

• The Tactical Action: The core action for expansion and interaction. Its 5 steps are:

  1. Activation: Spend 1 Tactic CT to activate a system.
  2. Movement: Move ships into the active system. Ships can transport ground forces/fighters up to their Capacity.
  3. Space Combat: If ships from multiple players are present, they fight.
  4. Invasion: Land ground forces on planets. If defenders are present, Ground Combat occurs.
  5. Production: Build units at Space Docks in the active system using Resources.

• Combat Basics:

  • Units have a Combat Value (e.g., Destroyer "9"). Roll a 10-sided die; if the result is equal to or greater than the Combat Value, you score one HIT. "0" on the die is a 10.
  • Your opponent assigns your hits to their units, destroying them.
  • Sustain Damage: Some units can ignore one hit by becoming "damaged" (turn plastic on its side). A damaged unit cannot sustain damage again until repaired (in Status Phase).

• Technology: Researching technology (primarily via the Technology strategy card) grants new abilities or upgrades your units. You must meet color-coded prerequisites (e.g., 2 red tech symbols to research a tech with 2 red prerequisites). Some planets offer Tech Specialties to help meet these.

  [Visual: Example tech card showing prerequisites and tech color from LTP page 18]

• Trade: Exchange commodities, trade goods, and promissory notes with neighbors (players you share a system with, or are in adjacent systems to). Commodities convert to Trade Goods when given to another player. Trade Goods can be spent as 1 Resource or 1 Influence.

1.3 Game Round Overview

A game round consists of four phases:

1. Strategy Phase: Players choose Strategy Cards.
2. Action Phase: Players take turns performing actions (Tactical, Strategic, Component) or passing, in initiative order.
3. Status Phase: Cleanup and preparation for the next round (score objectives, draw action cards, ready planets/cards, gain CTs, etc.).
4. Agenda Phase: (Added after Mecatol Rex is claimed) Players vote on galactic laws/policies.

Part 2: Setting Up Your Prophetic Reign (Integrated Setup)

For a full game with Prophecy of Kings, follow the "Complete Setup" steps from the Living Rules Reference v2.0 (page 4) or the PoK Rulebook (page 8). Here are the key PoK-specific additions to remember during setup:

• Faction Components (LRR Step 3):

  • Each player also takes their faction's 3 Leader cards and 1 Mech unit card.
  • Some PoK factions have extra tokens/tiles (e.g., Ghosts of Creuss Gamma Wormhole token, Vuil'Raith Dimensional Tear tokens).

• Choose Color (LRR Step 4):

  • Each player also takes their color's 4 Mech units, 8 new Technology cards, 1 new Promissory Note, and 1 Leader Sheet.
  • Place your Leader Sheet under your faction sheet. Place your Agent, Commander, and Hero leader cards, and your Mech unit card, onto the corresponding slots on the Leader Sheet. Make sure the side with the small slot icon (1 hash for Agent, 2 for Commander, 3 for Hero) is faceup.

  [Visual: Leader sheet with leaders and mech card correctly placed, highlighting a slot icon from PoK Rulebook p.8]

• Create Game Board (LRR Step 6):

  • Place the Wormhole Nexus tile (inactive, gamma-only side up) and its 3 Gamma Wormhole tokens nearby.
  • If playing with 5, 7, or 8 players, the map setup changes significantly using Hyperlane tiles. Refer to the diagrams in the PoK Rulebook (page 9) or LRR v2.0 (page 6).

  [Visual: Image of the Wormhole Nexus tile (inactive) and Gamma tokens from PoK Rulebook p.8]

• Place Game Board Tokens (LRR Step 7):

  • Place one Frontier Token on each non-home system that has no planets (including anomalies).
  • Place all Attachment Tokens (new types in PoK) near the game board.

  [Visual: Frontier token on an empty space system from PoK Rulebook p.8]

• Shuffle Common Decks (LRR Step 8):

  • Shuffle the new Relic deck and the new Exploration decks (Cultural, Hazardous, Industrial, Frontier) and place them in the common play area.

  [Visual: The different exploration deck backs and the relic deck back from PoK Rulebook p.8]

• Revised Strategy Cards: Replace the base game "Construction" and "Diplomacy" strategy cards with the revised versions from PoK.

Part 3: The Prophecy Unfolds (New PoK Rules & Mechanics)

Prophecy of Kings enriches the galaxy with several new mechanics:

3.1 Leaders (Agents, Commanders, Heroes)

Each faction now has three unique leaders with special abilities, placed on your Leader Sheet.

• Agents:

  • Start unlocked and ready.
  • Their abilities typically require you to exhaust them (flip facedown). They ready during the Status Phase.
  • Example: The Argent Flight Agent "Emissary Taivra" can be exhausted when another player activates a system containing your units; that system is not delta wormhole-linked for that player this turn.

• Commanders:

  • Start locked. You must meet the "Unlock" condition on the card (e.g., "Control 4 cultural planets") to flip it to its unlocked side and use its (usually passive) ability.
  • Once unlocked, they stay unlocked.
  • Their ability can be shared with another player if you give them your "Alliance" promissory note.
  • Example: The Federation of Sol Commander "Claire Gibson" (Unlock: Spend 8 Resources) allows your infantry and fighters to ignore combat rolls of 1 from your opponent's PDS units in the active system.

• Heroes:

  • Start locked. The typical unlock condition is "Have 3 scored objectives" (public or secret).
  • Once unlocked, they stay unlocked.
  • Their abilities are exceptionally powerful and typically once-per-game; after using, the Hero card is usually purged (returned to the game box).
  • Example: The Xxcha Kingdom Hero "Ggrucoto Rinn" (Unlock: 3 scored objectives) allows you to, as an action, ready all planets you control and gain 1 CT. Then purge this card.

3.2 Mechs

Mechs are powerful, faction-specific ground forces.

• You start with your Mech unit card on your Leader Sheet.
• They are produced like other units by paying their resource cost.
• They are ground forces, so they participate in ground combat and can be transported.
• Most Mechs have a Deploy ability, which is an alternative way to place them (usually from reinforcements) on the game board without producing them, often tied to specific game events (e.g., "After you activate this system..."). Each Deploy ability can be resolved only once per timing window.
• Example: The Barony of Letnev "Letani Behemoth" Mech (Cost 2) has Sustain Damage and "DEPLOY: After you activate this system: You may spend 2 resources to place this unit in this system's space area. It cannot move during this tactical action."

3.3 Exploration (Cultural, Hazardous, Industrial, Frontier)

When you gain control of a planet that is not currently controlled by another player, you explore it. Planets in home systems and Mecatol Rex cannot be explored.

• Planet Trait Decks: Draw 1 card from the exploration deck matching the planet's trait (Cultural - green icon; Hazardous - red icon; Industrial - blue icon). If a planet has multiple traits, you choose which deck to draw from.

• Frontier Tokens: Systems with no planets start with a Frontier Token. If you have the "Dark Energy Tap" technology (or another ability allows it), you can explore a Frontier Token in an active system by removing the token and drawing 1 card from the Frontier exploration deck.

• Resolving Exploration Cards:

  • Most cards provide an immediate benefit (e.g., "Gain 2 Trade Goods," "Place 1 Infantry") and are then discarded.
  • Attachments: Some cards say "Attach." Slide this card under the explored planet's card and place the corresponding attachment token (e.g., +1R, +1I, Biotic, Cybernetic, etc.) on the planet on the game board. The planet is modified by this card's values/abilities, even if another player takes control of it.

  [Visual: Example of Dyson Sphere exploration card, its token, and it attached to a planet card from PoK Rulebook p.11]

  • Relic Fragments: If you draw a card with "Relic Fragment" in the title (e.g., "Industrial Relic Fragment"), keep it faceup in your play area. These can be traded.

• Example: You activate the Veiled system (no planets, has a Frontier Token). You have Dark Energy Tap. You remove the Frontier Token, draw from the Frontier deck, and get "Entropic Field (Major)". You gain 1 CT and 3 Trade Goods, then discard the card. Later, you invade and take control of the planet Xxargon (Hazardous trait) from no one. You draw from the Hazardous deck and get "Volatile Fuel Source." You attach it to Xxargon, place the red explosive icon token on Xxargon. Xxargon is now worth +1 resource, but if you use its resources, you roll a die; on 1-3 it's destroyed.

3.4 Legendary Planets

Four planets in PoK are Legendary (indicated by a purple legendary icon).

• When you gain control of a Legendary Planet, you also take its unique Legendary Planet Ability Card.
• These cards grant powerful abilities, often usable at the end of your turn by exhausting the card. If the card is already exhausted when you gain it, it stays exhausted.
• Example: Mallice (in the Wormhole Nexus) is a Legendary Planet. If you control it, you take the "Mallice" Legendary Planet Ability card. At the end of your turn, you may exhaust it to gain 1 CT or draw 1 Action Card.

3.5 Relics

Relics are powerful, often game-changing items.

• You primarily gain Relics by collecting three Relic Fragments of the same type (Cultural, Hazardous, or Industrial) from exploration, then purging those three fragments to draw 1 card from the Relic Deck. Some exploration cards might directly grant a relic.
• Relics are kept faceup and provide potent, often once-per-game abilities (many instruct you to purge the Relic after use). Relics cannot be traded.
• Example: The "Shard of the Throne" Relic: "At the end of the agenda phase: Gain 1 VP. Then, if you do not control Mecatol Rex, purge this card."

3.6 New System Tiles & Concepts

• Hyperlanes: Tiles used in 5, 7, and 8-player setups. They are not systems themselves but create adjacency between system tiles connected by lines drawn across them. They cannot contain units or be targeted.

  [Visual: Hyperlane adjacency example from PoK Rulebook p.11]

• Gamma Wormholes (Y): A new wormhole type. Systems with Gamma wormholes are adjacent to each other and to the Wormhole Nexus.

• Wormhole Nexus: A special system tile.

  • Starts inactive (Y side up), containing only a Gamma wormhole.
  • Becomes active (Alpha, Beta, Gamma side up) the first time a player moves/places a unit into it or gains control of Mallice (its planet). Once active, it connects to all Alpha, Beta, and Gamma wormholes.

  [Visual: Inactive and Active sides of Wormhole Nexus from PoK Rulebook p.11]

3.7 Revised Strategy Cards

The "Construction" and "Diplomacy" strategy cards are replaced by new versions in PoK. Use these new versions.

• Construction (Primary): Place 1 PDS or 1 Space Dock. Then, place an additional PDS. (More flexible PDS placement).
• Diplomacy (Primary): Choose 1 system (not MR) with your planet. Each other player puts a CT there. Then, ready any two of your exhausted planets. (More flexible readying).

Part 4: Key Rules Clarifications & First Game Tips

Commonly Forgotten (Base Game):

• You can only score 1 Public and 1 Secret objective in the Status Phase.
• You need to control your Home System to score Public Objectives.
• Tactical Action Production: You can produce at Space Docks in the active system even if you didn't move ships there or invade.
• Fleet Pool limits non-fighter ships per system. Capacity limits fighters/infantry in space areas.

PoK Interactions & Clarifications:

• Exploration Timing: You explore when you gain control of a planet not previously controlled by another player. If you take a planet from another player, no exploration.
• Leader Unlocks: Commander/Hero unlock conditions must be met after any current action/ability is fully resolved.
• Mech Deploy: Remember the "once per timing window" restriction. If multiple mechs could deploy from the same trigger, you only get one.
• Returning Captured Units (PoK):
  • Non-fighter ships/mechs: Can be returned via transaction, ability cost, or if the original owner blockades a space dock of the capturing player. Returned to reinforcements.
  • Fighters/Infantry: Placed in their reinforcements when captured; you get a token. They are NOT returned via blockade or transaction; only by specific abilities that return them to the supply.

Tips for a Smoother First PoK Game:

• Focus on Objectives: This is still the core of TI. PoK adds more tools, but VPs are key.
• Explore Actively: Early exploration can provide significant boosts in resources, tech specialties, trade goods, or even relics/fragments. Don't neglect un-controlled planets.
• Understand Your Leaders: Your Agent is usable from turn 1. Check your Commander/Hero unlock conditions early and work towards them if they suit your strategy.
• Don't Forget Mechs: They are often more durable or have unique abilities compared to standard infantry. Use their Deploy abilities strategically.
• The Agenda Phase (if it comes up): PoK adds many new agendas. Read them carefully!
• Pace Yourselves: The first game with a major expansion will likely take longer. Enjoy the journey of discovery.
• Refer to the LRR v2.0: When in doubt, look it up!