Keltis is a multi-player game that has some similarities to Knizia's "Lost Cities".
Players play cards to move their playing pieces along stone paths. There are cards with 5 different colors/symbols, each corresponding to one path; in addition, each card shows a number (0-10, twice each). In each color, each player can play his cards either ascending or descending. Like Lost Cities, it's better to concentrate on a few paths, since the last spaces grants high points, but ending early gives negative ones.
The player in turn plays one card (out of a hand of 8), or discards one. He moves the corresponding playing piece on the path. Many of the spaces have a token that grants some bonus; either direct points (counted the scoring track), an extra move on a path, or wish stones that are needed at game end to avoid negative points.
The game ends when a total of 5 playing pieces have reached the 7th space (or more) on their paths. Now, scoring happens:
- Pieces which only moved 1-3 steps give negative points (-4, -3, -2).
- Pieces with 4+ steps grant points (1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 10).
- One piece of each player is higher and scores double.
- Less than two wish stones grant negative points (-3 / -4)
- 5+ wish stones yield a bonus of 10 points.
- All this is added to the points scored during the game
Winner of the 2008 Spiel des Jahres.
Quick Record a Play
