How to play

Connect innovation cards to score.
All cards played in a turn must be placed next to each other.
Symbols can only be connected to the same symbol or blank edges.

Start

Played with a deck of 20 cards
Shuffle your deck
Start of the game: each player draws 4 cards
End turn: fill up your hand to 4 cards if you have less

End of turn - Counting points

Symbol points

Each new symbol connection awards points according to the lower of the two symbol values.

Diversity bonus

If at least 3 different symbols are connected in a turn, the player gets 2 bonus points.

Stash

If all symbols on a card with a stash marker are connected, the player gets the score indicated on the stash symbol.

End of the game

If it's a player's turn and they have no more cards in their hand and deck, the game ends immediately.
The player with most innovation points wins.

Card types

Innovation cards

Connect innovation cards to score.

Event cards

Instant effect, no longer valid after the turn

Scenario cards

Lasting effect for all players. Active until a new scenario card is played.

Action cards

You can only play action cards at the beginning of your turn.
You can shuffle back action cards that are on your hand at the beginning of your turn and replace each one with a new card from the deck.
You can only play a maximum of 2 action cards per turn.

Pro tips

Topic	Tip
Deck Building 01 – Basics	Build your own decks in your card collection and play with your own creations. You are only permitted a maximum of 2 of each card in your deck. Find out how you can make your deck even better with new cards.
Deck Building 02 – Colours/themes	Each category of symbols (craftmanship, nature, culture, science, technology and reserves) has different advantages. Combine them with matching event and scenario cards for maximum points.
Deck Building 03 – Balance	The relationship between innovation cards and event/scenario cards is crucial to your strategy. Make sure that you experiment and find the right balance according to your selected strategy.
Strategies – Blocking	Block your opponents from forming good combinations by using the blank edges on your innovation cards. This helps you, for instance, prevent your opponents from making high-scoring links which have yet to be made.
Strategies – Resource management	When you use action cards to take cards from your opponents, you reduce the total number of points they can collect. But be careful – this can also cost you valuable points. The same applies to abruptly ending the game.
Strategies – Reserves	Cards with a reserve value can often be surrounded when they are placed if you plan correctly. Be careful with reserves – if you do not surround them yourself, your opponents may be able to.
Strategies – Opponent’s hand	The final step towards becoming an Innovetica master is analysing and taking into account the opponent’s hand in your own planning. Closely examine what your opponents can do with their remaining cards and strategize accordingly.