FAQ: Aridnyk board game

Welcome, brave shepherds! Here you can find answers to the most frequently asked questions we have received from you about the rules of the board game “Aridnyk.”

We update this news section from time to time. If you cannot find the answer to your question here, please write it in the comments section below and we will be sure to respond! 

Tile Placement & Movement

Q1: Can I move a tile if doing so creates an “island” of one or more tiles not adjacent to the rest of the board?

A: Yes. You may move tiles in a way that splits the board into independent islands. However, you must place the moved tile so that it is adjacent to at least one other tile.

Q2: Can I move a tile that has a Shepherd or a Spirit on it?

A: No. The basic rules do not allow this. However, special rules in the Story Book or the Trinket “Twins” may permit such an action.

Shepherd Movement

Q3: Can I return my Shepherd figure to the tile where their move had started and activate its white abilities?

A: Yes. You may move the Shepherd to any tile, including the one you started on, and activate its white abilities.

Q4: Can I stop on a tile occupied by another Shepherd?

A: No. You may pass through it, but you may not end your movement there.

Q5: Do you have to trigger all white abilities on the tile where you finish your movement?

A: No. All white abilities are optional except “Lose Sheep”, which must be resolved.

Q6: Do white abilities of a new tile trigger if a white ability moves me onto it?

A: Yes. This can continue as long as all conditions are met.

Q7: Can I trigger a tile’s white ability if the Shepherd didn’t move during this turn?

A: No. A tile’s white abilities only trigger if the Shepherd moved and ended its movement on that tile.

Q8: Does a Shepherd lose Sheep when passing through a river tile?

A: Yes. You lose Sheep both when stopping on and when passing through a river tile.

Q9: Must I use all available movement points for a Shepherd/Spirit?

A: No. All movement points are optional. If you may move up to 3, you may instead move 1, 2, or not move at all.

Water Edge Rules (Rivers & Lakes)

Q10: Can a river/lake water edge touch forest or other land terrain?

A: No. A water edge may never be adjacent to any edge except the other water edge.

Q11: Can a water edge be adjacent to an empty space?

A: Yes, like any other tile's edge.

Q12: Can I move a tile that is connected to another tile via a water edge?

A: Yes, but after moving it, the tile must still follow all spring rules in its new position.

Spirit Movement

Q13: Can a Spirit pass through a tile occupied by another Spirit figure?

A: Yes.

Q14: Can a Spirit end its movement on a tile occupied by another Spirit?

A: No. However, there's a special rule in one of the stories, allowing that.

Q15: Can you split a Spirit’s movement points among several Spirits?

A: No. However, some expansion abilities may allow this.

Trading with Spirits

Q16: Can I trade with a Spirit if I started the turn on the same tile as it?

A: No. Trading is only possible if someone (the Spirit or the Shepherd) moved onto that tile during this turn.

Q17: Can I trade with multiple Spirits in a single turn?

A: Yes, but only once with each Spirit.

Q18: Can I trade multiple times with the same Spirit in a single turn?

A: No — not as a result of movement. Yes — if a second trade is triggered by a Trinket or another special ability.

Q19: Can I refresh the row of Plots/Trinkets before taking a card from Boh/Aridnyk during a trade?

A: Yes.

Plot cards

Q20: Can I fulfill a Plot if its conditions were met by another player’s actions?

A: Yes. You may fulfill a Plot at any moment during your turn, no matter how the conditions were met.

Q21: Can I decline part of the reward?

A: Yes, but you cannot delay taking the reward to take another action first.

Trinket cards

Q22: How many Trinkets can I use per one turn?

A: Only 1 per turn. Trinkets used during another player’s turn do not count toward this limit.

Q23: If I played a Trinket during another player’s turn, may I still play one on my own turn?

A: Yes.

Unsimple cards

Q24: In a game with Unsimple characters, may I look at other players’ Unsimple abilities?

A: Yes. This information is open to all players, so we recommend placing Unsimple cards face-up in a visible area. Sheep counts of other players are also public. Plots, Trinkets, and tiles in hand must remain hidden.

Hand Size Limit

Q25: What if I exceed 6 cards in hand because of an ability?

A: Immediately discard any number of cards (your choice) until you have 6. Then you may proceed with your next game action.

If you cannot find the answer to your question here, please write it in the comments section below and we will be sure to respond!