Emberleaf - Trophies and Bonuses
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Every game is a different puzzle. You change the trophies, move the bonuses, draw new favors. And that winning strategy you had the night before? Forget about it.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
When a puzzle becomes infinite
Emberleaf - Trophies and Bonuses is the expansion designed by James Tomblin and Frank West to make every game of the base game a new experience. 15 advanced trophies, 18 double-sided objective tiles, and 24 never-before-seen favor cards combine into thousands of possible configurations.
At the table, you choose 6 random trophies, place the bonuses along the score track, and draw new favors. Every constructive choice you used to make by rote now has to contend with objectives you've never seen together. The puzzle remains the same, but the questions change.
What they say abroad
"Every setup feels like playing a different game within the same framework."
Every setup feels like playing a different game within the same framework.
— Meeple Mountain
The expansion that transforms a solved puzzle into an always new problem. Every game forces you to start thinking again.
— FroGames
Emberleaf - Trofei e Bonus (Emberleaf: Trophies & Bonuses)
The base game supports solo play with dedicated rules, and the expansion integrates perfectly: variable trophies and track bonuses enrich the puzzle experience without needing an automa. It loses the element of racing for shared objectives, but gains in depth of optimization.
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews and play sessionsWhat it adds to the box
The three pillars of variability
15 advanced trophies
You randomly choose six of them each game. Each requires different constructive strategies: specific collections, territorial patterns, resource combinations. What worked yesterday won't work today.
18 double-sided objective tiles
You place them randomly along the score track during setup. Whoever reaches those positions gains immediate bonuses. They change the pace of the game and create new races between players.
24 favor cards
New personal objectives that integrate into the base deck. Some push you towards combinations never before considered, others give you unique tactical powers. Every hand becomes a strategic crossroads.
Modular setup
The combination of trophies, bonuses, and favors generates configurations you'll never see repeat identically. Every game is a new puzzle within the same system.
Recommended sleeves 29 cards in 1 size ▼
If you play often, we recommend protecting cards with transparent sleeves to make them last a long time.
| Size | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 63 × 88 mm | 29 |
| Total cards | 29 |
An hour from now, you'll still be thinking about how you could have placed that tile differently. And tomorrow night the puzzle will have completely changed.
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
Different Setup
You flip the objective tiles, draw six random trophies, and shuffle the new favor cards. You read the trophies and immediately realize that the strategy you always used no longer works. You have to rethink everything from scratch.
First Choices
You draw your initial favor cards. One asks for a collection you've never built, the other for a complicated territorial pattern. Meanwhile, you look at the track: there are bonuses that are strategically game-changing. Where do you aim?
Race to Objectives
Someone quickly advances towards a bonus on the track that you needed. You change your path, aiming for a trophy no one else is considering. The tiles you place now must address three different objectives simultaneously.
The Crossroads
You have a favor card in hand that's worth immediate points, but completing it means giving up a larger end-game trophy. You look at the track: you're two steps away from a crucial bonus, but advancing costs you resources. Everything tightens up.
Final Count
The trophies reveal who built best. Someone went all in on one and won. Someone else diversified and lost by one point. You look at the setup and think: with these trophies, next time I'd do everything differently.
How to play
The flow of each turn
The expansion doesn't change Emberleaf's basic turn: it adds layers of long-term planning.
Before the game: choose 6 random trophies from 15, place the double-sided objective tiles along the track, shuffle the 24 new favor cards into the base deck.
The turn remains identical to the base game: you place tiles, build your village, collect resources, complete personal favors. But now every choice must consider the new trophies and the bonuses on the track.
When you reach a track position with an objective, you immediately gain the indicated bonus: resources, points, extra actions. The race for these positions becomes a tactical element.
At the end of the game, the 6 chosen trophies award extra points to those who met their conditions. They can completely overturn the scoreboard.
Why it's different from other expansions
Six elements that change the game
Asymmetric Trophies
The 15 trophies are not balanced against each other: some reward vertical constructions, others horizontal expansions, still others specific collections. Six random trophies create constantly different meta-games. One evening it's worth specializing, the next evening diversifying.
Track Objectives
The 18 double-sided tiles are placed randomly during setup, changing the relative value of each position. A quick turn can be worth more than a complex construction if it leads you to a crucial bonus. Speed becomes tactical, not just efficiency.
New Favors
The 24 new favor cards introduce objectives not contemplated by the base game. Some require territorial patterns impossible to plan, others combinations of rare resources. Every hand forces you into lateral thinking.
Unrepeatable Setup
The math is brutal: 6 trophies chosen from 15, plus 18 random double-sided tiles, plus 24 shuffled favors. You will statistically never see identical configurations. Every game is a new problem, not a variant.
Optional Complexity
You can choose to use only a portion of the modules: just the trophies, just the track bonuses, just the cards. You scale the variability based on the group and experience. You're not forced to do everything at once.
Perfect Integration
It doesn't add phases to the turn, doesn't complicate the rulebook, doesn't change game time. It integrates into the base system without mechanical forcing. It's an expansion, not an overstructure.
How it ends
How to win
Victory remains tied to the score track, but trophies can turn everything around in the final minutes.
Victory
- The player with the most points at the end of the track wins (as in the base game)
- The 6 active trophies award bonus points at the end of the game: those who completed them can catch up
- Bonuses on the track give immediate advantages during the game, but don't count for final points
How to lose
- Focusing on a trophy without building the foundations to complete it: lost points
- Ignoring the bonuses on the track and falling behind in the positional race
- Diversifying too much without excelling in any trophy: one completed is better than three half-finished
If the base game seemed like a solved puzzle, this expansion transforms it into a system of infinite variability. Every game is a new question.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Emberleaf - Trophies & Bonuses
Is the base game required to play this expansion?
Yes, it's mandatory. Trophies & Bonuses is not standalone: it adds modules to Emberleaf, but does not include the base materials (village tiles, board, tokens). You cannot play without the base game.
How much does replayability really change compared to the base game?
The base game has a fixed setup and standard trophies: after 5-6 games, you start seeing repeated patterns. This expansion introduces thousands of combinations (6 trophies out of 15, plus random objective tiles, plus 24 favor cards). Each game requires different strategic approaches. It's structural replayability, not cosmetic.
Is it harder than the base game?
It's not more complex in terms of rules: it doesn't add phases or new mechanics. But it's harder in terms of strategic planning: you have to evaluate multiple simultaneous objectives and adapt to never-before-seen configurations. If you're new to Emberleaf, play at least 3-4 base games first to master the system.
Can I use only some of the modules?
Yes. You can choose to add only the advanced trophies, or only the track bonuses, or only the favor cards. The expansion is modular: you use what you want, based on the level of variability you're looking for. You're not obliged to use everything together.
Is it available in English?
Yes, this is the English edition published by Cranio Creations. All components (favor cards, trophies, objective tiles) are fully localized. Compatible with any English edition of Emberleaf.
Emberleaf - Trophies & Bonuses is the expansion for 1-5 players designed by James Tomblin and Frank West, published by Cranio Creations. It adds 15 advanced trophies, 18 double-sided objective tiles, and 24 favor cards that change setup and strategies every game. Duration 90-120 minutes, recommended age 14+. Mechanics: tile placement, set collection, variable setup. Requires the Emberleaf base game to play. Available on FroGames.it.
Emberleaf - Trophies and Bonuses
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