Complete Rules

There are several ways to play StoneRow, but they all begin with the Official Rules!

StoneRow Official Rules

To play StoneRow you will use the cards as follows:

• 52 number cards and Guild cards
• (2) Tower sets – 12 cards
• 3 Highwayman
• 3 Mason
• 2 GoldDigger
• 2 Displacer
• 1 Foreman

The Object

Build StoneRows by playing Sets and Runs from your hand while stealing or breaking your opponents’. Player with the most points for having the biggest and best StoneRows at the end of the game wins.

The Deal

• Separate Tower cards and lay them facedown in order from base to flag near the dealer.
• Shuffle deck and deal to each player as follows:

2 players = 8 cards; 3 players = 7 cards; 4 players = 6 cards.

• Place remaining cards facedown in center of table as the Quarry (draw pile).
• Reveal top card of Quarry and place where all can see. This is the Keystone which determines which card-type is the Hammer for this game. (See Actions below.)
• Place the next card from the Quarry faceup to form the Brickyard (discard pile).
• If any player was dealt the Foreman card or draws it during the game, immediately call “Overtime!”, lay it near the Tower cards, and take a replacement card.

The Rounds

Play begins to the left of the dealer and continues clockwise for 5 rounds (play an extra 6^th round if the Foreman is ever drawn).

Each round consists of one turn per player, ending with the dealer. At the beginning of play the dealer flips over the first Tower card. Turn the next Towercard faceup after each of the dealer’s turns. The game concludes at the end of the dealers turn once the 5^th or 6^th round has been played.

The Play

On your turn, draw a card from the Quarry or Brickyard. Then choose ONE Action as follows:

1. Build a StoneRow.(Play a Set or Run as described in the next section).

2. Play a Hammer (a card that matches the number or name of the Keystone).

• Place on an opponent’s StoneRow to break it (nullify the points).
• Use as part of a StoneRow (Set or Run).

3. Play only ONE of either; a Highwayman, Mason, Displacer, or GoldDigger.

• Highwayman- Place on an opponent’s StoneRow and move it in front of you to steal that StoneRow. Broken StoneRows do NOT count for points unless repaired with the Mason.
• Mason–Choose only ONE of these actions.

  • Place Mason near your StoneRow to Mortar (expand Set or Run) a card to an adjacent player’s StoneRow.

    • The opponent will keep the same number of points but the player using the Mason will have added points. ex; If the opponent had two 9’s they will continue to have 18 points. The player using the Mason to add on an extra 9 will now have 30 points.
    • If the StoneRow is stolen by a Highwayman or broken by a Hammer, all cards that have been mortared together are affected as a group. Taking points from both players.

  • Place the Mason on your broken StoneRow to repair it (regain the points).
  • Use the Mason to Mortar an additional card to an existing StoneRow of your own. (expand Set or Run)

• Displacer– Choose one of these two actions.

  • Place near the players StoneRows for the remaining duration of the game and it will act as a “deflector” to repel all Hammers.
  • Play during game when any opponent attempts to lay down a Hammer in order to “attract” the Hammer. The Hammer then becomes that player’s to use later and will be added to their hand. The Displacer is then discarded. (No points are broken.)

• GoldDigger– Choose one of these two options. *Once played, GoldDigger should be placed near the Keystone.

  • Pick the top three cards from the Quarry (draw pile) and add them to your hand.
  • Sift through the Brickyard (discard pile) to choose up to three cards and add them to your hand.

4. Discard into the Brickyard.

• It may sometimes benefit you to discard even if you have cards to play.

The StoneRows

Sets (matching numbers or Character names):

Pairs of Numbers = Face value (e.g. Pair of twos are 4 points)

Pairs of Characters = 20pts.

Three of a Kind = 30pts.

Four of a Kind = 40pts.

Runs (same color in numerical order, Character cards continue from “9” in this order: Apprentice, Surveyor, Architect, Guild Master.):

Run of Three = 30pts.
Run of Four = 40pts.
Run of Five = 50pts.

The Win

Player with the most points from completed StoneRows at the end of the last round wins.