Official Scythe Rules

Last Updated on February 26, 2026 by The Official Game Rules Team

Scythe is a strategic board game set in an alternate 1920s Eastern Europe, where players control different factions vying for dominance through resource management, territory control, and objective completion. Here’s a breakdown of the core rules to get you started on your Scythe adventure:

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How to Play Scythe

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Objective: 

Earn the most points through territory control, objective completion, and combat victories.

Players: 1-5 (expansions can increase player count)

Components:

• Game board (Eastern Europe map)
• Player mats (unique starting resources & abilities)
• Faction boards (worker & mech abilities)
• Worker & Mech miniatures
• Resource tokens (wood, metal, food, oil)
• Combat & Objective cards
• Action & Encounter cards (optional)
• Popularity tokens & Various markers

Setup:

1. Place the game board, choose your faction with its corresponding board, mat, worker miniatures, and starting resources.
2. Place your worker on your starting territory, deploy your mech (depending on your faction rules).
3. Deal objective cards (keep one secret, discard others).
4. Place action tokens face up near the board.

Gameplay (Ongoing Action Selection):

• Players take turns clockwise.
• On your turn, choose ONE of these actions:
  • Move & Take an Action: Move your worker to an adjacent territory and take an action available there (gather resources, build structures, deploy mech, etc.). Actions depend on the territory and any structures built there.
  • Upgrade: Use resources to upgrade your worker or mech for new abilities.
  • Play a Combat Card: Activate your mech and potentially fight another player’s mech on an adjacent territory using combat cards and dice rolls.
  • Complete an Objective: If you meet the requirements of your chosen objective card, discard it to score points.
  • Pass: Choose to pass and forfeit any remaining actions for your turn.

Movement:

• Workers move freely between adjacent territories.
• Mechs have specific movement restrictions based on their faction abilities.

Combat:

• Resolved with combat cards and dice rolls.
• Cards have attack/defense values and special abilities influencing the outcome.
• The winner gains control of the territory and potentially earns a star token (used for scoring and end-game conditions).

Resources:

• Collected from territories and used for actions like building structures, upgrades, or playing combat cards.
• You can only spend resources from territories you control (worker or structure present).

Popularity:

• Tracks player interaction (aggressive actions lower it, helpful actions raise it).
• Popularity offers various effects like scoring and access to specific actions.

End of the Game:

• The game ends when either:
  • All six star tokens are placed on the board (through combat victories).
  • The last objective card is completed by a player.

Scoring:

• Players score points based on:
  • Objective cards completed
  • Territories controlled
  • Resources remaining
  • Popularity level
  • Star tokens earned (placement matters)
  • Coins acquired throughout the game

Additional Notes:

• Faction abilities and player mats offer unique strategies and starting resources.
• Alternative actions might be available through faction abilities or objective cards.
• Optional modules like encounter cards and windmills (special structures) can add complexity.

Scythe is a deep strategic game. By mastering these core rules and exploring your faction’s unique strengths, you’ll be well on your way to conquering the competition!