TeamPlay Rules

Before playing StoneRow’s TeamPlay Rules, be sure to have a solid understanding of the Base Game. There are significant differences in these games but the Base Game video will give you a helpful general understanding. You can find a playthrough in this video.

To play StoneRow’s TeamPlay Rules you will use the Grinding Gears Deck of StoneRow cards as follows:

  • 63 number cards and Guild cards
  • 3 Highwayman
  • 3 Mason
  • 2 GoldDigger
  • 2 Displacer
  • 2 Sets of Tower cards

The Object

Build StoneRows by playing Sets and Runs from your hand while stealing or breaking your opponents’. The Team that reaches 100 points first will win that round and begin to “build” their tower by turning over one of their Tower Cards (cards are revealed in order from 1 to 6). The first Team to complete their tower by turning over all six Tower Cards is declared the winner.

The Deal

  • Separate Tower cards into two full sets of Towers. Then lay one set face down by one player from each of the two teams. This player will be in charge of revealing the progress of their team’s Tower construction.
  • Set aside the Foreman card. This card is not used in Team play.
  • Shuffle deck and deal cards to each player as follows:

4 players = 6 cards each.

  • 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).

The Rounds

Play begins to the left of the dealer and continues clockwise until one team achieves 100 points. That round’s winning team will turn over their Tower Card. The cards on the table and in players’ hands are collected, shuffled and dealt around the table again. The game concludes when one team has turned over all six of their Tower Cards.

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 a Highwayman, Mason, GoldDigger, or Displacer.

  • Place the Highwayman 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 one of these three actions.
    • Place the Mason on your broken StoneRow to repair it (regain the points).
    • Use the Mason to Mortar an additional card to that player’s existing StoneRow or the TeamMate’s StoneRow (expand Set or Run).
    • Mortar 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 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.
  • Displacer– Choose one of these two actions.
    • Place near the player’s 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 is added to the player’s hand to be used later. The Displacer is then discarded. (No points are broken.)
  • GoldDigger– Choose one of these two actions. *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.

Out of Turn Team Only Actions

These actions can happen out of the normal cycle of turns. After the action is taken, play resumes as normal. No players are skipped.

  1. As one player lays down their StoneRow, that player’s TeamMate can add a card(s) to increase points. ex: As player 1 lays down a pair of “8”, Player 3 can lay down an additional “8” at the same time (out of turn) without needing to use a Mason.
  2. As one player discards a card into the Brickyard, that player’s TeamMate can pick it up and add it to their hand. *Must be done before the next player starts their turn.

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

The first team to complete the build of their tower, turning over all six cards, is declared the winner!