Quick answer
Most setup mistakes in Tzolk'in Tribes & Prophecies come from misplacing prophecy tiles, forgetting to include the new buildings, or incorrectly adjusting for 5 players. Follow the diagnosis below to catch and fix each error before you start.
Why setup errors happen
The Tribes & Prophecies expansion adds several new components—prophecy tiles, tribe boards, and extra buildings—that don't appear in the base game. It's easy to assume they work like other expansion modules, but the rules for placement and timing are specific. Missing a step can unbalance the entire game.
Another common source of mistakes is the 5-player support. The expansion includes pieces to increase the player count, but only if you also own the base game's fifth-player components. Players often try to set up for five without checking what else is needed.
Diagnosis: Common setup mistakes and how to fix them
- Symptom: Prophecy tiles are placed randomly or omitted: Players often shuffle all prophecy tiles and place them face down, or forget to set them out entirely. The correct setup is to sort the three prophecy tiles by calamity type, then place one of each type face up in the designated area. Only three tiles should be visible at the start. If you see more than three prophecy tiles or any face-down ones, remove the extras and flip the correct ones face up.
- Symptom: Tribe boards are mixed with player boards: Each player gets a tribe board in addition to their standard player board, but some players mistakenly use the tribe board as a replacement. The tribe board sits next to the player board and tracks your tribe's special ability and prophecy progress. It does not replace the main wheel or corn track. Check that every player has both a standard player board and a tribe board before starting.
- Symptom: New buildings are not shuffled into the building supply: The expansion includes new building tiles, but players sometimes leave them in the box or add them on top of the existing stack. All new buildings must be shuffled together with the base game's building tiles before placing them on the board. If the building supply looks identical to the base game, you missed the expansion buildings. Reshuffle with the new tiles.
- Symptom: 5-player setup is attempted without the base game components: The expansion provides tribe boards and extra buildings for a fifth player, but you still need the fifth-player wheel and starting corn from the base game. Without those, you cannot accommodate a fifth player. If you don't own the base game's fifth-player expansion or the base game itself supports only four, stop and play with four players instead.
- Symptom: Prophecy calamity effects are not reviewed before play: Each prophecy tile has a unique calamity that triggers at a specific time. Players often skip reading them during setup, leading to confusion mid-game. Before starting, all players should read the three active prophecies and understand when and how they trigger. If anyone is unsure what a prophecy does, pause and read it aloud. This prevents rules disputes later.
Product facts
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Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar – Tribes & Prophecies: This expansion includes new buildings and components that can expand Tzolk'in to a 5-player game. If you plan to play with five, you must also have the base game's fifth-player wheel and starting corn. The expansion only provides the extra building tiles and tribe boards, not the full set.
Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar – Tribes & Prophecies
