Monopoly Builder Board Game: Rules and Instructions for How to Play

Objective of Monopoly Builder

The objective of Monopoly Builder is to score more points than the other players by the end of the game.

Setup for Monopoly Builder

Choose someone to be the Banker. The Banker can play the game, but must keep their money separate from the Bank. The Banker gives each player the following money:
- 2 – 5M
- 2 – 10M
- 1 – 20M
- 1 – 50M
- 3 – 100M
- 1 – 500M
The rest of the money is put in the money tray as the Bank’s money.
Each player chooses a token. Depending on what token they take, they will also receive the following:
- The reference card corresponding to the token you choose.
- Four of the type of resources shown on the left side of the reference card.
- The twelve builder’s blocks that match the players color.
Each player places all of their money, tokens, and builder’s blocks in front of themselves. You will place your token on the GO space.

Place each of the Title Deed cards next to their corresponding spaces on the board.
Shuffle the Chance cards and place them face down next to the gameboard where everyone can reach them.
Separate the resources by their type and place them inside the resource tray.
Place the two Builder’s Bonus cards face up on the table where all of the players can see them.
The players will take turns rolling both of the dice. The player that rolls the highest total starts the game. Play moves clockwise throughout the game.

Playing Monopoly Builder

On each of your turns you will follow this series of actions.

Discard Resources
Roll the Dice
Gather Resources
Move Your Token
Trade Resources
Build Floors
End of Turn

Discarding Resources

At the beginning of your turn, you will count how many resources you own. If you currently have more than six resources, you must discard resources until you are down to six. Any resources you get rid of are placed on your current space.

Rolling the Dice

You will then roll the two dice.

Gathering Resources in Monopoly Builder

All of the players will look at the Title Deeds that they currently own. If the total rolled on the dice is on one or more of your Title Deeds, you will take two of the corresponding resources from the Bank.

Earning Resources in Monopoly Builder — The current player rolled an eleven. One of the players owns Oriental Avenue. Since an eleven was rolled, its owner receives two green resources.

If the player rolls a six, all of the players will take two resources of the type assigned to them by their reference card.

Moving Your Token in Monopoly Builder

You will then move your token clockwise a number of spaces equal to the total that you rolled. Depending on which space you land on, you will take the corresponding action.

Movement in Monopoly Builder — The penguin player rolled a five. They move their pawn five spaces clockwise around the gameboard. They will then take an action corresponding to the space that they landed on.

When moving if you ever land on or move through a space that has resources on it, you will pick them up and add them to your set of resources.

Picking Up Resources in Monopoly Builder — The dinosaur player is going to move through the space that a previous player dropped resources on. As they move through the space they will pick up the resources and add them to their resources.

If you roll doubles, you will get to roll the dice again and take another turn. If you roll doubles three times in a row, you will immediately go to jail. You will not get to take your turn.

Trading Resources in Monopoly Builder

Next you will have the opportunity to trade resources.

You can trade resources with any of the other players. You can make any trade as long as both players agree to it.

Your other option is to trade resources with the Bank. You may trade four resources of one type, for one resource of another type (your choice).

Trading Resources in Monopoly Builder — This player needs a purple resource so they decided to trade four green resources for one purple resource.

Building Floors in Monopoly Builder

Before you end your turn you will have the opportunity to build floors on the gameboard.

On your turn you may build as many floors as you want as long as you have the required resources. To build a floor, you must give the Bank the resources shown on your reference card for the floor that you want to build.

Cost to Build Floors — Here is the chart for what resources are needed to build each floor in Monopoly Builders. The first floor requires two resources of any type and the second floor requires three resources of any type. A red, green, and one other resource are required for the third floor. The fourth floor requires one purple and two yellow resources. Finally the penthouse requires one resource of each color as well as one additional resource of any type.

Building the Third Floor in Monopoly Builder — To build the third floor this player has to spend one red and one green resource. They also used an additional red resource for the wild resource.

Building the Third Floor — To build the third floor this player has to spend one red and one green resource. They also used an additional red resource for the wild resource.

You will then place one of your builder’s blocks in the center of the board. When building you must some rules.

Building A First Floor — The red player has decided to build a first floor. To build a first floor you need to use two resources of any type.

Build First Floor in Monopoly Builder — The red player has decided to build a first floor. To build a first floor you need to use two resources of any type.

Building Rules

When building the first floor of a building, you may only build on empty foundation spaces.

You may not build on top of another player’s builder’s blocks.

You may only build a building with your colored blocks four floors high. After four floors you must place the penthouse on top of the building.

Once you place a builder’s block on the gameboard, if cannot be moved for the rest of the game.

End of Turn

After finishing the previous actions, your turn ends. You will pass the dice to the player on your left. They will take the next turn in the game.

Board Spaces of Monopoly Builder

Depending on what space you land on in Monopoly Builder, you will take a special action.

Unowned Properties

When you land on an unowned property, you have the opportunity to purchase it if you want it. Pay the price indicated on the gameboard and take the corresponding Title Deed card from the Bank. You will keep this card in front of you.

Purchase Title Deed — The penguin player has landed on Oriental Avenue. As no one has purchased it yet, they have the option to purchase it. They will pay 100M to the bank and take the corresponding Title Deed.

If you don’t want to purchase a property, you will put it up for auction. Bidding will start at 10M. There is no turn order for the auction. Players can raise the bid in any order. You must raise the bid by at least 5M though. When no other players want to raise the bid, the player that bid the most wins the auction. They will pay the amount they bid to the Bank. They will then take the corresponding Title Deed.

If no one wants to bid on a Title Deed, the Title Deed stays with the Bank.

If you can acquire all of the properties of a given color, you have acquired a Monopoly. By acquiring a Monopoly, you will double the rent on all of the corresponding properties. The Monopoly will also score you points at the end of the game as shown on the Title Deed cards.

Owned Properties

When you land on a property owned by another player, the owner can ask you to pay rent. If they ask for rent you must pay the price shown on the Title Deed.

Paying Rent — The dinosaur player landed on Oriental Avenue. The owner charges them 50M in rent.

Should they own all of the properties of the corresponding color, you will have to pay the higher rent.

Paying Monopoly Rent — The dinosaur player landed on Oriental Avenue. As owner owned both light blue properties, they will have to pay 100M in rent.

If the player doesn’t ask you for rent before the next player rolls the dice, you no longer owe them the rent.

Collect 2 Resources

Should you land on one of these spaces, you will take two of the corresponding resources from the Bank.

Collect Space Example — The cat player has landed on a Collect space. They will collect two red resources.

Roll for Resources

Roll both of the dice. Compare the total you rolled to the chart printed on the space. Take two of the corresponding resources from the Bank.

GO

When you pass or land on the GO space, collect 200M from the Bank.

Chance

Draw the top card from the Chance deck. If the card says that you may keep the card, you can keep it until you are ready to use it.

Otherwise read the card to the other players and do what it says. Then return the card to the bottom of the Chance deck.

Steal 1 Resource

Choose another player. You may steal one resource of your choice from that player.

Free Parking

You may trade any two of your resources (do not need to be the same color) for one different type of resource from the Bank.

Just Visiting

When landing on this space, you take no special action. Make sure your token remains in the Just Visiting section.

Go to Jail

When you land on the Go to Jail space, you will immediately move your token to the Jail space. You will not receive money for passing GO. Your turn ends immediately.

While in Jail you can still collect resources and rent, bid during auctions, mortgage your properties, and trade with other players. You may not build on your turn though.

You can get out of Jail in one of three ways.

First you can pay 50M to the bank at the start of your turn. You will then roll the dice and move like on a normal turn.

Next you can use a Get Out of Jail Free card at the start of your turn. You can use one that you drew, or you can trade or buy one from another player. Return the card to the bottom of the Chance deck. You will then roll the dice and move the corresponding number of spaces.

Finally you can decide to roll the dice. If you roll doubles, you get out of jail immediately. You will move your token the number of spaces you rolled with the doubles. You can use up to three turns to try and roll your way out of Jail. If you fail on your third attempt, you will pay the bank 50M and then roll the dice and move.

Getting Out of Jail — Pictured are the three ways to get out of jail. You can roll doubles, use a get out of jail free card, or pay 50M to the bank.

Deals and Trades in Monopoly Builder

You may buy, sell or trade property and/or resources with the other players at any time. You can trade for money, other properties, resources, or Get Out of Jail Free cards. Players can make any deal that they want. If a mortgaged property is traded to a new player, the new owner can pay to unmortgage it. Otherwise the property remains mortgaged.

The trade is finalized when both players agree to it.

Running Out of Money in Monopoly Builder

Mortgaging Property

If you owe money in the game and can’t afford to pay what you owe, you will start by trying to mortgage whatever properties you own. To mortgage a property you will flip over the Title Deed. You will then collect the mortgage value from the Bank.

When a property is mortgaged, you will not collect rent or resources from it. You will still receive resources/higher rent from the other property in the set if you own the Monopoly (assuming that the other property is not also mortgaged).

To unmortgage a property you have to pay the associated cost to the Bank. After paying the Bank you can turn the Title Deed card over to the other side.

Mortgaging A Property in Monopoly Builder — The owner of Oriental Avenue has decided to mortgage the property. They will receive 100M for mortgaging it. They will have to pay 100M to unmortgage it.

Bankruptcy

If you still can’t pay back all of the money that you owe, you will declare bankruptcy. Unlike most Monopoly games you are not out of the game. You will no longer take any turns, but you still have a chance of winning the game.

If you owe another player money when you go bankrupt, they will take all of your mortgaged properties, resources and any Chance cards. The new owner of the properties can decide to repay the mortgage in order to turn over the Title Deeds. Otherwise they stay on the mortgaged side.

If you owe the Bank, all properties are returned to the Bank. All of these properties are now available for sale like at the beginning of the game. The mortgages on the properties are canceled. Any Chance cards are returned to the bottom of the Chance deck. Any resources are returned to the Bank.

End of Monopoly Builder

Monopoly Builder ends when one of the players builds the penthouse on the top of one of their buildings.

Building the Penthouse in Monopoly Builder — The purple player has decided to build the penthouse. They will use one resource of each type as well as an additional purple resource for the wild resource.

Building the Penthouse — The purple player has decided to build the penthouse. They will use one resource of each type as well as an additional purple resource for the wild resource.

To determine the winner each player will count up the number of points they earned in the game. You can earn points from a number of different things.

Buildings

First you will score points for each of your buildings. The value of each building depends on how tall it is. Buildings score points as follows:

1 floor – 1 point
2 floors – 3 points
3 floors – 6 points
4 floors – 10 points
5 floors/penthouse – 16 points

Scoring Buildings in Monopoly Builder — The red player scores points from their buildings as follows: one floor building – 1 point, two floor building – 3 points, three floor building – 6 points, and four floor building – 10 points. They will score a total of 20 points from their buildings.

Monopolies

Next you will score points for each Monopoly (owning all of the properties of a color) you own at the end of the game. You will score points for each set as follows:

Brown and light blue – 2 points
Pink and orange – 3 points
Red and yellow – 4 points
Green and dark blue – 5 points

Scoring A Monopoly — This player acquired both light blue properties. They will score two points for the cards at the end of the game.

Builder’s Bonus Cards

The players will then determine who earned each of the two Builder’s Bonus Cards.

The player who has the most cash at the end of the game receives the Billionaire Builder card. The card is worth three points.

Determine who has the most buildings that are next to one another vertically and horizontally (not diagonally). Height of the buildings does not matter. The player that has the most buildings next to one another receives the Community Builder card which is worth five points.

Scoring the Community Builder Card — To determine who won the Community Builder card, the players will see how many buildings they connected together. The players connected the following number of buildings: purple – 3, red – 4, green – 5, and yellow – 6. The yellow player connected the most buildings so they will receive the card.

Determining the Winner

Each player will total the points that they scored from each of the scoring sources. The player that scores the most points wins the game.

If there is a tie, the tied player with the most money wins the game.

Year: 2021 | Publisher: Hasbro | Designer: NA | Artist: NA

Genres: Economic, Family, Roll and Move

Ages: 8+ | Number of Players: 2-4 | Length of Game: 60 minutes

Difficulty: Light | Strategy: Light-Moderate | Luck: Moderate-High

Components: gameboard, 4 Tokens, 4 Reference Cards, 16 Title Deed Cards, 20 Chance Cards, 2 Builder’s Bonus Cards, 80 Resource Chips, 48 Builder’s Blocks, Penthouse, 2 Dice, Play Money (20-5M, 20-10M, 20-20M, 20-50M, 20-100M, 20-500M), Money Tray, Resource Tray

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