> Note that Looney Labs does still sell the rule cards that came in the
> boxed set, and the instructions are in 'Playing with Pyramids'. So if
> you just want to play the game, it's easy to gather the pieces, you
> just can't buy the box set right now.
Nah, it's not just that. I play it now just fine making up my own rules and
using stones I bought. I want the boxed set for aesthetic reasons. :)
I've been looking for over a year, and haven't found one. Bid on a
boxed Zendo on eBay, but the bidding got over $60 bucks for it so I
dropped out of the bidding. They are rare and expensive. Unless you
get lucky and find one, your best bet is to find and IceTowers boxed set, which are also out of print, and get some black, white, and neutral colored stones
from an art supply store or any place at the mall or novelty store that
would sell cool looking stones.
I don't like the stones I bought,
I swiped some nice stones from another game,
3Stones, which I rarely play, as it comes with a ton of white, black,
and clear stones; I added them to my boxed IceTowers set along with the
little pack of Zendo cards with instructions and sample rules on them. Try an art store or novelty shop at the mall -- lots of places sell pretty stones cheaply, and any off color or transparent clear stones will do for the mondo stones. Just keep looking and you'll find ones that please you.
and I don't have any red, blue, green, or
yellow pyramids, so the rules cards wouldn't do me good without the
accompanying pyramids.
Sure they will. Pick one of the colors you do have, such as black, and substitute it. And after a couple of games, you won't use those rules anymore, as it's a lot of fun coming up with a nice rule that's easy to state but hard to figure out -- but not too hard. My personal favorites are math equations, such as "# of total pips equals 3 times the total # of different colors" and so forth.
Also, since I *do* have a black stash, that would be
the best way to get those colors without ending up with five Treehouse dice
I don't need and an extra black stash, now that they aren't selling stashes.
Sure you do, once you decide to play other games, like Volcano. And having extra Treehouse dice comes in really handy. Have you played BlackIce yet? I just learned it (it uses three of those Treehouse dice) and it's harder and better than Treehouse, and the best new pyramid game around (though Zendo and Homeworlds are still my favorites). The best setup would be to get a hold of the old IceTowers boxed set if you can -- which comes with "The Empty City" , a must-read if you're a LooneyLabs pyramids fan -- which would take care of your aesthetic needs; then add 5 Rainbow Treehouse stashes, "Playing With Pyramids" and the new "ThreeHouse" booklet, some extra volcano caps and Zendo cards, and buy an extra gray stash just for completeness. It will all fit in the IceTowers boxed set, and then you'll be rockin'. That's what I'm going for. And once you try BlackIce, you will be thankful to have all those extra Treehouse dice.
Btw, if you can find even a boxed IceTowers set, get it now, as Looney Labs
is cannibalizing all remaining sets for TreeHouse stashes, so IceTowers
will soon also be rare and selling for over $60 bucks on eBay auctions
as well.
-TVTom