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How to play Dice Miners.
# Dice Miners — Rules
How to play the multiplayer mining dice game. Read this before your first dig.
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## Goal
Be the first miner to collect **11 or more ore points** from **sealed veins**. Ore only counts when you **strike the vein** at the bottom of a tunnel (see Scoring).
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## The board
The mine has **11 numbered tunnels**, one for each total you can make with two dice (**2 through 12**). Tunnels wind through the earth at different angles; they are not straight up-and-down columns. Each tunnel has a fixed number of **digs** (cells) from the surface to the vein.
### Tunnel lengths (2–4 players)
| Tunnel number | Digs to vein | Ore | Points |
|---------------|--------------|-----|--------|
| 2, 12 | 2 | Coal | 1 |
| 3, 11 | 4 | Iron | 3 |
| 4, 10 | 6 | Iron | 3 |
| 5, 9 | 8 | Gold | 5 |
| 6, 8 | 10 | Gold | 5 |
| 7 | 12 | Diamond | 7 |
**5 or 6 players:** Every tunnel is **2 digs deeper** for the whole game (set when the room is created).
### What tunnels look like
- **2 and 12:** Short, shallow side tunnels (coal)
- **3 and 11:** Short side tunnels (iron)
- **4 and 10:** Medium angled tunnels (iron)
- **5 and 9:** Longer tunnels (gold)
- **6 and 8:** Long, deep tunnels (gold)
- **7:** The deepest central tunnel (diamond)
You always move **one dig deeper** along **that tunnel's path**. The path may bend; your position is always "how many digs in" on that number's tunnel.
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## Lanterns
Your progress is shown with **lanterns** hanging in the tunnels.
| Lantern | Meaning |
|---------|---------|
| **Your color** (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, or purple) | **Banked** progress — saved when you stop, cave in, or end your turn safely |
| **White** | **This turn only** — temporary progress while pressing your luck |
Rules for lanterns:
- You may have at most **3 white lanterns** on the board at once (across all tunnels).
- When you **return to the surface**, white lanterns become your color (banked).
- When you **bust**, all white lanterns are removed. Your colored lanterns stay.
- **Cave-ins** are shown as **rubble**, not lanterns.
Each player picks a unique lantern color in the lobby.
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## Your turn
On your turn, choose **exactly one** of these actions:
1. **Roll** — Roll 4 dice and try to dig deeper (see Rolling).
2. **Return to surface** — Bank your white lanterns and end your turn safely.
3. **Cave in** — Spend one of your cave-in allowances, place rubble in a tunnel, bank your white lanterns, and end your turn.
If the room has a **decision timer**, it starts **after each roll** (not at the start of your whole turn). If time runs out before you roll again, stop, or cave in, you **bust**.
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## Rolling
1. Roll **4 dice**.
2. Split them into **two pairs**. Add each pair to get two numbers from **2 to 12**. Those numbers are the tunnels you may affect this roll.
3. For each pair, either:
- **Place** a new white lantern on the **first dig** of that tunnel (the mouth), or
- **Advance** your lantern one dig deeper on that tunnel, or
- **Clear rubble** (see Cave-ins) if you are blocked and the pair matches that tunnel — clearing uses up that pair for digging this roll.
You may keep rolling on the same turn as long as you don't bust. After each successful roll, you may roll again, **return to surface**, or **cave in**.
### Using the app
- **Tap dice** to choose how they form two pairs.
- **Tap or drag** a white lantern to the cell you are claiming.
- Confirm with **"Confirm this pair?"** before the move is final.
- The game **will not** tell you legal moves or suggest pairings. You do the math.
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## Must play if you can
These rules match the classic "Can't Stop" dice game, adapted for Dice Miners.
1. **You choose** how to split your four dice into two pairs — but you must use a split that is **legal** if one exists.
2. Once you confirm a pairing, you must apply **every legal effect** of **both** pairs. You cannot ignore a pair that would move, place, or clear rubble.
3. You **may** choose a pairing where only one pair does something legal, if you want to avoid activating the other pair.
4. If **both** pairs would legally place or move (or clear), you must do **both**.
5. You may move **twice on the same tunnel** in one roll if both pairs match that number (for example, pairing as 7 and 7 lets you advance twice on tunnel 7, if legal).
6. If you have fewer than 3 white lanterns out and a pair would **place** a new lantern, you must place when that pairing requires it — unless you chose a different legal pairing that avoids placement.
7. If you **confirm** a pairing and **nothing** legal happens on any open tunnel (and you are not forced to clear rubble), you **bust**.
### Examples (no strategy advice — just legality)
**Example A — Must use both pairs**
You roll 1, 2, 3, 6. You pair as **5** (1+4) and **9** (3+6). Both tunnels are open and you have white lantern slots. You must affect **both** tunnel 5 and tunnel 9.
**Example B — May use one pair only**
Same roll 1, 2, 3, 6. You could pair as **7** (2+5) and **7** (1+6) instead. If only tunnel 7 helps you, that pairing is allowed even though 3 and 4 are also possible splits.
**Example C — Double advance**
You roll 3, 3, 4, 4. Pairing as **6+6** (3+3 and 4+4) advances twice on tunnel 6 if you already have a lantern there (or places and advances as rules allow). Pairing as **7+7** (3+4 and 3+4) advances twice on tunnel 7 instead. You choose the split — but must fully apply the split you confirm.
**Example D — Clearing counts as using a pair**
You are on dig 3 of tunnel 8. Rubble blocks dig 4. You roll a pair that sums to **8**. That pair **only clears** the rubble; you do **not** also advance on that pair this roll. You must clear if you confirmed a pairing that includes 8 and clearing is the only legal effect for that pair.
**Example E — Bust**
All your white lanterns are on tunnels 5 and 9. You roll 2, 2, 3, 3 (only pairs possible are 4 and 6, or 5 and 5, etc.). If **no** confirmed pairing can place or move on an **open** tunnel you can use, you bust.
**Example F — Not forced onto other tunnels**
You have a white lantern on tunnel 7 and two empty white slots. You roll 2, 2, 5, 5. You may pair as **7 and 7** and only move on tunnel 7 twice. You are **not** forced to place new lanterns on tunnels 4 and 10.
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## Bust
If you roll and cannot legally apply your confirmed pairing, you bust:
> **Ran out of Oxygen, Returning to Surface without progress.**
Remove all **white** lanterns. Your **colored** lanterns stay. Your turn ends.
You also bust if the **decision timer** runs out after a roll.
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## Return to surface
When you stop voluntarily, your white lanterns are banked (they become your color). Your turn ends.
You see one of these messages at random:
> **Low Oxygen, Returning to Surface**
> **The Canary Died, Returning to Surface**
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## Cave-ins
Each miner starts with **1 or 2** cave-ins (set by the host). Cave-ins are used **instead of rolling** on your turn.
### Placing rubble
- Choose any **empty dig** on any **unsealed** tunnel.
- That dig must **not** already hold a player's lantern.
- Place the rubble, bank your white lanterns, and end your turn.
### Passing rubble
- To move past rubble, you must roll a pair matching **that tunnel's number**.
- That roll **only clears rubble** — you do not advance on that pair for that roll.
- On a **later** roll, you must match that number again to dig past where the rubble was.
### Stacked rubble
Multiple cave-ins may block the **same tunnel** on different digs (or rarely the same dig if rules allow placement). When you clear with a matching roll, remove the **single pile closest to you among the rubble still ahead of you** on that path — the **next blocker** in front of your lantern, not rubble behind you.
### Tactical use
You may cave in **behind yourself** on a tunnel to slow miners chasing you. Rubble behind your lantern does not affect you until you retreat backward (you normally only dig deeper).
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## Striking the vein (sealing a tunnel)
When your lantern reaches the **bottom dig** of a tunnel:
1. You **seal** that tunnel and score its **ore points** (coal 1, iron 3, gold 5, diamond 7).
2. The tunnel **closes** — no one may dig there again.
3. Every **other** miner removes all progress (colored and white) on that tunnel.
Sealed ore adds to your total. Positions on other tunnels do not score until those tunnels are sealed.
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## Winning
The first miner whose **sealed ore total reaches 11 or more** wins the game.
Examples of winning totals:
- Diamond + Iron + Coal = 7 + 3 + 1 = **11**
- Gold + Gold + Coal = 5 + 5 + 1 = **11**
- Iron + Iron + Iron + Coal = 3 + 3 + 3 + 1 = **10** — **not yet**
- Diamond + Gold = 7 + 5 = **12** — **win**
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## Room basics
- **Room code:** 5 letters (no I or O). Share link to invite friends.
- **Password:** Optional. May appear in share links for convenience.
- **AI:** Host can fill seats with AI. Joining humans replace AI seats.
- **Host:** Can kick players and start a **rematch**. Cannot change timer or cave-ins mid-game.
- **Disconnect:** If you leave, rejoin with the same browser to restore your seat. After about **3 minutes**, AI plays for you until you return; when you return, you **immediately** take back control.
- **Chat:** Room chat is available from the sky bar. There is no in-game moderation — play with people you trust.
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## Scenario FAQ
Plain answers to confusing situations. **No move suggestions.**
**Q: The tunnel bends left on screen but my lantern only goes "deeper." Is that right?**
A: Yes. "Deeper" means the next dig along that tunnel's numbered path, not necessarily straight down on your screen.
**Q: I have white lanterns on tunnels 5 and 6. Can I place a third on tunnel 9?**
A: Only if your roll and confirmed pairing legally require placement on 9 and you have a free white lantern slot (max 3).
**Q: Can I place rubble on a dig that has no lantern yet?**
A: Yes, if the tunnel is not sealed and the dig is empty (no lantern, no rubble already there — unless stacking on different digs).
**Q: Can I place rubble on my own lantern?**
A: No. Rubble must go on an **empty** dig with no player's lantern.
**Q: Rubble is on dig 5 of tunnel 9. I'm on dig 4. What does a 9 roll do?**
A: It clears the rubble on dig 5 only. You stay on dig 4 until a later roll lets you advance.
**Q: Two piles of rubble on tunnel 6 at digs 4 and 6. I'm on dig 3. I roll a pair of 6s.**
A: One 6 clears dig 4 (the next pile ahead of you). The other 6 may advance you or clear again if dig 4 is gone and dig 6 is now the next blocker — apply both pairs fully per must-play rules.
**Q: Someone sealed tunnel 7 while I had a lantern halfway down. What happens?**
A: Your lantern on tunnel 7 is removed. You keep lanterns on other tunnels. They score 7 points.
**Q: I sealed tunnel 5 but I'm still short of 11 ore. Do I keep playing?**
A: Yes. The game continues until someone reaches 11 **sealed** ore.
**Q: Does halfway down a tunnel give me partial ore?**
A: No. Only **sealing** the vein scores.
**Q: I bust. Do I lose my colored lanterns?**
A: No. Only white lanterns are removed.
**Q: I stopped last turn and banked. This turn I roll — are my colored lanterns my starting position?**
A: Yes. New white lanterns are placed or moved from those banked positions when you dig again.
**Q: Can I cave in and roll on the same turn?**
A: No. Cave in **ends** your turn after banking.
**Q: Timer ran out before I confirmed my pairing. What happens?**
A: Bust — same as running out of oxygen without a legal move.
**Q: The app won't highlight where I can move. Is it broken?**
A: No. You choose pairings and placements yourself; the server only accepts or rejects when you confirm.
**Q: I was host and refreshed. Am I still host?**
A: Not automatically. If you were promoted away while gone, the current host keeps host duties. You rejoin as a player with your saved lantern color and progress.
**Q: Can spectators watch a full room?**
A: No. v1 has no spectator mode.
**Q: We rematched. Same room code?**
A: Yes. Players stay; the mine resets.
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## Quick reference
| Action | Result |
|--------|--------|
| Roll + confirm legal pairing | Place/move/clear per rules; may roll again |
| Return to surface | Bank white → colored; turn ends |
| Cave in | Rubble placed; bank; turn ends |
| Bust | Lose all white lanterns; turn ends |
| Seal vein | Score ore; tunnel closes; others lose that tunnel |
| First to **11+ sealed ore** | **Win** |
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*Dice Miners — StarkeTech. Questions about bugs or rooms: ask your host or check starketech.net.*