Czech Games Edition CGE00027 Alchemists Board Game

Product Information

Conflict tokens do not matter at this point of the game. The seals score positive or negative points regardless of conflict tokens. (If you are playing the apprentice variant, you aren't using conflict tokens, anyway). The artwork is vivid, detailed, sweet and often entertaining, and I love that the more you look at the board the more funny and cute things you spot. The rule book is also a very well written and amusing read! Final Thoughts on Alchemists Remove the old adventurer tile if it's still hanging around. Put the next one on the adventurer space. If this reveals a conference, it will occur at the end of the next round. Set the conference tile on the conference space, after the Drink Potion action space. Conference or no, turn the top adventurer tile face up. You will always know which adventurer is coming to town one round ahead. Conference Randomly choose three patient markers from a bag and place their matching charts, picture side up, for all players to see. Return the other charts and all eight markers to the box.

Sometimes you don't even have time to make breakfast. Instead, you buy fresh rolls from the baker and eat them on your way through town. To choose this space, you must pay 1 gold piece. If you don't have the gold, you can't choose this space. Mostly, alchemists try to impress each other, but once in a while it can be satisfying to demonstrate our skills to the masses. Debunk a Theory: If you think one player is wrong in their published theory, you can disprove them. Disproving them earns you reputation and possibly penalizes them. When setting up for the final round, place the exhibition board over the Test on Student and Drink Potion action spaces. They will be replaced by the Exhibit Potion action space. Select on the card reader.

I love logic puzzles, especially ones that use a deduction grid (matrix?). In fact, almost a decade ago I bought a logic puzzle book on my honeymoon in the Caribbean. I’ve brought that little book to every beach vacation since then and it’s definitely showing some wear. But there is nothing like sitting on the beach in the sun and working on those little puzzles (SAT questions as my friend calls them). For me, I love the sense of discovery when I figure one out. It’s worth mentioning that the laboratory boards need to be assembled each time you play and if not done correctly and carefully they will suffer some minor wear and tear. For all you get within the game the box isn’t ludicrously over-sized (although it is rather heavy). In Alchemists, players take on the role of rival potion makers trying to become the most prestigious (and rich). The game is played out over 6 rounds in which players will be mixing ingredients, selling potions, buying artifacts and publishing theories. Count the number of different colour chips in your cauldron, ignoring white chips. Move the essence marker to that number. This side of the board is for a four-player game. The setup for two or three players is the same, except you use the other side of the board.

That’s a high level overview of the game. Players earn reputation points for being the first to publish theories, being correct in their theories, from artifact cards, from left over money and from conferences during the game. The player with the most reputation at the end wins. The main goal of the game is to figure out which alchemical symbol goes with which ingredient. Game Experience: What I like to call “the worst job in board gaming”, one player takes a cardboard grid at the start of the games and assigns each ingredient an alchemical. Instead of using the app, one player asks the game master what his pairing produces. The game master tells him and the player records it in his notes. And that’s it for the game master… for 2 hours. If really don’t want to use the app and prefer to go with the game master, I’d suggest inviting someone you hate over, because this role seems pretty horrible. Seriously though, if you hate the app integration that much, I’d suggest playing something else. The winner of the game is the player with the most victory points. Break ties using leftover gold pieces, as explained earlier. If players are still tied, they remain tied. Well done!I like this opportunity to add some control to the game. It is not given for free. You need to earn this power, and your opportunity to do this increases with time, round by round. This works brilliantly with the game. As your bag fills up, you will be building larger and larger potions. Your opportunity to control this a little more each time grows at the same rate. It is a very clever system. With The Alchemist, they have created opportunities to have some of your chips pulled from the bag before the round starts. When it comes to pulling out a new chip, you can either pull as usual or place one of the chips you have out already. Giving you some choice. Some control. Some sense that you can manipulate your destiny. Even if only a little bit. You can play Alchemists either as masters or apprentices. For your first game, we recommend you play the apprentice variant. A few of the rules are simpler, and the academic conferences are more forgiving. Even so, it offers the full range of possibilities. Two, Three, or Four Players Test a Potion on a Student or on Yourself: Choose two ingredients and scan them with the app. It will tell you what type of option you just made. It will either be one of 6 different potions… or just water. However, 3 of the potions are harmful and there will be consequences for drinking those. During play, players' reputations will go up and down. After six rounds and a final exhibition, reputation will be converted into points. Points will also be scored for artifacts and grants. Then the secrets of alchemy are revealed and players score points or lose points based on whether their theories were correct. Whoever has the most points at the end of the game wins.

Mix them into potions and drink them to determine their effects or play it safe and test the concoction on a helpful assistant! Gain riches selling potions to wandering adventurers and invest these riches in powerful artifacts. As your knowledge grows, so will your reputation, as you publish your theories for all to see. Knowledge, wealth, and fame can all be found in the murky depths of the alchemist’s cauldron. You do not have to play here in the final round. Note, however, that ingredients in your hand are worth nothing during final scoring, so this is your last chance to make use of them. Publish a Theory: If you think you know which alchemical belongs to one of the ingredients (or even have a good guess), you can publish a public theory. This will earn you reputation points.The game lasts six rounds. At the beginning of the final round, the final adventurer will be placed next to the Sell Potions action space. (There are 6 adventurers, you randomly chose 1 to return to the box, and there was no adventurer in the first round). Exhibition If you are the first player to successfully exhibit that potion, you gain 1 point of reputation. Put your cube on the space.

If you choose this space, you draw no cards, but at least you will get to go first ... or maybe second. Paying Gold The use of the app is very necessary to the game, and whilst it can be played without it would be needlessly complicated. If you are a tabletop gamer who thinks that games can do without a techy aspect then you may not like Alchemists. Don’t be fooled by the appearance, Alchemists is a tough one to master and is not a game for those just beginning their tabletop gaming journey. As a gamer of several years I have played many times over the last 12 months and I’ve only just started to figure out what to do…. and what not to do! Those who have the required number of publications and endorsements gain 1 point of reputation. Those who do not will lose reputation points as indicated by the conference tile, depending on the number of seals they have on the theory board. As with the top alchemist award, count all seals (except for those on theories with conflict tokens). Mandrake root and scorpion tail; spongy mushroom and warty toad. These are the foundations of the alchemist’s livelihood, science, and art. But what arcane secrets do these strange ingredients hide? Now it is time to find out.

Ah, but the craft of alchemy is about more than mixing potions. Alchemists seek knowledge, of course, but what they truly value is prestige. Making your mark on the world will not be easy. The player with the most seals on the theory board gains 1 point of reputation. If no theories have been published, no one gets this award. If players are tied, all tied players gain 1 point. Sell a potion to an adventurer: This is the only space that not everyone can do. Players will bid to sell a potion to the current adventurer. You gain gold depending on how close you get to the potion the adventurer was wanting.