Officinalis (2019) Board Game

Officinalis is a board game released in 2019 and designed by Pascal Boucher. It is a card game that falls under the categories of Environmental and Set Collection, with a twist of Trick-taking mechanics. The game is suitable for 1 to 4 players, with a recommended age of 7 and above. The game is set in a botanical garden, where players collect herbs and plants to create potions.

Game Components of Officinalis

Deck: Consists of 49 Plant cards, each with values ranging from -3 to 10.

Picker cards: Each player receives a Picker card, which remains secret and provides bonus multipliers.

Environment cards: Include Forest, Familiars, Rivers, and Prairies, which are used to set the Trump card for each round.

Maisonus Officinalis card: A special card that guarantees winning the Harvest.

How To Setup Officinalis

To set up the game, the youngest player is designated as the Donor. The Donor distributes a Picker card to each player, who looks at it without showing it to others. Depending on the number of players, certain cards (Familiars, Rivers, and Prairies) are removed from the deck. The remaining cards are mixed and distributed equally among the players. The Donor then selects an Environment card from the remaining deck to set the Trump card for the round.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Trick-taking: Players take turns playing cards, adhering to the environment set by the first card.

Trump cards: Trump cards are stronger than any other card, unless multiple Trumps are played, in which case the stronger one wins.

Maisonus Officinalis: This card ensures the player wins the Harvest.

Harvesting: The player who wins the round collects the Harvest cards.

Scoring: Points are calculated from the collected cards, with toxic plants subtracting points.

Bonuses: Picker cards provide multipliers for specific types of plants.

Player Experience

In Officinalis, players take on the roles of herbalists aiming to harvest medicinal plants to concoct infusions that yield high points. The game requires strategic thinking and observational skills to avoid the toxic plants set by opponents. The gameplay is engaging and relatively quick, lasting about 30 minutes.

Pros

Strategic depth: Combines trick-taking with strategic planning.

Family-friendly: Suitable for a wide range of ages.

Quick gameplay: Lasts approximately 30 minutes.

Variety: Different Picker cards and Environment settings add variety to each game.

Cons

Complexity for new players: May require a learning curve for those new to trick-taking games.

Luck element: Card distribution can significantly impact gameplay.

Personal Thoughts on Officinalis

Officinalis is an excellent game for those who enjoy strategy and trick-taking mechanics. It is ideal for families or casual game nights due to its balance of simplicity and depth. However, it may not be the best fit for very young children or those seeking extremely simple gameplay. The game’s thematic focus on medicinal plants adds a unique twist, making it appealing to players interested in botany or herbalism.

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