Enchanters (2016) Board Game

Enchanters is a card game that was released in 2016 and designed by Rafał Cywicki and Jacek Gołębiowski. The game is set in a fantasy world where players take on the role of powerful enchanters competing to become the most legendary mage.

Game Components of Enchanters

Kingdom decks: 22 different decks, each with its own theme (e.g., Unicorns, Cultists, Bandits).

Village cards: Multiple options to defend, each with unique bonuses or penalties.

Item and enchantment cards: These cards provide current or permanent bonuses to attack, defense, or other abilities.

Monster cards: Include health points and attack damage, and sometimes special effects.

Overlord cards: Optional expansion adding a powerful enemy to fight.

Crystals (gems): Used as the game’s currency.

Wound tokens: Representing health loss, which are negative victory points.

How To Setup Enchanters

To set up Enchanters, players start by choosing 4 kingdom decks out of the 22 available and shuffling them together. Six cards are then dealt to create the Journey Track. Each player selects a village to defend, which comes with its own set of rules and bonuses. Players begin with a basic item, some crystals, and markers for their attack and defense stats.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Mechanics:

Card drafting: Players draft cards from the Journey Track, with costs increasing for each subsequent card.

Resource management: Managing crystals to purchase cards and rest actions to heal wounds or gain crystals.

Tableau-building: Building an artifact by stacking cards, with new cards covering old ones but retaining some of their powers.

Combat: Fighting monsters by comparing attack strength to the monster’s health points.

Game Objective:

The goal is to earn the most victory points by collecting items, enchantments, and defeating monsters. The game ends after all cards on the Journey Track have been claimed or discarded.

Player Experience

Enchanters offers a simple yet deep gameplay experience. Players must balance between drafting items and enchantments to boost their stats, fighting monsters for victory points, and managing their resources. The game’s variability is enhanced by the different kingdom decks and village cards, offering over 7000 possible game combinations. This ensures a unique experience each time the game is played. The stacking mechanism for cards adds a layer of strategy, as players must weigh the benefits of new cards against the loss of older ones.

Pros

High replayability: With numerous kingdom decks and village options, each game is different.

Simple to learn: Easy to pick up, with a short setup and rules explanation.

Deep strategy: Offers layers of strategy in card drafting and resource management.

Variety in gameplay: Different decks and village cards provide diverse experiences.

Cons

Card management: Players need to keep track of multiple card effects and stats, which can be overwhelming for some.

Length of game: Depending on the number of players, the game can be longer due to the complexity of decisions.

Personal Thoughts on Enchanters

Enchanters is ideal for players who enjoy card-drafting and resource management games with a touch of fantasy. It suits both casual gamers who appreciate its simplicity and experienced players who can dive into its strategic depths. The game’s high replayability makes it a great addition to any game collection, offering endless combinations of gameplay. However, it may not be the best fit for those who prefer quick, straightforward games or are averse to managing multiple card effects.

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