HOW TO PLAY :
Setup:
Each player receives a player board, which tracks their completed potions, ingredients, and potions to be brewed. The potion shop (a central board or dispenser) is stocked with a variety of marbles (ingredients), and the potion cards are shuffled and placed face-up on the table.
Potion Cards:
At the start of the game, each player draws a potion card. These cards show the ingredients needed to brew a potion and often provide a special ability or bonus when completed. Each player can have multiple potion cards in front of them, which they’ll work to complete throughout the game.
Taking Turns:
On your turn, you’ll take marbles from the potion shop, aiming to gather the ingredients for your potions. When you pick a marble, all other marbles of the same color in the same row will also be collected, creating potential combos. This can lead to an “explosion” of marbles, allowing you to collect even more ingredients and complete more potions in one turn.
Making Potions:
Once you’ve collected the necessary ingredients, you can brew a potion. To brew a potion, you discard the required marbles and gain the benefits of the potion card. Some potions give you immediate rewards (like extra marbles), while others grant victory points at the end of the game.
Using Potion Effects:
Some potions have special effects, such as allowing you to take extra turns, swap marbles, or even steal ingredients from other players. Be sure to use these effects wisely to gain an advantage and complete your potions faster.
Refilling the Potion Shop:
After each player’s turn, the potion shop is refilled with new marbles to ensure there are always ingredients available for the next round. The potion shop's marble dispenser (often a marble tower) makes the game visually interesting and adds an element of luck when marbles fall.
End of the Game:
The game ends when all players have completed a set number of potions or when all potion cards have been drawn and used. Players then tally up their victory points, which come from the potions they’ve brewed, bonus effects from completed potions, and any other special abilities they’ve used during the game.
Victory:
The player with the most victory points at the end of the game wins, becoming the top potion master of the school!