How to Play Argent: Mancers of the University

Objective of the Game

In Argent: Mancers of the University, you're stepping into the newest school, the Department of Technomancy, to unravel the secrets of science and physics. You'll take control of intrepid Technomancers, their Spells, Supporters, and creations. The game introduces several new modules that can be added to the basic game, allowing you to customize your experience. Ultimately, you're vying for the Chancellorship of the university.

Preparation (Setup)

Module #1 - The Department of Technomancy

To set up the Department of Technomancy, mix its components with their matching regular components from the base game. This includes 7 Orange Technomancy Mages, 1 Double-Sided Candidate Board, 7 Orange Loyalty Badges, 12 Orange Marks, 1 Influence Token, 8 Oversized Spell Cards, 1 Double-Sided Candidate Starter Spell, 6 Spell Cards, 1 Legendary Spell, 10 Standard Sized Cards, 8 Supporter Cards (Technomancy), 1 Voter Card (“Most Technomancy”), and 1 Mage Power Reference Card. It's also handy to play with the extra Vault Cards included in this box. You can also substitute Technomancy for another department by removing its Spells, Supporters, Mages, and Candidates.

Module #2 - Visiting Archmage

Shuffle the “Archmage Kimbhe” Voter card in with the rest of the Voters during setup. The Archmage’s Staff Card is placed beside the University, not under the control of any player. The staff has an A and B side, so you can choose from two effects when setting up the game.

Module #3 - Synthesis Workshop

Place the Synthesis Workshop Room Tile into the stock of available rooms and build the University as normal. If the Synthesis Workshop is placed into the University during setup, then Synthesis Items are available.

Module #4 - Scenarios

Switch out the regular Round Cards with the Scenario-specific Round cards for your chosen scenario. Place the Scenario Explanation Card near the Voter board, and read it aloud to all players, performing any extra setup steps as instructed.

Module #5 - Bell Tower Renovation

At the start of the game, deal out a number of random Bell Tower cards equal to the number of players. The Initiative card must always be one of these dealt.

Module #6 - Sixth Player

You must play with the Department of Technomancy (for a total of 6 departments) during a 6-player game. You will use 6 Bell Tower Cards and play with a 15-room University, set up in a 5x3 configuration (5 tiles each across 3 rows).

Module #7 - More Stuff

Mix the extra Supporters and Vault Cards with your base game components. The new Vault Cards and the new Supporter Cards for the 5 standard departments do not need to ever be separated from your base game components.

Fluxo do Jogo

Scenarios

At the start of each new round, read the Round Cards aloud. They will either have an “Ongoing” effect that lasts for the entire round, or an “End” effect that occurs at the end of the round (after resolving all university errands).

Bell Tower Renovation

At the start of every round, shuffle the Bell Tower Cards together and deal out a new set of Bell Tower Offerings as required by your game size. The Initiative card must always be one of these dealt.

Ações e Como Jogar

Archmage’s Staff

The Archmage’s Staff is a new kind of card with a Mage Errand Slot on it. A Mage placed on the staff will move the staff to its owner’s office during the errands phase. The staff is resolved after all rooms in the university are finished resolving. The player who owns the staff can use it by exhausting it (just like a spell). Using the staff is a normal action, and it can be used even if there is an opponent’s Mage currently assigned to it. If no Mage is assigned to the staff at the end of the round, its current owner retains it for the next round. A Mage standing on the staff loses its Mage Powers, meaning even Mages normally immune to wounding or spells can be attacked while here. You can use placement powers of Mages on the Archmage’s Staff slot, but you can't use any passive abilities.

Synthesis Workshop

When you use the Synthesis Workshop, you gain the specific Synthesis Item depicted by the room from the stack of Synthesis Items. If you sacrifice a spell on side B, take back all INT and WIS from the spell. If you sacrificed a supporter on side A, that supporter must be in your office (and not your discard pile). Synthesis Items count as Treasures and help you win the “Most Treasures” Voter. You cannot affect opponent's Synthesis Treasures with Spells like Disintegrate, as they are too powerful.

Research Archive (A & B)

The Research Archive lets you ‘move Research’. This moves INT and WIS tokens from one spell to another, or back to your office. You cannot remove INT from a spell that has any WIS on it. If you choose to remove all Research from a spell, it is discarded. This effect cannot be used to move INT and WIS tokens from your office onto a Spell or to Research new spells.

Golem Lab (A & B)

Instantly creates a new mage to carry out your errands. Mages granted by the Golem Lab are removed from play at the end of the turn, instead of being returned to your office. Mark Golems with the Temporary Loyalty Markers by placing them under the Golem’s base, department side up. Remove it when it is removed from play. There are no Shadow slots in the Golem Lab. The Golem Lab B Merit slot lets you place a temporary mage of any type, and it functions as a normal mage placement, but the mage itself is temporary. For the second two slots in Golem Lab B, the mages in those slots cannot target themselves or other mages in the room; you must choose slots in other rooms in the University. Golems are animated objects and have no souls to possess, so you cannot use Possession on a golem or give up a golem to steal a normal mage using Possession.

University Tavern (B Side)

When auctioning, players make offers of Gold and/or Mana. The auctioneer chooses which offer to take, and gains these resources. The auctioneer only keeps their own auction if there are no offers. The auctioneer does not have to choose the best bid, but they do have to choose a bid if any bid is made (they can’t keep the supporter for themselves if there is a bid). Players can continue bidding for as long as they want. It’s up to the auctioneer to decide when to stop the bidding and award the supporter.

Exhausting Cards

If you exhaust a card, you must take the action. If you cannot, then you cannot exhaust the card.

Fim de Jogo e Pontuação

Archmage’s Staff

Archmage Kimbhe always gives her vote to the player who owns the staff at the end of the game. If no player owns the staff, she does not cast a vote.

Scenarios

Scenarios can alter final scoring. For example, in the "Key to the University" scenario, Consortium Votes convert to IP instead of being the final scoring.

Dicas para Vencer

• Technomancy focuses on rapid research and the acquiring and using of Vault Cards. Utilizing these effectively can give you an edge.
• The Archmage’s Staff provides powerful advantages. Strategically acquiring and retaining control of it can secure Archmage Kimbhe's vote and its ongoing powers.
• Synthesis Items are extremely powerful and count towards the "Most Treasures" Voter. Prioritizing the Synthesis Workshop can lead to significant gains.