# Cerebria: The Inside World – Forces of Balance

## General Info
- **Year Published**: 2018
- **BGG Rating**: 8.2
- **BGG Rank**: —
- **Players**: 3-6 (Best with: 3)
- **Duration**: 135 min
- **Weight**: 4.23 / 5
- **Designers**: Frigyes Schőberl, István Pócsi, Richard Ámann, Viktor Péter
- **Artists**: Jamie Sichel, Pedro A. Alberto, Toby Allen, Villő Farkas
- **Publishers**: Mindclash Games, Intrafin Games
- **Categories**: Expansion for Base-game, Fantasy
- **Mechanics**: Action Points, Area Majority / Influence, Deck, Bag, and Pool Building, Hand Management, Point to Point Movement, Variable Player Powers

## Verdict
Perfect for those who already love the base game and want more depth and the ability to play with a larger group.New faction with unique mechanicsIncreases player limit to 6New spirits with interesting powersAdds strategic layers of balanceIncreases overall game complexityRequires the base game to playRECOMMENDED

## Description
You know that eternal struggle between joy and sorrow? In Cerebria: The Inside World, that's the core of everything. But since life isn't just about extremes, the 'Forces of Balance' expansion arrives to bring some order to the chaos. Now, the Balance faction enters the fray, acting as a stabilizing force that ensures neither side achieves total dominance. The goal here is harmony, making sure Bliss and Gloom coexist without one annihilating the other.

This expansion is far more than just a few extra pieces; it fundamentally shifts the game's dynamics. With the introduction of two new Spirits — the unpredictable Intuition and the wise Reason — the table gains new layers of strategy. The coolest part is that the Balance faction plays by its own rules: they have unique methods for invoking emotions, gaining Essence, and fortifying their positions. If you thought the base game was complex, get ready, because Balance brings its own scoring logic.

While the other factions fight for Common Aspirations, Balance players deal with Hidden Aspirations, with specific conditions to achieve victory. They aren't trying to conquer the world, but rather to balance it. Additionally, the expansion increases the player count, allowing up to 6 people to join the mental battle. It's the perfect choice for those who have already mastered the base game and feel that a bit of instability and new strategic depth is needed to make matches more unpredictable. If you enjoy area control games with a psychological twist and deep deck and bag-building mechanics, this expansion is essential to push the Cerebria experience to its limit.

## How to Play
Game Objective  
The objective of the game is to maintain balance between the forces of Bliss and Gloom in the Inside World. The Balance team does not directly compete for common aspirations, but seeks to achieve its own Hidden Aspirations. Victory is achieved by accumulating the most points at the end of the game, by summing Identity Fragments and points on the Wheel of Intentions. Balance wins if it has the highest score, or, in case of a tie, if it possesses the Capping Identity Fragment.  

Preparation (Setup)  
To set up the game, follow these steps:  
  
  Board: Use the main board with the mentioned exceptions: each Sphere of Origin starts with 8 Willpower instead of 7.  
  Cards: Balance has a deck of 8 Hidden Aspirations, 8 Milder Emotions (2 of each Vibe), and 6 Strong Emotions.  
  Tokens: Balance starts with 4 Wild Vibe tokens, 2 Balance Vibe tokens, and 4 Essences (1 Bliss and 1 Gloom).  
  Player Order: Balance always plays in third and sixth position. If controlled by a Shaper, place the order markers in both positions.  
  Spirits: Balance has 2 Spirits: Reason (strategic) and Intuition (creative).  
  

Game Flow  
The game progresses through rounds with specific phases:  
  
  Revelation:  
      
      Each team reveals its Hidden Aspiration and checks if its conditions have been met.  
      Balance achieves an Identity Fragment if Bliss and Gloom are tied (first condition) or if a specific limit is reached (second condition).  
      
    
  Spirit Actions:  
      
      Move Spirit: Balance Spirits can move freely, without restrictions from other Spirits.  
      Invoke Emotion: Balance can invoke Emotions using Essence from Bliss or Gloom.  
      Absorb Ability: Balance Spirits gain additional Willpower for each adjacent Triad with Balance Emotions.  
      
    
  End of Round: After Revelation, new Common and Hidden Aspirations are set.  
  

Actions and How to Play  
Balance has unique actions that interact with Emotions and Essence:  
  
  Move Spirit: Move a Spirit up to 3 spaces (with Haste upgrade).  
  Invoke Emotion: Invoke an Emotion with Essence from Bliss or Gloom, setting its Alignment (Bliss or Gloom).  
  Fortify: Build Fortresses by paying Essence (Bliss or Gloom) and using a Minor Identity Fragment.  
  Empower: Empower a Milder Emotion to become a Strong Emotion, choosing its Vibe at the moment of activation.  
  Absorb: Spirits gain additional Willpower for adjacent Triads with Balance Emotions.  
  
Balance Emotions can be aligned with Bliss or Gloom, but cannot be intensified by them. Strong Emotions have unique powers defined in the manual.  

End of Game and Scoring  
The game ends when:  
  
  Any team reaches 20 points on the Wheel of Intentions.  
  A team no longer has Identity Fragments to add to the Center.  
  The sixth Common Aspiration is revealed (only 6 in Balance mode).  
  
The final score sums:  
  
  Identity Fragments (Minor, Major, or Capping).  
  Points on the Wheel of Intentions (1-21 points per section).  
  
Balance wins with the highest score. In a tie, the team with the Capping Fragment wins.  

Tips for Winning  
  
  Balance Essence: Use Intuition's ability to convert Willpower into Bliss or Gloom Essence, helping to meet the conditions of Hidden Aspirations.  
  Use Fortify Strategically: Build Fortresses to gain Intensity tokens, which can be used to control Reals or meet Fortitude conditions.  
  Focus on Hidden Aspirations: Balance conditions (such as Liveliness or Unity) require balance between Bliss and Gloom. Plan actions to maintain this harmony.  
  

Consult the manual for details on specific sections, such as detailed action rules or aspiration conditions.

## FAQ
### Do I need the base game to play?
Yes, this is an expansion. You must own Cerebria: The Inside World to use these components and rules.

### Does the game become much harder with the Balance faction?
Complexity increases slightly, as Balance has different scoring and invocation rules compared to other factions.

### How many players can play now?
With the expansion, the limit increases to up to 6 players, making matches much more crowded.

### What changes in scoring for the Balance player?
They do not compete for the Common Aspiration; instead, they strive to fulfill Hidden Aspirations.

### Does the expansion significantly change the game time?
With more players and new mechanics, the game may take a bit longer, but the dynamics become richer.

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