# Pagan: Beyond the Palisades ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2022 - **BGG Rating**: 8.0 - **BGG Rank**: — - **Players**: 2 (Best with: 2) - **Duration**: 45-75 min - **Weight**: 3.33 / 5 - **Designers**: Kåre Storgaard, Kasper Kjær Christiansen - **Artists**: Maren Gutt - **Publishers**: Wyrmgold GmbH, Capstone Games, Evrikus, Lucky Duck Games, Maldito Games, Rexhry, Super Meeple - **Categories**: Adventure, Bluffing, Card Game, Deduction, Expansion for Base-game, Fantasy - **Mechanics**: Action Points, Area Majority / Influence, Deck Construction, Deduction, Hand Management, Variable Player Powers, Worker Placement ## Verdict Essential for those who love the base game and want more strategic depth in the duel. The new resource management makes the match richer.New layers of strategyDeepens the asymmetryVery thematic Gloom mechanicIncreases duel tensionRequires base game to playIncreases game complexityRECOMMENDED ## Description If you've already dived into the intrigues of Pagan: Fate of Roanoke, get ready, because 'Beyond the Palisades' arrives to ramp up the tension of this psychological duel. For those unfamiliar, Pagan is a visceral and completely asymmetrical two-player game where one takes the role of the Witch and the other the Witch Hunter. The goal is simple on paper but tense in practice: the Witch aims to complete her renaturation ritual, while the Hunter tries to expose and eliminate her before it's too late. The game revolves around nine suspicious villagers, but only the Witch knows her true identity, turning every move into a high-stakes game of cat and mouse. In this expansion, the dynamics gain new layers with the introduction of two fundamental mechanics: Gloom and Cleanse. Gloom acts as a vital resource for the Witch, representing her symbiotic connection with the land. The more Gloom in play, the more the Witch feels at home and empowered. However, this power leaves traces. That's where Cleansing comes in: the Hunter can spend their efforts to purge the corruption from the village. By completely removing the Gloom from a card, it is cleansed and discarded, stripping the Witch's influence from that area. While the Witch focuses on brewing potions, improving her familiar, and casting spells, the Hunter must be relentless, recruiting allies and investigating every detail of the villagers to close the net. The expansion doesn't change the core essence of the game but deepens resource management and the influence war, making the fight for control over the village even more strategic. It's the perfect tool for those who thought they had already mastered the art of the hunt or witchcraft and are looking for more complexity in their card game experience. ## How to Play Objective of the Game In Pagan: Beyond the Palisades, two players compete in an asymmetrical battle of wits and survival. One player takes on the role of the Witch, while the other plays the Witch Hunter. The Witch aims to collect enough Secrets to perform a potent ritual that will allow Mother Nature to reclaim the colony. The Witch Hunter must gather Allies and support to bring the Witch to justice and prevent the fatal ritual from being completed. Setup Consulte o manual para detalhes sobre esta seção. Game Flow The game is played in turns between the Witch and the Hunter. Each turn consists of the following structure: Witch's Turn Upkeep Phase: The Witch may need to pay Influence for cards in play (e.g., Guild Leader). Actions: The Witch uses Action Pawns to perform various tasks such as Visiting a Villager, Readying a Villager, or Performing a Ritual. Free Actions: The Witch can Consume a Brew as a free action during their turn. Hunter's Turn Upkeep Phase: The Hunter may need to pay Influence for cards in play. Actions: The Hunter uses Action Pawns to perform tasks such as Visiting a Villager, Raiding a Villager, Exonerating a Villager, or Eliminating a Villager. Actions and How to Play Players use Action Pawns to interact with the board and cards. The available actions depend on the player's role: Witch Actions Visit a Villager: 1. Carry out the I-card effect; 2. Convert up to 2 Secrets into 1 Favor; 3. Distribute Secrets to the villager or B; 4. Use the Villager Skill (twice if the villager has 2+ Favors); 5. Perform the Empowered R action if using the ≈. Ready a Villager: Costs 1 Secret from that villager (only using Enemy Action Pawns). Perform Ritual: Place an Action Pawn on a Ready Villager who is the True Witch and has at least 3 Favors. Consume Brew: A free action to trigger the Consume effect. Hunter Actions Visit a Villager: 1. Carry out the I-card effect; 2. Gain 1 Evidence (if the villager has at least 3 Clues); 3. Distribute Clues; 4. Use the Villager Skill. Raid Villager: Place an Action Pawn on a Ready Villager and pay 3 Clues from villagers of the same color. This removes 1 Favor or all Secrets from that villager. Exonerate Villager: Pay 3 Clues, then draw a Suspect card. Eliminate Villager: Requires 3 Clues on the target, a Ready Villager, and at least 1 Clue on all other villagers. Ready a Villager: Costs 1 Clue from that villager (only using Enemy Action Pawns). New Mechanics: Gloom and Cleanse Gloom is a resource that benefits the Witch. It enters the game through Gloom-cards. Gloom-cards have a Gloom-limit (the maximum number of Gloom tokens they can hold). If a Gloom-card has no Gloom tokens remaining, it is Cleansed, its Cleanse effect is triggered, and it is discarded. End of Game and Scoring The game ends when one player achieves their specific victory condition: Witch Victory: The Witch wins by successfully performing the Ritual (placing an Action Pawn on the True Witch who is Ready and has at least 3 Favors). Hunter Victory: The Hunter wins by exposing and eliminating the Witch before the ritual is completed. Tips for Winning Witch Strategy: Use Gloom-cards to build power, but be careful—if the Hunter manages to Cleanse your cards, you lose the benefit of the Cleanse effect and the card is discarded. Hunter Strategy: Use Investigation and Exoneration to manage the villagers and track down the True Witch before they can complete their ritual. ## FAQ ### Do I need the base game to play? Yes, this is an expansion. You need Pagan: Fate of Roanoke to use this content. ### How many players is the game for? The game is strictly for 2 players, maintaining the asymmetrical duel format. ### What is the complexity of the game? The weight is medium-high (3.33 on BGG). It's not a casual game; it requires planning, deduction, and hand management. ### How long does a game last? Generally between 45 and 75 minutes, depending on how contested the investigation is. ### Is the game language dependent? Yes, there is moderate dependency. You will need translated cards or a spreadsheet to play in your native language. ### Who is this game recommended for? For those who enjoy deduction, bluffing, and duels where each player has completely different goals and powers. ## Price Comparison ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 20.62 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=6246488&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 23.97 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=6174759&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 23.99 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=6258198&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 23.99 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=6267991&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 23.99 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=6233315&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 26.30 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=3927284&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 26.71 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=6083954&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 26.93 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=4745162&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 27.38 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=4433333&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 27.42 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=4082252&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/41189/pagan-beyond-the-palisades?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com