How to Play Potion Explosion: The Fifth Ingredient

Game Objective

In Potion Explosion: The Fifth Ingredient, players are alchemy students attempting to create magical potions. The objective is to complete Potions by combining Ingredients of specific colors to score points. This expansion introduces new elements such as Wild Ingredients, Reward and Punishment Tokens, and Professor Tiles that modify the basic rules. The game ends when a player completes their fifth potion, and the player with the most points after accounting for rewards and penalties wins.

Preparation (Setup)

• Choose 6 Potions (mixing those from the base game and the 4 new ones from this expansion).
• Place the Creepy Cauldron in front of the Dispenser and the Wild Ingredients inside it.
• Select 1 Professor Tile (randomly or deliberately) and place it visible to all.
• Leave the Reward and Punishment Tokens next to the professor tile.
• Distribute components according to the base manual (consult the manual for details on this section).

Game Flow

The game follows the basic flow of Potion Explosion, with alternating turns where players:

1. Collect Ingredients from the Dispenser, potentially causing chain Explosions.
2. Use the ingredients to complete Potions.
3. Apply effects of already completed Potions (if any).
4. Follow the additional rules of the chosen Professor Tile.

The expansion adds interactions with the Creepy Cauldron and ingredient exchanges using Wild Ingredients.

Actions and How to Play

New Expansion Mechanics

• Wild Ingredients (Ghost Ectoplasm): Act as wildcards. Can be treated as any color at any time.
• Creepy Cauldron: Allows exchanging ingredients from your hand for Wild Ingredients, earning Reward Tokens.
• Reward/Punishment Tokens: Each is worth +1 or -1 point at the end, respectively.

New Potions

• Fermented Feather Touch: Take 2+ adjacent ingredients of the same color (without causing explosions).
• Chameleon Varnish: Choose a color from your hand to be treated as another (except white).
• Creepy Touch: Exchange 1 ingredient from your hand for 1 from the Cauldron (+1 Reward Token).
• Poltergeist Sweet: Steal 1 ingredient from another player and exchange it for 1 from the Cauldron (+1 Reward Token).

Professor Rules

Each Professor Tile modifies the game in a unique way. Examples:

• Anxious O’Clockitt: Time limit per turn (90 seconds). If time runs out, gain a Punishment Token.
• Gravitha TidyGall: If you assemble potions "top to bottom," gain a Punishment Token.
• Consult the manual for details on the other professors.

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends when a player completes their fifth Potion. Then:

1. Count points from completed Potions.
2. Add 1 point for each Reward Token.
3. Subtract 1 point for each Punishment Token.
4. The player with the most points wins. In case of a tie, the first player to complete the fifth potion wins.

Tips for Winning

• Use Wild Ingredients wisely: They can help complete difficult potions or create larger chain explosions.
• Keep an eye on the Cauldron: Exchanging ingredients there can earn extra Reward Tokens.
• Adapt to the Professor: Each requires different strategies (e.g., avoiding knocking over ingredients or assembling potions in the correct order).