# Res Arcana: Perlae Imperii ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2021 - **BGG Rating**: 8.3 - **BGG Rank**: — - **Players**: 2-5 (Best with: 2) - **Duration**: 20-60 min - **Weight**: 2.69 / 5 - **Designers**: Thomas Lehmann - **Artists**: Julien Delval - **Publishers**: Sand Castle Games, ADC Blackfire Entertainment, Galápagos Jogos, Korea Boardgames, Rebel Sp. z o.o. - **Categories**: Card Game, Expansion for Base-game, Fantasy - **Mechanics**: Hand Management, Open Drafting, Variable Player Powers, Victory Points as a Resource ## Verdict Essential for those who love the base game and want more paths to victory. Pearls breathe new life into the engine!New essence adds great versatilityCool dragon and sea themesMore complex and fun synergiesKeeps the game's fast paceRequires base game to playIncreases planning complexityRECOMMENDED ## Description If you've already mastered the art of manipulating essences in Res Arcana, get ready to level up your sorcery. Perlae Imperii arrives to shake things up, adding new layers of strategy for those seeking mystical domination. The biggest highlight here is the introduction of a brand new essence type: pearls. Imagine that now, beyond the traditional elements, you have access to these precious and pure items, which act as powerful catalysts for creating even more absurd artifacts. But it's not just about the pearls. The expansion broadens the game's horizons, taking mages to unusual places. We have everything from seafaring mages diving for magical pearl beds to dragon tamers exploring the mysterious Blood Isle in search of ancestral creatures. This new dynamic doesn't just add versatility to the strategies you already know; it opens entirely new paths to victory, forcing players to rethink their hand management and artifact priorities. In practice, Perlae Imperii maintains the core essence of the base game — that cerebral puzzle of 'how do I reach the victory points fastest' — but injects an extra dose of flexibility. Pearls allow you to adapt your game engine in ways that were previously impossible, making every match more unpredictable. If you enjoy card games with high indirect interaction, where every drafting decision can change the course of the game, this expansion is the perfect upgrade. It's the kind of content that doesn't change the game's soul but makes the experience much richer and more varied, turning the race for points into an even more sophisticated duel of minds. Prepare your grimoire, for the quest for the pearls of power has begun! ## How to Play Objective of the Game In Res Arcana: Perlae Imperii, players engage in a magical struggle to accumulate the most Victory Points (VP). The goal is to master the use of Pearls and other essences to build powerful Artifacts and Monuments to achieve victory. Setup Follow these steps to prepare your game: Combine Components: Mix the Perlae Imperii expansion components with the base game components. Pearls: Place the Pearls in the center of the essence tray. Give each player 1 Pearl (in addition to their other starting essences). Monuments: Shuffle all Monuments together. Deal the number of Monuments indicated by the player count table to form the initial deck. Return any unused Monuments to the box without looking at them. Draw 2 Monuments and place them face up in the center. Places of Power: Shuffle the Places of Power together, unseen, below the table. Turn over half of them several times while shuffling so that the side of each Place of Power is random. Place the number of Places of Power indicated by the player count table and return any unused ones to the box. Reminder Tile: Place the Reminder tile with the Pearl side up in the center. Finalize Setup: Perform the rest of the base game setup normally. Setup Chart: Players Monuments Places of Power 2 7 4 3 10 5 4 12 6 5 14 7 Game Flow Play proceeds normally according to the base game rules, with the following specific adjustments for this expansion: Pearl Conversion: On a player's turn, they may convert Pearls from their essence pool to gain 1 Gold or any 2 non-Gold, non-Pearl essences. Out-of-Turn Pearl Conversion: A player may also convert Pearls from their essence pool out of turn when using a React power or when responding to a React power condition (such as being attacked by a Dragon). If a timing conflict occurs, resolve it clockwise, starting with the player holding the First Player token. Actions and How to Play In addition to standard actions, players must navigate the new mechanics introduced by the expansion: Essence and Pearl Rules Pearl Properties: Pearls are a new essence type. Powers that produce essences of any type excluding Gold cannot produce Pearls. Similarly, discounts that do not apply to Gold do not apply to Pearls. Converting Pearls: When converting a Pearl, you can choose to gain 1 Gold or any 2 non-Gold, non-Pearl essences (these can be the same or different). Special Card Types and Abilities Mages: The Illusionist is a Mage. Her powers are React powers used to satisfy turning a Creature, Demon, or Dragon to pay a power cost, or when using a Check Victory power with a Place of Power that earns VP for having Creatures, Demons, or Dragons in play. Note that Mages cannot be destroyed. Artifacts: Catherine Wheel: This artifact inflicts life loss on all players (not rivals), including its owner. Raven Familiar: You gain a Gold when you take it from the supply, placing it either in your essence pool or on a component. This can occur via a power, Collect ability, the Discard an Artifact action, or by converting a pearl. End of Game and Scoring The game ends when the specific victory condition is met: End Trigger: The game ends on a victory check when any player has 13 or more victory points (instead of the standard 10). Scoring Pearls: During a victory check, each Pearl a player has at the end of it—whether in their essence pool or on their components—counts as 1 VP. Note: Because Pearls are worth victory points, they do not count towards breaking ties. Tips for Winning Consulte o manual para detalhes sobre esta seção. ## FAQ ### Do I need the base game to play? Yes! This is an expansion, so you must own Res Arcana to use it. ### Does it make the game much harder? The complexity increases slightly because there are more options and synergies to consider, but the core logic remains the same. ### How long does a game take with the expansion? It remains very fast, usually between 20 and 60 minutes, depending on the number of players. ### Who do you recommend this expansion for? For those who feel they've 'solved' the base game strategies and want new ways to build their tableau. ### Do the pearls significantly change the gameplay? Yes, they act as a new resource that opens doors to stronger artifacts and more flexible strategies. ## Price Comparison ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 20.70 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=3092348&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/39613/res-arcana-perlae-imperii?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com