Objective of the Game

In The Quacks of Quedlinburg: The Alchemists, you play as Alchemists attempting to find a cure for patients suffering from many unusual diseases. To succeed, you must choose a patient and add the required Essence to your alchemy station. As you work on these Essences, you will receive special bonuses based on your chosen patient to help you succeed.

Setup

Follow the standard setup for the base game The Quacks of Quedlinburg, with these specific additions:

• Mix the new Fortune-Teller cards with the base game cards. Note that some cards feature a symbol in the bottom right corner, indicating they can only be used when playing with The Herb Witches or The Alchemists.
• Choose one Locoweed ingredient book and lay it out.
• Each player receives their own alchemy station, essence marker, and 4 essence cards in their color. Essence cards are double-sided to show all available Essences.
• Place your alchemy station above your pot (player board) and set your essence marker to spot "0" on the alchemy station.
• Place all 8 patient markers in a bag and randomly draw 3. Find the matching patient panels and place them in the middle of the table for everyone to see. Return the remaining patient markers and 5 patient panels to the box.
• Each player chooses one of the 3 available patients to cure. Find the corresponding essence card and place it on your alchemy station. (You may check the essence cards before choosing to see potential bonuses).
• Place all unused essence cards back into the box.

Game Flow

The game follows the standard rules of The Quacks of Quedlinburg, with the addition of a new phase. The turn structure is as follows:

1. Potion Phase (Standard rules apply).
2. Essence Phase (New Phase): This occurs after all players have ended their Potion Phase and before the Evaluation Phase. This phase happens simultaneously for all players.
3. Evaluation Phase (Standard rules apply).

The Essence Phase Details

In this phase, you distill an Essence in your alchemy station (regardless of whether your pot exploded or not). At the start of the phase, reset your essence marker to spot "0". Follow these three steps in order:

1. Count Ingredients: Count how many different ingredient colors you have in your pot (excluding white chips). Move your essence marker to that exact spot.
2. Check White Chips: If the sum of all white chips in your pot equals 7, move your essence marker one space forward.
3. Check Neighbors: Move your essence marker one space forward if one of your direct neighbors' pots exploded. If both neighbors explode, move your essence marker two spaces forward. (In a 2-player game, move one space if the other player's pot explodes).
4. Receive Bonus: Follow the glass tube from your essence marker to the specific glass on your essence card to receive a bonus. This may include:
   • Advancing your rat stone for the next round.
   • Victory points (move the scoring marker on the Scoring Track immediately).
   • A special bonus described on the essence panel (refer to your patient's panel for these).

The Last Turn

In the 9th round, you do not receive the pictured bonuses (rat stone advancing or victory points). Instead, you receive victory points equal to the spot number where your essence marker landed.

Actions and How to Play

During the Essence Phase, you perform the distillation process described above. Additionally, different Essences provide unique powers that can be used during the Potion Phase or the Essence Phase:

• Frightfulness: If you land on space 1, advance your rat stone next round. Otherwise, at the start of your next Potion Phase, draw a number of chips from your bag (as shown on the card). White chips are returned to the bag; others are placed in front of you to be used in your Potion Phase.
• Earworm: After moving your essence marker, draw a number of chips from your bag one by one. After each draw, you must place the chip in your pot (following its special power). White chips do not cause an explosion if they exceed a sum of 7.
• Turnip Nose: You start with 10 chips and 1 pumpkin chip in your bag. You can use the Essence power during your next Potion Phase. When you draw a pumpkin, you may move your essence marker 2 spaces back to move the pumpkin to the next free ruby space.
• Sailing Ears: You can use the Essence power during your next Potion Phase. When drawing a white chip, you may move your essence marker 2 spaces back to move the chip twice as far, or 3 spaces back to put the chip back in your bag. This cannot be used if the white chip causes an explosion.
• Chicken Eyes: At the end of the Essence Phase, you receive the bonus shown on your essence card (e.g., rubies, pumpkin, or changing a 1-value chip to a 2-value chip).
• Witch Hump: You can use the Essence power during your next Potion Phase. When placing a chip on a ruby space, you may move your essence marker 2 spaces back to receive a bonus from your essence card or patient panel.
• Forgetfulness: You start with 11 chips and 1 red/1 blue chip in your bag. You can return any colored chip (except white or Locoweed) to your bag at any time by moving your essence marker back the value of that chip. You can only receive victory points as a bonus.
• Vampirism: If you land on space 1, advance your rat stone next round. Otherwise, at the end of the Essence Phase, you can buy 1 chip for the coins shown on your card and put it in your bag.

Locoweed Rules

Locoweed acts as an additional ingredient with specific rules depending on the book used:

• Locoweed 1: Move 1 extra space for each Locoweed in your pot.
• Locoweed 2: Move your essence marker based on the number of different ingredient colors (excluding white) before placing it.
• Locoweed 3: After placing Locoweed, choose any colored chip (not white) and put it in your bag.
• Locoweed 4: Move your essence marker based on the sum of the values of all white chips in your pot before placing it.

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends after the 9th round. Scoring is determined by the following criteria:

• Standard Scoring: Follow the base game rules for Evaluation Phase scoring.
• Essence Phase Scoring: In the 9th round, you receive victory points equal to the spot number where your essence marker landed.
• Patient Bonuses: Follow the specific bonuses listed on your chosen patient's panel.

Tips for Winning

Consulte el manual para detalles sobre esta sección.