# Trismegistus: Roll & Write ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2020 - **BGG Rating**: 5.8 - **BGG Rank**: — - **Players**: 2-4 - **Duration**: 30 min - **Weight**: — - **Designers**: Daniele Tascini - **Artists**: Paulina Wach - **Publishers**: Board&Dice - **Categories**: Dice, Fantasy, Print & Play - **Mechanics**: Dice Rolling, Open Drafting, Paper-and-Pencil ## Verdict If you love fast dice games and enjoy jotting down strategies, Trismegistus will delight you with abundant choice and reactivity.Dice rolling meets draftingQuick, dynamic paceHigh replay valueRequires special diceRules need a read‑throughRECOMMENDED ## Description Trismegistus: Roll & Write puts you and up to three friends in the shoes of apprentices inside an ancient alchemical sanctuary, all racing to uncover the secret of the Philosopher's Stone. The game unfolds over five rounds, and each round gives every player two chances to draft dice from a shared pool, plus one extra reaction that can twist your strategy. With those dice you gather elements, transmute them, conduct experiments and prepare publications that earn victory points. Each completed experiment grants VP, and at the end of the game those points are added to the gains from your own Philosopher's Stone, the elements you still hold, and finished publications. The components are fully printable, but you need the ten special dice from the "The Ultimate Formula" edition; if you don’t have them you can use regular dice covered with stickers included in the PDF. The mechanics blend dice rolling, open drafting and classic paper‑and‑pencil action, delivering a quick (about 30‑minute) yet highly replayable experience thanks to the many experiment and reaction combos. Perfect for fans of dice‑heavy fantasy games who enjoy tracking progress on individual sheets. While the learning curve is gentle, the game deepens as you try to optimise your drafting order and maximise your victory points. A solid pick for relaxed evenings or for anyone wanting a roll‑and‑write without pricey components. ## How to Play Game Objective In Trismegistus: Roll & Write, you assume the role of an apprentice in a master alchemist's sanctuary. The objective is to perform experiments and transmutations to transform basic elements into wondrous compounds. You must compete with other apprentices to impress your mentor, aiming to accumulate the most Victory Points (VP). The player with the most VP at the end of the game will be declared the winner and earn the master's trust. Preparation (Setup) Place the Potency Tracks (black, white, and red) in the center of the table, leaving space for cards to the right of each. Randomly distribute 1 Writing Marker, 1 Workshop Sheet, and 1 Mastery Sheet to each player. Divide the Experiment/Artifact Cards into 3 decks by color (black, white, and red). Shuffle each separately and place them with the Artifact side face up next to their respective Potency Track. Draw the top card from each deck and place it below the corresponding deck with the Experiment side face up. The player who most recently brewed a potion is the First Player and receives the First Player Marker. The player to the left of the first player rolls all the dice. If any die shows the ? symbol, it must be re-rolled until it shows one of the 5 Metals. Choose 2 dice and gain a Metal of the corresponding type. Pass the dice to the next player to the left, who repeats the process until everyone has 3 Metals marked on their Workshop Sheets (including the printed mark on the Lead tube). Roll the dice again. Place each die on the corresponding Potency Track, in a space equivalent to the number of players. Each player marks with an "X" the 1st Round in the upper left corner of their Workshop Sheet and the left side of their Mastery Sheet. Game Flow The game is played over 5 Rounds. In each round, players play in clockwise order until everyone has taken 2 turns. At the end of each round, the dice are re-rolled and placed on the Potency Tracks as per setup. The First Player Marker passes to the player on the left. On your turn, you must follow these steps in order: Choose a die that still has Potency (that is not in a track space). Move that die down 1 space on the track (reducing its Potency). Perform an optional action: gain 2 Metals represented on the die (for the ? symbol, you can choose any Metal except Silver or Gold) OR perform a Transmutation following the color of the chosen die. Advance on the Elemental Mastery Track indicated on the Artifact Card next to the chosen die. Perform the Experiment or activate the Artifact corresponding to the chosen die. Card cycle: Take the Artifact Card from the deck corresponding to the chosen die and place it with the Experiment side face up on top of the Experiment deck. If the Artifact deck is empty, shuffle all cards from the Experiment deck (except the top one) to create a new Artifact deck. Important: Steps 1, 2, and 6 are mandatory. Steps 3, 4, and 5 are optional and can be waived without compensation. Actions and How to Play Metals and Exhaust There are 7 Metals in the game. When gaining a Metal, mark an "X" in the lowest empty space of the corresponding tube on your Workshop Sheet. If the tube is already full, the effect is lost. You can Exhaust a Metal to gain powerful benefits, covering the lowest "X" in the tube. Exhausted Metals cannot be used to perform Experiments, but they still count for Transmutations. Transmutation Transmutation allows you to gain new Metals and advance on the Mastery Tracks. You can perform a Transmutation if: There are more Metals marked (including exhausted ones) in the chosen column than in the next column to the right. The Transmutation path of the chosen die's color has not yet been crossed. When performing Transmutation, you mark the lowest empty space in the metal tube to the right and cross the path of the die's color. You also advance on the Elemental Mastery Track corresponding to the crossed path. Experiment and Artifact Perform an Experiment: You must possess the required Metals (marked, but not exhausted) and reach the corresponding Elemental Mastery level (which is equal to the current round number). You can use Wild Reagents to substitute for any Metal (except Silver or Gold). Upon completion, you gain Victory Points (VP), a Knowledge Circle, and a part of the Philosopher's Stone. Activate an Artifact: You can choose the effect of an Artifact instead of performing an Experiment. Some Artifacts allow you to Exhaust specific metals for stronger effects. Other Components Aqua Regia: Can be used to treat a die as if it had a different color for Transmutations or Artifact/Experiment effects. Elemental Reduction: Reduces the Elemental Mastery requirement to perform an Experiment by 1. Wild Reagent: Acts as any 1 Metal (except Silver or Gold). End of Game and Scoring The game ends after the 5th Round. Before final scoring, you can Exhaust your remaining Gold to cross a space on the Philosopher's Stone grid for each unit of Gold. Point Count: Start with the VP gained during the game (from Experiments, etc.). Add the highest value reached in each Metal tube. Add the highest value reached on the Aqua Regia shelf. Calculate the VP for each Element: The value depends on how many Knowledge Circles are filled (from 0 to 4 VP) multiplied by the number of marked squares in the corresponding section of the Philosopher's Stone grid (0 to 18 squares). The player with the most VP is the winner. Tips for Winning Refer to the manual for details on this section. Refer to the manual for details on this section. ## FAQ ### How many players can join? 2 to 4 players. ### How long does a game take? Approximately 30 minutes. ### Do I need any extra components? Yes, the 10 special dice from The Ultimate Formula or regular dice with the provided stickers. ### What is the game's complexity? Low to moderate; easy rules but deep strategic options. ### Can I print and play right away? Yes, the game is Print & Play – just download, print, and prepare the dice. ### Is it suitable for non‑English speakers? Absolutely, sheets and rules are available in Portuguese. ### Are there expansions or extra content? Currently the game is standalone with no official expansions. ## Price Comparison ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 28.10 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=6432659&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/87846/trismegistus-roll-write?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com