Animalchemists
Animalchemists Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
The game consists of three tiers of cards plus a set of character cards. The characters may be dealt at random or chosen based on preference.
Setup
To setup the game, shuffle the ingredient deck and place the top 5 cards face up to the right of it. This is the ingredient row.
Sort the potions into stacks of 4 of each potion, then place them face up under the ingredient row.
Shuffle the spell cards keeping Time Stop at the bottom of the deck. Place the top 5 spells to the right of the deck, this is the spell row.
During the game, when ingredients or spells are taken from their rows, they will replenish with new cards at the end of the current player's turn.
If the ingredient deck runs out of cards, shuffle the discard pile and make a new ingredient deck.
Potions, however, do not replenish. When a potion is used to craft a spell, it is emptied and discarded face down into a potion discard pile.
First player is determined by looking at the bottom card of the ingredient deck. The character who favors that ingredient card plays first. If no one is playing that character, move to the next card.
Turn Structure
On your turn, you may take one of 3 actions:
- Draw 2 ingredient cards. These may be from the ingredient row or deck. You may choose one from the row and one from the deck, or two from either location. Ingredient cards are kept in hand and are hidden from other players.
There is no maximum for ingredients in hand.
- Use ingredients to craft potions. Discard the two matching ingredients listed on the potion, then take the potion card. Each player may only have 1 of each type of potion in front of them. Potions stay face up on the table in front of the player. If a potion pile is empty, it can no longer be crafted.
Example: Mushroom + Honey = Incense.
- Use a combination of potions and/or ingredients to craft spells. Spells have point values from 5 to 15 on the bottom of each card. The higher the points, the more ingredients required to craft it.
Example: Incense + Bone = Scorch.
In addition to choosing one of the actions above, you may also cast any spells you have crafted, and/or use your character card.
Spells may only be cast on your turn; however, spells do not have to be cast on the same turn you craft them. Any number of spells may be played on a single turn.
Like spells, character cards may only be used on your turn, and they don't count as your one action per turn.
To use your character, flip it over and take all of your specific ingredients from the ingredient row. The row doesn't replenish until the end of your turn. Character cards may be used at any point during your turn - before or after your regular action.
When spells are used, they are not discarded. Simply flip the spell over so it is face down. Spells add their point value to your total at the end of the game regardless of whether they've been cast. Spells and characters may only be used once each game.
After selecting your action, play passes clockwise (to the left).
End of Game
The game ends when the spell Time Stop is crafted. It does not need to be the last spell in play, and may be crafted as soon as it is visible.
Once Time Stop is crafted, the game ends immediately and all players add the points from their spell cards (5, 10, or 15), unused potions (3), and ingredients (1). The player with the most points is the winner!
Example scoring: three unused ingredients at 1 point each = 1+1+1 = 3. Two unused potions (Extract and Tonic) at 3 points each = 3 + 3 = 6. Four spells (5, 5, 10 and 15 points) = 5 + 5 + 10 + 15 = 35. Total: 44 points.
Tiebreaker
In the event of a tie, the player with the most spells is the winner. If it's still tied, continue to potions, then ingredients.