Elixir (1987) Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Goal of the Game
• Setup
  • For 4 players
  • For 2 or 3 players
• Rules of Play
  • A) Gold Pieces
  • B) Moving Figures
  • C) Ingredients
  • D) The Laboratory
  • E) Encounter with an 'Unknown'
  • F) The Healer
  • G) The Dead-End Side Street
  • H) Brewing Potions
  • I) Drinking Potions
• Order of a Turn
• Overview of the Unknowns
• Overview of the Brew Cards

Components

• 1 game board
• 1 ordinary die
• 4 small wizard cards, each in a small card holder
• 4 large wizard cards
• 36 (large) brew cards
• 12 (large) Unknown cards
• 36 (small) ingredient cards
• 9 (small) formula cards
• 36 gold pieces (= chips)
• 6 red chips
• 1 pad of blank sheets (= formula tables)
• 4 pencils (not included in the box!)

Goal of the Game

Each player takes on the role of a wizard who wants to brew the elixir of life. This elixir is created by combining three different ingredients known as part 1, part 2 and part 3. At the start nobody knows what these ingredients are, so constant experimentation is needed. During the game the wizards gather more and more ingredients and information. The wizard who is first able to assemble the elixir of life wins.

Setup

For 4 players

• Place the game board in the middle of the table.
• Shuffle all brew cards and place them as a face-down stack next to the board.
• Place all gold pieces next to the board as well.
• Shuffle the Unknown cards and form a face-down stack on the corresponding space of the board.
• Shuffle the 9 small formula cards and place them face-down, in random order, on the nine small spaces in the middle of the board.
• Sort all ingredient cards by type (always 4 of each) and place each type in the correct place on the board.
• Each player chooses a colour and takes the matching large and small wizard cards.
• Each large card is placed next to the board in front of its player. The small card is placed (in a matching little stand) in the player's own laboratory, on the corner of the board.
• Each player receives one blank formula table, a pencil and 6 gold pieces. These gold pieces are placed underneath the large wizard card.
• All players roll the die. The player who rolls the highest number begins. The other players follow in clockwise order.

For 2 or 3 players

• All preparations stay the same, except:
• only 3 brew cards of each type are used;
• each ingredient is also available only 3 times;
• with 3 players, 30 gold pieces stay in the game; with 2 players, only 22.

Rules of Play

A) Gold Pieces

• At the start of each turn a wizard receives one gold piece from the supply.
• Gold pieces paid during the game automatically return to this supply.
• If a wizard cannot receive gold because the supply is completely used up, he receives nothing. He cannot claim it at a later time.
• Gold cannot be borrowed from another player.

B) Moving Figures

• The track is divided into separate spaces. The buildings, as well as the dead-end side street (= Sackgasse), each count as one space and are entered as soon as the thick black line is crossed.
• No dice are rolled for movement. A wizard can always move up to 4 spaces. However, as soon as he stops somewhere, for example to buy something, he may not be moved again.
• A wizard may move in any direction. Several wizards may be on the same space.
• Laboratories can only be entered by their owner. Other players can never enter them.
• The 'Healer' (= healer) space may only be entered by a wizard after he has been cursed.

C) Ingredients

• If a wizard ends his turn in a shop (Jeweller - Spezial Zubehör - Kräuterstube), he may buy ingredients there.
• A player may buy as many as he wants for as long as he can pay. He pays the indicated price, takes the purchased product and places it to the left of his large wizard card.

D) The Laboratory

• Each laboratory consists of a lab table and 3 racks on which the supply (Krüter - Spezial - Edelsteine) can be placed.
• A wizard who ends his turn in his own laboratory may place in the matching rack all the ingredients he is carrying (these lie to the left of his large wizard card). A wizard always carries his brew cards and gold pieces with him.

E) Encounter with an 'Unknown'

• If a wizard ends his turn on a street space (except in the dead-end side street), he meets an Unknown. He must take the top card from the 'Unknowns' stack and read it aloud.
• If the Unknown wants to rob, strike down or curse the wizard, a die must be rolled. If the number of pips rolled equals the stated value, the Unknown wins and the indicated action must be carried out. If the number does not match, nothing happens.
• Some Unknowns can be hired. The amount of gold needed is shown at the top of the Unknown card. If a wizard wants to hire this Unknown, he pays the corresponding amount and takes the Unknown card with him. In all other cases the card goes back to the bottom of the Unknowns stack. A hired Unknown may be kept for as long as one wishes, and can be played at some later point on the wizard's own turn. When such a card is played, the indicated action is carried out on condition that, after the die is rolled, a matching number of pips is shown. The card is then slid back to the bottom of the stack.
• Unknowns who steal or destroy ingredients in a laboratory cannot strike at the lab table; only the products in the racks are eligible.
• For an overview of all Unknowns, see the list at the end of this rulebook.

F) The Healer

• Cursed or struck-down wizards are immediately placed at the healer.
• To be healed, a wizard must pay 3 gold pieces on his next turn before he may move around again.
• A wizard who does not pay cannot leave this space!

G) The Dead-End Side Street

• Objects stolen by 'Fergus dem Plattfuß', 'Norman dem Feinen' or 'Phil dem Ganoven' are always placed in this side street.
• When a wizard arrives in this side street, he may take one, several or all of the products present for free. (He then places the corresponding objects in the correct place next to his large wizard card.)

H) Brewing Potions

• A player/wizard may only brew a potion with ingredients that are present in his own laboratory. (He cannot use ingredients lying next to his large wizard card!)
• The small wizard figure does not need to be in his laboratory.
• To attempt a brew, his supply must contain ingredients from each group: one (or more) gemstone(s), a herb and a special product. The value of the gemstones committed determines whether the brewing succeeds at all. Then, if the experiment succeeds, the herb and the special ingredient determine which potion it is.
• Procedure:
  • Take one or more gemstone cards, one herb and one special ingredient from the supply racks in your laboratory and place them together on the lab table.
  • Roll the die and check the table (see p.5) to see whether the experiment succeeds:
    • "+ N" = failed! Return all the ingredients used directly to the shops they came from.
    • "+ NR" = doubtful! In the next round you may roll again; the potion is not yet ready. You may, if you wish, increase the number of gemstones. All ingredients stay on the lab table.
    • "+ G" = success! The brewing succeeds. Now use the herb and the special ingredient to find out which potion it is. Take the matching formula card from the middle of the board and look at it. Show it to nobody, then place it face-down again. (You may of course make notes on your formula table!) Now search the stack of brew cards for the corresponding card and place it face-down to the right of your large wizard card. All ingredients used are returned to the corresponding shops. (If no matching brew card can be found in the stack, you are unlucky. You lose all the ingredients anyway.)
  • Per round a wizard may carry out only one experiment. In a later round a wizard may carry out the same experiment again (if he of course has the necessary ingredients...).
• No wizard may deliberately search through the entire stack of brew cards and take information from it. He may only take out the matching card.
• Tip from the Court of Watervliet: Shuffle the card stack each time before a player has to search it.

Note: the Dutch file refers to a success table on page 5 (the "+ N", "+ NR" and "+ G" results against the die roll), but that table is not present in the source PDF. The die-roll thresholds for each result are therefore not given here.

I) Drinking Potions

• If a wizard wishes to use one of his brews, he places it face-up in front of him and puts a red chip next to this brew card.
• At the start of each following round, this player moves the red chip one space forward. From this moment the wizard can use the beneficial effect.
• After two or four rounds (depending on the type of potion) the chip is removed and the brew card is placed back on the stack.
• A wizard may use several potions at the same time.
• Tip: It is advisable to wait until you have two or more brew cards in your possession. If you do not, you give important information to your opponents.

Order of a Turn

1. If a brew card is in use, move its red chip to the next space.
2. Take a gold piece.
3. Move your wizard. If you are at the healer, pay 3 gold pieces first.
4. If you arrive in a shop, you may buy ingredients there.
5. If you arrive in your laboratory, you may place the ingredients you are carrying in the racks.
6. If you arrive on a street space (except the dead-end side street), you must draw an Unknown card, read it aloud and carry it out.
7. If you wish, you may carry out an experiment.
8. Decide now whether or not you want to use a potion. If you wish to, you must now turn over the brew card.

Overview of the Unknowns

Fergus der Plattfuss

• Fergus tries to ambush you. If he succeeds, go to the healer immediately yourself, and place one of the ingredients you are carrying in the dead-end side street.
• You are only ambushed if you roll a 4, 5 or 6.

Helga die schreckliche Hexe

• Helga looks at you very grimly and tries to curse you. If she succeeds, you must go to the healer immediately.
• You are only cursed if you roll a 3, 4, 5 or 6.

Norman der Feine

• Norman tries to take 2 ingredients from you. If he succeeds, place two of the ingredient cards you are carrying in the dead-end side street.
• You are only robbed if you roll a 3, 4, 5 or 6.

Phil der Ganove

• Phil tries to steal one of your brews. If he succeeds, place one of the brew cards you own in the dead-end side street.
• You are only ambushed if you roll a 4, 5 or 6.

Black Jack

• Hire price: 2 gold pieces
• Black Jack tries to ambush another wizard on your behalf. He can only do this on the street. If it succeeds, the victim must go to the healer immediately, and you receive one of the ingredients the victim was carrying. You may then place it in your laboratory straight away.
• The ambush only succeeds if you roll a 3, 4, 5 or 6.

Kitti die falsche Katze

• Hire price: 2 gold pieces
• Kitti can steal 2 gemstone cards for you from the laboratory of another wizard. If she succeeds, you may take 2 gemstone cards of your choice from the laboratory of the indicated wizard. You may place these gemstones in your own laboratory straight away.
• The theft only succeeds if you roll a 4, 5 or 6.

Nick der Schleimer

• Hire price: 3 gold pieces
• When Nick works for you, he can steal a brew from an opponent for you. He can do this anywhere except in a laboratory. If Nick succeeds, you may keep that brew. Then draw a random brew card from the affected wizard.
• The ambush only succeeds if you roll a 3, 4, 5 or 6.

Peter der betrunkene Flötist

• Hire price: 3 gold pieces
• Peter tries, on your behalf, to whistle up a plague of rats in the laboratory of another wizard. If it succeeds, that wizard loses all the herbs and special products from his supply. (Return these cards to the shop of origin.) If the wizard is in his laboratory at the time of the plague, he must go to the healer immediately.
• The plague of rats only breaks out if you roll a 4, 5 or 6.

Marco der Händler

• Marco has a brew and wants to sell it for 4 gold pieces. If you take the bait, pay and draw a brew card from the face-down stack.

Clotilda die Sammlerin

• Clotilda wants to buy a brew card from you. She gives you 10 gold pieces for it. If you agree, take the gold pieces from the supply and place a brew card on top of the stack of brew cards.

Der Narr und sein Geld

• This man spends money eagerly. For each ingredient you want to sell him, he gives you 4 gold pieces. Take the gold pieces from the supply, if you wish, and return the sold ingredient to its shop of origin.

Simeon der Schieber

• Simeon wants to sell you 2 herb cards or 2 special products for just 1 gold piece. If you go through with the purchase, pay 1 gold piece and take the 2 ingredient cards of your choice from the corresponding shop.

Overview of the Brew Cards

Diebesflüssigkeit (= thieves' fluid)

• Effect (2 rounds): In each round, after you have moved your own wizard, you may steal an unused (= face-down) brew card from another wizard who is on the same space as you.
• Tip: This is a fairly strong brew. It is useful when one of the rival wizards threatens to reach the goal, since two brew cards can be taken from him.

Glückslikör (= lucky liqueur)

• Effect (4 rounds): When you want to compose a brew or deploy a hired Unknown, increase the number of pips rolled by two. When an Unknown tries to ambush, strike down or curse you, decrease that Unknown's rolled number by two.
• Tip: This potion is helpful when you want to compose a new brew without owning many gemstones. It also increases the success chance of a hired Unknown and minimises an attack.

Alchemistisches Gegenmittel (= alchemist's antidote)

• Effect (4 rounds): You receive 3 gold pieces in each round instead of 1.
• Tip: Gold is always the biggest problem for a wizard. This potion is therefore a stroke of luck!

Lösung des Schwindeligredens (= solution to dizziness)

• Effect (4 rounds): In each round in which you enter a shop, you may take one ingredient of your choice for free. Unknowns cannot ambush, curse or rob you on your way. (Unknowns who try this anyway are immediately slid back under the stack.)
• Tip: Best used when you visit the jeweller and can take the most expensive gemstones for free. The potion also helps you get home unharmed.

Super Soda (= super soda)

• Effect (4 rounds): In each round your range of movement doubles: you may now move up to 8 spaces.
• Tip: This potion helps you move across the board very quickly.

Verhängnisvolles-Gebräu (= fatal brew)

• Effect: This special mixture is best not drunk yourself. If this brew is stolen, it takes effect immediately: the wizard who hired the thief is instantly struck with a deadly illness and must go to the healer at once. (Unknowns are then slid back under the stack.) As soon as that wizard has paid for his healing, this card is placed back on the stack of brew cards.
• Tip: This fatal mixture is very interesting for wizards who are doing well. In this way they can protect their brew cards against possible thieves.

Elixir des Lebens (= elixir of life)

• These brew cards cannot be drunk and have no special effect during the game. They are only important for achieving victory. The player who first collects the three different elixir cards wins the game.