Toil & Troublez

About this board game

Toil & Troublez is a competitive magical game for 2–6 players that plays in about 30 minutes. Compete to gather Talismans, complete Collections, and earn the most Magic Marks.

On each turn, you must draw at least one card and try to place it in the Enchanted Forest. You may draw additional cards, but how far you continue depends on how willing you are to push your luck. Powerful action cards can help or hinder your plans, while the stakes rise with every card played.

Your main objective is to build Collections by gathering Talisman cards in your Trove. A Collection can be formed in either of two ways:

• One of each of the five Talismans
• Four of the same Talisman, regardless of color

Every completed Collection earns a Collection marker card worth 10 Magic Marks. These marker cards cannot be stolen, making them valuable gains as the contest develops. The challenge is choosing when to play safely and when to risk another draw in pursuit of a stronger result.

The game ends when the draw pile has been depleted. With 2–3 players, this happens the first time; with 4–5 players, the second time; and with 6 players, the third time. At the end, each player counts their Collection marker cards and Talisman cards. Collection markers are worth 10 Magic Marks each, while every remaining Talisman in a player’s Trove is worth 1 Magic Mark.

In Toil & Troublez, careful timing and calculated risk decide the winner. The Magician with the most Magic Marks claims victory.