Boardgames

Res Arcana

Step into the mystical world of Res Arcana - a strategic board game where you become a mage, gather essences, craft unique artifacts, summon dragons, and strive for victory!

60
minutes

2 - 4
player(s)

12+

Medium

About the game

Prepare Your Place of Power! In a high tower, an Alchemist prepares potions, using vials filled with otherworldly fluids. In a sacred grove, a Druid grinds herbs for a mystical ritual. In the catacombs, a Necromancer summons a bone dragon… Welcome to the world of Res Arcana! In it, Life, Death, Elan, Calm, and Gold are the essences that fuel the art of magic. Choose your mage, gather essences, craft unique artifacts, and use them to summon dragons, conquer places of power, and achieve victory! A game typically lasts 4-6 rounds. In each round, players do these steps: Collect essences: performs any Collect abilities, and may take essences from components. Do actions, 1 per turn, clockwise from the First Player: place an artifact, claim a monument or Place of Power, discard a card for 1 Gold or any 2 other essences, use a power on a straightened component, or pass: exchange magic items and draw 1 card. Play continues until all players have passed. Pass procedure: If you are first to pass, take the First Player token, swap your magic item for a different magic item, draw 1 card. Check victory points (10+ VPs). If no one has won: straighten all turned components, and begin the next round.

Setup and rules summary

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Res Arcana is a strategic board game that involves the use of various components. Each player is a mage, vying for power against their fellow mystics. The game is won by the player who is first to reach 10 points. The detailed list of these components and their roles in the game are as follows:

1. Mage Cards:

Each player receives a mage card at the beginning of the game. This card provides a unique ability, and its power can be used once per round. The mage card defines the special ability of the player throughout the game.

2. Monument Cards:

These are the building blocks that players use to construct their civilization. Each Monument card costs a certain amount of resources to build and provides victory points or unique abilities once completed.

3. Artifact Cards:

These cards can be used to generate resources, transform resources, or provide special abilities. They are the main engine-building component of the game, and they can be used multiple times in a single round.

4. Magic Items:

Magic items are used to enhance the abilities of the players. These items provide additional resources or effects that can boost a player’s strategy. They are one-time use per round.

5. Places of Power:

Places of Power are significant structures that players can claim if they have the required resources. They provide a large number of victory points and often have powerful ongoing effects or abilities.

6. Essence Tokens:

These tokens represent the five types of magical essences in the game: Calm (blue), Death (black), Elan (green), Life (red), and Gold. Players generate, spend, and exchange these tokens to activate card abilities, build Monuments, or claim Places of Power.

7. Dragon Tokens:

Dragon tokens are used to determine the starting player for each round and to break ties when necessary. The player with the dragon token goes first in each round.

8. Score Track:

This is where players track their victory points. The first player to reach 10 points on the score track wins the game.

Each component in the game interacts with others in some way, and understanding how to best utilize each one is key to formulating a successful strategy in Res Arcana.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

Res Arcana is a strategic board game where players compete to become the most powerful mage in the mystical realm. The game ends when a player meets one or more of the game’s victory conditions at the end of a round. After this, players proceed to final scoring to determine the winner.

Victory Conditions:

  1. Acquiring 10 or more victory points: If a player acquires 10 or more victory points during a round, the game ends at the conclusion of that round.
  2. Claiming all Places of Power: If a player claims all the Places of Power during a round, the game ends at the conclusion of that round.
  3. Depleting the Monument Deck: If all the monuments from the deck have been claimed by the players during a round, the game ends at the conclusion of that round.

It’s important to note that all players get an equal number of turns in the last round. This means that if one player triggers the end of the game, the other players still get to finish their turns before final scoring.

Actions Before Final Scoring:

  • Use remaining resources: Before final scoring, players can use any remaining resources to purchase victory points, if possible. However, they cannot perform any other actions or use any abilities.
  • Discard remaining cards: Players must discard any remaining cards in their hand that they cannot or choose not to play.

Final Scoring:

At the end of the game, players count up their victory points. These can come from several sources:

  • Victory points from Monument cards: Players add up the victory points on all their claimed Monument cards.
  • Victory points from Places of Power: Players add up the victory points on all their claimed Places of Power.
  • Victory points from Artifacts: Some Artifacts may provide victory points, which are also added to a player’s total.
  • Purchased victory points: Any victory points that a player purchased with remaining resources are added to their total.

The player with the highest total of victory points is declared the winner of the game. In case of a tie, the player with the most remaining resources is the winner.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In the board game ‘Res Arcana’, players aim to accumulate the most victory points (VPs) by the end of the game to be declared the winner. Points are awarded in various ways throughout the game, and the scoring system is as follows:

1. Place of Power:

Each Place of Power card has a unique amount of victory points awarded to the player who controls it. The points are depicted on the card itself.

2. Monument Cards:

Monument cards, once played, also provide a varying amount of victory points as shown on the card.

3. Mage Cards:

Some Mage cards offer victory points as well. The number of points is indicated on the specific Mage card.

4. Artifacts:

Many Artifacts can generate victory points, usually through the conversion of resources.

5. Dragon Cards:

The points from Dragon cards are awarded to the player who controls the most Dragons. The player gets 1 victory point for each Dragon card they control.

6. Gold:

At the end of the game, each player earns 1 victory point for every three gold pieces they have.

The game ends once a player reaches or exceeds 10 victory points at the end of a round. If multiple players exceed 10 points in the same round, the player with the highest total wins. If there is still a tie, the following tie-breaker rules are applied:

1. Most Life Points:

The player with the most life points wins the tie. If there is still a tie, proceed to the next tie-breaker.

2. Most Cards in Play:

The player with the most cards in play (including Places of Power, Artifacts, and Monuments) wins the tie. If there is still a tie, proceed to the next tie-breaker.

3. Least Gold:

The player with the least amount of gold wins the tie. If there is still a tie, the victory is shared.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Res Arcana is a strategic card game where players are alchemists trying to acquire resources and artifacts to claim victory. Despite the simplicity of its basic rules, there are a number of rare or special rules and exceptions that players should be aware of. Some of these are:

1. Card Usage: Each card can only be used once per round. This means that once a card’s ability has been activated, it cannot be used again until the next round. However, there are exceptions to this rule. Some cards have abilities that can be used multiple times in a round, as indicated by the card’s text.

2. Power Use: Each player has a set of power points that can be used to activate abilities. These power points can only be used once per round, and any unspent power points do not carry over to the next round.

3. Claiming Monuments: Monuments are special structures that can be claimed by a player if they meet the specific requirements of the monument. However, each monument can only be claimed once per game, and once claimed, cannot be taken by another player.

4. Dragon Cards: Dragon cards are unique in that they can be used to immediately end a round. However, a player can only use a dragon card if they have not used any other card in the round. This is a strategic move that needs to be carefully planned as it can drastically alter the course of the game.

5. Rule Clarifications:

  • Starting Player: The starting player is the last player to have used a dragon card or, if no dragon cards have been used yet, the player who has the least victory points.
  • End Game: The game ends immediately when a player reaches 10 or more victory points during their turn. The round is not completed.
  • Scoring: At the end of the game, victory points are counted from the player’s claimed monuments, placed artifacts, magic items, and cards with victory point symbols.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Res Arcana is a strategic board game where players must master the Arcane Arts to gather essential resources, draw power from their magical items, and summon dragons. Here are some optimized strategies, tips for beginners, common mistakes to avoid, and ways to optimize gameplay.

Advanced Strategies:

  • Resource Management: It’s crucial to effectively manage your resources. Aim to collect resources that help you claim Monuments or Places of Power faster than your opponents.
  • Adaptation: Be flexible with your tactics. The essence deck and available Monuments and Places of Power change every game, so adapt your strategy accordingly.
  • Efficient Card Use: Some artifacts only require one type of magic item to use. These can be beneficial as they allow you to use your resources more efficiently.

Beginner Tips:

  • Understand Your Deck: Spend time familiarizing yourself with your deck and the powers each card provides. This understanding will allow you to develop better strategies.
  • Start with Basic Resources: As a beginner, focus on gaining basic resources before moving on to more complex ones.
  • Use Your Mage’s Ability: Don’t forget to use your mage’s special ability. It can provide a significant advantage if used correctly.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

  • Ignoring Places of Power: Many beginners focus solely on Monuments and ignore Places of Power. However, Places of Power can provide a steady stream of victory points, so don’t overlook them.
  • Not Adapting Strategy: Sticking to a single strategy isn’t always beneficial. The game’s dynamic nature requires players to adapt their strategies based on the current game state.
  • Overlooking Opponents’ Boards: Keep an eye on your opponents’ boards. Understanding their strategies can help you make more informed decisions and potentially disrupt their plans.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

  • Plan Your Turns: Plan your turns in advance to fully utilize your resources and abilities. This strategy can help you stay one step ahead of your opponents.
  • Balance Your Actions: Instead of focusing solely on claiming Monuments or gathering resources, try to balance your actions. This approach ensures steady progress in all aspects of the game.
  • Utilize All Resources: Make sure to utilize all your resources during your turn. Unused resources are wasted opportunities for progress.

Thematics

Mechanics

Download
Official Rules - EN