Read about the Mage Wars board game. Mage Wars

First, some dry data:

• The game is designed for 2 players. Of course, you can play in the 4th,
  but without additional set this is not the best idea.
• The duration of the game is on average 40-60 minutes (the first game is three times longer)
• The barrier to entry into the game is not the highest, but it is not for beginners either.

And now more details! And so, “Mage Wars” is primarily a dueling game, which, if you can play with more than two people, can only be played in pairs.

The game greets us with an abundance of cards, chips, tokens, a couple of tablets for tracking the status of magicians, a huge (but only until the first game against the Master of the Beasts) field and two books of spells.

Books! Excellent graphical performance of the game, good localization and Spell Books that make you feel like a real magician, with your own magical tome!

At the beginning you choose a magician for yourself, there are 4 of them in total, and here you will have to think carefully. Each magician has his own tactics that he is especially good at.

If you choose a Sorcerer for yourself, your opponent will have a hard time, because he will be forced not only to fight off various kinds of demons, but also to constantly fight curses. And the Sorcerer himself is far from weak and can easily rush into battle with a fiery whip at the ready.

The Master of Beasts is not far behind him. Our friend, Greenpeace member, master of conscription large quantity various creatures, simply overwhelming your opponent with them. Despite all this, he himself does not shy away from a good fight.

There is also a Wizard in the game, he is universal and, unlike the two previous comrades, specializes in magic, trying to stay away from the fight.

Not without a representative of the fair sex - the Priestess. She, accompanied by very strong (and therefore not cheap) fighters, erecting temples and hanging reinforcements right and left, is in no way inferior to her “colleagues”.

So we chose a magician, got everything we needed:

It's time to collect a book of spells, the game itself has already begun. You build your deck, and at the same time, your game tactics. During the battle, you have access to any, even the most powerful spell from your book, but keep in mind - they are all one-time use, so before you magic something, it’s better to think again, especially since you can only cast two per turn spells.

And above I only voiced the beginning of the game (on which, by the way, a lot depends). In general, we can talk about this game for quite a long time. This is a very high-quality dueling game, with a strong tactical component, excellent balance and beautiful design. Of the global shortcomings, perhaps only one can be highlighted here. Cubes.

The cubes got us here too. You can perfectly calculate everything, cast a number of strengthening spells on your basilisk, and then order it to attack the cursed enemy ferret and... by the will of the dice, your basilisk will break all its teeth on it, because you did not roll a single damage. After which the happy (why would that be?) ferret will begin to painfully bite your magician on the heels. But, despite this, the game does not lose interest. 4.5 out of 5 in my opinion personal rating. In other words, a must-have for those who love quality fighting games. Welcome, my friend, to the harsh everyday life of magicians

Place the game board on the table. Each player chooses a magician. I takes the corresponding magician card and ability card (in training mode there is no need to use the ability card). He also chooses red or blue and takes 10 tokens of the corresponding color. In addition, each player kept 3 black and 1 red status cubes and 1 black quick spell token. Place your Mage card in the corner area closest to you (marked by a door on the board). In training mode, use only half the field (see page 4). Place one of your action tokens and a quick spell token on your mage card - the white symbols should be on top, as shown in the picture to the left.

Place the status card in front of you. Place the black dice on the starting values ​​of mana flow, mana reserve (all magicians start with 10 mana) and life (starting values ​​​​are indicated on the magician card). In training mode, all magicians have the same starting values ​​(see page 4). Place the red die on the “O” value of the life scale. This die shows how much damage the mage has received.

Choose your spell book. If this is your first game, you will need to collect yourself a book (see "Book of Spells" on page 4). Place dice, condition tokens, and other game tokens within reach.

Both players roll the effect die. The one with the highest result receives an initiative token: he will be the one to act first during the first round of the game! Now your duel can begin!

The board game takes place in the world of magic, where several powerful magicians compete for the right to possess the title of the strongest. The first control the forces of nature, the second command demons from the underworld, the third control all the elements, the fourth entered into an alliance with the holy priests and began to control the forces of light! Whose truth will end up on the podium is up to you to decide!

Board game is essentially a game for two, although it has a two-on-two mode for four players, but there are only two albums and two status cards in the box, but the number game cards It completely allows you to create your own deck for each character, and there’s still some left over.

Despite everything, Mage Warriors is a very strong dueling board game with interesting mechanics and unusual game elements. The gameplay in it is quite exciting and it is no less interesting to compose and upgrade your own deck. The game is also very competitive and therefore will certainly find its niche as a semi-sports tabletop discipline. Save up your mana, a magical war is just around the corner!

Localization

A few words about localization. The star has done a great job here, translating over 50 pages of the rulebook, plus the text on a huge number of cards, is truly a challenge. In general, the translation is worthy, but not without a couple of annoying errors. They have almost no effect on the gameplay, but sometimes they put you at a dead end, especially at the time of compilation basic decks. The fact that the Thunderhawk is actually a Storm Falcon can be guessed. But the wizard is asked to cast a lightning strike spell, but in the box there is only a lightning strike and a thunderclap. The correct one would be Lightning Strike.

The age-old question, should I buy the Mage Wars game?

In fact, such interesting and high-quality games in the magic series have not been released for a long time. If you are a fan of dueling games, or dream of fighting pair-on-pair with your friends, then this game is for you. it is made well and of high quality, the characters are drawn perfectly, so we recommend buying it, it will definitely find a place in your board game collection!

Forget everything you were told before about board games having big boxes. Here in the War of Magicians it is really big and just next to the size of the box there is a playing field, which, among other things, also unfolds, becoming twice as large! The educational games of the rules suggest playing on half of the field, but it folds in the other direction, that is, you still have to lay it out entirely on the table and somehow mark the boundaries. Now, according to the rules of the game, both players choose a magician. All of them in this game are unique, with their own abilities and style of play.

• The owner of the animals overwhelms the opponent with crowds of small and distant animals;
• The Priestess specializes in healing and enhancing her creatures;
• The sorcerer on the contrary throws curses and commands demons;
• And the wizard skillfully manipulates not only his own, but also other people’s spells.

The key to success for any magician is a correctly assembled book of spells. The player selects and assembles his own set of spells, adhering to a cost limit. Schools known to the magician will do without fines, but for unknown or even opposing schools you will have to pay extra. Warrior mages do not limit the freedom of players in this regard. You can even assemble a demonic priestess who throws fireballs and summons hellish creatures, but this will be quite expensive and often will not be very beneficial in combination with abilities.

All selected cards are not shuffled into the deck, but are placed in special albums so that the player can have access to all of his spells during the game. Each player, based on the rules of the game, receives a status card, on which he marks with cubes the levels of mana inflow and reserves, as well as general health and current damage. On it in the corner there is brief description round, which we will now consider.

Phases of the game

The corresponding token is passed into the initiative phase, setting the turn order. During the update phase, all creatures and abilities are brought into combat readiness; for this, the corresponding tokens are flipped over. During the mana influx phase, the corresponding amount is added to the reserve. During the support phase, the support cost of some spells is paid, and some properties are also triggered, such as regeneration or burning. Next comes the planning phase. Each mage selects up to two spells from the book that he plans to cast and places them in front of him closed. However, it is not necessary to play them, which leaves little room for bluffing.

In a board game, challenge points may appear under player control, allowing you to cast additional spells using your own mana. During the deployment phase, such spells are cast. Finally the game moves into the action phase, which consists of three phases. To begin, players can cast one quick spell in order of initiative. To do this, the corresponding token is flipped over, the player pays the cost of the spell and plays it. But not every card can be played this way. Globally, spells are divided into two types, fast and full. In addition to this, spells are also divided by type:

• The equipment represents the mage's summoned equipment.
• Creatures are the main combat units on the field.
• Conjuration - one-time magical effects.

Attacks are a magical way of dealing damage. Enchantments are of particular interest, because they are cast on their target behind closed doors and work when certain conditions are met. Among them there are curses, and enhancements, and magical traps, and ways to dispel spells. It is enchantments that make the game more interesting and unpredictable.

Beginning of the action phase of the Mage War

So, at the beginning of the action phase, players can cast one quick spell, or save this token for later. Then, in order of priority, any one of the player’s creatures on the field, including the magician himself, can be activated. This creature makes a choice: either take a full action and then pass the turn to the next player, or move first and then take a swift action. As a quick action, you can make a quick attack if the creature has one, cast a quick spell if the creature can do so, take another step, or go on the defensive. With full actions, a creature can make a full attack or cast a full spell, if it can do so.

Let's look at all these actions in more detail. Movement in a board game allows a creature to move exactly one square vertically or horizontally. A list of available attacks is shown on each creature card. The target can be anything that has the life parameter. However, if there is a defending enemy creature in the zone in which the attack is carried out, the player must attack it. The defense token is then removed. Melee attacks have a sword symbol, and long-range arrows have a symbol with the minimum and maximum range allowed. An elemental symbol is sometimes indicated next if the attack causes elemental damage. This is important for various resistances and vulnerabilities. Why does the number indicate the number of red dice used in the attack and the value of the property die, if one is used. This die is used to check various additional effects, such as stun, poison, and others. Immediately after declaring an attack, the defending creature can dodge if it has the dodge ability. A yellow die is rolled, and if the number on it is equal to or more number on the dodge symbol, the attack did not take place at all. In another case, the attack continues. The attacker rolls the dice assigned to him and looks at the values ​​that fall out. All empty edges can be immediately put aside; they will not cause damage. Normal damage is added and compared to the target's armor. If there is more armor, then the defender will not receive damage, but if there is less, he will receive the difference. All critical damage, according to the rules of the board game, completely bypasses the target's armor. Then, if the defender had a barrier of spikes, the melee attacker can take damage themselves. If the defender can, he launches a counterattack. Finally the damage is calculated. If the damage is the same or more than the target's health, it leaves the game. Damage received by magicians is marked with a special red die, and if it reaches black - the life limit, the magician dies and loses the game.

To be honest, the combat system in the Mage War left us a little bewildered. It would seem that the game sets you up for a strategic mood, there is no deck, all spells are available at once, the playing field with the possibility of tactical movement and you have combat with dice. That is, no matter how cool your creature is, no matter how much strengthening spells hang on it, there is a chance that you will get empty sides on all the dice or that your attack will simply be dodged. Or the opposite situation, some weak creature will roll critical twos on all dice and your enhanced armor will do absolutely nothing. Nevertheless, the combat in the game is extremely dynamic and will certainly appeal to many.

Once all creatures have completed their actions, players have one last opportunity to cast a quick spell if they have not done so before. Then a new round of the game begins and everything is repeated again.

“Mage Wars” is a cult board game for lovers of tactical planning, subtle analysis and thoughtful actions with a view to upcoming consequences. The project combines strategic game mechanics and an atmospheric interface designed by professional artists.

The storyline of the board game “Mage Wars” takes place in an unusual arena, where instead of the usual knights and gladiators, magicians, sorcerers, priests and druids fight.

A huge fairy-tale universe filled with many unknown mysteries and secrets!

Prestigious awards and nominations

• 2013 Golden Geek Award- nominee in categories Best game for two players and the best card game
• 2013International Gamers Award- nominee in the category Best strategy for two players
• 2013 Origins Awards/US Game of the Year - nominee

Features of game mechanics

Despite the numerous choice of heroes, taking part in gameplay There can only be two players, which is somewhat unusual for this type of game. Each character has his own magic scale, individual characteristics and combat strategy, which are controlled using a spell book. In one game, each player can collect up to 40 spell cards, which provides extremely wide tactical options.

In addition to attacking spells, some of the magicians have the ability to summon creatures that can directly participate in battles. Also in the game there are various curses, blessings and random spells that can bring both harm and benefit at the same time.

Video review of the board game Mage Wars

A couple more facts

To make it more convenient for players to keep track of existing spells, the developers have provided special game albums with slots for cards. A non-standard addition pleasantly simplifies the game and gives it a certain atmosphere of seriousness of what is happening.

The publishing studio of the unusual magical universe has not stopped supporting the board game to this day. Until now, the official website hosts presentations of various additions and expansions for the game “Mage Wars”, making each battle many times more difficult and interesting.

Who will like it

Due to the abundance game content, role play It belongs to the average level of difficulty, so during the passage, even an experienced player will often need to look at the brochure with the game rules.

For the most part, the game was created for an adult audience, but children over 14 years old will enjoy it no less.