Potion-making: Practice

Potion-making: Practice is a card game created by Sergey Machin in 2005. It was published by SIA Rightgames RBG.
Gameplay
Players take on the roles of apprentice mages studying in a Magic School. Each player tries to gather the necessary components in order to produce magic elixirs, powders, talismans and even magical creatures. For each completed creation the player scores points - and the harder the task, the more points a player scores.
The deck consists of 76 cards, with each card featuring one of 16 elements on its bottom half and a magic formula or spell on its top half. Each player start the game with four cards in hand, and four cards are laid face-up in the "Desk of Elements"; players can use these public elements to complete a formula in hand.
On a turn, a player draws until he has five cards in hand, then he plays one or more cards from his hand. He can:
Discard a card onto the Desk of Elements; he scores one point if that element is not currently present on the Desk.
Take elements on the Desk to complete a formula on a card in his hand. He scores points equal to the number shown on the formula, then places the element cards face-down over the bottom half of the card so that all players can see the formula. His turn then ends.
Use one or more previously completed formulas, along with any elements required and available on the Desk, to complete a more difficult formula. He can use formulas in front of himself or other players to do this. Any elements under formulas reused this way are returned to the Desk. Any opponent who loses one or more formulas this way scores half the points of the more difficult formula just completed. The player's turn then ends.
Plays a spell from his hand to take a card from the desk into his hand, to decompose one completed formula or to transform one formula into another. After playing a spell, he must take another action, which could be playing another spell.
After the deck runs out, players continue to take turns until no one has cards remaining in hand. The player with the most points wins.
Expansions
Potion-Making. University Course
'Potion-Making. University Course' - first official expansion to the game, published in 2006 as a Russian edition. English edition was published in 2012.
It provides an advanced program of magic and sorcery for students who already know how to mix simple elixirs and make magic powders, students who are not afraid of mysterious spells and creatures.
Potion-Making: University Course consists of a deck of 63 cards, with new ingredients, spells, creatures and recipes. This deck is not mixed with the deck of the base game, Potion-Making: Practice, but rather placed next to it. Each of your turns will now consist of three phases in which you can take cards from either deck and play them. For example, you can draw two cards and make a potion, or you can place a card on the table as an element and use this element for a new potion immediately. Thanks to the new rules, it's possible to make different sophisticated combinations.
Four "Lesser Talismans" give players certain bonuses; for example, the Lesser Talisman of Usefulness gives you 1 point for any card you play as an element, even if the desk already holds that element. The special artifact "Scruple of Conscience" can be passed to any player who has more points than you; he must add the card to his hand and lose 5 points - but be careful as this card can boomerang back to you. The new "Haste" spell let you play two cards in a row, while "Magic Vortex" places all ingredient cards of all completed formulas on the desk of elements.
Potion-Making. Guild of Alchemists
'Potion-Making. University Course' - second official expansion to the game, published in 2006 as a Russian edition. English edition was published in 2012.
The expansion adds another deck of cards to the game. With this expansion, the players can now attempt to create the Philosopher's Stone. At the start of the game, each player receives a Magnum Opus card that shows a succession of formulas. If you manage to fulfill the list you've been given, you create a Philosopher's Stone, the game ends, and you earn additional points.
Potion-Making: Guild Of Alchemists also includes new formulas, spells and rules, and while you need the base game in order to play, the Practice and Guild Of Alchemists remain separate. Each turn now consists of three phases in which you can draw cards from either deck and play them as elements or formulas, therefore giving you new opportunities to carry out your strategy and invent ingenious combinations.
"Elementary granum", a new element in the expansion, can be used as any element when creating a formula, then can replace any other element. The expansion also includes "Elixir of Omnitude", which can replace any simple (two-component) elixir - but if someone takes your completed formula made with this Elixir or with Elementary granum, you won't score half the points in compensation. Yes, there are benefits for paying for everything.
The expansion Potion-Making: University Course can also be "combined" with Guild Of Alchemists, which means three separate decks would be in play.

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See Also

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