Alchemy!

Alchemy! Rulebook

Table of Contents

Alchemy Duel! (2-5 players)

Duel is a version of Alchemy! that removes action and equipment cards from the equation. It is faster to play and removes many elements of chance from the game. I recommend starting with "Duel!" for your first game or two and then introducing the action and equipment cards later.

Setup

In order to set up your cards for duel you should gather the 40 potions cards that have the 'duel' symbol on the top right hand corner and set aside any that do not, these cards are not used in the Duel! version of Alchemy! Shuffle these cards and lay out 3 potion cards from this deck in the middle of the table for each player (3x the number of players, potions are not associated with specific players), face down.

Take the component deck and shuffle it, lay out 4 component cards face up.

Give each player a play mat.

Lay out 4 piles of counters (fire, water, earth and air) on the table. These will be referred to as 'elements' from now on.

Play

The player who most recently drank something gross goes first. Play goes clockwise.

Items marked with * are optional, all others are required.

1: Flip over cards from the top of the component deck until 4 components are face up. If four components are already face up do not reveal any additional components. (If the component deck runs out simply reshuffle and begin drawing from it anew.)

2: Flip potions that are face down in the middle of the table over so that they are face up. The player who goes first should do this once, the player who went second should do this twice and so on. If every potion on the table has been revealed skip this step (6 for 2 players, 9 for 3 players, 12 for 4 players and 15 for 5 players).

3: Pour or transmute: To transmute discard a face up component card and add elements corresponding to those listed at the bottom of the card to your cauldron.

To pour move one element from your cauldron to your vial.

4: *Pour or transmute a second time if you so choose.

5: End your turn.

At any time during your turn:

Discard the contents of your vial.
Drink a potion you have completed on a previous turn by removing a counter from that potion and performing the effect listed on it. If this causes you to remove the last counter from a potion discard that potion. (once per turn)
Create a potion that is in the center of the table: If the contents of your vial EXACTLY matches the formula listed on the bottom of an unfinished potion that no one else has made you may place that potion in front of you and move all of the elements from your vial onto this potion card. This now represents a potion you have made and can consume on subsequent turns.

(The order of the elements as listed on the potion formula and in your vial do not matter - fire, fire, fire, water is the same as fire, water, fire, fire for the purposes of determining a match.)

Ending the Game

Play moves to the left (clockwise). When the player sitting to the first player's right ends their turn and there are 2 or fewer unfinished potions on the table the game ends and a winner is determined.

Determining the Winner

Alchemy! is often a close game:

The winner is the player with the most elements remaining on their potions at the end of the game.
In the event of a tie the player who has the greatest total number of potions among the tied players is the winner.
If two or more players are still tied the winner is the person among the tied players whose potions have the largest number of total symbols on their formulas.
If there is still a tie the winner is the person amongst the tied players with the least number of elements left in their cauldron, a reward for their efficiency.

Alchemy Full Lab Version! (3-5 players)

The "Full Lab" version of Alchemy! introduces equipment and action cards, allowing players more options in terms of how to affect themselves and one another throughout play. It's a bit more complicated than the duel version and includes more of an element of chance. It is recommended that first time players play at least one game of the Duel version before playing the Full Lab version.

Setup

Before playing the Full Lab version make sure to remove all cards with the 'duel' icon in the top right corner from the potion deck and add in all potions with the 'full lab' icon.

Setup as though you are playing the duel version:

Each player gets a place card.
A number of potions are dealt face down equal to three times the number of players in the center of the table.
Flip four components face up.
Separate elements into 4 different piles by color: earth, fire, water, air.

In addition shuffle the action/equipment deck and deal 2 cards to the player going first, 3 to the player going second and 4 to everyone else.

Play

The player who most recently drank something gross goes first. Play goes clockwise.

Items marked with * are optional, all others are required.

1: Draw 3 cards from the action/equipment deck.

2: Flip over cards from the top of the component deck until 4 components are face up. If four components are already face up do not reveal any additional components.

(If the component deck runs out simply reshuffle and begin drawing from it anew.)

3: Flip potions that are face down in the middle of the table over so that they are face up. The player who goes first should do this once, the player who went second should do this twice and so on. If every potion on the table has been revealed skip this step (6 for 2 players, 9 for 3 players, 12 for 4 players and 15 for 5 players).

4: Transmute and/or pour (in any order, but not more than once each):

To transmute discard a face up component card and add elements corresponding to those listed at the bottom of the card to your cauldron.
To pour move one element from your cauldron to your vial. (Move 1 element from cauldron to vial.)

5: Discard cards from your hand until you have only 4 cards remaining.

6: End your turn.

At any time during your turn:

Discard the contents of your vial.
Play an action card or an equipment card (once per turn).
Use an equipment card you put into play on a previous turn that has not been discarded (once per turn).
Create a potion that is in the center of the table: If the contents of your vial EXACTLY matches the formula listed on the bottom of an unfinished potion that no one else has made you may place that potion in front of you and move all of the elements from your vial onto this potion card. This now represents a potion you have made and can consume on subsequent turns.
Drink a potion you have completed on a previous turn by removing a counter from that potion and performing the effect listed on it. If this causes you to remove the last counter from a potion discard that potion. (once per turn)

(The order of the elements as listed on the potion formula and in your vial do not matter - fire, fire, fire, water is the same as fire, water, fire, fire for the purposes of determining a match.)

Action Cards: Perform whatever effect is described on the action card and then discard it.

Equipment Cards: Perform whatever effect is described on the action card and then discard it. (Transcribed as printed. The printed rulebook's Equipment Cards entry repeats the words "action card" and "discard it"; the Equipment Cards entry in the source is reproduced unchanged.)

Ending the Game

Determining the Winner

Alchemy! is often a close game:

The winner is the player with the most elements remaining on their potions at the end of the game.
In the event of a tie the player who has the greatest total number of potions among the tied players is the winner.
If two or more players are still tied the winner is the person among the tied players whose potions have the largest number of total symbols on their formulas.
If there is still a tie the winner is the person amongst the tied players with the least number of elements left in their cauldron, a reward for their efficiency.

Frequently Asked Questions

General FAQ

What do I do if the component deck runs out?

If you run out of cards in the component deck simply reshuffle the component discard pile and continue drawing from the deck.

What do I do if the action/equipment deck runs out?

If you run out of cards in the action/equipment deck simply reshuffle the action/equipment discard pile and continue drawing from the deck.

What's the maximum number of components I can have in my cauldron or vial?

There is no limit to either.

What do I do if the elements of a particular type run out?

I borrow elements from finished potions (so, if you're running out of fire and have tons of air, replace doses of finished potions with air - it doesn't make any difference what the elements are once the potion is finished. If all else fails I've used dice and counters from other games, but we rarely run out.

Specific Action/Equipment Card FAQ

Water Pump/Furnace/Bellows/Mill: The extra element is added directly from the center of the table - not from your cauldron.

Mixing Column: When you pour you can add any two different elements to your vial - cards that allow you to add other elements to your vial aside from regular pouring do not interfere with this (for example, if you use a potion to add a fire to your vial you can still use this to add an air and a fire).

Crucible: Replace extra components used because of a crucible on the following turn, not on your turn - this does not allow you to deal out new components during your turn.

Lab Bench: You may not use this card to repeatedly ignore attack cards (if you have already given up your draw).

This card cannot be used until it has spent a full turn in play under your control.

Magnifier: Magnifier allows you to act as though you have any ONE other equipment card that is in play in your possession every turn. You may use this on equipment that was just played as long as the magnifier has begun one turn under your control.

Extra Vial: Use the extra vial card to store counters in your extra vial.

When you pour you may pour into either or both of your vials.

If your extra vial is discarded discard any elements that were in it.

You may use extra vial to create multiple potions on one turn.

Spill: You choose the opponent and whether to target their vial or cauldron. They choose which elements to discard.

Mix: When determining if you can use 'mix' to add an element, consider every element being poured.

For example if you are also using a mixing column to add fire and water you cannot add an additional fire or water, only an additional air or earth. Elements added by a method other than pouring (such as using a hydration potion or furnace) do not effect this.

Concentrate: If you have poured multiple elements this turn (such as via a mixing column) the element you add using concentrate must match one of them - so if you pour an air and a fire and use concentrate you may choose for your extra poured element to be an air or a fire.

Steal: Steal does allow you to play an extra action card.

Distract: The target of this may only do one thing on their turn from the following list:

Pour, transmute or play an action.
They may not use equipment, but may PLAY equipment.

All other actions, such as creating and drinking potions are unaffected.

Unstable Reaction: Can only be played if you have a fire, water, earth and air in your cauldron and can only be played on your turn. It removes all elements from every vial and cauldron and forces every player to destroy every equipment card they have in play.

Dodge: Can be played on an opponent's turn in reaction to an ATTACK card that affects you directly. If you have already given up your draw you may not play another dodge card.

Card Errata

Card art, element costs and potion formulas are printed on the cards themselves and are not reproduced here. The errata below changes or clarifies card text as printed in the rulebook.

Bubblebath

"Add a dose to any other potion."

This potion can be used on your own potions or potions other players have made.
This potion cannot be used on potions that have not been completed.

Chromatic

"Name two Elements - swap all instances of each with the other." (eg: all Water becomes Fire and vice versa)

This effects only elements in vials and cauldrons.
This effects elements in ALL vials and cauldrons, including your own.
The two elements you name switch - for example if you turn all air into fire all fire also becomes air.

Dissolve

"Remove one of a named Element from every Vial and Cauldron."

This affects elements in ALL vials and cauldrons, including your own.
Players who do not have the named element in their vial or cauldron are unaffected.
Elements are discarded after they are removed.

Espresso

Full Lab Version: "There is no limit to the number of Action Cards you can play this turn."

This affects only ACTION CARDS. Not regular transmute or pour actions.
You cannot play action cards using this card on the same turn as you play an equipment card.

Duel Version: "You may Transmute an additional time this turn."

Using this card does NOT cause new components to be dealt out during your turn.

Eternal Youth

1 point version: "Put one extra dose on this potion when it is made. Eternal youth has no effect when drunk."

4 point version: "Put two extra doses on this potion when it is made. Eternal youth has no abilities, but instead has extra doses when created."

The extra doses on eternal youth count for determining victory points.

Flight

Full Lab Version: "Draw four cards and play two extra Action Cards this turn."

You must still discard down to cards as normal.

Duel Version: "Swap an element from your Vial with an element from your Cauldron."

You can still pour and transmute as normal when you do this.

Hot Sauce

Full Lab Version: "Perform an additional Transmute or an additional Pour this turn."

Duel Version: "You may perform an additional Pour this turn."

Hydration

"Name an Element and add one of that Element to every player's Vial."

These elements come directly from the center of the table, not cauldrons.
This affects every vial on the table, including 'extra vial' cards.

Instant Magma

"Destroy all Equipment Cards and all Elements in Cauldrons."

This also affects a player's own elements and cards.
In the Duel version this card only destroys Elements.

Invisibility

"Look at an opponent's hand - Take one card and play it immediately, or take any Element from their Vial and put it into your Cauldron."

Playing a card from an opponent's hand does not count as playing an action or equipment card this turn.
If you cannot use a card you select (like dodge or unstable reaction) you must discard it instead of playing it.
In the Duel version you can only use this card to take an element from any vial and put it into your cauldron.
You may target your own vial and cauldron.

Invulnerability

"You can drink this potion on another player's turn, if you do you cannot drink a potion on your next turn. Ignore the effects of a potion or attack card."

You can consume this card at any time, including on another player's turn.
If you consume this potion on another player's turn you cannot drink a potion on your next turn.
If you drink this potion on your turn it prevents potions and attack cards from affecting you until the start of your next turn.

Jungle Juice

"Target player skips their next turn."

Love

"A player of your choice puts an Element you name from their Cauldron or Vial into your Cauldron (their choice)."

If a player only has the named element in their vial they must give you that element from their vial.
If a player only has the named element in their cauldron they must give you that element from their cauldron.
If a player has the named element in both their cauldron and their vial they may choose which they give you.

Lock

Full Lab Version: "Choose any card from the deck or Discard Pile and put it into your hand."

Duel Version: "Discard all Components on the table and deal out 4 new ones."

Magic Beans

"Reveal another Potion from the deck. Add it to the unmade Potions."

This potion counts towards the total number of potions for the purpose of determining when the game ends.

Petrify

"Flip over any completed potion - it can no longer be used. (Leave all of the tokens on it.)"

This can only target finished potions with doses on them.
Flip the potion over to signify it has been petrified and can no longer be used. All doses on this potion still count for determining victory points.

Polymorph

"Replace a Potion with a random one from the Potion deck. (Leave the same number of Doses on it.)"

This can target complete or incomplete potions.
This does not affect the number of doses on a potion that has been created.
When a potion that has been created is replaced the new potion counts as being created.

Spicy Chili

"Remove two Doses from any other Potion on the table."

If a potion has one dose on it remove only one dose.
Potions with no doses left on them are discarded.

Stink

"Until your next turn each player gives up a Transmute or Pour (their choice)."

In a Duel game players affected by this only may only take one transmute or pour action each turn (one total).
Players affected by this portion can still transmute and pours through action cards and equipment.

Wish

"Use any Potion or Equipment Card on the table (don't remove them)."

This can be used to replicate the effect of complete or incomplete potions.
In a Duel game this can only be used to replicate the effect of any Potion.