The Witcher: Old World – Mages
The Witcher: Old World – Mages Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
5 Sets of Mage Components, each including:
- 1 Player Board
- 1 Mage Miniature with a color base
- 10 Starting Action Cards
- 1 Specialty Token
- 5 Wooden cubes
- 1 Wooden Energy Marker
- 1 Scoring Token
- 1 Plastic Scoring Token
- 1 School Token
Shared components:
- A deck of 90 Mage Action Cards
- 1 Game Board Extension
Overview
The Mages Expansion brings 5 new playable characters to The Witcher: Old World. It contains all components needed to add those characters to any existing expansions. You may play as a Mage (instead of a Witcher) when using any combination of Expansions or game modes. Any number of Players may choose to play as a Mage (including everyone) during the same game.
Game Setup
Since there are differences on how to prepare and play the game when all Players decide to play as Mages, and when only some do so, you need to decide on the way you are going to proceed before step 2 of the standard Setup rules.
Depending on the chosen way to play the game, follow the steps explained in one of two sections below.
All Players Decide to Play as Mages
Setup changes:
- Players do not use the Action cards found in the basic game. Instead, a deck of Mage Action cards is used. Basic Action cards are placed back in the game box.
- Players shuffle the Mage Action deck and place it where the standard deck would be placed 1 (the Game Board extension is not needed). The first six available cards are placed face up following the standard rules 2.
- After each Player has chosen the Mage (any method they choose), and the first Player is chosen, the last Player goes first in choosing their "School". The Player chooses any Witcher school and places their School token A covering the School symbol on the Game Board. The Player also places their Specialty token B to cover the Specialty printed on the Game Board, and places their Mage miniature C on that Location. Then, the next Player in the counter-clockwise order chooses any School that is not yet chosen and claims it to be their School for that game. Players do so, until all have claimed their School.
The remaining setup for Mages is identical to the regular game setup.
Some, but Not All Players Decide to Play as Mages
Setup changes:
- Players use both the basic Action cards and the Mage Action cards for the entirety of the game. First, place the Game Board extension 1 to create space for two separate decks. Then, shuffle each deck separately, and reveal 6 cards from each deck (following the standard rules). That way, there should be 6 Witcher Action cards 2 and 6 Mage Action cards 3 available.
- After each Player has chosen the Witcher or the Mage that they will play as (any method they choose), and the first Player is chosen, the Mages need to claim their School Location. The Mage that will take their Turn last, chooses the Location first, then all other Mages choose a Location in counter-clockwise order.
- The Player chooses any of the Witcher Schools that are not present in the game and places their School token covering the School symbol on the Game Board. The Player also places their Specialty token to cover the Specialty printed on the Game Board and place their Mage miniature on that Location.
The remaining setup for Mages is identical to the regular game setup.
Gameplay
All Players Decide to Play as Mages
Gameplay changes:
- Whenever a game rule or component refers to a Witcher or Witchers, treat it as if it instead says Mage or Mages.
- Mages may fight one another, just like Witchers do.
- Mages can pay Gold to train their Specialty on their School Location, as shown on the Specialty Token placed there during game setup.
Some, but Not All Players Decide to Play as Mages
Gameplay changes:
- Whenever a game rule or component refers to a Witcher, treat it as if it instead says Mage or Witcher, depending on the situation. If a game rule or component refers to Witchers treat it as if it instead says Mages and Witchers.
- Whenever any Player gains an Action card in any way, they choose a card from their respective pool or deck, following all standard rules (e.g. a Witcher can not gain Mage cards).
- Whenever any Player is allowed to discard Action cards (eg. using Vizima Location Action), they may choose cards from either pool in any combination.
- When Player gains a new Action card in Phase III of their Turn, they also discard a card from the other card pool that holds the same position.
For example: A Witcher gains the rightmost card from their pool, takes it into their hand A and the rightmost Mage Action card B is discarded. Each card pool is moved right C and replenished with a new card.
- Mages may fight one another, Witchers may fight Mages and vice-versa.
- Mages can pay Gold to train their Specialty on their School Location, as shown on the Specialty Token placed there during the game setup.
Wisdom and Energy
Each Mage has Combat, Alchemy, and their own Specialty (just as any other Witcher). Mages replace the Defense Attribute with Wisdom. Mages also do not have a Shield level, and they gather and spend Energy instead.
Training Wisdom
- Whenever a Mage would raise or lower their Defense level, they raise or lower their Wisdom level instead.
- Whenever the game refers to the Player's Defense, the Player playing as a Mage treats it as Wisdom.
Gathering Energy
- Whenever a Mage would raise or lower their Shield level, they raise or lower their Energy level instead.
- Whenever the game refers to the Player's Shield, the Player playing as a Mage treats it as Energy. (Exception: a Mage does not lower their Energy level after taking Damage.)
- Whenever a Mage raises their Wisdom level, they immediately raise their Energy level by 1.
- Energy is spent and gained during Fights. During Fights, Energy can exceed the Mage's Wisdom level (different from the rule for Shields).
- After a Fight, the Energy level is raised up to that Mage's Wisdom level.
The Energy icon appears on Mage Action cards and Specialties. When a Player uses such a card or Specialty, they raise their Energy level by 1.
Spending Energy
Mage Action cards are used similarly to basic Action cards. A Player gets a starting deck, builds it, and uses it to travel and fight. The cards have different effects explained below, but many of them have a new ability that allows boosting it by spending Energy.
After creating a card Combo, the standard rules require Players to resolve its effects in a specific order. While playing as a Mage the Player resolves cards in their Combo one-by-one, from left to right.
The card illustration in the rulebook is labelled: Basic Fight Ability (A), Required Energy (B), Boost effect (C).
If a card depicts this symbol B, after its basic Fight Ability A is resolved (but before the next card is activated in your Combo, if any):
You may spend the required Energy B to activate its boost effect C.
Card draw increase/decrease is resolved in Step 4 of the Player's Fight Turn, following standard rules.
New Card Types
Mage Action cards have the same colors as standard Witcher Action cards, so when any effect in the game refers to a specific type and color, it can affect both Witcher and Mage cards.
But Mage Action cards represent the different Spells which belong to 5 different branches:
- Yellow - Air
- Blue - Water
- Green - Earth
- Red - Fire
- Purple - Mind
New Card Effects
Protection
Mages do not have Shields, and all received Damage requires them to discard cards from the top of the deck (then from their hand when empty).
Mages can protect themselves from receiving Damage by gathering Protection. Protection gathered by a Mage only affects the very next opponent's Fight Turn. Even if your enemy doesn't deal Damage, the Protection is lost at the end of their Turn.
The Protection reduces only the regular Damage. When the effect forces a Player to discard a card from their hand or deck, the Protection does not apply.
Examples:
- During your Fight Turn, you gain 2 Protection. Next, you are attacked by a Monster, and they deal 4 Damage, but your Protection reduces this by 2, so you actually only receive 2 Damage.
- During your Fight Turn, you gain 2 Protection. Next, you are attacked by a Monster, and the effect forces you to discard 2 cards from your hand. As you have got only 1 card in your hand, you discard it; then, you discard 1 card from your deck. The Protection does not apply and is lost with no effect.
- During your Fight Turn, you gain 3 Protection. Next, you are attacked by a Witcher who uses a Potion to deal 2 Damage, both of which is annulled by the Protection, but there is 1 Protection left (only until the end of the Fight Turn). Then, the Witcher creates a card Combo dealing 4 Damage, 1 is decreased by the remaining Protection, and you receive 3 Damage.
Alternatively, the Witcher could have played a different card Combo to raise their Shield level instead (dealing no Damage) - that way, 3 Protection that you gained would be lost with no effect.
The following icons are printed on the card effect reference page:
- Draw any 1 chosen card from the discard pile. Search your discard pile to take any 1 card (adding it to your hand). You can not change the order of cards in the discard pile while doing so.
- Deal Damage according to your Energy level.
- Gather Protection according to your Energy level.
- Increase your draw by the number equal to your Energy level. Remember to resolve that effect during the 4th step of your Fight Turn along with all other draw modifications.
- Raise your Energy level by 1.
- Treat this card as if it had a Combo Extension of any color.
Mage Specialties
- Alzur - Thunder. Once per Fight: during your Fight Turn, spend 1 Energy to roll a die. Apply the effect corresponding to the result (modified according to the Specialty level). You can choose a lower effect:
- 0-1: Deal 0 Damage,
- 2-3: Deal 1 Damage,
- 4-5: Deal 2 Damage,
- 6-8: Deal 3 Damage.
- Ardea - Levitation. Once per Fight: during your Fight Turn, raise your Energy level (and, if level 2 or higher, draw additional cards).
- Gekhira - Necromancy. Once per Fight: during your Fight Turn, discard any 1 card from your hand to deal Damage (and, if level 3 or higher, raise your Energy level).
- Othar - Teleportation. Once per Fight: during your first Fight Turn, gain Protection (and, if level 2 or higher, raise your Energy level).
- Philippa - Polymorph. Once per Fight: during your Fight Turn, roll a die and apply the effect corresponding to the result (modified according to the Specialty level). You can choose a lower effect:
- 1+ (Cat): draw 1 card from your deck;
- 3+ (Wolf): deal 1 Damage and raise your Energy level by 1;
- 3+ (Bear): draw 1 card from your deck and gain 1 Protection;
- 5+ (Owl): look through your discard pile and pick any 1 card to add to your hand.
Mages and Other Expansions
The Mages Expansion may be combined with some other Expansions. During the first game with this Expansion, we suggest not to use any other Expansion. When Players are familiar with this Expansion, they may use the Mages Expansion with:
- Skellige Expansion
- Legendary Hunt Expansion
- Monster Trail Expansion
- Adventure Pack Expansion
- Wild Hunt Expansion