Since this game was first released in 2016, there have been seven expansions, and this Essential Edition includes the first three (Vale of Magic, Vale of the Wild, and Mana Storm), a playmat, and wooden tokens for the four spirit types.
What is unique about this deck-crafting game is its use of slideable, transparent cards to transform each player’s deck into a more powerful version that will ultimately help earn the most possible victory points during and when the game ends. Victory point tokens are earned from a token “pool” (with the number available based on player count) and are collected each time specific enhancement cards are played to a player’s field. There are also end-game points on some purchased Vale and Enhancement cards.
Each player’s turn has four phases. If this is your first turn of the game, start with Phase 4 and continue taking turns proceeding through phases 1-4 until the game ends.
- Planting: A player’s first turn of the game starts with the Prep Phase (see #4 below). After that, all turns start with the planting phase. Once the third decay card appears on deck, the player decides whether they will “pass” (stop drawing cards) or “push” by placing the third decay symbol in their field. If another decay symbol comes up on the deck, they spoil and gain no cards to “harvest” that turn. They gain one manna token for the next round and proceed to Phase 3 (prep phase below). If they do not spoil, they can decide once again to pass or push. Once they pass with only three decay symbols in their field and on deck, they can move on to the Harvesting Phase.
- Harvesting: First, if there are any blue victory point symbols in a player’s field, they immediately receive point tokens. Next, they move on to purchasing cards. There are two types of cards that players can buy, using symbols on the left side of all newly displayed cards in their fields.
- Vale Cards: Use spirit symbols displayed on the upper left side of the cards in your field to purchase Vale Cards and place them in your player area. When bought, they may have immediate (one-time) benefits, ongoing benefits, and/or end-game points.
- Advancement Cards: Use the total manna symbols on the upper left side of the cards in your field to determine your buying power. If you have an active manna token, you can also choose to add that to the total. Advancement cards are divided into three sections (top, middle, and bottom). Choose a card to add to one of your active field cards. If you used an active manna token, flip it to the inactive side. Proceed to phase 3.
- Discard Phase: Once purchased, advancement cards are slid inside a sleeved card of choice among those displayed in your field, but it must be placed on an empty area of a visible third of any of these cards. his is the powerful aspect of deck-crafting/building within your 20=card deck that can help build towards victory in this game. Next, any Vale or Advancement cards purchased are replaced from the common area. Field cards are placed face down in the deck’s discard pile and put off to the side. While the next player starts their turn, move to the Prep Phase, unless the final victory token was claimed. If so, everyone has their final turn through this phase of the current round and the game ends. Skip the Prep Phase and proceed to end-game scoring.
- Prep Phase: Each player has a 20-card starting deck with sleeves so that added cards that they purchase can be slid into them. Using cards in your deck, you will be drawing cards, which may have manna symbols (currency to purchase cards), decay symbols, and any number of different spirit symbols (animal, forest, sky, and wild—any). As you draw cards, place them face-up on top of your deck. This means the card is “on deck.” Then, depending on the card drawn, decide if you will play it in your field. Playing a card in your field means it is moved to the right of the deck and displayed so the leftmost symbols (manna, decay, or victory point symbols) are visible. Continue drawing cards; the planting phase starts once the third decay symbol appears on the "on deck" card, unless the card has two decay symbols. In that case, you automatically "spoil" and must skip the Harvest Phase and go right to the discard phase. As a consolation, you will turn over your manna token to the active side. Generally, it is advisable not to craft any card with 2 or more decay symbols to prevent this situation from happening.
- If there is a player working on phases 1-3, stop and wait for them to complete those phases, then move to phase 1.
Final Scoring: End-game victory points are displayed on the bottom right side of some Vale and Achievement cards. They are grey in color and located on the lower right side of the card. Players count these plus all the victory tokens they have collected during the game and the player with the most points wins!
I love so many things about this game. The opportunity to be creative and strategically build unique individual cards and player decks to best advantage for points and actions is the highlight of this game system. The Vale Cards work wonderfully to create additional paths to victory. The transparent three-section card system gives players the ability to diversify cards with many different combinations, so the cards are seldom the same from game to game. There are expansions beyond those included in this Essential Edition to expand future plays and can be accommodated in this box with ample space and dividers to help easily set up and put away the game. For 2-4 players with a 45-minute game time. For more detailed information and illustrations, please see the game manual. - Marsha