Elemystic
- Board's Eye View
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
We're used to microgames that use just 18 cards; for example Dinky Dungeon (Jelly Jelly Games), Air, Land and Sea: Critters at War (Arcane Wonders), Tacmento (MasQueOca Editions/NAC Wargames), and of course the original Love Letter (AEG). Jamie Sabriel's Elemystic, however, uses just 18 cards including two player guides and seven cards used as markers, so the game uses only nine substantive cards, and one of them is taken out of play unseen! Accordingly, it's packaged by Wise Wizard in a slimline pocket-sized box that includes not just the cards but also a double dial for keeping score of players' energy/health.
The game is a two-player dueller where each player is dealt one elemental card and drafts three more cards from the six on display. That means each player has four cards, tho' players can only see each other's drafted three cards, not the card their opponent was dealt.
The elemental cards each have attack and defence values and most also have a special power or ability set out in the text. In addition, a number on the card represents its speed (initiative), which dertermines the order of resolution when cards are pitted against each other. Players pitch three of their cards in battle against their opponent, taking turns to stack them in a column one at a time. When you add an elemental to one you've already deployed, you can choose to put it on top or beneath the other card(s). Tho' all cards will contribute their top line of attack and defence, it's only the card on top that will use all its values (those at the bottom as well as the top of the card) and its text ability, and it's the speed number on the top card that will determine initiative.
When each player has formed their three-card stack, the player with the highest initiative actions their text power and the other player then actions theirs. Some powers add 'tokens' - more cards that contribute to or have an effect on your own or your opponent's stack. Then, in initiative order, players compare attack and defence totals and adjust their energy dials by the amount that the attack strength exceeds the opponent's defence. If a round of duelling ends with both players still standing, you rinse and repeat the drafting and duelling.
Tho' you only have four cards and are generally using just three of them, this 15-minute game offers a surprising amount of decision space. You can see the cards that your opponent has drafted and you may form a view of how you expect them to play their cards, but unless and until it's played you can't be sure of what card your opponent was dealt. The card taken out of play means you're making a 50/50 guess over that hidden card...
Some of the abilities are particularly powerful but, other than the Storm card, which has an immediate effect when played, and the Chaos card that randomises your stack, you're only going to get to use one of the text powers. Players have to weigh up not just the text abilities but also the effect of their stacking choices on their attack and defence stats. And it's important not to forget that the speed value could have a decisive effect on the game. Because the winner is the player who is first to reduce their opponent's energy to zero, it's possible that a player with high initiative could reduce their opponent to zero and nab the win before their opponent gets to make their attack!
