Review of Mage Knight
Review of Mage Knight
Mage Knight was originally a board game of miniatures . I first became acquainted with the game at my local comic book store when I was still in elementary school sometime in the 1990s (I know I’m old). First I bought a starter pack for Christmas with my brother, and he (of course) got a box with a rare mini in it.
Years later, the miniature game is basically no longer along with all the minis I owned (lost in one of many moves). In 2011, Mage Knight came out of the ashes, but it is no longer a miniature game . It was reborn as a traditional board game and completely blew up the world of board games with an immense new world to explore (and immeasurable rules).
The first edition was completely sold out in 20 days.
Then 2018 spins and after years of success, the final Ultimate Edition came out. If you haven’t played or heard of the board game Mage Knight yet, now is the right time to check it out.
The Atlantean Empire needs the return of the heroic Sorcerer Knights. Are you ready? See the full review of Mage Knight below.
- Critical award-winning board game Mage Knight ...
- Now that they have impressed solo players and groups up to 5, this ...
- Ultimate Edition includes the original basic game and all ...
A brief overview of Mage Knight
Mage Knight is one of the ultimate action / adventure fantasy board game on the market today. The decision to shift gears and turn a collector’s miniature game into a stand-alone board game is a bold move, but it worked well for Wiz Kids.
It was designed by Vlaada Chvátil, who is a rockstar among gaming community communities. He was the designer of several games you may have heard of.
- Through age
- Galaxy Trucker
- Space warning
- Prison masters
- Code names
There are a few more that he designed, but they are my favorites.
In Mage Knight, players will take on the role of a hero of the Atlantean Empire called Mage Knight. While playing board games, players will regain territory, besiege castles, hunt marauding orcs, deepen dungeons , tower prey for wizards and much more.
To say that this game is great is a huge understatement. You can get a basic game and play it for a year, but you still don’t get bored with it.
Even the newer Ultimate Edition isn’t just a fashion reprint. It is available with all three extensions, 5 new cards and overall improved production value.
Variations and extensions
Unpacking Mage Knight
Earlier, when I said the Ultimate Edition has generally improved production value, I may have sold it a little short. Literally everything related to the game has improved since the release of the base game and the release of the extensions.
Let’s open one up and see what a great game looks like done right.
The first thing you’ll notice when opening a new box (other than a huge one) are the policies. The game has some rules for the basic game and extensions, but for now, honestly ignore them all. You’ll only need a presentation book for the first game, and I’ll talk about that in your first game.
One of the biggest complaints everyone has had about Mage Knight is that it is very complex and hard to figure out. I can say that the Ultimate Edition solves this problem very nicely. All the rules have been simplified and updated for clarity and look great.
- Critical award-winning board game Mage Knight ...
- Now that they have impressed solo players and groups up to 5, this ...
- Ultimate Edition includes the original basic game and all ...
If you dive deeper into the field, you will see the guilt of each player; bundle and bundles of cardboard scraps ready for exit. All components are upgraded. When the original game and expansions came out, there were slight color differences on all the tiles. It was a minor issue, but it’s annoying if the tiles and hexagons that are supposed to go together are colorless. The Ultimate Edition has fixed this problem again and everything is in uniform color and quality. This includes all the backs of the card that had the same problem.
Then there are pre-painted miniatures in the box! I really like painting miniatures, but I’m slower at painting than molasses. My 40k army is still complete after years. Not only are they pre-painted, but they are actually very well painted. Clearly, some look better, but they look great.
The crystal counters that came with the game are basically the same. I really didn’t see any difference there. They look fine, but I’m as graceful as a whale that deals with needles, so I usually knock them out while playing.
Finally, there are bundles and bundles of cards that you will use during various games and extensions, including five new cards:
- The power of crystals
- Adrenaline rush
- Explosive screw
- Cold look
- Mysterious box
Let's talk about storage.
The inserts are well made. There is a small hole for everything and if you are weird like me and make sure all your games are carefully placed back that you will like it. The only thing I don’t necessarily like are the token slots. They are placed in rows instead of folded, which in turn becomes messy. It reminds me of the box from Water Lords and how annoying it is to return all the money chips back. Fortunately, WizKids also adds small storage bags to help keep everything nice and tidy.
In terms of production value, everything in the Ultimate Edition is only better. Everything is cleaner, better quality and looks fantastic.
How to play Mage Knight
Whoo boy. This will be the age.
There’s a lot going on in Mage Knight. You won’t know everything on the first or even second play. However, you will have fun playing and learning the game.
I will read just a few basics to help you get started. If we tried to break every rule, it would be new in itself.
After choosing a character, players will find their starting equipment (starting deck). The upper right corner of the cards shows which starting equipment belongs to which hero. Mage Knight uses some of them to build deck mechanics. As players progress and rise, they will have the opportunity to pick up advanced action cards that give stronger abilities than starting equipment.
Players will basically use cards for all their actions.
- Movement
- Impact
- Attack
- Block
In addition to the use printed on the card, players can +1 any movement, impact, attack or block.
For example, if I only had one moving card in my hand, which gave me +2 movements, and I needed three to turn around, I could use the Block +2 card as a generic +1 movement instead of the block printed on the card text. .
This can be used for any general operation. You don’t want to do too much because the effects of printed cards will always be better than the +1 bonus, but you may just need an extra boost.
Speaking of maps, we can see many colors and two separate map effects. Each card will have an affinity for the color (suit) and two separate abilities. The ability at the top is a generic ability. You will always be able to use this ability. You can only use the below ability if you use me to improve the card. Throughout the game, you will have access to mana or magic crystals, and if you use one that matches the color of the card, you can use the enhanced (bottom) ability on the card.
For example, if you have the endurance of a blue card in hand, you can easily play it and gain 2 moves for that turn. If you happen to have a blue crystal or access to a blue mana, you could consume it and use the improved 4 movement ability instead.
If you notice that in some newer extensions the cards will be split in half with two separate colors. Multi-color cards work in a similar way to all other cards. Play the matching mana color and you will get improved ability. Multicolor cards have two color options and two options. Players will be able to play one of them to gain the ability. These charts give the board much more flexibility and a lot of options when choosing a strategy.
Most of the cards in the game will use this mechanic. Match the colors with me and you will get better abilities. You won’t always have access to the right mana colors and can move quickly through the circle.
Wound cards
Wound cards are a special type of card as they are completely useless and scary. If a player in battle fails, everyone can accumulate some wounds. Wound cards are added to his deck for each wound taken by the player. They usually cannot be discarded. Basically, you have to waste your rest to throw away your wounds. To actually get rid of them and remove them from the deck, you will need to heal in town or use a healing spell.
One of the constant threats that all players will need to watch out for is wounds. If a player gets five wounds early in the game, he will be severely handicapped. Each card takes up space in the player's towing hand and cannot be used for anything. It’s hard enough to try to complete actions without a limited choice of cards.
Night and day
Mage Knight uses night and day mechanics. During the day, traveling through forests is relatively easier, and traveling through the desert is more difficult. During the day, players can also use the yellow sun man (if available) to power their cards.
When the round ends, the phases move. Day turns into night and night turns into day.
At night, walking through the desert is much easier, and if you’re lucky enough to get stuck in the middle of the woods at night, you’ll spend a ton of movement points traveling back.
The night also has its own special mana. There will be 2 options on spelling cards that you can use just like any other card, but don't just waste mana to turn on the spell. To enhance the spells, you need to use a matching color mana and a black night mana. It’s a lot harder than other cards, but the spells involved are brutal in the game. The night mana has no other use and if it shows up during the day, it cannot be used.
When searching in a dungeon, night rules will always apply. I always thought this was a cool themed element. The dungeons are supposed to be dark and scary anyway, but they’re even harder because you can’t use any sun mana. You will be able to use the black night mana as if it were the night phase whenever you are in jail, even if it is the day phase.
Mercenaries
Another cool part of the game is recruiting mercenaries. At certain locations on the map, players will have the opportunity to spend influential points to recruit strong allies. Everyone will be awarded different bonuses and abilities, and who will be available for recruitment will change from round to round. The tenants are not heroic knights of wizards and their bonus abilities can only be used once per round. After that, they will have to rest until the start of the new round.
Mage Knight uses some well-known construction deck mechanics. At the first level, the limit on the number of cards for each player will be 5. When players rise, they get better skills (cards) that can hire more payers, and their time limit will increase.
- Critical award-winning board game Mage Knight ...
- Now that they have impressed solo players and groups up to 5, this ...
- Ultimate Edition includes the original basic game and all ...
After each move, players will place all the cards they used on their discard pile and draw back to their hand limit. When a player runs out of cards or decides that the few he has left are not worth keeping another turn, he can announce the end of the round. Every other player gets one last turn in the phase and then the round ends. Night will turn into day and day into night.
Fame and prestige
Unlock other games where you start like nothing and strive for the hero, Mage Knights have been heroic characters since the beginning. By the end of the game, however, you will only be a more famous hero.
A large board of fame and reputation will accompany both levels for all players. Fame is basically an experience. For each monster or goal the player takes to gain fame. With three experiences, players will climb to level 3, 2 experienced players to level 7, and so on. If you have noticed that rising rates get harder and higher as you go higher. The first few levels will be pretty fast, but it slows down the longer you play.
As players rise, you will notice that the leveling will alternate between acquiring new skills and cards and acquiring command tokens. Each command token indicates how many followers / mercenaries you can carry. In case art mimics life, the more fame you have, the more followers you have.
Reputation follows how much Mage Knight likes him. All fame is not good fame after all. The actors could be known throughout the country for protecting cities, killing orcs and heroic deeds. They could also be known for looting cities, attacking people, and burning monasteries (yes, you can burn a monastery). A higher reputation means that players will have more influence that they can use to recruit and buy things in cities. A lower reputation gives the modifier a negative impact, so it will become more expensive. If it gets so low that it hits the bottom of the track, the city won’t want to finally deal with you and you won’t be able to buy or hire anything.
Being a jerk has consequences, but you get wonderful things for burning a monastery ...
End of the game
Each game you play has a different goal with specific rules and examples. The proposed first game ends when we discover the city. The most common scenario of the final game is when all the places are won. In addition to all the scenarios that are attached, the game is designed to be quite open. You can come up with your own script, and there’s a huge amount of fan content all over the web.
Your first Mage Knight game
Step 1: Don't start with the policy.
The rules are very intimidating and can turn off new players pretty quickly. The new policies are much better, but there are still many. If you choose to ignore rule 1 and try to read the policy, the policy says don't read it. Instead of ...
Step 2: Read the instructions.
All of Mage Knight’s policies have been refined and are much easier to follow. The transition game is done at a great pace and introduces the rules as they arise. If you’re like me and like to read the rules from the rules before the game is even available, you’re going to have a headache.
Walkthrough is a simple scenario that you can play with 1-4 characters. I played it as a standalone game to pick up the rules. I like to get a feel for the game before I explain it to anyone, and it’s a pretty wonderful stand-alone game in itself.
To start your first game, you will place the tiles of the map in order so that the first 1 tiles will always be in the same place. Greener rural tiles will be placed in order and stacked on top of bright city tiles. I always thought this was a cool mechanic. Thus, players will start on the edge of civilization and move on to more civilized parts of the world.
For the first game, the goals are simple to help you learn. The Mage Knights are on a reconnaissance mission to the city. The overall goal of the game is to explore the map tile where the place is.
It’s not exactly a lot of fluff, but you’ll have plenty of time to walk around and get used to the basic mechanics and maps of tile locations.
I jumped back and forth through the game between the bouncing board and the game and it took about an hour to sort everything out. Once you have an idea of what it all means, it will be much faster to prepare.
I played the setting. The game is happening so much and I could hardly wait to play again.
Follow the instruction booklets and you will be fine. It's a complicated game, but it's much less intimidating.
The pros and cons of the Knight Wizard
Advantages:
- Great value in one field. You could only play the basic game for a year and not get bored. Ultimate Edition has 3 extensions.
- Updated components
- Simplified policies
- Pre-painted miniatures
- Great solo play
Weaknesses:
- Affordable
- It can be intimidating for newer players
- Playback time can be very long
Frequently Asked Questions about Mage Knight
There will always be a lot of questions in such a difficult game and just as I won’t be able to cover all the rules in this article (I went over the minimum to show you what I’m getting into) there are still a lot of questions. WizKids has posted frequently asked questions and, as I’ve mentioned a thousand times, the Ultimate Edition policies are very well written.
Check out the official WizKids FAQ here .
TL; DR
Everything is updated in the Ultimate Edition. If you love action / adventure in an imaginative setting, you will find it hard to find a game that offers so much content in one field. The only other head-to-head game I can think of would be Gloomhaven.
The biggest complaint I’ve heard about Mage Knight is that it’s too complicated and it’s hard to follow the rules. Yes, it’s complicated, but playing with guidelines and simplified rules isn’t that hard to learn. After 1-2 games you will be ready. You can still apply once or twice, but you will mostly have everything you need.
conclusion
To give you my last thoughts on Mage Knight Ultimate Edition, let me start at the beginning.
My first game with the Ultimate Edition was a standalone game . I didn’t use any extensions and didn’t look at any monster cards or stacks in advance, so it was all fresh and all a surprise.
I’m not going to lie, it took me about an hour and a half to read and set up the starting board. In the first round, I was deep in the nose in the guidance booklet, as if looking at an actual board, but after that, I spent most of my time planning and moving. I was a hero of the kingdom and killed traveling orc orcs left and right. In the second round, I recruited a few scouts and besieged the temple he claimed as his own.
With my renewed resources, I decided it was time to take the magic tower. "That pointed hat wearing panties can't stop me!" I shouted into the ether. They continued to shit out of me while I used my confidential scouts as meat shields for tactical retreat.
Slightly sore, I pressed forward and ran into the dungeon. The scouts wouldn’t be able to help me even if they weren’t wounded and would be relatively fresh. Next. The dungeon run didn’t end well. I was forced to withdraw again and this time there were no meat shields in sight.
After a few more reckless and untimely combat encounters, I was full of wounds and resorted to the destruction of towns and monasteries to recoup some of my losses. When I finally found the place I was looking for, I was a confused mess, full of wounds and all my followers longed for the day they met me.
Verdict
I have seldom had so much fun in board games on my own or in any other way. There are so many options and ways to play that give each game a very unique feel. The game is wonderfully prepared and you can create amazing stories while exploring the world. Fame and reputation work so well in the game and feel so natural. I love leveling mechanics and would seek fame by driving to locations I probably didn’t need, but I had a dot at every turn.
The biggest complaint I’ve heard is that the game is too complicated and hard to learn. All I have to say is that I follow the instructional game. He explains everything gradually. You will be asked to read the rules when they appear and enter the game much faster. After just one round, I felt good with the basics and only had to invoke the rules a few times.
- Critical award-winning board game Mage Knight ...
- Now that they have impressed solo players and groups up to 5, this ...
- Ultimate Edition includes the original basic game and all ...
No comments