Witchdraft: Review
Information:
Mechanics: Drafting, Tile Placement, Set Collection
Player Age: 14+ Player Count: 2 - 4 PlayersTime to Play: 15 Minutes
Game Designer: David RimbachGame Artist: David RimbachPublisher: Hodari SpieleYear Published: 2023BGG Weight: 1.71Disclaimer: A review copy for the game was provided by the publisher.
Player Age: 14+
Game Designer: David Rimbach
Introduction:
As young sorcerers you still dread exam time just like every other student in the world. In Witchdraft you are trying to brew a potion but to make the best you will need the right ingredients. Luckily for you there are animal companions who are willing to help you. Gameplay-wise, you are drafting companions over the course of two rounds. Each time a card is drafted it must be placed adjacent to a previous card. This is to create matching connections or to pair gemstones together.
Card Anatomy:
Apprentices:
The apprentice is your starting location when placing cards. There are two sides to this apprentice card. The A-side gives every player the same starting point, and the B-side has asymmetrical attributes.
Recipe Card:
Each recipe card has a randomised assortment of card/colour conditions and their allotted points. These recipe cards will always follow the same formula:
- One specific companion animal type to aim for.
- Two companion colours. They don't have to be touching, simply have paired amounts in your brewed potion at the end of the game.
- Points for either colour (two shown)
- Every gemstone pair. When two gemstones are connected side by side they are considered a pair. If you have a complete square of four gemstones it is considered four pairs. So it is optimal to connect your gemstones wisely.
Ingredients Card:
The ingredients work the same as recipes except all the ingredient cards have the same scoring conditions but with different point values. These conditions are:
- Any connection made between two cards.
- The other three are any connection, or circle of either dragon scales, fleabane or fire roots
Companions:
Companions are the most important cards as they are what you will be drafting and placing. Each companion has a colour and a particular picture. Each companion will also have some sort of randomisation of gemstones, half connections or standalone ingredients 
Setup:
- Each player will receive one apprentice, one recipe and one ingredient card; these last two cards are kept hidden from other players.
- Each round, players will be dealt a certain amount of companion cards, as shown below.
How to Play:
Players will draft two rounds. In the first round the last card will be discarded and not drafted, while in the second round all cards will be drafted and placed. The drafting will happen simultaneously, each player will choose a companion and place them face-down until everyone has chosen. These cards are then revealed and placed. The players will pass their hand of cards to the opponent on they’re left. When placing the card it can be freely rotated, however, the catch to placing is that it has to be orthogonally connected to a previously placed card (the apprenctice included). At the end of the game each player will score their ingredient and recipe card. Whoever has the best score has passed the exam with flying colours.
Final Thoughts:
- Great optimisation of points.
- Randomised point allocation but feels balanced.
- Best at two players.
Witchdraft is a perfect family weight game for any spooky occasion. The gameplay is lightning fast; draft a card and then place that card. The challenge really comes from card optimisation. It may be obvious with high scoring cards but when you get down the bottom tier cards, thats when you have to be more specific. There is a general rule of playing with the ingredient and recipe cards face-up at the two player count. This is what I prefer personally because you can really dive into drafting cards that aren't as pivotal for you but would be excellent for your opponent. This is a great filler game for spooky-lovers and families alike.
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