Quacks of Quedlinburg Board Game Review
The Quacks of Quedlinburg from designer Wolfgang Warsch and publisher Schmidt Spiele earned the 2018 Kennerspiel des Jahres award for good reason. This bag-building game combines push-your-luck tension with strategic ingredient purchases across nine rounds of potion brewing. Supporting 2-4 players aged 10 and up, sessions run approximately 45 minutes with zero downtime thanks to simultaneous play.
The Quacks of Quedlinburg Overview
Players assume the roles of charlatan doctors at a medieval bazaar. Each round involves drawing ingredient chips from a cloth bag and placing them along a spiral cauldron track. The goal is simple: push your potion as far as possible without exceeding seven cherry bomb points.
Successful brewing earns coins for purchasing better ingredients and victory points toward winning. After nine rounds, the player with the most points claims victory. The game rewards calculated risk-taking balanced against probability awareness.
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Designer | Wolfgang Warsch |
| Publisher | Schmidt Spiele, CMYK, North Star Games |
| Year Released | 2018 |
| Players | 2-4 |
| Age Range | 10+ |
| Playing Time | 45 minutes |
| Game Type | Bag Building, Push Your Luck |
| Complexity Rating | 1.94 / 5 (Light-Medium) |
What’s in The Quacks of Quedlinburg Box
The game includes four player pots that serve as individual boards. Each pot features a numbered spiral track with marked spaces for rubies and scoring bonuses. Dennis Lohausen’s artwork establishes the medieval apothecary theme effectively.
Over 215 ingredient chips populate the game, sorted by color and value. The thick cardboard chips provide satisfying tactile feedback when drawn from the included cloth bags. Different chip sizes help players distinguish values by touch alone.
| Component | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Player Pots (Boards) | 4 |
| Ingredient Chips | 215+ |
| Ingredient Books | 8 (multiple sets) |
| Fortune Teller Cards | 24 |
| Cloth Bags | 4 |
| Scoring Track | 1 |
| Rubies, Flasks, Droplets | Various |
The Quacks of Quedlinburg Pros and Cons
Pros
- Simultaneous play eliminates downtime between turns entirely.
- Rat stone catch-up mechanism prevents runaway leaders from dominating games.
- Multiple ingredient book sets provide exceptional replay value across dozens of sessions.
- Rules explanation takes under 10 minutes for newcomers.
- Drawing chips from bags creates genuine suspense each round.
- Fortune Teller cards add variety and unexpected twists.
Cons
- Heavy luck dependence can frustrate players preferring skill-based outcomes.
- Setup requires sorting many chips before playing.
- Poor draws occasionally eliminate meaningful choices entirely.
- Original box lacks proper organization for chip storage.
How to Play The Quacks of Quedlinburg
Each player starts with an identical bag containing white cherry bomb chips, one orange chip, and one green chip. White chips are dangerous. If their combined value exceeds seven in your pot, your potion explodes.
Round Structure
Each round begins with a Fortune Teller card introducing special conditions. From round two onward, players trailing on the scoring track receive rat stone head starts based on their deficit.
During the potion phase, everyone draws chips simultaneously. Place each chip on your spiral track, advancing spaces equal to the chip’s value. After each draw, decide whether to stop or continue risking an explosion.
Scoring and Buying
Once all players finish, the furthest player without exploding rolls a bonus die. Everyone earns rubies and victory points based on their position. Players who exploded must choose between points or coins.
Coins purchase new ingredient chips during the buying phase. Players can buy one or two chips of different colors each round. New chips go directly into your bag for future draws.
Where to Buy The Quacks of Quedlinburg
| Retailer | Notes |
|---|---|
| Amazon | Multiple editions available with Prime shipping |
| BoardGameBliss | Canadian retailer with competitive pricing |
| Miniature Market | Often stocks both base game and expansions |
| Target | CMYK edition frequently available in stores |
| Local Game Stores | Support local retailers for personalized recommendations |
The Quacks of Quedlinburg Game Mechanics
The bag-building mechanism functions similarly to deck building games but uses physical chips instead of cards. Each purchase permanently improves your bag’s composition over time.
Push-your-luck elements generate the game’s signature tension. Probability calculations become important as you memorize your bag’s contents. Knowing when to stop separates consistent performers from explosive failures.
Colored ingredients trigger various abilities during play. Blue chips let you draw extras and keep one. Red chips activate based on previously placed chips. Green and black resolve at round’s end, providing rubies or bonus movements.
Who Should Play The Quacks of Quedlinburg
Families seeking games that work across age groups will appreciate the accessibility. If you enjoy cooperative family board games, this competitive option offers similar engagement levels with faster setup.
Players who enjoy push-your-luck games will find this among the best examples. The combination with bag building creates meaningful decisions beyond pure gambling.
Groups looking for games supporting four players will find strong performance at every count. Two-player games feel strategic while four-player sessions bring welcome chaos.
Skip this one if luck-based outcomes frustrate you. Players preferring pure strategy games may find the random draws aggravating despite the mitigation options available.
FAQ
Is The Quacks of Quedlinburg good for beginners?
Yes. The rules can be explained in under 10 minutes, and new players grasp the core draw-and-push-your-luck concept immediately. The complexity rating of 1.94 out of 5 confirms accessibility for families and casual gaming groups.
How long does The Quacks of Quedlinburg take to play?
Most games finish within 45 minutes once players know the rules. First plays may extend to 60 minutes including setup and explanation. Simultaneous drawing prevents downtime and keeps pace brisk throughout all nine rounds.
What is the best player count for The Quacks of Quedlinburg?
The game performs well at all counts from 2-4 players. Three players offers balanced competition and manageable ingredient availability. Four players increases chip competition but maintains excellent pacing due to simultaneous play.
Are The Quacks of Quedlinburg expansions worth buying?
The Herb Witches expansion adds a fifth player and new ingredient books. The Alchemists expansion introduces patient cards with specific goals. Both enhance replay value significantly once you have explored the base game thoroughly.
What games are similar to The Quacks of Quedlinburg?
Orleans uses a similar bag-building mechanism with worker placement. Clank offers deck building with push-your-luck dungeon exploration. For pure push-your-luck experiences, Can’t Stop and Incan Gold deliver comparable tension in simpler packages.
