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Quacks
Pull one chip too many and your potion blows up in your face.
Designed by Wolfgang Warsch · 2018
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It's a loud, grinning gamble dressed up as a strategy game, and that's exactly why it works at almost any table. Just don't bring it expecting full control, because the bag has other plans.
Best for: Mixed tables who want tension and laughs without a rules lecture.
What it is
You and up to three other quack doctors are brewing potions, and brewing here means pulling chips out of a cloth bag one at a time and laying them on a spiral. Better chips land further along and earn you more. The catch is the white cherry bombs. Let those add up past seven and your pot explodes, ending your round early. So you keep pulling, heart in your throat, until you either stop smug or pop loud. That's the whole hook, and it lands.
The catch
Here's the honest part. This is a luck game wearing a strategy costume. You build your bag carefully, you plan your buys, and then a cruel run of cherry bombs sinks you anyway. Players who want full control and clean information tend to bounce off it, and a couple of early explosions can sour the mood fast. The rat-tail catch-up helps trailing folks, though some wonder why you wouldn't lean on it every single round.
Who it's for
What saves it is that busting rarely feels brutal. You miss a bonus roll, pick points or shopping, and you're right back in. Simultaneous play means nobody's twiddling thumbs, and even a blown-up round is fun to watch unfold. It won a Kennerspiel for good reason. Bring it for mixed tables who want tension and giggles, not for the friend who agonizes over every optimal move.
What other players say
This write-up is grounded in real reviews and player discussion, not just one opinion. A few worth reading:
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