SpellBook Review: On the Road to Rune

[@RickKoeppen]

My mom crushed me in this game. 🤣 I taught myself the game, playing a practice game alone, easing myself into it, learning spells gradually, feeding my familiar every so often, etc. Then the real deal in a 3-player game ended up being nothing like my laid back practice game. My mom would learn a spell here or there, typically ones with big points associated to them, but she was feeding her familiar ALL of the time. The pace of the game just shot from my expectation of a relaxed pace to a frantic OMG I'm not going to get much done before she ends it. It was a lot of fun, I definitely have some things to consider for next time.

[@RichMulholland]

This really seems like my kinda game from your (and Wendy's) comments. Res Arcana is my #1 game and this feels different enough for sure. I just love the tight constraints mixed with engine building. Thanks team 👊💥

[@npckse8508]

While I find the comparisons I have read elsewhere to Quacks of Quedlinburg or even Splendor, this is a fine enough game at a decent price. Definitely a lightweight game, but in one play we had fun, so hopefully it will hold up as we play more and explore all of the spells.

[@BukovTervicz]

Great rules explanation ❤

[@martingardnerii]

my wife and I enjoy this game. However it is one of the few that we add a house rule for. Since our first turn was always the exact same thing of draw 2. We just start the game at round 2 with 4 pieces each. It leads to a greater possibility of a targeted grab 1 from the center instead of always draw 2 random.

[@alxlima]

Looks interesting! Probably warrants a houserule to auction a few points to unlock your first spell at game start.

[@lolaldanee2743]

Played it at Spiel. I liked it. Slow start as you mentioned, butwe only played the demo with lvl one spells Honestly this is about as complex as I want an engine builder to be. Light and easy game ❤

[@jamescartwright1150]

Would like to see Mike do a solo play through of this.

[@UnimatrixOne]

Thanks 👍

[@lukerazor1]

I can't believe nobody mentioned Gizmos, this looks like a 2.0 version to me

[@TheBrokenMeeple]

The point you made about the bag passing around is the exact same problem I had with Ra. 😋

[@fluter27]

Hoping for many expansions

[@chrisfong8929]

I would really like to know Wendy's thoughts on this game. Just like Zee is on on every Catala review, I would like to see Wendy on every PWH review.

[@DTWendy]

This will be in a rapid fire roundup some day. I've played it, so we're just keeping you in suspense 😉

[@Kaelan.B]

Zee and his sensitive fingers again

[@fredmcmack]

Damned by faint praise, like a lot of Phil Walker-Harding’s games it seems.

[@mikebaleWZaz]

They did two videos talking about how much they like them

[@kevinbhieey9188]

Lately, maybe, but he's still the man behind some very popular games like Sushi Go, Archaeology and Bärenpark. The problem is we're conditioned to think a 7.5 is faint praise but you don't have to go far down the BGG Top 100 before the average rating is below 8.0. Phil Walker-Harding just keeps racking up the Seals of Approval.

[@thegamesninja3119]

On BGG, SpellBook is clocking in below 7 aggregate. People are expecting it to be something different than it is.

[@alicemoore2036]

The dice tower team seemed a little snide

[@wishmeheaven]

Wow Camilla, until the end of the video - They were all said only their private names (like you did in the beginning) - for the first time since.... ever...?! And honestly? - It felt and sounds so much better and very natural...

[@olanmills64]

This game looks boring. Like maybe it's not bad, but it seems so generic. Maybe the spell effects are what makes the game interesting

[@deedd4401]

Dr. Pepper .... really ? you really do enjoy inflicting pain on the masses ... eeey ?? :D