2022Matúš Kotry
- Videos
- 41
- Creators
- 33
4 players120 - 150 minHeavy weight

2014Matúš Kotry
Mostly reviews and how-to-play. Alchemists is covered on BoardGameVideo.com by 20 reviews, 19 how-to-play guides, 6 recorded sessions, 1 unboxings, and 9 other videos.
From BoardGameGeek
In Alchemists, two to four budding alchemists compete to discover the secrets of their mystical art. Points can be earned in various ways, but most points are earned by publishing theories – correct theories, that is - and therein lies the problem. The game is played in six rounds. At the beginning of the round, players choose their play order. Those who choose to play later get more rewards. Players declare all their actions by placing cubes on the various action spaces, then each action space is evaluated in order. Players gain knowledge by mixing ingredients and testing the results using a smartphone app (iOS, Android, and also Windows) that randomizes the rules of alchemy for each new game. And if the alchemists are longing for something even more special, they can always buy magical artifacts to get an extra push. There are 9 of them (different for each game) and they are not only very powerful, but also very expensive. But money means nothing, when there's academic pride at stake! And the possession of these artifacts will definitely earn you some reputation too. Players can also earn money by selling potions of questionable quality to adventurers, but money is just a means to an end. The alchemists don't want riches, after all. They want respect, and respect usually comes from publishing theories. During play, players' reputations will go up and down. After six rounds and a final exhibition, reputation will be converted into points. Points will also be scored for artifacts and grants. Then the secrets of alchemy are revealed and players score points or lose points based on whether their theories were correct. Whoever has the most points at the end of the game wins. Flavor text: Mandrake root and scorpion tail; spongy mushroom and warty toad - these are the foundations of the alchemist's livelihood, science, and art. But what arcane secrets do these strange ingredients hide? Now it is time to find out. Mix them into potions and drink them to determine their effects - or play it safe and test the concoction on a helpful assistant! Gain riches selling potions to wandering adventurers and invest these riches in powerful artifacts. As your knowledge grows, so will your reputation, as you publish your theories for all to see. Knowledge, wealth, and fame can all be found in the murky depths of the alchemist's cauldron.
Alchemists has 55 videos from 41 creators: 20 reviews, 19 how-to-play guides, 6 playthroughs, 1 unboxing and 9 other videos. They date from 2014 to August 2025.
To learn the rules, start with "Alchemists - Extended Rules Overview" by Gaming Rules!, which runs 9 min.
For an opinion before you buy, start with "Alchemists Gameplay Runthrough" by Rahdo Runs Through. 18 creators have reviewed it. To see it played, watch "Boardgame Night ;We play Alchemists" by Gaming Knights, one of 6 playthroughs.
If you like it, try Deal with the Devil and Little Alchemists, also by Matúš Kotry, or Luthier and Age of Comics: The Golden Years, which share several of its mechanics. It appears in convention videos from Spiel Essen 2014.
8 of 41
2022Matúš Kotry
4 players120 - 150 minHeavy weight
2024Matúš Kotry
2 - 4 players20 - 40 minMedium weight
2025Dave Beck, Abe Burson
1 - 4 players90 - 150 minHeavy weight
2023Giacomo Cimini, Sónia Gonçalves
1 - 4 players50 - 120 minMedium weight
From BoardGameGeek:
In Alchemists, two to four budding alchemists compete to discover the secrets of their mystical art. Points can be earned in various ways, but most points are earned by publishing theories – correct theories, that is - and therein lies the problem. The game is played in six rounds. At the beginning of the round, players choose their play order. Those who choose to play later get more rewards. Players declare all their actions by placing cubes on the various action spaces, then each action space is evaluated in order. Players gain knowledge by mixing ingredients and testing the results using a smartphone app (iOS, Android, and also Windows) that randomizes the rules of alchemy for each new game. And if the alchemists are longing for something even more special, they can always buy magical artifacts to get an extra push. There are 9 of them (different for each game) and they are not only very powerful, but also very expensive. But money means nothing, when there's academic pride at stake! And the possession of these artifacts will definitely earn you some reputation too. Players can also earn money by selling potions of questionable quality to adventurers, but money is just a means to an end. The alchemists don't want riches, after all. They want respect, and respect usually comes from publishing theories. During play, players' reputations will go up and down. After six rounds and a final exhibition, reputation will be converted into points. Points will also be scored for artifacts and grants. Then the secrets of alchemy are revealed and players score points or lose points based on whether their theories were correct. Whoever has the most points at the end of the game wins. Flavor text: Mandrake root and scorpion tail; spongy mushroom and warty toad - these are the foundations of the alchemist's livelihood, science, and art. But what arcane secrets do these strange ingredients hide? Now it is time to find out. Mix them into potions and drink them to determine their effects - or play it safe and test the concoction on a helpful assistant! Gain riches selling potions to wandering adventurers and invest these riches in powerful artifacts. As your knowledge grows, so will your reputation, as you publish your theories for all to see. Knowledge, wealth, and fame can all be found in the murky depths of the alchemist's cauldron.
Designer
Matúš Kotry
Artist
David Cochard
Publisher
Czech Games Edition (CGE)
Categories
Mechanics