Overview

Potion Explosion is a marble-matching engine-building game set in a sorcery academy. Players take ingredient marbles from a dispenser, triggering chain-reaction explosions when same-colored marbles collide. Collected ingredients fill potion recipes; completed potions grant magical powers and score points. The player with the most points after enough Skill Tokens are awarded wins.

Components

• 1 plastic dispenser with marble tracks
• 80 ingredient marbles (20 each of 4 colors: Unicorn Tears, Ogre Mucus, Dragon Smoke, Fairy Dandruff)
• 64 potion tiles (8 kinds with various powers)
• 4 desk boards
• 1 first player token
• 15 Skill tokens (worth 4 points each)
• 21 Little Help tokens

Setup

1. Assemble the dispenser and fill tracks randomly with marbles.
2. Separate starter potion tiles (marked with special symbol) from regular potions. Remove 2 potion types randomly; use the remaining 6 types.
3. Deal 2 starter potions per player via draft (clockwise then counterclockwise).
4. Each player places 2 starter potions on their desk board (up to 2 potions being brewed at a time).
5. Place remaining potions in face-up stacks by type.
6. Place Skill tokens (based on player count) and Little Help tokens nearby.

Turn Structure

On your turn:

1. Pick an ingredient marble from the dispenser.
2. Resolve explosions (chain reactions from same-colored collisions).
3. Place ingredients on your potion tiles or in your pool (up to 3 stored in pool).
4. Use completed potions (optional, any time during your turn).
5. Discard excess ingredients (pool maximum is 3).
6. Take new potion tiles if you have empty brewing slots.

Actions

Taking a Marble

Choose any marble from the dispenser. Remaining marbles slide down to fill gaps.

Explosions

When same-colored marbles collide after a marble is removed, an explosion occurs: take all connected same-colored marbles from that collision group. Chain reactions can trigger further explosions. All explosion marbles are collected for free.

Little Help

You may ask for a “Little Help” once per turn: take any 1 marble from the dispenser without triggering explosions. Take a Little Help token (worth -2 points at end of game).

Completing Potions

When all holes on a potion tile are filled with correct-colored marbles, the potion is complete. Return the marbles to the dispenser, flip the tile, and gain its power. Take a new potion tile for your empty slot.

Potion Powers

Each of the 8 potion types grants a unique power when consumed (used). Completed potions can be drunk on any of your future turns for their effect. Once drunk, the potion is flipped but still scores points.

Skill Tokens

When you complete 3 potions of the same type OR 5 potions of 5 different types, gain 1 Skill Token (worth 4 points).

Scoring / Victory Conditions

When the required number of Skill Tokens have been awarded (based on player count), the end of game is triggered. Finish the current round.

Final Scoring:

• Points from completed potion tiles (printed on each tile)
• +4 points per Skill Token
• -2 points per Little Help token

The player with the most points wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Maximum 3 ingredients stored in your pool between turns.
• Maximum 2 potions being brewed at any time on your desk.
• Potions can be used (drunk) on the same turn they are completed.
• Little Help: 1 per turn, costs -2 points.
• When refilling the dispenser, add marbles randomly.

Player Reference

Action	Details
Pick marble	Take 1 from dispenser; resolve all explosions
Little Help	Take 1 extra marble (no explosions), -2 VP penalty
Place ingredients	Fill potion recipes or store in pool (max 3)
Complete potion	All holes filled; return marbles, gain power
Drink potion	Use completed potion’s power
Skill Token	3 same type OR 5 different types = +4 VP