One of the best games ever thematic

See video on Amazon.com This game is likely to be a dream for many, many players. If you like games, whether board or computer game in which you have a hero who is this hero adventure, fighting enemies, it gets experience points and character gradually improved in the game and become more powerful can who has with Mage Knight his Holy Grail.
However, it's also a game in which you have to ingrowth, the beginning is you still killed by the rules and the ways it unfolds its full potential only after 4-5 games when you have really understood all the mechanics, knows the game plan and a little can plan. I hope my comments and thoughts on the game help you estimate a bit, whether it might be something for you or not:

My character:
Your character is represented on the one hand by the figure on the pitch. But the true core of one's character is his deck. Each player has their own deck of cards consisting of 16 cards, which essentially deal with the basic functions of the game "exercise, affect, attack, block", as well as some interesting cards that enhance other cards if one knows how to use certain effects. Throughout the game you get when you level up or in monasteries continue forming additional Advanced Action cards which will enhance his own hero significantly. In addition you can learn magic in the game, which also migrate into his own card deck, which can be considerably increased after a few laps.
In addition, each character has certain skills, ie special promotions that can be used per train or per lap once. Here one must choose the Level between its own or stored by players skill platelets.
Ultimately, you can recruit units in villages, monasteries, towns or mage towers. This does not wander into his own deck but be interpreted in their own play area. These units can be used as a rule once per train. They often assist the player in combat, but can also have other skills that need to use it skillfully.
Since not the same magic and extended action cards for inspection in every game, my character develops every new and different every time.

Mana / Tickets
The cards have a rule on two sections. The upper one can simply use a rule to the lower portion is the much stronger, for this you need mana. There are always a certain number of Manawürfeln. If the dice show the corresponding color you benötig, you can use one of them per train to pimp a card. But often, it takes more than one mana, especially for later attacks. There then maps it to me either allow additional Manamarker to get, but which at the end of the train disappear permanently or even mana crystals that you dauerthaft reserves in its stock until you've spent it. This element is very awesome as you have to plan so much enough, how does what when and mana or cards that give an additional Manamarker most effectively used.

Puzzle elements
To a certain degree, this game is actually seen as a puzzle, almost as we know it from the battles with Dungeon Lords. There is also no coincidence in the fighting element. In most cases we know prior to the battle of whether you win or lose. That was a point that has me very disturbed at the beginning. I like fighting in which for example is rolled un the outcome is uncertain. But that would not plan for this game. Often bigger battles have to be a little planning and preparation, which makes the charm of the game only just made. Ideally, the cards are collected together so that they a what you want to allow that, however, does not work always, brings us to the next point:

Happiness
It draws on the card, so is definitely a big element of luck in the game. Sometimes work schedules that you are considering has simply not. But that's about the only Kartennachziehen size luck factor in the game and even here it is rare so you can do anything, you just have to throw his plans into disarray and try something different. Since you draftet his deck in some degree fortunate is also very predictable.

Variants / scenarios
As a rule, several variants are given, as well as 11 different scenarios. You can play the game in a variety of ways. Either solo or with multiple kompetativ or cooperatively, with plenty or little competition, just always the way you like. It is one of the players who like herspielen side by side without attacking itself, can you give away these scenarios, you like it preferred cooperative selects one of these scenarios. Thus, should appeal to many types of players the game.
Even with the Siegpbedingungen there are different variants depending on the scenario. Mostly it comes to conquer cities, which is just incredibly difficult at first, but there are other objectives, for example, a very funny Capture the Flag variant.

Time
The game takes a long time, especially at the beginning if you do not yet know you should at least three - start five hours even for a solo game are 2-3 hours schedule. With experience, the time decreases indeed already clear, but it will think I still remain a long game. The more players play, the higher the downtime, but I personally always been following eagerly the moves of the other, since the rule allows also expressly actions take back, at least as long as no new information was uncovered. This one must not weary in mind durchrechnen what probably would like to go, what the other players should pretty bored, you just place the card down so how has it roughly meant, plays by whether it would work so, and if so okay, If no one takes everything back and plans differently, which can support a fellow players.
What should be noted in any case, the fact is that the game, despite its length never feels long. It is somehow always off will be quick turn again, his train perform, the time really always just flies.

Variety / replayability
The replay value is immense. Mostly you sit after a game because that can often have lasted for hours and would prefer to immediately play a game, but this does not work, because it has become quite late. The large number of scenarios that are trying it, the game for individual character design and the ever-changing landscape that arises from the game, you will be able to spend many, many hours with this game before it has worn off. Although it is a rather expensive game, but is expected the time you will spend with this game, for example in admissions to one pays really almost nothing per hour SpielSpass

Solo variant
This game is to be played absolutely great suited to solo. And it's also really fun, almost as much as with more players, apart from the fact that, unfortunately, sitting alone at the table. But just to get to know own the solo variants outstanding. Although then plays a dummy player, but yes as already explained in the video is the only intended to build up a certain time pressure, otherwise he does not play with. And even in the solo version makes the game for that one would want to actually prefer playing again

Rules
The rules are a true horror. The rulebook is divided into two parts, a walk-through and a complete rule. This walkthrough takes a by the hand and leads very small steps through the first scenario, after you've played this, makes reading the complete rules and no more problems. For reference, the rules are not to gebauchen, there is no index and is usually studied for a long time for specific information, which just may be a great hindrance when learning the game. In itself, the idea of ​​the walkthrough is quite good, but the structure of the rules would have to be urgently revised, especially since a lot of information are available exclusively in the respective Rulebook, so you have to scroll a lot, not only within folder, you change even the notebooks constantly ,
Generally it can be but say that Mage Knight is not a difficult game. It is complex, there are many aspects that need to be taken into account, the actual core gameplay, however, is quickly understood he is still essentially of movement, combat, and recruitment.

The playing field
The playing field is indeed random redetermined from game to game, but even here there are limits set to chance. There are stars and circles as markers on the game board parts that must be assembled in accordance with the time, even the orientation of the map pieces is pre-quake. The elements in the repertoires themselves are always arranged so that there are always interesting and conflictual situations. That's very, very well thought out and is helpful for the gameplay definitely, because as the saying goes, in the instructions, you build here so no scenery in southern France, but you explored an existing UK.

The topic
The theme is very well done. Although the setting is arbitrary and does not known backstory, but it's fun to roam the countryside, marauding Orcs reamed to thereby increase the prestige of the population to recruit units in towns or monasteries to conquer castles or even burn monasteries. Even the act of powerful spells a rarely succeeds, but then when the effects are devastating. The theme works never mounted or beliebieg and although the game has many, many characteristics of classic strategy games, it feels I very thematically at any time to.

Day and night

Conclusion:
In Mage Knight is by far the best adventure role-playing game that I know. Where is it easy losgeflogen only funny in Fleet Captains, one must in Mage Knight his face thoroughly plan and get out of each train the maximum, otherwise you will lose. It is great fun and very entertaining despite its length. It's a great thematic mix of strategy board games (hand cards management, gather resources, deck building, varying sequence of play, etc.) (Rub monsters, collect glory, level up, improve character, monasteries burn down, etc., etc..) And klasisschen fantasy RPG elements. For me one of the best games of recent years. Great! Even the specialist magazine Spielbox awarded 10/10 points and that's very rare where.