The Set a Watch Universe is Expanding with Merchants of Magick Written by Clarence Simpson
F
rom the moment I pitched my game about managing a magic item shop in a fantasy world to Rock Manor Games, it was a perfect fit for Set a Watch. Now, the Set a Watch universe is expanding, and calling you to become one of the land’s Merchants of Magick. Supplying the Adventurers of the Watch In Merchants of Magick, you are the owner of a magic item shoppe. You’ll craft accessories, weapons, and armor from leather, wood, and steel. You’ll also channel elemental, arcane, and wild magical energy to research spells that can enchant your items or make your work easier. To create magic items, you’ll need to combine items with Enchantment spells. That’s how you turn a plain old Spear into a Fiery Spear of the Dragons! Each customer in your shoppe is seeking a very specific magic item for their quest against the Unhallowed. If you can create the right magic item, you’ll make the sale and earn some coins! But 26 AROUND THE table • Q2 2021
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you don’t have forever to close the deal. Can you earn the most coins by creating what your customers want before they get impatient and wander over to another player’s shoppe? How It Works In each of Merchants of Magick’s 10 rounds, four polyhedral (d6, d8, d10, d12) dice are rolled, representing the materials and magical energy available that round for crafting and spell research. High values are better for crafting, while low values are better for spell research. Everyone simultaneously chooses to spend two of the four dice to mark circles on their sheet. You also have the option to use Potions and other abilities to modify die values and puzzle out satisfying combo plays. When all circles in a row are marked, you complete an item or spell and gain coins. If you complete the right combination of item and spell that match an Order card in front of you, you claim that Order and gain even more coins! At the end of each round, the Order cards rotate around the table from player to player. You’ll want to pay attention to
Orders both exiting and entering your shoppe. This unique rotating goal system creates tension and player interaction not usually found in Roll-and-Write games. A Different Kind of Roll-and-Write Roll-and-Write games have a reputation as light and simple dice games with virtually no player interaction. But with polyhedral dice, a crunchy decision space, and an innovative goal system that encourages interaction, Merchants of Magick stretches the boundary of what a Roll-and-Write can be. Merchants of Magick comes in a compact package with stunning cover art that’s sure to attract attention. Inside are four polyhedral dice, a pad of 100 player sheets, and 56 beautifully illustrated Order cards, each representing a unique magic item. Also included are 30 custom screen-printed wooden Potion tokens, and eight Sponsored Adventurer cards featuring familiar heroes from the Set a Watch series. Merchants of Magick is designed for 1-8 players aged 10+ and plays in 45-60 minutes. Available Fall 2021.
rockmanorgames.com
6/1/21 3:00 PM
