Trickerion: Legends of Illusion

Trickerion came back to the table with Academy, dark alley and dawn of technology, and naturally the whole thing turned into splendid chaos. It is one of those games that puts you in the mood at once: you build your magic, eye the others suspiciously, and realise somebody is going home with a grievance.

It moves quickly, even loaded with every expansion, but teaching it is a slow and painful death. Rounds matter, Academy sits squarely in the equation, and a signature spell being taught can turn into money and prestige; lovely, until you are back in the rules trying to remember how the pieces connect.

Then there is the player interaction. Nobody needs to hit you directly when they can reserve the next big opportunity in front of you. The game started to lock up in round five, when I got a signature spell worth 11/10 in money and prestige into the teaching programme, then claimed the next 36 on the following round. Good for me. Less good for the people across the table.

Trickerion remains powerful, chaotic magic, but Academy can make the trick end before everyone has had time to see it. The version I want on the table is dark alley and dawn of technology, without it.