- BGG rank
- BGG #6,685
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Council of Blackthorn
- 2–6 players
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Rules assistance for Chaos & Alchemy: Substances
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 20 min
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- Complexity 1.0/5
Rules assistant for Chaos & Alchemy: Substances
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Chaos & Alchemy: Substances is an expansion for Chaos & Alchemy released in 2013 for 2–5 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Michael Iachini and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Dice Rolling.
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About the game
An expansion to Michael Iachini's 2013 game of rivalry and potions, Chaos & Alchemy. Players now add new elements to their laboratory in a bid to become the greatest of all alchemists and achieve fame and glory throughout the land. New Substance cards will allow you to skew the rules in your favour, rerolling dice, stealing element cards from other players and seizing control of their creations. The base game is required to use the Substances expansion.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Game Salute
- Clay Crucible Games
Questions and answers
Chaos & Alchemy: Substances supports 2–5 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Chaos & Alchemy: Substances is 20 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Chaos & Alchemy: Substances for ages 13 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Chaos & Alchemy: Substances has a complexity rating of 1.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Chaos & Alchemy: Substances belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Dice. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Dice Rolling. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Chaos & Alchemy: Substances are: Michael Iachini. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Chaos & Alchemy: Substances as an expansion for Chaos & Alchemy. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Chaos & Alchemy to use it. Check that your edition of Chaos & Alchemy is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.