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Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon
- 1–4 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 3.4/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #9,644
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Magnum Opus
2014
Rules assistance for Magnum Opus
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.5/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Magnum Opus
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Magnum Opus is a board game released in 2014 for 2–4 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Ian Stedman and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Modular Board.
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About the game
Magnum Opus is a deck-building game in which each player is an Alchemist trying to be the first and only scientist to complete their life's great work by successfully fabricating the ultimate alchemical substance– the Philosophers' Stone. Unlike most victory point-oriented deck-building games, Magnum Opus is goal-oriented and plays more like a traditional card game but with a deck-building twist. Players collect different alchemical ingredients, called reagents, over the course of the game and combine them in a series of experiments in order to discover the mysteries of the Philosophers' Stone. The Discovery Matrix is where all of these experiments are conducted and the random selection and placement of Research and Discovery cards in the matrix insures that no two games are ever the same. Earn the gold you need to purchase your reagents, gain experience from your failures and knowledge from your successes, transmute the physical and mystical elements into the Philosopher's Stone and you will go down in history for your Magnum Opus.
Designers
Publishers
- Game Salute
- Clever Mojo Games
- G. U. Games
Questions and answers
Magnum Opus supports 2–4 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 Magnum Opus is 60 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 Magnum Opus for ages 12 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.
Magnum Opus has a complexity rating of 2.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
Magnum Opus belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Medieval. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Modular Board. 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 Magnum Opus are: Ian Stedman. 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 Magnum Opus as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.