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Wands
2014
Rules assistance for Wands
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 10 min
- 7+
- Complexity 1.0/5
Rules assistant for Wands
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Wands is a board game released in 2014 for 2–5 players, 10 minutes per game, and ages 7 and up. It was designed by Josh Levitan and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Player Elimination.
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About the game
Wands is a fast-paced fantasy card battle for two to five players, combining elements of Uno and Magic: The Gathering. You play the role of a witch or wizard, engaged in a magical battle with your opponents. You and your rivals start with 10 life points each. Using a combination of Blasts (unblockable magicks), Spells, and Counter-Spells, you try to reduce your opponents to zero life points and be the last spellcaster standing. If you cast a Spell, opponents have a chance to cast their Counter-Spells. Multiple Counter-Spells can be cast on each other, adding more damage and greater effects, shifting effects, or canceling them altogether. Imagine one of the wand battles from the Harry Potter movies and you get the idea. It's quite fun to cast a spell on your buddy, watch someone shift the effects to someone else and add to it, watch someone else shift the effects to yet another player, watch someone dispel that shift, watch the next person dispel that shift, and finally, you shift it back to the original target. Wands is best with two to five players. Games can be as short as a couple of minutes, and it shouldn't take more than ten minutes for anyone to learn the rules. Wands is not a collectible card game. You only need one set of cards; there's nothing to collect; no booster packs; no rarity; no drafts. This is the full game.
Editions
- Wandsen(Self-Published)2014
Designers
Publishers
- (Self-Published)
Questions and answers
Wands 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 Wands is 10 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 Wands for ages 7 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.
Wands 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.
Wands belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Fighting. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Player Elimination. 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 Wands are: Josh Levitan. 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 Wands 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.