
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Wie verhext!: Der brodelnde Theriak
- 3–5 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 2008

2008
Rules assistance for Witch's Brew
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 3 players

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Witch's Brew is a board game released in 2008 for 3–5 players, 30–60 minutes per game, and ages 9 and up. It was designed by Andreas Pelikan and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Simultaneous Action Selection.
This is the 4th game in the Alea medium box series. It is the second game by Viennese designer Andreas Pelikan, where "players will have constantly changing roles from the druid Drax to the assistant Gemalher. Players who come after you in turn will always have the better cards!" A simultaneous-selection (but then sequential play) card game. Players select 5 of their 12 role cards to play per set. Then they reveal them in sequence. Each role has a main full action and a less valuable "favor" action. If you are the first player with that role you announce that you are that character. If you follow after but choose that same role card you can take the favor action instead, or declare that you are that character in hopes that you can command the full action. You risk having it taken from you by a later player, though. The different roles help players collect different ingredients and money to make potions listed on the cauldron cards. When everyone's five role cards have been played and actions taken, another five cards are chosen for the next set and the process repeats as before. Ages 9 and up, a 2 on the Alea scale. Witch's Brew: The 6th Player & The Amulets & The Magical Abilities, contained in the Treasure Chest, adds 3 expansions: The 1st expansion adds cards for a 6th player, as well as raven tokens to signal the game's end. The 2nd expansion adds amulets to increase the excitement in 3-player games. The 3rd expansion adds 17 magical ability cards to make certain roles particularly attractive.
Witch's Brew supports 3–5 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 Witch's Brew is 30–60 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 Witch's Brew for ages 9 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.
Witch's Brew has a complexity rating of 1.9 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.
Witch's Brew belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Bluffing. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Simultaneous Action Selection. 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 Witch's Brew are: Andreas Pelikan. 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 Witch's Brew 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.