Res Arcana Duo cover
2024BGG rank #2,553

Res Arcana Duo

by Thomas Lehmann · Sand Castle Games

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Players2
Time20–60m
ComplexityMedium-Light
Age12+

About the game

What is Res Arcana Duo?

Res Arcana Duo is both an expansion for Res Arcana (with 35% more cards) and a standalone, two-player game that can be later combined with Res Arcana and then its other expansions Lux et Tenebrae and Perlae Imperii. Gameplay is the same as in the original game: Life, Death, Elan, Calm, and Gold are the essences that fuel the art of magic. Choose your mage, gather essences, craft unique artifacts, and use them to summon dragons, acquire places of power, and achieve victory! Res Arcana Duo features a new drafting method designed for just two players and a tight set of 16 artifacts. Unlike the base game, it has no attacks, which some couples may prefer. A game typically lasts 4-6 rounds. In each round, players do these steps: Collect essences: performs any Collect abilities, and may take essences from components. Do actions, 1 per turn, clockwise from the First Player, until all players have passed: place an artifact claim a monument or Place of Power discard a card for 1 Gold or any 2 other essences use a power on a straightened component pass: exchange magic items and draw 1 card. If you are first to pass, take the First Player token. Check victory (10+ VPs). If no one has won: straighten all turned components and begin the next round.

How it plays

Mechanics

Hand ManagementOpen DraftingVariable Player Powers

On the shelf

Categories

Card GameFantasy

Questions players ask

Questions to bring to BoardGameBrain

  • How do setup and the first turn work in Res Arcana Duo?
  • When does scoring happen and what ends the game?
  • How should the table resolve an unusual timing or rules interaction?