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Game Info
Year
2021
Collection
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Description
In Merchants of Magick, which takes place in the "Set a Watch" universe, you are the owner of a magic item shoppe, crafting items and researching spells to sell to the Adventurers of the Watch.
Each round, four polyhedral dice are rolled, then you select two of them to craft items or research enchantments for your shoppe. As you craft items and research spells, you start stocking items and earn potions that let you manipulate the dice. Adventurers travel from shoppe to shoppe, so you need to stock the exact items on the order cards in front of you. If you have an item an Adventurer needs, you earn coin — but if you wait too long to fulfill an order, Adventurers will become impatient and visit your competitor next door!
After ten rounds, the player who has earned the most coin wins.
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 8
This page: 8
Sentiment:
pos 7 ·
mix 1 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–8 of 8
Video ITOb1l0oW0E
Ryan and Bethany Board Game Reviews Review at 7:12 sentiment: positive
video_pk 88384 · mention_pk 232881
Click to watch at 7:12 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- adds meaningful depth through modular expansion
- introduces engaging in-between actions and card reservation mechanics
- potions provide tactile dice manipulation and strategic options
- adventurer boards add new progression and combat dimension
Cons
- increased complexity compared to the base game
- being discussed as a preview, some balance and rules may change
Thematic elements
- Crafting, trading, and equipping adventurers with weapons, armor, and items
- Fantasy market environment where shopkeepers craft gear for adventurers
- strategy-driven with light thematic flavor
Comparison games
- Set a Watch
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- adventurer boards and modular expansion support — adventurer boards interact with crafted items, affecting combat value and progression
- in-between action phase — an intermediate action step between rolling and crafting where certain modules provide actions
- Modular Board — adventurer boards interact with crafted items, affecting combat value and progression
- order/recipe fulfillment with floating cards — orders/recipes circulate around the board; fulfill when you have required items to gain points
- potions and dice modifiers — potions modify dice values, enabling varied item construction
- Recipe — orders/recipes circulate around the board; fulfill when you have required items to gain points
- roll-and-write style dice crafting — roll polyhedral dice and use results to craft items; high numbers may be good depending on materials; potions modify dice
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the color of the potions do in fact matter
- there's lots of different little pieces that you can use and you can use them kind of add them into the game one at a time if you want to kind of experience each one on its own and then eventually put them all in have a mega game of mergence of magic
- this is preview so everything is subject to change
- it's a very full rich experience at that point it's no longer a simple roll and write game it's now a whole thing
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video HZoKc1rJc40
The Board Game Garden Discussion sentiment: positive
video_pk 81720 · mention_pk 204183
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Send help, please.
- My shelf of opportunity. There are a few games on here that I want to bring.
- This bag is already full and I haven't even gone out to the board game room.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video HZoKc1rJc40
The Board Game Garden Discussion sentiment: positive
video_pk 81720 · mention_pk 271033
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Send help, please.
- My shelf of opportunity. There are a few games on here that I want to bring.
- This bag is already full and I haven't even gone out to the board game room.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video -Bxn88jC0bI
The Board Game Garden Discussion at 25:08 sentiment: positive
video_pk 81195 · mention_pk 200440
Click to watch at 25:08 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Very fun game.
- Happy to have this in my collection.
- Excited to get into the other expansions.
Cons
- Really hard to explain this game.
Thematic elements
- merchant of magic
- magical shop
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Drafting — The cards in front of you actually kind of move to the other players. Um, kind of like a conveyor belt.
- Dice Rolling — You're going to be rolling all of those and then players are going to be writing stuff on their sheets in order to unlock a bunch of different things on their sheet.
- Flip and Roll and Write — This is a flipping right, no roll and write game about being a merchant of magic.
- Objective Fulfillment — Ultimately, you are trying to be able to gain the specific things that you have on these cards in front of you.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- April was crazy when it came to board games.
- I played a ton of new to me games, which was so much fun.
- Leaf has always been a game that has really intrigued me because it has such a cool mechanism with these different leaves that you're going to be able to play a card that'll then get you a specific leaf shape.
- And overall, it's such a simple game, but it is just so lovely.
- I am obsessed with this game. I really want to play this one solo.
- If you enjoy games where you are bumping tracks, this game right here is the ultimate bumping tracks game.
- This is such a good game. I am in love with this game.
- It revolves around this seven bridge theory or concept where there are seven different bridges and you can only go over a bridge once.
- And this game is a one versus many where the one player and very cool part of this game is you play it in the pitch dark. So fun.
- It has a very sketched kind of art style to it, which I've always loved. And that game is just so beautiful.
- And during this game, we were all just being so chaotic and just ending the game just like very abruptly and people just like not being prepared for it and just being chaotic and it was just the funniest thing.
- And this game really messed with my brain.
- Can't get enough of it. It's my most played game of April.
- And this one I did a preview for. is a solo only game from Salt and Pepper Games where you are running a bakery or bake shop and you're trying to achieve these different um customers orders by first folding this piece of pastry which I think is such a unique part of the game.
- Three Sisters is one of my favorite Roland rights.
- I'm so sorry that I decided to do 10 games for this video. I will try for future months to only stick to five so these videos aren't too crazy long, but I just could not not talk about all these games cuz I just had a great month of gaming.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 3N0n8AbXTWQ
The Dice Tower Analysis at 4:23 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 80324 · mention_pk 195312
Click to watch at 4:23 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- So many cool things
- Different sided dice
Cons
- Luck of when items come out affected enjoyment
Thematic elements
- Merchants
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Roll and Write — A roll and write with a lot of ideas with different different sided dice that you're rolling.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I had to increase this rating to a 10. I play this all the time. Love this game, it's fantastic.
- This is a remake of an older game. Um Miss Miss Miss Miss I forget the Missenium or whatever it's called. Um from Reiner Knizia and the cows are being abducted. It's weird and unusual and I There's some things I liked about it, but I can't really recommend it because I think it's too odd.
- My kids liked it more though, but 6.5.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 7hKBfz4E7Xg
Board Game Garden Top 10 List at 13:04 sentiment: positive
video_pk 40359 · mention_pk 162197
Click to watch at 13:04 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- beautiful look on the rolling-right sheet
- magical-item crafting theme
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Dwellings of Elder Veil I want this game so bad
- it's actually a 3.24 which is not that heavy
- I absolutely love Concordia
- this is the first racing game that I do want to add to our collection
- Twilight inscription has a lot of similarities to Hadrian's Wall
- Planet Unknown looks really really cool
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video tmp3eIbrYMI
The Board Game Garden Discussion at 5:19 sentiment: positive
video_pk 33319 · mention_pk 231899
Click to watch at 5:19 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Appealing fantasy market theme
- Potentially good variability with different market setups
Cons
- Details about mechanics and depth are not fully explored in the clip
Thematic elements
- Trade and magical markets in a fantasy setting
- Fantasy market/economy with magical goods
- Market-driven, light thematic flavor
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Hand Management — build and manage a hand of merchant actions or goods
- Set Collection — collect sets of items or resources to score
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this is a chill video
- Francis is trying to eat his chips quietly
- I'm a huge sucker for nature themed games
- I'm bringing six different games for packs
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video T5Sbq1BC-Nk
Meeple Mountain Review at 0:11 sentiment: positive
video_pk 32436 · mention_pk 241935
Click to watch at 0:11 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Deep, crunchy puzzle feel with a well-integrated dice mechanic that rewards planning and timing.
- Potions add meaningful depth by letting players nudge dice values when needed, creating satisfying tactical choices.
- Layered strategy across items, enchantments, mastery, and orders, offering high replayability.
- Balanced pacing with simultaneous actions that scale well from two to eight players.
- Thematic cohesion between magical shopkeeping and ongoing defensive goals against the Unhallowed.
Cons
- Playtime is longer than casual party games; some players may crave a lighter feel or quicker rounds.
- Novice players may experience a steep learning curve due to layered rules and simultaneous mechanics.
- Solo mode demands substantial time to learn and can feel heavy for a first-timer without guidance.
Thematic elements
- Trade in magical goods against a looming supernatural threat; the shopkeeper’s craft determines the fate of frontline adventurers.
- In the fantasy world inspired by Set a Watch: Tale of the Arcane, a bustling city where adventurers are funded by merchants who craft powerful items and spells to fend off the Unhallowed. The market and the battlefield intertwine as the city’s magical economy fuels the defense against creeping evil.
- Dice-driven, puzzle-like engine with a strong thematic through-line—your shop’s reps can tip the scales in a war that players collectively navigate.
Comparison games
- Set a Watch
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Crafting — In phase two, players independently select two dice results to spend toward either crafting a new item or researching a spell. Crafting uses the left side of the sheet with material types (leather, wood, steel) that must match the dice results, while researching uses the right side with energy types (elemental, arcane, wild). Both paths feed the shop’s inventory with wares whose final value depends on how well the dice meet the circles and the enchantments applied.
- Circles and item completion — Each item card includes a set of circles that must be filled by meeting die-value requirements. When a row is completed, the item is considered complete and a coin is gained. Completed items can be used to fulfill orders or become powerful engines for earning more coins toward the endgame. The grid-based mechanic creates a spatial, visual puzzle that emphasizes planning and timing.
- Crafting and researching — In phase two, players independently select two dice results to spend toward either crafting a new item or researching a spell. Crafting uses the left side of the sheet with material types (leather, wood, steel) that must match the dice results, while researching uses the right side with energy types (elemental, arcane, wild). Both paths feed the shop’s inventory with wares whose final value depends on how well the dice meet the circles and the enchantments applied.
- Dice Rolling — At the start of each phase, four dice are rolled and the results are recorded in the top-left of a player sheet. These dice outputs form the reservoir of potential resources that players can spend in crafting items or researching spells. The randomness is constrained by a layered economy: some resources appear more frequently, while others are rarer; players must balance risk and reward when committing dice to objectives.
- dice-based resource generation — At the start of each phase, four dice are rolled and the results are recorded in the top-left of a player sheet. These dice outputs form the reservoir of potential resources that players can spend in crafting items or researching spells. The randomness is constrained by a layered economy: some resources appear more frequently, while others are rarer; players must balance risk and reward when committing dice to objectives.
- Enchantments (prefix/suffix) — Enchantments modify items by adding prefixes like Shocking or Everlasting and suffixes like 'of the Elves' or 'of the Dragons'. Some orders demand both a prefix and a suffix enchantment, increasing strategic depth as players decide which enchantments to pursue and how to chain them to maximize profit and meet complex orders.
- Mastery cards and apprentices — During the mastery phase, players check whether they meet the requirements on mastery cards. If a player scores a mastery card, it flips to the apprentice side. Multiple players can score the same mastery card at once, but after the flip, the reward for others is reduced. This mechanic creates scalable competition and encourages early progress for faster rewards.
- Orders and the flow of goods — Orders represent customer requests for magical items. They move around the table in a clockwise fashion and must be fulfilled by a given player who has the matching item and enchantments. As orders are completed, new orders are drawn, adding momentum and a rotating target that prevents stagnation and keeps players constantly reevaluating their strategies.
- Potions as modifiers — Potions are tokens that can alter a die result up or down by one, and they can be spent at opportune moments to alter outcomes. The game grants six extra dice in total, but the first three are cost-free; the remaining three require potions. This creates a tension between immediate gains and long-term resource management as players juggle potions and dice.
- Simultaneous action selection and pacing — Across phases, players make decisions concurrently rather than taking turns. This design choice keeps everyone engaged, maintains momentum, and helps balance outcomes across different player counts. It also emphasizes the puzzle-like nature of the game, where careful planning must coexist with short-term tactical decisions.
- Simultaneous Actions — Across phases, players make decisions concurrently rather than taking turns. This design choice keeps everyone engaged, maintains momentum, and helps balance outcomes across different player counts. It also emphasizes the puzzle-like nature of the game, where careful planning must coexist with short-term tactical decisions.
- Sponsored adventures — Each player has a sponsored adventure card that asks for a specific accessory, weapon, or armor of a certain enchantment type. Completing such an adventure yields bonus rewards, including potions, coins, or immediate actions. These objectives add personal flavor and an extra layer of strategic planning around the main economy.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this is board game brody i hope you enjoyed this video
- remember to sell as much as you can in your magical shop with your family and friends
- the game is totally a surprise to me in a very good way
- the potions are really nice to grab as they help you with those extra rolls or to manipulate the dice up or down
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–8 of 8