Mage Noir (2022)

About this game

Mage Noir is a strategy card game. In this dueling, deck-building game, players become true Mages and fight each other with the power of the elements. The game is focused on crafting spells and is packed with fireballs, crashing waves, devastating tornadoes and powerful magical abilities, all held in the palm of your hand. In Mage Noir, you’ll combine lesser spells to create stronger ones. The spell crafting system is simple, logical and very thematic. Will you cast your spells for immediate effects or risk saving them to combine into a game-winning combo? Mana is shared at the center of the table, every action you take will change this amount, and you’ll get to claim some of it at the beginning of your turn. But the rest may end up with your opponent, so plan accordingly. The separation of Mana from your deck also means no more failing to draw what you need to cast your spells! In Mage Noir, both players start with 20 Health Points (HP) . You achieve victory if you reduce your opponent’s total Health Points to zero . Additionally, if a player has to draw a card but does not have a deck to draw from, they lose the game . —description from the designer

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Strictly 2 players — no more, no fewer.
• Rules load. At 2.8/5 this is a mid-weight game — expect a proper rules explanation before you start.
• Age. The publisher suggests 14 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.