Aprendices de Druida (2021)

About this game

In Aprendices de Druida, players take on the roles of young apprentices in a village where an old druid is searching for a worthy successor. To achieve this, the druid has decided to test their knowledge of medicinal plants by simulating an illness throughout the village. The apprentice who demonstrates the greatest skill in healing both the sick villagers and the druid himself will be chosen to take on this prestigious role. The core mechanic revolves around the strategic use of cards, where players must use the correct plants to heal villagers based on their specific ailments. Additionally, the game encourages intense player interaction through the "Druid’s Orders" cards, which allow for special actions such as stealing cards, swapping villagers, or even sabotaging other players' progress. The gameplay is dynamic, with turns offering multiple possibilities: from healing your own villagers to disrupting your rivals’ strategies. Only after healing all your villagers can you attempt to heal the druid, using two specific plants that match his ailments. The ultimate goal is to be the first to heal the druid, but achieving victory requires balancing careful planning with the ability to adapt to your opponents’ actions in this exciting card and strategy game. —description from the designer

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 2 to 6.
• Rules load. At 1.5/5 this is a light game — explain it in a few minutes, good for a table that has not played much.
• Age. The publisher suggests 6 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.