If you can think of a theme, there’s probably a board game for it. In this case, magical schools! I got to try Clash of Magic Schools from Iello Games and pulled together a list of five of our favorite games set in magical schools.
Not included, games related to that one franchise. Nope.
Mythic Mischief
With three expansions, and a second version that was Kickstarted last year, IV Studio’s abstract strategy game is packed with colorful factions and characters. You play as a faction of the Mythic Manor high school students competing to get as many of the other students caught by the Tomekeeper, without getting caught yourself. None of the factions are the same so moving enemies, walls, special actions, and after lunch (hah) activities are all unique, making it fun to replay over and over again.
The board is constantly evolving during play and players can upgrade their abilities by collecting Tomes from around the library, which can help to score 10 Mischief Points first or get the most points when the Tomekeeper finishes returning all the books after lunch. There’s also a solo mode where you work to stop the Enchanted from stealing the Tomes, but you can’t get caught yourself since you’re in detention. A great time, if you win!
MSRP: $59
Clash of Magic Schools
A remake/re-envisioning of beloved Babel, Clash of Magic Schools by IELLO Games sees players serve as the directors of two schools of magic and compete against one another by sending their students to win a series of dangerous Trials in different arenas. Well. I’m sure the students knew this when they signed up to attend Blancgriffon and Dragombre. (I love dragons, I clearly had to play as the dragon school.) Fight against each other and try to win 15 trials before the other person by moving, assigning students, passing the trials, summoning students, and casting spells.
Here, students representing the earth, water, air, fire, and darkness elements replace the different nations. Students can be stolen, discarded, and all trial cards can be removed from an opponent’s arena and made the top of the trial card deck. The art in this game is gorgeous (can we have some background stories, because I have questions about the darkness element) and if you loved Babel, you’ll love this too.
MSRP: $24.99
Miskatonic University: The Restricted Collection
We like this game so much, it’s now going on a second list. From Chaosium Inc., this game is all about pushing your luck and set in Miskatonic U within the world of Chaosium’s Call of Cthulhu TTRPG. Players are all faculty (of things like metaphysical pharmacology) trying to become the Head of the Library Committee (woof, chairship wasn’t enough?) by gathering sigils and grimoires. Do enough of that and you might even beat the eldritch monster living in the library. You can even sacrifice wandering graduate students (dang what did they ever do to you) and importantly for players of the TTRPG, pieces can be used in the CoC game too!
Oh and the box for the game looks like a book!!! What’s not to love? Though of the magical schools available, I would not attend this one…
MSRP: $24.99
Studies in Sorcery
This game, which Dan previewed during the Kickstarter, is from Weird Giraffe Games and challenges players to complete projects in Alchemy, Reanimation, and their thesis statement so that they can graduate from the Academy of the Dark Arts. Okay I promise I wasn’t planning to set this list up to focus on each level of education from high school all the way to grad school, but look, I just graduated in May with my own Ph.D, so clearly grad school was on the mind and it all worked out.
What’s cool about Studies is that each field of study is different, requiring different skills so there’s an added level of challenge to the game. Players choose to scavenge for ingredients or to get more projects to work on, and at the end of each round, commit their ingredients to projects to hopefully finish one. Once four semesters have passed, the game ends with players scoring to see who won. I think I would have enjoyed a Ph.D in alchemy…
MSRP: $12.94
Images courtesy of their respective owners and review copy courtesy of IELLO Games
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