# The Quacks of Quedlinburg: The Alchemists

The Quacks of Quedlinburg: The Alchemists is a board game for 2–5 players. It plays in 45 minutes and is meant for ages 10 and up. Ludoya players call it best with 4. It is rated 8.2 out of 10 by 10 Ludoya reviewers. The cheapest copy in stock is $35.99 (United States).

- **Players:** 2–5 (best with 4)
- **Playing time:** 45 minutes
- **Minimum age:** 10+
- **Complexity:** 2.3 out of 5
- **Year published:** 2020
- **Categories:** Expansion for Base-game, Medieval
- **Mechanics:** Push Your Luck, Deck, Bag, and Pool Building
- **Ludoya rating:** 8.2 out of 10, from 10 reviews
- **Owned by:** 94 Ludoya players
- **Plays logged on Ludoya:** 14
- **Unique players:** 25

**Designers:** Wolfgang Warsch

**Artists:** Oliver Schlemmer

**Publishers:** Schmidt Spiele

## Where to buy in United States

| Shop | Price | Link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cardhaus Games | 35.99 $ | https://www.cardhaus.com/the-quacks-of-quedlinburg-the-alchemist/ |
| 401 Games | 24.95 $ | https://store.401games.ca/products/the-quacks-of-quedlinburg-the-alchemists |
| Pelipeikko | 19.95 € | https://pelipeikko.fi/fi/lautapelit/1574-the-quacks-of-quedlinburg-the-alchemists |
| Spelexperten | 229 kr | https://www.spelexperten.com/sallskapsspel/expansioner/the-quacks-of-quedlinburg-the-alchemists-exp.html |
| Zatu Games | 18.15 £ | https://zatu.com/products/the-quacks-of-quedlinburg-the-alchemists-expansion |
| Ludifolie | 21.9 € | https://www.ludifolie.com/10658-les-charlatans-de-belcastel-les-alchimistes.html |
| Alphaspel | 249 kr | https://alphaspel.se/491-bradspel/139833-the-quacks-of-quedlinburg-the-alchemists |
| Gamers@Hart | 19 £ | https://gamersathart.co.uk/product/the-quacks-of-quedlinburg-alchemists-exp/ |
| Spilforsyningen | 169.95 kr | https://spilforsyningen.dk/products/the-quacks-of-quedlinburg-the-alchemists-exp-eng |
| Philibert | 22.9 € | https://philibertnet.com/fr/schmidt-spiele/94379-les-charlatans-de-belcastel-les-alchimistes-4001504883096.html |
| Fantasiapelit | 24.6 € | https://www.fantasiapelit.com/index.php?main=ai&kat=single&mista=indeksi&etsittava=_210274 |
| Dragons Lair | 299 kr | https://dragonslair.se/products/quacks-of-quedlinburg-the-alchemists |
| GryPlanszowe.pl | 119 zł | https://gryplanszowe.pl/product-pol-7679-Szarlatani-z-Pasikurowic-Znachorzy.html |
| Nexus | 4195 kr | https://nexus.is/vara/quacks-of-quedlinburg-the-alchemist-vidbot/ |
| Dungeon Marvels | 31.5 € | https://dungeonmarvels.com/pocimas-y-brebajes-alquimistas-devir-500-76338.html |

## Rules questions

### When exactly do we perform the new Essence Phase?

All players perform it simultaneously after everyone finishes the Preparation Phase, but before scoring, whether or not their cauldron exploded. In the ninth round, perform the final Essence Phase, but score 1 point per space advanced instead of receiving the normal bonuses, rat tails, or points (p. 3).

### How do I calculate how far my essence marker moves?

Start at 0, then advance once for each different non-white ingredient color in your cauldron. Add 1 space if your white chips total exactly 7, plus 1 space for each adjacent player whose cauldron exploded; in a two-player game, this neighbor bonus is limited to 1 space (p. 3).

### Do I have to use the highest essence space I can reach?

No. You may deliberately choose a lower space before taking its bonus, which can be useful when a patient bonus or special action is more valuable than reaching farther (p. 3).

### Can I use my patient’s special ability immediately during this round?

Usually not: for Nervousness, the special action is used during the next Preparation Phase, while Carrot Nose, Wing Ears, Witch’s Hump, and Forgetfulness likewise become usable in the following round. Chicken Eyes is an exception because its listed bonus is received immediately after the Essence Phase (pp. 4–5).

### Can several players choose the same patient, and what happens to the patients not chosen?

Yes, several players may choose the same patient. Draw 3 of the 8 patient markers, place their matching charts face up, and return the other 5 charts and all markers to the box; each player then chooses one of the 3 available patients (p. 2).

### Do white chips count when determining the number of ingredient colors?

No. White chips are excluded when counting different ingredient colors for the essence marker, although they are checked separately for the exact-total-of-7 bonus (p. 3).

## Links

- [This page](https://www.ludoya.com/games/the-quacks-of-quedlinburg-the-alchemists)
- [The Quacks of Quedlinburg: The Alchemists in the Ludoya app](https://app.ludoya.com/g/the-quacks-of-quedlinburg-the-alchemists)
- [BoardGameGeek entry](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/316597)

_Data from Ludoya, updated 2026-09-24. Ratings, ownership and play counts are Ludoya's own._