- Publisher(s) : Ravensburger
- Designer(s) : Daniel Greiner
- Artist(s) : Justin Chan, Matt Paquette & Co.
- Players : 1–4
- Playing time : 45 Min
- Weight BGG : 1.89
What's this?
Mycelia is a family deckbuilding game , where each player tries to clear their board of dewdrops using cards representing spirits and heroes of the forest.
How do you play?
Mycelia is a deckbuilding game with a very clear racing objective . Each player has a personal board representing their forest, which they must clear of the dewdrops that clutter it.
The Heart of the Tour: Playing Your 3 Cards
Each player starts with a modest basic deck. On your turn, you systematically draw and play the 3 cards in your hand . These cards have a dual effect:
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Generate Leaves: This resource is the game’s currency. It is used to buy new, more powerful Hero cards to improve your deck.
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Activating Movement Effects: This is the heart of the game. The cards give you actions (move a drop N spaces, clear a column, etc.) that allow you to advance the dewdrops on your personal board to the Sanctuary of Life space . A drop that reaches this space is removed from your board.
Improving Your Deck: A Fast Engine
One of Mycelia ‘s most appreciated features is the way you can improve your deck:
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With the collected Leaves , you buy cards from among the five visible Hero cards (the river ).
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Crucially, the purchased card is placed immediately on top of your draw pile (not in your discard pile). This means you’ll have access to your powerful new card on your next turn, significantly speeding up combo setup and the pace of the game.
The Race and the Counter-Pressure of the Sanctuary
What transforms Mycelia into a true race is the role of the central Sanctuary of Life :
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All dewdrops removed from the players’ boards are placed on the Sanctuary.
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As soon as the Sanctuary is filled with a certain number of drops (varying depending on the number of players), a special action is triggered: a die is rolled again, and new drops of dew reappear on the players’ boards, sometimes even on the area you just cleaned!
It is this back-and-forth mechanism that maintains the tension: you must constantly optimize the cleaning of your forest while knowing that your efforts can be partially undone at any moment.
The first player to remove all their dewdrops from their board wins the game.
Is it good?
Mycelia successfully offers an ideal entry point to deckbuilding while adding a unique racing element. The card mechanic that helps you clear your board, combined with the central Sanctuary that regularly provides you with new drops, creates constant tension. The Sanctuary’s wheel, while somewhat gimmicky in its practical use, adds a playful and fun element.
The rule that requires purchased cards to be placed on top of the draw pile is an excellent choice: it speeds up the pace, makes the power increase smoother, and allows combos to be set up more quickly than in many classic deckbuilding games.
However, the game isn’t without its flaws. While the droplet movement mechanic is original, it can make some turns a bit repetitive when playing multiple games in a row. As for experienced deck-building players, they might find the experience somewhat linear or too simple in its base version.
Mycelia remains a family-friendly deckbuilding game that stands out by blending deck construction, a frantic race to clear the board, and a simple space puzzle. It’s ideal for introducing new players to the genre, although it might seem too simple for experienced gamers.
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Mycelia review
Positives
- Family-friendly and accessible deckbuilding
- Racing and pressure mechanics
- An original mix between cards and a drip puzzle
- Fast and smooth laps
Negatives
- Less in-depth than expert deckbuilding
- The river can create frustrating randomness.
- Some parts can become a little repetitive.
