BoardGameArchiveHow to Play Potion Explosion: Marbles, Explosions & Potions
Learn Potion Explosion base-game rules: take ingredient marbles, trigger same-color explosions, fill potion recipes, drink completed potions and earn Skill tokens.
Potion Explosion is a marble-combination puzzle. On each turn you remove one ingredient from the dispenser, collect any matching marbles that collide, and
Potion Explosion is a marble-combination puzzle. On each turn you remove one ingredient from the dispenser, collect any matching marbles that collide, and use the ingredients to complete potion recipes.
At a glance
Learn Potion Explosion base-game rules: take ingredient marbles, trigger same-color explosions, fill potion recipes, drink completed potions and earn Skill tokens.
About this guide
Learn Potion Explosion base-game rules: take ingredient marbles, trigger same-color explosions, fill potion recipes, drink completed potions and earn Skill tokens.
What this guide covers
Take one marble from the dispenser
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Matching colors collide and explode
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Place ingredients on your potion recipes
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Complete a potion when every hole is filled
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Scope: Horrible Guild base game only.
Take one marble from the dispenser
Choose any legally accessible ingredient marble and remove it. The marbles above it slide down to fill the gap.
Matching colors collide and explode
If two marbles of the same color collide because of your removal, collect all connected marbles of that color. The new gap can create another same-color collision, producing a chain reaction.
Place ingredients on your potion recipes
Put collected marbles into matching ingredient holes on your incomplete Potion tiles. Ingredients you cannot or do not place can be stored only within the limits of your ingredient pool.
Complete a potion when every hole is filled
Once all required ingredients are present, return the marbles to the dispenser, flip or move the Potion to your completed area and keep its printed victory-point value.
Drink completed potions for one-time powers
A completed Potion can later be used for its special effect. Drinking it does not remove its victory points; rotate/mark it as used according to the rules.
Skill tokens reward potion variety or specialization
Completing three Potions with the same power or five Potions with five different powers earns a Skill token. Each Skill token is worth 4 points and helps trigger the endgame.
Endgame
When the Skill-token supply for the player count is exhausted, or another official end trigger occurs, finish the prescribed final play and total Potion points, Skill tokens and any penalties.
Publisher reference: Horrible Guild base-game rules. Checked September 21, 2026.