Terra Mystica expansions
Terra Mystica: Fire & Ice vs Terra Mystica: Merchants of the Seas
| Question | Terra Mystica: Fire & Ice | Terra Mystica: Merchants of the Seas |
|---|---|---|
| Our label | Buy this first | Worth it |
| Buy order | #1 for Terra Mystica | #2 for Terra Mystica |
| What it adds | Six new factions (Ice Maidens, Yetis, Acolytes, Dragonlords, Shapeshifters, Riverwalkers), a new world map and a variant of the base map, four new final-scoring tiles, a turn-order track (turn order follows the order players passed) and an optional auction for factions. | Ships and a new Shipyard building with twenty faction-board extensions, trading ships that give VP and resources (and power to the receiver), ships that can dig and build dwellings, 12 new round-scoring tiles, four ship-related Favor tiles, three new bonus tiles, three additional power actions, two new town tiles and two new maps (Lakes and Fjords). |
| What it fixes | Fixes some base-game balance issues: a Karma Games reviewer says the new map and the faction auction reduce the old strong-faction problem, and the final-scoring tiles make where you build matter more. | Adds an extra tactical movement layer and more interaction; the designer says it improves the 2-player game because ship trading forces interaction. It also carries the official updated starting-VP balance list. |
| Type | Expansion | Expansion |
| Players | 2–5 players | 2–5 players |
| Rules load | About the same rules load | Adds more rules |
| Best for | Best for experienced groups | Best for experienced groups |
| What you need | Just the base game | Just the base game |
| Price guide | $20–$40 | $20–$40 |
| More | Terra Mystica: Fire & Ice details | Terra Mystica: Merchants of the Seas details |