Which Expansion

The Quacks of Quedlinburg expansions

Base game: 2–4 players45 minCMYK (US; Schmidt Spiele original)2 expansions checked
  1. #1 overall

    The Herb Witches

    Buy this first

    BGG threads pick it first: fifth player, books and Locoweed, barely more complexity. r/boardgames calls it a must-have; won 2019 Diamond Climber. Standalone copies out of print in the US.

    Needs: Just the base game

    Adds: A black fifth-player kit, 12 Herb Witch cards with one-time coin powers, the Locoweed ingredient and 8 new ingredient books.

    Fixes: Lets a fifth player join, gives catch-up swings through witch powers and adds ingredient-book variety.

    More players2–5 playersAbout the same rules loadBest for casual groupsPrice: $20–$40
    DetailsBuy:CMYK
  2. #2 overall

    The Alchemists

    Depends on your group

    Opinion splits: adds asymmetry, but many say it bloats a light game (more steps, higher scores, more table space) and prefer Witches first. Meeple Mountain calls it largely empty calories.

    Needs: Needs the base Quacks of Quedlinburg game; can be played with the base alone or combined with The Herb Witches. Does not add a fifth-player kit, so five players need The Herb Witches or All-In.

    Adds: Five alchemist flask boards with an essence track, 8 patient cards and markers, 20 essence cards, 20 new Fortune Teller cards, 2 ingredient books and 70 chips (cherry bombs and Locoweed).

    Fixes: Adds an Essence phase each round with asymmetric patient goals and extra Fortune Teller variety.

    Expansion2–5 playersAdds more rulesFine for any groupPrice: $20–$40
    DetailsBuy:AmazonCMYK

Need the base game?

Buy:AmazonCMYK

Stuck between two?

The Quacks of Quedlinburg expansions: quick answers

Which The Quacks of Quedlinburg expansion should I buy first?

The Herb Witches. BGG 'Which Expansion to Get?' (2022) replies mostly pick Witches first for the fifth player plus books/Locoweed/6-pumpkin and say it barely adds complexity; a 2021 BGG thread says its books and overflow bowls end up in every game; r/boardgames posters call it a must-have. Meeple Mountain also rates it the deeper of the two and it won the 2019 Diamond Climber for best expansion. Caveat: standalone copies are now out of print in the US.

Is The Herb Witches worth it?

Our verdict: buy this first. It adds: A black fifth-player kit (pot board, bag, flask, rat stone, scoring marker), 12 Herb Witch cards with three one-time coin powers per player, the Locoweed ingredient, 8 new ingredient books, a 6-point pumpkin chip and overflow bowls.

Can I play The Quacks of Quedlinburg with more players?

The Herb Witches extends it to 5 players. Our verdict: buy this first.

The Herb Witches or The Alchemists: which first?

We’d buy The Herb Witches first. See the side-by-side comparison for what each adds and needs.

Other games’ expansion guides

Rankings are our editorial picks, built from the reviews linked on each expansion page. Last checked 2026-10-08.