Post by zipp on Mar 30, 2008 17:32:30 GMT -5
I said it would happen eventually. I've finally gone back and begun the redesign of the old Lone Wolf Quests game that we came up with a long time ago, on the old forums.
I'll post beta rules later today. For now, I'll say it's based on the ideas of the Quest game, but made somewhat simpler so that's it's easier to (1) playtest and (2) play.
I'm moving full steam on this, my goal would be to have rules for playtesting ready by the end of the week, at the latest, and begin beta card production by the end of April, at the latest. We'll see if I can stick to this as things progress, but I'd really like to finish this game for the TOTS community.
Of course, some of the faces from TOTS will find their way into the cards...
Lone Wolf: Ages of Magnamund
Introduction
Lone Wolf: Ages of Magnamund is a game for two or more people. In it, you play as one of the many gods who vie for control over Magnamund. As one of these gods, you use the denizens of Magnamund as tools, leading them into battle against your opponents. By wisely deploying the creatures under your control, you will attempt to complete a quest for power, all the while hindering your opponent's attempts to complete their own quests.
What's Needed
The game is best played on a flat surface with plenty of room. To play, each player must have a deck of LW:AoM cards. These decks come prebuilt, though subsequent editions will include rules for building your own decks. A combat results chart and action chart will also be needed. All of these materials are included with every purchased deck of LW:AoM.
Also helpful, but not included, are a d10 (commonly referred to as a ten sided die), a pencil, and counters for keeping track of gold and other things.
The Playing Area
The game can be spread out on the table in whatever manner best suits the players. Most cards will be played to locations, so a lot of room should be made for these cards. Play will always proceed to the left.
Listed below are areas that will be referred to in the rules.
Beltpouch
Whenever the game requires you to pay for something, you do it with the gold in your beltpouch. It is recommended that you keep track of your gold with counters like pennies or small stones. The beltpouch is best placed near you, where it is easily accessed.
Backpack
This is where you keep your items that you've played from your hand, but have not yet used on your units. Your backpack can hold a maximum of eight items.
Main Deck
This is the deck players will draw their hand from. It consists of character, item, and structure cards. Each player has their own deck.
Location Deck
This is the deck of locations that will appear as the game progresses. This deck is made up of locations added by all players and is drawn from communally at the beginning of each player's turn.
Quest Deck
This deck contains the quest goals for each player, chosen before the game begins. Each player has their own quest deck. Their current goal should be placed either face up on top of the deck, or somewhere else where all the players can see it.
Discard Pile
Usually when a card leaves play, whether because it has been used up (like an item) or killed (in the case of a character), it enters the discard pile. Cards in the discard pile will eventually be shuffled back into the main deck.
The Cards
There are five types of cards in LW:AoM. The first two types are kept separate from the rest of the deck, while the last three are shuffled together to make the playing deck. They are described below:
Quest Cards
Quest Cards describe the goals of your game. By meeting the requirements on each card, you will progress further towards your main goal and victory. Quests often describe historic events in Magnamund's timeline, such as the building of Helgedad, the retrieval of the Sommerswerd, or the capture of the Moonstone.
Quest Cards are kept separate from the other cards, and are not played but collected as the game progresses. Only by collecting the final quest card can you win the game.
Quest cards are almost purely made up of text. This text describes what must be done in order to collect the quest card and gives any special affect the card might have on gameplay. At the top of the card is a (1) name and number. This says what general quest the card is a part of, and the order the quest cards come into play, from lowest to highest, ending with the final quest. A set of quest cards forms a Quest Deck.
When a Quest Card's requirements are met, it is removed from play and the next Quest Card in order is revealed.
If a Quest Card has a lower case letter after its number, it means that more than one quest card will be in play at the same time. Quest cards sharing the same number are always played together and always removed together. These quests will most likely be additional optional quests the player can try to complete, usually in order to gain a powerful card.
The first card in a Quest Deck is labeled "0" and has setup instructions that are used at the beginning of the game, as well as the story of the quest.
Locations
Location cards represent places in Magnamund that you will try to control. By controlling more locations, you will gain more gold each turn and increase your total number of characters and hand limits. For every location you control, your hand limit increases by one, and you draw one extra card each turn. Locations are often used to achieve the requirements of quest cards. Furthermore, a player without any locations risks the possibility of instantly losing the game (see Ending the Game).
Like quest cards, locations are kept separate from the rest of the deck and are compiled before a game begins. Location cards are always considered to be unique, so that the same location can never appear twice in one game.
Location cards are mostly taken up by (1) a picture which has no effect on gameplay. The discolored box below this contains (2) location text which describes any special affect the location has on characters occupying or attacking it.
The number in the lower right corner is the (3) army limit. This is how much the card increases the capacity of your army (your total number of characters).
Finally, the number in the top right corner is the (4) income. This is how much gold you gain each turn that you control the location (see Location Status).
Character Cards
Character cards are the most commonly used card in the game, and make up the majority of a deck. These cards represent the people and creatures under your control. They are the tools with which you will take over locations and complete your quest goals. They will also serve as your defense against your opponent's armies. Characters are always played to locations.
Character cards have several stats listed on the cards, as described below.
In the top left corner is the (1) name of the character. Except for legendary cards this will be a species or class name.
In the top right corner is the (2) card price. This is how much gold it takes to put the card into play and move them around locations. Note that this is a minimum and not a maximum. As described later, players can try and bluff their opponents by paying more for a card than what it is worth. Also, depending on the situation, movement can cost more than a card's initial price.
Below this is a (3) heraldry. This coat of arms is a decorative mark of the character's origins, and does not affect gameplay. Likewise, the (4) picture is only a representation of the character.
Below the picture is the (5) class and (6) alignment. Sometimes class an effect on what cards can be played. Alignment affects which cards can be in your deck and occasionally which quests you can undertake. Usually, only characters of the same alignment can fight together.
Below these stats is a large discolored box with text in it. This (7) ability text will tell you what abilities, if any, the character has and how to use them. Below this is (8) story text which is irrelevant to gameplay.
Finally, in the lower right corner are (9) CS/EP scores. These represent the fighting capabilities of the character and are used in combat. CS refers to Combat Skill, while EP refers to Endurance Points.
The red number on the lower left corner is (10) the ante number. This number is only used if you are playing an ante game (see Additional Rules).
Item cards
The next most common cards after character cards are item cards. These represent anything from potions to weapons, from powerful enchantments to deadly poisons. Item cards are played to your backpack, and from there to units or locations.
Some items, like weapons, stay in play for a long time. Others, like potions, are used once and then discarded. When they are played differs as well, some being played at the beginning of the turn, and others interrupting actions like combat to heal or damage units. The card will say exactly how they are used.
Item cards are set up much like character cards, only they lack the majority of the stats. They will have a name, picture, text describing their affect, and a price.
Structures
Structures represent strongholds and fortresses that you can build to further protect your locations. Structures are the least common cards in a deck and the most expensive to play. However, once on the field they are a huge deterent to enemy forces. At the same time, they must be guarded carefully, for if a structure is overcome, it can be taken over by opponents and used against you!
Structures are composed mostly of a (2) picture and, below that, (3) structure text describing what affect the structure has on gameplay. This could be anything from increasing your defense of that location to a general increase of the stats of certain kinds of units.
The numbers in the top right corner are (4) the price of the structure and (5) construction time, which is how many turns it will take for the structure to enter play.
Legendary Cards
Legendary cards represent items, structures, and characters that are unique in the world of Magnamund. Unlike a group of giaks or a simple guard tower which can be found anywhere, legendary cards have no equal in the world. They may be fabled warriors like Lone Wolf or famous structures like Helgedad. Even some items, like the lost Moonstone or the Sommerswerd, are legendary.
Legendary cards are easily recognizable by their striking gold background. In most ways, they operate exactly like their normal counterparts, with the exception that only one of each legendary card can be played in a single game. If you draw a legendary card into your hand that has already been played, it must immediately be discarded and you draw again. When discarding legendary cards, they are removed from play completely instead of going into the discard pile.
Sometimes quest cards will put into play legendary locations, items, or structures. If a card can only be put into play by a quest card, it will say so on the card. These cards are kept seperate from the Main Deck.
Setting Up
Step 1: players choose alignment
Each deck consists of a majority of cards belonging to one of two alignments, either good or evil. Good cards can never be in the same deck as Evil cards, and vice versa. Cards of the third alignment (the Neutral alignment) have no such restrictions and can be found in either deck. Similarly, cards without alignment, such as most items and structures, can be with any alignment.
Players must choose which alignment they will play as, and pick their deck accordingly. Note that players do not have to be of opposite alignements to fight each other. Magnamund is not a unified world. Even admist gods of the same alignment there exists conflict.
Step 2: build the location deck
Each player chooses 12 location cards. These cards are then shuffled together to make the location deck. This deck is then placed in the center of the table to become the location deck. Any extra locations are removed from play.
Step 3: players choose their Quest Deck
Each player picks out a quest deck for themselves and follows the set up instructions. These instructions will tell them to put a location into play and to put specific character cards into play at that location. When this is complete, Quest card "1" is put into play where all players can see it. Quest decks not used are removed from play.
Sometimes setup instructions will also put into play additional locations or cards that will have a bearing on that particular quest.
Also, remember that some quests can only be played by certain alignments
Step 4: beltpouch
Each player rolls a d10. This is the amount of gold they begin with in their beltpouch. A "0" counts as a 10.
Step 4: creating the hand
Players shuffle the remainder of their decks and each draws a hand of three. They then choose someone to go first, and proceed onto the Draw Phase.
Game Order and Play
Each turn consists of five phases. The first four are taken by each player in turn, so that after one player has completed all four, the player to his left plays them all. When all players have completed the Discard Phase the End of Turn Phase occurs.
DRAW PHASE
Step 1: Draw Cards
The current player draws one card for each friendly location (locations they control). If the deck runs out of cards, the discard pile is shuffled to make a new deck.
Location status:
A location is controlled by a player if it only has his characters on it, while a location with no characters on it is uncontrolled. A location with more than one player's forces on it is contested (and controlled by no one). IMPORTANT: Locations do not change their status until the end of the combat phase.
Step 2: Gain Income
The current player receives an amount of gold equal to the total income rating of their friendly locations. Some other cards also give income, that is received now as well. Gold is placed in the belt pouch.
If any card effects require an upkeep, it is paid for now.
Step 3: Reveal Location
The current player draws the top card of the location deck and places it in the game area. This new location is now considered in play and uncontrolled. If the location deck is empty, then no card is drawn.
DEPLOYMENT PHASE
Step 1: move items
The current player can now move items from his backpack to face up character cards or vice versa, following the rules as they are stated on the card. They can also discard unwanted cards from the backpack. Note that only cards already in the backpack can be used at this time.
When a card moves out of the backpack to a character card, it is flipped face up and the price of the card is immediately paid. Cards returning to the backpack are kept face up. If the card is already face up, it does not need to be paid for again when moving to a character.
Note that not all items can be used during this phase. The card will say when the item is to be used and paid for. Items that are used at this time cannot be played to contested locations.
A character can usually have any number of items equipped to them. The exception is weapons. Only two weapons may be on a single character at one time.
Step 2: prepare items
The current player can now play item cards from their hand to their backpack, keeping in mind the 8 item limit. A player can discard a card already in the backpack to make room for a new one. Alternatively, a player can pay the full cost on a face up card to return it to his hand. A player may wish to do this in order to protect an item from item destroying abilities, or in order to play the card later face down, making its presence a secret again.
Cards played to the backpack at this time are played face down and are not paid for.
Step 3: play structures
The current player can now play any structures from his hand to a friendly location. Structures can only be played to friendly locations and come into play face down.
At this point, the current player has to put an amount of gold on the card that is AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE PRICE OF THE CARD. Note that the player can place more gold than the card is worth. Because their opponent won't know what the card actually is, placing more gold may make them overestimate the card and make attempts to take it that hurt them financially and strategically. Note too, though, that any gold on the card is out of the beltpouch, and cannot be used to pay for other cards.
Structures take an amount of turns to build equal to their construction time value. The status of structures does not change until the End of Turn Phase.
Structures are at their weakest while they are being built, and locations with construction on them should be well defended against enemy invasion, at the risk of losing the structure. When an opponent takes a Structure they can raze it or keep it for their own (See End of Turn phase).
Step 4: Play Characters
The current player can now play character cards. Character cards are always played to locations. How they are played depends on the status of the location.
If the location is friendly (that is, if the characters on that location are all his), then he simply pays the cost of the unit and places it at that location, face up. The unit is now attached to that location.
If the location is uncontrolled, controlled by another player, or contested, then the character is placed face down on the location. At this point, the current player has to put an amount of gold on the card that is AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE PRICE OF THE CARD. Note that the player can place more gold than the card is worth. Because their opponent won't know what the card actually is, placing more gold may make them overestimate the card and build up their defenses needlessly. Since redeploying units is expensive, bluffing can force your opponents into weaker positions, both financially and strategically. Note too, though, that any gold on the card is out of the beltpouch, and cannot be used to pay for other cards.
Remember that you can never have more characters in play than your maximum army capacity (decided by the locations you control). However, any number of characters can be on a single location at one time.
Any time a player places a character on a controlled or contested location, the other players at that location may play character cards of their own at that location, as detailed above. They do this after the player announces he is done placing characters.
This step repeats until one side declines to play more characters.
Step 5: Move characters
The current player may now move any face up characters he controls between locations. However, this is not free. To move a character into an uncontrolled or friendly location costs an amount of gold equal to the price of the character. To move a character into a contested location or a location controlled by another player costs twice the price of the character.
Players can choose to abandon a location by moving all of their units out of that location at once and into a friendly location. In this case, they only pay the cost of the highest priced character in that location.
If a character moves into a contested location or one controlled by another player, the other players at that location may respond by moving character cards of their own into that location. If they choose to move character cards, they should remember that locations do not change their status until the end of the combat phase, so if one of their locations was just attacked it is still considered under their control. In addition to moving characters into the locations, they also have the option to abandon the location (essentially a retreat).
Unlike step 4, this step does not repeat, but is completed after the opposition either moves their characters or declines to do so.
COMBAT PHASE
Step 1: reveal and payment
At locations where the current player has charatcers, all face down character cards are revealed and the amount of gold on them is paid by their owner. Note that all the gold placed on them is removed from play, even if the amount exceeds the price of the card. This is called "revealing a location."
Locations with more than one player's forces on it must be revealed, while locations with only the current player's forces on it may remained unrevealed. Also, locations with only the current player's forces on it may reveal some of the units, leaving others face down and unpaid for. This option allows players an extra degree of strategy in assigning their units to locations. By leaving some units secret, opponents will not have as good an idea of how to attack the location.
When a unit is revealed, the controlling player may immediately move an item from their backpack to the character, following the normal rules for doing so.
Step 2: battle
If the current player has characters in contested locations or locations controlled by other players, they now engage in combat with opponent's forces. The current player becomes the attacker, while any player he attacks is a defender.
The attacker chooses one of his characters and picks one of the defender's characters to target. He does this until either all the defender's units are targeted or until he has no more attacking units left. If more than two players are at a single location, the attacker can choose forces from either or both players.
IMPORTANT: a character can only target one other character, and once targeted, a defending unit cannot be targeted again this phase. Battles are one on one. A slight exception to this is units with the grouping ability (see Abilities).
Once targets are assigned, combat ensues in the following manner.
1) Add any extra points gained through abilities or items to each character’s current combat skill (CS).
2) Subtract the CS of the defender from the CS of the attacker. The result is the Combat Ratio.
For instance, a Kai Lord with CS 15 attacks a Winged Devil with CS 20. The Kai Lord has a shield, so he adds 2 points to his CS, giving a total CS of 17. He now subtracts the Winged Devil's CS from his own, giving a Combat Ratio of -3 (17 - 20 = -3).
3) When you have your Combat Ratio, the attacker rolls a d10. A "10" on the die counts as a "0."
4) Look at the Combat Results Table. Along the top of the chart are shown the Combat Ratio numbers. Find the number that is the same as your Combat Ratio and cross-reference it with the random number that you have picked (the random numbers appear on the side of the chart). You now have the number of Endurance Points (EP) lost by both characters in this round of combat. ("A" represents points lost by the attacking character; "D" represents points lost by the defending character). A "K" means that the character is instantly killed.
For instance, the Combat Ratio between the Kai Lord and the Winged Devil has been established as -3. If the number taken from the Random Number Table is a 6, then the result of the first round of combat is:
The Kai Lord loses 5 ENDURANCE points
The Winged Devil loses 6 ENDURANCE points
5) Using the action chart, keep track of the characters' EP. Continue combat until one or both characters are dead. Since damage is dealt simultaneously, it is possible both characters will be killed. Characters that are killed are placed in the discard pile.
Any characters still alive after combat are healed of all damage.
Continue this process for each set of matched characters. When this is complete, move on to step 3.
Items that can played during combat are played from the backpack and cost their full price.
When battle has occured at all the appropriate locations, step 3 occurs.
Step 3: update location status
At this point, locations will either have one player's forces on it, or the forces of multiple players. In the latter case, the location becomes contested. In the case of the former, control of the location goes to the player whose forces are there. Any location without units on it becomes uncontrolled.
A location does not come under the control of a player unless he has at least one face up unit on it. It is possible to control a location where you have both face up and face down characters.
DISCARD PHASE
Players must now discard so that they meet their hand limit. They may also discard any number of extra cards from their hand.
If a player with no locations under their control does not play a character card on their turn, they are taken out of the game. This occurs during this phase.
At this point, if every player has completed the discard phase, the game moves on to the End of Turn phase. Otherwise, play moves to the left, and begins again with that player's Draw phase.
I'll post beta rules later today. For now, I'll say it's based on the ideas of the Quest game, but made somewhat simpler so that's it's easier to (1) playtest and (2) play.
I'm moving full steam on this, my goal would be to have rules for playtesting ready by the end of the week, at the latest, and begin beta card production by the end of April, at the latest. We'll see if I can stick to this as things progress, but I'd really like to finish this game for the TOTS community.
Of course, some of the faces from TOTS will find their way into the cards...
Lone Wolf: Ages of Magnamund
Introduction
Lone Wolf: Ages of Magnamund is a game for two or more people. In it, you play as one of the many gods who vie for control over Magnamund. As one of these gods, you use the denizens of Magnamund as tools, leading them into battle against your opponents. By wisely deploying the creatures under your control, you will attempt to complete a quest for power, all the while hindering your opponent's attempts to complete their own quests.
What's Needed
The game is best played on a flat surface with plenty of room. To play, each player must have a deck of LW:AoM cards. These decks come prebuilt, though subsequent editions will include rules for building your own decks. A combat results chart and action chart will also be needed. All of these materials are included with every purchased deck of LW:AoM.
Also helpful, but not included, are a d10 (commonly referred to as a ten sided die), a pencil, and counters for keeping track of gold and other things.
The Playing Area
The game can be spread out on the table in whatever manner best suits the players. Most cards will be played to locations, so a lot of room should be made for these cards. Play will always proceed to the left.
Listed below are areas that will be referred to in the rules.
Beltpouch
Whenever the game requires you to pay for something, you do it with the gold in your beltpouch. It is recommended that you keep track of your gold with counters like pennies or small stones. The beltpouch is best placed near you, where it is easily accessed.
Backpack
This is where you keep your items that you've played from your hand, but have not yet used on your units. Your backpack can hold a maximum of eight items.
Main Deck
This is the deck players will draw their hand from. It consists of character, item, and structure cards. Each player has their own deck.
Location Deck
This is the deck of locations that will appear as the game progresses. This deck is made up of locations added by all players and is drawn from communally at the beginning of each player's turn.
Quest Deck
This deck contains the quest goals for each player, chosen before the game begins. Each player has their own quest deck. Their current goal should be placed either face up on top of the deck, or somewhere else where all the players can see it.
Discard Pile
Usually when a card leaves play, whether because it has been used up (like an item) or killed (in the case of a character), it enters the discard pile. Cards in the discard pile will eventually be shuffled back into the main deck.
The Cards
There are five types of cards in LW:AoM. The first two types are kept separate from the rest of the deck, while the last three are shuffled together to make the playing deck. They are described below:
Quest Cards
Quest Cards describe the goals of your game. By meeting the requirements on each card, you will progress further towards your main goal and victory. Quests often describe historic events in Magnamund's timeline, such as the building of Helgedad, the retrieval of the Sommerswerd, or the capture of the Moonstone.
Quest Cards are kept separate from the other cards, and are not played but collected as the game progresses. Only by collecting the final quest card can you win the game.
Quest cards are almost purely made up of text. This text describes what must be done in order to collect the quest card and gives any special affect the card might have on gameplay. At the top of the card is a (1) name and number. This says what general quest the card is a part of, and the order the quest cards come into play, from lowest to highest, ending with the final quest. A set of quest cards forms a Quest Deck.
When a Quest Card's requirements are met, it is removed from play and the next Quest Card in order is revealed.
If a Quest Card has a lower case letter after its number, it means that more than one quest card will be in play at the same time. Quest cards sharing the same number are always played together and always removed together. These quests will most likely be additional optional quests the player can try to complete, usually in order to gain a powerful card.
The first card in a Quest Deck is labeled "0" and has setup instructions that are used at the beginning of the game, as well as the story of the quest.
Locations
Location cards represent places in Magnamund that you will try to control. By controlling more locations, you will gain more gold each turn and increase your total number of characters and hand limits. For every location you control, your hand limit increases by one, and you draw one extra card each turn. Locations are often used to achieve the requirements of quest cards. Furthermore, a player without any locations risks the possibility of instantly losing the game (see Ending the Game).
Like quest cards, locations are kept separate from the rest of the deck and are compiled before a game begins. Location cards are always considered to be unique, so that the same location can never appear twice in one game.
Location cards are mostly taken up by (1) a picture which has no effect on gameplay. The discolored box below this contains (2) location text which describes any special affect the location has on characters occupying or attacking it.
The number in the lower right corner is the (3) army limit. This is how much the card increases the capacity of your army (your total number of characters).
Finally, the number in the top right corner is the (4) income. This is how much gold you gain each turn that you control the location (see Location Status).
Character Cards
Character cards are the most commonly used card in the game, and make up the majority of a deck. These cards represent the people and creatures under your control. They are the tools with which you will take over locations and complete your quest goals. They will also serve as your defense against your opponent's armies. Characters are always played to locations.
Character cards have several stats listed on the cards, as described below.
In the top left corner is the (1) name of the character. Except for legendary cards this will be a species or class name.
In the top right corner is the (2) card price. This is how much gold it takes to put the card into play and move them around locations. Note that this is a minimum and not a maximum. As described later, players can try and bluff their opponents by paying more for a card than what it is worth. Also, depending on the situation, movement can cost more than a card's initial price.
Below this is a (3) heraldry. This coat of arms is a decorative mark of the character's origins, and does not affect gameplay. Likewise, the (4) picture is only a representation of the character.
Below the picture is the (5) class and (6) alignment. Sometimes class an effect on what cards can be played. Alignment affects which cards can be in your deck and occasionally which quests you can undertake. Usually, only characters of the same alignment can fight together.
Below these stats is a large discolored box with text in it. This (7) ability text will tell you what abilities, if any, the character has and how to use them. Below this is (8) story text which is irrelevant to gameplay.
Finally, in the lower right corner are (9) CS/EP scores. These represent the fighting capabilities of the character and are used in combat. CS refers to Combat Skill, while EP refers to Endurance Points.
The red number on the lower left corner is (10) the ante number. This number is only used if you are playing an ante game (see Additional Rules).
Item cards
The next most common cards after character cards are item cards. These represent anything from potions to weapons, from powerful enchantments to deadly poisons. Item cards are played to your backpack, and from there to units or locations.
Some items, like weapons, stay in play for a long time. Others, like potions, are used once and then discarded. When they are played differs as well, some being played at the beginning of the turn, and others interrupting actions like combat to heal or damage units. The card will say exactly how they are used.
Item cards are set up much like character cards, only they lack the majority of the stats. They will have a name, picture, text describing their affect, and a price.
Structures
Structures represent strongholds and fortresses that you can build to further protect your locations. Structures are the least common cards in a deck and the most expensive to play. However, once on the field they are a huge deterent to enemy forces. At the same time, they must be guarded carefully, for if a structure is overcome, it can be taken over by opponents and used against you!
Structures are composed mostly of a (2) picture and, below that, (3) structure text describing what affect the structure has on gameplay. This could be anything from increasing your defense of that location to a general increase of the stats of certain kinds of units.
The numbers in the top right corner are (4) the price of the structure and (5) construction time, which is how many turns it will take for the structure to enter play.
Legendary Cards
Legendary cards represent items, structures, and characters that are unique in the world of Magnamund. Unlike a group of giaks or a simple guard tower which can be found anywhere, legendary cards have no equal in the world. They may be fabled warriors like Lone Wolf or famous structures like Helgedad. Even some items, like the lost Moonstone or the Sommerswerd, are legendary.
Legendary cards are easily recognizable by their striking gold background. In most ways, they operate exactly like their normal counterparts, with the exception that only one of each legendary card can be played in a single game. If you draw a legendary card into your hand that has already been played, it must immediately be discarded and you draw again. When discarding legendary cards, they are removed from play completely instead of going into the discard pile.
Sometimes quest cards will put into play legendary locations, items, or structures. If a card can only be put into play by a quest card, it will say so on the card. These cards are kept seperate from the Main Deck.
Setting Up
Step 1: players choose alignment
Each deck consists of a majority of cards belonging to one of two alignments, either good or evil. Good cards can never be in the same deck as Evil cards, and vice versa. Cards of the third alignment (the Neutral alignment) have no such restrictions and can be found in either deck. Similarly, cards without alignment, such as most items and structures, can be with any alignment.
Players must choose which alignment they will play as, and pick their deck accordingly. Note that players do not have to be of opposite alignements to fight each other. Magnamund is not a unified world. Even admist gods of the same alignment there exists conflict.
Step 2: build the location deck
Each player chooses 12 location cards. These cards are then shuffled together to make the location deck. This deck is then placed in the center of the table to become the location deck. Any extra locations are removed from play.
Step 3: players choose their Quest Deck
Each player picks out a quest deck for themselves and follows the set up instructions. These instructions will tell them to put a location into play and to put specific character cards into play at that location. When this is complete, Quest card "1" is put into play where all players can see it. Quest decks not used are removed from play.
Sometimes setup instructions will also put into play additional locations or cards that will have a bearing on that particular quest.
Also, remember that some quests can only be played by certain alignments
Step 4: beltpouch
Each player rolls a d10. This is the amount of gold they begin with in their beltpouch. A "0" counts as a 10.
Step 4: creating the hand
Players shuffle the remainder of their decks and each draws a hand of three. They then choose someone to go first, and proceed onto the Draw Phase.
Game Order and Play
Each turn consists of five phases. The first four are taken by each player in turn, so that after one player has completed all four, the player to his left plays them all. When all players have completed the Discard Phase the End of Turn Phase occurs.
DRAW PHASE
Step 1: Draw Cards
The current player draws one card for each friendly location (locations they control). If the deck runs out of cards, the discard pile is shuffled to make a new deck.
Location status:
A location is controlled by a player if it only has his characters on it, while a location with no characters on it is uncontrolled. A location with more than one player's forces on it is contested (and controlled by no one). IMPORTANT: Locations do not change their status until the end of the combat phase.
Step 2: Gain Income
The current player receives an amount of gold equal to the total income rating of their friendly locations. Some other cards also give income, that is received now as well. Gold is placed in the belt pouch.
If any card effects require an upkeep, it is paid for now.
Step 3: Reveal Location
The current player draws the top card of the location deck and places it in the game area. This new location is now considered in play and uncontrolled. If the location deck is empty, then no card is drawn.
DEPLOYMENT PHASE
Step 1: move items
The current player can now move items from his backpack to face up character cards or vice versa, following the rules as they are stated on the card. They can also discard unwanted cards from the backpack. Note that only cards already in the backpack can be used at this time.
When a card moves out of the backpack to a character card, it is flipped face up and the price of the card is immediately paid. Cards returning to the backpack are kept face up. If the card is already face up, it does not need to be paid for again when moving to a character.
Note that not all items can be used during this phase. The card will say when the item is to be used and paid for. Items that are used at this time cannot be played to contested locations.
A character can usually have any number of items equipped to them. The exception is weapons. Only two weapons may be on a single character at one time.
Step 2: prepare items
The current player can now play item cards from their hand to their backpack, keeping in mind the 8 item limit. A player can discard a card already in the backpack to make room for a new one. Alternatively, a player can pay the full cost on a face up card to return it to his hand. A player may wish to do this in order to protect an item from item destroying abilities, or in order to play the card later face down, making its presence a secret again.
Cards played to the backpack at this time are played face down and are not paid for.
Step 3: play structures
The current player can now play any structures from his hand to a friendly location. Structures can only be played to friendly locations and come into play face down.
At this point, the current player has to put an amount of gold on the card that is AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE PRICE OF THE CARD. Note that the player can place more gold than the card is worth. Because their opponent won't know what the card actually is, placing more gold may make them overestimate the card and make attempts to take it that hurt them financially and strategically. Note too, though, that any gold on the card is out of the beltpouch, and cannot be used to pay for other cards.
Structures take an amount of turns to build equal to their construction time value. The status of structures does not change until the End of Turn Phase.
Structures are at their weakest while they are being built, and locations with construction on them should be well defended against enemy invasion, at the risk of losing the structure. When an opponent takes a Structure they can raze it or keep it for their own (See End of Turn phase).
Step 4: Play Characters
The current player can now play character cards. Character cards are always played to locations. How they are played depends on the status of the location.
If the location is friendly (that is, if the characters on that location are all his), then he simply pays the cost of the unit and places it at that location, face up. The unit is now attached to that location.
If the location is uncontrolled, controlled by another player, or contested, then the character is placed face down on the location. At this point, the current player has to put an amount of gold on the card that is AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE PRICE OF THE CARD. Note that the player can place more gold than the card is worth. Because their opponent won't know what the card actually is, placing more gold may make them overestimate the card and build up their defenses needlessly. Since redeploying units is expensive, bluffing can force your opponents into weaker positions, both financially and strategically. Note too, though, that any gold on the card is out of the beltpouch, and cannot be used to pay for other cards.
Remember that you can never have more characters in play than your maximum army capacity (decided by the locations you control). However, any number of characters can be on a single location at one time.
Any time a player places a character on a controlled or contested location, the other players at that location may play character cards of their own at that location, as detailed above. They do this after the player announces he is done placing characters.
This step repeats until one side declines to play more characters.
Step 5: Move characters
The current player may now move any face up characters he controls between locations. However, this is not free. To move a character into an uncontrolled or friendly location costs an amount of gold equal to the price of the character. To move a character into a contested location or a location controlled by another player costs twice the price of the character.
Players can choose to abandon a location by moving all of their units out of that location at once and into a friendly location. In this case, they only pay the cost of the highest priced character in that location.
If a character moves into a contested location or one controlled by another player, the other players at that location may respond by moving character cards of their own into that location. If they choose to move character cards, they should remember that locations do not change their status until the end of the combat phase, so if one of their locations was just attacked it is still considered under their control. In addition to moving characters into the locations, they also have the option to abandon the location (essentially a retreat).
Unlike step 4, this step does not repeat, but is completed after the opposition either moves their characters or declines to do so.
COMBAT PHASE
Step 1: reveal and payment
At locations where the current player has charatcers, all face down character cards are revealed and the amount of gold on them is paid by their owner. Note that all the gold placed on them is removed from play, even if the amount exceeds the price of the card. This is called "revealing a location."
Locations with more than one player's forces on it must be revealed, while locations with only the current player's forces on it may remained unrevealed. Also, locations with only the current player's forces on it may reveal some of the units, leaving others face down and unpaid for. This option allows players an extra degree of strategy in assigning their units to locations. By leaving some units secret, opponents will not have as good an idea of how to attack the location.
When a unit is revealed, the controlling player may immediately move an item from their backpack to the character, following the normal rules for doing so.
Step 2: battle
If the current player has characters in contested locations or locations controlled by other players, they now engage in combat with opponent's forces. The current player becomes the attacker, while any player he attacks is a defender.
The attacker chooses one of his characters and picks one of the defender's characters to target. He does this until either all the defender's units are targeted or until he has no more attacking units left. If more than two players are at a single location, the attacker can choose forces from either or both players.
IMPORTANT: a character can only target one other character, and once targeted, a defending unit cannot be targeted again this phase. Battles are one on one. A slight exception to this is units with the grouping ability (see Abilities).
Once targets are assigned, combat ensues in the following manner.
1) Add any extra points gained through abilities or items to each character’s current combat skill (CS).
2) Subtract the CS of the defender from the CS of the attacker. The result is the Combat Ratio.
For instance, a Kai Lord with CS 15 attacks a Winged Devil with CS 20. The Kai Lord has a shield, so he adds 2 points to his CS, giving a total CS of 17. He now subtracts the Winged Devil's CS from his own, giving a Combat Ratio of -3 (17 - 20 = -3).
3) When you have your Combat Ratio, the attacker rolls a d10. A "10" on the die counts as a "0."
4) Look at the Combat Results Table. Along the top of the chart are shown the Combat Ratio numbers. Find the number that is the same as your Combat Ratio and cross-reference it with the random number that you have picked (the random numbers appear on the side of the chart). You now have the number of Endurance Points (EP) lost by both characters in this round of combat. ("A" represents points lost by the attacking character; "D" represents points lost by the defending character). A "K" means that the character is instantly killed.
For instance, the Combat Ratio between the Kai Lord and the Winged Devil has been established as -3. If the number taken from the Random Number Table is a 6, then the result of the first round of combat is:
The Kai Lord loses 5 ENDURANCE points
The Winged Devil loses 6 ENDURANCE points
5) Using the action chart, keep track of the characters' EP. Continue combat until one or both characters are dead. Since damage is dealt simultaneously, it is possible both characters will be killed. Characters that are killed are placed in the discard pile.
Any characters still alive after combat are healed of all damage.
Continue this process for each set of matched characters. When this is complete, move on to step 3.
Items that can played during combat are played from the backpack and cost their full price.
When battle has occured at all the appropriate locations, step 3 occurs.
Step 3: update location status
At this point, locations will either have one player's forces on it, or the forces of multiple players. In the latter case, the location becomes contested. In the case of the former, control of the location goes to the player whose forces are there. Any location without units on it becomes uncontrolled.
A location does not come under the control of a player unless he has at least one face up unit on it. It is possible to control a location where you have both face up and face down characters.
DISCARD PHASE
Players must now discard so that they meet their hand limit. They may also discard any number of extra cards from their hand.
If a player with no locations under their control does not play a character card on their turn, they are taken out of the game. This occurs during this phase.
At this point, if every player has completed the discard phase, the game moves on to the End of Turn phase. Otherwise, play moves to the left, and begins again with that player's Draw phase.