Arcmage Wiki - User contributions [en]

Creating Cards Guide

2018-06-12T14:23:28Z

Pistos: Minor spelling, grammar and style corrections.

==Getting started==
To create your own cards, first of all get an account on our [//aminduna.arcmage.org/#/cards cards] database. Once logged in you can create your own cards.

==Card text style guide==
When working on cards, there are some general style guidelines that should be followed. Don't worry too much when a card has draft status - these rules are there to make the finished product cohesive.

* General
** Every sentence should be ended with a period
** Fragments, such as keywords, should not end with a period
** Use numerals for numbers, instead of spelling them out
** Emphasize target words e.g. I, city, army
** Use quotes and italic for style
** Use two line card names for Creatures/Cities when the card name starts overlapping the artwork too much
* Keyword abilities
** Place before more specific card abilities
** Bold and italicize
** Define keyword abilities if there is space to define it. This is left to the card creator's discretion
** Italicize the definition
* Subtypes
** Every card should have a subtype
** Capitalize the first letter
* Drop caps should follow these guidelines:
** Only use when it's on the first line
** Only use when there are at least two lines

==Uploading Card Artwork guide==

First thing to do is find a matching piece of artwork in our repository and check if it is unused by any other arcmage card.

===Use gimp to prepare the png file===

* Set/check the dpi setting:
** Image > Print Size : Set 600 dpi
* Cropping
** Image > Autocrop
* Scaling
** Image > Scale Image : keep aspect ratio, and I usually set the height to 1220
* Centering
** Image > Canvas Size : do not keep aspect ratio
*** For creatures/cities use 1535 width by 1266 height,
*** For events/magic/enchantments use 1535 width by 1214 height
*** If you want the image to be in the frame bounds, then the X offset is 70.
*** The Y offset is always set to the maximum.
* Shadow
** Filters > Light and Shadow > Drop Shadow
*** Offset X: 4, Offset Y: 4, Blur Radious: 15, Color: black, Opacity: 60, Allow Resizing (false, uncheck)
* Export
** File > Export as ... (select png)

===Uploading to the card database===

At the card's edit page, select Browse, point to the exported png file. Then click the 'Upload' button (should appear next to the 'Browse' button).

You'll have to change something e.g. loyalty, and hit save before it uses the new artwork (I should fix that). The result should show rather quick,
the rasterized versions (PNGs, JPEGs, PDFs) are created in the background and might take a minute or two.

Please do not forget to fill in the Artist!

All done!

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-11-28T14:43:02Z

Pistos: Shuffle sentences around for clarity

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
ARC-mage or simply 'arcmage' is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play arcmage you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards individually or get the pre-constructed decks, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

To get you started, we have some '''pre-constructed ready to play decks''' available:

* [//wtactics.westeurope.cloudapp.azure.com/#/decks/b9c3f75d-8aaa-437a-b0dd-3d973edb3083 Gaian Love for Life] (single faction: gaia; theme: defensive, nature, harmony; state: release candidate)
* [//wtactics.westeurope.cloudapp.azure.com/#/decks/ed84714a-0570-4384-a303-f2ded1400bdd Uneasy Alliance] (multi faction: Red Banner & Dark Legion; theme: aggressive, direct damage, boost creatures; state: release candidate)
* [//wtactics.westeurope.cloudapp.azure.com/#/decks/0aa069a0-5e59-40dc-a443-692a89e151a0 Toll of Time] (single faction: House of Nobles; theme: control, mill opponents deck; state : early draft, no artwork)
* [//wtactics.westeurope.cloudapp.azure.com/#/decks/6776ddb8-3ce0-470b-8d2c-afb26bd29359 Brothers in Arms] (single faction: The Empire; theme: card search, creature synergy, hording; state : early draft, no artwork)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting ''next to'' a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting ''on'' a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name:''' Every card has a unique name.
# '''Card Types:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, and are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Note that the power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays. Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.

Prerequisites written on a card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player can gather Victory Points (VP) and can gain strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''type'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===

Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.
There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]] and they are further described in the [[#Abilities_2|Abilities]] section, below.

=== Movement ===

* During the Play phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move). However, this limitation does not apply when moving creatures out of a destroyed city (see [[#Defending a city]]).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Victory Points ===

At the beginning of your tactics phase each of your cities provides 1 Victory Point if it has at least as many residents of the same faction as the city's loyalty marks.

e.g. If a Gaian City with three loyalty marks has three or more Gaian Creatures at the beginning of your tactics phase it gives you 1 VP.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

Unmarked residents of a destroyed city must be moved to another city or to the army (see [[#Movement]]). Marked residents of a destroyed city return to their owner's hand. All other cards (e.g. enchantments) are put into their owner's Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

Cities can provide tactical advantages when they reach a certain level of devoted ''residents''.
During the player's Tactics phase, he/she can mark any number of ''residents'' to indicate their devotion to the the city.
The city's current devotion is the sum of all loyalty marks given by all devoted residents. When it reaches the level indicated on the city card, the advantage is active.
Cities may have multiple devotion levels, triggering stronger advantages.

The active player chooses the order of the cities and are then resolved one by one.
For a given city he/she declares all the creatures that will show their devotion to the city (all at once).
Any player may react to that (e.g. killing one of the declared creatures).
Finally the declared creatures are marked, and the devotion is calculated.
For each city level reached, the advantage is triggered (mandatory). They are resolved in order, lowest levels first.
(they are on the event stack in reverse order).

* An advantages can be one time action (e.g. drawing a card, return a card from the graveyard), or have a permanent effect.
* When the city's devotion drops below the threshold, the owning player no longer enjoys the permanent advantage. (e.g. a devoted resident is killed)
* The city's devotion must be renewed every turn (since during the unmark phase all creatures, including the devoted residents are unmarked).
* If it is not renewed any permanent advantage fades out.
* Once a city is destroyed, the owning player may no longer enjoy the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn.
* When an event card is played (cast), its effects are not taken into account immediately; the opponent is given the chance to react and play an Event card in response.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.

=== Order of Resolution ===

* When an event card is played, it is placed on an imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* All players (including the originating player) have the opportunity to play an Event card in response, it is placed on top of the imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* This action-reaction process is repeated until all players stop playing additional Event cards.
* The top card on the imaginary stack is now resolved, and its effects occur.
* New event cards can be played, and put on the stack, and the new top card is resolved, etc...

In short, the last played card's effect is applied first. At any time, new event cards can be played.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments may have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Global enchantments (without a target) are placed in the Army area.
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the graveyard - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Graveyard. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* Event cards can be played by all players (e.g. to boost a creature's attack strength, or to kill a creature before it can attack).

'''II. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The ''unmarked'' creatures in the defending Army are always available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the unmarked creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of these available unmarked creatures to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all.
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.
* Event cards can be played by all players

'''III. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and its assigned defender(s).
** The attacker receives damage equal to the sum of the ATK values of the ''defenders''. If the damage is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value it dies.
** The attacking player chooses how to distribute the damage dealt by the attacker's ATK strength among the defenders.
** If a defender receives damage greater than or equal to its DEF value, it dies.
** Damage to the attacker and its assigned defender(s) is resolved simultaneously, hence the attacker and one or more of its assigned defenders could die in a single battle.

* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.

'''IV. Clearing the battleground'''

* When combat is over, each dead creature is placed in its owner's graveyard.
* Any card attached to a dead creature is placed in the graveyard of the owner of the attached card. (A graveyard only contains cards of one player.)

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games, some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves at times. This is actually a feature and what makes CCGs deep, complex and modular.

Rule conflicts are to be resolved thus:

* If a ''card's rules'' contradict the ''core rules'' (in this document), '''the card's rules''' override the core rules.
* If an effect ''forbids'' something, while another effect ''allows'' it, that something is '''forbidden'''. "No, not, can't" etc. ''always'' outweigh "can".
** Example: A creature has the effect "can not fly" in its card text. Playing a Magic card on the creature with the text "target creature can fly" does ''not'' make the creature able to fly. The "can not" overrides the "can".

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills, and some are able to perform different kinds of actions. There are numerous ways in which creatures can interact with one another without engaging in standard combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and whether they have drawbacks or not. There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]].

Abilities are not limited to just creatures. Some Magic cards can grant creatures additional abilities they wouldn't otherwise have.

There are three main types of abilities: ''passive'', ''activated'' and ''triggered''.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that takes effect and abides without needing any associated cost to be paid, any action to be taken, or any particular requirements to be met. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability is active. It ceases to affect the game when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures get +3 Defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

* A card's ability only takes effect after the player controlling the card pays the ability's cost. Inability or refusal to pay the ability's cost prevents the ability from taking effect.
* Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually, the controller is the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three types of costs that must be paid to activate abilities: ''power'' cost, ''marking'' and ''custom'' cost.

Activated abilities are always written in the format

Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) are the cost(s) or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effects that will occur once the costs are paid and the prerequisites are met.

=== Triggered ===

* A triggered ability is activated if and only if its trigger takes place.
* Players ''cannot'' choose whether a triggered ability will take effect or not once it is put into play. It ''must'' take effect once the trigger ocurs.
* It is possible for rules or situations to prevent a triggered ability's effect from applying.

Example:

* Consider the triggered ability "Discard a non-Dark-Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play."
* Suppose an opponent plays that curse (triggered ability) on you.
* If any player (including you) puts a Skeleton type creature into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark-Legion creature.
* If you have only Dark Legion creatures, however, then it is not possible for you to comply with the card rule, in which case you don't have to discard anything.

==Variable Power Costs==
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X power gems.|101px]]
Some cards have a cost of '''X''' instead of a literal number. Other cards have a cost of X with a modifier (usually a simple algebraic expression). In these cases, the meaning of X is always defined in the card text.

Example:

* A card costs X + 2.
* Its text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature.
* The target creature's ATK is 3.
* Thus, the cost to play the card would be 3 + 2 = 5 power gems.

= Disclaimer & Other Information =
* At the time of this writing, '''these rules are only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC for short.
* Edits are allowed by anyone as long as they fully maintain the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of the edited rules, etc. Such edits should not change how the game is played.
* Rule-changing edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
* The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
* ''All'' content in here can and will likely change as development, concept testing, play testing and revising continues. At the time of this writing, nothing in this document represents the finalized game. These rules should not (at this time) be seen as set in stone.
* Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there; or mail your questions.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-11-28T14:39:25Z

Pistos: Add italics for clarity

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
ARC-mage or simply 'arcmage' is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play arcmage you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards individually or get the pre-constructed decks, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

To get you started, we have some '''pre-constructed ready to play decks''' available:

* [//wtactics.westeurope.cloudapp.azure.com/#/decks/b9c3f75d-8aaa-437a-b0dd-3d973edb3083 Gaian Love for Life] (single faction: gaia; theme: defensive, nature, harmony; state: release candidate)
* [//wtactics.westeurope.cloudapp.azure.com/#/decks/ed84714a-0570-4384-a303-f2ded1400bdd Uneasy Alliance] (multi faction: Red Banner & Dark Legion; theme: aggressive, direct damage, boost creatures; state: release candidate)
* [//wtactics.westeurope.cloudapp.azure.com/#/decks/0aa069a0-5e59-40dc-a443-692a89e151a0 Toll of Time] (single faction: House of Nobles; theme: control, mill opponents deck; state : early draft, no artwork)
* [//wtactics.westeurope.cloudapp.azure.com/#/decks/6776ddb8-3ce0-470b-8d2c-afb26bd29359 Brothers in Arms] (single faction: The Empire; theme: card search, creature synergy, hording; state : early draft, no artwork)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting ''next to'' a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting ''on'' a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name:''' Every card has a unique name.
# '''Card Types:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, and are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player can gather Victory Points (VP) and can gain strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''type'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===

Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.
There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]] and they are further described in the [[#Abilities_2|Abilities]] section, below.

=== Movement ===

* During the Play phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move). However, this limitation does not apply when moving creatures out of a destroyed city (see [[#Defending a city]]).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Victory Points ===

At the beginning of your tactics phase each of your cities provides 1 Victory Point if it has at least as many residents of the same faction as the city's loyalty marks.

e.g. If a Gaian City with three loyalty marks has three or more Gaian Creatures at the beginning of your tactics phase it gives you 1 VP.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

Unmarked residents of a destroyed city must be moved to another city or to the army (see [[#Movement]]). Marked residents of a destroyed city return to their owner's hand. All other cards (e.g. enchantments) are put into their owner's Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

Cities can provide tactical advantages when they reach a certain level of devoted ''residents''.
During the player's Tactics phase, he/she can mark any number of ''residents'' to indicate their devotion to the the city.
The city's current devotion is the sum of all loyalty marks given by all devoted residents. When it reaches the level indicated on the city card, the advantage is active.
Cities may have multiple devotion levels, triggering stronger advantages.

The active player chooses the order of the cities and are then resolved one by one.
For a given city he/she declares all the creatures that will show their devotion to the city (all at once).
Any player may react to that (e.g. killing one of the declared creatures).
Finally the declared creatures are marked, and the devotion is calculated.
For each city level reached, the advantage is triggered (mandatory). They are resolved in order, lowest levels first.
(they are on the event stack in reverse order).

* An advantages can be one time action (e.g. drawing a card, return a card from the graveyard), or have a permanent effect.
* When the city's devotion drops below the threshold, the owning player no longer enjoys the permanent advantage. (e.g. a devoted resident is killed)
* The city's devotion must be renewed every turn (since during the unmark phase all creatures, including the devoted residents are unmarked).
* If it is not renewed any permanent advantage fades out.
* Once a city is destroyed, the owning player may no longer enjoy the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn.
* When an event card is played (cast), its effects are not taken into account immediately; the opponent is given the chance to react and play an Event card in response.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.

=== Order of Resolution ===

* When an event card is played, it is placed on an imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* All players (including the originating player) have the opportunity to play an Event card in response, it is placed on top of the imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* This action-reaction process is repeated until all players stop playing additional Event cards.
* The top card on the imaginary stack is now resolved, and its effects occur.
* New event cards can be played, and put on the stack, and the new top card is resolved, etc...

In short, the last played card's effect is applied first. At any time, new event cards can be played.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments may have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Global enchantments (without a target) are placed in the Army area.
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the graveyard - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Graveyard. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* Event cards can be played by all players (e.g. to boost a creature's attack strength, or to kill a creature before it can attack).

'''II. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The ''unmarked'' creatures in the defending Army are always available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the unmarked creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of these available unmarked creatures to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all.
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.
* Event cards can be played by all players

'''III. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and its assigned defender(s).
** The attacker receives damage equal to the sum of the ATK values of the ''defenders''. If the damage is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value it dies.
** The attacking player chooses how to distribute the damage dealt by the attacker's ATK strength among the defenders.
** If a defender receives damage greater than or equal to its DEF value, it dies.
** Damage to the attacker and its assigned defender(s) is resolved simultaneously, hence the attacker and one or more of its assigned defenders could die in a single battle.

* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.

'''IV. Clearing the battleground'''

* When combat is over, each dead creature is placed in its owner's graveyard.
* Any card attached to a dead creature is placed in the graveyard of the owner of the attached card. (A graveyard only contains cards of one player.)

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games, some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves at times. This is actually a feature and what makes CCGs deep, complex and modular.

Rule conflicts are to be resolved thus:

* If a ''card's rules'' contradict the ''core rules'' (in this document), '''the card's rules''' override the core rules.
* If an effect ''forbids'' something, while another effect ''allows'' it, that something is '''forbidden'''. "No, not, can't" etc. ''always'' outweigh "can".
** Example: A creature has the effect "can not fly" in its card text. Playing a Magic card on the creature with the text "target creature can fly" does ''not'' make the creature able to fly. The "can not" overrides the "can".

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills, and some are able to perform different kinds of actions. There are numerous ways in which creatures can interact with one another without engaging in standard combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and whether they have drawbacks or not. There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]].

Abilities are not limited to just creatures. Some Magic cards can grant creatures additional abilities they wouldn't otherwise have.

There are three main types of abilities: ''passive'', ''activated'' and ''triggered''.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that takes effect and abides without needing any associated cost to be paid, any action to be taken, or any particular requirements to be met. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability is active. It ceases to affect the game when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures get +3 Defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

* A card's ability only takes effect after the player controlling the card pays the ability's cost. Inability or refusal to pay the ability's cost prevents the ability from taking effect.
* Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually, the controller is the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three types of costs that must be paid to activate abilities: ''power'' cost, ''marking'' and ''custom'' cost.

Activated abilities are always written in the format

Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) are the cost(s) or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effects that will occur once the costs are paid and the prerequisites are met.

=== Triggered ===

* A triggered ability is activated if and only if its trigger takes place.
* Players ''cannot'' choose whether a triggered ability will take effect or not once it is put into play. It ''must'' take effect once the trigger ocurs.
* It is possible for rules or situations to prevent a triggered ability's effect from applying.

Example:

* Consider the triggered ability "Discard a non-Dark-Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play."
* Suppose an opponent plays that curse (triggered ability) on you.
* If any player (including you) puts a Skeleton type creature into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark-Legion creature.
* If you have only Dark Legion creatures, however, then it is not possible for you to comply with the card rule, in which case you don't have to discard anything.

==Variable Power Costs==
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X power gems.|101px]]
Some cards have a cost of '''X''' instead of a literal number. Other cards have a cost of X with a modifier (usually a simple algebraic expression). In these cases, the meaning of X is always defined in the card text.

Example:

* A card costs X + 2.
* Its text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature.
* The target creature's ATK is 3.
* Thus, the cost to play the card would be 3 + 2 = 5 power gems.

= Disclaimer & Other Information =
* At the time of this writing, '''these rules are only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC for short.
* Edits are allowed by anyone as long as they fully maintain the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of the edited rules, etc. Such edits should not change how the game is played.
* Rule-changing edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
* The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
* ''All'' content in here can and will likely change as development, concept testing, play testing and revising continues. At the time of this writing, nothing in this document represents the finalized game. These rules should not (at this time) be seen as set in stone.
* Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there; or mail your questions.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-11-28T14:35:34Z

Pistos: minor rephrase

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
ARC-mage or simply 'arcmage' is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play arcmage you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards individually or get the pre-constructed decks, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

To get you started, we have some '''pre-constructed ready to play decks''' available:

* [//wtactics.westeurope.cloudapp.azure.com/#/decks/b9c3f75d-8aaa-437a-b0dd-3d973edb3083 Gaian Love for Life] (single faction: gaia; theme: defensive, nature, harmony; state: release candidate)
* [//wtactics.westeurope.cloudapp.azure.com/#/decks/ed84714a-0570-4384-a303-f2ded1400bdd Uneasy Alliance] (multi faction: Red Banner & Dark Legion; theme: aggressive, direct damage, boost creatures; state: release candidate)
* [//wtactics.westeurope.cloudapp.azure.com/#/decks/0aa069a0-5e59-40dc-a443-692a89e151a0 Toll of Time] (single faction: House of Nobles; theme: control, mill opponents deck; state : early draft, no artwork)
* [//wtactics.westeurope.cloudapp.azure.com/#/decks/6776ddb8-3ce0-470b-8d2c-afb26bd29359 Brothers in Arms] (single faction: The Empire; theme: card search, creature synergy, hording; state : early draft, no artwork)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name:''' Every card has a unique name.
# '''Card Types:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, and are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player can gather Victory Points (VP) and can gain strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''type'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===

Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.
There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]] and they are further described in the [[#Abilities_2|Abilities]] section, below.

=== Movement ===

* During the Play phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move). However, this limitation does not apply when moving creatures out of a destroyed city (see [[#Defending a city]]).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Victory Points ===

At the beginning of your tactics phase each of your cities provides 1 Victory Point if it has at least as many residents of the same faction as the city's loyalty marks.

e.g. If a Gaian City with three loyalty marks has three or more Gaian Creatures at the beginning of your tactics phase it gives you 1 VP.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

Unmarked residents of a destroyed city must be moved to another city or to the army (see [[#Movement]]). Marked residents of a destroyed city return to their owner's hand. All other cards (e.g. enchantments) are put into their owner's Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

Cities can provide tactical advantages when they reach a certain level of devoted ''residents''.
During the player's Tactics phase, he/she can mark any number of ''residents'' to indicate their devotion to the the city.
The city's current devotion is the sum of all loyalty marks given by all devoted residents. When it reaches the level indicated on the city card, the advantage is active.
Cities may have multiple devotion levels, triggering stronger advantages.

The active player chooses the order of the cities and are then resolved one by one.
For a given city he/she declares all the creatures that will show their devotion to the city (all at once).
Any player may react to that (e.g. killing one of the declared creatures).
Finally the declared creatures are marked, and the devotion is calculated.
For each city level reached, the advantage is triggered (mandatory). They are resolved in order, lowest levels first.
(they are on the event stack in reverse order).

* An advantages can be one time action (e.g. drawing a card, return a card from the graveyard), or have a permanent effect.
* When the city's devotion drops below the threshold, the owning player no longer enjoys the permanent advantage. (e.g. a devoted resident is killed)
* The city's devotion must be renewed every turn (since during the unmark phase all creatures, including the devoted residents are unmarked).
* If it is not renewed any permanent advantage fades out.
* Once a city is destroyed, the owning player may no longer enjoy the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn.
* When an event card is played (cast), its effects are not taken into account immediately; the opponent is given the chance to react and play an Event card in response.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.

=== Order of Resolution ===

* When an event card is played, it is placed on an imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* All players (including the originating player) have the opportunity to play an Event card in response, it is placed on top of the imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* This action-reaction process is repeated until all players stop playing additional Event cards.
* The top card on the imaginary stack is now resolved, and its effects occur.
* New event cards can be played, and put on the stack, and the new top card is resolved, etc...

In short, the last played card's effect is applied first. At any time, new event cards can be played.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments may have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Global enchantments (without a target) are placed in the Army area.
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the graveyard - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Graveyard. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* Event cards can be played by all players (e.g. to boost a creature's attack strength, or to kill a creature before it can attack).

'''II. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The ''unmarked'' creatures in the defending Army are always available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the unmarked creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of these available unmarked creatures to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all.
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.
* Event cards can be played by all players

'''III. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and its assigned defender(s).
** The attacker receives damage equal to the sum of the ATK values of the ''defenders''. If the damage is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value it dies.
** The attacking player chooses how to distribute the damage dealt by the attacker's ATK strength among the defenders.
** If a defender receives damage greater than or equal to its DEF value, it dies.
** Damage to the attacker and its assigned defender(s) is resolved simultaneously, hence the attacker and one or more of its assigned defenders could die in a single battle.

* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.

'''IV. Clearing the battleground'''

* When combat is over, each dead creature is placed in its owner's graveyard.
* Any card attached to a dead creature is placed in the graveyard of the owner of the attached card. (A graveyard only contains cards of one player.)

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games, some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves at times. This is actually a feature and what makes CCGs deep, complex and modular.

Rule conflicts are to be resolved thus:

* If a ''card's rules'' contradict the ''core rules'' (in this document), '''the card's rules''' override the core rules.
* If an effect ''forbids'' something, while another effect ''allows'' it, that something is '''forbidden'''. "No, not, can't" etc. ''always'' outweigh "can".
** Example: A creature has the effect "can not fly" in its card text. Playing a Magic card on the creature with the text "target creature can fly" does ''not'' make the creature able to fly. The "can not" overrides the "can".

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills, and some are able to perform different kinds of actions. There are numerous ways in which creatures can interact with one another without engaging in standard combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and whether they have drawbacks or not. There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]].

Abilities are not limited to just creatures. Some Magic cards can grant creatures additional abilities they wouldn't otherwise have.

There are three main types of abilities: ''passive'', ''activated'' and ''triggered''.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that takes effect and abides without needing any associated cost to be paid, any action to be taken, or any particular requirements to be met. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability is active. It ceases to affect the game when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures get +3 Defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

* A card's ability only takes effect after the player controlling the card pays the ability's cost. Inability or refusal to pay the ability's cost prevents the ability from taking effect.
* Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually, the controller is the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three types of costs that must be paid to activate abilities: ''power'' cost, ''marking'' and ''custom'' cost.

Activated abilities are always written in the format

Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) are the cost(s) or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effects that will occur once the costs are paid and the prerequisites are met.

=== Triggered ===

* A triggered ability is activated if and only if its trigger takes place.
* Players ''cannot'' choose whether a triggered ability will take effect or not once it is put into play. It ''must'' take effect once the trigger ocurs.
* It is possible for rules or situations to prevent a triggered ability's effect from applying.

Example:

* Consider the triggered ability "Discard a non-Dark-Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play."
* Suppose an opponent plays that curse (triggered ability) on you.
* If any player (including you) puts a Skeleton type creature into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark-Legion creature.
* If you have only Dark Legion creatures, however, then it is not possible for you to comply with the card rule, in which case you don't have to discard anything.

==Variable Power Costs==
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X power gems.|101px]]
Some cards have a cost of '''X''' instead of a literal number. Other cards have a cost of X with a modifier (usually a simple algebraic expression). In these cases, the meaning of X is always defined in the card text.

Example:

* A card costs X + 2.
* Its text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature.
* The target creature's ATK is 3.
* Thus, the cost to play the card would be 3 + 2 = 5 power gems.

= Disclaimer & Other Information =
* At the time of this writing, '''these rules are only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC for short.
* Edits are allowed by anyone as long as they fully maintain the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of the edited rules, etc. Such edits should not change how the game is played.
* Rule-changing edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
* The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
* ''All'' content in here can and will likely change as development, concept testing, play testing and revising continues. At the time of this writing, nothing in this document represents the finalized game. These rules should not (at this time) be seen as set in stone.
* Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there; or mail your questions.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-11-24T19:04:34Z

Pistos: Minor grammar corrections.

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name:''' Every card has a unique name.
# '''Card Types:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, and are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player can gather Victory Points (VP) and can gain strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''type'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===

Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.
There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]] and they are further described in the [[#Abilities_2|Abilities]] section, below.

=== Movement ===

* During the Play phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move). However, creatures which must be moved out of a destroyed city (see [[#Defending a city]]) can be moved out even if that city was previously involved in a move.
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Victory Points ===

At the beginning of your tactics phase each of your cities provides 1 Victory Point if it has at least as many residents of the same faction as the city's loyalty marks.

e.g. If a Gaian City with three loyalty marks has three or more Gaian Creatures at the beginning of your tactics phase it gives you 1 VP.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

Unmarked residents of a destroyed city must be moved to another city or to the army (see [[#Movement]]). Marked residents of a destroyed city return to their owner's hand. All other cards (e.g. enchantments) are put into their owner's Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

Cities can provide tactical advantages when they reach a certain level of devoted ''residents''.
During the player's Tactics phase, he/she can mark any number of ''residents'' to indicate their devotion to the the city.
The city's current devotion is the sum of all loyalty marks given by all devoted residents. When it reaches the level indicated on the city card, the advantage is active.
Cities may have multiple devotion levels, triggering stronger advantages.

The active player chooses the order of the cities and are then resolved one by one.
For a given city he/she declares all the creatures that will show their devotion to the city (all at once).
Any player may react to that (e.g. killing one of the declared creatures).
Finally the declared creatures are marked, and the devotion is calculated.
For each city level reached, the advantage is triggered (mandatory). They are resolved in order, lowest levels first.
(they are on the event stack in reverse order).

* An advantages can be one time action (e.g. drawing a card, return a card from the graveyard), or have a permanent effect.
* When the city's devotion drops below the threshold, the owning player no longer enjoys the permanent advantage. (e.g. a devoted resident is killed)
* The city's devotion must be renewed every turn (since during the unmark phase all creatures, including the devoted residents are unmarked).
* If it is not renewed any permanent advantage fades out.
* Once a city is destroyed, the owning player may no longer enjoy the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn.
* When an event card is played (cast), its effects are not taken into account immediately; the opponent is given the chance to react and play an Event card in response.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.

=== Order of Resolution ===

* When an event card is played, it is placed on an imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* All players (including the originating player) have the opportunity to play an Event card in response, it is placed on top of the imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* This action-reaction process is repeated until all players stop playing additional Event cards.
* The top card on the imaginary stack is now resolved, and its effects occur.
* New event cards can be played, and put on the stack, and the new top card is resolved, etc...

In short, the last played card's effect is applied first. At any time, new event cards can be played.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments may have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Global enchantments (without a target) are placed in the Army area.
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the graveyard - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Graveyard. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* Event cards can be played by all players (e.g. to boost a creature's attack strength, or to kill a creature before it can attack).

'''II. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The ''unmarked'' creatures in the defending Army are always available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the unmarked creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of these available unmarked creatures to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all.
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.
* Event cards can be played by all players

'''III. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and its assigned defender(s).
** The attacker receives damage equal to the sum of the ATK values of the ''defenders''. If the damage is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value it dies.
** The attacking player chooses how to distribute the damage dealt by the attacker's ATK strength among the defenders.
** If a defender receives damage greater than or equal to its DEF value, it dies.
** Damage to the attacker and its assigned defender(s) is resolved simultaneously, hence the attacker and one or more of its assigned defenders could die in a single battle.

* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.

'''IV. Clearing the battleground'''

* When combat is over, each dead creature is placed in its owner's graveyard.
* Any card attached to a dead creature is placed in the graveyard of the owner of the attached card. (A graveyard only contains cards of one player.)

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games, some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves at times. This is actually a feature and what makes CCGs deep, complex and modular.

Rule conflicts are to be resolved thus:

* If a ''card's rules'' contradict the ''core rules'' (in this document), '''the card's rules''' override the core rules.
* If an effect ''forbids'' something, while another effect ''allows'' it, that something is '''forbidden'''. "No, not, can't" etc. ''always'' outweigh "can".
** Example: A creature has the effect "can not fly" in its card text. Playing a Magic card on the creature with the text "target creature can fly" does ''not'' make the creature able to fly. The "can not" overrides the "can".

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills, and some are able to perform different kinds of actions. There are numerous ways in which creatures can interact with one another without engaging in standard combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and whether they have drawbacks or not. There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]].

Abilities are not limited to just creatures. Some Magic cards can grant creatures additional abilities they wouldn't otherwise have.

There are three main types of abilities: ''passive'', ''activated'' and ''triggered''.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that takes effect and abides without needing any associated cost to be paid, any action to be taken, or any particular requirements to be met. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability is active. It ceases to affect the game when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures get +3 Defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

* A card's ability only takes effect after the player controlling the card pays the ability's cost. Inability or refusal to pay the ability's cost prevents the ability from taking effect.
* Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually, the controller is the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three types of costs that must be paid to activate abilities: ''power'' cost, ''marking'' and ''custom'' cost.

Activated abilities are always written in the format

Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) are the cost(s) or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effects that will occur once the costs are paid and the prerequisites are met.

=== Triggered ===

* A triggered ability is activated if and only if its trigger takes place.
* Players ''cannot'' choose whether a triggered ability will take effect or not once it is put into play. It ''must'' take effect once the trigger ocurs.
* It is possible for rules or situations to prevent a triggered ability's effect from applying.

Example:

* Consider the triggered ability "Discard a non-Dark-Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play."
* Suppose an opponent plays that curse (triggered ability) on you.
* If any player (including you) puts a Skeleton type creature into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark-Legion creature.
* If you have only Dark Legion creatures, however, then it is not possible for you to comply with the card rule, in which case you don't have to discard anything.

==Variable Power Costs==
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X power gems.|101px]]
Some cards have a cost of '''X''' instead of a literal number. Other cards have a cost of X with a modifier (usually a simple algebraic expression). In these cases, the meaning of X is always defined in the card text.

Example:

* A card costs X + 2.
* Its text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature.
* The target creature's ATK is 3.
* Thus, the cost to play the card would be 3 + 2 = 5 power gems.

= Disclaimer & Other Information =
* At the time of this writing, '''these rules are only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC for short.
* Edits are allowed by anyone as long as they fully maintain the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of the edited rules, etc. Such edits should not change how the game is played.
* Rule-changing edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
* The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
* ''All'' content in here can and will likely change as development, concept testing, play testing and revising continues. At the time of this writing, nothing in this document represents the finalized game. These rules should not (at this time) be seen as set in stone.
* Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there; or mail your questions.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-11-24T19:03:14Z

Pistos: Clarify city movement rule

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name:''' Every card has a unique name.
# '''Card Types:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, and are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player can gather Victory Points (VP) and can gain strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''type'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===

Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.
There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]] and they are further described in the [[#Abilities_2|Abilities]] section, below.

=== Movement ===

* During the Play phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move). However, creatures which must be moved out of a destroyed city (see [[#Defending a city]]) can be moved out even if that city was previously involved in a move.
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Victory Points ===

At the beginning of your tactics phase each of your cities provides 1 Victory Point if it has at least as many residents of the same faction as the city's loyalty marks.

e.g. If a Gaian City with three loyalty marks has three or more Gaian Creatures at the beginning of your tactics phase it gives you 1 VP.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

Unmarked residents of a destroyed city must be moved to an other city or to the army (see [[#Movement]]). Marked residents of a destroyed city return to their owners hand. All other cards (e.g. enchantments) are put in to their owners Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

Cities can provide tactical advantages when they reach a certain level of devoted ''residents''.
During the player's Tactics phase, he/she can mark any number of ''residents'' to indicate their devotion to the the city.
The city's current devotion is the sum of all loyalty marks given by all devoted residents. When it reaches the level indicated on the city card, the advantage is active.
Cities may have multiple devotion levels, triggering stronger advantages.

The active player chooses the order of the cities and are then resolved one by one.
For a given city he/she declares all the creatures that will show their devotion to the city (all at once).
Any player may react to that (e.g. killing one of the declared creatures).
Finally the declared creatures are marked, and the devotion is calculated.
For each city level reached, the advantage is triggered (mandatory). They are resolved in order, lowest levels first.
(they are on the event stack in reverse order).

* An advantages can be one time action (e.g. drawing a card, return a card from the graveyard), or have a permanent effect.
* When the city's devotion drops below the threshold, the owning player no longer enjoys the permanent advantage. (e.g. a devoted resident is killed)
* The city's devotion must be renewed every turn (since during the unmark phase all creatures, including the devoted residents are unmarked).
* If it is not renewed any permanent advantage fades out.
* Once a city is destroyed, the owning player may no longer enjoy the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn.
* When an event card is played (cast), its effects are not taken into account immediately; the opponent is given the chance to react and play an Event card in response.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.

=== Order of Resolution ===

* When an event card is played, it is placed on an imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* All players (including the originating player) have the opportunity to play an Event card in response, it is placed on top of the imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* This action-reaction process is repeated until all players stop playing additional Event cards.
* The top card on the imaginary stack is now resolved, and its effects occur.
* New event cards can be played, and put on the stack, and the new top card is resolved, etc...

In short, the last played card's effect is applied first. At any time, new event cards can be played.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments may have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Global enchantments (without a target) are placed in the Army area.
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the graveyard - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Graveyard. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* Event cards can be played by all players (e.g. to boost a creature's attack strength, or to kill a creature before it can attack).

'''II. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The ''unmarked'' creatures in the defending Army are always available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the unmarked creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of these available unmarked creatures to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all.
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.
* Event cards can be played by all players

'''III. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and its assigned defender(s).
** The attacker receives damage equal to the sum of the ATK values of the ''defenders''. If the damage is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value it dies.
** The attacking player chooses how to distribute the damage dealt by the attacker's ATK strength among the defenders.
** If a defender receives damage greater than or equal to its DEF value, it dies.
** Damage to the attacker and its assigned defender(s) is resolved simultaneously, hence the attacker and one or more of its assigned defenders could die in a single battle.

* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.

'''IV. Clearing the battleground'''

* When combat is over, each dead creature is placed in its owner's graveyard.
* Any card attached to a dead creature is placed in the graveyard of the owner of the attached card. (A graveyard only contains cards of one player.)

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games, some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves at times. This is actually a feature and what makes CCGs deep, complex and modular.

Rule conflicts are to be resolved thus:

* If a ''card's rules'' contradict the ''core rules'' (in this document), '''the card's rules''' override the core rules.
* If an effect ''forbids'' something, while another effect ''allows'' it, that something is '''forbidden'''. "No, not, can't" etc. ''always'' outweigh "can".
** Example: A creature has the effect "can not fly" in its card text. Playing a Magic card on the creature with the text "target creature can fly" does ''not'' make the creature able to fly. The "can not" overrides the "can".

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills, and some are able to perform different kinds of actions. There are numerous ways in which creatures can interact with one another without engaging in standard combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and whether they have drawbacks or not. There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]].

Abilities are not limited to just creatures. Some Magic cards can grant creatures additional abilities they wouldn't otherwise have.

There are three main types of abilities: ''passive'', ''activated'' and ''triggered''.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that takes effect and abides without needing any associated cost to be paid, any action to be taken, or any particular requirements to be met. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability is active. It ceases to affect the game when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures get +3 Defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

* A card's ability only takes effect after the player controlling the card pays the ability's cost. Inability or refusal to pay the ability's cost prevents the ability from taking effect.
* Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually, the controller is the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three types of costs that must be paid to activate abilities: ''power'' cost, ''marking'' and ''custom'' cost.

Activated abilities are always written in the format

Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) are the cost(s) or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effects that will occur once the costs are paid and the prerequisites are met.

=== Triggered ===

* A triggered ability is activated if and only if its trigger takes place.
* Players ''cannot'' choose whether a triggered ability will take effect or not once it is put into play. It ''must'' take effect once the trigger ocurs.
* It is possible for rules or situations to prevent a triggered ability's effect from applying.

Example:

* Consider the triggered ability "Discard a non-Dark-Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play."
* Suppose an opponent plays that curse (triggered ability) on you.
* If any player (including you) puts a Skeleton type creature into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark-Legion creature.
* If you have only Dark Legion creatures, however, then it is not possible for you to comply with the card rule, in which case you don't have to discard anything.

==Variable Power Costs==
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X power gems.|101px]]
Some cards have a cost of '''X''' instead of a literal number. Other cards have a cost of X with a modifier (usually a simple algebraic expression). In these cases, the meaning of X is always defined in the card text.

Example:

* A card costs X + 2.
* Its text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature.
* The target creature's ATK is 3.
* Thus, the cost to play the card would be 3 + 2 = 5 power gems.

= Disclaimer & Other Information =
* At the time of this writing, '''these rules are only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC for short.
* Edits are allowed by anyone as long as they fully maintain the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of the edited rules, etc. Such edits should not change how the game is played.
* Rule-changing edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
* The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
* ''All'' content in here can and will likely change as development, concept testing, play testing and revising continues. At the time of this writing, nothing in this document represents the finalized game. These rules should not (at this time) be seen as set in stone.
* Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there; or mail your questions.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-11-23T21:27:16Z

Pistos: Grammar correction and rephrasing

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name:''' Every card has a unique name.
# '''Card Types:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, and are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player can gather Victory Points (VP) and can gain strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''type'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===

Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.
There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]] and they are further described in the [[#Abilities_2|Abilities]] section, below.

=== Movement ===

* During the Play phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Victory Points ===

At the beginning of your tactics phase each of your cities provides 1 Victory Point if it has at least as many residents of the same faction as the city's loyalty marks.

e.g. If a Gaian City with three loyalty marks has three or more Gaian Creatures at the beginning of your tactics phase it gives you 1 VP.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard. Residents of a destroyed city must also be put in to their owners Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

Cities can provide tactical advantages when they reach a certain level of devoted ''residents''.
During the player's Tactics phase, he/she can mark any number of ''residents'' to indicate their devotion to the the city.
The city's current devotion is the sum of all loyalty marks given by all devoted residents. When it reaches the level indicated on the city card, the advantage is active.
Cities may have multiple devotion levels, triggering stronger advantages.

The active player chooses the order of the cities and are then resolved one by one.
For a given city he/she declares all the creatures that will show their devotion to the city (all at once).
Any player may react to that (e.g. killing one of the declared creatures).
Finally the declared creatures are marked, and the devotion is calculated.
For each city level reached, the advantage is triggered (mandatory). They are resolved in order, lowest levels first.
(they are on the event stack in reverse order).

* An advantages can be one time action (e.g. drawing a card, return a card from the graveyard), or have a permanent effect.
* When the city's devotion drops below the threshold, the owning player no longer enjoys the permanent advantage. (e.g. a devoted resident is killed)
* The city's devotion must be renewed every turn (since during the unmark phase all creatures, including the devoted residents are unmarked).
* If it is not renewed any permanent advantage fades out.
* Once a city is destroyed, the owning player may no longer enjoy the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn.
* When an event card is played (cast), its effects are not taken into account immediately; the opponent is given the chance to react and play an Event card in response.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.

=== Order of Resolution ===

* When an event card is played, it is placed on an imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* All players (including the originating player) have the opportunity to play an Event card in response, it is placed on top of the imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* This action-reaction process is repeated until all players stop playing additional Event cards.
* The top card on the imaginary stack is now resolved, and its effects occur.
* New event cards can be played, and put on the stack, and the new top card is resolved, etc...

In short, the last played card's effect is applied first. At any time, new event cards can be played.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments may have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Global enchantments (without a target) are placed in the Army area.
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the graveyard - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Graveyard. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* Event cards can be played by all players (e.g. to boost a creature's attack strength, or to kill a creature before it can attack).

'''II. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The ''unmarked'' creatures in the defending Army are always available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the unmarked creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of these available unmarked creatures to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all.
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.
* Event cards can be played by all players

'''III. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and its assigned defender(s).
** The attacker receives damage equal to the sum of the ATK values of the ''defenders''. If the damage is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value it dies.
** The attacking player chooses how to distribute the damage dealt by the attacker's ATK strength among the defenders.
** If a defender receives damage greater than or equal to its DEF value, it dies.
** Damage to the attacker and its assigned defender(s) is resolved simultaneously, hence the attacker and one or more of its assigned defenders could die in a single battle.

* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.

'''IV. Clearing the battleground'''

* When combat is over, each dead creature is placed in its owner's graveyard.
* Any card attached to a dead creature is placed in the graveyard of the owner of the attached card. (A graveyard only contains cards of one player.)

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games, some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves at times. This is actually a feature and what makes CCGs deep, complex and modular.

Rule conflicts are to be resolved thus:

* If a ''card's rules'' contradict the ''core rules'' (in this document), '''the card's rules''' override the core rules.
* If an effect ''forbids'' something, while another effect ''allows'' it, that something is '''forbidden'''. "No, not, can't" etc. ''always'' outweigh "can".
** Example: A creature has the effect "can not fly" in its card text. Playing a Magic card on the creature with the text "target creature can fly" does ''not'' make the creature able to fly. The "can not" overrides the "can".

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills, and some are able to perform different kinds of actions. There are numerous ways in which creatures can interact with one another without engaging in standard combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and whether they have drawbacks or not. There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]].

Abilities are not limited to just creatures. Some Magic cards can grant creatures additional abilities they wouldn't otherwise have.

There are three main types of abilities: ''passive'', ''activated'' and ''triggered''.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that takes effect and abides without needing any associated cost to be paid, any action to be taken, or any particular requirements to be met. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability is active. It ceases to affect the game when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures get +3 Defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

* A card's ability only takes effect after the player controlling the card pays the ability's cost. Inability or refusal to pay the ability's cost prevents the ability from taking effect.
* Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually, the controller is the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three types of costs that must be paid to activate abilities: ''power'' cost, ''marking'' and ''custom'' cost.

Activated abilities are always written in the format

Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) are the cost(s) or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effects that will occur once the costs are paid and the prerequisites are met.

=== Triggered ===

* A triggered ability is activated if and only if its trigger takes place.
* Players ''cannot'' choose whether a triggered ability will take effect or not once it is put into play. It ''must'' take effect once the trigger ocurs.
* It is possible for rules or situations to prevent a triggered ability's effect from applying.

Example:

* Consider the triggered ability "Discard a non-Dark-Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play."
* Suppose an opponent plays that curse (triggered ability) on you.
* If any player (including you) puts a Skeleton type creature into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark-Legion creature.
* If you have only Dark Legion creatures, however, then it is not possible for you to comply with the card rule, in which case you don't have to discard anything.

==Variable Power Costs==
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X power gems.|101px]]
Some cards have a cost of '''X''' instead of a literal number. Other cards have a cost of X with a modifier (usually a simple algebraic expression). In these cases, the meaning of X is always defined in the card text.

Example:

* A card costs X + 2.
* Its text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature.
* The target creature's ATK is 3.
* Thus, the cost to play the card would be 3 + 2 = 5 power gems.

= Disclaimer & Other Information =
* At the time of this writing, '''these rules are only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC for short.
* Edits are allowed by anyone as long as they fully maintain the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of the edited rules, etc. Such edits should not change how the game is played.
* Rule-changing edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
* The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
* ''All'' content in here can and will likely change as development, concept testing, play testing and revising continues. At the time of this writing, nothing in this document represents the finalized game. These rules should not (at this time) be seen as set in stone.
* Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there; or mail your questions.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-10-28T13:51:35Z

Pistos: Grammar correction

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name:''' Every card has a unique name.
# '''Card Types:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, and are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''type'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===

Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.
There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]] and they are further described in the [[#Abilities_2|Abilities]] section, below.

=== Movement ===

* During the Play phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard. Residents of a destroyed city must also be put in to their owners Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

Cities can provide tactical advantages when they reach a certain level of devoted ''residents''.
During the player's Tactics phase, he/she can mark any number of ''residents'' to indicate their devotion to the the city.
The city's current devotion is the sum of all loyalty marks given by all devoted residents. When it reaches the level indicated on the city card, the advantage is active.
Cities may have multiple devotion levels, triggering stronger advantages.

The active player chooses the order of the cities and are then resolved one by one.
For a given city he/she declares all the creatures that will show their devotion to the city (all at once).
Any player may react to that (e.g. killing one of the declared creatures).
Finally the declared creatures are marked, and the devotion is calculated.
For each city level reached, the advantage is triggered (mandatory). They are resolved in order, lowest levels first.
(they are on the event stack in reverse order).

* An advantages can be one time action (e.g. drawing a card, return a card from the graveyard), or have a permanent effect.
* When the city's devotion drops below the threshold, the owning player no longer enjoys the permanent advantage. (e.g. a devoted resident is killed)
* The city's devotion must be renewed every turn (since during the unmark phase all creatures, including the devoted residents are unmarked).
* If it is not renewed any permanent advantage fades out.
* Once a city is destroyed, the owning player may no longer enjoy the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn.
* When an event card is played (cast), its effects are not taken into account immediately; the opponent is given the chance to react and play an Event card in response.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.

=== Order of Resolution ===

* When an event card is played, it is placed on an imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* All players (including the originating player) have the opportunity to play an Event card in response, it is placed on top of the imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* This action-reaction process is repeated until all players stop playing additional Event cards.
* The top card on the imaginary stack is now resolved, and its effects occur.
* New event cards can be played, and put on the stack, and the new top card is resolved, etc...

In short, the last played card's effect is applied first. At any time, new event cards can be played.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments may have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Global enchantments (without a target) are placed in the Army area.
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the graveyard - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Graveyard. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* Event cards can be played by all players (e.g. to boost a creature's attack strength, or to kill a creature before it can attack).

'''II. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The ''unmarked'' creatures in the defending Army are always available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the unmarked creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of these available unmarked creatures to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all.
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.
* Event cards can be played by all players

'''III. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and its assigned defender(s).
** The attacker receives damage equal to the sum of the ATK values of the ''defenders''. If the damage is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value it dies.
** The attacking player chooses how to distribute the damage dealt by the attacker's ATK strength among the defenders.
** If a defender receives damage greater than or equal to its DEF value, it dies.
** Damage to the attacker and its assigned defender(s) is resolved simultaneously, hence the attacker and one or more of its assigned defenders could die in a single battle.

* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.

'''IV. Clearing the battleground'''

* When combat is over, each dead creature is placed in its owner's graveyard.
* Any card attached to a dead creature is placed in the graveyard of the owner of the attached card. (A graveyard only contains cards of one player.)

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games, some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves at times. This is actually a feature and what makes CCGs deep, complex and modular.

Rule conflicts are to be resolved thus:

* If a ''card's rules'' contradict the ''core rules'' (in this document), '''the card's rules''' override the core rules.
* If an effect ''forbids'' something, while another effect ''allows'' it, that something is '''forbidden'''. "No, not, can't" etc. ''always'' outweigh "can".
** Example: A creature has the effect "can not fly" in its card text. Playing a Magic card on the creature with the text "target creature can fly" does ''not'' make the creature able to fly. The "can not" overrides the "can".

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills, and some are able to perform different kinds of actions. There are numerous ways in which creatures can interact with one another without engaging in standard combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and whether they have drawbacks or not. There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]].

Abilities are not limited to just creatures. Some Magic cards can grant creatures additional abilities they wouldn't otherwise have.

There are three main types of abilities: ''passive'', ''activated'' and ''triggered''.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that takes effect and abides without needing any associated cost to be paid, any action to be taken, or any particular requirements to be met. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability is active. It ceases to affect the game when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures get +3 Defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

* A card's ability only takes effect after the player controlling the card pays the ability's cost. Inability or refusal to pay the ability's cost prevents the ability from taking effect.
* Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually, the controller is the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three types of costs that must be paid to activate abilities: ''power'' cost, ''marking'' and ''custom'' cost.

Activated abilities are always written in the format

Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) are the cost(s) or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effects that will occur once the costs are paid and the prerequisites are met.

=== Triggered ===

* A triggered ability is activated if and only if its trigger takes place.
* Players ''cannot'' choose whether a triggered ability will take effect or not once it is put into play. It ''must'' take effect once the trigger ocurs.
* It is possible for rules or situations to prevent a triggered ability's effect from applying.

Example:

* Consider the triggered ability "Discard a non-Dark-Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play."
* Suppose an opponent plays that curse (triggered ability) on you.
* If any player (including you) puts a Skeleton type creature into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark-Legion creature.
* If you have only Dark Legion creatures, however, then it is not possible for you to comply with the card rule, in which case you don't have to discard anything.

==Variable Power Costs==
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X power gems.|101px]]
Some cards have a cost of '''X''' instead of a literal number. Other cards have a cost of X with a modifier (usually a simple algebraic expression). In these cases, the meaning of X is always defined in the card text.

Example:

* A card costs X + 2.
* Its text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature.
* The target creature's ATK is 3.
* Thus, the cost to play the card would be 3 + 2 = 5 power gems.

= Disclaimer & Other Information =
* At the time of this writing, '''these rules are only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC for short.
* Edits are allowed by anyone as long as they fully maintain the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of the edited rules, etc. Such edits should not change how the game is played.
* Rule-changing edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
* The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
* ''All'' content in here can and will likely change as development, concept testing, play testing and revising continues. At the time of this writing, nothing in this document represents the finalized game. These rules should not (at this time) be seen as set in stone.
* Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there; or mail your questions.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-09-13T16:33:56Z

Pistos: /* Advantages */ Grammar adjustments.

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===

Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.
There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]] and they are further described in the [[#Abilities_2|Abilities]] section, below.

=== Movement ===

* During the Play phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard. Residents of a destroyed city must also be put in to their owners Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

Cities can provide tactical advantages when they reach a certain level of devoted ''residents''.
During the player's Tactics phase, he/she can mark any number of ''residents'' to indicate their devotion to the the city.
The city's current devotion is the sum of all loyalty marks given by all devoted residents. When it reaches the level indicated on the city card, the advantage is active.
Cities may have multiple devotion levels, triggering stronger advantages.

* When the city's devotion drops below the threshold, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage. (e.g. a devoted resident is killed)
* The city's devotion must be renewed every turn (since during the unmark phase all creatures, including the devoted residents are unmarked)
* Once a city is destroyed, the owning player may no longer enjoy the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn.
* When an event card is played (cast), its effects are not taken into account immediately; the opponent is given the chance to react and play an Event card in response.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.

=== Order of Resolution ===

* When an event card is played, it is placed on an imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* All players (including the originating player) have the opportunity to play an Event card in response, it is placed on top of the imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* This action-reaction process is repeated until all players stop playing additional Event cards.
* The top card on the imaginary stack is now resolved, and its effects occur.
* New event cards can be played, and put on the stack, and the new top card is resolved, etc...

In short, the last played card's effect is applied first. At any time, new event cards can be played.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments may have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Global enchantments (without a target) are placed in the Army area.
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the graveyard - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Graveyard. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* Event cards can be played by all players (e.g. to boost a creature's attack strength, or to kill a creature before it can attack).

'''II. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The ''unmarked'' creatures in the defending Army are always available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the unmarked creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of these available unmarked creatures to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all.
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.
* Event cards can be played by all players

'''III. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and its assigned defender(s).
** The attacker receives damage equal to the sum of the ATK values of the ''defenders''. If the damage is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value it dies.
** The attacking player chooses how to distribute the damage dealt by the attacker's ATK strength among the defenders.
** If a defender receives damage greater than or equal to its DEF value, it dies.
** Damage to the attacker and its assigned defender(s) is resolved simultaneously, hence the attacker and one or more of its assigned defenders could die in a single battle.

* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.

'''IV. Clearing the battleground'''

* When combat is over, each dead creature is placed in its owner's graveyard.
* Any card attached to a dead creature is placed in the graveyard of the owner of the attached card. (A graveyard only contains cards of one player.)

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games, some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves at times. This is actually a feature and what makes CCGs deep, complex and modular.

Rule conflicts are to be resolved thus:

* If a ''card's rules'' contradict the ''core rules'' (in this document), '''the card's rules''' override the core rules.
* If an effect ''forbids'' something, while another effect ''allows'' it, that something is '''forbidden'''. "No, not, can't" etc. ''always'' outweigh "can".
** Example: A creature has the effect "can not fly" in its card text. Playing a Magic card on the creature with the text "target creature can fly" does ''not'' make the creature able to fly. The "can not" overrides the "can".

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills, and some are able to perform different kinds of actions. There are numerous ways in which creatures can interact with one another without engaging in standard combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and whether they have drawbacks or not. There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]].

Abilities are not limited to just creatures. Some Magic cards can grant creatures additional abilities they wouldn't otherwise have.

There are three main types of abilities: ''passive'', ''activated'' and ''triggered''.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that takes effect and abides without needing any associated cost to be paid, any action to be taken, or any particular requirements to be met. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability is active. It ceases to affect the game when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures get +3 Defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

* A card's ability only takes effect after the player controlling the card pays the ability's cost. Inability or refusal to pay the ability's cost prevents the ability from taking effect.
* Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually, the controller is the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three types of costs that must be paid to activate abilities: ''power'' cost, ''marking'' and ''custom'' cost.

Activated abilities are always written in the format

Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) are the cost(s) or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effects that will occur once the costs are paid and the prerequisites are met.

=== Triggered ===

* A triggered ability is activated if and only if its trigger takes place.
* Players ''cannot'' choose whether a triggered ability will take effect or not once it is put into play. It ''must'' take effect once the trigger ocurs.
* It is possible for rules or situations to prevent a triggered ability's effect from applying.

Example:

* Consider the triggered ability "Discard a non-Dark-Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play."
* Suppose an opponent plays that curse (triggered ability) on you.
* If any player (including you) puts a Skeleton type creature into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark-Legion creature.
* If you have only Dark Legion creatures, however, then it is not possible for you to comply with the card rule, in which case you don't have to discard anything.

==Variable Power Costs==
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X power gems.|101px]]
Some cards have a cost of '''X''' instead of a literal number. Other cards have a cost of X with a modifier (usually a simple algebraic expression). In these cases, the meaning of X is always defined in the card text.

Example:

* A card costs X + 2.
* Its text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature.
* The target creature's ATK is 3.
* Thus, the cost to play the card would be 3 + 2 = 5 power gems.

= Disclaimer & Other Information =
* At the time of this writing, '''these rules are only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC for short.
* Edits are allowed by anyone as long as they fully maintain the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of the edited rules, etc. Such edits should not change how the game is played.
* Rule-changing edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
* The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
* ''All'' content in here can and will likely change as development, concept testing, play testing and revising continues. At the time of this writing, nothing in this document represents the finalized game. These rules should not (at this time) be seen as set in stone.
* Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there; or mail your questions.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-11T04:09:14Z

Pistos: /* Combat Sequence */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===

Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.
There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]] and they are further described in the [[#Abilities_2|Abilities]] section, below.

=== Movement ===

* During the Play phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of any city of the given discipline in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn.
* When an event card is played (cast), its effects are not taken into account immediately; the opponent is given the chance to react and play an Event card in response.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.

=== Order of Resolution ===

* When an event card is played, it is placed on an imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* All players (including the originating player) have the opportunity to play an Event card in response, it is placed on top of the imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* This action-reaction process is repeated until all players stop playing additional Event cards.
* The top card on the imaginary stack is now resolved, and its effects occur.
* New event cards can be played, and put on the stack, and the new top card is resolved, etc...

In short, the last played card's effect is applied first. At any time, new event cards can be played.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments may have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Global enchantments (without a target) are placed in the Army area.
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the graveyard - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Graveyard. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* Event cards can be played by all players (e.g. to boost a creature's attack strength, or to kill a creature before it can attack).

'''II. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The ''unmarked'' creatures in the defending Army are always available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the unmarked creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of these available unmarked creatures to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all.
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.
* Event cards can be played by all players

'''III. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and its assigned defender(s).
** The attacker receives damage equal to the sum of the ATK values of the ''defenders''. If the damage is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value it dies.
** The attacking player chooses how to distribute the damage dealt by the attacker's ATK strength among the defenders.
** If a defender receives damage greater than or equal to its DEF value, it dies.
** Damage to the attacker and its assigned defender(s) is resolved simultaneously, hence the attacker and one or more of its assigned defenders could die in a single battle.

* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.

'''IV. Clearing the battleground'''

* When combat is over, each dead creature is placed in its owner's graveyard.
* Any card attached to a dead creature is placed in the graveyard of the owner of the attached card. (A graveyard only contains cards of one player.)

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games, some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves at times. This is actually a feature and what makes CCGs deep, complex and modular.

Rule conflicts are to be resolved thus:

* If a ''card's rules'' contradict the ''core rules'' (in this document), '''the card's rules''' override the core rules.
* If an effect ''forbids'' something, while another effect ''allows'' it, that something is '''forbidden'''. "No, not, can't" etc. ''always'' outweigh "can".
** Example: A creature has the effect "can not fly" in its card text. Playing a Magic card on the creature with the text "target creature can fly" does ''not'' make the creature able to fly. The "can not" overrides the "can".

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills, and some are able to perform different kinds of actions. There are numerous ways in which creatures can interact with one another without engaging in standard combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and whether they have drawbacks or not. There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]].

Abilities are not limited to just creatures. Some Magic cards can grant creatures additional abilities they wouldn't otherwise have.

There are three main types of abilities: ''passive'', ''activated'' and ''triggered''.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that takes effect and abides without needing any associated cost to be paid, any action to be taken, or any particular requirements to be met. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability is active. It ceases to affect the game when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures get +3 Defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

* A card's ability only takes effect after the player controlling the card pays the ability's cost. Inability or refusal to pay the ability's cost prevents the ability from taking effect.
* Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually, the controller is the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three types of costs that must be paid to activate abilities: ''power'' cost, ''marking'' and ''custom'' cost.

Activated abilities are always written in the format

Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) are the cost(s) or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effects that will occur once the costs are paid and the prerequisites are met.

=== Triggered ===

* A triggered ability is activated if and only if its trigger takes place.
* Players ''cannot'' choose whether a triggered ability will take effect or not once it is put into play. It ''must'' take effect once the trigger ocurs.
* It is possible for rules or situations to prevent a triggered ability's effect from applying.

Example:

* Consider the triggered ability "Discard a non-Dark-Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play."
* Suppose an opponent plays that curse (triggered ability) on you.
* If any player (including you) puts a Skeleton type creature into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark-Legion creature.
* If you have only Dark Legion creatures, however, then it is not possible for you to comply with the card rule, in which case you don't have to discard anything.

==Variable Power Costs==
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X power gems.|101px]]
Some cards have a cost of '''X''' instead of a literal number. Other cards have a cost of X with a modifier (usually a simple algebraic expression). In these cases, the meaning of X is always defined in the card text.

Example:

* A card costs X + 2.
* Its text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature.
* The target creature's ATK is 3.
* Thus, the cost to play the card would be 3 + 2 = 5 power gems.

= Disclaimer & Other Information =
* At the time of this writing, '''these rules are only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC for short.
* Edits are allowed by anyone as long as they fully maintain the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of the edited rules, etc. Such edits should not change how the game is played.
* Rule-changing edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
* The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
* ''All'' content in here can and will likely change as development, concept testing, play testing and revising continues. At the time of this writing, nothing in this document represents the finalized game. These rules should not (at this time) be seen as set in stone.
* Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there; or mail your questions.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-11T04:07:01Z

Pistos: /* Combat Sequence */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===

Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.
There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]] and they are further described in the [[#Abilities_2|Abilities]] section, below.

=== Movement ===

* During the Play phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of any city of the given discipline in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn.
* When an event card is played (cast), its effects are not taken into account immediately; the opponent is given the chance to react and play an Event card in response.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.

=== Order of Resolution ===

* When an event card is played, it is placed on an imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* All players (including the originating player) have the opportunity to play an Event card in response, it is placed on top of the imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* This action-reaction process is repeated until all players stop playing additional Event cards.
* The top card on the imaginary stack is now resolved, and its effects occur.
* New event cards can be played, and put on the stack, and the new top card is resolved, etc...

In short, the last played card's effect is applied first. At any time, new event cards can be played.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments may have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Global enchantments (without a target) are placed in the Army area.
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the graveyard - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Graveyard. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* Event cards can be played by all players (e.g. to boost a creature's attack strength, or to kill a creature before it can attack).

'''II. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The ''unmarked'' creatures in the defending Army are always available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the unmarked creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of these available unmarked creatures to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all.
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.
* Event cards can be played by all players

'''III. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and its assigned defender(s).
** The attacker receives damage equal to the sum of the ATK values of the ''defenders''. If the damage is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value it dies.
** The attacking player chooses how to distribute the damage dealt by the attacker's ATK strength among the defenders.
** If a defender receives damage greater than or equal to its DEF value, it dies.
** Damage to the attacker and its assigned defender(s) is resolved simultaneously, hence the attacker and one or more of its assigned defenders could die in a single battle.

* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.

'''IV. Clearing the battleground'''

* When combat is over dead creatures are placed in their owner's graveyard.
* Cards attached to a dead creature are placed in their owner's graveyard. (so a graveyard only contains cards of one player)

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games, some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves at times. This is actually a feature and what makes CCGs deep, complex and modular.

Rule conflicts are to be resolved thus:

* If a ''card's rules'' contradict the ''core rules'' (in this document), '''the card's rules''' override the core rules.
* If an effect ''forbids'' something, while another effect ''allows'' it, that something is '''forbidden'''. "No, not, can't" etc. ''always'' outweigh "can".
** Example: A creature has the effect "can not fly" in its card text. Playing a Magic card on the creature with the text "target creature can fly" does ''not'' make the creature able to fly. The "can not" overrides the "can".

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills, and some are able to perform different kinds of actions. There are numerous ways in which creatures can interact with one another without engaging in standard combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and whether they have drawbacks or not. There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]].

Abilities are not limited to just creatures. Some Magic cards can grant creatures additional abilities they wouldn't otherwise have.

There are three main types of abilities: ''passive'', ''activated'' and ''triggered''.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that takes effect and abides without needing any associated cost to be paid, any action to be taken, or any particular requirements to be met. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability is active. It ceases to affect the game when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures get +3 Defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

* A card's ability only takes effect after the player controlling the card pays the ability's cost. Inability or refusal to pay the ability's cost prevents the ability from taking effect.
* Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually, the controller is the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three types of costs that must be paid to activate abilities: ''power'' cost, ''marking'' and ''custom'' cost.

Activated abilities are always written in the format

Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) are the cost(s) or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effects that will occur once the costs are paid and the prerequisites are met.

=== Triggered ===

* A triggered ability is activated if and only if its trigger takes place.
* Players ''cannot'' choose whether a triggered ability will take effect or not once it is put into play. It ''must'' take effect once the trigger ocurs.
* It is possible for rules or situations to prevent a triggered ability's effect from applying.

Example:

* Consider the triggered ability "Discard a non-Dark-Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play."
* Suppose an opponent plays that curse (triggered ability) on you.
* If any player (including you) puts a Skeleton type creature into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark-Legion creature.
* If you have only Dark Legion creatures, however, then it is not possible for you to comply with the card rule, in which case you don't have to discard anything.

==Variable Power Costs==
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X power gems.|101px]]
Some cards have a cost of '''X''' instead of a literal number. Other cards have a cost of X with a modifier (usually a simple algebraic expression). In these cases, the meaning of X is always defined in the card text.

Example:

* A card costs X + 2.
* Its text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature.
* The target creature's ATK is 3.
* Thus, the cost to play the card would be 3 + 2 = 5 power gems.

= Disclaimer & Other Information =
* At the time of this writing, '''these rules are only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC for short.
* Edits are allowed by anyone as long as they fully maintain the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of the edited rules, etc. Such edits should not change how the game is played.
* Rule-changing edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
* The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
* ''All'' content in here can and will likely change as development, concept testing, play testing and revising continues. At the time of this writing, nothing in this document represents the finalized game. These rules should not (at this time) be seen as set in stone.
* Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there; or mail your questions.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-11T04:01:05Z

Pistos: /* Combat Sequence */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===

Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.
There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]] and they are further described in the [[#Abilities_2|Abilities]] section, below.

=== Movement ===

* During the Play phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of any city of the given discipline in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn.
* When an event card is played (cast), its effects are not taken into account immediately; the opponent is given the chance to react and play an Event card in response.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.

=== Order of Resolution ===

* When an event card is played, it is placed on an imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* All players (including the originating player) have the opportunity to play an Event card in response, it is placed on top of the imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* This action-reaction process is repeated until all players stop playing additional Event cards.
* The top card on the imaginary stack is now resolved, and its effects occur.
* New event cards can be played, and put on the stack, and the new top card is resolved, etc...

In short, the last played card's effect is applied first. At any time, new event cards can be played.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments may have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Global enchantments (without a target) are placed in the Army area.
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the graveyard - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Graveyard. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* Event cards can be played by all players (e.g. to boost a creature's attack strength, or to kill a creature before it can attack).

'''II. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The ''unmarked'' creatures in the defending Army are always available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the unmarked creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of these available unmarked creatures to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all.
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.
* Event cards can be played by all players

'''III. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and its assigned defender(s).
** The attacker receives damage equal to the sum of the ''defenders''' ATK values, if the damage is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value it dies.
** The attacking player choose how to distribute the damage dealt by the attacker's ATK strength among the defenders.
** If a defender receives damage greater than or equal to the its DEF value it dies.
** Damage to the attacker and its assigned defender(s) is resolved simultaneously, hence both attacker and defender(s) could die in the battle.

* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.

'''IV. Clearing the battleground'''

* When combat is over dead creatures are placed in their owner's graveyard.
* Cards attached to a dead creature are placed in their owner's graveyard. (so a graveyard only contains cards of one player)

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games, some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves at times. This is actually a feature and what makes CCGs deep, complex and modular.

Rule conflicts are to be resolved thus:

* If a ''card's rules'' contradict the ''core rules'' (in this document), '''the card's rules''' override the core rules.
* If an effect ''forbids'' something, while another effect ''allows'' it, that something is '''forbidden'''. "No, not, can't" etc. ''always'' outweigh "can".
** Example: A creature has the effect "can not fly" in its card text. Playing a Magic card on the creature with the text "target creature can fly" does ''not'' make the creature able to fly. The "can not" overrides the "can".

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills, and some are able to perform different kinds of actions. There are numerous ways in which creatures can interact with one another without engaging in standard combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and whether they have drawbacks or not. There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]].

Abilities are not limited to just creatures. Some Magic cards can grant creatures additional abilities they wouldn't otherwise have.

There are three main types of abilities: ''passive'', ''activated'' and ''triggered''.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that takes effect and abides without needing any associated cost to be paid, any action to be taken, or any particular requirements to be met. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability is active. It ceases to affect the game when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures get +3 Defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

* A card's ability only takes effect after the player controlling the card pays the ability's cost. Inability or refusal to pay the ability's cost prevents the ability from taking effect.
* Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually, the controller is the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three types of costs that must be paid to activate abilities: ''power'' cost, ''marking'' and ''custom'' cost.

Activated abilities are always written in the format

Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) are the cost(s) or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effects that will occur once the costs are paid and the prerequisites are met.

=== Triggered ===

* A triggered ability is activated if and only if its trigger takes place.
* Players ''cannot'' choose whether a triggered ability will take effect or not once it is put into play. It ''must'' take effect once the trigger ocurs.
* It is possible for rules or situations to prevent a triggered ability's effect from applying.

Example:

* Consider the triggered ability "Discard a non-Dark-Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play."
* Suppose an opponent plays that curse (triggered ability) on you.
* If any player (including you) puts a Skeleton type creature into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark-Legion creature.
* If you have only Dark Legion creatures, however, then it is not possible for you to comply with the card rule, in which case you don't have to discard anything.

==Variable Power Costs==
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X power gems.|101px]]
Some cards have a cost of '''X''' instead of a literal number. Other cards have a cost of X with a modifier (usually a simple algebraic expression). In these cases, the meaning of X is always defined in the card text.

Example:

* A card costs X + 2.
* Its text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature.
* The target creature's ATK is 3.
* Thus, the cost to play the card would be 3 + 2 = 5 power gems.

= Disclaimer & Other Information =
* At the time of this writing, '''these rules are only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC for short.
* Edits are allowed by anyone as long as they fully maintain the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of the edited rules, etc. Such edits should not change how the game is played.
* Rule-changing edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
* The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
* ''All'' content in here can and will likely change as development, concept testing, play testing and revising continues. At the time of this writing, nothing in this document represents the finalized game. These rules should not (at this time) be seen as set in stone.
* Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there; or mail your questions.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-11T03:58:23Z

Pistos: /* Enchantments */ fix typo

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===

Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.
There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]] and they are further described in the [[#Abilities_2|Abilities]] section, below.

=== Movement ===

* During the Play phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of any city of the given discipline in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn.
* When an event card is played (cast), its effects are not taken into account immediately; the opponent is given the chance to react and play an Event card in response.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.

=== Order of Resolution ===

* When an event card is played, it is placed on an imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* All players (including the originating player) have the opportunity to play an Event card in response, it is placed on top of the imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* This action-reaction process is repeated until all players stop playing additional Event cards.
* The top card on the imaginary stack is now resolved, and its effects occur.
* New event cards can be played, and put on the stack, and the new top card is resolved, etc...

In short, the last played card's effect is applied first. At any time, new event cards can be played.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments may have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Global enchantments (without a target) are placed in the Army area.
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the graveyard - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Graveyard. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* Event cards can be played by all players (e.g. to boost a creature's attack strength, or to kill a creature before it can attack).

'''II. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The creatures in the defending Army are always available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of the unmarked creatures to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all.
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.
* Event cards can be played by all players

'''III. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and its assigned defender(s).
** The attacker receives damage equal to the sum of the ''defenders''' ATK values, if the damage is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value it dies.
** The attacking player choose how to distribute the damage dealt by the attacker's ATK strength among the defenders.
** If a defender receives damage greater than or equal to the its DEF value it dies.
** Damage to the attacker and its assigned defender(s) is resolved simultaneously, hence both attacker and defender(s) could die in the battle.

* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.

'''IV. Clearing the battleground'''

* When combat is over dead creatures are placed in their owner's graveyard.
* Cards attached to a dead creature are placed in their owner's graveyard. (so a graveyard only contains cards of one player)

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games, some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves at times. This is actually a feature and what makes CCGs deep, complex and modular.

Rule conflicts are to be resolved thus:

* If a ''card's rules'' contradict the ''core rules'' (in this document), '''the card's rules''' override the core rules.
* If an effect ''forbids'' something, while another effect ''allows'' it, that something is '''forbidden'''. "No, not, can't" etc. ''always'' outweigh "can".
** Example: A creature has the effect "can not fly" in its card text. Playing a Magic card on the creature with the text "target creature can fly" does ''not'' make the creature able to fly. The "can not" overrides the "can".

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills, and some are able to perform different kinds of actions. There are numerous ways in which creatures can interact with one another without engaging in standard combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and whether they have drawbacks or not. There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]].

Abilities are not limited to just creatures. Some Magic cards can grant creatures additional abilities they wouldn't otherwise have.

There are three main types of abilities: ''passive'', ''activated'' and ''triggered''.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that takes effect and abides without needing any associated cost to be paid, any action to be taken, or any particular requirements to be met. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability is active. It ceases to affect the game when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures get +3 Defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

* A card's ability only takes effect after the player controlling the card pays the ability's cost. Inability or refusal to pay the ability's cost prevents the ability from taking effect.
* Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually, the controller is the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three types of costs that must be paid to activate abilities: ''power'' cost, ''marking'' and ''custom'' cost.

Activated abilities are always written in the format

Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) are the cost(s) or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effects that will occur once the costs are paid and the prerequisites are met.

=== Triggered ===

* A triggered ability is activated if and only if its trigger takes place.
* Players ''cannot'' choose whether a triggered ability will take effect or not once it is put into play. It ''must'' take effect once the trigger ocurs.
* It is possible for rules or situations to prevent a triggered ability's effect from applying.

Example:

* Consider the triggered ability "Discard a non-Dark-Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play."
* Suppose an opponent plays that curse (triggered ability) on you.
* If any player (including you) puts a Skeleton type creature into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark-Legion creature.
* If you have only Dark Legion creatures, however, then it is not possible for you to comply with the card rule, in which case you don't have to discard anything.

==Variable Power Costs==
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X power gems.|101px]]
Some cards have a cost of '''X''' instead of a literal number. Other cards have a cost of X with a modifier (usually a simple algebraic expression). In these cases, the meaning of X is always defined in the card text.

Example:

* A card costs X + 2.
* Its text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature.
* The target creature's ATK is 3.
* Thus, the cost to play the card would be 3 + 2 = 5 power gems.

= Disclaimer & Other Information =
* At the time of this writing, '''these rules are only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC for short.
* Edits are allowed by anyone as long as they fully maintain the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of the edited rules, etc. Such edits should not change how the game is played.
* Rule-changing edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
* The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
* ''All'' content in here can and will likely change as development, concept testing, play testing and revising continues. At the time of this writing, nothing in this document represents the finalized game. These rules should not (at this time) be seen as set in stone.
* Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there; or mail your questions.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-11T03:48:10Z

Pistos: /* Events */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===

Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.
There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]] and they are further described in the [[#Abilities_2|Abilities]] section, below.

=== Movement ===

* During the Play phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of any city of the given discipline in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn.
* When an event card is played (cast), its effects are not taken into account immediately; the opponent is given the chance to react and play an Event card in response.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.

=== Order of Resolution ===

* When an event card is played, it is placed on an imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* All players (including the originating player) have the opportunity to play an Event card in response, it is placed on top of the imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* This action-reaction process is repeated until all players stop playing additional Event cards.
* The top card on the imaginary stack is now resolved, and its effects occur.
* New event cards can be played, and put on the stack, and the new top card is resolved, etc...

In short, the last played card's effect is applied first. At any time, new event cards can be played.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments may have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Global enchantments (without a target) are placed in the Army erea.
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the graveyard - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Graveyard. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* Event cards can be played by all players (e.g. to boost a creature's attack strength, or to kill a creature before it can attack).

'''II. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The creatures in the defending Army are always available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of the unmarked creatures to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all.
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.
* Event cards can be played by all players

'''III. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and its assigned defender(s).
** The attacker receives damage equal to the sum of the ''defenders''' ATK values, if the damage is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value it dies.
** The attacking player choose how to distribute the damage dealt by the attacker's ATK strength among the defenders.
** If a defender receives damage greater than or equal to the its DEF value it dies.
** Damage to the attacker and its assigned defender(s) is resolved simultaneously, hence both attacker and defender(s) could die in the battle.

* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.

'''IV. Clearing the battleground'''

* When combat is over dead creatures are placed in their owner's graveyard.
* Cards attached to a dead creature are placed in their owner's graveyard. (so a graveyard only contains cards of one player)

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games, some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves at times. This is actually a feature and what makes CCGs deep, complex and modular.

Rule conflicts are to be resolved thus:

* If a ''card's rules'' contradict the ''core rules'' (in this document), '''the card's rules''' override the core rules.
* If an effect ''forbids'' something, while another effect ''allows'' it, that something is '''forbidden'''. "No, not, can't" etc. ''always'' outweigh "can".
** Example: A creature has the effect "can not fly" in its card text. Playing a Magic card on the creature with the text "target creature can fly" does ''not'' make the creature able to fly. The "can not" overrides the "can".

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills, and some are able to perform different kinds of actions. There are numerous ways in which creatures can interact with one another without engaging in standard combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and whether they have drawbacks or not. There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]].

Abilities are not limited to just creatures. Some Magic cards can grant creatures additional abilities they wouldn't otherwise have.

There are three main types of abilities: ''passive'', ''activated'' and ''triggered''.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that takes effect and abides without needing any associated cost to be paid, any action to be taken, or any particular requirements to be met. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability is active. It ceases to affect the game when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures get +3 Defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

* A card's ability only takes effect after the player controlling the card pays the ability's cost. Inability or refusal to pay the ability's cost prevents the ability from taking effect.
* Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually, the controller is the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three types of costs that must be paid to activate abilities: ''power'' cost, ''marking'' and ''custom'' cost.

Activated abilities are always written in the format

Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) are the cost(s) or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effects that will occur once the costs are paid and the prerequisites are met.

=== Triggered ===

* A triggered ability is activated if and only if its trigger takes place.
* Players ''cannot'' choose whether a triggered ability will take effect or not once it is put into play. It ''must'' take effect once the trigger ocurs.
* It is possible for rules or situations to prevent a triggered ability's effect from applying.

Example:

* Consider the triggered ability "Discard a non-Dark-Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play."
* Suppose an opponent plays that curse (triggered ability) on you.
* If any player (including you) puts a Skeleton type creature into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark-Legion creature.
* If you have only Dark Legion creatures, however, then it is not possible for you to comply with the card rule, in which case you don't have to discard anything.

==Variable Power Costs==
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X power gems.|101px]]
Some cards have a cost of '''X''' instead of a literal number. Other cards have a cost of X with a modifier (usually a simple algebraic expression). In these cases, the meaning of X is always defined in the card text.

Example:

* A card costs X + 2.
* Its text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature.
* The target creature's ATK is 3.
* Thus, the cost to play the card would be 3 + 2 = 5 power gems.

= Disclaimer & Other Information =
* At the time of this writing, '''these rules are only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC for short.
* Edits are allowed by anyone as long as they fully maintain the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of the edited rules, etc. Such edits should not change how the game is played.
* Rule-changing edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
* The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
* ''All'' content in here can and will likely change as development, concept testing, play testing and revising continues. At the time of this writing, nothing in this document represents the finalized game. These rules should not (at this time) be seen as set in stone.
* Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there; or mail your questions.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-11T03:46:40Z

Pistos: /* Events */ typo fix

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===

Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.
There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]] and they are further described in the [[#Abilities_2|Abilities]] section, below.

=== Movement ===

* During the Play phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of any city of the given discipline in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn.
* When an event card is played (cast), its effects are not taken into account immediately, the opponent is given the chance to react and play an Event card in response.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.

=== Order of Resolution ===
* When an event card is played, it is placed on an imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* All players (including the originating players) have the opportunity to play an Event card in response, it is placed on top of the imaginary stack. Its effects are not yet taken into account.
* This action-reaction process is repeated until all players stop playing additional Event cards.
* The top card on the imaginary stack is now resolved, and its effects are takin into account.
* New event cards can be played, and put on the stack, and the new top card is resolved, etc...

In short, the last played card's effect is applied first. At any time, new event cards can be played.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments may have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Global enchantments (without a target) are placed in the Army erea.
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the graveyard - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Graveyard. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* Event cards can be played by all players (e.g. to boost a creature's attack strength, or to kill a creature before it can attack).

'''II. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The creatures in the defending Army are always available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of the unmarked creatures to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all.
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.
* Event cards can be played by all players

'''III. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and its assigned defender(s).
** The attacker receives damage equal to the sum of the ''defenders''' ATK values, if the damage is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value it dies.
** The attacking player choose how to distribute the damage dealt by the attacker's ATK strength among the defenders.
** If a defender receives damage greater than or equal to the its DEF value it dies.
** Damage to the attacker and its assigned defender(s) is resolved simultaneously, hence both attacker and defender(s) could die in the battle.

* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.

'''IV. Clearing the battleground'''

* When combat is over dead creatures are placed in their owner's graveyard.
* Cards attached to a dead creature are placed in their owner's graveyard. (so a graveyard only contains cards of one player)

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games, some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves at times. This is actually a feature and what makes CCGs deep, complex and modular.

Rule conflicts are to be resolved thus:

* If a ''card's rules'' contradict the ''core rules'' (in this document), '''the card's rules''' override the core rules.
* If an effect ''forbids'' something, while another effect ''allows'' it, that something is '''forbidden'''. "No, not, can't" etc. ''always'' outweigh "can".
** Example: A creature has the effect "can not fly" in its card text. Playing a Magic card on the creature with the text "target creature can fly" does ''not'' make the creature able to fly. The "can not" overrides the "can".

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills, and some are able to perform different kinds of actions. There are numerous ways in which creatures can interact with one another without engaging in standard combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and whether they have drawbacks or not. There is an extensive [[Abilities List|list of abillities]].

Abilities are not limited to just creatures. Some Magic cards can grant creatures additional abilities they wouldn't otherwise have.

There are three main types of abilities: ''passive'', ''activated'' and ''triggered''.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that takes effect and abides without needing any associated cost to be paid, any action to be taken, or any particular requirements to be met. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability is active. It ceases to affect the game when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures get +3 Defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

* A card's ability only takes effect after the player controlling the card pays the ability's cost. Inability or refusal to pay the ability's cost prevents the ability from taking effect.
* Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually, the controller is the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three types of costs that must be paid to activate abilities: ''power'' cost, ''marking'' and ''custom'' cost.

Activated abilities are always written in the format

Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) are the cost(s) or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effects that will occur once the costs are paid and the prerequisites are met.

=== Triggered ===

* A triggered ability is activated if and only if its trigger takes place.
* Players ''cannot'' choose whether a triggered ability will take effect or not once it is put into play. It ''must'' take effect once the trigger ocurs.
* It is possible for rules or situations to prevent a triggered ability's effect from applying.

Example:

* Consider the triggered ability "Discard a non-Dark-Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play."
* Suppose an opponent plays that curse (triggered ability) on you.
* If any player (including you) puts a Skeleton type creature into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark-Legion creature.
* If you have only Dark Legion creatures, however, then it is not possible for you to comply with the card rule, in which case you don't have to discard anything.

==Variable Power Costs==
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X power gems.|101px]]
Some cards have a cost of '''X''' instead of a literal number. Other cards have a cost of X with a modifier (usually a simple algebraic expression). In these cases, the meaning of X is always defined in the card text.

Example:

* A card costs X + 2.
* Its text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature.
* The target creature's ATK is 3.
* Thus, the cost to play the card would be 3 + 2 = 5 power gems.

= Disclaimer & Other Information =
* At the time of this writing, '''these rules are only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC for short.
* Edits are allowed by anyone as long as they fully maintain the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of the edited rules, etc. Such edits should not change how the game is played.
* Rule-changing edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
* The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
* ''All'' content in here can and will likely change as development, concept testing, play testing and revising continues. At the time of this writing, nothing in this document represents the finalized game. These rules should not (at this time) be seen as set in stone.
* Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there; or mail your questions.

Project Philosophy

2016-08-10T02:40:09Z

Pistos: /* Truly free */

[[Category:ORC]]
{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

==General Project Principles==
===Life first===
Work on this project whenever possible but don't sacrifice the studies/job/work/partner/friends or your family. A game is a game. Your life is more important. Always be honest and tell us when you need more time or plan on taking a longer break. In the open source communities it is sadly ''very'' common to see people that are super engaged and put down hundreds of hours in a project in a very short amount of time. The result is usually that they get burnt out or loose interest in it for various reasons, or go on a leave that will turn out to be of the more permanent kind. To prevent this from happening it is important that you ''plan your work'' with the project and that you see it in a ''long term perspective''. See the project as a hobby that you will have for a long while, instead of a fire that you need to suffocate as fast as possible. It will take both you and the project much further.

===Truly free===
Free in every sense of the word, meaning it is libre as well as gratis. The project uses a copyleft license that ensures that one of the main goals with the project - to deliver a truly free game to the world and empower its community to develop it - can be achieved. The game will ''always'' be copyleft and open source no matter what.

===Release often===
Small releases, often, instead of massive releases very seldom. We need to do it this way to keep getting funding via donations and also being present and seen as a project that is alive and healthy. It also creates more of a hype, and it gives us more flexibility and a more incremental approach to development and debugging. While this doesn't mean that there may never be huge releases it does entail that the goal is to have a clearly measurable development process that is result centric.

===Recycle Goodies===
Don't reinvent the wheel. Follow the working customizable card game conventions and create a CCG that can easily be identified as such a game. We're aiming for a ''perfect game'', not a landmark of innovation or creating a game that isn't a CCG. While creativity is welcome in this project ''originality'' has no intrinsic value for us. This particular attitude may come as a surprise for some and can easily be mistaken for conservatism or a sign of low ambitions, while it in reality makes perfect sense and is a sound approach to any endeavour: To learn from what others have already done and improve upon it is something we value greatly. Our goal is to create a free CCG - not to create a game genre the world has never seen before or a game that is as strange and "unique" as possible.

===Actions, not words===
Lead by example. You want something done? Then do it yourself or pay somebody else to do it. Pressuring, begging or nagging others that help out with the project does not work. Keep others in the community motivated by leading by example. The project needs people that can take ''both'' the responsibility and actions needed to move it forward. Simply put, move your ass, and others will follow. While mingling and planning is nice, please don't stay around to just do that - it is counter productive and just takes up everyones time if you never plan on contributing with any type of actual work. Your actions is the main measurement and currency within the community - the more you work and contribute, the more likely it is that you will influence the project and become a tone giving voice within the community.

==Code of Conduct==
===Friendly===
We want a friendly environment where people feel free, safe, respected and where they aren't the subject of rudeness, bullying, ridicule or harassment of any kind. Please choose your words and actions carefully when moving around in the community. Although we are a very small one, we are all but humans and it is easy to misunderstand each other, especially when we unite using a single language that in many cases isn't our own and also use words very differently as a result of our socio-economic background and level of education. Always be friendly and polite. The project doesn't need jackasses that constantly make other people feel bad or insulted somehow.

===Communication===
English is the only official language of the project throughout all means of communication. We use VoIP, IRC, private mail, mailing lists and/or forum all depending on what parts of the project we're working on and what our needs happen to be. In addition to those channels we are open to explore others if there is a need. Should you want to communicate in another language you are of course free to do so in private. The exception to this is of course every translation team and their work which should take place in dedicated sections/channels.

===Dialectics===
''Constructive criticism'' is always welcome and good. We recognize it as the only way to improve & ever develop the game, ourself and the community. We believe in a ''dialectical approach''. Development comes to us by working together towards common goals. Most of the discussions should somehow help to support the productivity within the project, answer questions and solve specific related problems. There must never exist any kind of social prestige or status when it comes to the participants in such a discussion. While we sometimes have clearly defined roles and fields of expertise that allow some parties to have the final word, public discussions are open to anyone that wants to join them and all that is suggested should be considered. The main objective is never to prove that ''a person'' is right. The main objective is to accomplish the common goal by evaluating any and all information known at a given time, to debunk, deconstruct and reconstruct theories, methods and other tools that will improve the quality of what we do.

===Professionalism===
We're creating a high quality game. Every aspect of it must be top notch. Be a professional, and ask yourself how one would behave if this would have been a company or a university. Being pro means that you can realize that you are wrong some times, and even more important, that you learn from the experience and can handle it. The project is at its core a meritocracy. A pro understands the difference between a good and productive discussion and one that is leading to nonsense, takes up time and is demoralising for the project. A pro sets aside personal prestige, glory and goals for the overall good of the project.

===Conflicts===
Conflicts don't arise between professionals. At least not serious ones or of the type that they can't be self-solved. In the unlikely event there are unsolvable or escalating conflicts between project contributors the involved parties should consult with the project management for a ruling in the matter.

==Visual wisdom==
All material in this section is Copyrighted by it's owne: Dilbert is (c) Scott Adams.

http://www.dilbert.com/dyn/str_strip/000000000/00000000/0000000/100000/30000/3000/100/133178/133178.strip.zoom.gif

http://www.dilbert.com/dyn/str_strip/000000000/00000000/0000000/100000/30000/1000/400/131478/131478.strip.zoom.gif

http://www.dilbert.com/dyn/str_strip/000000000/00000000/0000000/100000/30000/0000/600/130658/130658.strip.zoom.gif

http://www.dilbert.com/dyn/str_strip/000000000/00000000/0000000/100000/20000/9000/800/129849/129849.strip.zoom.gif

Talk:Original Rules Concept

2016-08-10T02:36:06Z

Pistos: Avoid 90 degree rotation patent violation

If rotating 90 degrees to mark a card is patented, just say that you rotate 89 degrees to mark a card. :)

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-10T01:37:52Z

Pistos: /* Disclaimer & info */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===

Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card. Abilities are further described in the [[#Abilities_2|Abilities]] section, below.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* All players are to play their Event cards in one specific, shared spot on the table. In cases where more than one player plays an event card at almost the same time, whoever physically places their card on the designated Event spot first gets to have their event card resolved first.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* In cases where there is more than one attacker, the attacking player must choose and announce the order of the attacks (which is first, then second, and so on).

'''II. Response'''

* Once the attack plan is announced, the passive player who owns the target area is given an opportunity to play ''either'' '''one''' Event card ''or'' '''one''' Ability (not both).
* The attacking player then gets the same opportunity to play an Event or Ability.
* The attacking and defending players take turns in this fashion until both players elect to ''pass'' on the opportunity to play something.

'''III. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The creatures in the defending Army are available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of the available defenders to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all (0 defenders).
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.

'''IV. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and one assigned defender.
* One full instance of combat is comprised of all pairs of selected attackers and their respective assigned defenders.
* All battles of the combat instance are resolved before game play continues with non-combat play.
* At the start of each battle, the players take turns with ''Response phases''. ''(Unclear: Which player goes first?)
* ''(Unclear: Is this separate from the Response phase mentioned above, which happens prior to the defender's declarations? If so: what happens in these "later" Response phases? Do players play event cards, magic cards, etc.? We should specify what cards may be played, or what actions may be taken during a Response phase.)''
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions, combat is resolved thus:
** All active effects are considered in calculating the effective ATK and DEF values of the combatants.
** If the attacker's ATK is greater than or equal to the defender's DEF, the defender dies.
** If the attacker's ATK is less than the defender's DEF, the defender survives.
** If the ''defender's'' ATK value is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value the attacker dies.
** ''(Unclear: Is it possible for a defender and attacker to both kill each other? Or does the attacker get initiative, and the defender cannot counterattack once dead, even if it happened to have a higher ATK than the attacker's DEF?)''
* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** ''(Unclear: What is the damage dealt by the attacker? The attacker's ATK value? If so, why don't we just say that?)''
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.
* When combat is over, the following cards are placed into the card owners' respective Graveyards:
** all dead creatures
** any cards that were attached to the dead creatures
** ''(Unclear: If a card owned (played) by one player is attached to a creature belonging to a different player, whose Graveyard does that attached card go to?)''
** all event cards that were used during combat

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games, some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves at times. This is actually a feature and what makes CCGs deep, complex and modular.

Rule conflicts are to be resolved thus:

* If a ''card's rules'' contradict the ''core rules'' (in this document), '''the card's rules''' override the core rules.
* If an effect ''forbids'' something, while another effect ''allows'' it, that something is '''forbidden'''. "No, not, can't" etc. ''always'' outweigh "can".
** Example: A creature has the effect "can not fly" in its card text. Playing a Magic card on the creature with the text "target creature can fly" does ''not'' make the creature able to fly. The "can not" overrides the "can".

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills, and some are able to perform different kinds of actions. There are numerous ways in which creatures can interact with one another without engaging in standard combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and whether they have drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures. Some Magic cards can grant creatures additional abilities they wouldn't otherwise have.

There are three main types of abilities: ''passive'', ''activated'' and ''triggered''.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that takes effect and abides without needing any associated cost to be paid, any action to be taken, or any particular requirements to be met. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability is active. It ceases to affect the game when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures get +3 Defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

* A card's ability only takes effect after the player controlling the card pays the ability's cost. Inability or refusal to pay the ability's cost prevents the ability from taking effect.
* Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually, the controller is the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three types of costs that must be paid to activate abilities: ''gold'' cost, ''marking'' and ''custom'' cost.

Activated abilities are always written in the format

Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) are the cost(s) or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effects that will occur once the costs are paid and the prerequisites are met.

=== Triggered ===

* A triggered ability is activated if and only if its trigger takes place.
* Players ''cannot'' choose whether a triggered ability will take effect or not once it is put into play. It ''must'' take effect once the trigger ocurs.
* It is possible for rules or situations to prevent a triggered ability's effect from applying.

Example:

* Consider the triggered ability "Discard a non-Dark-Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play."
* Suppose an opponent plays that curse (triggered ability) on you.
* If any player (including you) puts a Skeleton type creature into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark-Legion creature.
* If you have only Dark Legion creatures, however, then it is not possible for you to comply with the card rule, in which case you don't have to discard anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
Some cards have a cost of '''X''' instead of a literal number. Other cards have a cost of X with a modifier (usually a simple algebraic expression). In these cases, the meaning of X is always defined in the card text.

Example:

* A card costs X + 2.
* Its text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature.
* The target creature's ATK is 3.
* Thus, the cost to play the card would be 3 + 2 = 5 gold.

''(Unclear: There are a few references to "gold" throughout this wiki page, but there is no clear explanation of how a player acquires gold, etc. Is this an artifact of old rules? Does it need to be reworded? If not, then we should have some more explanation about gold in these rules.)''

= Disclaimer & Other Information =
* At the time of this writing, '''these rules are only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC for short.
* Edits are allowed by anyone as long as they fully maintain the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of the edited rules, etc. Such edits should not change how the game is played.
* Rule-changing edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
* The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
* ''All'' content in here can and will likely change as development, concept testing, play testing and revising continues. At the time of this writing, nothing in this document represents the finalized game. These rules should not (at this time) be seen as set in stone.
* Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there; or mail your questions.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-10T01:31:25Z

Pistos: /* Variable Gold Costs */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===

Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card. Abilities are further described in the [[#Abilities_2|Abilities]] section, below.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* All players are to play their Event cards in one specific, shared spot on the table. In cases where more than one player plays an event card at almost the same time, whoever physically places their card on the designated Event spot first gets to have their event card resolved first.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* In cases where there is more than one attacker, the attacking player must choose and announce the order of the attacks (which is first, then second, and so on).

'''II. Response'''

* Once the attack plan is announced, the passive player who owns the target area is given an opportunity to play ''either'' '''one''' Event card ''or'' '''one''' Ability (not both).
* The attacking player then gets the same opportunity to play an Event or Ability.
* The attacking and defending players take turns in this fashion until both players elect to ''pass'' on the opportunity to play something.

'''III. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The creatures in the defending Army are available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of the available defenders to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all (0 defenders).
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.

'''IV. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and one assigned defender.
* One full instance of combat is comprised of all pairs of selected attackers and their respective assigned defenders.
* All battles of the combat instance are resolved before game play continues with non-combat play.
* At the start of each battle, the players take turns with ''Response phases''. ''(Unclear: Which player goes first?)
* ''(Unclear: Is this separate from the Response phase mentioned above, which happens prior to the defender's declarations? If so: what happens in these "later" Response phases? Do players play event cards, magic cards, etc.? We should specify what cards may be played, or what actions may be taken during a Response phase.)''
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions, combat is resolved thus:
** All active effects are considered in calculating the effective ATK and DEF values of the combatants.
** If the attacker's ATK is greater than or equal to the defender's DEF, the defender dies.
** If the attacker's ATK is less than the defender's DEF, the defender survives.
** If the ''defender's'' ATK value is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value the attacker dies.
** ''(Unclear: Is it possible for a defender and attacker to both kill each other? Or does the attacker get initiative, and the defender cannot counterattack once dead, even if it happened to have a higher ATK than the attacker's DEF?)''
* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** ''(Unclear: What is the damage dealt by the attacker? The attacker's ATK value? If so, why don't we just say that?)''
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.
* When combat is over, the following cards are placed into the card owners' respective Graveyards:
** all dead creatures
** any cards that were attached to the dead creatures
** ''(Unclear: If a card owned (played) by one player is attached to a creature belonging to a different player, whose Graveyard does that attached card go to?)''
** all event cards that were used during combat

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games, some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves at times. This is actually a feature and what makes CCGs deep, complex and modular.

Rule conflicts are to be resolved thus:

* If a ''card's rules'' contradict the ''core rules'' (in this document), '''the card's rules''' override the core rules.
* If an effect ''forbids'' something, while another effect ''allows'' it, that something is '''forbidden'''. "No, not, can't" etc. ''always'' outweigh "can".
** Example: A creature has the effect "can not fly" in its card text. Playing a Magic card on the creature with the text "target creature can fly" does ''not'' make the creature able to fly. The "can not" overrides the "can".

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills, and some are able to perform different kinds of actions. There are numerous ways in which creatures can interact with one another without engaging in standard combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and whether they have drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures. Some Magic cards can grant creatures additional abilities they wouldn't otherwise have.

There are three main types of abilities: ''passive'', ''activated'' and ''triggered''.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that takes effect and abides without needing any associated cost to be paid, any action to be taken, or any particular requirements to be met. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability is active. It ceases to affect the game when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures get +3 Defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

* A card's ability only takes effect after the player controlling the card pays the ability's cost. Inability or refusal to pay the ability's cost prevents the ability from taking effect.
* Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually, the controller is the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three types of costs that must be paid to activate abilities: ''gold'' cost, ''marking'' and ''custom'' cost.

Activated abilities are always written in the format

Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) are the cost(s) or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effects that will occur once the costs are paid and the prerequisites are met.

=== Triggered ===

* A triggered ability is activated if and only if its trigger takes place.
* Players ''cannot'' choose whether a triggered ability will take effect or not once it is put into play. It ''must'' take effect once the trigger ocurs.
* It is possible for rules or situations to prevent a triggered ability's effect from applying.

Example:

* Consider the triggered ability "Discard a non-Dark-Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play."
* Suppose an opponent plays that curse (triggered ability) on you.
* If any player (including you) puts a Skeleton type creature into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark-Legion creature.
* If you have only Dark Legion creatures, however, then it is not possible for you to comply with the card rule, in which case you don't have to discard anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
Some cards have a cost of '''X''' instead of a literal number. Other cards have a cost of X with a modifier (usually a simple algebraic expression). In these cases, the meaning of X is always defined in the card text.

Example:

* A card costs X + 2.
* Its text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature.
* The target creature's ATK is 3.
* Thus, the cost to play the card would be 3 + 2 = 5 gold.

''(Unclear: There are a few references to "gold" throughout this wiki page, but there is no clear explanation of how a player acquires gold, etc. Is this an artifact of old rules? Does it need to be reworded? If not, then we should have some more explanation about gold in these rules.)''

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-10T01:28:28Z

Pistos: /* Cost of X */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===

Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card. Abilities are further described in the [[#Abilities_2|Abilities]] section, below.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* All players are to play their Event cards in one specific, shared spot on the table. In cases where more than one player plays an event card at almost the same time, whoever physically places their card on the designated Event spot first gets to have their event card resolved first.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* In cases where there is more than one attacker, the attacking player must choose and announce the order of the attacks (which is first, then second, and so on).

'''II. Response'''

* Once the attack plan is announced, the passive player who owns the target area is given an opportunity to play ''either'' '''one''' Event card ''or'' '''one''' Ability (not both).
* The attacking player then gets the same opportunity to play an Event or Ability.
* The attacking and defending players take turns in this fashion until both players elect to ''pass'' on the opportunity to play something.

'''III. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The creatures in the defending Army are available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of the available defenders to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all (0 defenders).
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.

'''IV. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and one assigned defender.
* One full instance of combat is comprised of all pairs of selected attackers and their respective assigned defenders.
* All battles of the combat instance are resolved before game play continues with non-combat play.
* At the start of each battle, the players take turns with ''Response phases''. ''(Unclear: Which player goes first?)
* ''(Unclear: Is this separate from the Response phase mentioned above, which happens prior to the defender's declarations? If so: what happens in these "later" Response phases? Do players play event cards, magic cards, etc.? We should specify what cards may be played, or what actions may be taken during a Response phase.)''
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions, combat is resolved thus:
** All active effects are considered in calculating the effective ATK and DEF values of the combatants.
** If the attacker's ATK is greater than or equal to the defender's DEF, the defender dies.
** If the attacker's ATK is less than the defender's DEF, the defender survives.
** If the ''defender's'' ATK value is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value the attacker dies.
** ''(Unclear: Is it possible for a defender and attacker to both kill each other? Or does the attacker get initiative, and the defender cannot counterattack once dead, even if it happened to have a higher ATK than the attacker's DEF?)''
* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** ''(Unclear: What is the damage dealt by the attacker? The attacker's ATK value? If so, why don't we just say that?)''
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.
* When combat is over, the following cards are placed into the card owners' respective Graveyards:
** all dead creatures
** any cards that were attached to the dead creatures
** ''(Unclear: If a card owned (played) by one player is attached to a creature belonging to a different player, whose Graveyard does that attached card go to?)''
** all event cards that were used during combat

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games, some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves at times. This is actually a feature and what makes CCGs deep, complex and modular.

Rule conflicts are to be resolved thus:

* If a ''card's rules'' contradict the ''core rules'' (in this document), '''the card's rules''' override the core rules.
* If an effect ''forbids'' something, while another effect ''allows'' it, that something is '''forbidden'''. "No, not, can't" etc. ''always'' outweigh "can".
** Example: A creature has the effect "can not fly" in its card text. Playing a Magic card on the creature with the text "target creature can fly" does ''not'' make the creature able to fly. The "can not" overrides the "can".

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills, and some are able to perform different kinds of actions. There are numerous ways in which creatures can interact with one another without engaging in standard combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and whether they have drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures. Some Magic cards can grant creatures additional abilities they wouldn't otherwise have.

There are three main types of abilities: ''passive'', ''activated'' and ''triggered''.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that takes effect and abides without needing any associated cost to be paid, any action to be taken, or any particular requirements to be met. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability is active. It ceases to affect the game when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures get +3 Defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

* A card's ability only takes effect after the player controlling the card pays the ability's cost. Inability or refusal to pay the ability's cost prevents the ability from taking effect.
* Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually, the controller is the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three types of costs that must be paid to activate abilities: ''gold'' cost, ''marking'' and ''custom'' cost.

Activated abilities are always written in the format

Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) are the cost(s) or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effects that will occur once the costs are paid and the prerequisites are met.

=== Triggered ===

* A triggered ability is activated if and only if its trigger takes place.
* Players ''cannot'' choose whether a triggered ability will take effect or not once it is put into play. It ''must'' take effect once the trigger ocurs.
* It is possible for rules or situations to prevent a triggered ability's effect from applying.

Example:

* Consider the triggered ability "Discard a non-Dark-Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play."
* Suppose an opponent plays that curse (triggered ability) on you.
* If any player (including you) puts a Skeleton type creature into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark-Legion creature.
* If you have only Dark Legion creatures, however, then it is not possible for you to comply with the card rule, in which case you don't have to discard anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
Some cards have a cost of '''X''' instead of a literal number. Other cards have a cost of X with a modifier (usually a simple algebraic expression). In these cases, the meaning of X is always defined in the card text.

Example:

* A card costs X + 2.
* Its text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature.
* The target creature's ATK is 3.
* Thus, the cost to play the card would be 3 + 2 = 5 gold.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-10T01:27:49Z

Pistos: /* Cost of X */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===

Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card. Abilities are further described in the [[#Abilities_2|Abilities]] section, below.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* All players are to play their Event cards in one specific, shared spot on the table. In cases where more than one player plays an event card at almost the same time, whoever physically places their card on the designated Event spot first gets to have their event card resolved first.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* In cases where there is more than one attacker, the attacking player must choose and announce the order of the attacks (which is first, then second, and so on).

'''II. Response'''

* Once the attack plan is announced, the passive player who owns the target area is given an opportunity to play ''either'' '''one''' Event card ''or'' '''one''' Ability (not both).
* The attacking player then gets the same opportunity to play an Event or Ability.
* The attacking and defending players take turns in this fashion until both players elect to ''pass'' on the opportunity to play something.

'''III. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The creatures in the defending Army are available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of the available defenders to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all (0 defenders).
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.

'''IV. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and one assigned defender.
* One full instance of combat is comprised of all pairs of selected attackers and their respective assigned defenders.
* All battles of the combat instance are resolved before game play continues with non-combat play.
* At the start of each battle, the players take turns with ''Response phases''. ''(Unclear: Which player goes first?)
* ''(Unclear: Is this separate from the Response phase mentioned above, which happens prior to the defender's declarations? If so: what happens in these "later" Response phases? Do players play event cards, magic cards, etc.? We should specify what cards may be played, or what actions may be taken during a Response phase.)''
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions, combat is resolved thus:
** All active effects are considered in calculating the effective ATK and DEF values of the combatants.
** If the attacker's ATK is greater than or equal to the defender's DEF, the defender dies.
** If the attacker's ATK is less than the defender's DEF, the defender survives.
** If the ''defender's'' ATK value is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value the attacker dies.
** ''(Unclear: Is it possible for a defender and attacker to both kill each other? Or does the attacker get initiative, and the defender cannot counterattack once dead, even if it happened to have a higher ATK than the attacker's DEF?)''
* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** ''(Unclear: What is the damage dealt by the attacker? The attacker's ATK value? If so, why don't we just say that?)''
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.
* When combat is over, the following cards are placed into the card owners' respective Graveyards:
** all dead creatures
** any cards that were attached to the dead creatures
** ''(Unclear: If a card owned (played) by one player is attached to a creature belonging to a different player, whose Graveyard does that attached card go to?)''
** all event cards that were used during combat

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games, some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves at times. This is actually a feature and what makes CCGs deep, complex and modular.

Rule conflicts are to be resolved thus:

* If a ''card's rules'' contradict the ''core rules'' (in this document), '''the card's rules''' override the core rules.
* If an effect ''forbids'' something, while another effect ''allows'' it, that something is '''forbidden'''. "No, not, can't" etc. ''always'' outweigh "can".
** Example: A creature has the effect "can not fly" in its card text. Playing a Magic card on the creature with the text "target creature can fly" does ''not'' make the creature able to fly. The "can not" overrides the "can".

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills, and some are able to perform different kinds of actions. There are numerous ways in which creatures can interact with one another without engaging in standard combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and whether they have drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures. Some Magic cards can grant creatures additional abilities they wouldn't otherwise have.

There are three main types of abilities: ''passive'', ''activated'' and ''triggered''.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that takes effect and abides without needing any associated cost to be paid, any action to be taken, or any particular requirements to be met. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability is active. It ceases to affect the game when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures get +3 Defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

* A card's ability only takes effect after the player controlling the card pays the ability's cost. Inability or refusal to pay the ability's cost prevents the ability from taking effect.
* Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually, the controller is the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three types of costs that must be paid to activate abilities: ''gold'' cost, ''marking'' and ''custom'' cost.

Activated abilities are always written in the format

Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) are the cost(s) or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effects that will occur once the costs are paid and the prerequisites are met.

=== Triggered ===

* A triggered ability is activated if and only if its trigger takes place.
* Players ''cannot'' choose whether a triggered ability will take effect or not once it is put into play. It ''must'' take effect once the trigger ocurs.
* It is possible for rules or situations to prevent a triggered ability's effect from applying.

Example:

* Consider the triggered ability "Discard a non-Dark-Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play."
* Suppose an opponent plays that curse (triggered ability) on you.
* If any player (including you) puts a Skeleton type creature into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark-Legion creature.
* If you have only Dark Legion creatures, however, then it is not possible for you to comply with the card rule, in which case you don't have to discard anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
Some cards have a cost of '''X''' instead of a literal number. Other cards have a cost of X with a modifier (usually a simple algebraic expression). In these cases, the meaning of X is always defined in the card text.

Example:

* A card costs X + 2.
* Its text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature.
* The target creature's ATK is 3.
* Thus, the cost to play the card would be 3 + 2 = 5 gold.

''(Unclear: "gold"? Is "power" meant here, instead?)''

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-10T01:19:51Z

Pistos: /* Triggered */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===

Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card. Abilities are further described in the [[#Abilities_2|Abilities]] section, below.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* All players are to play their Event cards in one specific, shared spot on the table. In cases where more than one player plays an event card at almost the same time, whoever physically places their card on the designated Event spot first gets to have their event card resolved first.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* In cases where there is more than one attacker, the attacking player must choose and announce the order of the attacks (which is first, then second, and so on).

'''II. Response'''

* Once the attack plan is announced, the passive player who owns the target area is given an opportunity to play ''either'' '''one''' Event card ''or'' '''one''' Ability (not both).
* The attacking player then gets the same opportunity to play an Event or Ability.
* The attacking and defending players take turns in this fashion until both players elect to ''pass'' on the opportunity to play something.

'''III. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The creatures in the defending Army are available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of the available defenders to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all (0 defenders).
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.

'''IV. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and one assigned defender.
* One full instance of combat is comprised of all pairs of selected attackers and their respective assigned defenders.
* All battles of the combat instance are resolved before game play continues with non-combat play.
* At the start of each battle, the players take turns with ''Response phases''. ''(Unclear: Which player goes first?)
* ''(Unclear: Is this separate from the Response phase mentioned above, which happens prior to the defender's declarations? If so: what happens in these "later" Response phases? Do players play event cards, magic cards, etc.? We should specify what cards may be played, or what actions may be taken during a Response phase.)''
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions, combat is resolved thus:
** All active effects are considered in calculating the effective ATK and DEF values of the combatants.
** If the attacker's ATK is greater than or equal to the defender's DEF, the defender dies.
** If the attacker's ATK is less than the defender's DEF, the defender survives.
** If the ''defender's'' ATK value is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value the attacker dies.
** ''(Unclear: Is it possible for a defender and attacker to both kill each other? Or does the attacker get initiative, and the defender cannot counterattack once dead, even if it happened to have a higher ATK than the attacker's DEF?)''
* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** ''(Unclear: What is the damage dealt by the attacker? The attacker's ATK value? If so, why don't we just say that?)''
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.
* When combat is over, the following cards are placed into the card owners' respective Graveyards:
** all dead creatures
** any cards that were attached to the dead creatures
** ''(Unclear: If a card owned (played) by one player is attached to a creature belonging to a different player, whose Graveyard does that attached card go to?)''
** all event cards that were used during combat

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games, some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves at times. This is actually a feature and what makes CCGs deep, complex and modular.

Rule conflicts are to be resolved thus:

* If a ''card's rules'' contradict the ''core rules'' (in this document), '''the card's rules''' override the core rules.
* If an effect ''forbids'' something, while another effect ''allows'' it, that something is '''forbidden'''. "No, not, can't" etc. ''always'' outweigh "can".
** Example: A creature has the effect "can not fly" in its card text. Playing a Magic card on the creature with the text "target creature can fly" does ''not'' make the creature able to fly. The "can not" overrides the "can".

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills, and some are able to perform different kinds of actions. There are numerous ways in which creatures can interact with one another without engaging in standard combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and whether they have drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures. Some Magic cards can grant creatures additional abilities they wouldn't otherwise have.

There are three main types of abilities: ''passive'', ''activated'' and ''triggered''.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that takes effect and abides without needing any associated cost to be paid, any action to be taken, or any particular requirements to be met. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability is active. It ceases to affect the game when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures get +3 Defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

* A card's ability only takes effect after the player controlling the card pays the ability's cost. Inability or refusal to pay the ability's cost prevents the ability from taking effect.
* Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually, the controller is the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three types of costs that must be paid to activate abilities: ''gold'' cost, ''marking'' and ''custom'' cost.

Activated abilities are always written in the format

Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) are the cost(s) or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effects that will occur once the costs are paid and the prerequisites are met.

=== Triggered ===

* A triggered ability is activated if and only if its trigger takes place.
* Players ''cannot'' choose whether a triggered ability will take effect or not once it is put into play. It ''must'' take effect once the trigger ocurs.
* It is possible for rules or situations to prevent a triggered ability's effect from applying.

Example:

* Consider the triggered ability "Discard a non-Dark-Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play."
* Suppose an opponent plays that curse (triggered ability) on you.
* If any player (including you) puts a Skeleton type creature into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark-Legion creature.
* If you have only Dark Legion creatures, however, then it is not possible for you to comply with the card rule, in which case you don't have to discard anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-09T23:14:34Z

Pistos: /* Activated */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===

Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card. Abilities are further described in the [[#Abilities_2|Abilities]] section, below.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* All players are to play their Event cards in one specific, shared spot on the table. In cases where more than one player plays an event card at almost the same time, whoever physically places their card on the designated Event spot first gets to have their event card resolved first.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* In cases where there is more than one attacker, the attacking player must choose and announce the order of the attacks (which is first, then second, and so on).

'''II. Response'''

* Once the attack plan is announced, the passive player who owns the target area is given an opportunity to play ''either'' '''one''' Event card ''or'' '''one''' Ability (not both).
* The attacking player then gets the same opportunity to play an Event or Ability.
* The attacking and defending players take turns in this fashion until both players elect to ''pass'' on the opportunity to play something.

'''III. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The creatures in the defending Army are available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of the available defenders to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all (0 defenders).
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.

'''IV. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and one assigned defender.
* One full instance of combat is comprised of all pairs of selected attackers and their respective assigned defenders.
* All battles of the combat instance are resolved before game play continues with non-combat play.
* At the start of each battle, the players take turns with ''Response phases''. ''(Unclear: Which player goes first?)
* ''(Unclear: Is this separate from the Response phase mentioned above, which happens prior to the defender's declarations? If so: what happens in these "later" Response phases? Do players play event cards, magic cards, etc.? We should specify what cards may be played, or what actions may be taken during a Response phase.)''
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions, combat is resolved thus:
** All active effects are considered in calculating the effective ATK and DEF values of the combatants.
** If the attacker's ATK is greater than or equal to the defender's DEF, the defender dies.
** If the attacker's ATK is less than the defender's DEF, the defender survives.
** If the ''defender's'' ATK value is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value the attacker dies.
** ''(Unclear: Is it possible for a defender and attacker to both kill each other? Or does the attacker get initiative, and the defender cannot counterattack once dead, even if it happened to have a higher ATK than the attacker's DEF?)''
* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** ''(Unclear: What is the damage dealt by the attacker? The attacker's ATK value? If so, why don't we just say that?)''
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.
* When combat is over, the following cards are placed into the card owners' respective Graveyards:
** all dead creatures
** any cards that were attached to the dead creatures
** ''(Unclear: If a card owned (played) by one player is attached to a creature belonging to a different player, whose Graveyard does that attached card go to?)''
** all event cards that were used during combat

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games, some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves at times. This is actually a feature and what makes CCGs deep, complex and modular.

Rule conflicts are to be resolved thus:

* If a ''card's rules'' contradict the ''core rules'' (in this document), '''the card's rules''' override the core rules.
* If an effect ''forbids'' something, while another effect ''allows'' it, that something is '''forbidden'''. "No, not, can't" etc. ''always'' outweigh "can".
** Example: A creature has the effect "can not fly" in its card text. Playing a Magic card on the creature with the text "target creature can fly" does ''not'' make the creature able to fly. The "can not" overrides the "can".

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills, and some are able to perform different kinds of actions. There are numerous ways in which creatures can interact with one another without engaging in standard combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and whether they have drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures. Some Magic cards can grant creatures additional abilities they wouldn't otherwise have.

There are three main types of abilities: ''passive'', ''activated'' and ''triggered''.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that takes effect and abides without needing any associated cost to be paid, any action to be taken, or any particular requirements to be met. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability is active. It ceases to affect the game when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures get +3 Defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

* A card's ability only takes effect after the player controlling the card pays the ability's cost. Inability or refusal to pay the ability's cost prevents the ability from taking effect.
* Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually, the controller is the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three types of costs that must be paid to activate abilities: ''gold'' cost, ''marking'' and ''custom'' cost.

Activated abilities are always written in the format

Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) are the cost(s) or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effects that will occur once the costs are paid and the prerequisites are met.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-09T22:58:22Z

Pistos: /* Passive */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===

Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card. Abilities are further described in the [[#Abilities_2|Abilities]] section, below.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* All players are to play their Event cards in one specific, shared spot on the table. In cases where more than one player plays an event card at almost the same time, whoever physically places their card on the designated Event spot first gets to have their event card resolved first.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* In cases where there is more than one attacker, the attacking player must choose and announce the order of the attacks (which is first, then second, and so on).

'''II. Response'''

* Once the attack plan is announced, the passive player who owns the target area is given an opportunity to play ''either'' '''one''' Event card ''or'' '''one''' Ability (not both).
* The attacking player then gets the same opportunity to play an Event or Ability.
* The attacking and defending players take turns in this fashion until both players elect to ''pass'' on the opportunity to play something.

'''III. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The creatures in the defending Army are available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of the available defenders to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all (0 defenders).
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.

'''IV. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and one assigned defender.
* One full instance of combat is comprised of all pairs of selected attackers and their respective assigned defenders.
* All battles of the combat instance are resolved before game play continues with non-combat play.
* At the start of each battle, the players take turns with ''Response phases''. ''(Unclear: Which player goes first?)
* ''(Unclear: Is this separate from the Response phase mentioned above, which happens prior to the defender's declarations? If so: what happens in these "later" Response phases? Do players play event cards, magic cards, etc.? We should specify what cards may be played, or what actions may be taken during a Response phase.)''
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions, combat is resolved thus:
** All active effects are considered in calculating the effective ATK and DEF values of the combatants.
** If the attacker's ATK is greater than or equal to the defender's DEF, the defender dies.
** If the attacker's ATK is less than the defender's DEF, the defender survives.
** If the ''defender's'' ATK value is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value the attacker dies.
** ''(Unclear: Is it possible for a defender and attacker to both kill each other? Or does the attacker get initiative, and the defender cannot counterattack once dead, even if it happened to have a higher ATK than the attacker's DEF?)''
* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** ''(Unclear: What is the damage dealt by the attacker? The attacker's ATK value? If so, why don't we just say that?)''
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.
* When combat is over, the following cards are placed into the card owners' respective Graveyards:
** all dead creatures
** any cards that were attached to the dead creatures
** ''(Unclear: If a card owned (played) by one player is attached to a creature belonging to a different player, whose Graveyard does that attached card go to?)''
** all event cards that were used during combat

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games, some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves at times. This is actually a feature and what makes CCGs deep, complex and modular.

Rule conflicts are to be resolved thus:

* If a ''card's rules'' contradict the ''core rules'' (in this document), '''the card's rules''' override the core rules.
* If an effect ''forbids'' something, while another effect ''allows'' it, that something is '''forbidden'''. "No, not, can't" etc. ''always'' outweigh "can".
** Example: A creature has the effect "can not fly" in its card text. Playing a Magic card on the creature with the text "target creature can fly" does ''not'' make the creature able to fly. The "can not" overrides the "can".

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills, and some are able to perform different kinds of actions. There are numerous ways in which creatures can interact with one another without engaging in standard combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and whether they have drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures. Some Magic cards can grant creatures additional abilities they wouldn't otherwise have.

There are three main types of abilities: ''passive'', ''activated'' and ''triggered''.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that takes effect and abides without needing any associated cost to be paid, any action to be taken, or any particular requirements to be met. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability is active. It ceases to affect the game when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures get +3 Defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-09T22:53:12Z

Pistos: /* Abilities */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===

Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card. Abilities are further described in the [[#Abilities_2|Abilities]] section, below.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* All players are to play their Event cards in one specific, shared spot on the table. In cases where more than one player plays an event card at almost the same time, whoever physically places their card on the designated Event spot first gets to have their event card resolved first.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* In cases where there is more than one attacker, the attacking player must choose and announce the order of the attacks (which is first, then second, and so on).

'''II. Response'''

* Once the attack plan is announced, the passive player who owns the target area is given an opportunity to play ''either'' '''one''' Event card ''or'' '''one''' Ability (not both).
* The attacking player then gets the same opportunity to play an Event or Ability.
* The attacking and defending players take turns in this fashion until both players elect to ''pass'' on the opportunity to play something.

'''III. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The creatures in the defending Army are available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of the available defenders to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all (0 defenders).
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.

'''IV. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and one assigned defender.
* One full instance of combat is comprised of all pairs of selected attackers and their respective assigned defenders.
* All battles of the combat instance are resolved before game play continues with non-combat play.
* At the start of each battle, the players take turns with ''Response phases''. ''(Unclear: Which player goes first?)
* ''(Unclear: Is this separate from the Response phase mentioned above, which happens prior to the defender's declarations? If so: what happens in these "later" Response phases? Do players play event cards, magic cards, etc.? We should specify what cards may be played, or what actions may be taken during a Response phase.)''
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions, combat is resolved thus:
** All active effects are considered in calculating the effective ATK and DEF values of the combatants.
** If the attacker's ATK is greater than or equal to the defender's DEF, the defender dies.
** If the attacker's ATK is less than the defender's DEF, the defender survives.
** If the ''defender's'' ATK value is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value the attacker dies.
** ''(Unclear: Is it possible for a defender and attacker to both kill each other? Or does the attacker get initiative, and the defender cannot counterattack once dead, even if it happened to have a higher ATK than the attacker's DEF?)''
* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** ''(Unclear: What is the damage dealt by the attacker? The attacker's ATK value? If so, why don't we just say that?)''
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.
* When combat is over, the following cards are placed into the card owners' respective Graveyards:
** all dead creatures
** any cards that were attached to the dead creatures
** ''(Unclear: If a card owned (played) by one player is attached to a creature belonging to a different player, whose Graveyard does that attached card go to?)''
** all event cards that were used during combat

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games, some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves at times. This is actually a feature and what makes CCGs deep, complex and modular.

Rule conflicts are to be resolved thus:

* If a ''card's rules'' contradict the ''core rules'' (in this document), '''the card's rules''' override the core rules.
* If an effect ''forbids'' something, while another effect ''allows'' it, that something is '''forbidden'''. "No, not, can't" etc. ''always'' outweigh "can".
** Example: A creature has the effect "can not fly" in its card text. Playing a Magic card on the creature with the text "target creature can fly" does ''not'' make the creature able to fly. The "can not" overrides the "can".

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills, and some are able to perform different kinds of actions. There are numerous ways in which creatures can interact with one another without engaging in standard combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and whether they have drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures. Some Magic cards can grant creatures additional abilities they wouldn't otherwise have.

There are three main types of abilities: ''passive'', ''activated'' and ''triggered''.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-09T22:48:43Z

Pistos: /* Abilities */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* All players are to play their Event cards in one specific, shared spot on the table. In cases where more than one player plays an event card at almost the same time, whoever physically places their card on the designated Event spot first gets to have their event card resolved first.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* In cases where there is more than one attacker, the attacking player must choose and announce the order of the attacks (which is first, then second, and so on).

'''II. Response'''

* Once the attack plan is announced, the passive player who owns the target area is given an opportunity to play ''either'' '''one''' Event card ''or'' '''one''' Ability (not both).
* The attacking player then gets the same opportunity to play an Event or Ability.
* The attacking and defending players take turns in this fashion until both players elect to ''pass'' on the opportunity to play something.

'''III. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The creatures in the defending Army are available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of the available defenders to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all (0 defenders).
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.

'''IV. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and one assigned defender.
* One full instance of combat is comprised of all pairs of selected attackers and their respective assigned defenders.
* All battles of the combat instance are resolved before game play continues with non-combat play.
* At the start of each battle, the players take turns with ''Response phases''. ''(Unclear: Which player goes first?)
* ''(Unclear: Is this separate from the Response phase mentioned above, which happens prior to the defender's declarations? If so: what happens in these "later" Response phases? Do players play event cards, magic cards, etc.? We should specify what cards may be played, or what actions may be taken during a Response phase.)''
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions, combat is resolved thus:
** All active effects are considered in calculating the effective ATK and DEF values of the combatants.
** If the attacker's ATK is greater than or equal to the defender's DEF, the defender dies.
** If the attacker's ATK is less than the defender's DEF, the defender survives.
** If the ''defender's'' ATK value is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value the attacker dies.
** ''(Unclear: Is it possible for a defender and attacker to both kill each other? Or does the attacker get initiative, and the defender cannot counterattack once dead, even if it happened to have a higher ATK than the attacker's DEF?)''
* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** ''(Unclear: What is the damage dealt by the attacker? The attacker's ATK value? If so, why don't we just say that?)''
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.
* When combat is over, the following cards are placed into the card owners' respective Graveyards:
** all dead creatures
** any cards that were attached to the dead creatures
** ''(Unclear: If a card owned (played) by one player is attached to a creature belonging to a different player, whose Graveyard does that attached card go to?)''
** all event cards that were used during combat

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games, some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves at times. This is actually a feature and what makes CCGs deep, complex and modular.

Rule conflicts are to be resolved thus:

* If a ''card's rules'' contradict the ''core rules'' (in this document), '''the card's rules''' override the core rules.
* If an effect ''forbids'' something, while another effect ''allows'' it, that something is '''forbidden'''. "No, not, can't" etc. ''always'' outweigh "can".
** Example: A creature has the effect "can not fly" in its card text. Playing a Magic card on the creature with the text "target creature can fly" does ''not'' make the creature able to fly. The "can not" overrides the "can".

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills, and some are able to perform different kinds of actions. There are numerous ways in which creatures can interact with one another without engaging in standard combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and whether they have drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures. Some Magic cards can grant creatures additional abilities they wouldn't otherwise have.

There are three main types of abilities: ''passive'', ''activated'' and ''triggered''.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-09T18:07:34Z

Pistos: /* Conflicting rules */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* All players are to play their Event cards in one specific, shared spot on the table. In cases where more than one player plays an event card at almost the same time, whoever physically places their card on the designated Event spot first gets to have their event card resolved first.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* In cases where there is more than one attacker, the attacking player must choose and announce the order of the attacks (which is first, then second, and so on).

'''II. Response'''

* Once the attack plan is announced, the passive player who owns the target area is given an opportunity to play ''either'' '''one''' Event card ''or'' '''one''' Ability (not both).
* The attacking player then gets the same opportunity to play an Event or Ability.
* The attacking and defending players take turns in this fashion until both players elect to ''pass'' on the opportunity to play something.

'''III. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The creatures in the defending Army are available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of the available defenders to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all (0 defenders).
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.

'''IV. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and one assigned defender.
* One full instance of combat is comprised of all pairs of selected attackers and their respective assigned defenders.
* All battles of the combat instance are resolved before game play continues with non-combat play.
* At the start of each battle, the players take turns with ''Response phases''. ''(Unclear: Which player goes first?)
* ''(Unclear: Is this separate from the Response phase mentioned above, which happens prior to the defender's declarations? If so: what happens in these "later" Response phases? Do players play event cards, magic cards, etc.? We should specify what cards may be played, or what actions may be taken during a Response phase.)''
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions, combat is resolved thus:
** All active effects are considered in calculating the effective ATK and DEF values of the combatants.
** If the attacker's ATK is greater than or equal to the defender's DEF, the defender dies.
** If the attacker's ATK is less than the defender's DEF, the defender survives.
** If the ''defender's'' ATK value is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value the attacker dies.
** ''(Unclear: Is it possible for a defender and attacker to both kill each other? Or does the attacker get initiative, and the defender cannot counterattack once dead, even if it happened to have a higher ATK than the attacker's DEF?)''
* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** ''(Unclear: What is the damage dealt by the attacker? The attacker's ATK value? If so, why don't we just say that?)''
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.
* When combat is over, the following cards are placed into the card owners' respective Graveyards:
** all dead creatures
** any cards that were attached to the dead creatures
** ''(Unclear: If a card owned (played) by one player is attached to a creature belonging to a different player, whose Graveyard does that attached card go to?)''
** all event cards that were used during combat

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games, some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves at times. This is actually a feature and what makes CCGs deep, complex and modular.

Rule conflicts are to be resolved thus:

* If a ''card's rules'' contradict the ''core rules'' (in this document), '''the card's rules''' override the core rules.
* If an effect ''forbids'' something, while another effect ''allows'' it, that something is '''forbidden'''. "No, not, can't" etc. ''always'' outweigh "can".
** Example: A creature has the effect "can not fly" in its card text. Playing a Magic card on the creature with the text "target creature can fly" does ''not'' make the creature able to fly. The "can not" overrides the "can".

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills and some are able to perform different kind of actions. There are numerous ways how the creatures can interact with one and another without engaging in actual physical combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and if they have any drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures, magic could have them as well, granting a creature additional abilities they wouldn't have without them.

There are three main types of abilities : activated, passive and triggered.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-09T17:50:05Z

Pistos: /* Combat Sequence */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* All players are to play their Event cards in one specific, shared spot on the table. In cases where more than one player plays an event card at almost the same time, whoever physically places their card on the designated Event spot first gets to have their event card resolved first.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* In cases where there is more than one attacker, the attacking player must choose and announce the order of the attacks (which is first, then second, and so on).

'''II. Response'''

* Once the attack plan is announced, the passive player who owns the target area is given an opportunity to play ''either'' '''one''' Event card ''or'' '''one''' Ability (not both).
* The attacking player then gets the same opportunity to play an Event or Ability.
* The attacking and defending players take turns in this fashion until both players elect to ''pass'' on the opportunity to play something.

'''III. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The creatures in the defending Army are available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of the available defenders to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all (0 defenders).
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.

'''IV. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and one assigned defender.
* One full instance of combat is comprised of all pairs of selected attackers and their respective assigned defenders.
* All battles of the combat instance are resolved before game play continues with non-combat play.
* At the start of each battle, the players take turns with ''Response phases''. ''(Unclear: Which player goes first?)
* ''(Unclear: Is this separate from the Response phase mentioned above, which happens prior to the defender's declarations? If so: what happens in these "later" Response phases? Do players play event cards, magic cards, etc.? We should specify what cards may be played, or what actions may be taken during a Response phase.)''
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions, combat is resolved thus:
** All active effects are considered in calculating the effective ATK and DEF values of the combatants.
** If the attacker's ATK is greater than or equal to the defender's DEF, the defender dies.
** If the attacker's ATK is less than the defender's DEF, the defender survives.
** If the ''defender's'' ATK value is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value the attacker dies.
** ''(Unclear: Is it possible for a defender and attacker to both kill each other? Or does the attacker get initiative, and the defender cannot counterattack once dead, even if it happened to have a higher ATK than the attacker's DEF?)''
* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** ''(Unclear: What is the damage dealt by the attacker? The attacker's ATK value? If so, why don't we just say that?)''
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.
* When combat is over, the following cards are placed into the card owners' respective Graveyards:
** all dead creatures
** any cards that were attached to the dead creatures
** ''(Unclear: If a card owned (played) by one player is attached to a creature belonging to a different player, whose Graveyard does that attached card go to?)''
** all event cards that were used during combat

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves and even do so at times. This is actually a feature and what makes the deep, complex and modular nature of a CCG possible to begin with. ''Always'' use the following two rules to resolve such situations:

'''Cards vs rules'''
*If a card contradicts the core rules found in this document, the card wins over the core rules.

'''Effects vs effects'''
*If an effects ''forbids'' something to happen while another allows it, the forbidding effect always wins.
**Example: A creature has the effect "Can not fly." printed on it as card text. Playing a spell on the creature with the text "Target creature can fly." will not make the creature able to fly. The "not/no/can't" etc ''always'' outweigh what "can" happen.

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills and some are able to perform different kind of actions. There are numerous ways how the creatures can interact with one and another without engaging in actual physical combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and if they have any drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures, magic could have them as well, granting a creature additional abilities they wouldn't have without them.

There are three main types of abilities : activated, passive and triggered.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-09T14:58:35Z

Pistos: /* Combat Sequence */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* All players are to play their Event cards in one specific, shared spot on the table. In cases where more than one player plays an event card at almost the same time, whoever physically places their card on the designated Event spot first gets to have their event card resolved first.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* In cases where there is more than one attacker, the attacking player must choose and announce the order of the attacks (which is first, then second, and so on).

'''II. Response'''

* Once the attack plan is announced, the passive player who owns the target area is given an opportunity to play ''either'' '''one''' Event card ''or'' '''one''' Ability (not both).
* The attacking player then gets the same opportunity to play an Event or Ability.
* The attacking and defending players take turns in this fashion until both players elect to ''pass'' on the opportunity to play something.

'''III. Assigning defenders'''

* The owner of the Army or city being attacked is the ''defending player''.
* The creatures in the defending Army are available to defend.
* If a city is attacked, the creatures in that city are also available to defend.
* The defending player chooses which of the available defenders to use as ''defenders''.
* The defending player may elect not to defend against the attack at all (0 defenders).
* A given defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
* Several defenders may be assigned to the same attacker.

'''IV. Resolving combat'''

* An individual ''battle'' is comprised of one attacker and one assigned defender.
* One full instance of combat is comprised of all pairs of selected attackers and their respective assigned defenders.
* All battles of the combat instance are resolved before game play continues with non-combat play.
* At the start of each battle, the players take turns with ''Response phases''. ''(Unclear: Which player goes first?)
* ''(Unclear: Is this separate from the Response phase mentioned above, which happens prior to the defender's declarations? If so: what happens in these "later" Response phases? Do players play event cards, magic cards, etc.? We should specify what cards may be played, or what actions may be taken during a Response phase.)''
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions, the combat is resolved thus:
** All active effects are considered in calculating the effective ATK and DEF values of the combatants.
** If the attacker's ATK is greater than or equal to the defender's DEF, the defender dies.
** If the attacker's ATK is less than the defender's DEF, the defender survives.
** If the ''defender's'' ATK value is greater than or equal to the attacker's DEF value the attacker dies.
** ''(Unclear: Is it possible for a defender and attacker to both kill each other? Or does the attacker get initiative, and the defender cannot counterattack once dead, even if it happened to have a higher ATK than the attacker's DEF?)''
* If an attacker has no defenders assigned to it, and is attacking...
** '''a city''', then the city loses Defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** '''an army''', then the defending player loses Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attacker.
** ''(Unclear: What is the damage dealt by the attacker? The attacker's ATK value? If so, why don't we just say that?)''
* If ''any'' defender engages an attacker, the attacker does not reduce either a city's Defense strength or a player's Victory Points by any amount during that attack, ''even if the defender is killed'' by the attack.
* When combat is over, the following cards are placed into the card owners' respective Graveyards:
** all dead creatures
** any cards that were attached to the dead creatures
** ''(Unclear: If a card owned (played) by one player is attached to a creature belonging to a different player, whose Graveyard does that attached card go to?)''
** all event cards that were used during combat

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves and even do so at times. This is actually a feature and what makes the deep, complex and modular nature of a CCG possible to begin with. ''Always'' use the following two rules to resolve such situations:

'''Cards vs rules'''
*If a card contradicts the core rules found in this document, the card wins over the core rules.

'''Effects vs effects'''
*If an effects ''forbids'' something to happen while another allows it, the forbidding effect always wins.
**Example: A creature has the effect "Can not fly." printed on it as card text. Playing a spell on the creature with the text "Target creature can fly." will not make the creature able to fly. The "not/no/can't" etc ''always'' outweigh what "can" happen.

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills and some are able to perform different kind of actions. There are numerous ways how the creatures can interact with one and another without engaging in actual physical combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and if they have any drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures, magic could have them as well, granting a creature additional abilities they wouldn't have without them.

There are three main types of abilities : activated, passive and triggered.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-08T18:54:56Z

Pistos: /* Combat sequence */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* All players are to play their Event cards in one specific, shared spot on the table. In cases where more than one player plays an event card at almost the same time, whoever physically places their card on the designated Event spot first gets to have their event card resolved first.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

== Combat Sequence ==

'''I. Announcing attackers & target'''

* The attacking player may choose to attack during his/her Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army (or may choose not to attack).
* The attacking player chooses which creatures will fight in the current turn by ''marking'' them and announcing them as ''attackers''. All attackers must be openly identified to all players before the attack occurs.
* The attacking player declares the Army or city which will be attacked. Players may not attack their own cities.
* In cases where there is more than one attacker, the attacking player must choose and announce the order of the attacks (which is first, then second, and so on).

'''II. Response'''

* Once the attack plan is announced, the passive player who owns the target area is given an opportunity to play ''either'' '''one''' Event card ''or'' '''one''' Ability (not both).
* The attacking player then gets the same opportunity to play an Event or Ability.
* The attacking and defending players take turns in this fashion until both players elect to ''pass'' on the opportunity to play something in the Response phase of combat.

'''III. Choosing defenders'''
*All creatures assigned to defend are called ''defenders'' for the duration of the battle.
* The defending player ''may choose'' to:
**Defend one or more of the attack(s) with one or more creatures from his/her Army or the attacked city (if a city was attacked).
***A specific defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
***Several defenders can be assigned to the same attacker.
**Allow the attacks to go on undefended.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her city, it loses defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her army he/she lose Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.

'''IV. Resolving combat'''
* Each individual combat takes place. In each combat the players take turns with ''Response phases''.
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions the combat is resolved:
**Take into account all effects and then compare the values of the Attackers ATK value with the Defenders DEF value.
***If it is higher or equal the Defender will die. If it is lower the Defender will survive.
***Regardless of the outcome the Defender successfully protects the defending players city/player from that attacker.
***Compare the Defender's ATK value with the Attackers DEF value - if it is equal to or higher then the Attacker will die.
* When combat is over place all dead Creatures into the discard piles, along with all Events that were used during the combat and also any cards that were attached to the Creatures.

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves and even do so at times. This is actually a feature and what makes the deep, complex and modular nature of a CCG possible to begin with. ''Always'' use the following two rules to resolve such situations:

'''Cards vs rules'''
*If a card contradicts the core rules found in this document, the card wins over the core rules.

'''Effects vs effects'''
*If an effects ''forbids'' something to happen while another allows it, the forbidding effect always wins.
**Example: A creature has the effect "Can not fly." printed on it as card text. Playing a spell on the creature with the text "Target creature can fly." will not make the creature able to fly. The "not/no/can't" etc ''always'' outweigh what "can" happen.

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills and some are able to perform different kind of actions. There are numerous ways how the creatures can interact with one and another without engaging in actual physical combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and if they have any drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures, magic could have them as well, granting a creature additional abilities they wouldn't have without them.

There are three main types of abilities : activated, passive and triggered.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-08T18:36:49Z

Pistos: /* Winning */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities in play, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player has both the greatest number of cards in their decks and the greatest number of cities in play, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* All players are to play their Event cards in one specific, shared spot on the table. In cases where more than one player plays an event card at almost the same time, whoever physically places their card on the designated Event spot first gets to have their event card resolved first.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

==Combat sequence==
'''I. Announcing attackers'''
* The attacking player may choose to attack during an Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army.

**Creatures assigned to attack are called ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses and announces ''all attackers'' that will fight that turn by ''marking'' them & announcing them as ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses the army or city he/she is attacking. (You can not attack your own cities)
* In cases where there are more than one attackers the attacking player must announce and choose the order of the attacks, which is first, then second, and so on.
* Once the attackers are announced, the passive player gets a ''Response phase'', that gives him/her the opportunity to play ''one'' Event card or ''one'' Ability (but not both at the same time).
**The attacking player then gets the same opportunity, and this process is repeated until ''both players make a pass'' on the opportunity to play something in the Response phase. When the players pass on the Response phase the attack continues as follows:

'''II. Choosing defenders'''
*All creatures assigned to defend are called ''defenders'' for the duration of the battle.
* The defending player ''may choose'' to:
**Defend one or more of the attack(s) with one or more creatures from his/her Army or the attacked city (if a city was attacked).
***A specific defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
***Several defenders can be assigned to the same attacker.
**Allow the attacks to go on undefended.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her city, it loses defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her army he/she lose Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.

'''III. Resolving combat'''
* Each individual combat takes place. In each combat the players take turns with ''Response phases''.
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions the combat is resolved:
**Take into account all effects and then compare the values of the Attackers ATK value with the Defenders DEF value.
***If it is higher or equal the Defender will die. If it is lower the Defender will survive.
***Regardless of the outcome the Defender successfully protects the defending players city/player from that attacker.
***Compare the Defender's ATK value with the Attackers DEF value - if it is equal to or higher then the Attacker will die.
* When combat is over place all dead Creatures into the discard piles, along with all Events that were used during the combat and also any cards that were attached to the Creatures.

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves and even do so at times. This is actually a feature and what makes the deep, complex and modular nature of a CCG possible to begin with. ''Always'' use the following two rules to resolve such situations:

'''Cards vs rules'''
*If a card contradicts the core rules found in this document, the card wins over the core rules.

'''Effects vs effects'''
*If an effects ''forbids'' something to happen while another allows it, the forbidding effect always wins.
**Example: A creature has the effect "Can not fly." printed on it as card text. Playing a spell on the creature with the text "Target creature can fly." will not make the creature able to fly. The "not/no/can't" etc ''always'' outweigh what "can" happen.

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills and some are able to perform different kind of actions. There are numerous ways how the creatures can interact with one and another without engaging in actual physical combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and if they have any drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures, magic could have them as well, granting a creature additional abilities they wouldn't have without them.

There are three main types of abilities : activated, passive and triggered.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-08T18:29:56Z

Pistos: /* Enchantments */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player also has the greatest number of cards in their decks, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* All players are to play their Event cards in one specific, shared spot on the table. In cases where more than one player plays an event card at almost the same time, whoever physically places their card on the designated Event spot first gets to have their event card resolved first.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* When an enchantment is removed, the enchantment card is placed into the owner's Graveyard.

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

==Combat sequence==
'''I. Announcing attackers'''
* The attacking player may choose to attack during an Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army.

**Creatures assigned to attack are called ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses and announces ''all attackers'' that will fight that turn by ''marking'' them & announcing them as ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses the army or city he/she is attacking. (You can not attack your own cities)
* In cases where there are more than one attackers the attacking player must announce and choose the order of the attacks, which is first, then second, and so on.
* Once the attackers are announced, the passive player gets a ''Response phase'', that gives him/her the opportunity to play ''one'' Event card or ''one'' Ability (but not both at the same time).
**The attacking player then gets the same opportunity, and this process is repeated until ''both players make a pass'' on the opportunity to play something in the Response phase. When the players pass on the Response phase the attack continues as follows:

'''II. Choosing defenders'''
*All creatures assigned to defend are called ''defenders'' for the duration of the battle.
* The defending player ''may choose'' to:
**Defend one or more of the attack(s) with one or more creatures from his/her Army or the attacked city (if a city was attacked).
***A specific defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
***Several defenders can be assigned to the same attacker.
**Allow the attacks to go on undefended.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her city, it loses defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her army he/she lose Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.

'''III. Resolving combat'''
* Each individual combat takes place. In each combat the players take turns with ''Response phases''.
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions the combat is resolved:
**Take into account all effects and then compare the values of the Attackers ATK value with the Defenders DEF value.
***If it is higher or equal the Defender will die. If it is lower the Defender will survive.
***Regardless of the outcome the Defender successfully protects the defending players city/player from that attacker.
***Compare the Defender's ATK value with the Attackers DEF value - if it is equal to or higher then the Attacker will die.
* When combat is over place all dead Creatures into the discard piles, along with all Events that were used during the combat and also any cards that were attached to the Creatures.

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves and even do so at times. This is actually a feature and what makes the deep, complex and modular nature of a CCG possible to begin with. ''Always'' use the following two rules to resolve such situations:

'''Cards vs rules'''
*If a card contradicts the core rules found in this document, the card wins over the core rules.

'''Effects vs effects'''
*If an effects ''forbids'' something to happen while another allows it, the forbidding effect always wins.
**Example: A creature has the effect "Can not fly." printed on it as card text. Playing a spell on the creature with the text "Target creature can fly." will not make the creature able to fly. The "not/no/can't" etc ''always'' outweigh what "can" happen.

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills and some are able to perform different kind of actions. There are numerous ways how the creatures can interact with one and another without engaging in actual physical combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and if they have any drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures, magic could have them as well, granting a creature additional abilities they wouldn't have without them.

There are three main types of abilities : activated, passive and triggered.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-08T18:28:51Z

Pistos: /* Winning */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking:

* In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.
* If more than one player has the greatest number of cities, the player (among those players) with the most cards in their deck wins.
* If more than one player also has the greatest number of cards in their decks, the game ends in a '''tie'''.

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* All players are to play their Event cards in one specific, shared spot on the table. In cases where more than one player plays an event card at almost the same time, whoever physically places their card on the designated Event spot first gets to have their event card resolved first.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* ''(Unclear: When an enchantment is removed, is the enchantment card placed into the Graveyard?)''

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

==Combat sequence==
'''I. Announcing attackers'''
* The attacking player may choose to attack during an Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army.

**Creatures assigned to attack are called ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses and announces ''all attackers'' that will fight that turn by ''marking'' them & announcing them as ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses the army or city he/she is attacking. (You can not attack your own cities)
* In cases where there are more than one attackers the attacking player must announce and choose the order of the attacks, which is first, then second, and so on.
* Once the attackers are announced, the passive player gets a ''Response phase'', that gives him/her the opportunity to play ''one'' Event card or ''one'' Ability (but not both at the same time).
**The attacking player then gets the same opportunity, and this process is repeated until ''both players make a pass'' on the opportunity to play something in the Response phase. When the players pass on the Response phase the attack continues as follows:

'''II. Choosing defenders'''
*All creatures assigned to defend are called ''defenders'' for the duration of the battle.
* The defending player ''may choose'' to:
**Defend one or more of the attack(s) with one or more creatures from his/her Army or the attacked city (if a city was attacked).
***A specific defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
***Several defenders can be assigned to the same attacker.
**Allow the attacks to go on undefended.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her city, it loses defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her army he/she lose Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.

'''III. Resolving combat'''
* Each individual combat takes place. In each combat the players take turns with ''Response phases''.
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions the combat is resolved:
**Take into account all effects and then compare the values of the Attackers ATK value with the Defenders DEF value.
***If it is higher or equal the Defender will die. If it is lower the Defender will survive.
***Regardless of the outcome the Defender successfully protects the defending players city/player from that attacker.
***Compare the Defender's ATK value with the Attackers DEF value - if it is equal to or higher then the Attacker will die.
* When combat is over place all dead Creatures into the discard piles, along with all Events that were used during the combat and also any cards that were attached to the Creatures.

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves and even do so at times. This is actually a feature and what makes the deep, complex and modular nature of a CCG possible to begin with. ''Always'' use the following two rules to resolve such situations:

'''Cards vs rules'''
*If a card contradicts the core rules found in this document, the card wins over the core rules.

'''Effects vs effects'''
*If an effects ''forbids'' something to happen while another allows it, the forbidding effect always wins.
**Example: A creature has the effect "Can not fly." printed on it as card text. Playing a spell on the creature with the text "Target creature can fly." will not make the creature able to fly. The "not/no/can't" etc ''always'' outweigh what "can" happen.

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills and some are able to perform different kind of actions. There are numerous ways how the creatures can interact with one and another without engaging in actual physical combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and if they have any drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures, magic could have them as well, granting a creature additional abilities they wouldn't have without them.

There are three main types of abilities : activated, passive and triggered.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-08T18:23:07Z

Pistos: /* Events */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking: In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins. If more than one player has the greatest number of cities, the player with the most cards in their deck wins.

''(Unclear: What if there is still a tie after counting deck cards?)''

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* All players are to play their Event cards in one specific, shared spot on the table. In cases where more than one player plays an event card at almost the same time, whoever physically places their card on the designated Event spot first gets to have their event card resolved first.

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* ''(Unclear: When an enchantment is removed, is the enchantment card placed into the Graveyard?)''

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

==Combat sequence==
'''I. Announcing attackers'''
* The attacking player may choose to attack during an Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army.

**Creatures assigned to attack are called ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses and announces ''all attackers'' that will fight that turn by ''marking'' them & announcing them as ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses the army or city he/she is attacking. (You can not attack your own cities)
* In cases where there are more than one attackers the attacking player must announce and choose the order of the attacks, which is first, then second, and so on.
* Once the attackers are announced, the passive player gets a ''Response phase'', that gives him/her the opportunity to play ''one'' Event card or ''one'' Ability (but not both at the same time).
**The attacking player then gets the same opportunity, and this process is repeated until ''both players make a pass'' on the opportunity to play something in the Response phase. When the players pass on the Response phase the attack continues as follows:

'''II. Choosing defenders'''
*All creatures assigned to defend are called ''defenders'' for the duration of the battle.
* The defending player ''may choose'' to:
**Defend one or more of the attack(s) with one or more creatures from his/her Army or the attacked city (if a city was attacked).
***A specific defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
***Several defenders can be assigned to the same attacker.
**Allow the attacks to go on undefended.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her city, it loses defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her army he/she lose Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.

'''III. Resolving combat'''
* Each individual combat takes place. In each combat the players take turns with ''Response phases''.
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions the combat is resolved:
**Take into account all effects and then compare the values of the Attackers ATK value with the Defenders DEF value.
***If it is higher or equal the Defender will die. If it is lower the Defender will survive.
***Regardless of the outcome the Defender successfully protects the defending players city/player from that attacker.
***Compare the Defender's ATK value with the Attackers DEF value - if it is equal to or higher then the Attacker will die.
* When combat is over place all dead Creatures into the discard piles, along with all Events that were used during the combat and also any cards that were attached to the Creatures.

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves and even do so at times. This is actually a feature and what makes the deep, complex and modular nature of a CCG possible to begin with. ''Always'' use the following two rules to resolve such situations:

'''Cards vs rules'''
*If a card contradicts the core rules found in this document, the card wins over the core rules.

'''Effects vs effects'''
*If an effects ''forbids'' something to happen while another allows it, the forbidding effect always wins.
**Example: A creature has the effect "Can not fly." printed on it as card text. Playing a spell on the creature with the text "Target creature can fly." will not make the creature able to fly. The "not/no/can't" etc ''always'' outweigh what "can" happen.

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills and some are able to perform different kind of actions. There are numerous ways how the creatures can interact with one and another without engaging in actual physical combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and if they have any drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures, magic could have them as well, granting a creature additional abilities they wouldn't have without them.

There are three main types of abilities : activated, passive and triggered.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-08T18:20:05Z

Pistos: /* Winning */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking: In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins. If more than one player has the greatest number of cities, the player with the most cards in their deck wins.

''(Unclear: What if there is still a tie after counting deck cards?)''

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* ''(Unclear: How should disputes about who played their event first be resolved? e.g. first one to place their card in a designated Event area)''

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* ''(Unclear: When an enchantment is removed, is the enchantment card placed into the Graveyard?)''

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

==Combat sequence==
'''I. Announcing attackers'''
* The attacking player may choose to attack during an Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army.

**Creatures assigned to attack are called ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses and announces ''all attackers'' that will fight that turn by ''marking'' them & announcing them as ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses the army or city he/she is attacking. (You can not attack your own cities)
* In cases where there are more than one attackers the attacking player must announce and choose the order of the attacks, which is first, then second, and so on.
* Once the attackers are announced, the passive player gets a ''Response phase'', that gives him/her the opportunity to play ''one'' Event card or ''one'' Ability (but not both at the same time).
**The attacking player then gets the same opportunity, and this process is repeated until ''both players make a pass'' on the opportunity to play something in the Response phase. When the players pass on the Response phase the attack continues as follows:

'''II. Choosing defenders'''
*All creatures assigned to defend are called ''defenders'' for the duration of the battle.
* The defending player ''may choose'' to:
**Defend one or more of the attack(s) with one or more creatures from his/her Army or the attacked city (if a city was attacked).
***A specific defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
***Several defenders can be assigned to the same attacker.
**Allow the attacks to go on undefended.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her city, it loses defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her army he/she lose Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.

'''III. Resolving combat'''
* Each individual combat takes place. In each combat the players take turns with ''Response phases''.
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions the combat is resolved:
**Take into account all effects and then compare the values of the Attackers ATK value with the Defenders DEF value.
***If it is higher or equal the Defender will die. If it is lower the Defender will survive.
***Regardless of the outcome the Defender successfully protects the defending players city/player from that attacker.
***Compare the Defender's ATK value with the Attackers DEF value - if it is equal to or higher then the Attacker will die.
* When combat is over place all dead Creatures into the discard piles, along with all Events that were used during the combat and also any cards that were attached to the Creatures.

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves and even do so at times. This is actually a feature and what makes the deep, complex and modular nature of a CCG possible to begin with. ''Always'' use the following two rules to resolve such situations:

'''Cards vs rules'''
*If a card contradicts the core rules found in this document, the card wins over the core rules.

'''Effects vs effects'''
*If an effects ''forbids'' something to happen while another allows it, the forbidding effect always wins.
**Example: A creature has the effect "Can not fly." printed on it as card text. Playing a spell on the creature with the text "Target creature can fly." will not make the creature able to fly. The "not/no/can't" etc ''always'' outweigh what "can" happen.

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills and some are able to perform different kind of actions. There are numerous ways how the creatures can interact with one and another without engaging in actual physical combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and if they have any drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures, magic could have them as well, granting a creature additional abilities they wouldn't have without them.

There are three main types of abilities : activated, passive and triggered.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-08T18:15:59Z

Pistos: /* Advantages */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking: In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.

''(Unclear: How is the tie broken when it's also the case that more than one player has the largest number of cities?)''

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* When there is a tie for greatest sum, the player stating the claim wins the bid.
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* ''(Unclear: How should disputes about who played their event first be resolved? e.g. first one to place their card in a designated Event area)''

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* ''(Unclear: When an enchantment is removed, is the enchantment card placed into the Graveyard?)''

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

==Combat sequence==
'''I. Announcing attackers'''
* The attacking player may choose to attack during an Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army.

**Creatures assigned to attack are called ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses and announces ''all attackers'' that will fight that turn by ''marking'' them & announcing them as ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses the army or city he/she is attacking. (You can not attack your own cities)
* In cases where there are more than one attackers the attacking player must announce and choose the order of the attacks, which is first, then second, and so on.
* Once the attackers are announced, the passive player gets a ''Response phase'', that gives him/her the opportunity to play ''one'' Event card or ''one'' Ability (but not both at the same time).
**The attacking player then gets the same opportunity, and this process is repeated until ''both players make a pass'' on the opportunity to play something in the Response phase. When the players pass on the Response phase the attack continues as follows:

'''II. Choosing defenders'''
*All creatures assigned to defend are called ''defenders'' for the duration of the battle.
* The defending player ''may choose'' to:
**Defend one or more of the attack(s) with one or more creatures from his/her Army or the attacked city (if a city was attacked).
***A specific defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
***Several defenders can be assigned to the same attacker.
**Allow the attacks to go on undefended.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her city, it loses defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her army he/she lose Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.

'''III. Resolving combat'''
* Each individual combat takes place. In each combat the players take turns with ''Response phases''.
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions the combat is resolved:
**Take into account all effects and then compare the values of the Attackers ATK value with the Defenders DEF value.
***If it is higher or equal the Defender will die. If it is lower the Defender will survive.
***Regardless of the outcome the Defender successfully protects the defending players city/player from that attacker.
***Compare the Defender's ATK value with the Attackers DEF value - if it is equal to or higher then the Attacker will die.
* When combat is over place all dead Creatures into the discard piles, along with all Events that were used during the combat and also any cards that were attached to the Creatures.

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves and even do so at times. This is actually a feature and what makes the deep, complex and modular nature of a CCG possible to begin with. ''Always'' use the following two rules to resolve such situations:

'''Cards vs rules'''
*If a card contradicts the core rules found in this document, the card wins over the core rules.

'''Effects vs effects'''
*If an effects ''forbids'' something to happen while another allows it, the forbidding effect always wins.
**Example: A creature has the effect "Can not fly." printed on it as card text. Playing a spell on the creature with the text "Target creature can fly." will not make the creature able to fly. The "not/no/can't" etc ''always'' outweigh what "can" happen.

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills and some are able to perform different kind of actions. There are numerous ways how the creatures can interact with one and another without engaging in actual physical combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and if they have any drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures, magic could have them as well, granting a creature additional abilities they wouldn't have without them.

There are three main types of abilities : activated, passive and triggered.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-08T18:02:11Z

Pistos: /* Resource Cards */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled at the start of the game, so you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking: In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.

''(Unclear: How is the tie broken when it's also the case that more than one player has the largest number of cities?)''

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice. The faction of the card does ''not'' have to match the faction that the resource card is contributing power to.
# Multiple resource cards for the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding ''power gem'' counter (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* ''(Unclear: What happens when two or more players' sums are equal?)''
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* ''(Unclear: How should disputes about who played their event first be resolved? e.g. first one to place their card in a designated Event area)''

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* ''(Unclear: When an enchantment is removed, is the enchantment card placed into the Graveyard?)''

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark/unassign phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

==Combat sequence==
'''I. Announcing attackers'''
* The attacking player may choose to attack during an Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army.

**Creatures assigned to attack are called ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses and announces ''all attackers'' that will fight that turn by ''marking'' them & announcing them as ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses the army or city he/she is attacking. (You can not attack your own cities)
* In cases where there are more than one attackers the attacking player must announce and choose the order of the attacks, which is first, then second, and so on.
* Once the attackers are announced, the passive player gets a ''Response phase'', that gives him/her the opportunity to play ''one'' Event card or ''one'' Ability (but not both at the same time).
**The attacking player then gets the same opportunity, and this process is repeated until ''both players make a pass'' on the opportunity to play something in the Response phase. When the players pass on the Response phase the attack continues as follows:

'''II. Choosing defenders'''
*All creatures assigned to defend are called ''defenders'' for the duration of the battle.
* The defending player ''may choose'' to:
**Defend one or more of the attack(s) with one or more creatures from his/her Army or the attacked city (if a city was attacked).
***A specific defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
***Several defenders can be assigned to the same attacker.
**Allow the attacks to go on undefended.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her city, it loses defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her army he/she lose Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.

'''III. Resolving combat'''
* Each individual combat takes place. In each combat the players take turns with ''Response phases''.
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions the combat is resolved:
**Take into account all effects and then compare the values of the Attackers ATK value with the Defenders DEF value.
***If it is higher or equal the Defender will die. If it is lower the Defender will survive.
***Regardless of the outcome the Defender successfully protects the defending players city/player from that attacker.
***Compare the Defender's ATK value with the Attackers DEF value - if it is equal to or higher then the Attacker will die.
* When combat is over place all dead Creatures into the discard piles, along with all Events that were used during the combat and also any cards that were attached to the Creatures.

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves and even do so at times. This is actually a feature and what makes the deep, complex and modular nature of a CCG possible to begin with. ''Always'' use the following two rules to resolve such situations:

'''Cards vs rules'''
*If a card contradicts the core rules found in this document, the card wins over the core rules.

'''Effects vs effects'''
*If an effects ''forbids'' something to happen while another allows it, the forbidding effect always wins.
**Example: A creature has the effect "Can not fly." printed on it as card text. Playing a spell on the creature with the text "Target creature can fly." will not make the creature able to fly. The "not/no/can't" etc ''always'' outweigh what "can" happen.

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills and some are able to perform different kind of actions. There are numerous ways how the creatures can interact with one and another without engaging in actual physical combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and if they have any drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures, magic could have them as well, granting a creature additional abilities they wouldn't have without them.

There are three main types of abilities : activated, passive and triggered.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-08T17:16:26Z

Pistos: /* Draw & Resource */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled often, and you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking: In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.

''(Unclear: How is the tie broken when it's also the case that more than one player has the largest number of cities?)''

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice.
# Multiple resource cards from the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding power gem (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet "2." above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* ''(Unclear: What happens when two or more players' sums are equal?)''
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* ''(Unclear: How should disputes about who played their event first be resolved? e.g. first one to place their card in a designated Event area)''

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* ''(Unclear: When an enchantment is removed, is the enchantment card placed into the Graveyard?)''

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark/unassign phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

==Combat sequence==
'''I. Announcing attackers'''
* The attacking player may choose to attack during an Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army.

**Creatures assigned to attack are called ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses and announces ''all attackers'' that will fight that turn by ''marking'' them & announcing them as ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses the army or city he/she is attacking. (You can not attack your own cities)
* In cases where there are more than one attackers the attacking player must announce and choose the order of the attacks, which is first, then second, and so on.
* Once the attackers are announced, the passive player gets a ''Response phase'', that gives him/her the opportunity to play ''one'' Event card or ''one'' Ability (but not both at the same time).
**The attacking player then gets the same opportunity, and this process is repeated until ''both players make a pass'' on the opportunity to play something in the Response phase. When the players pass on the Response phase the attack continues as follows:

'''II. Choosing defenders'''
*All creatures assigned to defend are called ''defenders'' for the duration of the battle.
* The defending player ''may choose'' to:
**Defend one or more of the attack(s) with one or more creatures from his/her Army or the attacked city (if a city was attacked).
***A specific defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
***Several defenders can be assigned to the same attacker.
**Allow the attacks to go on undefended.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her city, it loses defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her army he/she lose Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.

'''III. Resolving combat'''
* Each individual combat takes place. In each combat the players take turns with ''Response phases''.
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions the combat is resolved:
**Take into account all effects and then compare the values of the Attackers ATK value with the Defenders DEF value.
***If it is higher or equal the Defender will die. If it is lower the Defender will survive.
***Regardless of the outcome the Defender successfully protects the defending players city/player from that attacker.
***Compare the Defender's ATK value with the Attackers DEF value - if it is equal to or higher then the Attacker will die.
* When combat is over place all dead Creatures into the discard piles, along with all Events that were used during the combat and also any cards that were attached to the Creatures.

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves and even do so at times. This is actually a feature and what makes the deep, complex and modular nature of a CCG possible to begin with. ''Always'' use the following two rules to resolve such situations:

'''Cards vs rules'''
*If a card contradicts the core rules found in this document, the card wins over the core rules.

'''Effects vs effects'''
*If an effects ''forbids'' something to happen while another allows it, the forbidding effect always wins.
**Example: A creature has the effect "Can not fly." printed on it as card text. Playing a spell on the creature with the text "Target creature can fly." will not make the creature able to fly. The "not/no/can't" etc ''always'' outweigh what "can" happen.

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills and some are able to perform different kind of actions. There are numerous ways how the creatures can interact with one and another without engaging in actual physical combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and if they have any drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures, magic could have them as well, granting a creature additional abilities they wouldn't have without them.

There are three main types of abilities : activated, passive and triggered.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-08T17:00:22Z

Pistos: /* Draw & Resource */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled often, and you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking: In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.

''(Unclear: How is the tie broken when it's also the case that more than one player has the largest number of cities?)''

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice.
# Multiple resource cards from the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding power gem (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

# draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
# draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
# play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

There are always 2 cards involved in this phase!

Note that bullet (2) above means: it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play only 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* ''(Unclear: What happens when two or more players' sums are equal?)''
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* ''(Unclear: How should disputes about who played their event first be resolved? e.g. first one to place their card in a designated Event area)''

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* ''(Unclear: When an enchantment is removed, is the enchantment card placed into the Graveyard?)''

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark/unassign phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

==Combat sequence==
'''I. Announcing attackers'''
* The attacking player may choose to attack during an Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army.

**Creatures assigned to attack are called ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses and announces ''all attackers'' that will fight that turn by ''marking'' them & announcing them as ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses the army or city he/she is attacking. (You can not attack your own cities)
* In cases where there are more than one attackers the attacking player must announce and choose the order of the attacks, which is first, then second, and so on.
* Once the attackers are announced, the passive player gets a ''Response phase'', that gives him/her the opportunity to play ''one'' Event card or ''one'' Ability (but not both at the same time).
**The attacking player then gets the same opportunity, and this process is repeated until ''both players make a pass'' on the opportunity to play something in the Response phase. When the players pass on the Response phase the attack continues as follows:

'''II. Choosing defenders'''
*All creatures assigned to defend are called ''defenders'' for the duration of the battle.
* The defending player ''may choose'' to:
**Defend one or more of the attack(s) with one or more creatures from his/her Army or the attacked city (if a city was attacked).
***A specific defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
***Several defenders can be assigned to the same attacker.
**Allow the attacks to go on undefended.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her city, it loses defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her army he/she lose Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.

'''III. Resolving combat'''
* Each individual combat takes place. In each combat the players take turns with ''Response phases''.
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions the combat is resolved:
**Take into account all effects and then compare the values of the Attackers ATK value with the Defenders DEF value.
***If it is higher or equal the Defender will die. If it is lower the Defender will survive.
***Regardless of the outcome the Defender successfully protects the defending players city/player from that attacker.
***Compare the Defender's ATK value with the Attackers DEF value - if it is equal to or higher then the Attacker will die.
* When combat is over place all dead Creatures into the discard piles, along with all Events that were used during the combat and also any cards that were attached to the Creatures.

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves and even do so at times. This is actually a feature and what makes the deep, complex and modular nature of a CCG possible to begin with. ''Always'' use the following two rules to resolve such situations:

'''Cards vs rules'''
*If a card contradicts the core rules found in this document, the card wins over the core rules.

'''Effects vs effects'''
*If an effects ''forbids'' something to happen while another allows it, the forbidding effect always wins.
**Example: A creature has the effect "Can not fly." printed on it as card text. Playing a spell on the creature with the text "Target creature can fly." will not make the creature able to fly. The "not/no/can't" etc ''always'' outweigh what "can" happen.

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills and some are able to perform different kind of actions. There are numerous ways how the creatures can interact with one and another without engaging in actual physical combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and if they have any drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures, magic could have them as well, granting a creature additional abilities they wouldn't have without them.

There are three main types of abilities : activated, passive and triggered.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-08T16:53:41Z

Pistos: /* Unmark */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled often, and you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking: In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.

''(Unclear: How is the tie broken when it's also the case that more than one player has the largest number of cities?)''

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice.
# Multiple resource cards from the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding power gem (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

* During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
* The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.
* Unused power is ''not'' carried over into the next turn. (A player may not have more power for a faction than resource cards for that faction.)

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

* draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
* draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
* play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

Note that it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* ''(Unclear: What happens when two or more players' sums are equal?)''
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* ''(Unclear: How should disputes about who played their event first be resolved? e.g. first one to place their card in a designated Event area)''

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* ''(Unclear: When an enchantment is removed, is the enchantment card placed into the Graveyard?)''

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark/unassign phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

==Combat sequence==
'''I. Announcing attackers'''
* The attacking player may choose to attack during an Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army.

**Creatures assigned to attack are called ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses and announces ''all attackers'' that will fight that turn by ''marking'' them & announcing them as ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses the army or city he/she is attacking. (You can not attack your own cities)
* In cases where there are more than one attackers the attacking player must announce and choose the order of the attacks, which is first, then second, and so on.
* Once the attackers are announced, the passive player gets a ''Response phase'', that gives him/her the opportunity to play ''one'' Event card or ''one'' Ability (but not both at the same time).
**The attacking player then gets the same opportunity, and this process is repeated until ''both players make a pass'' on the opportunity to play something in the Response phase. When the players pass on the Response phase the attack continues as follows:

'''II. Choosing defenders'''
*All creatures assigned to defend are called ''defenders'' for the duration of the battle.
* The defending player ''may choose'' to:
**Defend one or more of the attack(s) with one or more creatures from his/her Army or the attacked city (if a city was attacked).
***A specific defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
***Several defenders can be assigned to the same attacker.
**Allow the attacks to go on undefended.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her city, it loses defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her army he/she lose Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.

'''III. Resolving combat'''
* Each individual combat takes place. In each combat the players take turns with ''Response phases''.
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions the combat is resolved:
**Take into account all effects and then compare the values of the Attackers ATK value with the Defenders DEF value.
***If it is higher or equal the Defender will die. If it is lower the Defender will survive.
***Regardless of the outcome the Defender successfully protects the defending players city/player from that attacker.
***Compare the Defender's ATK value with the Attackers DEF value - if it is equal to or higher then the Attacker will die.
* When combat is over place all dead Creatures into the discard piles, along with all Events that were used during the combat and also any cards that were attached to the Creatures.

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves and even do so at times. This is actually a feature and what makes the deep, complex and modular nature of a CCG possible to begin with. ''Always'' use the following two rules to resolve such situations:

'''Cards vs rules'''
*If a card contradicts the core rules found in this document, the card wins over the core rules.

'''Effects vs effects'''
*If an effects ''forbids'' something to happen while another allows it, the forbidding effect always wins.
**Example: A creature has the effect "Can not fly." printed on it as card text. Playing a spell on the creature with the text "Target creature can fly." will not make the creature able to fly. The "not/no/can't" etc ''always'' outweigh what "can" happen.

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills and some are able to perform different kind of actions. There are numerous ways how the creatures can interact with one and another without engaging in actual physical combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and if they have any drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures, magic could have them as well, granting a creature additional abilities they wouldn't have without them.

There are three main types of abilities : activated, passive and triggered.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-08T16:15:49Z

Pistos: /* Fighting skills */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled often, and you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking: In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.

''(Unclear: How is the tie broken when it's also the case that more than one player has the largest number of cities?)''

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice.
# Multiple resource cards from the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding power gem (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

*During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
*The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

* draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
* draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
* play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

Note that it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: If a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* ''(Unclear: What happens when two or more players' sums are equal?)''
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* ''(Unclear: How should disputes about who played their event first be resolved? e.g. first one to place their card in a designated Event area)''

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* ''(Unclear: When an enchantment is removed, is the enchantment card placed into the Graveyard?)''

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark/unassign phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

==Combat sequence==
'''I. Announcing attackers'''
* The attacking player may choose to attack during an Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army.

**Creatures assigned to attack are called ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses and announces ''all attackers'' that will fight that turn by ''marking'' them & announcing them as ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses the army or city he/she is attacking. (You can not attack your own cities)
* In cases where there are more than one attackers the attacking player must announce and choose the order of the attacks, which is first, then second, and so on.
* Once the attackers are announced, the passive player gets a ''Response phase'', that gives him/her the opportunity to play ''one'' Event card or ''one'' Ability (but not both at the same time).
**The attacking player then gets the same opportunity, and this process is repeated until ''both players make a pass'' on the opportunity to play something in the Response phase. When the players pass on the Response phase the attack continues as follows:

'''II. Choosing defenders'''
*All creatures assigned to defend are called ''defenders'' for the duration of the battle.
* The defending player ''may choose'' to:
**Defend one or more of the attack(s) with one or more creatures from his/her Army or the attacked city (if a city was attacked).
***A specific defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
***Several defenders can be assigned to the same attacker.
**Allow the attacks to go on undefended.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her city, it loses defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her army he/she lose Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.

'''III. Resolving combat'''
* Each individual combat takes place. In each combat the players take turns with ''Response phases''.
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions the combat is resolved:
**Take into account all effects and then compare the values of the Attackers ATK value with the Defenders DEF value.
***If it is higher or equal the Defender will die. If it is lower the Defender will survive.
***Regardless of the outcome the Defender successfully protects the defending players city/player from that attacker.
***Compare the Defender's ATK value with the Attackers DEF value - if it is equal to or higher then the Attacker will die.
* When combat is over place all dead Creatures into the discard piles, along with all Events that were used during the combat and also any cards that were attached to the Creatures.

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves and even do so at times. This is actually a feature and what makes the deep, complex and modular nature of a CCG possible to begin with. ''Always'' use the following two rules to resolve such situations:

'''Cards vs rules'''
*If a card contradicts the core rules found in this document, the card wins over the core rules.

'''Effects vs effects'''
*If an effects ''forbids'' something to happen while another allows it, the forbidding effect always wins.
**Example: A creature has the effect "Can not fly." printed on it as card text. Playing a spell on the creature with the text "Target creature can fly." will not make the creature able to fly. The "not/no/can't" etc ''always'' outweigh what "can" happen.

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills and some are able to perform different kind of actions. There are numerous ways how the creatures can interact with one and another without engaging in actual physical combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and if they have any drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures, magic could have them as well, granting a creature additional abilities they wouldn't have without them.

There are three main types of abilities : activated, passive and triggered.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-08T13:53:14Z

Pistos: /* Resource Cards */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled often, and you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking: In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.

''(Unclear: How is the tie broken when it's also the case that more than one player has the largest number of cities?)''

== Resource Cards ==

During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a resource card, a source of ''power''. ''Power'' is necessary to play cards from your hand.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice.
# Multiple resource cards from the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding power gem (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

*During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
*The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

* draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
* draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
* play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

Note that it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: When a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* ''(Unclear: What happens when two or more players' sums are equal?)''
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* ''(Unclear: How should disputes about who played their event first be resolved? e.g. first one to place their card in a designated Event area)''

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* ''(Unclear: When an enchantment is removed, is the enchantment card placed into the Graveyard?)''

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark/unassign phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

==Combat sequence==
'''I. Announcing attackers'''
* The attacking player may choose to attack during an Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army.

**Creatures assigned to attack are called ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses and announces ''all attackers'' that will fight that turn by ''marking'' them & announcing them as ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses the army or city he/she is attacking. (You can not attack your own cities)
* In cases where there are more than one attackers the attacking player must announce and choose the order of the attacks, which is first, then second, and so on.
* Once the attackers are announced, the passive player gets a ''Response phase'', that gives him/her the opportunity to play ''one'' Event card or ''one'' Ability (but not both at the same time).
**The attacking player then gets the same opportunity, and this process is repeated until ''both players make a pass'' on the opportunity to play something in the Response phase. When the players pass on the Response phase the attack continues as follows:

'''II. Choosing defenders'''
*All creatures assigned to defend are called ''defenders'' for the duration of the battle.
* The defending player ''may choose'' to:
**Defend one or more of the attack(s) with one or more creatures from his/her Army or the attacked city (if a city was attacked).
***A specific defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
***Several defenders can be assigned to the same attacker.
**Allow the attacks to go on undefended.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her city, it loses defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her army he/she lose Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.

'''III. Resolving combat'''
* Each individual combat takes place. In each combat the players take turns with ''Response phases''.
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions the combat is resolved:
**Take into account all effects and then compare the values of the Attackers ATK value with the Defenders DEF value.
***If it is higher or equal the Defender will die. If it is lower the Defender will survive.
***Regardless of the outcome the Defender successfully protects the defending players city/player from that attacker.
***Compare the Defender's ATK value with the Attackers DEF value - if it is equal to or higher then the Attacker will die.
* When combat is over place all dead Creatures into the discard piles, along with all Events that were used during the combat and also any cards that were attached to the Creatures.

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves and even do so at times. This is actually a feature and what makes the deep, complex and modular nature of a CCG possible to begin with. ''Always'' use the following two rules to resolve such situations:

'''Cards vs rules'''
*If a card contradicts the core rules found in this document, the card wins over the core rules.

'''Effects vs effects'''
*If an effects ''forbids'' something to happen while another allows it, the forbidding effect always wins.
**Example: A creature has the effect "Can not fly." printed on it as card text. Playing a spell on the creature with the text "Target creature can fly." will not make the creature able to fly. The "not/no/can't" etc ''always'' outweigh what "can" happen.

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills and some are able to perform different kind of actions. There are numerous ways how the creatures can interact with one and another without engaging in actual physical combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and if they have any drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures, magic could have them as well, granting a creature additional abilities they wouldn't have without them.

There are three main types of abilities : activated, passive and triggered.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-08T13:49:22Z

Pistos: /* Winning */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled often, and you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking: In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.

''(Unclear: How is the tie broken when it's also the case that more than one player has the largest number of cities?)''

== Resource Cards ==

Resource cards are the source of all your power. During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a power gem.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice.
# Multiple resource cards from the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding power gem (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

*During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
*The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

* draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
* draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
* play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

Note that it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: When a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* ''(Unclear: What happens when two or more players' sums are equal?)''
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* ''(Unclear: How should disputes about who played their event first be resolved? e.g. first one to place their card in a designated Event area)''

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* ''(Unclear: When an enchantment is removed, is the enchantment card placed into the Graveyard?)''

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark/unassign phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

==Combat sequence==
'''I. Announcing attackers'''
* The attacking player may choose to attack during an Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army.

**Creatures assigned to attack are called ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses and announces ''all attackers'' that will fight that turn by ''marking'' them & announcing them as ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses the army or city he/she is attacking. (You can not attack your own cities)
* In cases where there are more than one attackers the attacking player must announce and choose the order of the attacks, which is first, then second, and so on.
* Once the attackers are announced, the passive player gets a ''Response phase'', that gives him/her the opportunity to play ''one'' Event card or ''one'' Ability (but not both at the same time).
**The attacking player then gets the same opportunity, and this process is repeated until ''both players make a pass'' on the opportunity to play something in the Response phase. When the players pass on the Response phase the attack continues as follows:

'''II. Choosing defenders'''
*All creatures assigned to defend are called ''defenders'' for the duration of the battle.
* The defending player ''may choose'' to:
**Defend one or more of the attack(s) with one or more creatures from his/her Army or the attacked city (if a city was attacked).
***A specific defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
***Several defenders can be assigned to the same attacker.
**Allow the attacks to go on undefended.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her city, it loses defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her army he/she lose Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.

'''III. Resolving combat'''
* Each individual combat takes place. In each combat the players take turns with ''Response phases''.
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions the combat is resolved:
**Take into account all effects and then compare the values of the Attackers ATK value with the Defenders DEF value.
***If it is higher or equal the Defender will die. If it is lower the Defender will survive.
***Regardless of the outcome the Defender successfully protects the defending players city/player from that attacker.
***Compare the Defender's ATK value with the Attackers DEF value - if it is equal to or higher then the Attacker will die.
* When combat is over place all dead Creatures into the discard piles, along with all Events that were used during the combat and also any cards that were attached to the Creatures.

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves and even do so at times. This is actually a feature and what makes the deep, complex and modular nature of a CCG possible to begin with. ''Always'' use the following two rules to resolve such situations:

'''Cards vs rules'''
*If a card contradicts the core rules found in this document, the card wins over the core rules.

'''Effects vs effects'''
*If an effects ''forbids'' something to happen while another allows it, the forbidding effect always wins.
**Example: A creature has the effect "Can not fly." printed on it as card text. Playing a spell on the creature with the text "Target creature can fly." will not make the creature able to fly. The "not/no/can't" etc ''always'' outweigh what "can" happen.

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills and some are able to perform different kind of actions. There are numerous ways how the creatures can interact with one and another without engaging in actual physical combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and if they have any drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures, magic could have them as well, granting a creature additional abilities they wouldn't have without them.

There are three main types of abilities : activated, passive and triggered.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-08T13:47:03Z

Pistos: /* Winning the game */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled often, and you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking: In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.

== Resource Cards ==

Resource cards are the source of all your power. During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a power gem.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice.
# Multiple resource cards from the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding power gem (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

*During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
*The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

* draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
* draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
* play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

Note that it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: When a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* ''(Unclear: What happens when two or more players' sums are equal?)''
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* ''(Unclear: How should disputes about who played their event first be resolved? e.g. first one to place their card in a designated Event area)''

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* ''(Unclear: When an enchantment is removed, is the enchantment card placed into the Graveyard?)''

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark/unassign phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

==Combat sequence==
'''I. Announcing attackers'''
* The attacking player may choose to attack during an Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army.

**Creatures assigned to attack are called ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses and announces ''all attackers'' that will fight that turn by ''marking'' them & announcing them as ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses the army or city he/she is attacking. (You can not attack your own cities)
* In cases where there are more than one attackers the attacking player must announce and choose the order of the attacks, which is first, then second, and so on.
* Once the attackers are announced, the passive player gets a ''Response phase'', that gives him/her the opportunity to play ''one'' Event card or ''one'' Ability (but not both at the same time).
**The attacking player then gets the same opportunity, and this process is repeated until ''both players make a pass'' on the opportunity to play something in the Response phase. When the players pass on the Response phase the attack continues as follows:

'''II. Choosing defenders'''
*All creatures assigned to defend are called ''defenders'' for the duration of the battle.
* The defending player ''may choose'' to:
**Defend one or more of the attack(s) with one or more creatures from his/her Army or the attacked city (if a city was attacked).
***A specific defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
***Several defenders can be assigned to the same attacker.
**Allow the attacks to go on undefended.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her city, it loses defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her army he/she lose Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.

'''III. Resolving combat'''
* Each individual combat takes place. In each combat the players take turns with ''Response phases''.
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions the combat is resolved:
**Take into account all effects and then compare the values of the Attackers ATK value with the Defenders DEF value.
***If it is higher or equal the Defender will die. If it is lower the Defender will survive.
***Regardless of the outcome the Defender successfully protects the defending players city/player from that attacker.
***Compare the Defender's ATK value with the Attackers DEF value - if it is equal to or higher then the Attacker will die.
* When combat is over place all dead Creatures into the discard piles, along with all Events that were used during the combat and also any cards that were attached to the Creatures.

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves and even do so at times. This is actually a feature and what makes the deep, complex and modular nature of a CCG possible to begin with. ''Always'' use the following two rules to resolve such situations:

'''Cards vs rules'''
*If a card contradicts the core rules found in this document, the card wins over the core rules.

'''Effects vs effects'''
*If an effects ''forbids'' something to happen while another allows it, the forbidding effect always wins.
**Example: A creature has the effect "Can not fly." printed on it as card text. Playing a spell on the creature with the text "Target creature can fly." will not make the creature able to fly. The "not/no/can't" etc ''always'' outweigh what "can" happen.

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills and some are able to perform different kind of actions. There are numerous ways how the creatures can interact with one and another without engaging in actual physical combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and if they have any drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures, magic could have them as well, granting a creature additional abilities they wouldn't have without them.

There are three main types of abilities : activated, passive and triggered.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-08T13:45:59Z

Pistos: /* General */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled often, and you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning the game ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking: In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.

== Resource Cards ==

Resource cards are the source of all your power. During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a power gem.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice.
# Multiple resource cards from the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding power gem (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

*During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
*The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

* draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
* draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
* play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

Note that it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: When a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* ''(Unclear: What happens when two or more players' sums are equal?)''
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* ''(Unclear: How should disputes about who played their event first be resolved? e.g. first one to place their card in a designated Event area)''

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* ''(Unclear: When an enchantment is removed, is the enchantment card placed into the Graveyard?)''

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark/unassign phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

* Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend.
* The active player is the only one that may perform ''attacks'', and only during his/her Attack phase.
** When attacking, the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare the target of the attack: either the opponent's army, or one of the opponent's cities.
* Only the attacked player may employ his/her creatures in defense of an attack. Other players may not lend their forces to defend.
* Combat is resolved on a ''per attacker'' basis: Each attacker (together with all its blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific battle.
* The order in which battles are resolved may affect the outcome of other battles or states in the game.
* Before combat begins, the attacking player decides and announces the order in which the attacking creatures will assault the opposition.
* The defending player must decide if or how (s)he will defend, and which creatures (s)he will assign to defend against which attacking creatures.
* The attacking player must declare his/her full attack plan before the defending player declares her/his defense strategy. The attacking player may not change his/her attack plan (by switching targets, or adding or removing creatures from the assault) once the defender has begun declaring her/his defense plan.

==Combat sequence==
'''I. Announcing attackers'''
* The attacking player may choose to attack during an Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army.

**Creatures assigned to attack are called ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses and announces ''all attackers'' that will fight that turn by ''marking'' them & announcing them as ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses the army or city he/she is attacking. (You can not attack your own cities)
* In cases where there are more than one attackers the attacking player must announce and choose the order of the attacks, which is first, then second, and so on.
* Once the attackers are announced, the passive player gets a ''Response phase'', that gives him/her the opportunity to play ''one'' Event card or ''one'' Ability (but not both at the same time).
**The attacking player then gets the same opportunity, and this process is repeated until ''both players make a pass'' on the opportunity to play something in the Response phase. When the players pass on the Response phase the attack continues as follows:

'''II. Choosing defenders'''
*All creatures assigned to defend are called ''defenders'' for the duration of the battle.
* The defending player ''may choose'' to:
**Defend one or more of the attack(s) with one or more creatures from his/her Army or the attacked city (if a city was attacked).
***A specific defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
***Several defenders can be assigned to the same attacker.
**Allow the attacks to go on undefended.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her city, it loses defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her army he/she lose Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.

'''III. Resolving combat'''
* Each individual combat takes place. In each combat the players take turns with ''Response phases''.
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions the combat is resolved:
**Take into account all effects and then compare the values of the Attackers ATK value with the Defenders DEF value.
***If it is higher or equal the Defender will die. If it is lower the Defender will survive.
***Regardless of the outcome the Defender successfully protects the defending players city/player from that attacker.
***Compare the Defender's ATK value with the Attackers DEF value - if it is equal to or higher then the Attacker will die.
* When combat is over place all dead Creatures into the discard piles, along with all Events that were used during the combat and also any cards that were attached to the Creatures.

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves and even do so at times. This is actually a feature and what makes the deep, complex and modular nature of a CCG possible to begin with. ''Always'' use the following two rules to resolve such situations:

'''Cards vs rules'''
*If a card contradicts the core rules found in this document, the card wins over the core rules.

'''Effects vs effects'''
*If an effects ''forbids'' something to happen while another allows it, the forbidding effect always wins.
**Example: A creature has the effect "Can not fly." printed on it as card text. Playing a spell on the creature with the text "Target creature can fly." will not make the creature able to fly. The "not/no/can't" etc ''always'' outweigh what "can" happen.

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills and some are able to perform different kind of actions. There are numerous ways how the creatures can interact with one and another without engaging in actual physical combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and if they have any drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures, magic could have them as well, granting a creature additional abilities they wouldn't have without them.

There are three main types of abilities : activated, passive and triggered.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-08T04:06:37Z

Pistos: /* Removed from Game */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled often, and you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning the game ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking: In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.

== Resource Cards ==

Resource cards are the source of all your power. During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a power gem.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice.
# Multiple resource cards from the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding power gem (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

*During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
*The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

* draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
* draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
* play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

Note that it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: When a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* ''(Unclear: What happens when two or more players' sums are equal?)''
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* ''(Unclear: How should disputes about who played their event first be resolved? e.g. first one to place their card in a designated Event area)''

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* ''(Unclear: When an enchantment is removed, is the enchantment card placed into the Graveyard?)''

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark/unassign phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==

A card that has been ''removed from the game'' is in a state distinct from the ''in play'' and ''not in play'' states. A card ''removed from the game'' ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are ''not'' placed in the Grave. They are to be placed in a pile more distant from the game, since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are examples of cards not in play. In contrast, cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of the current game.

= Combat =

==General==
*Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend,
*The active player is the only one that can perform one ''attacks'' during his/her Attack-phase.
**When doing so the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare which opponent's city or army he/she is attacking.
*In the same manner, the inactive player is the only one that may defend'' against attacks during the opponents turn using one or more creatures in his/her army and one or more creatures in the attacked city.

**Combat is resolved on a "per attacker basis": Each attacker (together with all it's blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific combat.
**The order of how a combat(s) are resolved ''could'' often matter and affect the outcome of other combats or states in the game. Choose wisely.
**The resolution order of several combats is decided by the attacking player, ''before'' the defending player announces a) if and how he/she will defend and b) which defenders he/she will assign to which attackers.

==Combat sequence==
'''I. Announcing attackers'''
* The attacking player may choose to attack during an Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army.

**Creatures assigned to attack are called ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses and announces ''all attackers'' that will fight that turn by ''marking'' them & announcing them as ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses the army or city he/she is attacking. (You can not attack your own cities)
* In cases where there are more than one attackers the attacking player must announce and choose the order of the attacks, which is first, then second, and so on.
* Once the attackers are announced, the passive player gets a ''Response phase'', that gives him/her the opportunity to play ''one'' Event card or ''one'' Ability (but not both at the same time).
**The attacking player then gets the same opportunity, and this process is repeated until ''both players make a pass'' on the opportunity to play something in the Response phase. When the players pass on the Response phase the attack continues as follows:

'''II. Choosing defenders'''
*All creatures assigned to defend are called ''defenders'' for the duration of the battle.
* The defending player ''may choose'' to:
**Defend one or more of the attack(s) with one or more creatures from his/her Army or the attacked city (if a city was attacked).
***A specific defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
***Several defenders can be assigned to the same attacker.
**Allow the attacks to go on undefended.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her city, it loses defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her army he/she lose Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.

'''III. Resolving combat'''
* Each individual combat takes place. In each combat the players take turns with ''Response phases''.
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions the combat is resolved:
**Take into account all effects and then compare the values of the Attackers ATK value with the Defenders DEF value.
***If it is higher or equal the Defender will die. If it is lower the Defender will survive.
***Regardless of the outcome the Defender successfully protects the defending players city/player from that attacker.
***Compare the Defender's ATK value with the Attackers DEF value - if it is equal to or higher then the Attacker will die.
* When combat is over place all dead Creatures into the discard piles, along with all Events that were used during the combat and also any cards that were attached to the Creatures.

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves and even do so at times. This is actually a feature and what makes the deep, complex and modular nature of a CCG possible to begin with. ''Always'' use the following two rules to resolve such situations:

'''Cards vs rules'''
*If a card contradicts the core rules found in this document, the card wins over the core rules.

'''Effects vs effects'''
*If an effects ''forbids'' something to happen while another allows it, the forbidding effect always wins.
**Example: A creature has the effect "Can not fly." printed on it as card text. Playing a spell on the creature with the text "Target creature can fly." will not make the creature able to fly. The "not/no/can't" etc ''always'' outweigh what "can" happen.

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills and some are able to perform different kind of actions. There are numerous ways how the creatures can interact with one and another without engaging in actual physical combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and if they have any drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures, magic could have them as well, granting a creature additional abilities they wouldn't have without them.

There are three main types of abilities : activated, passive and triggered.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-08T04:01:27Z

Pistos: /* Not in Play */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled often, and you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning the game ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking: In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.

== Resource Cards ==

Resource cards are the source of all your power. During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a power gem.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice.
# Multiple resource cards from the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding power gem (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

*During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
*The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

* draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
* draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
* play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

Note that it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: When a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* ''(Unclear: What happens when two or more players' sums are equal?)''
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* ''(Unclear: How should disputes about who played their event first be resolved? e.g. first one to place their card in a designated Event area)''

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* ''(Unclear: When an enchantment is removed, is the enchantment card placed into the Graveyard?)''

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark/unassign phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
* A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
* All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays their play cost and meets any other requirements so that they can be put in play.
* There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
** Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
** Cards that don't stay on the table after they "were played" are not considered to be "in play" after they are played. For example, an Event card that is discarded immediately after the player tries to trigger its effect is not considered "in play".

==Removed from Game==
A card that is ''removed from game'' is not considered to have the ''in play'' state or the ''not in play'' state: A card that has been removed from the game ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remaining duration of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are not placed in the grave. They are be placed in a pile more distant from the game since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are an example of cards not in play. Cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of it again during that game.

= Combat =

==General==
*Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend,
*The active player is the only one that can perform one ''attacks'' during his/her Attack-phase.
**When doing so the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare which opponent's city or army he/she is attacking.
*In the same manner, the inactive player is the only one that may defend'' against attacks during the opponents turn using one or more creatures in his/her army and one or more creatures in the attacked city.

**Combat is resolved on a "per attacker basis": Each attacker (together with all it's blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific combat.
**The order of how a combat(s) are resolved ''could'' often matter and affect the outcome of other combats or states in the game. Choose wisely.
**The resolution order of several combats is decided by the attacking player, ''before'' the defending player announces a) if and how he/she will defend and b) which defenders he/she will assign to which attackers.

==Combat sequence==
'''I. Announcing attackers'''
* The attacking player may choose to attack during an Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army.

**Creatures assigned to attack are called ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses and announces ''all attackers'' that will fight that turn by ''marking'' them & announcing them as ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses the army or city he/she is attacking. (You can not attack your own cities)
* In cases where there are more than one attackers the attacking player must announce and choose the order of the attacks, which is first, then second, and so on.
* Once the attackers are announced, the passive player gets a ''Response phase'', that gives him/her the opportunity to play ''one'' Event card or ''one'' Ability (but not both at the same time).
**The attacking player then gets the same opportunity, and this process is repeated until ''both players make a pass'' on the opportunity to play something in the Response phase. When the players pass on the Response phase the attack continues as follows:

'''II. Choosing defenders'''
*All creatures assigned to defend are called ''defenders'' for the duration of the battle.
* The defending player ''may choose'' to:
**Defend one or more of the attack(s) with one or more creatures from his/her Army or the attacked city (if a city was attacked).
***A specific defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
***Several defenders can be assigned to the same attacker.
**Allow the attacks to go on undefended.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her city, it loses defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her army he/she lose Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.

'''III. Resolving combat'''
* Each individual combat takes place. In each combat the players take turns with ''Response phases''.
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions the combat is resolved:
**Take into account all effects and then compare the values of the Attackers ATK value with the Defenders DEF value.
***If it is higher or equal the Defender will die. If it is lower the Defender will survive.
***Regardless of the outcome the Defender successfully protects the defending players city/player from that attacker.
***Compare the Defender's ATK value with the Attackers DEF value - if it is equal to or higher then the Attacker will die.
* When combat is over place all dead Creatures into the discard piles, along with all Events that were used during the combat and also any cards that were attached to the Creatures.

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves and even do so at times. This is actually a feature and what makes the deep, complex and modular nature of a CCG possible to begin with. ''Always'' use the following two rules to resolve such situations:

'''Cards vs rules'''
*If a card contradicts the core rules found in this document, the card wins over the core rules.

'''Effects vs effects'''
*If an effects ''forbids'' something to happen while another allows it, the forbidding effect always wins.
**Example: A creature has the effect "Can not fly." printed on it as card text. Playing a spell on the creature with the text "Target creature can fly." will not make the creature able to fly. The "not/no/can't" etc ''always'' outweigh what "can" happen.

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills and some are able to perform different kind of actions. There are numerous ways how the creatures can interact with one and another without engaging in actual physical combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and if they have any drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures, magic could have them as well, granting a creature additional abilities they wouldn't have without them.

There are three main types of abilities : activated, passive and triggered.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-08T03:54:05Z

Pistos: /* Mark me */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled often, and you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning the game ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking: In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.

== Resource Cards ==

Resource cards are the source of all your power. During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a power gem.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice.
# Multiple resource cards from the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding power gem (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

*During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
*The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

* draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
* draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
* play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

Note that it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: When a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* ''(Unclear: What happens when two or more players' sums are equal?)''
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* ''(Unclear: How should disputes about who played their event first be resolved? e.g. first one to place their card in a designated Event area)''

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* ''(Unclear: When an enchantment is removed, is the enchantment card placed into the Graveyard?)''

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark/unassign phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===

[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Some actions, abilities and rules require a card to be marked when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a prerequisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
*A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
*All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays for them and meets other criteria so that they can be put in play.
*There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
**Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
**Card that don't stay on the table after they "were played", like for example Event cards that are discarded directly after their effect tries to happen happen, are never considered to be "in play".

==Removed from Game==
A card that is ''removed from game'' is not considered to have the ''in play'' state or the ''not in play'' state: A card that has been removed from the game ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remaining duration of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are not placed in the grave. They are be placed in a pile more distant from the game since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are an example of cards not in play. Cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of it again during that game.

= Combat =

==General==
*Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend,
*The active player is the only one that can perform one ''attacks'' during his/her Attack-phase.
**When doing so the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare which opponent's city or army he/she is attacking.
*In the same manner, the inactive player is the only one that may defend'' against attacks during the opponents turn using one or more creatures in his/her army and one or more creatures in the attacked city.

**Combat is resolved on a "per attacker basis": Each attacker (together with all it's blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific combat.
**The order of how a combat(s) are resolved ''could'' often matter and affect the outcome of other combats or states in the game. Choose wisely.
**The resolution order of several combats is decided by the attacking player, ''before'' the defending player announces a) if and how he/she will defend and b) which defenders he/she will assign to which attackers.

==Combat sequence==
'''I. Announcing attackers'''
* The attacking player may choose to attack during an Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army.

**Creatures assigned to attack are called ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses and announces ''all attackers'' that will fight that turn by ''marking'' them & announcing them as ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses the army or city he/she is attacking. (You can not attack your own cities)
* In cases where there are more than one attackers the attacking player must announce and choose the order of the attacks, which is first, then second, and so on.
* Once the attackers are announced, the passive player gets a ''Response phase'', that gives him/her the opportunity to play ''one'' Event card or ''one'' Ability (but not both at the same time).
**The attacking player then gets the same opportunity, and this process is repeated until ''both players make a pass'' on the opportunity to play something in the Response phase. When the players pass on the Response phase the attack continues as follows:

'''II. Choosing defenders'''
*All creatures assigned to defend are called ''defenders'' for the duration of the battle.
* The defending player ''may choose'' to:
**Defend one or more of the attack(s) with one or more creatures from his/her Army or the attacked city (if a city was attacked).
***A specific defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
***Several defenders can be assigned to the same attacker.
**Allow the attacks to go on undefended.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her city, it loses defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her army he/she lose Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.

'''III. Resolving combat'''
* Each individual combat takes place. In each combat the players take turns with ''Response phases''.
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions the combat is resolved:
**Take into account all effects and then compare the values of the Attackers ATK value with the Defenders DEF value.
***If it is higher or equal the Defender will die. If it is lower the Defender will survive.
***Regardless of the outcome the Defender successfully protects the defending players city/player from that attacker.
***Compare the Defender's ATK value with the Attackers DEF value - if it is equal to or higher then the Attacker will die.
* When combat is over place all dead Creatures into the discard piles, along with all Events that were used during the combat and also any cards that were attached to the Creatures.

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves and even do so at times. This is actually a feature and what makes the deep, complex and modular nature of a CCG possible to begin with. ''Always'' use the following two rules to resolve such situations:

'''Cards vs rules'''
*If a card contradicts the core rules found in this document, the card wins over the core rules.

'''Effects vs effects'''
*If an effects ''forbids'' something to happen while another allows it, the forbidding effect always wins.
**Example: A creature has the effect "Can not fly." printed on it as card text. Playing a spell on the creature with the text "Target creature can fly." will not make the creature able to fly. The "not/no/can't" etc ''always'' outweigh what "can" happen.

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills and some are able to perform different kind of actions. There are numerous ways how the creatures can interact with one and another without engaging in actual physical combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and if they have any drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures, magic could have them as well, granting a creature additional abilities they wouldn't have without them.

There are three main types of abilities : activated, passive and triggered.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-08T03:52:24Z

Pistos: /* Marked & Unmarked */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled often, and you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning the game ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking: In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.

== Resource Cards ==

Resource cards are the source of all your power. During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a power gem.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice.
# Multiple resource cards from the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding power gem (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

*During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
*The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

* draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
* draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
* play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

Note that it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: When a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* ''(Unclear: What happens when two or more players' sums are equal?)''
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* ''(Unclear: How should disputes about who played their event first be resolved? e.g. first one to place their card in a designated Event area)''

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* ''(Unclear: When an enchantment is removed, is the enchantment card placed into the Graveyard?)''

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

=== Marked & Unmarked ===

* Cards ''in play'' are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state.
* Cards ''not in play'' cannot be marked or unmarked.
* Cards come into play in the ''unmarked'' state, unless the rules of some card used in the game clearly specify otherwise.
* The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that a card has been exhausted or used somehow.
** Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves, or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
* To mark a card, orient it horizontally (landscape, as opposed to portrait).
* A marked card cannot be marked again. Only an unmarked card can be marked.
* Some effects or rules can unmark a marked card.
* There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if these state changes happen legally as a result of effects.
* Each player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during her/his own unmark/unassign phase of his/her turn.

===Mark me===
[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Different actions, abilities and rules require a card to mark when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a part of the pre-requisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
*A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
*All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays for them and meets other criteria so that they can be put in play.
*There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
**Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
**Card that don't stay on the table after they "were played", like for example Event cards that are discarded directly after their effect tries to happen happen, are never considered to be "in play".

==Removed from Game==
A card that is ''removed from game'' is not considered to have the ''in play'' state or the ''not in play'' state: A card that has been removed from the game ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remaining duration of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are not placed in the grave. They are be placed in a pile more distant from the game since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are an example of cards not in play. Cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of it again during that game.

= Combat =

==General==
*Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend,
*The active player is the only one that can perform one ''attacks'' during his/her Attack-phase.
**When doing so the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare which opponent's city or army he/she is attacking.
*In the same manner, the inactive player is the only one that may defend'' against attacks during the opponents turn using one or more creatures in his/her army and one or more creatures in the attacked city.

**Combat is resolved on a "per attacker basis": Each attacker (together with all it's blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific combat.
**The order of how a combat(s) are resolved ''could'' often matter and affect the outcome of other combats or states in the game. Choose wisely.
**The resolution order of several combats is decided by the attacking player, ''before'' the defending player announces a) if and how he/she will defend and b) which defenders he/she will assign to which attackers.

==Combat sequence==
'''I. Announcing attackers'''
* The attacking player may choose to attack during an Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army.

**Creatures assigned to attack are called ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses and announces ''all attackers'' that will fight that turn by ''marking'' them & announcing them as ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses the army or city he/she is attacking. (You can not attack your own cities)
* In cases where there are more than one attackers the attacking player must announce and choose the order of the attacks, which is first, then second, and so on.
* Once the attackers are announced, the passive player gets a ''Response phase'', that gives him/her the opportunity to play ''one'' Event card or ''one'' Ability (but not both at the same time).
**The attacking player then gets the same opportunity, and this process is repeated until ''both players make a pass'' on the opportunity to play something in the Response phase. When the players pass on the Response phase the attack continues as follows:

'''II. Choosing defenders'''
*All creatures assigned to defend are called ''defenders'' for the duration of the battle.
* The defending player ''may choose'' to:
**Defend one or more of the attack(s) with one or more creatures from his/her Army or the attacked city (if a city was attacked).
***A specific defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
***Several defenders can be assigned to the same attacker.
**Allow the attacks to go on undefended.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her city, it loses defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her army he/she lose Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.

'''III. Resolving combat'''
* Each individual combat takes place. In each combat the players take turns with ''Response phases''.
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions the combat is resolved:
**Take into account all effects and then compare the values of the Attackers ATK value with the Defenders DEF value.
***If it is higher or equal the Defender will die. If it is lower the Defender will survive.
***Regardless of the outcome the Defender successfully protects the defending players city/player from that attacker.
***Compare the Defender's ATK value with the Attackers DEF value - if it is equal to or higher then the Attacker will die.
* When combat is over place all dead Creatures into the discard piles, along with all Events that were used during the combat and also any cards that were attached to the Creatures.

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves and even do so at times. This is actually a feature and what makes the deep, complex and modular nature of a CCG possible to begin with. ''Always'' use the following two rules to resolve such situations:

'''Cards vs rules'''
*If a card contradicts the core rules found in this document, the card wins over the core rules.

'''Effects vs effects'''
*If an effects ''forbids'' something to happen while another allows it, the forbidding effect always wins.
**Example: A creature has the effect "Can not fly." printed on it as card text. Playing a spell on the creature with the text "Target creature can fly." will not make the creature able to fly. The "not/no/can't" etc ''always'' outweigh what "can" happen.

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills and some are able to perform different kind of actions. There are numerous ways how the creatures can interact with one and another without engaging in actual physical combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and if they have any drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures, magic could have them as well, granting a creature additional abilities they wouldn't have without them.

There are three main types of abilities : activated, passive and triggered.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.

Awesome Rules Concept

2016-08-07T20:36:19Z

Pistos: /* Graveyard (5) */

{{toc}}

[[Category:ARC]]

= Getting Started =
== Basics ==
WTactics is a card game with free (downloadable) cards.
* Each card in the game belongs to a specific faction. The factions are: Gaian, Dark Legion, Red Banner, House of Nobles, The Empire.
* Each card has a card type: city, creature, enchantment, magic, or event.
* Each player builds a deck of exactly 45 cards.
* Each player starts with 15 Victory Points (VP).

== Required Materials ==

To play WTactics you need a few things.

* '''A deck of cards''' (see [[#Deck Building]]). You can download the cards, then print, cut and sleeve them.
* Something to '''track victory points''', such as: pen & paper; or 20-sided dice; or one of the many life counter apps
* Something to '''track each city's defensive strength''', such as: pen & paper; or some 6-sided dice
* Several sets of '''faction counters''', each set distinguishable from the others. One set for each faction in your deck. For example, green counters for Gaian, black for Dark Legion, red for Red Banner, and white for the Empire. 10 to 15 counters per faction should suffice.

== Deck Building ==

Building your deck well is vital to success in the game. Players build their decks according to their personal playing style. Your choice of cards dictates your options during the course of the game, and directly affects how well you might fare against your opponents. As the game proceeds you will draw a given number of cards from the deck almost every round. The deck is shuffled often, and you seldom know what cards you might draw. Usually, you would want to have a deck prepared ''before'' you sit down to play a game.

* Every ''deck'' must contain exactly 45 cards.
* The deck may contain cards from any combination of one or more factions, and any mixture of card types.
* At least 3 of the 45 cards must be city cards, one city for each discipline.
* A deck may only have up to 3 copies of a card. Cards are considered copies if they have the exact same card name.
* Every card in WTactics may be added to a deck (subject to these deck composition rules).
* The backs of all cards in a deck should look ''identical''. (This can be achieved by sleeving them.)

== Winning the game ==

A player '''wins''' when either:

* All other players have been defeated, ''or''
* The player reaches 30 Victory Points (VP)

A player is '''defeated''' when ''any'' of the following occurs:

* The player's Victory Points (VP) reaches 0, ''or''
* All of the player's cities have been destroyed, ''or''
* The player has used up all the cards in her/his deck ''and'' is forced to draw another card

'''Tie''' breaking: In cases where two players reach 30 VP simultaneously, or all remaining players are defeated at the same time, the player with the most cities in play wins.

== Resource Cards ==

Resource cards are the source of all your power. During the game, you can put a card from your hand '''face down''' on the table and turn it into a power gem.

# The card becomes a resource card for a faction of the player's choice.
# Multiple resource cards from the same faction are stacked in a pile.
# Each resource card should have a corresponding power gem (one counter per card).
# Counters resting next to a resource card pile indicate that that much power is available for use in the current turn.
# Counters resting on a resource card pile indicate power which has been consumed in the current turn.

The convention for counters used for resource cards is: Green for Gaian, Black for Dark Legion, Red for Red Banner, Blue for House of Nobles and White for The Empire.

Available (unused) power gems are ''necessary'' to play cards from your hand.

== Card Layout ==
Let's look at a typical card layout.

[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction. '''Power Cost:''' The card's power cost will be shown here as a number. The cost is the amount of gems you will have to spend - in this case 4 gems
# '''Loyalty Marks:''' The loyalty marks indicate how many gems of the power cost must be paid using the faction's own gems - in this case 2 red gems for the Red Banner faction - , the remainder of the power cost can be paid using any kind of power gem.
# '''Card Art:''' The illustration has ''no impact'' on game play. The card art is merely for aesthetics, lending to the game's theme and setting. It also helps players quickly identify and remember cards.
# '''Card Name and Types:''' Every card has a unique name. Each part of the name also doubles as a subtype.
# '''Additional Card subtypes:''' This line contains the ''types(s)'' of the card. Each card type is governed by specific rules, while subtypes are usually related to rules found on other cards.
# '''Coloured Border:''' The border around a card reveals what faction it belongs to. In this example, the Imp Union Leader card has a red surrounding border, revealing--together with the faction logo--that this is a Red Banner card.
# '''Card Text:''' Additional abilities and rules of the card are written in this area.
# '''Flavour Text:''' The flavour text, always written in italics, has ''no impact'' on the rules of the game. Like the card art, it is there for interest's sake, adding to the artistic appeal of the game.
# '''Combat Statistics:''' The value on the left in the red circle is the unit's attack (ATK) value. The value on the right in the green shield is its defense (DEF) value. These values are used when a card engages in combat.
# '''Footer:''' The footer contains information about the game, and the card's "collector's number" and version. 

== Playing a card==

A card is played in this way:

# The player ensures that all prerequisites (if any) written on the card are met. (If they are not satisfied, the card may not be played.)
# Identifying the card's faction, the player pays the card's faction power cost by moving the corresponding amount of unused power gems onto the resource cards pile.
# Even if the card should end up not being resolved (played)--which might occur due to interplay of rules--the spent power is not recovered or refunded during the same turn.
# The power gems on the resource cards pile are considered consumed for this turn, and may not be used to provide power for other plays.
# The card is put into play if it is resolved.

Prerequisites written on the card are often unique to the card. They vary highly from card to card.

Example prerequisite: "This card can only be played if you control fewer creatures than your opponent(s)."

== Battleground Setup ==

The battleground (the kitchen table :-) ) is divided into several areas. Below is a depiction of the proper table setup for one of the players in a game. Each player should have the same ''table layout'' in front of them.

[[File:Awesome_Rules_Concept_Table_Layout.png|1000px]]

=== Kingdom (1)===
When you build a city you place it in your Kingdom area. When creatures visit the city they become residents of that city and are placed on the same imaginary row as the city.
Cities are peaceful places, so residents of a city can not launch attacks, but they defend their city bravely when attacked.

=== Your Army (2)===
Creatures that will help launch an ''attack'' or ''defend'' against enemy attacks must be in your ''Army'' area, face up.

=== The Faction's Power Reserves (3) ===

Each faction in your deck has its own power gems.

=== Deck (4) ===

This area is where the deck resides and from where you ''draw'' new cards every time it becomes your turn.

=== Graveyard (5) ===

The area where ''all'' the ''discarded'', ''used up'', ''wasted'' or ''killed'' cards go. These might be, for instance, dead creatures, or used event cards. All cards in the graveyard are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's graveyard at any time. Cards in a graveyard must remain stacked in the order that they enter the graveyard: first discarded (or used, etc.) card on the bottom, most recently discarded on the top. The Graveyard is also sometimes called the Grave.

=Playing the game=

Before playing the game, each player selects three cities form his/her deck, one for each of the three disciplines, and puts them on the table in the ''Kingdom'' area, face up.
All players may shuffle any decks afterwards.

Each player then draws 7 cards from his/her deck, to hold in hand (not showing to the other players).

The game is played using individual ''player turns'', that are divided into different ''phases''.
Agree on a method to choose which player will go first. The player going first is only allowed to draw one card during her/his first draw phase.

The player who is currently taking his turn is named the ''active player''. All other players are termed ''passive'' players, even if they happen to do something (such as play Event cards) during the active player's turn. The term "the player" usually refers to the active player. In cases when the active player is not the player referred to, the terms "passive player" or "any player" are used.

== Turn Structure ==

A player turn is made up of the following phases:

# Unmark
# Draw & Resource
# Tactics
# Play
# Attack
# Play
# Discard

The Play and Attack phases are ''optional phases''. You may choose to take no action during an optional phase.

The phases must occur in the given order. You can't, for example, enter a Play phase once you have finished the Discard phase of your turn.

=== Unmark ===

*During the unmark phase a player ''must'' unmark all his/her cards that are marked. (see [[#Card States]])
*The player also removes all the used power gems from the different resource piles and puts them next to each pile. The power gems are thereby replenished, and ready for re-use.

=== Draw & Resource ===

During the draw phase, the player must take 1 of 3 possible courses of action:

* draw 2 cards, and play no resource cards, ''or''
* draw 1 card ''and'' play 1 resource card, ''or''
* play 2 resource cards, and draw no cards

Note that it is not valid to draw only 1 card and not also play a resource card. It is also invalid to play 1 resource card, and skip drawing a card.

Additionally: If the player has no cards in hand, (s)he '''must''' draw at least one card.

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see [[#Cities]])

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* Creatures may be moved (see [[#Movement]]).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so, and requirements for actions are met.
* A player may choose not to do anything during a Play phase (i.e. skip that Play phase).

=== Attack ===

* During this phase the active player's Army may attack either an opponent's army or an opponent's city.
* Only one attack is allowed. (See [[#Combat]] for how to resolve the battle.)
* A player may elect not to attack during a given Attack phase.

=== Discard ===

* If the player has ''more than'' 7 cards in his/her hand, the player ''must'' discard cards from her/his hand until there are 7 cards remaining in hand.
* A player ''may not'' discard cards from his/her hand if he/she has fewer than 8 cards in hand.

= Card Types =

There are 5 different card types: [[#Creatures]], [[#Cities]], [[#Events]], [[#Magic]], and [[#Enchantments]].

== Creatures ==
Creatures are the backbone of every army, they are the courageous forces that will bring a player glorious victory (or a miserable defeat that is best forgotten).

All creatures also belong to one or more creature types. Creature types are words separated by spaces in the card's ''name'' and ''subtype'' lines. An example of a couple of creature types a creature could have is: ''Leader Beast Caster''. Leader would be one, Beast another type, and Caster a third creature type. They don't necessarily relate to each other in any way even if it may look like it in some cases. Creature types are relevant in many situations when other cards interact with the creature cards.

During the ''play'' phase a player may put new creatures into play by paying their power cost and then placing them into a city the player controls. Creatures may not be put into the Army directly, but they might be moved from a city to the Army at a later stage in the game. Creatures that are part of the Army can attack the opponent, as well as defend against enemy forces. Creatures that are part of a city are only able to defend against attacks on the city; they may never participate in an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

Unlike other cards, creatures have specific and distinct values that show their ''fighting ability'' in combat:

* Attack (ATK): The amount of damage the creature will inflict on its enemies in a single attack.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When a creature suffers damage equal to or greater than its Defense during a single turn, the creature is put in the Graveyard (of the creature's owner), along with all cards attached to it. Inflicted damage does not carry over to the next turn: When a creature was not put into the graveyard, it regains its full Defense strength at the end of the turn.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values, they are often paired and written in the form ''ATK/DEF''.
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature's attack would increase by 5, and its defense would decrease by 2.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them advantages (or disadvantages). Sometimes abilities only take effect when certain prerequisites are met or costs paid, such as ''marking'' the card. A card's abilities and any requirements thereof are written on the card.

=== Movement ===

* During the Movement phase, ''unmarked'' creatures may be moved
** from the Army to a city, ''or''
** from a city to the Army, ''or''
** from a city to another city
* A given city may be involved in a move only once per turn (either as the origin or the destination of a move).
* A player may only move his/her own creatures, and only among his/her own Army and cities, unless a card's abilities or effects allow otherwise.

Movement is only allowed during a player's ''Play'' phases.

To move a creature the player must:
# mark it,
# announce the move, and
# place it in the destination area.

== Cities ==

Cities are the heart of your kingdom, and give you tactical advantages over your opponent.

A city ''belongs to a faction'', and is specialized in one of the three ''disciplines''
(the 'Body', the 'Mind' or the 'Soul') as stated on the city's card. During the game setup, select three cities from your deck, one for each of the 3 disciplines. They are to be placed in your ''Kingdom'' area, face up, visible to all players. Your deck must be shuffled after you select the cities to use, to help ensure fair play.

=== Building a city ===
All players each begin the game with three cities in play. However, during a ''Play'' phase, a player may play additional city cards from his/her hand, provided the player is able to pay the city card's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city it is considered a ''resident''.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attacks your city, your residents may help defend the city. Additionally your Army can help defend the city. During the course of the attack the Army's creatures that are allowed into the city are ''residents'' of the city.

Any left over unblocked attacking creature deals damage to the city. Damage dealt to a city is permanent and the lost defense strength is not restored after the turn. (You can keep track of the city's defense strength by placing 6-sided die beside it).
When the city's strength is reduced to or beyond 0, it is destroyed, and its owner must put it in her/his Graveyard.

When all of a player's cities ''in play'' are destroyed, that player is ''defeated''.

=== Advantages ===

During a Tactics phase, cities can be made to provide their owner strategical advantages. These advantages last until the player's next Tactics phase.

To claim an advantage for a discipline, a player:

# '''declares''' his/her claim for the discipline, such as by saying the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' ' (or ''Mind'' or ''Soul''), and
# '''marks''' any number of ''unmarked'' residents of her/his cities

* Opponents may mark any unmarked residents of their cities in response.
* Whichever player has the greater ''sum of power costs'' of marked cards wins the bid, and gains 1 Victory Point.
* ''(Unclear: What happens when two or more players' sums are equal?)''
* When a city is destroyed, the owning player no longer enjoys the advantage.

== Events ==

* Event cards represent one-time effects. When an event card is played, its resolution is determined and its effects occur immediately. In CCG terminology these are commonly known as ''interrupts'' or ''instants''.
* Any player may play an event card at ''any time'', even during an opponent's turn as a ''response'' to something (s)he has done.
* When an event card is played, resolution is determined based on its rules text.
* After an event card has been used, it is discarded ''the same turn'' it was played. The owner places it in his/her Graveyard.
* There is no limit to the number of consecutive Events that players may play at any time, even as responses to opponent Events.
* ''(Unclear: How should disputes about who played their event first be resolved? e.g. first one to place their card in a designated Event area)''

==Magic==

* ''Magic'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, and only during a Play phase.
* Once a magic card has been played, it is discarded into Graveyard.

==Enchantments==

* ''Enchantment'' cards may only be played during the player's ''own'' Play phases.
* Enchantments always have a ''target''.
* Some examples of targets: the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, another enchantment
* An enchantment is ''attached'' to its target
* Enchantments remain in play until some effect removes them, potentially across many phases and turns.
* ''(Unclear: When an enchantment is removed, is the enchantment card placed into the Graveyard?)''

=Card States=
==In Play==
When a card is legally moved from hand, main deck, cities deck or grave onto the game table it is ''entering play'', and if nothing hinders it the card is then ''in play''.

All cards that have been paid for, if any, are considered to be ''in play''. Typically that would be all permanents that are on the table, like your creatures and enchantments. Events, effects of abilities and Magic are technically speaking also ''in play'' for a very short moment: They enter play, are ''in play'', resolve and then become discarded into the grave - leaving play.

===Marked & Unmarked===

*Cards in play are always in either a ''marked'' or an ''unmarked'' state. All other card types lack the ability to (un)mark.
*Cards always come into play in their ''unmarked'' state unless it's clearly specified otherwise.
*The ''marked'' state is normally used to show that the card has been exhausted/used somehow.
**Examples of when a card becomes marked: When a creature attacks, moves or uses an activated ability that requires it to mark.
*To mark a card place it horizontal
*A card can only be marked ''once'' per ''turn'' unless an effect or rule unmarks it after it was marked.
**There is no limit on how many times a card can become marked or unmarked if it happens as a result of an effect.
*During every new turn the player gets all of his/her marked cards unmarked during the players own unmark/unassign-phase.

===Mark me===
[[File:Mark.100x59.png|thumbnail|The ''Mark Me'' symbol]]
Different actions, abilities and rules require a card to mark when the player wants to use it in a particular way. Marking is not a ''cost''. It should rather be seen as a kind of prerequisite, an action that needs to ''happen'' in order for an effect to happen. Whenever the mark me symbol is shown (a horizontal rectangle with a symbol within, {{m}} ) it means that you have to ''mark the card itself'' if that is a part of the pre-requisite for whatever you're trying to accomplish.

==Not in Play==
*A card that is not in the ''in play'' state is considered to be ''not in play''.
*All the cards in a players hand, main deck, cities deck and grave are examples of cards that are ''not in play'' until their owner pays for them and meets other criteria so that they can be put in play.
*There is a distinction between being "in play" and "was played".
**Card types that can stay on the table (permanents) are put "in play".
**Card that don't stay on the table after they "were played", like for example Event cards that are discarded directly after their effect tries to happen happen, are never considered to be "in play".

==Removed from Game==
A card that is ''removed from game'' is not considered to have the ''in play'' state or the ''not in play'' state: A card that has been removed from the game ceases to exist for all intents and purposes for the remaining duration of the game. ''Removed from game'' cards are not placed in the grave. They are be placed in a pile more distant from the game since there will be no interaction with them while playing.

There is a huge difference between ''cards not in play'' and ''cards removed from the game'': Cards not in play are still a part of the game and might come into play at some point. Cards in hand or in the deck or even in the grave are an example of cards not in play. Cards that have been removed from the game may ''never'' in any way become part of it again during that game.

= Combat =

==General==
*Only ''unmarked'' creatures may attack or defend,
*The active player is the only one that can perform one ''attacks'' during his/her Attack-phase.
**When doing so the player must use one or more creatures in his/her ''army'' and declare which opponent's city or army he/she is attacking.
*In the same manner, the inactive player is the only one that may defend'' against attacks during the opponents turn using one or more creatures in his/her army and one or more creatures in the attacked city.

**Combat is resolved on a "per attacker basis": Each attacker (together with all it's blockers) is part of ''one'' single and specific combat.
**The order of how a combat(s) are resolved ''could'' often matter and affect the outcome of other combats or states in the game. Choose wisely.
**The resolution order of several combats is decided by the attacking player, ''before'' the defending player announces a) if and how he/she will defend and b) which defenders he/she will assign to which attackers.

==Combat sequence==
'''I. Announcing attackers'''
* The attacking player may choose to attack during an Attack phase using any number of unmarked creatures in his/her Army.

**Creatures assigned to attack are called ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses and announces ''all attackers'' that will fight that turn by ''marking'' them & announcing them as ''attackers''.
* The attacking player chooses the army or city he/she is attacking. (You can not attack your own cities)
* In cases where there are more than one attackers the attacking player must announce and choose the order of the attacks, which is first, then second, and so on.
* Once the attackers are announced, the passive player gets a ''Response phase'', that gives him/her the opportunity to play ''one'' Event card or ''one'' Ability (but not both at the same time).
**The attacking player then gets the same opportunity, and this process is repeated until ''both players make a pass'' on the opportunity to play something in the Response phase. When the players pass on the Response phase the attack continues as follows:

'''II. Choosing defenders'''
*All creatures assigned to defend are called ''defenders'' for the duration of the battle.
* The defending player ''may choose'' to:
**Defend one or more of the attack(s) with one or more creatures from his/her Army or the attacked city (if a city was attacked).
***A specific defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
***Several defenders can be assigned to the same attacker.
**Allow the attacks to go on undefended.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her city, it loses defense strength equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.
**If the defending player decides not to defend the attack on his/her army he/she lose Victory Points equal to the total amount of damage dealt by the attackers.

'''III. Resolving combat'''
* Each individual combat takes place. In each combat the players take turns with ''Response phases''.
* When both players pass instead of responding to the other player's actions the combat is resolved:
**Take into account all effects and then compare the values of the Attackers ATK value with the Defenders DEF value.
***If it is higher or equal the Defender will die. If it is lower the Defender will survive.
***Regardless of the outcome the Defender successfully protects the defending players city/player from that attacker.
***Compare the Defender's ATK value with the Attackers DEF value - if it is equal to or higher then the Attacker will die.
* When combat is over place all dead Creatures into the discard piles, along with all Events that were used during the combat and also any cards that were attached to the Creatures.

= Additional Rules =

== Conflicting rules ==

As in many games some rules and mechanics may seem to contradict themselves and even do so at times. This is actually a feature and what makes the deep, complex and modular nature of a CCG possible to begin with. ''Always'' use the following two rules to resolve such situations:

'''Cards vs rules'''
*If a card contradicts the core rules found in this document, the card wins over the core rules.

'''Effects vs effects'''
*If an effects ''forbids'' something to happen while another allows it, the forbidding effect always wins.
**Example: A creature has the effect "Can not fly." printed on it as card text. Playing a spell on the creature with the text "Target creature can fly." will not make the creature able to fly. The "not/no/can't" etc ''always'' outweigh what "can" happen.

== Abilities ==

Many creatures have special skills and some are able to perform different kind of actions. There are numerous ways how the creatures can interact with one and another without engaging in actual physical combat. These skills are called ''abilities'', regardless of what they do, and if they have any drawbacks or not.

Abilities are not limited to just creatures, magic could have them as well, granting a creature additional abilities they wouldn't have without them.

There are three main types of abilities : activated, passive and triggered.

=== Passive ===

A passive ability is one that is always in effect. As soon as the object with the ability enters play, the ability effect starts, and stops when the object leaves play.

Example: "All Elvish creatures gets +3 defense" is a passive ability.

=== Activated ===

*In contrast to passive abilities, activated abilities requires the activation by the player.
*To use a card's ability the player must pay the cost required. The effect of the ability will not activate before that is done.
*Only the controller of a card may activate it's abilities. Usually that means the player that put the card in play by paying for it.

There are three main groups of costs and prerequisites that are used to activate abilities: Gold cost, mark and custom.
What's always common for all types of costs and prerequisites is that we always reveal the cost first, followed by a colon separator, and lastly the effect is written. It looks like this:
Cost : Effect

Whatever is on the left side of the colon (:) is the cost or prerequisites. The text on the right side of the colon is the card's effect that will activate once you have met the cost/prerequisites demands.

=== Triggered ===

*A triggered ability is activated if and only if it's trigger takes place.
*Triggered abilities are ''not'' optional and must always be applied if possible.
**If a triggered ability's effect can't be applied then nothing happens.
*Example: Discard a non-Dark Legion creature every time a skeleton comes into play.
**If my opponent played that curse on you, and your opponent puts a skeleton into play, then you ''must'' discard a non-Dark Legion creature. If you have only Dark Legion creatures however, then it is not possible for you to discard a creature, in which case you don't have to do anything.

==Variable Gold Costs==
===Cost of X===
[[File:Xcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs X gold.|101px]]
*Apart from integers, a card can have a cost of '''X''', as well as X with a modifier. If that is the case, X is always defined in the card text.
**Example: A card costs X + 2. It's text says that X is equal to the ATK value of the target creature. The target creature's ATK is equal to 3, thus we'd have to pay 3 + 2 = 5 gold to play our card.

= Disclaimer & info =
*'''These rules are, in their current state, only intended for ''developers'' that work on the same ruleset as ngoeminne, which is dubbed "the Awesome Rules Concept", or ARC in short.
*Lingual edits are allowed by anyone as long as they keep the semantics and logic of the game, the intention of a rule and so on, fully intact and don't change how the game works.
*Rule-edits are allowed only after being cleared with ngoeminne first.
*The ARC intends to live up to the [[General Design Document]] & the [[Local design document (ORC)|Local Design Document for the ORC]].
*''All'' content in here can and will likely change as we continue development, concept- & playtesting and revising. Nothing in here represents the finalized game nor should it be seen as set in stone.
*Questions? Please post them in [http://WTactics.org/forum our forum] after ''mailing us for an account'' in there or mail them.