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= 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
# Resoure cards should be marked by placing a corresponding power gem (counter) next to it 

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

Power gems give you the ability to play cards from your hand, and bring them into play.

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

<span style="float:left; margin-right:50px">[[File:cardlayout.png|middle|200px|Card Layout]]</span>

# '''Faction Logo:''' The Faction logo shows which faction the card belongs to - in this case the Red Banner faction.<br/>'''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.<br clear=left>

== 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. 

If you do not use all the power you have produced in a given turn, the surplus is lost at the end of the turn (it does not carry over to the next turn).

=== 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 grave are to remain face up, and any player may search through any player's Grave at any time. Cards in a Grave must remain stacked in the order that they enter the Grave: 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/Unassign ===

*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 (i.e. a player with an empty hand may not play 2 resource cards in this phase).

=== Tactics ===

*During the tactics phase the player claims strategical advantages provided by her/his cities (see city card type)

=== Play ===

* The Play phases allow the player to use creature abilities or play any card (s)he wants to.
* 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).
* Players may take as many actions as they wish during Play phases, providing that they have the resources and cards to do so.
* 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 the Combat section 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 =
WTactics provides the players with different card types that have their own associated rules:

== 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 creatures ''name'' and ''subtype'' line. An example of a 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 have no function by themselves. They are however 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 you control. The can 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 oppositional forces. Creatures that are part of a ''city'' are only able to defend against attacks on the city and are never part of an attack.

=== Fighting skills ===

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

* Attack (ATK): The skills a creature has in  combat. This is the number of damage the creature will inflict on it's enemies if they should stand in the creatures way.
* Defense (DEF): How much damage a creature can take before it becomes wounded and dies.

When the creature suffers as much damage as it defense can take during a single turn, the creature is put in the graveyard,
along with all cards attached to it. When the turn is over, and the creature survived all inflicted damage disappears.

When other cards ''manipulate'' these combat values they are often paired and written in the form of ATK/DEF. 
*Example: +5/-2 would mean that a creature would gain 5 more to it's ATK and lose 2 of it's DEF.

=== Abilities ===
Creatures may have additional abilities giving them an advantage (disadvantage) - these abilities are stated on the card - and may or may not require them to be ''marked''.
Other kind of cost may also be required to trigger the creatures abilities.

=== Movement ===
Each turn you are allowed to move ''unmarked'' creatures in play form a city to another city or from a city to the army, or from the army to a city.
However per turn, a city can only take part once in a move , either as a source or destination.

The movement is only allowed during the ''play'' phases of your turn.

To move a creature do the following:
*mark it
*announce the move
*place it in the destination

== 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 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 disciplines. 
One for 'Body', one for 'Mind' and one for 'Soul' and reveal them to your opponents. Then place them in your ''Kingdom'' area. Shuffle your deck afterwards.

=== Building a city ===
At the start of the game, you already have three cities in play. However, during your ''play'' phase you may play additional cities from your hand, by paying the city's cost.

=== Residents ===
When a creature or player is in the city they count as residents.

=== Defending a city ===
The city has a defense strength. When an opponent's army attack your city, your residents may help defending the city.
Additionally your army can help out defending 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 doesn't dissolve after the turn. (You can keep track of the cities defense strength by placing 6 sided dice).
When the cities strength is 0 it is destroyed an you must put it in your graveyard. 

When all of your cities ''in play'' are destroyed you lose the game.

=== Victory Points & Advantages ===

During your tactics phase, your cities can give you strategical advantages until your next tactics phase. 
To claim an advantage for a discipline:

*Say the words 'I claim advantage for ''Body'' , ''Mind'' or ''Soul' 
*Mark any number of ''unmarked'' residents of your cities.
*Your opponents can mark any unmarked resident of his/her cities in response. 

Your claim to the advantage is the sum the power costs of all the marked cards.
If you have the better claim you win the bid. For each bid you win, you gain one victory point.

When a city is destroyed its advantages wear off.

==Events==
*Events are cards representing one time effects that try to resolve instantly. In CCG terminology these are more widely known as ''interrupts'' or ''Instants''.
*You may play an Event card at'' any time'', even on your opponents turn as ''a response'' to what he/she has done.
*After an event has been used and the resolution of it decided it is always discarded, and that happens ''the same turn'' it was played.
*When you play an event, you follow the instruction provided by its rules text, then you put it in your graveyard.
*Keep in mind that whenever you play an Event, your opponent may do the same in response, and back and forth until nobody want to play more Events.

==Magic==
*''Magic'' can only be played during the player's ''own'' turn, during the play phases.
*Once a magic card has been played it is discarded into grave.

==Enchantments==
*''Enchantments'' can only be played during the player's ''own'' play phases.
*Enchantments are always targeting ''something'' or ''someone'', like for example the player, a city, a creature, a resource card, an other enchantment...
**are always ''attached'' to it's target,
**are permanently in play on the table until some effect removes them.


=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'', as gold is. 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).
**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.'''
*If the player decides to go for a defense with creatures in his/her army he/she:
**May assign any number of creatures as defenders to any number of attackers.
**Must clearly show which defender(s) is assigned to which specific attacker.
***A specific defender can only defend against ''one'' single attacker.
***Several defenders can be assigned to the same attacker.


'''IV.'''
* 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.

===Cost of T===
[[File:Tcost.png|thumbnail|This card costs T gold.|101px]]
*T is also around as a cost, as well as T with a modifier. T is always equal the ''target cards'' gold cost.
**Example: A card costs T - 3. The target cards gold cost is 5, which means hat we have to pay 5 - 3 = 2 gold to put our card in play.
*T reminds us of X, with the difference that it always takes into account one and the same type of variable no matter when or how it is played.


= 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.