Battle Deck Mode Game Play
2-4 Players
Much like Field Mode, this type of game play has to be done with plenty of room. If you have a kit, then spread out the matts face to face and the cards will be shown on the matt and where to place them. Once the matts are on the field, each player will see that there are 4 cards across and 3 cards deep making a set of 12 squares. Each square is a movement and anything that has Mobility can move within the squares. All cards without flying can move forward/backward or side to side. They can not move diagonal unless otherwise stated. Flying creatures can move in any direction of choice. (Note that nothing can move beyond their Mobility in a single round. When moving, no matter the amount moved, it will only cost 1 action to move to the extent of mobility. (See Mobility).)
Each player is trying to defeat their opponent by destroying the main character on their side of the field. To get there, each player must travel across the field to the opposing side to get to the main character. In this game, the main character doesn’t need to be the most powerful, but the creatures, minions, etc. that the main player employees need to be as powerful as possible. At the end of each player’s actions, they fatigue where they are. Be careful not to get cornered.
Getting Started:
Read Prelude before reading this section as it will get you characters up and ready for the fight ahead.
Setup Phase:
Battle Mode is a particular play mode where two players or up to four players can play.
During this play mode, each player will place their matt on the field face to face, or as close to that as possible. (If you don’t have the matts, you can still play simply by observing a grid of 3 deep by 4 long, which will give 12 squares. Each square represents a space moved or occupied. Similar to Checkers in its setup.)
Note: The main character counts as 1 square, no matter how many items, weapons, etc. they have on their person. If they drop an item, weapon, etc, on the field, that dropped item will take a space. If anyone takes more than their 12 spaces, they will take 15 pts. of damage per round until they bring that back to 12, unless they are dropping these on the other side of the field. Hint: Traps can be placed wherever the main character is when dropped, but anything that moves to that square will trigger the traps, regardless of who dropped them.)
Note : When an item, weapon, etc. comes into play, it comes in on the battle field taking a square. It will cost 1 Action to equip that item to someone, something, etc. If there are more than 12 on the field at the end of the battle, the player takes 15 pts. of damage. This continues until the player no longer has more than 12 squares taken up with items, weapons, creatures, etc.
Note: Rank cards, Value Cards do not take up any space on the field, they are placed outside of the field. Cemetery and Battle Chest as well.
Player one
Draw Phase:
Player one draws 7 cards to start the game. (To decide the first player, each player looks at the bottom card of their deck and the person with the highest life on that card goes first.)
Player one
Market Phase:
At the beginning of this phase, place any Value cards on the field. Any buying and selling comes into play here. Use Value Cards, Value at Startup or Rank Values to buy and sell items/weapons, etc. (See Value Cards and See Value at Startup)
To pay for a card to place, the top right hand side of the card will have numbers on balls and symbols. The amount needed of each type of symbol is the number on each of the balls. (So, if a ball has a 6 on it, then is followed by a Brik symbol, then the card costs 6 Brik to place. All of these must be paid for before the card can be placed on the field. Once paid, the card is placed on the field and the Suspend comes into play. See Suspend Phase.)
When a person runs out of Value they can no longer pay to bring things in.
Note: If you do not have a matt for play, look at the drawing above (it will be there as soon as we can get it ready) and follow the setup. Though the board is only 3×4 cards, the Value Cards, Preliminaries, etc. are outside the field and thus do not affect game play.
Note 2: Value Cards, Starting Value, and Rank Values are all useable at this time. Also, if someone has something on the field, they can sell it for 1/2 the price of the item. This will remove the item from the game, however. (See Market, Value Cards, Starting Value and Rank Value.)
Suspend Phase:
Each player, after buying whatever they are going to buy for this Response, will then place their items, weapons, etc. on the field. Each of these cards will have a Suspend of some sort, even if that is 0. (See Suspend Ball.) Once the cards are set on the field, the player can then begin to use them if they are not suspended.
Note: No one can attack on the first round of play, unless they have an ability, card, etc. that removes this rule.
Note 2: When an item is payed for, the Suspend takes up the actions to come into play. Thus if a Player buys a sword with a suspend of 2, then they have just used two of their actions drawing the sword. This may cause issues if the player needs the weapon, item, etc. as quickly as possible so be aware of the Suspend time and how many actions you have. If you are going to buy several things, they may take up several Suspend points. The player can not attack until the actions are paid for each of these items. They can still defend, simply avoiding using an action to defend themselves, however, they can not use the item, weapon, etc. that was not completely paid for as of yet.
Declaration Phase:
When done with the Suspend Phase, the player can then go to the Declaration Phase were they declare what each item, weapon, etc. are going to do this Response. If there is no move then they simply announce that their Response is complete and the next player draws 7 cards and starts at the Market Phase.
All attacks must be declared at this time, save for Immediates. The declaring party states what they are attacking with. During this phase, potions can be used to boost, defend, etc. After this phase, potions can not be used, so make certain to use them appropriately. (There are exceptions to this rule, but they will either be on the card, or in an ability of the user.)
Attack Phase:
Once declaration phase has ended, all those declared attacks, do so. No other attack phase may be used after this one, save with an override or ability. Every attack, weapon, spell, trap, ect. will have a Reach noted by the blue ball at the bottom of the card (See Reach). Most cards will also have Mobility telling you how far they can move noted by the red ball at the bottom of the card (See Mobility). If at any point someone is out of reach of an attacking party, the party is removed from battle and placed back on defense.
All creatures, characters, etc. will have their Suspend which shows how many Actions they have each Response. If a creatures uses all their Actions, they are fatigued until the next Response. (See Fatigue.) If a player attacks with a weapon and puts their own attack with the weapon, rather than just that of the weapon, they will use all their actions this round. This is considered a Full Attack and deals all the damage of the weapon, the character and the Rank at the same time. Normal attacks with weapons are only the weapon and the Rank cards attacks combined. (So if the characater has a weapon with 8 attack and a Rank card of 4 attack, then their attack is 12 each time they attack. If they want to put all their power into the attack, then they will use their character card as well, which in this case is a 6. Thus their attack would be 18, but they will use up all Actions for this and the next Response. Their fatigue will wear off after the next Response, so if they are fighting 3 or more people, they will be able to defend against during the Response after the person that moves next.)
Defend Phase:
The Opponent may now choose the defenders of each attack (Minus targeted or Sneak Attacks). To do this, take the attackers physical attack, mental attack, etc. and subtract it from the defender’s physical defense, mental defense, etc. If the amount is higher than the attacker, then the defender takes no damage. (Note: See Reverb) If the attacker’s points are higher than the defenders then the defender will take that damage. (See Attack/Defense , Targeted and Sneak Attack.)
Each defense costs 1 Action, or more if using an ability, and once the character is out of actions they will fatigue. Fatigued, the character can not defend or use abilities, thus all damage goes against their life directly. (Certain abilities will make this a bit different, but the abilities will explain that.)
Damage Phase:
All damage dealt to life is reduced from the life total and those that have a life total reduced to 0 or below are removed to the cemetery. (There are certain creatures, characters, etc. that this does not apply to, but their cards, or their abilities will explain as such. In these cases, once reduced to 0, if they can not gain live within 1 rd., they are considered forfeit and thus still lose the game.)
Note: Melaneys play a very different way. (See Melaney)
Counter Attack Phase:
If a player has not taken more than 1/2 life during an attack, they can counter attack. They must have Actions remaining. They must have an ability that allows them to counter attack (This can be in the form of a weapon, an ability, a spell, etc.).
Counter Attacks are 1/2 the attack of the weapon in most cases. There are abilities, weapons, etc. that overcome this rule.
Note: Shock can be used to overcome this rule. (See Shock Pts.) The defending creatures, character, etc. can now counter attack by ½ normal attack against the attacker. This is against the opponent’s armor or self. Shields cannot defend counter attacks without the abilities or training to do so.
Note: Ranged Attacks and Sneak Attacks cannot be Countered save with abilities that state as such.
Regroup Phase:
Disregard this phase if playing straight card game. This is for Battle Mode, RPG Mode and Field Mode. (See RPG Mode, Battle Mode, Field Mode.).
During this phase, all combatants return to their side of the field and may choose to set up a defense. Setting Traps comes into play during this phase. (See Setting Traps) In Battle Mode, this phase does not move the creatures, characters, etc. back to their side of the field.
Note: A creature, character, etc. on the opposing side of the field will not be able to return to their own side without an action. Thus if they are out of actions after their attack, they will remain on the opponents side of the field into the next Response and will have to use an action to return.
Player X
Draw 7 cards and Take the same phases as Player 1. (Repeat this for all players present.)
Player Three
Player 1 Round 2
Draw as many cards as your luck allows. (See Luck.)
Player X Round 2
Draw as many cards as your luck allows. Repeat this for all players present.