Duesday Card Game

About the Game

This card game is a game I made for fun. It is based off the current D&D campaign I run for my friends, and features many of the major characters, places, artifacts, and magic. I tried my best to keep it balanced – let’s hope it’s fun.

This is a strategic deck-building game. There are four card types: Beings, Landmarks, Relics, and Spells. Beings wield relics and fight over landmarks while spells turn the tides of battle. Each player brings their own deck to the table.

Deckbuilding

There are three rules that must be followed while building a deck:

-          Each deck must have 42 cards.

-          Each deck must have 7 or more Landmarks.

-          Each deck may have no more than 3 copies of any single card.

The Turn

The acting player draws a card and collects any resources they generate. If a player is unable to generate any resources, they may pass their turn and collect one of any resource.

Then, the acting player may play any cards they are able to.

Then, the acting player may declare an attack on an opposing player’s landmark; the combat resolves.

Then, the acting player may play any other cards they are able to.

Then, the acting player discards cards until their hand size is 5, and passes the turn to the next player, clockwise.

Relics

Relics are ancient and mystical artifacts of great power. These artifacts hold incredible abilities and can grant extraordinary enhancements to the beings who wield them. They represent legendary items, mythical artifacts, or divine weapons.

Acquisition – relics can be acquired through specific card interactions.

Wielding – relics can only be wielded by beings. When a relic is acquired, it is attached to a being on the playing field, granting that being the relic's abilities and enhancements.

Activation – once attached to a being, the abilities of the relic can be activated during the appropriate game phases or under certain conditions.

Beings

Beings represent a diverse array of individuals and creatures, with distinct abilities, strengths, and characteristics, often represented via keywords. Players deploy and command these beings to achieve their goals, whether it's attacking or defending landmarks, or utilizing their special abilities to gain advantages.

Level – a being’s power and experience. Level is the primary number used in combat and for spell effects.

Cost – resources or requirements needed to play the being.

Deployment – players can deploy beings from their hand onto the playing field by paying the required cost. Beings are deployed to a landmark on the playing field owned by the deploying player.

Control – players have control over the beings they deploy onto the playing field. Control can change through effects and spells.

Initiative – beings are only able to take an action the turn after they are deployed, unless stated otherwise.

Landmarks

Landmarks represent significant places or structures within the world that hold specific importance and offer distinct benefits to the players who control them. These can range from mystical realms and sacred sites to simple fields or powerful strongholds. Landmarks serve as valuable assets for players, generating resources, bolstering defenses, or providing special abilities that can turn the tide of battle.

Resource Generation – landmarks typically generate resources each turn. Resources can be in the form of Coin, Mana, Honor, or Greed. The specific amount and type of resources generated are stated on the landmark card.

Discovery – each player has a designated area on their side of the playing field where they can place up to three landmark cards upon discovery. Players may discover up to 1 landmark each turn.

Victory Condition – upon being claimed in combat, landmarks are put into a player’s “claim” pile. When a player has 5 landmarks in their claim, they win the game. A winning player may have no more than 1/X (rounded up) of their claim from any single player, where X is the total number of opponents, (5 in a 2-player match, 3 in a 3-player match, 2 in a 4-player match, etc.).

Spells

Spells harness the forces of magic, allowing players to shape the game to their advantage. Whether summoning elemental forces, casting devastating spells, or performing mystical rituals, spells offer a wide range of effects and strategic options.

Spell Types – spells are differentiated by type: power, charm, and permanent.

Casting Spells – players can cast spells from their hand during their turn by paying the required resource cost. The player declares the spell they are casting and follows any specific casting rules or targeting instructions indicated on the spell card.

General Keywords

Cost – the cost to play a card in coin, mana, greed, and honor. The cost to play a card should go up the more it is able to do.

Level – the level of a being. This indicates how strong a being is in combat. Beings range from level 1 to level 8, most fall around levels 2 – 5.

React – a keyword that allows a card to be played upon a certain condition being met, regardless of the current turn.

Generation – how much of any given resource (coin, mana, greed, and honor) a Landmark generates each turn.

Being Keywords

Giant – able to defend two beings at once.

Ranged – deals damage first in combat.

Darksight – gain 1 bonus level at any waydark Landmark.

Partner – may join up with another Being to add their levels together in combat.

Martyr – when this being dies, activate a powerful ability or effect.

Empower – you may pay X additional resources when playing this being. If you do, it enters the battlefield with X additional levels.

Sacrifice – This being can be sacrificed to activate a powerful ability or effect.

Disrupt – whenever this being enters or leaves play, its controller may counter a target spell or ability.

Echoes – this being gains +1 level for each relic card in your pit.

Mastery – this being gains +1 level for each relic card you control.

Reliquary – when this being is played, you may attach a relic card from your hand to it.

Relic Hunter – whenever this being enters combat, you may search your deck or pit for a relic card and put it into your hand.

Relic Bond – this being gains +1 level for each relic card attached to it.

Absorption – whenever a relic is destroyed, this being gains +1 level until end of turn.

Undead – this being can only be played from your pit.

Spellbound – whenever you cast a spell, this being gains +1 level until end of turn.

Looter – whenever this being enters combat, you may draw a card.

Ravage – whenever this being enters combat, the opposing player discards a card from their hand.

Landmark Keywords

Adventure X – a keyword that denotes a Landmark can be adventured. The X stands for the level required for a being to complete the adventure. Adventuring takes one turn; while adventuring, beings may not attack or defend landmarks. Upon completion, an adventure has a special effect, and the being gains a level.

Defense X – a keyword that indicates how much value a landmark has for defensive capabilities. Add the X value to the level of any being defending the landmark.

Curse X – whenever an opponent's being attacks this landmark, that being loses X levels until end of turn. Whenever a being adventures this landmark, that being loses X levels until end of turn.

Energize X – whenever you play a being, this landmark generates X additional resources.

Enchant X – Whenever a spell is cast, this landmark generates X additional resources.

Combat Sequence

1.        Landmarks as Battlegrounds:

·         Each player has a designated area on their side of the playing field where they can place up to three landmark cards, representing strategic battlegrounds.

·         Landmarks have defensive properties and may possess special abilities or keywords that influence combat.

2.       Sending Beings to Battle:

·         Players can choose to send their beings from one of their landmarks to engage in combat at their opponent's landmarks.

·         During their turn, a player can declare an attack by selecting one or more of their beings at the same landmark to attack an opponent's landmark.

·         The attacking player must indicate which landmark they are attacking, and which of their landmarks is launching the attack.

·         The defending player must assign each attacker a defending being.

3.       Resolving Combat:

·         Once combat is initiated, the attacking beings and the beings occupying the defending landmark participate in combat.

·         At this time, any spells, relics, or other activated abilities may interfere in the order in which they are cast, from most recent to first played.

4.      Combat Resolution:

·         The defender assigns their available damage to attackers. Then, all beings deal damage equal to their level.

·         Apply any after-combat special abilities or effects that may modify combat outcomes.

5.       Consequences of Combat:

·         Damaged Being: If a being is damaged, their level is lowered by how much damage they took. If they took enough damage to lower their level to 0, they are defeated. Damaged beings restore to their level at the end of the turn.

·         Defeated Being: If a being is defeated, they go into the pit of their owner, along with any relics equipped to them.

·         Marching Back: Any being sent to attack must tap, and is unable to act until their controller's next turn.

·         Captured Landmark: If a landmark is captured (all defenders are defeated and at least one attacker remains), the attacking player adds it to their “Claim” pile.

·         Once a player has 5 Landmarks in their “Claim” pile, they win the game.