Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Development Log: The Vortex #3 - The Rules

For the sake of the reader not being thoroughly lost by my logs, I figured it would help to post the rules.  They are prone to change, of course, as needed.

Also, in later development logs I will be posting screenshots of cards.  Otherwise the rules still don't make much sense.

But for now, the rules:

Vortex
A card game for 2-4 Players.

Decks:  24 Blue, Green, Red, and Yellow cards, 48 Vortex Cards, 48 Rogations, and 50 Frenzies.

Goal:  Convert more Devotees into True Converts and/or Fearful than your opponent(s).

Pile Setup:  Each Player has a face-down pile called the Draw Pile.  Each Player also has a face-up pile called the Discard Pile, which they shuffle and place face-down to create a new Draw Pile when their Draw Pile runs out.  Each Player also has a face-up pile called the Fearful Pile.

The Vortex cards also have piles of their own.  Unused Vortex cards are placed face-down in one pile, and as each is revealed it gets discarded in a separate face-up pile.  There is also a pile for killed Devotees/Zealots with attached Frenzies, and used Rogations.  When cards are placed in this pile, it is known as "going to the Vortex" or "being sent to the Vortex."

Game Setup:  Randomly select 24 Vortex cards and place them facedown.  This is the Vortex Deck.  Put the unused Vortex cards away.  Each player is given all 24 cards of one Devotee color, then is randomly dealt 12 Frenzies and 12 Rogations.  Put the unused Frenzies and Rogations away.  Each Player shuffles their deck, places it facedown, then draws seven cards from their deck.  Each Player selects 1 or 2 Devotees to put into play immediately (place face-up on the table), then redraw to a full seven cards.  If a Player has no Devotees in their first hand, they may reshuffle and try again.

Play begins.  Each round, the following occurs:

1.) A Vortex card is revealed.
2.) Players perform Rogations.
3.) Players Frenzy their Devotees.
4.) Players Crusade to Convert or Attack.
5.) Players add Reinforcements.
6.) Players Refill their hands.

Step 1. THE VORTEX

Flip over a new Vortex card. The Vortex card tells the players the turn order for the round, as well as supplies any additional rules that are in play during that round.

If there are no more Vortex cards to draw, the game ends.  Players count up the number of Fearful in their Fearful pile and True Converts in their deck.  Whoever has the highest total wins.

Step 2. ROGATIONS

Each Player may play 1 Rogation and follow the rules explained on the card.  Players play Rogations according to turn order.

Rogations require a minimum number of Devotees/Zealots to be in play to use, both on your side AND the opponents' side.  With more than 2 players, Rogations targeting Opponents only occur to those Opponents who meet the minimum; if the Rogation targets the User, ALL Players must fulfill the minimum for the User to be affected.

Examples:

-----
CHARITY:

Your minimum: 1
Opponents' minimum: 2
Affects: Everyone Individually

You must have at least 1 Devotee/Zealot in the Field of Play to use this Rogation.  In order for an Opponent to be affected by this Rogation, they must have at least 2 Devotees/Zealots in Play.
-----
SACRIFICE:

Your min: 2
Opponents' min: >
Affects: Everyone Wholly

You must have at least 2 Devotees/Zealots in the Field of Play to use this Rogation.  Every Opponent must have more Devotees/Zealots in Play (not more than 2, but more than you ACTUALLY have in Play!) in order for this to be effective.
-----
GOODWILL

Your min: 1
Opponents' min: =
Affects: Everyone Individually

You must have at least 1 Devotee/Zealot in the Field of Play to use this Rogation.  In order for an Opponent to be affected by this ROgation, they must have at least as many Devotees/Zealots in play as you (not exactly 1 or more than one, and not exactly as many, but AT LEAST as many as you ACTUALLY have in Play).
-----
BACCHANALIA

You min: 4
Opponents' "min": <
Affects: You

You must have at least 4 Devotees/Zealots in the Field of Play to use this Rogation.  To work, EVERY Opponent must have fewer Devotees/Zealots in Play than you do (not less than 4, but less than you ACTUALLY have).  This is an exception to the common "minimum" rule, where here there is a maximum that opponents must stay under.
-----

If 2 or more Rogations are played that contradict each other, the first played takes precedence.  For instance, if the first Player plays Bacchanalia, and the next player plays a Burial Rites, the first Player may still play his normal number of Frenzies +1, and all other players must skip their Frenzy phase.  When Rogations contradict Vortex cards, Vortex cards take precendence.  However, a player may sacrifice 1 Devotee/Zealot in hand/play to the Vortex to override the Vortex's rule and allow the contradicting Rogation to take precendence.

After use or completion, Rogations are sent to the Vortex.

Step 3. FRENZY

Each Player may place 1 Frenzy card face-down near 1 of their Devotees in play, OR replace an unrevealed Frenzy, OR discard a revealed Frenzy.  All Players do this simultaneously.  A Frenzied Devotee is called a Zealot.

Players can also bluff by placing Rogation cards or Devotee cards down instead.  These cards, when revealed, are sent to the Vortex if the Zealot is killed; otherwise, they go to the Player's discard pile.  A Zealot may only have 1 Frenzy at a time unless otherwise specified.  However, once a Frenzy has been revealed, it may not be replaced unless it has been previously discarded.

A 'Devotee' with a card face-down near it, even a bluff, is still considered a Zealot.  A Zealot with it's bluff revealed is also still considered a Zealot.

Step 4. CRUSADE

Each Player may attempt to Convert or Kill an Opponent's Devotee/Zealot.  Players Crusade according to turn order.

To Crusade, the Offensive Player uses 1 of their Devotees/Zealots in Play to encounter any Opponent's Devotee/Zealot.  The Offense declares which of their own Devotees/Zealots they will use, which Opponents' Devotee/Zealot they are encountering, and whether they will attempt to Convert by Reason or Fire, or attempt to Kill the Opponent's Devotee/Zealot.  After the declaration, any unrevealed Frenzy cards on all engaged cards are revealed and remain in Play.

If Converting by Reason, the Players compare their Reason attribute.  If 1 is higher than the other, but less than 3 more (5-3 works, 5-2 does not), the lower's Devotee/Zealot has been Converted, and the winner takes the card and puts in in their discard pile.  The winner's new card is a True Convert.  Otherwise, both cards remain in Play.

If Converting by Fire, the Offense compares its Fire stat with the Opponent's Repulsion stat.  If the Fire stat is greater than the Repulsion stat, but less than 3 more (5-3 works, 5-2 does not), the Offense wins.  The Offense claims the Convert, but the Convert does NOT go in the Offense's discard pile; instead, it goes into a separate Fearful Pile.  If the Fire stat is more than 3 higher, the Defensive card is killed, and is sent to the Vortex.  If the Defensive card's Repulsion is equal to or greater than the Offense's Fire stat, then the Defender may either draw up to 2 cards, or immediately put a reinforcement into play (they may not go beyond the maximum or 5 cards in Play).

If the Player chooses to Kill the Opponent's Devotee/Zealot, Attack stats are compared.  If equal, both Devotees/Zealots are Killed, and go to the Vortex.  Otherwise, the higher Attack wins, and loser goes to the Vortex.

Frenzy cards attached to Converted Zealots go back in the original Player's discard pile.  Frenzy cards attached to killed Zealots go into the Vortex with the dead Zealot.

Step 5. REINFORCE

Each Player may place 1 or 2 Devotees face-up onto the Field of Play.  All Players do this simultaneously. Players have a maximum of 5 Devotees/Zealots in Play at one time, so if a Player is maxed out, they cannot Reinforce.  If they wish, the player may take 1 or 2 Devotees/Zealots out of play, and put into their discard pile, with any attached Frenzies.  Players may ONLY take cards out of play if they are maxed out.

Step 6. REFILL

All Players draw cards from their deck until they have 7 cards in hand. All Players Refill simultaneously.  If a Player already has 7 or more cards in hand, they do not refill.

If a Player wishes to discard cards, the Player may discard any number of cards in hand.  However, if they do so, the Player may NOT refill their hand this turn.

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