When playing The Vortex with four players, the complexity increases dramatically. It becomes difficult to pay attention to Rogations, memorizing which players are affected, especially after the number of Devotees/Zealots in the field may change before the Rogation is brought into effect.
To simplify Rogations, I have eliminated the requirement of a minimum for opponents, as well as altered some Rogations that were not useful. For instance, previously there was a Rogation called "Sacrifice" that forced the player to kill one of their own Zealots to reverse the turn order during the Crusade phase. Its usefulness was so limited and its requirements to play were so strict that it was usually a waste of a card in hand. I have since changed the card to "Rally" which does not require killing a Zealot, and it becomes doubly easier to play by changing the general rule about Rogations.
One of the great things about the Rogation rule change is that the instructions have shrunk dramatically, since the Rogations are now much easier to understand without too much detail. The altered instructions are as follows:
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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). You score one point for each True Convert and Fearful Convert you have at the end of the game. If you are the Red player, you also get an additional 1/2 point for every dead Devotee (a Devotee in the Vortex) of another color.
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." You may choose to separate by type as well, for easier sorting later.
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.
Suggestion for beginners: When playing with more than two players, use only the Vortex cards that don't have special rules.
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 your Field of Play to use. Sometimes there is a straightforward minimum number, other times you must simply have more or less than all of your opponents (individually).
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 may 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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As you can see, the Rogation section is much smaller and simplified, without even the need for examples.
I have also added the "Beginner's Suggestion" to use non-rule-bending Vortex cards to prevent too much complication, which I will be taking when dealing with new players. I'll see if it simplifies the game enough for new players to get a grip on the mechanics, or if another cut needs to be made, such as eliminating Rogations completely for first time players (although I think that might simplify the game too much).
I also found that the Red player tended to always lose, by a LOT. So I considered that since Red's best stat is usually Attack, that red should also get a bonus for dead Devotees, and the numbers became much closer.
This shouldn't drastically change strategy, as far as I can tell, but that remains to be seen.
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