Blood Mage (CCG)

[Umbra]

[size=4]You command legions of monsters, and noble champions. You push back the forces of Darkness, or assist them in their wicked crusade. You stop at nothing to achieve victory – even if it means your own death. Defeat is not an option.[/size]

[size=4]You... are a Blood Mage.[/size]

[size=5]What is [i]Blood Mage[/i]?[/size]

[size=3][i]Blood Mage [/i]is a collectible card game, where two or more players duke it out in a battle for supremacy. Each Blood Mage starts with [b]50[/b] Health; the goal is to reduced your opponent's Health to 0 before your own is reduced. This is done by inflicting damage, through a combination of spells and creatures. However, there is a twist to this.[/size]

[size=3]All cards in [i]Blood Mage,[/i] be they creatures to conjure or spells to activate, [b]cost Health to play. [/b]In other words, you need to be careful with what you play, or your end will come swiftly. Remember that, in all cases, what is written on a card can and will overrule the rules presented here: card effects always take precedence over rules.[/size]

[size=4]The Deck? No, the [i]Spellbook[/i][/size]

[size=3]A Deck in [i]Blood Mage [/i]is called a [i]Spellbook, [/i]and must consist of exactly [b]15 [/b]cards: no more, no less. There are four types of cards, which are outlined below. A Spellbook can consist of no more than five cards of the same type; any more than that, and the Blood Mage's mind would implode. [/size]

[size=3]At the start of the game, both players draw cards until they have exactly [b]5 [/b]cards in their hand. Then, at the start of each of their following turns, they can select any number of cards in their hand and return them to the bottom of their Spellbook, and then draw cards until they have exactly [b]5.[/b][/size]

[size=4]The Discard Pile? [/size]
[size=3][i]Blood Mage [/i]doesn't have a discard pile / “graveyard”. Spells can be used indefinitely, as long as you have the Health to pay for them. If a creature or a champion has its Health reduced to 0, it is returned to the top of the Spellbook. This allows for the game to be more cyclical and strategical, while still giving the game some depth.[/size]

[size=5]Note:[/size] This is very much a work in progress. I have yet to decide exactly what the field is going to look like, but for now assume a basic YGO/WoW-TCG setup. As in, you attack a monster rather than a player, and if the opponent controls no monsters, you can attack them directly.

[size=4]Card Types[/size]

[size=3][i]Creatures [/i]are your rank-and-file servants, monsters from the Great Dark that have been conjured to do your bidding. Your sacrifice ensures their undying loyalty; they will fight for you until they are destroyed or killed. A Blood Mage can have up to 5 creatures at their disposal. [/size]

[size=3][i]Spells [/i]make up your arsenal of magic, and are your main weapons against opposing Blood Mages. They can have a variety of effects, from destroying your opponent's creatures to countering their spells, or even inflicting damage to them directly. A Blood Mage can have up to 5 spells at their disposal. [/size]

[size=3][i]Relics [/i]are items that reside on the battlefield, and are initially powerless. A Blood Mage can uncover these relics, and by tapping into their power and sacrificing some of their own life, they can unleash the hidden abilities that lurk within. A Blood Mage can have up to 5 Relics at their disposal.[/size]

[size=3][i]Champions [/i]are particularly powerful servants that lead your assault. While they do not attack or defend directly, they affect Creatures around them through various ways. A Blood Mage can have up to 5 Champions at their disposal.[/size]

[size=3][size=3][b]Last Stand[/b][/size][/size]
[size=3]If your Health is reduced to 0, do not worry: the game is not over just yet. You have entered the Last Stand[b], [/b]where you have until the end of your next turn to defeat your opponent. You can no longer pay for the activation of cards, but your servants are empowered by your impending demise. All creatures you control gain 2 Strength, allowing them to deal more damage, and some even have abilities that unlock when you enter the Last Stand. [/size]

[size=4]Example Cards[/size]

[size=3]Condemned Cleric [b]4[/b][/size]
[size=3]<art>[/size]
[size=3]Creature: Undead[/size]
[size=3][b]2 – Paralyze:[/b] Disable 1 hostile Creature until your next turn. [/size]
[size=3][b]2 – Longevity: [/b]All friendly Undead Creatures and Champions gain 1 Health.[/size]
[size=3]3 Strength / 2 Health[/size]

[size=3][i]Legend[/i][/size]
• [size=3]First off, we have the name of the card, in the top left corner.[/size]
• [size=3]The top right shows the [i]Health [/i]cost to put it on the field (known as a [i]conjuration[/i]).[/size]
• [size=3]Beneath the art comes the Creature's [i]species[/i], which categorizes them and lets them be affected by certain abilities, as we'll see here. [/size]
• [size=3]Next, we have the Creature's abilities, which also come with a Health cost. [/size]
[indent=1][size=3][i]Hostile / friendly[/i]: Tells you who controls the Creature: [i]friendly [/i]Creatures are controlled by you, whereas [i]hostile [/i]creatures are controlled by your opponent. [/size][/indent]
[indent=1][size=3][i]Disable: [/i]A disabled card cannot attack or use its abilities. [/size][/indent]
• [size=3]At the very bottom, we have the Strength and the Health. Strength allows the creature to inflict damage, either to another creature or to a player, and Health signifies how much damage a Creature can take before being destroyed. Damage is permanent: Health does not reset every turn. [/size]

[size=3]Consuming Plague [b]4[/b][/size]
[size=3]<art>[/size]
[size=3]Spell: Chant[/size]
[size=3]All non-Undead Creatures take 2 damage.[/size]
[size=3][b]Last Stand – 0: [/b]All non-Undead Creatures take 4 damage.[/size]

[size=3][i]Legend[/i][/size]
• [size=3]First off, we have the name and the Life cost, which is what you must pay to activate the card.[/size]
• [size=3]Beneath the art, we have the Spell's [i]cast time.[/i] Unlike the Creature's species, this has a direct effect on gameplay. This Spell is a [i]Chant[/i], which means that it can only be cast on your turn. [/size]
• [size=3]Then, we have the spell's effect, which usually resolves immediately after activation. [/size]
[indent=1][size=3][i]Last Stand[/i]: Some cards have the Last Stand keyword, which means that their abilities change when their controller enters [b]Last Stand. [/b](See “Last Stand” below.) Generally, abilities become more powerful while in this stage. For Spells, the Last Stand effect also replaces the cost.[/size][/indent]

[size=3]Scepter of the Four Kingdoms[/size]
[size=3]<art>[/size]
[size=3]Relic: Human[/size]
[size=3][b]2 – Invoker's Rune: [/b]Controller's creatures cost 1 less Health to conjure.[/size]
[size=3][b]3 – Command of the Divine Emperor: [/b]Once per turn, controller can turn a hostile creature friendly, until the end of their turn.[/size]

[size=3][i]Legend[/i][/size]
• [size=3]Name first, obviously. Note that Relics have no activation cost.[/size]
• [size=3]Beneath the art, we have the Relic's [i]origin[/i]. Like the Creature's [i]species[/i], it mainly serves for categorization purposes. [/size]
• [size=3]Next comes the relic's [b]abilities[/b]. These are passive, and must be paid each turn to maintain them. Either player can choose to activate a Relic's abilities, regardless of who played it.[/size]

[indent=1][size=3][i]Controller: [/i]The player that is maintaining the ability, and has paid the cost for it.[/size][/indent]

[size=3]Thaedrin Solace, Captain of the Vanguard [b]4[/b][/size]
[size=3][b]<[/b]art>[/size]
[size=3]Champion: Human[/size]
[size=3][b]2 – Rally: [/b]Friendly Human Creatures gain 1 Strength, until the end of your turn.[/size]
[size=3][b]3 – Defender's Strike: [/b]Deal 3 damage to a hostile Creature, or 2 damage to your opponent.[/size]
[size=3]5 Lifeforce[/size]

[size=3][i]Legend[/i][/size]
[size=3]Most of this is a repeat from the [i]Creature[/i] section: Name, conjuration cost, species, and abilities are carried over to the Champion. However, there is a key difference.[/size]
• [size=3]Strength / Health become [i]Lifeforce[/i]. This resource is unique to the Champions, and essentially act as backup Health for the Blood Mage. You can use your Champions' Lifeforce to pay for abilities – even their own! - or conjurations.[/size]


[size=3]If you have any questions whatsoever, don't be afraid to ask. Things may not be as complicated as they seem to.[/size]

[Zeal Ascendant]

This looks really cool! It seems a lot more strategic, rather than HURR DURR BEATSTICKS.

So basically... when you use a spell, it just returns to your hand?

[Umbra]

[quote name='~ GMK ~' timestamp='1320794168' post='5627020']
This looks really cool! It seems a lot more strategic, rather than HURR DURR BEATSTICKS.
[/quote]
Thanks! Yeah, that's the approach I was going for: strategy rather than who can summon the biggest monsters. (Not saying that there won't be big monsters, but they'll have a hefty Health cost attached to them.)

[quote name='~ GMK ~' timestamp='1320794168' post='5627020']
So basically... when you use a spell, it just returns to your hand?
[/quote]

Basically, yeah. The game doesn't have a discard pile, so if you want to use a spell you just pay the cost and reveal it, then put it back. Think of it as an RPG: if you've learned a spell, you can use it for as many times as you please.