11/07/2025
Rules of play
Avatars of Kalter fantasy card game
Before play, each player must have their avatar card and their preconstructed deck to play against an opponent.
Decks must be 60 cards minimum, and contain no more than 4 of any named card, or 1 of any mythic or champion of the same name.
Creatures and champions will not attack or defend for an avatar with an opposing alignment.
Phases of the Turn.
✓ Determine player order
◦ - Check Initiative
✓ Beginning of turn
◦ - Renewal
✓ Combat
◦ - Recruit
◦ - Cast spells
◦ - Buy equipment
◦ - Attack
✓ End of turn
✓ - Draw
⁃ Before starting, each player shuffles their deck, and offers it to an opponent to cut.
⁃ The player order is determined in a mutually agreed upon mechanic such as dice roll, bottom card, etc. Check for Initiative cards. When playing a multiplayer game, determine who goes first, and proceed in a clockwise order.
⁃ Each player draws their opening hand of 7 cards and the first player takes their turn. There is no limit to a player’s hand-size.
⁃ On a player’s first turn, they play their avatar card (or deck) for the match by revealing it face up. Avatar cards with ‘Master of Deception’ begin play face down. You gain all abilities of that card. You do not gain, or are able to use any abilities of an Avatar card until it is your first turn.
⁃ On their turn, players may place energy sources, buy equipment, recruit, cast spells, incantations, tactics, and attack.
⁃ Energy sources are limited to placing one per turn, by sacrificing a card in hand and setting it on the battlefield face down to show its energy production.
⁃ Players may make one attack each turn, but may attack with as many or few as attackers as they choose.
⁃ Melee attackers declare their attack, and the defending player chooses how they defend and with what defenders.
⁃ Ranged attackers attack at the same time as melee attackers, but may not be defended, and may choose who they target with their attack.
⁃ Attacking creatures deal their damage to the defending player or creature. Defending creatures deal their combat damage back (players do not deal combat damage in defense.)
⁃ Attacking creatures become Turned (turned sideways) and may not be used until Unturned (turned upright.)
⁃ Track all damage dealt (damage does not clear.) We often use dice, pennies, beads, etc,
⁃ Players may attack in melee combat like creatures. Players deal 1 bludgeoning damage base.
⁃ Players may attack in ranged combat using ranged weapons.
⁃ Players may use an Attack Card once per turn on their turn. Players that play an attack card may not attack that turn, and players that attack may not play Attack Cards that turn.
⁃ Spells or effects that prevent an Avatar from attacking in combat cannot prevent an Avatar from playing an Attack Card or using an Avatar ability.
⁃ Used and destroyed cards are sent off to a pile called the ‘Grave.’
⁃ At the end of turn, draw a card.
⁃ At the beginning of their turns after the first turn, each player Unturns any Turned cards they control.
⁃ Players start with 20 Health.
⁃ A player loses the game if they are reduced to 0 or less Health, or cannot draw a card any time they are required to, or have an amount of Death counters that equals their Health total.
⁃ Spells may be used at any time to negate another spell as it is being cast if it is as powerful of level as spell or higher, and a spell from an opposing school. Rejuvenation and Necromancy counter each other, as do Invocation and Illusion, and Protection and Enchantment are counters to each other. Neutral schools counter each other (Alteration, Evocation, and Convocation.)
⁃ Only spells are spells! Items, creatures, attack cards, and tactics are not spells. Spells may only be played on your own turn. Swift spells and Maneuvers may be played at any time.
⁃ Artifacts, weapons, armor, and shields may be worn by any player or champion. Weapons deal differing amounts of combat damage, armor reduces combat damage, and shield negates combat damage. A player may wield 1 one-handed weapon and a shield, or a two-handed or ranged weapon at a time.
⁃ Weapons replace the damage type and amount of whoever wields them. An avatar deals 1 Bludgeoning damage, but deals 2 Piercing or 2 Slashing damage while wielding a dagger, as listed on the card. You may have any number of weapons in play, but may only use one at a time (you may wield two weapons with Two Weapon Fighting.)
⁃ Armor provides Damage Reduction (DR) to one or more types of damage, such as Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing. DR reduces the damage dealt by the damage type by the listed amount. You may have multiple armors in play, but may only wear and gain the effects of one at a time. Multiple sources of DR never stack; you only ever gain the best bonus.
⁃ Shield provides a point by point reduction of damage, and once used is gone until you gain more Shield. An attack for 2 damage would negate 2 shield, and any other damage received that turn would be inflicted unimpeded.
⁃ Protection provides the same benefit and works the same way was Shield, but may be used to negate spell damage or loss of Health as well.
⁃ Tactic, Incantation, weapons, armor, champion, creature, trinket, artifact, and ascension cards stay in play once played. Incantations count as spells while in play and may be negated as such. Psionics, spells, and attacks are all one-time use and go to a grave when cast, unless specified otherwise on the card.
⁃ Spellweave cards (multi-colored spells) may not be countered this way, but may still be countered by spells that counter spells (Such as Dispel, Drain, Information Overload.)
⁃ Token creatures deal bludgeoning damage, unless listed otherwise.
⁃ Cards may break these rules.
⁃ Champions and artifacts bearing the name of the Avatar you are playing cost 1 less energy to play.
