Aug. 26, 2011 8:46 PM
Hello WBO community! Before i start with the TCG itself, let me just say that this TCG has been in the making for a month or so, and the mechanics are STILL not finished. With that said, i have a "pre-alpha" gameplay made which i hope to tweak and improve upon your feedback. So i hope that you will give this thread a chance and hopefully give constructive criticism that'll help me improve it.
Summary:
-MAGIA is a fast-paced TCG centered around the concept of spellcasting. It puts the players in the spotlight as powerful Mages who try to defeat each other using epic and over-the-top spells. Other than casting from a wide range of unique magic cards, the players can also raise objects known as Wards which are used to shield them from the opponent's attacks. MAGIA also introduces a unique concept with the Manapool, a collective resource pile - adding another layer of complexity and strategy to the game.
Objective:
- Each player starts the game by drawing 10 cards from the top of a strictly 70 card deck and putting them facebown. Those 10 cards represent his manashields. The goal is to defeat the opponent by destroying those 10 manashields and then attacking one more time for the final blow(even if you have 0 manashields, you are not beaten until the opposing player lands one more successful hit, therefore you can still win.).
- If the player runs out of cards to draw, he doesn't lose automatically. This means that the opponent must still cast spells to defeat him. So if one player runs out of cards to draw, but in his hand he still has the cards he needs to win, he can still win.
Gameplay:
-As mentioned earlier, the gameplay in MAGIA is all about spellcasting. No more summoning monsters, no more units that fight for you. You are in the heat of battle, you have the power to cast spells. You are the Mage!
-You use a 70 card deck(no less, no more) that is filled with different kinds of spells(The types of cards and how they work will be explained later on). As stated before, at the beginning of the game, 10 cards are drawn from the top of the deck and placed facedown. So technically the game starts with 60 cards in each deck. The players draw 6 cards, with the player who starts first drawing two more. Each turn the players draw two cards from the top of their decks which they add to their hands. The cards they draw can be either offensive spells, defensive spells, enchantments or ward-summoning spells.
-Each turn, after drawing the two cards, players can either summon a ward to protect themselves from a future attack, attack with an offensive spell or effect the battlefield with an enchantment. This includes adding some positive or negative effect to certain cards, or even change the environment itself, giving bonuses to certain schools of magic and/or hindering others(The five Schools of Magic are explained and elaborated later on). If the player attacks the opponent with an offensive spell, the opponent can either choose to block with a ward or a defensive spell. The difference between the two is that wards are permanent unless destroyed, and defensive spells are instant and discarded immediately after their use into the manapool. And not just the defensive spells. EVERY spell after it's been cast(unless permanent) and ward after it's been destroyed - go to the manapool. And just like that turn after turn the players cast spells and try to destroy the opposing player.
-The Manapool is basically the discard pile in the game. There is no other pile the cards go to other than that. What makes it unique enough to have its own name? The manapool is not just a discard pile. It's also the resource pile which is used for casting more powerful spells(Yes, the more powerful spells in MAGIA will require a certain cost in cards from the manapool). But this is different from resource piles in other games in which it's collective. What this means is that players can use all cards in the manapool as resource, both theirs and their opponent's. The manapool refreshes every turn so if, for example, you cast five no-cost spells this turn, your opponent can use those five cards from the manapool to cast a spell that is more powerful than all five of those spells. This is why the manapool adds so much strategy. You need to play your cards carefully and think ahead of your opponent. And just like in every good anime, as the manapool is filled with more and more cards, the battles will end in a climactic action with epic spells that require an insane amount of cards from the manapool, but in turn are very overpowering. Of course, not every battle will end this way, but it'll be very much possible.
Schools of Magic:
- Before we can talk about the cards themselves, we must first clear out how they are split. Instead of the spells being categorized by elements( e.g Fire, Water, Earth), they are split into five distinct schools of magic, each named after the legendary mage that started it, and each represented by a unique color(Please note that this aren't the final names of the schools, so they MAY change, depending on feedback).
Aqualibrium: Symbolized by the color blue, this was the first school of magic. It was started by the great teacher Vodana Aqualibrium. This school is fabled for its use of water, ice and the element of cold. The Aqualibrium cards are balanced and revolve around the principle of going with the flow and slowly overcoming your opponent. Despite lacking in destructive force, the Aqualibrium enchantments are fabled for their diversity and power to change the tide of battle. The students in the Aqualibrium school are referred to as "priests" and are known to be cool and collected.
Ignogan: Represented by the color red, this school was built by the legendary archmage Mulciber Ignogan, who had an unprecedented skill with fire magic. This is why the spells of the Ignogan school revolve mostly around fire or heat and are centered around power and straightforward offensive. Their wards are made from red steel are said to be able to endure the heat of the sun. Most users of Ignogan cards are said to be hot-tempered and with an explosive personality.
Terrakov: Associated with the color green, this school rose up thanks to the efforts of the eastern wizard Zemian Terrakov, also known as "Zemian of the Quarry". He was famous for his raw strength and power to split the earth itself apart. For this reason, the Terrakov spells are all about raw power and using the land and trees themselves to your advantage. However, despite the epithet of being big and strong, the Terrakov students are known to be kindhearted and willing to put the needs of others before their own.
Lumar: This school is represented by the color white, and said to be the purest of all schools. Its name comes from the Lumar family, four priests and priestesses who came from an unknown land and decided to share with the world their knowledge of light. Bound together by fate they chose one name to represent all of them, and Lumar was that name. Their names were Aura, Jacob, Noah and Elisa Lumar. Perhaps the most delicate of schools, Lumar spells have defensive and healing properties, focusing on defense and growth rather than destruction.
Temnox: With the color black behind its name, it should come as no surprise that this is the most controversial school, with equally mysterious and dark past. It's said that it was started by a farmer possessed by an evil spirit, and it originated as a place for the evil and the occult. Centered around the element of death and darkness itself, Temnox spells are all about corruption and destruction. Its practitioners are hated and frowned upon, even though they are generally nice, albeit outlawish, characters with very cool hats!
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Types of SpellCards
Offensive Spells - These are the most important cards in the game. They are the attacks you use to defeat your opponent. All offensive cards have the same basic shape. They have a name, an image that represents the spell, an attack value, a power value, a mana cost(if any) and an Incantation fragment. The name is what the spell is called, and every spell has a unique name. The attack value is how strong the spell is. It can be 500, 1000, 10000 or more! The attack value dictates whether or not the spell can destroy a ward(if the attack value of the spell is higher than the defense value of the ward) or if it can break through a defensive spell(again, if the attack value is higher than the defense value). The power value is how many manashields the spell destroys if it makes a straight hit. A straight hit is when there is nothing blocking the spell, so it hits directly. Most cards vary between 2-4. However, if the spell hits a ward or a defensive spell and overcomes them, it only destroys 1 manashield, no matter how much more powerful it was. The mana cost is only present in more powerful spells. It shows how much cards must be tapped from the manapool in order for that specific spell to be cast. It can be from as little as 5 to as many as 50 cards from the manapool. And the incantation fragment is a mystical word that can be activated only by great mages!
Defensive Spells - These are instant spells that are used to defend against attacking spells. They usually have a higher defensive value than wards, and their structure is virtually the same as the attack cards, except for the Power Value part. And instead of an Attack Value, the defense cards have a Defense Value. Some defensive spells even have a special effect or condition that makes them more powerful against certain schools of magic.
Wards - Wards are permanent defensive structures that you summon. Their structure is similar to the defensive spells - a name, an image, a defense value/school defense and an incantation fragment. The wards are split into two subtypes - Mechanical Wards and Elemental Wards. Mechanical wards have a set defense value with a number, like 800, 2000 etc. Unlike them, Elemental Wards don't have a defense value and can only defend against certain schools of magic. However, whereas Mechanical Wards require a more powerful attack to be destroyed, Elemental Wards cannot be harmed by the specific school they guard against, and are useless against other schools of magic. So the Mechanical Wards are useful in some situations, and the Elemental Wards in others. Just like the other cards, wards can have a cost to play as well. Stronger wards will require more mana to be summoned. However, regardless of how strong the ward is, only up to three wards can be on the field at the same time.
Enchantment - These are effect-causing spell cards, and the things they can do are almost limitless. They can power-up an attack spell or give it a specific ability, increase the defense of a ward or protect it from harm, and they can even change the environment, giving bonuses to certain schools or hindering others, or even setting a specific condition to the battle(e.g "Only the strong" - No spells that require less than 5 mana can be played.)
Incantations - These are exceptionally powerful spells, with almost legendary reputation. Incantation spells are so powerful, they cannot be placed in a normal deck. Instead each player can have a side-deck with a maximum of 10 incantations. As the name suggests, Incantations require a certain "phrase" to be completed in order for them to be cast. And the phrase is completed by discarding select cards with specific fragments that complete the incantation into the manapool. Incantations can be anything from attack spells with powerful special effects to enchantments. [Now, let me note here that despite some of you may think these are rip-offs of YuGiOhs Fusion Monsters - they are not. And i hope you can figure out why
]
Spell Augmentation - This is a special technique used with decks made up of multiple schools. In short, spell augmentation is when a player casts an attack or defense spell and then uses another card from a different school to change the school of the original spell. It can be useful for overcoming elemental wards or avoiding enchantment effects. Also, augmenting is useful because each school gives the spell you're augmenting a different bonus:
-Aqualibrium gives the augmented spell splash damage.
-Ignogan - Allows the spell to break an additional manashield if the attack is successful.
-Terrakov - Adds a small ammount of extra attack power.
-Lumar - protects the spell from negative enchantments.
-Temnox - discards a card from your opponent‘s hand if the hit is succesful.
Spell Boosting - This is when a player has two or more of the same spell card in his hand(only works for attack/defense spells). The player can cast all same cards at the same time, doubling or tripling the attack value(depending on how many cards he casts). This can be useful for defeating a stronger ward. BUT, the drawback is that the power values don't add up. Instead, if it's not a clean hit, only one shield is destroyed, just like with one card. And if it's a clean hit, only ONE is added per card(e.g if the card's power is 2, and you cast two cards at the same time, the damage done won't be 4, as in 2+2, but rather 3 as in 2+1).
______________________________________________________________________________​_________​_________​
Also, here is a list of prototype cards you can check out. They will be used for testing out the gameplay mechanics and balancing purposes, but some(if not most) won't make it to the final version of the game.
Phew. That was ALOT of writing. I hope you guys like it and if you have any questions or comments, feel free to post
P.S: Keep in mind this is a work in progress so the mechanics may change, hopefully for the better!
P.P.S: YES, there is a lore, world and story behind the TCG as well
Name
MAGIA
MAGIA
Summary:
-MAGIA is a fast-paced TCG centered around the concept of spellcasting. It puts the players in the spotlight as powerful Mages who try to defeat each other using epic and over-the-top spells. Other than casting from a wide range of unique magic cards, the players can also raise objects known as Wards which are used to shield them from the opponent's attacks. MAGIA also introduces a unique concept with the Manapool, a collective resource pile - adding another layer of complexity and strategy to the game.
Objective:
- Each player starts the game by drawing 10 cards from the top of a strictly 70 card deck and putting them facebown. Those 10 cards represent his manashields. The goal is to defeat the opponent by destroying those 10 manashields and then attacking one more time for the final blow(even if you have 0 manashields, you are not beaten until the opposing player lands one more successful hit, therefore you can still win.).
- If the player runs out of cards to draw, he doesn't lose automatically. This means that the opponent must still cast spells to defeat him. So if one player runs out of cards to draw, but in his hand he still has the cards he needs to win, he can still win.
Gameplay:
-As mentioned earlier, the gameplay in MAGIA is all about spellcasting. No more summoning monsters, no more units that fight for you. You are in the heat of battle, you have the power to cast spells. You are the Mage!
-You use a 70 card deck(no less, no more) that is filled with different kinds of spells(The types of cards and how they work will be explained later on). As stated before, at the beginning of the game, 10 cards are drawn from the top of the deck and placed facedown. So technically the game starts with 60 cards in each deck. The players draw 6 cards, with the player who starts first drawing two more. Each turn the players draw two cards from the top of their decks which they add to their hands. The cards they draw can be either offensive spells, defensive spells, enchantments or ward-summoning spells.
-Each turn, after drawing the two cards, players can either summon a ward to protect themselves from a future attack, attack with an offensive spell or effect the battlefield with an enchantment. This includes adding some positive or negative effect to certain cards, or even change the environment itself, giving bonuses to certain schools of magic and/or hindering others(The five Schools of Magic are explained and elaborated later on). If the player attacks the opponent with an offensive spell, the opponent can either choose to block with a ward or a defensive spell. The difference between the two is that wards are permanent unless destroyed, and defensive spells are instant and discarded immediately after their use into the manapool. And not just the defensive spells. EVERY spell after it's been cast(unless permanent) and ward after it's been destroyed - go to the manapool. And just like that turn after turn the players cast spells and try to destroy the opposing player.
-The Manapool is basically the discard pile in the game. There is no other pile the cards go to other than that. What makes it unique enough to have its own name? The manapool is not just a discard pile. It's also the resource pile which is used for casting more powerful spells(Yes, the more powerful spells in MAGIA will require a certain cost in cards from the manapool). But this is different from resource piles in other games in which it's collective. What this means is that players can use all cards in the manapool as resource, both theirs and their opponent's. The manapool refreshes every turn so if, for example, you cast five no-cost spells this turn, your opponent can use those five cards from the manapool to cast a spell that is more powerful than all five of those spells. This is why the manapool adds so much strategy. You need to play your cards carefully and think ahead of your opponent. And just like in every good anime, as the manapool is filled with more and more cards, the battles will end in a climactic action with epic spells that require an insane amount of cards from the manapool, but in turn are very overpowering. Of course, not every battle will end this way, but it'll be very much possible.
Of SpellCards
Schools of Magic:
- Before we can talk about the cards themselves, we must first clear out how they are split. Instead of the spells being categorized by elements( e.g Fire, Water, Earth), they are split into five distinct schools of magic, each named after the legendary mage that started it, and each represented by a unique color(Please note that this aren't the final names of the schools, so they MAY change, depending on feedback).
Aqualibrium: Symbolized by the color blue, this was the first school of magic. It was started by the great teacher Vodana Aqualibrium. This school is fabled for its use of water, ice and the element of cold. The Aqualibrium cards are balanced and revolve around the principle of going with the flow and slowly overcoming your opponent. Despite lacking in destructive force, the Aqualibrium enchantments are fabled for their diversity and power to change the tide of battle. The students in the Aqualibrium school are referred to as "priests" and are known to be cool and collected.
Ignogan: Represented by the color red, this school was built by the legendary archmage Mulciber Ignogan, who had an unprecedented skill with fire magic. This is why the spells of the Ignogan school revolve mostly around fire or heat and are centered around power and straightforward offensive. Their wards are made from red steel are said to be able to endure the heat of the sun. Most users of Ignogan cards are said to be hot-tempered and with an explosive personality.
Terrakov: Associated with the color green, this school rose up thanks to the efforts of the eastern wizard Zemian Terrakov, also known as "Zemian of the Quarry". He was famous for his raw strength and power to split the earth itself apart. For this reason, the Terrakov spells are all about raw power and using the land and trees themselves to your advantage. However, despite the epithet of being big and strong, the Terrakov students are known to be kindhearted and willing to put the needs of others before their own.
Lumar: This school is represented by the color white, and said to be the purest of all schools. Its name comes from the Lumar family, four priests and priestesses who came from an unknown land and decided to share with the world their knowledge of light. Bound together by fate they chose one name to represent all of them, and Lumar was that name. Their names were Aura, Jacob, Noah and Elisa Lumar. Perhaps the most delicate of schools, Lumar spells have defensive and healing properties, focusing on defense and growth rather than destruction.
Temnox: With the color black behind its name, it should come as no surprise that this is the most controversial school, with equally mysterious and dark past. It's said that it was started by a farmer possessed by an evil spirit, and it originated as a place for the evil and the occult. Centered around the element of death and darkness itself, Temnox spells are all about corruption and destruction. Its practitioners are hated and frowned upon, even though they are generally nice, albeit outlawish, characters with very cool hats!
___________________________________________________________________________________​_______
Types of SpellCards
Offensive Spells - These are the most important cards in the game. They are the attacks you use to defeat your opponent. All offensive cards have the same basic shape. They have a name, an image that represents the spell, an attack value, a power value, a mana cost(if any) and an Incantation fragment. The name is what the spell is called, and every spell has a unique name. The attack value is how strong the spell is. It can be 500, 1000, 10000 or more! The attack value dictates whether or not the spell can destroy a ward(if the attack value of the spell is higher than the defense value of the ward) or if it can break through a defensive spell(again, if the attack value is higher than the defense value). The power value is how many manashields the spell destroys if it makes a straight hit. A straight hit is when there is nothing blocking the spell, so it hits directly. Most cards vary between 2-4. However, if the spell hits a ward or a defensive spell and overcomes them, it only destroys 1 manashield, no matter how much more powerful it was. The mana cost is only present in more powerful spells. It shows how much cards must be tapped from the manapool in order for that specific spell to be cast. It can be from as little as 5 to as many as 50 cards from the manapool. And the incantation fragment is a mystical word that can be activated only by great mages!
Defensive Spells - These are instant spells that are used to defend against attacking spells. They usually have a higher defensive value than wards, and their structure is virtually the same as the attack cards, except for the Power Value part. And instead of an Attack Value, the defense cards have a Defense Value. Some defensive spells even have a special effect or condition that makes them more powerful against certain schools of magic.
Wards - Wards are permanent defensive structures that you summon. Their structure is similar to the defensive spells - a name, an image, a defense value/school defense and an incantation fragment. The wards are split into two subtypes - Mechanical Wards and Elemental Wards. Mechanical wards have a set defense value with a number, like 800, 2000 etc. Unlike them, Elemental Wards don't have a defense value and can only defend against certain schools of magic. However, whereas Mechanical Wards require a more powerful attack to be destroyed, Elemental Wards cannot be harmed by the specific school they guard against, and are useless against other schools of magic. So the Mechanical Wards are useful in some situations, and the Elemental Wards in others. Just like the other cards, wards can have a cost to play as well. Stronger wards will require more mana to be summoned. However, regardless of how strong the ward is, only up to three wards can be on the field at the same time.
Enchantment - These are effect-causing spell cards, and the things they can do are almost limitless. They can power-up an attack spell or give it a specific ability, increase the defense of a ward or protect it from harm, and they can even change the environment, giving bonuses to certain schools or hindering others, or even setting a specific condition to the battle(e.g "Only the strong" - No spells that require less than 5 mana can be played.)
Incantations - These are exceptionally powerful spells, with almost legendary reputation. Incantation spells are so powerful, they cannot be placed in a normal deck. Instead each player can have a side-deck with a maximum of 10 incantations. As the name suggests, Incantations require a certain "phrase" to be completed in order for them to be cast. And the phrase is completed by discarding select cards with specific fragments that complete the incantation into the manapool. Incantations can be anything from attack spells with powerful special effects to enchantments. [Now, let me note here that despite some of you may think these are rip-offs of YuGiOhs Fusion Monsters - they are not. And i hope you can figure out why
]Advanced Mechanics
-Basically these are some more advanced ways of playing the game, or rather advanced "moves", if you will. And those moves are Spell Augmentation and Spell BoostingSpell Augmentation - This is a special technique used with decks made up of multiple schools. In short, spell augmentation is when a player casts an attack or defense spell and then uses another card from a different school to change the school of the original spell. It can be useful for overcoming elemental wards or avoiding enchantment effects. Also, augmenting is useful because each school gives the spell you're augmenting a different bonus:
-Aqualibrium gives the augmented spell splash damage.
-Ignogan - Allows the spell to break an additional manashield if the attack is successful.
-Terrakov - Adds a small ammount of extra attack power.
-Lumar - protects the spell from negative enchantments.
-Temnox - discards a card from your opponent‘s hand if the hit is succesful.
Spell Boosting - This is when a player has two or more of the same spell card in his hand(only works for attack/defense spells). The player can cast all same cards at the same time, doubling or tripling the attack value(depending on how many cards he casts). This can be useful for defeating a stronger ward. BUT, the drawback is that the power values don't add up. Instead, if it's not a clean hit, only one shield is destroyed, just like with one card. And if it's a clean hit, only ONE is added per card(e.g if the card's power is 2, and you cast two cards at the same time, the damage done won't be 4, as in 2+2, but rather 3 as in 2+1).
______________________________________________________________________________​_________​_________​
Also, here is a list of prototype cards you can check out. They will be used for testing out the gameplay mechanics and balancing purposes, but some(if not most) won't make it to the final version of the game.
Aqualibrium, prototype cards
Card list (Click to View)
Ignogan, prototype cards
Card list (Click to View)
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Phew. That was ALOT of writing. I hope you guys like it and if you have any questions or comments, feel free to post
P.S: Keep in mind this is a work in progress so the mechanics may change, hopefully for the better!
P.P.S: YES, there is a lore, world and story behind the TCG as well
But i honestly doubt they'd even consider it. They must get like 10000s of ideas like this.
