The Abyss is an area above the draw pile into which events are placed after they have been Discarded. However, successfully used events are sent to the Void. Other play may result in cards being placed in the Abyss, such as through the power of Estate Transference or Mindkiller. Once a card is sent to the Abyss, it cannot normally be brought back into the current game. However, certain cards allow the removal of cards from the Abyss, such as Gatekeeper or Karlott the Shaman. A champion with a Once Per Turn power recovered from the Abyss still must wait a full turn before using his power.
During battle, card powers activate a particular order, as follows:
Multiple cards of the same type activate first by highest bonus modifier and then alphabetically, starting with the first letter of the card name. When determining bonus, use only the number in the card's icon. In the case of cards of the same name with no bonuses, the lowest card number goes first.
A champion's Adjusted Level is his Base Level plus the level bonus of any Attached Cards and any additional level bonuses applicable, such as a defending champion might receive from a holding attached to the realm being attacked. If card text refers to "level" without specifying base or adjusted level, it is considered to be referring to Adjusted Level.
Champions designated as adventurers work together, often gaining additional special powers when in the same pool with other adventurers. Adventurers that gain special powers by being in a pool with other adventurers retain these powers while in battle.
Certain cards can be attached to other cards. Magical items and artifacts are typically attached to champions (and occasionally realms) during phase 3 or 4 of a player's turn. Combat cards such as allies, spells, blood abilities, thief skills, and unarmed combat cards are normally attached to a champion during phase 4. Magical items and artifacts return to the pool with the victorious champion; other attached cards are discarded at the end of a round of battle. A holding can be attached to a realm during phase 2, and remains with the realm until it is razed or discarded through card play. Spells that disappear after the effect is over (e.g. Banishment, Mindkiller) are not Attached Cards.
Attachments are Attached Cards that remain attached to another card after battle.
An Attack is the first step in a Battle. An Attack takes place when a player, in phase 4 of his turn, pushes forward a champion from pool or hand, and declares he is attacking a specific realm of an opponent. Only unrazed and unprotected realms may be attacked. Special powers that are triggered upon Attack are used as soon as the champion is put forward. Special powers that require a Battle are used as soon as a defending champion is put forward.
Champion and all allies played in the attack of a realm.
An Avatar is a type of champion. An Avatar may be brought into play during phase 3 of player's turn by discarding a cleric (or certain other cards specified by the text of the Avatar being brought into play) from the pool. The cleric may be played from the hand and immediately discarded, but the Rule of the Cosmos must be followed. Some Avatars require clerics or other champions of a particular level be discarded to bring the Avatar into play. In these cases, the Adjusted Level of the discarded champion should be used.
Most Avatars indicate that each pool may have only one Avatar. However, this is not a rule of Spellfire, and certain Avatars do not have this restriction. To have more than one Avatar in a pool, none of the Avatars can have the "one per pool" restriction.
An Avatar drawn as Spoils of Victory still requires a cleric be discarded in order to be brought into play.
A champion's Base Level is generally the number printed in the icon in the the upper left hand corner of the card. If the icon has more than one number, the first number is considered the Base Level for purposes of calculating the total champion levels in the deck. Some champions have special powers that raise their level upon certain conditions, such as Dori the Barbarian (Dori gains 2 levels when fighting a cleric or a wizard.) and Undead Htimsen (Undead Htimsen is level 10 if played after 6 p.m.). These effects are included in Base Level. Base Level does not include any artifacts, magical items, allies , or spells.
A Battle is the meeting of two champions, one an Attacker and one a Defender. A Battle is composed of one or more Rounds. A Battle is begun when a player, in phase 4 of his turn, pushes forward a champion from pool or hand, and declares he is attacking a specific realm of an opponent. Only unrazed and unprotected realms may be attacked.
No Battle has taken place, and the Round does not begin, until the opponent declares a defending champion. If the attacker wins the round of battle, he may attack again with another champion. If the Defender wins the Round, the Battle is ended. If the defending player chooses not to defend the realm being attacked, that realm is Razed and no Battle occurs. Special powers that are triggered upon Attack are used as soon as the champion is put forward. Special powers that require a Battle are used as soon as a defending champion is put forward.
Cards typically take effect in the order in which they are played However, certain cards (Counter-effect cards) are designed to be used as a counter-effect to the card previously played. A Counter-effect card must be played immediately after the card it is negating. Some examples are:
|
Card |
Number |
|
|
118/4th |
allies | |
|
85/NS |
thief skills | |
|
2/RR Chase |
psionics | |
|
99/RR |
unarmed combat | |
|
400/1st |
harmful events | |
|
38/PO | ||
|
18/NS |
offensive spells | |
|
437/4th |
unarmed combat cards | |
|
54/ART |
harmful events | |
|
10/1st Chase |
harmful events | |
|
400/4th |
all spells, blood abilities, psionic power cards | |
|
346/1st |
all spells | |
|
17/RR Chase |
psionics | |
|
12/RR Chase |
unarmed combat | |
|
47/DR |
harmful events | |
|
98/DR |
unarmed combat | |
|
85/4th |
wish, limited wish | |
|
89/FR |
all events | |
|
50/DU |
unarmed combat cards | |
|
48/RR |
all events | |
|
43/FR |
all events | |
|
74/DU |
all spells | |
|
328/3rd |
events created by the Bell of Might. | |
|
388/1st |
wall spells | |
|
20/FR chase |
wall spells | |
|
18/RR Chase |
psionic powers | |
|
83/DL |
offensive spells | |
|
389/4th |
all spells | |
|
435/4th |
unarmed combat cards | |
|
398/1st |
offensive spells | |
|
71/DR |
psionic power cards | |
|
403/1st |
allies | |
|
84/DU |
certain spells and events | |
|
11/FR Chase |
Note that Wish (46/FR) is not a Couter-effect card. It can only be used to eliminate an event or spell from play that has a continuing duration.
A champion is defeated in battle if it is forced to be discarded from battle through card play or the Adjusted Level of the opposing champion exceeds his own, and the player cannot or will not play any cards to increase his champion's level beyond the opposing champion's level or otherwise cause the opposing champion to be discarded.
A defeated champion is Discarded along with any attached cards.
Champion and all allies played in defense of a realm.
A card designated as defensive has a power that affects only the player's champion or other cards, not an opponent's champion or other cards. Unless specifically noted, a champion's immunities do not extend to defensive cards.
A discarded card is placed face up in the Discard Pile. Such cards are normally no longer available to the player.
When a card is Discarded as a result of combat or another card's special power, it is placed in the owning player's discard pile. Such cards are normally no longer available to the player.
Several cards in the game can cause a Discard Pile to be reshuffled into a player's draw pile, or allow a card to be drawn from the Discard Pile during the course of the game.
The Draw Pile is the stack of cards from which a player draws cards, such as the three cards drawn at the beginning of a turn. When a player picks the last card from his draw deck, he is not entitled to any more cards until he creates a new draw pile. At the end of the turn in which he runs out of cards, he reshuffles his Discard Pile and that becomes his new Draw Pile.
A Dungeon is a special card that is considered a free card in deck construction, thereby creating actual deck sizes of 56, 76, or 111 cards. Dungeon cards grant a player special powers for as long as the Dungeon is in play.
Dungeons cards are kept separate and not shuffled in to the the player's draw pile at the start of the game. Players play their Dungeon cards at the start of their first turn. If a player's first turn is skipped (such as by the Temporal Stasis event), he plays his dungeon card at the start of his second turn. If he somehow loses his second turn (such as another Temporal Stasis event), the player can declare a Mulligan and restart the game. If he chooses not to declare a Mulligan, he loses the ability to play a Dungeon card.
There are three ways to remove a Dungeon card from play. In each case, the Dungeon card is sent to the Void.
If the attack is successful and the Dungeon card is "razed," the victorious champion is sent to the Void. Cards that were attached to the champion are sent to the discard pile. The attacker then receives a Dungeon Spoils. If an attacker is defeated by a defender, the defender gets a Dungeon Spoils, and play moves to phase 5.
In addition, Verenestra ( ...If discarded from play for any reason, all cards with the words "immune" or "immunity" on them are likewise discarded.) can discard certain Dungeon cards.
Dungeon Spoils is a special Spoils of Victory that results from an attack on a Dungeon card. The victor draws a card, showing it to all the players. If the card drawn is a realm, the Dungeon Spoils is sent to the Abyss and the victor shuffles his Discard Pile into his Draw Pile. If the card drawn is any other type of card, he may play it like a normal Spoils of Victory (or place it in his hand).
A champion that is an Earthwalker can attack any realm, regardless of its position.
If an Earthwalker attacks a Protected Realm, all allies of that champion must be Flyers, Swimmers, or Earthwalkers in order to reach it. A champion's ability to earthwalk is not automatically conferred to its allies. To attack a realm, Earthwalkers must meet any requirements not related to position of the realm, such as a power that "only clerics can attack."
A champion that is a Flyer can attack any realm, regardless of its position. If it attacks a Protected Realm, all allies of that champion must be Flyers, Swimmers, or Earthwalkers in order to reach it. A champion's ability to fly is not automatically conferred to its allies.
A Flyer cannot choose not to fly. If a realm says it cannot be attacked by flyers, it cannot be attacked, even if unprotected.
The pattern of realm cards on the table is called the formation. The standard formation is a six-card pyramid with the base facing the owning player.
Harmful is a designation for events that have detrimental effects to one or more players in the game. These types of events can be negated through the use of Calm (400/3rd), or any other card whose special power negates harmful events.
Helpful is a designation for events that have beneficial effects for the player of the event. These types of events cannot be "calmed" (negated through the use of Calm), though they can be negated by other cards whose special powers negate both helpful and harmful events, such as Helm, Intercession, and Limited Wish.
The Icon is the symbol in the upper left-hand corner of a card, designating the type of card. Within the icon is the Base Level or level bonus of the card, if any.
Immunities are typically associated with champions, but realms, magical items, artifacts, and other cards can confer immunities. A champion's immunities are always functioning, so that the order of activation is not relevant.
A champion immune to offensive magical items or artifacts negates the level bonus of an opponents magical items or artifacts. However, only special powers that directly affect the champion (i.e. are offensive in nature) are negated.
Some cards instantly defeat other cards of a specific type. For example, Noble Djinni instantly defeats flyers; Lovely Colleen instantly defeats monsters; the Living Scroll instantly defeats heroes and clerics.
Any time a battle reaches an Instant Defeat situation, the player about to suffer the defeat has the opportunity to play a single card in an effort to avoid defeat. For example, a monster facing Instant Defeat from Lovely Colleen could play the Chest of Many Things and transform into a different type of champion, thus avoiding Lovely Colleen's special power.
Limbo is an area, typcally to the left of the formation, to which cards are sometimes sent. Cards return from Limbo at the end of the player's next turn. This is the last thing that happens in a player's turn, so cards with powers that are used at the end of a player's turn may not use those powers on the turn during which they return from Limbo.
If a champion is sent to Limbo as a result of combat, all attached cards are discarded. Champions sent to Limbo through an event, realm power, or other means do not lose their attached cards.
Cards in Limbo are not in play. If another player brings an identical champion into his pool, the champion in Limbo is sent to the discard pile when he leaves Limbo in accordance with the Rule of the Cosmos. Players may not choose to leave their champions in Limbo to avoid the Rule of the Cosmos.
If a player has not played a realm and does not have a realm in his hand that he could play by the end of his second turn, the player may call for a Mulligan, in which case the game ends and a new game is begun. The player calling for a Mulligan must have played any event cards that might give him a chance to get a realm, such as Good Fortune, and he must reveal his hand to prove he has no realms. It is possible for a player to draw a realm, but then be forced to discard it through card play. Or, a player may be prevented by the Rule of the Cosmos from playing a realm. In either case, the player can call for a Mulligan as long as he never got the chance to play a realm card onto the table.
A Mulligan can only be declared by the same player twice in a row. On the third game, that player is forced to continue play with the cards he draws. When starting a new game as a result of a Mulligan, players cut cards again to determine who goes first.
A card designated as offensive has a power that directly effects an opponent's card.
Many powers can be used "once per turn." This means that the power can be used, unless the card specifies otherwise, one time during the period beginning with the player's own phase 3 and ending with the start of phase 3 of the player's next turn. Turns gained from the Caravan event or by razing Ancient Kalidnay do not count.
Items that duplicate the powers or abilities of another champion or card must be selected during phase 3 of your current turn or immediately when played (such as during phase 4 of a battle when the item is played from the hand). A player can't wait for a battle to begin, push his champion forward, and then decide on whose power/ability he wants to use.
If a card states it can be used "at the start of each turn" or "at the end of each turn," it can be used on all turns, even those gained through Caravan or Ancient Kalidnay.
A champion with a once-per-turn power recovered from the Abyss must wait a full turn before using its power (unless its already been out of play for more than a full turn since being sent to the Abyss).
The player is the person who controls the actions for a particular group of champions and other cards. When a card states that it targets the player, it is referring to his hand of cards.
The Pool is an area to the right of the Formation in which champions are put in play. Cards are typically played into a player's pool during phase 3 or as a result of Spoils of Victory. Champions return to the pool after a victorious Round of Battle. A player must have at least one realm in play to maintain a pool. If a player's last realm is discarded, the player must discard his pool at the end of the current player's turn.
A realm that is immediately behind an unrazed realm in player's formation is Protected, and cannot be attacked. For exceptions, see Earthwalkers, Flyers, and Swimmers.
Some realms have a number in the icon. These realms have realm champions that can defend that realm. If the realm champion loses in combat, the realm is discarded. If no champion type is specified, the realm champion is assumed to be a hero.
Cards such as Assasins (...destroys one champion anywhere in play...) cannot be used to discard a realm with a realm champion.
A Round is a segment of a Battle in which one attacking champion battles one defending champion. The Round begins when the attacking player sends forth a champion to attack a realm and the opponent names a defending champion. From this point forward, the player whose champion has the lowest Total Level plays cards until he raises his champion's Adjusted Level above that of his opponent, after which his opponent may play cards. If a player cannot will not raise his champion's Adjusted Level above that of the opposing champion, he is defeated and the round is over. The victorious champion returns to his player's pool along with any artifacts and magical items. The Defeated champion is Discarded along with his artifacts and magical items. All spells, allies, and power cards of both the victorious and defeated player, are Discarded.
Only one of each champion, artifact, realm, and holding card can be in play at once. This restriction does not apply to other card types. Razed realms are considered in play. Champions in Limbo are not considered to be in play. For purposes of this rule, cards are considered the same if the name and icon are identical.
A card's Special Powers are described in the text in the marble box at the bottom of a Spellfire card. These powers are abilities beyond the normal rules of the game.
Racial (e.g. dragon, elf, undead) and movement (e.g flyer, swimmer, earthwalker) characteristics are not considered to be part of a card's special powers. Cards that strip away another card's special powers do not take away these characteristics. To change or remove a target card's racial or movement charachertistics, card played must specifically state it is affecting the target card's racial or movement charachteristics, not just the target card's Special Powers.
If a realm's power affects other players, it only activates when that realm is the subject of an attack. If the realm's power is defensive in nature, affecting only the owning player, (such as granting immunities or the ability to swim), then it functions all the time.
After a victory in battle, a card may be drawn as Spoils of Victory. For an attacker to win Spoils of Victory, the realm under attack must be razed or Discarded. The attacker gains Spoils even if cardplay other than combat causes the realm to be razed or Discarded.
For a defender to earn Spoils of Victory, the attacker must be discarded (not just defeated) or sent to Limbo. This can be as a result of defeat in battle, or as a result of other card play during the round of battle, such as the event Ancient Curse.
The Spoils of Victory card may be played immediately if it is a rule, realm, holding, event, champion, artifact, magical item, or spell. A realm or holding may be played even if a realm or holding was already played in phase 2 of the player's turn. A spell drawn as Spoils of Victory may be cast immediately, regardless of any phase restrictions, as long as the player has a champion in his pool capable of casting the spell.
If card play allows two or more cards to be drawn as Spoils of Victory, only the first can be played immediately. Any other cards drawn as Spoils are held in the hand or discarded.
A champion that is a Swimmer can attack any realm, regardless of its position, as long as the realm card shows a coastline. Lakes and rivers do not count as coastline. If the Swimmer champion attacks a Protected Realm, all allies of that champion must be Flyers, Swimmers, or Earthwalkers in order to reach it. A champion's ability to swim is not automatically conferred to its allies.
A magical item is considered a Sword if so designated in the card's special power text or if the card's name contains "sword." Such magical items gain bonuses based on other cards' special powers, such as a champion who gains additional levels when using a Sword. Swords are also Weapons.
If a player has not played a realm and does not have a realm in his hand that he could play by the end of his second turn, a Two-Draw Mulligan is declared. All players reshuffle their decks and the game begins again. The player calling for a Mulligan must have played any event cards that might give him a chance to get a realm, such as Good Fortune, and he must reveal his hand to prove he has no realms. It is possible for a player to draw a realm, but then be forced to discard it through card play. A Transformation! event card can make this happen. The player can still call for a Two-Draw Mulligan as long as he never got the chance to play a realm card onto the table. If a player has realms in his hand, but other players have them all in play, he can still declare a Mulligan.
A Mulligan can only be declared by the same player twice in a row. On the third game, that player is forced to continue play with the cards he is given.
Any helpful event that results in more cards must be played in an attempt to avoid a Mulligan, but harmful events, such as Storm at Sea, Hurricane!, or Transformation! need not be played (although the player may choose to play them).
Caravan does not need to be played to avoid a Mulligan, since it simply adds another turn, resulting in a Mulligan sooner.
After a Mulligan, players should cut their decks again to determine order of play.
See Base Level.
A champion or ally is considered Undead if so designated in the card's text box or if the card's name contains "undead." Unless the card says "undead", it is not considered Undead, even if the picture or name of the card seems to indicate otherwise.
The User is the champion, not the Player, that uses a psionic power, unarmed combat, blood ability, or thief skill card.
The Void is area designated for cards that have been removed from the game. All events played from the hand go here regardless of whether the use is successful or not. Cards may not be retrieved from the Void.
Wall spells can be used by a defending player to end the round. If the attacking champion cannot continue combat due to a Wall, the attacking champion is defeated, but returns to its pool. The battle is over and another attacking champion canot be brought forward. Since the champion was not discarded, the defender may not draw Spoils of Victory. The table below lists wall spells and other cards that function like Walls.
|
|
Wall Cards |
|
|
335/1st |
Wizard spell | |
|
336/1st |
Wizard spell | |
|
337/1st |
Wizard spell | |
|
338/1st |
Wizard spell | |
|
363/1st |
Cleric spell | |
|
364/1st |
Cleric spell | |
|
371/1st |
Wizard spell | |
|
13/POW |
Champion | |
|
28/DR |
Champion |
If the defending champion cannot continue combat due to a Wall, that round of battle is over. Both champions return to their pools. The attacking player may begin a new round of combat with another champion.
A magical item is considered a weapon if so designated in the card's text box or if the card's name contains "weapon." Weapons gain additional bonuses based on other cards' special powers, such as a champion who gains additional levels when using a weapon.
Each realm, holding, champion, and artifact has a specific World. The card's World is indicated by the logo on the card, to the left of the card's name. The AD&D logo is a world and AD&D artifacts are usable only by AD&D champions.