Additional Rules - Physical Challenge

This is an additional set of rules for Dvorak that should be widely applicable. It assumes that you have already read the rules and glossary for Dvorak. These rules add onto those rules, rather than replacing them (except that "Action: Effect" cards are replaced with something equivalent). Mostly it defines terms that can be used across multiple games. To use these in your game:

• Put a note at the top of the rules for your game that links here, and says something like one of the following:
  • In addition to the basic Dvorak rules and glossary, the Set Subtype Rules also apply to this game, (except that all Set Subtype Rules rules regarding Equipment are irrelevant to this game, as there are no equipment cards)
  • In addition to the basic Dvorak rules and glossary, this game uses the Unit and Terrain rules from the Set Subtype Rules

These rules were not used by anyone as of the original time of writing, but they were created by surveying all the Dvorak CCG rulesets on the site which had more than 10 cards defined, and attempting to abstract out the common themes. Hopefully they should provide some common terminology for a subset of Dvorak games.

Attributes

Some of the actions and things below specify using an attribute. They will specify possible values (or just "numeric") for these attributes, and the default, which is what will be assumed if the attribute is omitted. Attributes will most likely appear something like:

Unique: Yes

Most games will define their own additional attributes.

Things

There are multiple subtypes of "Thing".

• Unit
• Equipment
• Location
• Resource
• Effect
• Goal

Any more specific subtypes than these should either be expressed as subtypes (eg. "Thing - Unit - Hero"), or attributes, such as "Alignment" (covers holy/unholy, good/evil, benificial/malignant/neutral), "Natural terrain" (covers Aquatic/Aerial/External), Level (a numeric value), and the like.

Attributes for Things

• Unique: This attribute means that only one of this type of card can be in play within the defined area at any given time. Possible values include:
  • No (this is the default, and means it's not unique)
  • All Players (anywhere that is visible to all players)
  • One Player (in the play area for any given player)
  • Deck (there should only be one in the deck)
  • Hand (if you have multiples, discard -- this is not a recommended option, as it makes it easy for players to cheat)

Unit

Units generally represent self-aware entities, often with offensive and defensive capabilities. Subtypes might include Hero, Animal, Vehicle, Plant, and the like.

Location

Location has its own subtypes:

• Terrain
• Site
• Construct (ie. Building, Mine, Ship)

In some games, Sites could be played on Terrain, and Constructs on Sites.

Equipment

Equipment is generally played on a Unit or Terrain.

Equipment Attributes

• Plays on: This attribute determines what other cards the equipment can be played on. Possible values include:
  • Unit (default) -- specific subtypes can be mentioned
  • Location -- specific subtypes can be mentioned

If you had other subtypes of "Thing", you could mention them here.

Resource

Depending on the game, these could be anything from gems/gold/silver/copper to flax/bricks/ore/lumber.

Effect

This is a thing that creates an effect. Some effects only become active when certain conditions are met.

Attributes for Effect

• Aspect: this attribute determines whether an effect is ongoing, or requires some further player action. Possible values include:
  • Continual (default -- active until that card is taken out of play)
  • Action (requires use of an action to make the effect happen)

The "Aspect: Action" attribute on a "Thing - Effect" is the same as what the basic rules describe as an "Action: Effect" card.

Goal

When the goal conditions are met, the player wins the benefits stated on the card (point, money, the game, etc)

Action

There are also multiple types of actions.

Attributes on Actions

Play time: This attribute determines when a card can be played. It may have multiple values, including:

• • In-turn (default): this is how one would normally expect an action to behave
  • Response: in response to another player playing another action or thing; the card should say which
  • Contingent: can be played without spending an action when the conditions are met. And example is the "Loot" card in the Chronogeddon CCG card set.

Challenge

Play time: In-turn

This is a challenge from one player to another. This also has subtypes:

• Test: a player would normally play these on himself, because successfully completing the Test will gain him additional cards
• Trial: a player would normally play these on his opponent, because it delays the other player and could cause him to lose cards
• Contest: a player would normally play this on his opponent, but there is risk involved for the player too -- one player wins, and one loses

Attack

Play time: In-turn

Defense

Play time: Response

Play Area(s)

Each game will have one or more play area(s), and two or more piles.

In a standard Dvorak game, each player has his own play area, and there is a common draw pile, and a common discard pile, with the discard pile rolling over into the draw pile.

Often in CCG-style games, each player has his own draw and discard piles, with the discard pile rolling over into the draw pile.

Some games have a common play area, either in addition to or instead of the individual player areas.

It can be useful to separate your play area into "Action" and "Thing" areas, so that at the end of your turn, you know which cards to discard (actions) and which to keep (things).