Rules of Versus
BASICS
Two players
Fast, Normal & VS versions
Fast = 4x4 grid, requiring 40 cards to play (20 per player)
Normal = 5x5 grid, requiring 60 cards to play (30 per player)
VS = 6x6 grid, requiring 80 cards to play (40 per player)
You can play with just one shared deck if you have enough cards (Premium backers can do this for Fast mode), or two people with their own individual decks. Future stand-alone expansions will provide ‘complete’ 30 card decks you can use on their own for a Fast or Normal mode game, or supplement with cards from [lock-on] or other expansions for a VS mode game.
In Fast mode, there should ideally be 12 character cards per person, plus 5 items and 3 traps.
In Normal mode, there should be 18 characters, 8 items and 4 traps per player.
In versus mode, there should be 24 characters, 11 items and 5 traps per player.
There are three types of cards in [versus].
1) Character cards - the main type, used to place on the grid and battle with your opponent
2) Trap cards - also placed on the grid, and used to gain an advantage on the battlefield
3) Item cards - generally one-use cards that have a one-time effect on yourself or your opponent
TO START
Decide if you’re sharing a deck or using your own (see VARIATIONS below). Shuffle any decks you have and place face down. Each player draws 5 cards to start, and should always draw up to 5 cards each turn, unless there are no cards left to draw.
Decide who goes first. The game starts by placing a card face down in your ‘home base’, which is the first line in the grid directly in front of you.
Play proceeds back and forth, with each person playing one card per turn, unless they play an item which says otherwise.
THE GAME
Both players must play their first card face down, and any card placed in their own ‘home base’ must also be played face down, unless it is directly opposite an opponent's card. After this, the player can choose whether to place cards face down or face up elsewhere on the grid, unless they touch an opponent’s card, in which case they must always be played face up.
Any face down cards are ‘activated’ (turned face up) if an opponent’s card is placed next to it, thus starting a battle OR triggering a trap.
When triggering a trap, ensure you read the text carefully and do as it says, even if this may affect your own cards.
When you place a character card down to do battle with another character, the side touching your opponent dictates the strength. So if the top of your card is touching the top of theirs, with yours having a K (King) and theirs a 9, you would win, and your opponent's card would be moved to the graveyard. If you are touching more than one of your opponent’s cards with the card you have played, you must battle each card, but you can choose the order in which to do so.
If you battle a card that has an equal value to the one you have placed, you can break the tie by comparing elements, as below. However, if your elements also match, then both cards remain in play.
Water beats Fire
Fire beats Earth
Earth beats Water
After your first card, you can only place a card on the grid if it touches another of your own cards (unless you have an item that says otherwise). This cannot be diagonal, the sides must touch.
There are three ways to use items, and you will see these descriptors written on the card itself. The first is to use it as your played card (TURN), which means you would use it instead of placing a character on the grid. These will have a one-time effect, unless otherwise stated.
The second way is to use it whenever you like (FREE). As an example, your opponent may be about to defeat you in battle, but you have a FREE item card in your hand that could swing things in your favour. You could choose to play this immediately, even outside of your own turn (or in addition to your turn if you wish). These have a one-time effect unless otherwise stated.
The last way to use an item is as a MODIFIER. These item cards stay in play for the rest of the match you are playing, modifying the rules. For example, you may have a MODIFIER card that makes all K (King) sides worth zero.
END GAME
The first person to place a character card on their opponent’s ‘home base’, without it being defeated by any cards around it, is the winner of the game.
If both players run out of cards before this happens then the winner is the person with the most cards on the grid. If this is equal, then the game is a tie… unless you insist on a winner, in which case you can shuffle the cards together and each draw one. Place them down at the same time in a sudden death battle, which means the person with the highest value at the top of their card wins. If THIS is a draw, keep going until one person wins,
VARIATIONS
1) Shared vs Individual
Playing with your own individual decks means that you will have those exact numbers available to you, while sharing a deck means you might pull less items or traps… or potentially more. This adds additional strategy and variation to your game. Shared deck games will also share a graveyard, while individual deck players will each have their own.
2) Playing With Few Or No Traps/Items
You can play with less or even no items and traps if you don’t have enough, but this will make it a less strategic experience. Just add more characters to make up for any traps and items you do not have, so the deck size remains the same.