From Omniverse

Contents 1 HOW TO PLAY 1.1 PREPARING A DECK 1.2 GAME LEVEL 1.3 MODE OF PLAY 1.3.1 1) Draw Phase 1.3.2 2) Event Phase 1.3.3 3) Placement Phase 1.3.4 4) Action Phase 1.3.5 5) End Phase 1.4 DRAWING AND DISCARDING 2 CARD CATEGORIES 2.1 GENERAL RULES 2.1.1 Instant use 2.1.2 Continuous 2.1.3 Gender 2.1.4 Types 2.2 CHAMPION CARDS 2.3 ATTACHMENT CARDS 2.3.1 Abilities 2.3.2 Allies 2.3.3 Artifacts 2.3.4 Connection Cards 2.4 EVENT CARDS 3 COMBAT 3.1 Victory 4 TERMINOLOGY 5 VARIOUS NOTES ON SPECIAL CARD POWERS 6 A FINAL NOTE 7 OPTIONAL RULES 7.1 GAME LEVELS

[edit] HOW TO PLAY

[edit] PREPARING A DECK

The minimum size for a deck is 40 cards. Normally, you may have up to three copies of any one card in a deck. However, you may only have one copy of any card with the text "One per deck", and only one each of any Event card (unless otherwise specified).

[edit] GAME LEVEL

Before playing, all players should agree on the Game Level. The Game Level is the maximum level at which Champions may be recruited to the field without discarding other Champions first. The default Game Level is 10, which means Champions of up to Level 10 may be recruited freely. (See the section on Placement Phase below for further details.) All of the following sections are written with the default Game Level in mind; see Optional Rules below for details on changing the Game Level.

[edit] MODE OF PLAY

Each player begins by drawing five cards from their deck. Then, all players must choose the player who goes first (by whatever method the players prefer). Play proceeds clockwise from the first player.

In every round, a player's turn proceeds through the following five Phases - except in the first round. In the first round, all players skip Phases 2 and 4 (the Event Phase and the Action Phase) - players may not play Events or attack other players until the second round. This allows every player the chance to create a team of Champions and plan their initial strategy.

[edit] 1) Draw Phase

Draw one card from your deck.

At this point, any card effects that activate at the beginning of your turn do so.

[edit] 2) Event Phase

If you have an Event card, you may play it at this time.

[edit] 3) Placement Phase

You may choose one of the following three options during the Placement Phase.

• You may recruit one or more Champions to the field with a total number of levels less than or equal to the Game Level. (For example, you may choose to recruit a single Level 10 Champion... or you can recruit two Level 2 Champions and one Level 6 Champion, because they total 10 levels... or you can recruit three Level 3 Champions, because they total 9 levels.)
• You may recruit one Champion above the current Game Level, by discarding Champions currently on the field with a total number of levels equal to or more than the new Champion's level. (For example, to play a Level 15 Champion in the default game, you need to discard at least 15 levels' worth of Champions from the field.)
• You may recruit one Champion using a Connection card and their special discard requirements. (See below under Connection Cards for more details.)

Some Champions may also have additional special requirements you need to meet before you can recruit them; these will be noted on the Champion's card.

When a Champion is recruited, you may place it on the field in one of two stances.

• Attack stance: A Champion in attack stance may attack or take any action described as "instead of attacking." If they are defeated or destroyed, any excess attack bleeds through to the player, reducing their hit points. Attack stance is represented on the field by placing the card with its top facing away from you.
• Defense stance: A Champion in defense stance may not attack or take any action described as "instead of attacking." If they are defeated or destroyed, no excess attack bleeds through to the player. Defense stance is represented on the field by placing the card with one of its sides facing away from you.

You may have a maximum of 10 times the Game Level in Champion levels on the field - in the default game, this is a maximum of 100 levels. (For example, you may have 20 Level 5 Champions, or 10 Level 10 Champions, 5 Level 20 Champions, or any other combination, so long as it totals no more than 100 levels.)

Once you have recruited your Champions to the field (or chosen not to recruit any Champions in this turn), you may then place attachment cards on any of your Champions on the field. You may also switch any attachment cards already on the field between any of your Champions on the field, or you may switch attachment cards already on the field with attachment cards in your hand. As noted previously, you may normally only have one attachment card per Champion.

[edit] 4) Action Phase

Each Champion on your team may take one of the following actions during the action phase:

• Attack an opponent's Champion. See Combat below for more details.
• Switch a Champion from attack stance to defense stance, or from defense stance to attack stance.
• Use an Ability card. A player may have one of their Champions use an Ability card directly from their hand, even if they attached another, different Ability card to that Champion during the Placement Phase. Champions in defense stance may only use Ability cards that are not described as "instead of attacking."
• Champions in attack mode may use any special card power described as "instead of attacking."
• Champions in attack mode may use any special card power of an attached Ally, Artifact, or Continuous Ability described as "instead of attacking."

[edit] 5) End Phase

At this point, any card effects that activate at the end of your turn do so.

[edit] DRAWING AND DISCARDING

A player has no upper limit on the number of cards in their hand. When a card is discarded for any reason, it goes into that player's discard pile.

[edit] CARD CATEGORIES

There are five different general categories of cards in the game: Champions, Abilities, Allies, Artifacts, and Events. There are three subtypes of Champion, described below. In addition, Ability, Ally and Artifact cards are collectively known as attachment cards, as they all attach to Champions. Each card's category may be easily determined by their color, and by one of seven unique symbols on the bottom of the card.

[edit] GENERAL RULES

There are certain rules that may apply to all cards.

[edit] Instant use

Instant use cards may be played during any phase of any player. Often, an instant use card is used in response to an attack, or to counter the effects of another card. When a Champion uses an instant use card, it does not count as the Champion's action phase, and the Champion does not count as "used" when defending against an attack.

[edit] Continuous

Continuous cards remain active until another effect removes them from play. Artifact cards are Continuous by default.

[edit] Gender

Some cards may have powers that only affect Champions and Allies of a specific gender. In many cases, the gender of a Champion or Ally is obvious, but for convenience, a card's gender is also specified on the card's page on this site.

[edit] Types

Champions and Allies may have any of a number of types. These types, such as Martial Artist or Robot, may allow Champions and Allies to use certain Abilities or Artifacts with that type, or benefit from certain Event cards or other effects. However, types may also make Champions and Allies vulnerable to certain Abilities or Artifacts, or suffer from certain Event cards or other effects. A complete list of types in the game can be found here.

[edit] CHAMPION CARDS

Champion cards represent characters who fight for your team. Champions come in three subtypes, known as alignments:

• Blue Champion cards are Heroes. The symbol for a Hero is a triangle pointing upwards.
• Red Champion cards are Villains. The symbol for a Villain is a triangle pointing downwards.
• Green Champion cards are Neutrals, who are neither Hero nor Villain. The symbol for a Neutral is a square.

[edit] ATTACHMENT CARDS

Attachment cards are attached to Champions, who then gain a bonus to their Attack, a bonus to their Defense, or other special abilities. Normally, a player may only add a single attachment card to their Champion; however, certain attachment cards or special card powers may allow a player to add multiple attachments to one Champion.

Attachment cards may also be added to a player's Champion by one of their opponents, as part of a special card power. Attachment cards placed on a Champion by an opponent are counted separately from any attachment placed by the targeted player; they do not prevent that player from adding their own attachment to that Champion.

During the placement phase, you may move attachment cards on the field between Champions, or switch an attachment card held in your hand with one attached to a Champion. However, you may not pull an attachment card back into your hand without also replacing it with one from your hand.

Attachment cards may only be played and used by Champions. A player cannot play attachment cards from their hand - even instant use cards - without any Champions on their team.

When a special card power allows a Champion to have more than one attachment, all of the Champion's attachments are considered equal under the rules. However, each attachment on a single Champion is treated separately when attachments are moved around, or when a game effect specifically targets attachments.

[edit] Abilities

Abilities represent special skills or powers that Champions may use in battle. Ability cards are colored bronze; the symbol for an Ability is an eight-pointed star.

When a Champion uses an Ability, it uses their action phase, unless the Ability is instant use. An Ability may be played directly from the player's hand and used by a Champion, or it can be attached to a Champion and remain attached until they choose to use it. A Champion may use an Ability card directly from the player's hand even if there is another card attached to that Champion. An Ability is normally discarded after use.

An Ability card described as "instead of attacking" may only be used during the action phase by a Champion in attack stance. A Continuous Ability card must be attached to take effect, but once it is attached, it remains active until another effect removes it from play.

An Ability that provides an Attack bonus is used as part of a Champion's attack. An Ability that provides a Defense bonus may be attached, and then used by that Champion when defending against an attack from another player (even if the attachment card is not instant use). An Ability that provides both an Attack and a Defense bonus may be used either way.

[edit] Allies

Allies represent characters who support your Champion in battle. Ally cards are colored gold; the symbol for Ally is a diamond.

An Ally is attached to a Champion. When a Champion with an attached Ally attacks, the Ally's bonuses and special card powers support the Champion during that attack, and the Ally card is discarded afterwards.

When a Champion with an attached Ally defends against an attack, they benefit from the attached Ally's bonuses and special card powers, but the player does not discard the Ally afterwards. If a Champion with an attached Ally is in defense stance, and the Champion is defeated in combat, the Ally is discarded instead of the Champion; however, the Champion still counts as "used" for the rest of the attacker's turn.

Allies, like Champions, have types. As a result, they are affected by Events and other game effects that affect specific types, just like Champions. The effect on the Ally is independent of any effects on their attached Champion. (For example, if you have an Undead Champion with an attached Undead Ally, an effect that doubles the Attack of Undead Champions and Allies would double both the Champion's Attack and the attached Ally's Attack bonus.)

An Ally that needs to be discarded to activate its special card power must be attached to a Champion first; such Allies cannot be discarded directly from the player's hand. Discarding the Ally counts as that Champion's action phase.

[edit] Artifacts

Artifacts represent weapons or vehicles that a Champion may use in combat. Artifact cards are colored silver (grey); the symbol for Artifact is a circle.

Artifacts are Continuous by default; once attached to a Champion, they remain attached unless:

• the Champion is defeated
• they are discarded to activate a special card power
• they are switched with another attachment by the player
• they are directly removed by another card's effects

An Artifact that needs to be discarded to activate its special card power must be attached to a Champion first; such Artifacts cannot be discarded directly from the player's hand. Discarding the Artifact counts as that Champion's action phase.

[edit] Connection Cards

A special type of attachment card is the Connection card. Usually an Ability card, these cards can be used to recruit certain Champions who have special discard requirements - for example, a strong character who can be created by merging together multiple weaker characters. A Connection card provides a shortcut to recruitment for a higher-level Champion, allowing a player to discard the Connection card, along with the Champions listed in the discard requirements, and then immediately recruit that Champion to the field.

When a Champion can be recruited using a Connection card, the Champion's card text will include a description of the requirements, in the following format:

• [Connection card name]: [discard requirements].

For example, Dark Claw can be recruited using the Amalgamation Connection card and either Batman or Wolverine. Dark Claw's requirements are listed as "Amalgamation: Batman or Wolverine."

Any Champions listed in the discard requirements must already be on the field before the Connection card is used; the required Champions cannot be played directly from a player's hand.

Note that a Champion who can be recruited using a Connection card can still be recruited in the usual way - discarding Champions equal to their level.

[edit] EVENT CARDS

Events represent unusual situations that affect all players during the battle. Event cards are colored purple; Events are represented by an infinity symbol.

Events immediately impose new rules on the game during the player's current turn, unless they are negated by another card. A Continuous Event remains in play until it is negated or destroyed by another card, or they are replaced by another Continuous Event. Normally, no more than one Continuous Event may be in use at a time. An Event that is not Continuous affects everything on the field once, but does not replace a Continuous Event.

Events may only be played on during the event phase, unless they are instant use. After the Event's effect ends, the card is removed from play for the rest of the game, and may not be retrieved from the discard pile (except by cards that specifically retrieve Events). All Event cards are one per deck, unless otherwise specified on the Event card itself.

[edit] COMBAT

Each player starts the game with 10,000 hit points. To initiate combat, simply choose one of the Champions on your team, and choose another Champion on the field as a target. Each of your Champions may only attack once, unless they have a special card power or attachment card that allows them to attack additional times.

If your Champion's total Attack is higher than the targeted Champion's total Defense, you win the combat. If the targeted Champion is in defense stance, the Champion is defeated and the player suffers no further effects. If the targeted Champion is in attack stance, subtract the total Defense of the defending Champion from the total Attack of the attacking Champion, and subtract the remaining damage from the targeted player's hit points.

If your Champion's total Attack is less than or equal to the targeted Champion's total Defense, the attacker is destroyed. In addition, the attacking player suffers "backlash" damage - subtract the total Attack of the attacking Champion from the total Defense of the defending Champion, and subtract the remaining damage from the attacking player's hit points. (If the total Defense and total Attack are tied, the attacker suffers 0 "backlash" damage.)

When a defeated or destroyed Champion is discarded, all of their attachment cards are discarded with them.

When a Champion defends against another player's attack, that Champion is considered "used" for the rest of the attacking player's turn. The attacking player may ignore any "used" Champions when launching additional attacks against their opponent. The attacking player, however, may still choose to make additional attacks on a "used" Champion. In addition, certain cards and special card powers may allow a Champion to defend against more than one attack before they are considered "used". Once the attacking player's turn ends, all of the defending player's remaining Champions are no longer "used".

When a player has no Champions to defend them, or when all their Champions are "used", all attacks on that player directly damage their hit points. Attacks on a player's hit points do not count as combat.

Although a player is generally expected to target their opponents' Champions, they may instead choose to attack members of their own team. However, when a Champion successfully attacks a teammate, the teammate is destroyed rather than defeated. Note that attacks on your own teammates may lower your own hit points.

[edit] Victory

Victory is achieved when one player runs out of hit points, or when one player runs out of usable cards. (If a player has drawn all the cards from their deck, but they still have usable cards on the field or in their hand, they may continue playing until they have exhausted all their options.)

When a player loses in a game with more than two players, all of the cards from their deck are removed from the field, including Continuous Events.

[edit] TERMINOLOGY

Certain words and phrases in the game have specific meanings in the rules, as described below.

Defeat: A defeated Champion is discarded after losing combat. Certain special card powers may activate after a Champion is defeated. Other special card powers may allow players to retrieve defeated Champions from the discard pile.

Destroy: A destroyed Champion is discarded in non-combat situations, or whenever a card (or game rule) specifes that the Champion is destroyed. Any special card powers that activate when a Champion is defeated do not activate when a Champion is destroyed. In addition, special card powers that return cards from the discard pile do not retrieve destroyed Champions (unless it specifies otherwise).

Destroy this card in their place: When a card has this text, the attack still has any of its normal effects on the targeted player (such as damaging hit points). However, instead of discarding the Champion, the card with the text is discarded instead, leaving the Champion on the field. If the card is instant use, the defending Champion is not "used", and may defend against an additional attack. However, if the card is not instant use, the Champion is "used" and may not defend against further attacks (unless they have special card powers or attachments that say otherwise).

Field: All of the cards currently in play; those not in a player's hand or in their deck.

Ignore: An attack or effect that is ignored has no effect on the target; however, the attacking Champion still uses their action for the turn. If the card is instant use, the defending Champion is not "used", and may defend against an additional attack. However, if the card is not instant use, the Champion is "used" and may not defend against further attacks (unless they have special card powers or attachments that say otherwise).

Negate: A card that is negated is discarded, and its effects do not activate. Gameplay should continue as if the card was never played (except for being discarded).

Next round: The current player's next turn in the following round.

Normal Attack, normal Defense: The Attack or Defense scores listed on the Champion card, without any bonuses from attachment cards or other game effects.

Owner: The owner of a card is the person using the deck that card came from.

Recruitment: The act of playing a Champion from your hand and placing them on the field, as part of the placement phase.

Round: The sequence of all players' turns.

Special card powers: The special effects on gameplay described in the text of a card.

Team: All the Champions belonging to one player.

Teammate: Any Champion on the same team as another Champion.

Total Attack, total Defense: The Attack or Defense score totals after adding any bonuses from attachment cards or other game effects to the scores on the Champion's card.

Turn: A single player's actions during a round.

[edit] VARIOUS NOTES ON SPECIAL CARD POWERS

The below are specific rules that apply to specific sorts of special card powers.

• When a counter is placed on a card as part of a special card power, the counter only counts for that particular power. If counters for different powers are placed on one card, they must be kept separate in some way to avoid confusion.

• When a Champion is replaced through a special card power, the new Champion is considered "used" for combat purposes.

• When an Ally is turned into a Champion by a special card power, the former Ally has zero levels for purposes of recruitment.

• When using card abilities that allow you to control the actions of another player's Champion, the controlled Champion is still considered part of the other player's team.

[edit] A FINAL NOTE

Whenever a card's text contradicts one of the above rules, go with the card text.

[edit] OPTIONAL RULES

[edit] GAME LEVELS

By default, the Game Level is 10. This means up to 10 levels' worth of Champions may placed on the field without discarding, while any Champion of Level 11 or higher requires discarding of Champions equal to their level, and no team may contain more than 100 (10x10) levels' worth of Champions.

For higher-power games, you can adjust this Game Level, making it easier to play stronger characters. For example, a Game Level of 15 would change the game so that up to 15 levels' worth of Champions may be placed on the field without discarding, any Champion of Level 16 or higher would require discarding to play, and teams may contain up to 160 (16x10) levels' worth of Champions.

Some recommended Game Levels for specific universes:

• 15: DC, Marvel, Mortal Kombat, Samurai Jack, Street Fighter, Transformers (Generation 1 characters)
• 20: The Big O
• 25: Amalgam, Dragon Ball (Saiyan Saga)
• 30: Cthulhu Mythos (if you focus on the Great Old Ones and company), Dragon Ball (Frieza Saga)
• 35: Dragon Ball (Cell Saga)
• 40: Dragon Ball (Buu Saga), Greyhawk (if you focus on the deities)

You may also set the game at a lower Game Level, for a more challenging, lower-power game.