New CCG - Evolve (Rules Overview)

[ialsoagree]

This is a custom CCG I am in the process of making specifically for LackeyCCG. Please give feedback for the rules: anything that seems explained in an overly complicated way (or just need to be more concise/less redundant), anything that needs to be expanded on or clarified, anything that seems to be missing.

Disclaimer: This is intended to be a fun game. While the premise may surround a potentially controversial issue, it is not intended to spark debate but rather act as the premise for a CCG that makes no intended implications on the factual nature of evolution.

Introduction
Evolve is a CCG where players attempt to evolve a single celled organism into a progressively more complex organism, or prevent the apposing player from controlling any organisms for multiple consecutive turns. These goals can be achieved through playing one's own organisms which a player must nurture into more complex, and more powerful organisms.

This game uses actual microbial species and phyla for it's organisms. While not always scientifically accurate, this method was chosen as a way to create "factions" and prevent players from mixing and matching any cards they want. In order to evolve an organism into the next tier of organisms a player must evolve their organism into an organism of the same phylum which is listed as a card subtype.

This game is being designed specifically with LackeyCCG in mind. Evolve is meant to be a CCG that plays relatively quickly and shouldn't be too difficult to learn. Because Evolve is geared toward LackeyCCG, the cards lack any type of rarity. Instead, stronger cards will require an additional DNA cost. DNA costs are harder to pay because the DNA resource builds up slowly, but if one is able to play a higher costing DNA card it is often worth the effort.

When a card type or sub-type is referenced, it is put in italics for clarification.

Winning the Game
Three methods for winning Evolves exist:

• The first player to evolve a 3rd tier organism wins the game.
  
• If your opponent does not control a non-food organism at the end of 3 of your own consecutive turns, you win.
  
• If your opponent cannot draw a card (because no cards remain in their deck) when told to draw a card, you win.

The Cards
There are 4 main types of cards in Evolves, but most have important sub-types that can greatly effect when and how they are played, or how they behave once played:

Organisms
Organisms come in two types: food and non-food (food organisms are labeled as such, organisms not labeled food are implicitly non-food and will almost always be labeled with a phylum). Food organisms provide a way for most non-food organisms to acquire energy. Food organisms can be stressed like non-food organisms, but generally cannot take any actions and controlling food organisms won't save you from losing the game.

Non-food organisms are the most important cards in the game. Non-food organisms will usually have 2 sub types - a phylum which determines what types of organisms it can evolve into and/or from, and a tier which determines when the organism can be played.

The card type for non-food organisms will be listed as: Organism - Phylum - Tier #

Phlyum will be the proper scientific name for the phylum that the organism belongs to (usually, some organisms may have their phylum changed for game play purposes).

Non-food organisms can take actions such as consume, attack, divide, and evolve. Non-food organisms are used to meet the game's two easiest win conditions - evolving a 3rd tier organism or preventing your opponent from controlling non-food organisms for multiple consecutive turns.


Events
Events also come in two types. Normal events can be played by a player in response to any action (except an event being played) that occurs during the game due to their opponent's action (or when detailed by the card itself). Exact rules on when events can be played are detailed later. After playing and resolving, events go to the discard pile.

When an event is played, there is a specific type of event that can be played in response. This special type of event is called an event response. These cards work just like events, but can only be played in response to a card with the event type (and NOT the response subtype).


Mutations
Mutations are cards that, when played, are attached to an organism in play. Mutations can only be played on non-food organisms unless the mutation specifically says otherwise. Additionally, mutations can be played on any non-food organism in play, including organisms controlled by your opponent.

If an organism leaves play for any reason, all mutations attached to that organism go to the mutation owner's discard pile.

Statuses
Status cards are cards with numerous subtypes such as environmental and natural selection. Once played, status cards remain in play until another card removes them from play. The text of status cards is considered to affect all organisms in play regardless of who controls them.

Additionally, only 1 status of each subtype can be in play at one time.

All status cards are considered to have the following card text implicitly which can be used only while it is in a player's hand:

"Pay the Manipulation Point cost of a status in play with this status's sub type and discard this card: the chosen status in play ends, put that status into it's owner's discard pile."

Card Costs and Resources
There are two resources used to pay the cost of cards. First, and perhaps most importantly, is DNA. At the start of the game, each player has 3 DNA. At the start of each player's turn, that player gains 1 DNA. Most organisms have a DNA cost to be played. Evolving an organism has a DNA cost that must be played. Some powerful cards have an additional DNA cost, or a DNA cost where cards of it's type normally have none.

The other type of resource which is far more static is called Manipulation Points. Manipulation Points are the primary cost of all cards and player's start each of their turns with 5 Manipulation Points. These Manipulation Points are not only used to play card's during a player's turn, but they're also used to play events during an opponent's turn.

Some cards can effect the amount of Manipulation Points or DNA that one has, and most non-food organisms can divide in order to provide additional DNA to their controller.

Finally, although not a card cost, organisms build up their own supply of energy represented by tokens placed on the organism. Each organism gains and keeps track of it's own energy supply. Most organisms gain energy through consuming food organisms (or by killing other non-food organisms) but some organisms can use principles of photosynthesis to consume light and produce their own energy. A non-food organism cannot have more energy stored than it needs to evolve (as part of it's evolve cost); any excess energy it would gain is simply lost. Energy is usually required to perform any action the organism takes except the consume action.

Event Response Cards
Event cards can be played at a variety of times and will be listed in the "Walking through a Turn" section. When the "Walking through a Turn" section refers to an event card, it means a non-event response card.

Event response cards can be played only in response to an event being played that is not a event response. Before the event is evaluated (but after it is revealed and all costs have been payed for it and any choices listed on the event card are made) the opposite player (the player who did NOT play the event) may choose to play an event response card. If they choose to play such a card, than the event response card is evaluated and (unless the event response says otherwise) the event is evaluated after.

If the opposite player chooses NOT to play an event response card, the primary player (the player who played the event) then has the option of playing an event response card (and ONLY if the opposite player chose not to). If they choose to play an event response card, the event response card is evaluated first, and then the event card.

If neither player plays an event response card, the event is evaluated as normal.

If an event allows the player playing the event to choose 1 or more cards and, after evaluating an event response, at least one of the choices made for that event are no longer valid, the event is still evaluated but any parts of the event dependent on the ineligible choice(s) are ignored.

Consuming Food and Organism Stress
To gain energy, a non-food organism usually needs to consume food organisms. When consumed, the food organism will list how much energy the organism doing the consuming gains. A non-food organism cannot gain more energy than it takes for it to evolve (unless card text says otherwise). If it would gain more energy than it needs to evolve, all the excess energy is lost.

Despite how this may sound, consuming a food organism doesn't necessarily remove that food organism from play.

Food organisms are considered to exist in colonies (multiple individual cells growing next to each other). When a food organism is consumed it becomes stressed. A stressed organism (food or non-food) is turned 90 degrees to show that it has been stressed. Food organisms will unstress at the start of their controller's next turn.

Anytime an organism (either non-food or food) would be stressed when it is already stressed, the organism dies and is placed in it's owner's discard pile.

Player's may choose to consume any food organism in play, including food organisms they do not control. If they choose a food organism they do not control, however, the player who controls that food organism will have the option to use an attack action on the consuming organism with one of their own organisms that is not stressed. If the player controlling the food organism chooses to attack the other player's non-food organism, they must pay any costs to do so.

Once the attack is declared, the player controlling the consuming organism (not the attacking organism) gets the first chance to play an event card. If they choose not to play an event card, the player controlling the attacking organism may play an event card instead.

If the consuming non-food organism is not removed from play and no card text says otherwise, the consuming organism then consumes the food organism normally (even if the consuming organism has become stressed).

Duplicating and Evolving Organisms
Most non-food organisms have a duplicate and evolve ability. These abilities can only be used when the organism is not stressed.

Duplication represents the reproduction of a microorganism in the Evolve CCG. Duplication will usually list an energy cost and an amount of DNA that the organism's controller gains when the organism duplicates. Duplication may also have additional effects or an effect besides gaining DNA.

Non-food organisms come in 3 tiers, tiers 1, 2, and 3, which will be listed in the card's sub type. When a non-food organism evolves, it is moved to it's owner's discard pile but it's energy and any mutations attached to it are moved to an organism that is one tier higher and was played from it's controller's hand.

For example, if a tier 1 organism evolves, any remaining energy on it (usually none) and any mutations attached to it are moved to a tier 2 organism that is played from the tier 1 organism's controller's hand while the tier 1 organism is moved to it's owner's discard pile.

A tier 2 organism can only be played after paying the evolve cost of a tier 1 organism and swapping the tier 1 organism out for the tier 2 organism.

Similarly, a tier 3 organism can only be played after paying the evolve cost of a tier 2 organism and swapping the tier 2 organism out for the tier 3 organism.

Additionally, when evolving an organism, the organism you select to evolve it into must have the same phylum (a non-food organism card subtype) as the organism you are evolving.

Tier 3 organisms will also list an evolve cost. Unlike tier 1 and 2 organisms however, tier 3 organisms do not get swapped out for a higher tier organism. Instead, if a player pays the evolve cost for a tier 3 organism, events can be played as described below and - unless a card's text says otherwise - the player evolving the tier 3 organism wins the game.

Starting a Game
Player's determine who will go first by a means they both agree on. This can commonly be done by flipping a coin, rolling a die, or revealing the bottom card of a deck and comparing Manipulation Point cost.

Player's each draw 5 cards. If a player draws no non-food organisms and has not claimed a mulligan already, they may reveal their hand and claim a free mulligan allowing them to put their cards on the bottom of their deck and redraw 5 cards. Each player is entitled to 1 mulligan (other than a free mulligan, if applicable). If they claim their mulligan the player may place the cards on the bottom of their deck, shuffle, and draw 5 new cards.

The first player follows their turn as normal (described below) but they do not draw a card during their Begin Turn Step, and they do not gain 1 DNA during their Begin Turn Step either. This applies only to the first player of the game on their first turn.

Turn Steps
A list, in order, of the steps in a turn:

• Begin Turn Step
  
• Main Turn Step
  
• End of Turn Step

Walking through a Turn
The player whose turn it currently is is referred to as the "current player." Their opponent is referred to as "the opponent."

Begin Turn Step
A player begins their turn with the begin turn step.

Any Manipulation Points the current player are lost.
The current player then draws 1 card, gains 1 DNA, and then gains 5 Manipulation Points.
The current player unstresses all their food organisms, and may unstress 1 stressed non-food organism.
The current player may spend 1 DNA to unstress a stressed non-food organism.

After this, any abilities that happen at the start of the current player's turn, or at the start of any player's turn are now evaluated. If more than one abilities trigger and the order is important, the order they are evaluated is determined by the current player.

Once any triggering abilities are evaluated, the opponent may play an event card if they wish. If they do play an event card and it is evaluated, or if they choose not to play an event card, the current player can then play their own event card. This process repeats until both players do not play any event cards.

Main Turn Step
During this step, the current player may play organism cards, mutation cards, and status cards from their hand.

Additionally, the current player may choose actions for their non-food organisms that are not stressed during this step. All actions a non-food organism can take are listed on the card (except possibly consume). A non-food organism can take only 1 action per turn unless it's card text says otherwise.

Unless the non-food organism lists it's own consume action on the card, the non-food organism is considered to have the following ability:

"Consume: Consume a food organism in play (if an opponent controls that food organism, they may choose to have one of their organisms use an attack action on this organism first - if this organism survives, it consumes the chosen food organism even if it has become stressed)."

The order the current player chooses to play cards or take actions with organisms is entirely up to the current player.

Whenever the current player choose to play a card or take an action, pays all associated costs, and makes all choices listed on the card or for that action, the opposing player then has the first chance to play an event card. If they choose not to play an event card the current player then has the opportunity to play an event card.

If the current player does not play any cards and takes no actions neither play may play any event cards.

End Turn Step
If the current player has more than 5 cards in their hand, they discard 1 card.
No player's may play events during this step.

[Dragoon]

Usually, all small organisms are food for bigger organisms who are food for even bigger organisms, etc...

It should be better to list what kind of food a organism provides.. (for example, meat & fruit) And list organisms to consume one of these foods. Certain organisms (such as plants) could be used to simpely provide food.

I will add some more stuff later..

[ialsoagree]

All organisms are microorganisms (single celled). Actually, I currently only plan to add bacteria, but may include other microorganisms in the future. So, other than photosynthesis, the only food source will be other microorganisms.

I haven't detailed attacking yet, I originally planned for attacking to be entirely covered by card text, but because you'll have a way of gaining energy by killing non-food organisms, I will add a detailed section for attacking soon.

[laser12]

Sound good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[Greg 1]

Disclaimer: This is intended to be a fun game. While the premise may surround a potentially controversial issue, it is not intended to spark debate but rather act as the premise for a CCG that makes no intended implications on the factual nature of evolution.

I strongly suggest that you don't put this disclaimer in the rules.  Of the people who would play a game based on evolution, you are likely to upset a significant proportion by calling evolution "controversial".  Magic the Gathering doesn't need to point out that it isn't commenting on the existance of Elves.

Introduction
Evolve is a CCG where players attempt to evolve a single celled organism into a progressively more complex organism, or prevent the apposing player from controlling any organisms for multiple consecutive turns.

A clearer goal stated up front would be good.  After stating the goal, I would tell the players how they attempt to achieve it.  But the first thing to do is to tell the players what they are aiming at - what counts as victory.  Actually, I'm still not clear on what it is the players are trying to do.  Frist to build a duck?  First to eat the other players?  I'm sure it is in your rules somewhere but I'd like it to be the very first thing.  Its the point of playing after all.

Thes
This game uses actual microbial species and phyla for it's organisms. While not always scientifically accurate, this method was chosen as a way to create "factions" and prevent players from mixing and matching any cards they want.

I suggest you get the factions up front too.  After the goal, this is usually the most immediately interesting thing about a game.

Winning the Game
Three methods for winning Evolves exist:

• The first player to evolve a 3rd tier organism wins the game.

OK - that's sort of the goal, but I don't know what a 3rd tier organism is.  Can you state clearly what that means without using any game terms?

• If your opponent does not control a non-food organism at the end of 3 of your own consecutive turns, you win.

Why?  Why is that a losing position to be in?

Organisms
Organisms come in two types: food and non-food (food organisms

What (in non-game terms) is the difference?  Aren't all organisms food?

Great idea for a game![/list]