Magyarcana
A 2 player territorial battle inspired by Zarcana, Gnostica, and Zark City
GOAL: Control the most valuable territories at the end of the game
EQUIPMENT:
SETUP:
THE WORLD:
The world of Magyarcana is laid out in a repeated pattern where each time a new card is added it is added at a 90 degree angle to its neighbors. Cards on the board are referred to as “Territories”. The board represents a continent on an oddly shaped three dimensional world. If a minion moves off the "edge" of the board, it wraps around as best as possible to the opposite territory. It is possible that in certain layouts, a minion moving off of the board from one territory would simply appear on the same territory it started from.
If a card's power allows a player to change or remove a territory, the player can choose to affect any territory on the board. Note that this may result in a territory becoming disconnected.
OCCUPYING VS CONTROLLING A TERRITORY:
A minion occupies any territory that they are on. If the total number of pips on all of your minions in a territory is equal to or greater than the total number of pips on all of your opponent’s minions in that same territory, you control the territory. To use the suit power of a territory, you must control it.
DISCONNECTED TERRITORIES:
If a player creates a situation in which an unoccupied territory is no longer accessible via movement, then that territory is removed from the board. If an occupied territory is no longer accessible via movement it remains on the board and can be reconnected to the rest of the board later.
TERRITORIAL LIMITS:
Territories have a limited capacity for how many minions they can support. For number cards, the number of the card determines how many pips can be present in that territory, regardless of the number of minions present in the territory. For example, a territory with the number 7 has the capacity to support 2 3-minions and a 1-minion, or 3 2-minions and a 1-minion. A minion may move through a territory that has no capacity, but the minion may not end movement on a territory with no capacity.
Face cards have a hard limit of three minions, regardless of the number of pips on those minions.
PLAYING THE GAME
The game is played in a series of turns. After randomly determining the first player, each player alternates turns.
ON YOUR TURN: On your turn you may perform one of three actions:
END OF THE GAME:
The game ends if the discard pile would need to be shuffled to create a new deck for the third time. Alternately, if a player needs to draw a card and both the deck and the discard pile are empty, the game ends immediately.
Scoring
For each number card territory, the player who controls the territory scores a number of points equal to the value of the card (For example the player who controls the 8 of Bells scores 8 points.) For each face card territory, the controlling player scores 11 points.
The player with the most points at the end of the game wins. If there is a tie, the player who controls the most territories wins. If there is still a tie, players rejoice in their shared victory.
CARD POWERS:
All number cards have what is referred to as a “Suit Power”. If a player chooses to resolve the power of a territory or plays a number card from their hand, they resolve the suit power of that card. There are four suit powers:
Acorns - Add minions and territory to the board
You may add a territory to the board. Then you must place a 1-minion on any territory with capacity.
Bells - Expel an opponent's minion.
The current player chooses a territory occupied by both players. The current player then chooses an opponent's minion to attempt to expel. Each player counts the TOTAL number of pips on their minions in the territory and rolls a die. If the attacking player's sum of pips plus die roll is greater than the opponent, the opponent's minion is expelled to an adjacent territory. If no adjacent territory has capacity, the expelled minion is returned to its owner. (If the players tie or the current player’s roll is less than the opponent, nothing happens.)
Hearts - Move one of your minions
Choose one of your minions in a territory and move it in a straight line up to the number of pips on the minion. (1-minion moves 1, 2-minion moves up to 2, 3-minion moves up to 3. A piece may not move 0 spaces.) A minion cannot change direction while moving, and may not end its movement on a territory if it would exceed that territory's capacity.
Leaves - Grow a minion or replace a territory
Either grow one of your minions by one size or discard a territory and replace it with another larger territory from your hand. (A face card can replace any face card.) Any minions that were on the replaced territory are placed on the new territory.
SPECIAL POWERS:
Face cards that are territories act just like number cards (with the exception of the different capacity). If a face card is played from the hand, however, the player may choose to resolve the card's suit power OR its special power. You can see details of the special powers on the player reference below.
Magyarcana Player Reference
Turn Actions, One Per Turn | ||
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Suit and Face Card Powers | ||
ACORNS (Add) | You may add a territory to the board. Add a 1-minion to any territory with capacity. | |
Ace | Draw 4 cards. | |
King | Draw two cards from the discard pile. | |
Knave | Perform an Acorn power twice. | |
BELLS (Expel) | Choose an opponent’s minion in a territory you occupy. Both players roll a die and compare pips + die. If your total is higher, move the opponent's minion to an adjacent territory. | |
Ace | Perform a Hearts power (Move), then perform a Bells power (Expel). | |
King | Perform a Bell power with a minion adding +2 to your die roll. | |
Knave | Perform a Bells power twice. | |
HEARTS (Move) | Choose one of your minions. Move that minion in a straight line up to its number of pips. | |
Ace | Move any minion (including your opponent’s) to any other territory. | |
King | Choose one of your minions. Perform a Heart power with that minion. That minion may change direction while performing this movement. | |
Knave | Perform a Hearts power twice. | |
LEAVES (Growth) | Grow a minion by one size OR replace a territory with a higher numbered territory from your hand. | |
Ace | Choose a card in the discard pile and add it to the board as a territory. You may place a 1-minion on that territory. | |
King | Remove a territory from the board. (Minions return to their owner.) | |
Knave | Perform a Leaves power twice. |