Level UP! Heroes

This is a player vs player fantasy card game that's all about levelling up your Heroes to win the game! The game shares some of the same elements as Yu-Gi-Oh and Pokémon but retains unique elements. It is unique in that cards can be moved between multiple areas on the field and will activate new abilities depending on where they are currently placed. The game play takes approximately about 1-2 hours for most new players as they try to learn the rules.

 

Below is How to Play 

(There is a guidebook attached to the files. For anyone who doesn't want to read large chunks of text and just wants to attempt to play it and learn as they go, jump down to where it says "To start" and refer to the guidebook Symbols page and the Board where needed.)

Each player has a main deck consisting of 60 cards, and a side deck that has 20 cards. The main deck has Level 1 Hero (Light Blue), Companion (Yellow), and Supporter (Green) cards, Spell cards (Pinkish Purple), and World (Dark Purple) cards. 

The side deck contains Level 2 (Red) and Level 3 (Dark Blue) Hero, Companion, and Supporter cards. Players have consistent access to the side deck but must meet the requirements before they can use the level ups. 

 

The goal of the game is to be the first player to receive 30 Reward Points on a longer game, and 20 on a shorter game.  Players are given 4 Energy and 4 Spells to use on their turn, and this resets at the beginning of their next turn.  World cards have no limits. Energy is used to Summon cards, use Actions, or Swap a cards position.

The board has 3 main areas, which are the Hero zone (summoning cost 2 energy), Companion zone (summoning cost 1 energy), and Supporter zone (summoning cost 1 energy). There is also the Fallen zone AKA the discard pile, and the World zone, which is a shared space between players, and marks the midway point between both fields.  There are 2 Hero zones, 1 Companion zone, and 4 Supporter zones.

 

Level 1 cards have two potential placements listed on them and dual colours. There is also an icon in the bottom right of the card to say how much Soul Points (health system) a card has in the big pale red circle, in the top right circle suggest the primary position, the circle below that suggests the secondary position, the bottom right light gray circle is the amount of Reward Points your Opponent receives from Knocking Out that card, and the bottom left (Purple) circle is the cards typing (currently C for Cybernetic, N for Nature, and S for Spirit. Each has a little symbol too).  

Level 2 and 3 cards will lock you into one position on the board. Think carefully about what your next move is! Companions and Supporters don't go past Level 2, only Heroes go to Level 3. Each has requirements listed on the cards. 

 

You Knock Out cards by reducing the Opponents cards Soul Points to 0. This is how you receive Reward Points. Hero cards in the Hero Position may use Actions, which typically have a sword, bow, bomb, or bow sword symbol. There are other Action symbols which are explained in the guidebook. The symbols on the Action indicate which area on the field they may target.  Sword targets Hero, Bow targets Companion/Supporter, Bomb targets field, Bow Sword targets any of the zones. The amount of Energy they cost is shown with a blue dot. 

Companion abilities are signified by the Wolf symbol and will only work if they are in the Companion zone. This will typically be on the second line of the card.

Supporter abilities are signified by the Pillar symbol and will only work if they are in the Companion zone. This can be on the second or third line of the card.

Passive abilities are signified by a Half Sun symbol and can work regardless of where it is on the field or in your hand. This will be on the first line of the card.

Level Up requirements are signified by an Arrow symbol and will tell you what you need to achieve that Level Up for that card. This will be on the first line of the card.

Discard does not count as a Knock Out, and if an effect specifies Discard your Opponent will not claim Reward Points. 

 

To start 

Players each draw 6 cards. Players will look at their hand, and at this stage if a player is unhappy with their hand, they may take a mulligan. This works in this game by putting up to 3 cards back into your deck, shuffling, and drawing the same amount as you put back. For each time you do this that your Opponent does not, they may draw an extra card. 

Then Flip a coin, and call heads or tail. If you don't have a coin, do paper-scissors-rock. Whoever wins may choose to go first or second. 

The first Player will draw 1 card, then begin their turn. They start with 4 Energy to work with and 4 Spell slots they can use. On the first players first turn, they cannot use Actions which are signified with little blue circles under a symbol to indicate it costs energy. They can choose to Summon cards, Swap cards positions (1 Energy), use Spell cards (4 max), use World cards, and Declare Abilities. The Player will then declare when their turn is over, and the next player will begin. 

On a standard turn, the Player will draw 1 card and start with 4 Energy and 4 Spell Slots, then they may choose to: Summon cards, Level Up, Use Actions, Swap cards positions (1 Energy), use Spell cards (4 max), use World cards, and Declare Abilities. The Player will then declare when their turn is over, and the next Player will begin. 

This decks name that I have provided for a demo is called Quartel's Quintessential Quest. The story behind it is that Dr Valentine Quartel, the card the deck is based around, is struggling after the loss of her wife Harriet Quartel and is going out with her family unit to find a way to bring her back. In search of the Asphodel of Life, will you be the one to help bring her back, Hero?