Ok so like I may not write this but I thought of another AU. So Zyuranger was the basis for MMPR right and in that season the rangers were part of these ancient tribes that lived over 170 million years ago.
What if, just hear me out.
You take MMPR, Dino Thunder and Dino Charge, combine them with a few elements here and there. Explore a concept of a humanoid tribe that existed all those years ago, say like their name is Zyudrians or something(I can fix the name if it's bad 😭). Maybe have some pointy ears or a bit of scaley skin. I could see them having cool clothing like the zyurangers but also maybe dinosaur related stuff like scales etc.
They lived on a huge continent across the world from Pangea in the Pacific. Maybe Zordon also came in contact with them at some point and with extinct concepts and maybe lost materials of the world they built a bit of an advanced society.
Due to Zordon's involvement they may have also gotten the use of powers. Maybe some relating to dinosaurs(It's stated Zordon was a wizard so possibly magic?)
I'd assume this world might've had tribes or houses, like a similar equivalent to zyuranger. Lived for millions of years amongst dinosaurs and things went pretty well.
Maybe a conflict due to Zordon's presence began. Like if Lord Arcanon or Rita made an appearance and wreaked havoc, that could lead to the Zyudrians turning on each other and in the end the greatest power on earth was its own enemy.
I feel like the continent would end up experiencing an earthquake with volcanoes or a meteor that isn't a planetary threats wipes the kingdom off the map, the continent sinks into the earth and there's no trace of their existence left.
I feel like the cataclysm would have some pieces of the continent flying around the place and landing around pangea, making way for dinosaurs to continue existing. Oh and maybe the remnants of one tribe survived and they decided to live on the mainland of the new continent.
Over time they may have evolved, hid away when that one asteroid killed the dinosaurs and came back integrating into human civilization. Which leads me to think that the kingdom of Zandar could be their descendants.
Say like there's been legends over the years that the royal families blood is old, ancient and stuff. So we could get a cool story with Phillip and Ivan.
As for the other rangers. Maybe a few like Tommy could be reincarnations of some important Zyudrians. Imagine if Tommy and Kim were royals in their past life and eventually found themselves back to one another like a destined love story of sorts. One died in the others arms, oh god I have too much swirling around in my mind.
Or maybe the same situation with Riley and Chase, ooh like if Riley was some mystic scholar back in those times and Chase used to be some type of vigilante that took him on adventures.
Perhaps the antagonist of this au could be someone trying to bring back the ancient kingdom. Use humans as vessels for the lost civilization's souls, imagine if Mesogog was in this and we see his reaction to everything.
Anyways, how does this idea sound, like is it interesting? If I ever did get to writing it then I'd have to plan it later on, but what does everyone think? Who knows I might just keep it as a small idea in my head
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Kingdoms of Arcanon - Development Journal: Overview & Basic Rules
Development Journal Entry #1
GAME OVERVIEW
Kingdoms of Arcanon is a Trading Card Game (TCG) designed and developed by Kieran Ponsonby and Published by RealmCraft Studios. Kingdoms of Arcanon brilliantly fuses elements of traditional TCGs with those of battle-strategy and tabletop war games to bring a unique and dynamic gameplay experience.
In a game of Kingdoms of Arcanon players will choose to play as one of nine kingdoms, all locked in a gruesome war with one another, and battle it out for victory. Each kingdom has its own unique play style and player race as well as banner colour, ideology, and resource export, offering a multitude of choices for players to utilize.
At the beginning of each game, players will choose their battlefield and draw a starting hand of six cards from their Player Deck. The Player Deck is a player-constructed deck of 60 cards (in a standard format game) and contains their kingdom’s heroic and mighty Character Cards that make up their army along with other cards such as; Attack, Defense Cards, and Item Cards. Each player also has a player-constructed Resource Deck of 40 cards which they draw from to add to their Resource Pool to pay the cost of cards from the Player Deck.
Kingdoms of Arcanon is a turn-based game, meaning players take turns drawing a card from their Player Deck, rolling their Resource Die and adding to their Resource Pool, and attacking and defending against one another. The objective of the game is to defeat your opponent in battle in one of three ways; life drain (reducing your opponent’s total Life Points to zero), resource drain (depleting your opponent’s Resource Deck to zero), and ruler knockout (attacking the Ruler Card when no other cards are in play). In Kingdoms of Arcanon, players will create and execute diverse and dynamic strategies to get the upper hand in battle and defeat their opponent.
With its complex and unique mechanics and gameplay, Kingdoms of Arcanon is a game that combines strategy, tactics, and luck, while providing an engaging and challenging experience for players. With nine kingdoms to choose from, each with its unique playstyle, and a vast selection of cards, players can experiment with different strategies and approaches to achieve victory.
INTRODUCTORY NOTES
Like many new Tabletop Game Developers and Designers, I started Kingdoms of Arcanon at the height of the Covid-19 Pandemic back in 2020. After being laid off from work and forced into isolation, I began and created the first renditions of the game. The first iteration of the game was called Quest TCG, and then Abaddon's Gate, before eventually landing on Kingdoms of Arcanon. There were also many iterations of the card templates (see below), rulebook, website, etc. which is totally normal for any new game or game designer (or so I'm told).
Over the years, the game evolved into what it is today. And it's still evolving. Sometimes months go by without much change or evolution, and sometimes there's so much that gets done in a week that it seems to be an entirely new and improved game!
Today we will focus on the basics on how to play the game, and will mostly be an excerpt of the Rulebook along with some development notes and a quick overview. But every week, sometimes multiple times per week, I'll be providing more and more Game Development Journal updates for Arcanon, so keep checking back in for more updates and info on the game and its production.
To be honest, I started with the first version of the rulebook, a 30-ish page document typed up over a couple days after a dream led me to come up with the initial game concept. This rulebook has currently been through about fourteen solid and thorough revisions to become what it is today, which is "Version 1.0" (The first publicly published version of the rules, but I'm sure they'll be revised another fourteen times).
Next, I was quick to hop on Photoshop and start playing with ideas. I knew there would be Nine Kingdoms, therefore, nine colours of character cards. As you can see, the card layouts have changed drastically over the years into what I have decided on to be the final templates.
There will be standard (bordered) base cards, borderless artist cards and other rare variants such as holographic foil and limited edition chase cards to improve collectibility and rarity among cards.
The final design features a unique border and template to it that fits the game's theme and lore quite well. I'm quite happy with how the cards turned out, even though I'm always tempted to try and make yet another rendition of the card templates just for good measure...But! Until then, this is what we're sticking with!
RULES OVERVIEW
Objective
The objective of the game is to emerge victorious in battle against your opponent. There are three main ways to do so, as well as some powerful cards and combinations that can also end the game. The three main ways to win are life point depletion (life drain), war of attrition (resource drain), and ruler knockout.
Life Drain
The most common way to win is to make your opponent’s Life Points (LP) reach zero while defending your own. Each player begins with 3,000LP in a standard format game. The first player to reach zero Life Points loses the game. If both players reach zero Life Points at the same time, the player with the most Character Cards on the battlefield wins.
Players lose Life Points every time one of their Characters Cards is defeated and discarded. Players lose Life Points equal to that of the discarded Character Card’s Defense Level. For example, if you started the game with 3,000LP but your Character Card with 300 Defense was defeated in battle, you would have 2,700LP remaining.
To defeat a card in battle, the attacking card must overpower the defending card. To do this, the attacking card must have a Damage Total (DMG) that is higher than the defending card’s Defense Level. For example, if the attacking card has an Attack Level of 50 and an Attack Die of 1xd4, and the result of the die was a 3, the Damage Total (DMG) would be 150. If the Defense Level of the defending card was 150 or lower then that card is defeated and discarded. If its Defense Level was 200 or higher, the card would remain intact and on the battlefield.
Resource Drain
The second most common way to win is to deplete your opponent’s Resource Deck. This is called a Resource Drain or a War of Attrition. If a player has no more resource cards to draw from their Resource Deck at the beginning of their turn they lose the game. There are several ways to drain your opponent’s resources including special items cards and certain abilities and effects.
Ruler Knockout
A ruler knockout happens when there are no more Character Cards on the battlefield to defend the Ruler Card in play. Players may choose to attack their opponent’s Ruler Card directly if there are no other cards in play on their opponent’s side of the Battlefield, including the Holding Line. You cannot perform a Ruler Knockout until turn 6 or later. You keep track of turns using a turn counter (d6 die).
SETTING UP A GAME
Basic Setup
At the beginning of the game players will start by choosing their battlefield and setting it up with their Player Deck and Resource Pool. Players then shuffle their deck thoroughly and draw a starting hand of six cards. Players flip a coin to see who goes first. The player who goes first does not draw on their first turn.
Mulligan’s (Redrawing Your Hand)
If a player does not like their starting hand they may take what is called a “mulligan,” in which they may shuffle their hand back into their deck and re-draw a new hand of cards, however, they must draw one less card per mulligan that they take.
CARD TYPES
In the world of Kingdoms of Arcanon, there are six main types of cards that players can utilize in battle. These are Character Cards, Attack Cards, Defense Cards, Item Cards, Resource Cards, and Ruler Cards.
Character Cards
These are the cards that players use to attack and defend against their opponents on the battlefield. Character Cards are divided into three Classes: Fighters, Spell-Casters, and Creatures. Each card has unique attributes, such as Attack, Defense, Level, and Resource Cost, as well as an Attack and Ability as indicated on the card. Additionally, each card has Movement and Range Levels that determine that card's ability to move and attack from a distance.
Attack Cards
These cards are used to add an Attack Bonus to a Character Card, increasing the Damage Total (DMG) dealt when attacking. Attack Cards can be attached to cards on the battlefield, excluding the Holding Line, and each Character Card can only have one Attack Card attached to it at any given time. There are three main types of Attack Cards: Weapons, Spells, and Special Attacks. Weapons can only be attached to Fighter-type Character Cards, whereas Spells can only be used by Spell-Casters and Special Attacks can be used by any Character Card. Creature Cards cannot use Weapons or Spells.
Defense Cards
These cards are used to boost a Character Card's Defense when blocking enemy attacks. Like Attack Cards, Defense Cards can also be attached to a Character Card on the battlefield, excluding the Holding Line, with each Character Card only able to have one Defense Card attached to it at any given time. There are three main types of Defense Cards: Armor, Barriers, and Dodges. Armor can only be equipped and worn by Fighter-type Character Cards, whereas Barriers can only be used by Spell-Casters and Dodges can be used by any Character Card. Creature Cards cannot use Armor or Barriers.
Item Cards
In a game of Kingdoms of Arcanon, players can make use of a variety of Item Cards to gain an advantage in battle. These cards can provide bonus actions or powerful effects, as well as allow players to draw additional cards, add resources, and restore Life Points. Each Character Card on the battlefield, excluding the Holding Line, can have up to three Item Cards attached to it, and there are three main types of Item Cards: Tools, Artifacts, and Potions. Tools are only able to be attached to Fighter-type Character Cards, while Artifacts can only be attached to Spell-Caster-type Character Cards. Potions, on the other hand, can be attached to any type of Character Card. Creature Cards cannot use Tools or Artifacts.
Resource Cards
Resource Cards are a crucial component of gameplay in Kingdoms of Arcanon. These cards are used to pay the Resource Cost of other cards, such as Character Cards and Item Cards, and enable players to bring them into play on the battlefield. There are nine different types of Resource Cards, each corresponding to a specific kingdom and region in the world of Arcanon. Players must have exactly 40 Resource Cards in their deck to play the game, with a maximum of three of any given Special Resource and one of any Legendary Resource that adds more than one resource cost to the Resource Pool.
Ruler Cards
Ruler Cards play a central role in the gameplay of Kingdoms of Arcanon. These double-sided cards represent the official ruler of a kingdom on one side and the leader of a rogue faction within that kingdom on the other. When playing the game, players must choose which side of the Ruler Card they wish to use, each of which has its own attributes and abilities. You can choose whichever side of the card you please, however, if you are facing off against a deck of the same colour as you, one player must play as the kingdom’s ruler and the other as the rogue faction leader.
Ruler Cards also grant unique benefits and abilities that can be activated once per game. These abilities can range from defensive measures to offensive attacks and can provide a significant advantage in battle. Players must carefully consider which side of their Ruler Card to use, as it will shape their strategy and approach to the game. Ruler Cards also determine the Resource Cost for building barricades.
BATTLEFIELDS
Preparing For Battle
In Kingdoms of Arcanon, players have access to a variety of battlefields to choose from when playing a game. With a variety of battlefields at their disposal, players can tailor their strategy to the specific conditions of each match and strive for victory.
Deck
Each player must have a deck of exactly 60 cards at their disposal. In addition to this deck, players also have a Ruler Card. Before each game, players must shuffle their decks thoroughly and place them face-down on the battlefield.
Discard Pile
The Discard Pile is where players place any cards that become defeated or discarded during gameplay. This pile is kept face-up on the battlefield for easy reference.
Resource Pool
The Resource Pool is a separate deck consisting of 40 Resource Cards that players can draw from to pay the Resource Cost of other cards. The types of Resources included in this deck are determined by the kingdom and region that a player is representing in the game.
Ruler Card
The Ruler Card is placed on the side of the battlefield and represents the leader of a player's kingdom or the leader of a rogue faction within that kingdom. Rulers do not advance or retreat on the battlefield and remain in this location for the duration of the game. Players may activate their Ruler's special ability once per game.
Lines of Combat
Front Line
This is where players should place Character Cards that have only one Range Level, as they are not able to attack from a distance. This line is also suitable for powerful creatures and any other cards that players wish to engage in close combat.
Defense Lines
These two lines are suitable for Character Cards with higher Range Levels, such as two or three, as they can attack from a distance. Players must also advance from the Holding Line through the Defense Lines to get to the Front Line.
Holding Line
Cards in the Holding Line are being prepared for battle and cannot attack or defend until they are advanced onto the battlefield. Players may place up to six Character Cards in their Holding Line on their turn, but may only advance one card from the Holding Line per turn. To play cards into the Holding Line, players must first pay the Resource Cost associated with that card by discarding the indicated amount of resources from the Resource Pool. If you do not have enough resources to pay the cost of the card you cannot place them into the Holding Line. Additionally, cards must remain in the Holding Line for one turn, unless otherwise noted, until they can advance onto the battlefield.
RANGE & MOVEMENT
Range Levels
The Range Level of a Character Card determines how far it can attack from on the Battlefield. A Character with a Range Level of one can only attack from the Front Line, whereas a Character with a Range Level of two or three can attack from the Defense Lines or the Front Line. Each Line of Combat counts as one Range Level.
Movement Levels
The Movement Level of a Character Card determines how far it can advance or retreat on the Battlefield during the Movement Phase of a turn. A Character can move forward or backward lines of combat equal to or less than its Movement Level. When moving through spaces on the Battlefield, each space takes one Movement Level to pass through unless there is difficult terrain activated in that space, in which case it may take more than one Movement Level or restrict movement altogether.
Retreating
Players may move cards back Lines of Combat, which is called Retreating. When Retreating the Character Card can only move back Lines of Combat equal to that of its Movement Level. Additionally, when Retreating, the Character Card must discard all attached Attack, Defense, and Item Cards equipped.
Barricades
During the Build Phase of combat, players may choose to build Barricades using any remaining resources in their Resource Pool. To do so, players must refer to their Ruler Card, which determines the Resource Cost for building Barricades. Different Ruler Cards have different Resource Costs associated with building Barricades.
For example, if a player enters the Build Phase with 4 resources remaining and wants to build a Barricade and their Ruler Card indicates a Resource Cost of 3, they may build a Barricade and place one Barricade Token in any unoccupied space on the battlefield. It is important to note that Barricades take up a card space on the battlefield. You may discard your Barricade at any time on your turn.
Barricades provide an additional 100 DEF (Defense) per resource card paid to build it. For example, if the Barricade cost 3 resources to build, it would provide an additional 300 DEF. Players may also pay additional resources to “fortify” their Barricades (add more Defense) or repair them if they are damaged at the cost of 1 resource per 100 additional DEF with a maximum of 1,000 DEF.
Unlike Character Cards, which must have their Defense Level beaten outright in combat, Barricades take damage over time. Players may have to keep track of their Barricade’s Defense Level as it goes up and down throughout the game. To do so, players may choose to write it down or use 1xd10 as a Barricade Token and adjust accordingly.
ATTACKING & DEFENDING
Attacking Your Opponent
During their Attack Phase players have the option to attack their opponent. Players may only attack with one Character Card per turn unless otherwise stated, such as an effect or ability.
To attack players must first decide which card they are attacking with as well as which card they are attacking. The attacking player then rolls their Attack Die and multiplies it by their Attack Level to determine their Damage Total (DMG). If the DMG is equal to or higher than the defending card’s Defense Level, that card is defeated and discarded. If the result is less than the Defense Level, the defending card remains intact and on the battlefield.
You’ll usually want to attack your opponent at some point in the game, but it may not always be wise to attack at every opportunity you can. Players must strategize and decide when is the best time to attack.
Defending and Countering Enemy Attacks
When you are being attacked by your opponent there are a few ways you can defend yourself or even counter enemy attacks. Certain Attack, Defense and Item cards allow you to deflect, counter or disarm your opponent’s attacks. Barricades also provide an extra level of defense when guarding against your opponent.
TURN PHASES
Draw Phase
All cards in the Resource Pool return to the bottom of the Resource Deck.
Draw a card from your Player Deck
Roll 1xd6 Resource Die
Draw cards equal to the result of the die roll from your Resource Deck and add them to the Resource Pool.
Prep Phase
Use the available resources in your Resource Pool to pay the cost associated with playing cards from your hand.
Character Cards must be placed in the Holding Line first and spend one turn there before advancing onto the battlefield.
Attach upgrades such as Attack and Defense Cards or use Item Cards.
Movement Phase
Advance Character Cards forward on the battlefield.
Retreat Character Cards back on the battlefield.
Build Phase
Build and fortify Barricades on the battlefield.
Attack Phase
Attack with the Character Card of choice.
Counterattacks (optional).
End Phase
Resolve all attacks, counters, and abilities.
Special Condition damage to added.
Bonus Phase: Ruler Actions
Activate Ruler Action or Ability
Opponent’s Turn
During your opponent's turn, they will follow the same phases of combat. You will also have the opportunity to use various counterattacks and effects to disrupt their strategy and protect your Character Cards on the Battlefield by using special attack cards, dodge cards, and barriers. It's important to anticipate your opponent's moves and plan to effectively use counterattacks and effects to your advantage. Keep in mind that your opponent also can use counterattacks and effects to defend against your attacks and protect their Character Cards.
Damage Totaling
Players use their Character Cards to attack and defeat their opponent’s Character Cards on the battlefield. When attacking a player must first find out their Damage Total (DMG). To do so, multiply the Attack Level or Base Attack by the result of the Attack Die roll. For example, if the Character Card attacking has an Attack Level of 80 and rolls a 6 on their Attack Die, they would do 480 DMG in total. (80x6=480).
Resource Costs
In Kingdoms of Arcanon, each card has a specific Resource Cost that must be paid to play that card onto the battlefield. These resources are determined by the region and kingdom that the card belongs to, and can be found on the top banner of the card. When playing a card, you must discard the indicated number of Resource Cards from your Resource Pool equal to the Resource Cost of the card you wish to play. For example, if you wanted to play a Dwarven Barbarian from The Sunstone Empire on the battlefield, you would need to pay a Resource Cost of 3 Stone Resource Cards.
You may also sacrifice cards that are already on the battlefield to pay the Resource Cost of a new card. When a card is sacrificed, you may draw cards from your Resource Pool equal to half of that card's Resource Cost, rounded down. This allows you to strategically play and sacrifice cards to obtain the resources you need to play your most powerful cards.
Special Conditions
In the world of Kingdoms of Arcanon, special conditions can arise during gameplay, altering the trajectory of battle and shifting the advantage between players. Some of these conditions are beneficial to the character experiencing them, while others can be detrimental to their opponent.
SUMMARY NOTES
I already feel like I could go on so much more, but I'll have to do that in another update. This one's getting kind of long. But please check back for more updates. I'll post them as often as I can!
- Kieran Ponsonby
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