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Core Rulebook

1. Introduction

Welcome to Path of the Necromancer, a strategic two-player card game where you assume the role of a powerful Necromancer. Summon minions, wield dark magic, and outmaneuver your opponent to achieve victory. This rulebook provides all the information you need to learn and master the game.

2. Basic Concepts

  • Objective: Reduce your opponent’s Hero’s health to zero or cause them to run out of cards during their draw phase.
  • Players: Two players face off against each other.
  • Resources: Lifeforce is the primary resource used to play cards and activate abilities.

3. Game Setup – Deck Building Rules

  • Deck Size: Each deck must contain exactly 40 cards, not including the Hero card.
  • Hero Card: Only one Hero card is allowed per deck.
  • Each card has a rarity symbol, located in the top right corner of Minion and Magic cards, which determines how many copies you can include in your deck.
  • Card Rarity Limits:
    • Common (Green Square): Up to 4 copies per deck.
    • Rare (Blue Triangle): Up to 3 copies per deck.
    • Epic (Purple Diamond): Up to 2 copies per deck.
    • Legendary (Orange Circle): Only 1 copy per deck.

Starting the Game

  1. Place Hero Cards: Each player places their Hero card face-up in the designated Hero zone on the field.
  2. Shuffle Decks: Players shuffle their decks thoroughly.
  3. Draw Starting Hands: Each player draws 6 cards to form their starting hand.
  4. Mulligan Option: Each player may choose to discard any number of cards from their hand and draw an equal number of new cards once before the game begins.
  5. Determine First Player: Decide who goes first by mutual agreement, coin flip, or dice roll.
  6. Set Initial Values:
  7. Health: Both players start with 40 health.
  8. Lifeforce: Both players begin with 10 lifeforce.
  9. Field Setup: Place decks in the deck zone and prepare the field for play.

4. Card Types

Hero Cards

  • Representation: Represents you, the player, in the game.
  • .Abilities: Each Hero has unique abilities and passives.
  • Placement: Starts on the field in the Hero zone.
  • Interaction: Can be damaged or healed by Minion or Magic cards.

Lifeforce Cards

  • Purpose: Used to track your current lifeforce.
  • Usage: Not part of your main deck; kept separately to manage resources.

Minion Cards

  • Role: Primary attackers and defenders in the game.
  • Attributes: Each has an attack and defense value.
  • Summoning: Played onto the field by paying their lifeforce cost.

Magic Cards

Magic cards are powerful tools that can alter the flow of the game. They include:

Relic Cards

  • Function: Equipment attached to minions to enhance their abilities or stats.
  • Placement: Placed under or on top of the equipped minion.
  • Duration: Remain in play as long as the minion is on the field or until destroyed.

Spell Cards

  • Effect: Spells are one-time effects and do not remain on the field after being played.
  • Usage: Played by paying their lifeforce cost.
  • Resolution: Spells do not occupy a magic slot; they are placed in the graveyard immediately after resolution.

Artifact Cards

  • Role: Objects that influence the game continuously.
  • Attributes: Have defense values and can be attacked and destroyed like minions.
  • Placement: Placed in the magic zone.

Event Cards

  • Impact: Provide powerful effects over multiple rounds.
  • Duration: Indicated by an hourglass icon and the number of rounds active.
  • Placement: Placed in the magic zone and remain for their specified duration.

Land Cards

    • Benefit: Provide ongoing advantages or game-altering effects.
      • Limit: Only one land card can be on the field per player at a time.
      • Placement: Placed in the land zone within the magic zone.
      • Playing a New Land Card: When you play a new Land card, the existing Land card on the field is destroyed and sent to the graveyard.

5. Field Layout

The field is divided into two rows and five columns for each player:

  • Front Row (First Row):
    • Hero Zone (1 space): For your Hero card.
    • Minion Zones (4 spaces): For minion cards.
    • Back Row (Second Row):
      • Magic Zones (3 spaces): For magic cards (spells, artifacts, events, and relics attached to minions in the front row).
          • Deck Zone: Place your deck here.
          • Graveyard Zone: Place discarded and destroyed cards here.

6. Turn Structure

Each player’s turn consists of the following phases:

  1. Start Phase:
    • Trigger Effects: Resolve any effects that occur at the start of your turn.

2. Resource Phase:

  • Gain Lifeforce: Add 5 lifeforce to your current total.
  • Update Tracker: Ensure your lifeforce count does not exceed the maximum of 10.

3. Draw Phase:

  • Draw a Card: Draw one card from your deck.
  • Deck Exhaustion: If you cannot draw because your deck is empty, you lose the game.

4. Main Phase:

  • Actions Available:
    • Play Cards: Summon minions and play magic cards by paying their lifeforce costs.
    • Activate Abilities: Use Hero abilities and card effects.
    • Minion Commands: Command your minions to attack, defend, or dismiss.
  • Order of Actions: Perform actions in any order.
  • First Turn Restriction: Players cannot attack on their first turn.

5. End Phase:

  • Trigger Effects: Resolve any effects that occur at the end of your turn.
  • Hand Size Limit: During your End Phase, if you have more than 10 cards in hand, use the Sacrifice Card Hero ability to discard down to 10 cards. For each card discarded this way, gain 1 lifeforce.

7. Lifeforce Mechanics

  • Starting Lifeforce: Each player begins the game with 10 lifeforce.
  • Gaining Lifeforce: Gain 5 lifeforce at the start of your Resource Phase each turn.
  • Maximum Lifeforce: Cannot exceed 10 lifeforce.
  • Minimum Lifeforce: Cannot drop below 0 lifeforce.
  • Spending Lifeforce: Used to play cards and activate abilities.
  • Tracking Lifeforce: Use lifeforce cards or a counter to keep track of your current total.

8. Combat Mechanics

Minion Commands

During your Main Phase, you may command each of your minions to perform one of the following actions:

Attack

  • Command: Instruct a minion to engage in battle.
  • Targets: Can attack an enemy minion, artifact, or the opponent’s Hero.
  • Resolution:
    • Minion vs. Minion:
      • Both minions deal damage to each other simultaneously.
      • If a minion’s attack value is equal to or greater than the target’s defense value, the target is destroyed.
      • Excess Damage: If the attacking minion’s attack exceeds the target’s defense, the excess damage is dealt to the opponent’s Hero unless the target is immune to piercing damage.
  • Attacking the Hero:
    • The Hero takes damage equal to the attacking minion’s attack value.
    • Opponent may defend with their minions.
  • Piercing Damage:
    • Definition: Excess damage that is dealt to the opponent’s Hero when the attacking minion’s attack exceeds the defending target’s defense.
    • Immunity: Minions with “immune to piercing damage” prevent this excess damage from reaching the Hero.
    • Defense: All minions regenerate all of their defense at the end of their turn.
  • Limitations:
    • Each minion can attack once per turn unless specified otherwise.
    • Minions cannot attack on the first turn of the game.

Defend

  • Command: Instruct a friendly minion to protect another friendly minion, Hero, or artifact from an enemy attack.
  • Usage:
    • Timing: Declare defenders when an opponent declares an attack.
  • Resolution:
    • The defending minion absorbs the attack.
    • The attacker does not receive damage from the defending minion.
    • Multiple Defenders: Multiple minions can defend against a single attack.
      • Defender Order: The defending player chooses the order in which defending minions take the hit.
      • Damage Distribution:
        • The first defender takes damage equal to the attack value minus any previous damage absorbed.
        • If a defender’s defense is reduced to zero or below, it is destroyed, and remaining excess damage is passed to the next defender.
        • This process continues until all excess damage is absorbed or there are no more defenders.
        • If any excess damage remains after all defenders have been destroyed, it is dealt to the opponent’s Hero as piercing damage, unless the last defender is immune to piercing damage.
  • Limitations:
    • Each minion can defend once per turn.
    • Ensnared Minions: Ensnared minions cannot defend.
    • Effects that trigger when minions damage or destroy a target do go off each time a defender is damaged or destroyed.
    • If a defender is destroyed before its turn to defend happens, it is removed from the order of defenders.
    • Once a player has declared its defenders, they cannot declare new defenders for that attack.

Dismiss

  • Command: Remove a minion you control from the field and return it to your deck.
  • Resolution:
    • The minion’s effects are negated upon dismissal.
    • Shuffle your deck after returning the minion.
  • Limitations:
    • You may dismiss any number of your minions during your turn.
    • Ensnared Minions: Ensnared minions cannot take Minion Commands, including Dismiss.

9. Hero Abilities

Shared Hero Abilities

All Heroes have access to the following abilities, which can be used during any turn:

  • Draw Card
        • Effect: During your turn you can spend 3 lifeforce to draw 1 card.
        • Usage: Can be used multiple times per turn, provided you have enough lifeforce.
      • Destroy Magic
        • Effect: During any turn you can spend 4 lifeforce to negate and destroy a target magic card. Refund its owner the lifeforce used to play it.
        • Usage: Can be used multiple times per turn, provided you have enough lifeforce.
      • Sacrifice Card
        • Effect: During any turn, you can discard cards from your hand to gain 1 lifeforce for each discarded card.

Note: Shared Hero abilities are shared among all heroes.

10. Keywords and Mechanics

Invisibility

Definition: A status where a minion is untargetable by enemy spells, abilities, and attacks until it attacks or takes damage.

  • Mechanics:
    • Losing Invisibility: When the minion attacks or is dealt damage.
    • Exceptions: Area-of-effect abilities that do not target can still affect invisible minions.
  • Interactions:
    • Opponents cannot choose invisible minions as targets.
    • Your own spells and abilities can affect your invisible minions.

Ensnare

Definition: A status effect that prevents a minion from taking Minion Commands. 

  • Mechanics:
    • Effect Duration: Typically lasts 1 round unless otherwise specified.
    • Restrictions:
      • Ensnared minions cannot attack.
      • Ensnared minions cannot defend.
      • Ensnared minions cannot be dismissed.
  • Removal:
    • Ensnare ends after the specified duration.
    • Certain abilities may remove ensnare effects prematurely.
  • Additional Interaction:
    • When you ensnare an enemy minion and attack it, the ensnared minion does not deal damage back to you.

Piercing Damage

Definition: Excess damage dealt to the opponent’s Hero when an attacking minion’s attack exceeds the defending target’s defense.

  • Mechanics:
    • Calculation: Attack value minus defense value equals piercing damage.
    • Immunity: Minions with “immune to piercing damage” prevent this excess damage from reaching the Hero.
  • Example:
  • If a minion with 5 attack attacks a minion with 3 defense, the excess 2 damage is dealt to the opponent’s Hero, unless the defending minion is immune to piercing damage.

Adjacent Targets

Definition: Cards positioned next to each other on the field grid.

  • Mechanics:
    • Adjacency: Minions are adjacent if they are directly next to each other horizontally.
    • Diagonal and Vertical: Not considered adjacent.
  • Effects:
    • Some abilities affect adjacent minions; specify whether it’s relative to the source or target as needed.

Traits and Effects

  • Traits:
    • Definition: Inherent abilities or characteristics, often shared among minions of the same type.
    • Behavior: Always active unless negated.
  • Effects:
    • Definition: Specific abilities or actions a card can perform.
    • Activation: May require activation or trigger under certain conditions.

Taking Control of Enemy Minions

  • Mechanics:
    • Control Change: The minion moves to your field under your control.
    • Attachments: Any relics or effects remain with the minion unless specified otherwise.
    • State: Retains current attack, defense, and any damage taken.
  • Duration:
    • Control may be temporary or permanent, as specified by the effect.
  • Returning Control:
    • When control ends, the minion returns to the opponent’s field in its current state.
    • Field Limits: If the original owner’s field is full, the minion is destroyed and sent to their graveyard.

Resurrection

Definition: Returning a minion from the graveyard to the battlefield.

  • Mechanics:
    • New Entity: Resurrected minions are considered new and can act accordingly.
    • Abilities: “When summoned” effects trigger upon resurrection.
  • Limitations:
    • Must adhere to any specified conditions, such as lifeforce cost or minion type.
    • Resurrection always involves the graveyard, even if the card pulls from other zones.

Banish

  • Definition: To remove a card from the game entirely. Banished cards do not go to the graveyard and cannot be retrieved by effects that interact with the graveyard or deck.
  • Mechanics:
    • Placement: Banished cards are placed in a separate area outside of play.
    • Permanent Removal: Banished cards are not considered when counting cards in the deck or graveyard.
  • Usage:
    • Certain cards and abilities allow you to banish minions or other cards as part of their effect.

11. Timing of Abilities and Effects

    • General Timing Rules

      • Start Phase:
        • Resolve effects that trigger “at the start of your turn.”
      • Main Phase:
        • Activate abilities and play cards in any order.
        • Abilities stating “once during each of your turns” are used here.
      • End Phase:
        • Resolve effects that trigger “at the end of your turn.”
        • Hand Size Management: Discard down to 10 cards if you have more than 10 cards in your hand.
        • Recompense Option: You may use the Sacrifice Card shared Hero ability to discard down to 10 cards, gaining 1 lifeforce for each discarded card.

      Specific Timing Rules

      • Ability Activation: Unless specified, abilities can be activated at any time during your turn.
      • Special Abilities: Abilities that can be used on any player’s turn will state this explicitly.
      • Shuffling: Any time a player gains access to their deck (e.g., searches it), they must shuffle afterward.

      Resolving Simultaneous Card Destruction and Effects

      When multiple cards are destroyed at the same time, such as from an area-of-effect spell or ability, the following procedure is used to resolve their deaths and any associated effects:

      1. Sequence of Resolution
        • Active Player’s Cards (Player whose turn it is):
          • Minions (Row 1): Resolve deaths and effects one at a time, starting from Position 1 (leftmost minion) to Position 4 (rightmost minion).
          • Magic Cards (Row 2): After all minions have been resolved, resolve the destruction and effects of magic cards one at a time, from Position 1 to Position 3.
        • Non-Active Player’s Cards (Opponent):
          • Minions (Row 1): After the active player’s cards, resolve deaths and effects one at a time, from Position 1 to Position 4.
          • Magic Cards (Row 2): Then resolve the destruction and effects of magic cards one at a time, from Position 1 to Position 3.
      2. Resolution Principles
        • Complete Resolution per Card:
          • For each card, its death and all associated effects are fully resolved before moving on to the next card.
          • This includes updating the game state, such as the number of minions on the field and the contents of the graveyard.
        • Game State Updates:
          • After each card’s death and effects are resolved, the game state is updated immediately before proceeding to the next card.
          • This updated game state is used for subsequent effects and conditions.
        • Targeting Restrictions:
          • Cards that have not yet resolved their deaths and effects are still considered on the battlefield.
          • They cannot be targeted or affected by effects resolving from cards whose deaths have already been resolved.
          • Cards that have resolved their deaths and effects are in the graveyard and can be targeted by subsequent effects that target the graveyard.
      3. Example:
        Scenario:
        • Active Player’s Field (It’s their turn):
          • Minion Position 1: Spiderling (Minion – Arachnid)
          • Minion Position 2: Spiderling
          • Minion Position 3: Spiderling
          • Minion Position 4: Spiderling
          • Trait for all Spiderlings: On death, if you control 1 or fewer minions, you may summon a cheaper minion from your hand or graveyard.
        • An effect destroys all four Spiderlings simultaneously.
      4. Resolution:
        • Minion Position 1:
          • Death: Spiderling is destroyed.
          • Effect Resolution:
            • The active player still controls three Spiderlings (Positions 2-4).
            • Condition Not Met: Cannot summon a cheaper minion.
          • Game State Update: Position 1 Spiderling is in the graveyard.
        • Minion Position 2:
          • Death: Spiderling is destroyed.
          • Effect Resolution:
            • The active player now controls two Spiderlings (Positions 3-4).
            • Condition Not Met: Cannot summon a cheaper minion.
          • Game State Update: Position 2 Spiderling is in the graveyard.
        • Minion Position 3:
          • Death: Spiderling is destroyed.
          • Effect Resolution:
            • The active player now controls one Spiderling (Position 4).
            • Condition Met: May summon a cheaper minion.
            • Action: Summon a Spiderling from hand or graveyard (can target Positions 1 or 2 now in the graveyard).
          • Game State Update: Position 3 Spiderling is in the graveyard; newly summoned Spiderling is on the field.
        • Minion Position 4:
          • Death: Spiderling is destroyed.
          • Effect Resolution:
            • The active player now controls one Spiderling (the one just summoned).
            • Condition Met: May summon a cheaper minion.
            • Action: Summon another Spiderling from hand or graveyard (can target Positions 1, 2, or 3).
          • Game State Update: Position 4 Spiderling is in the graveyard; second summoned Spiderling is on the field.
      5. Important Notes:
        • Minions destroyed earlier and whose deaths have been resolved are in the graveyard and can be targeted by subsequent effects.
        • Minions that have not yet resolved their deaths are still on the battlefield and cannot be targeted by effects resolving from earlier deaths.
        • This ensures that abilities and effects resolve in a predictable and fair manner, maintaining game balance.

12. Win and Lose Conditions

  • Winning the Game:
    • Reduce Opponent’s Health: Bring your opponent’s Hero’s health to zero.
    • Deck Exhaustion: Opponent loses if they cannot draw a card due to an empty deck.
  • Losing the Game:
    • Health Depleted: Your Hero’s health reaches zero.
    • Deck Exhaustion: You cannot draw a card because your deck is empty.
  • Draw:
    • If both players meet a lose condition simultaneously, the game is a draw.

13. Gameplay Strategies and Tips

  • Deck Building:
    • Create synergy between your Hero and deck cards.
    • Balance minions, spells, artifacts, and Land cards to ensure flexibility and resilience.
  • Resource Management:
    • Plan lifeforce usage carefully.
    • Save lifeforce for key abilities and responses, especially during critical moments.
  • Combat Tactics:
    • Anticipate opponent’s defenses and plan your attacks accordingly.
    • Use minions effectively for attacking and defending to control the battlefield.
  • Utilizing Abilities:
    • Leverage your Hero’s unique and shared abilities to gain advantages.
    • Use “Destroy Magic” to remove troublesome magic cards from the opponent’s field.
  • Field Control:
    • Protect vital minions with relics and manage your magic slots effectively.
    • Disrupt opponent’s strategies with spells and abilities to maintain control.
  • Timing:
    • Choose optimal moments to play cards and activate abilities for maximum impact.
    • Be aware of potential opponent responses and plan your moves to counteract them.

14. Appendix

Glossary of Terms

  • Attack Value: The damage a minion can deal.
  • Defense Value: The amount of damage a minion can withstand before being destroyed.
  • Lifeforce: The primary resource for playing cards and activating abilities.
  • Graveyard: Zone where destroyed and discarded cards are placed.
  • Resurrection: Returning a minion from the graveyard to the battlefield.
  • Ensnare: Status effect preventing a minion from attacking or defending.
  • Invisibility: Status making a minion untargetable until it attacks or takes damage.
  • Piercing Damage: Excess damage from an attack that is dealt to the opponent’s Hero.
  • Traits: Inherent abilities or characteristics of a minion.
  • Effects: Specific abilities or actions a card can perform.
  • Banish: Removing a card from the game entirely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I attack the opponent’s Hero directly even if they have minions on the field?

A: Yes, you can attack the opponent’s Hero at any time during your turn. However, your opponent may choose to defend with their minions.

Q: What happens if I have more minions than the field limit allows?

A: You cannot exceed the maximum of 4 minions on the field. If an effect would cause you to exceed this limit, you must choose which minions to keep and send the excess to the graveyard or back to your hand, depending on the effect.

Q: Can I use shared Hero abilities during my opponent’s turn?

A: Yes, you can use Destroy Magic and Sacrifice Card during any turn, including your opponent’s turn. However, Draw Card can only be used once during your own turn.

Q: How does “Destroy Magic” work with Event and Land cards?

A: “Destroy Magic” can target any magic card, including Event and Land cards, and destroy them by spending 4 lifeforce. Destroying a magic card also negates its effects.

Q: If I resurrect a minion, can it attack on the same turn?

A: Yes, resurrected minions are considered new entities and can attack on the turn they are resurrected, unless specified otherwise.

Q: What does “once during each of your turns” mean?

A: It means you can activate that ability one time per turn, during your turn, at any point in the Main Phase unless specified otherwise.

Q: Are minions with “immune to piercing damage” completely immune to attacks?

A: No, they can still be attacked and damaged normally. They simply prevent excess damage from being dealt to your Hero.

Q: Can I defend with multiple minions against a single attack?

A: Yes, you can assign multiple minions to defend against an attack. The defending player chooses the order in which defending minions take the hit. Each minion can defend once per turn. If defenders cannot fully absorb the attack, the remaining excess damage is dealt to your Hero as piercing damage, unless the last defender is immune to piercing damage.

Q: How do area-of-effect spells interact with invisible minions?

A: Invisible minions can be affected by area-of-effect spells and abilities that do not target specific minions.

Q: Can I use the “Dismiss” command on my opponent’s minions?

A: No, you can only dismiss minions that you control.

Q: What happens when I play a new Land card while already having one on the field?

A: When you play a new Land card, your existing Land card is destroyed and sent to the graveyard. Only one Land card can be in play per player at a time.

End of Core Rulebook

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