WargameChess - User contributions [en]

Main Page

2026-04-24T22:21:17Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* New Additions and Upcoming Changes */ updated new additions block

=== What is Wargame Chess? ===
Wargame Chess is a tabletop wargame that uses a chess set, but also incorporates other gaming devices like dice and cards. The core rules to the game are a framework that supports a variety of faction options. Understanding faction differences and interactions accounts for most of the game’s nuance.

Wargame Chess is not a variation of traditional chess - though it uses the same pieces and borrows some concepts from it, it is a wholly different game.

== Getting started ==
First, you will need the Game Rules and Resources. Then, take a look over the various [[:Category:Factions|Factions]] to see which one best suits your play style.

==== [[Main Resources|<big>Game Rules and Resources</big>]] ====

==== <big>[[Factions]]</big> ====

== New Additions and Upcoming Changes ==

==== April 24, 2026 ====
Multiple edits and changes incoming!

Recently we hosted some testing sessions with a group of game designers. After the games we discussed what works and doesn't work in the current version of Wargame Chess. Over the next while, we will be rolling out some changes to faction rules - immediately addressing more problematic rule and gameplay interactions.

As well, we are working on larger improvements to the game system - these will be rolled out in Wargame Chess Beta v2.0. All existing factions will be updated to work within that new version.

====== See previous posts [[Previous Upcoming Additions and Changes|here]]. ======

== Mission and vision ==
Wargame Chess aims to provide a free and easily accessible wargaming experience.

You can read our full mission and vision statements [[Mission and vision|here]].

== Account ==
By creating an account, your choice of light or dark theme will keep when you load to a new page.

=== Discussions ===
Until we set up discussion pages on this site, if you wish to discuss the game you can use our page [https://www.patreon.com/c/wargamechess/chats here] on Patreon. If you prefer socializing on a different platform (eg. Reddit, Discord), you're welcome to create a page there.

== Support us ==
If you'd like to support our endeavours, check out the game's [https://www.patreon.com/wargamechess/membership Patreon page] or our [https://ko-fi.com/wargamechess Ko-Fi page].

And feel free to check out our [https://www.instagram.com/wargame.chess/ Instagram] and [https://bsky.app/profile/wargame-chess.bsky.social Bluesky] pages too!

== <big>Credits</big> ==
Click [[Credits|here]] to see our team members.

__TOC__

Previous Upcoming Additions and Changes

2026-04-24T22:08:21Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Posted February 2, 2026 */

=== March 16, 2026 ===
The team is taking a look at the '''Monsters''' faction and assessing potential small-scale adjustments. This may include, but is not limited to:

* Adjusting ability and functionality to be more in-line with lore.
* Adjusting the costs or function of their upgrades.

=== February 8, 2026 ===
Updated Core Rules to [[Core Rules|Version B.1.2]]. See the Changelog [[Core Rules Changelog|here]].

Updated Core Factions to match Core Rules update.

We will be implementing a Concepts and Theory module, meant to be read before the game's rules. We noticed explaining concepts like movement theory, dice math, and more to new players helped give them a context for the rules they were about to read, and made their first few games play more smoothly.

=== Posted February 2, 2026 ===
There will be some adjustments to terminology used in the game. At the very least, the term "Positional" will be replaced with "Noble", and the phrase "removed from the board" will be replaced with the term "Banished". We polled playtesters and members of the team, and they felt these were more fitting to the game's themes and setting.

As well, we will be implementing a Concepts and Theory module, meant to be read before the game's rules. We noticed explaining concepts like movement theory, dice math, and more to new players helped give them a context for the rules they were about to read, and made their first few games play more smoothly.

Found lore: Dwarven Golems

2026-03-18T22:47:37Z

WargameChessAuthor:

From the “Exotic Cultures Exhibit” of Pope Innocent IX “the Conqueror Pope”.

Translation of the golden journal plates of:

'''Thurgbor, of the goldcraft family Hurngboort, whose ancestors come from and rest in the iron veins, and whose children now rest in the venerable gem halls.'''

''[curator’s note: This Thurgbor was likely a skilled poet, as their runes show evidence of both phonic and visual rhyme, though that mayn’t translate here]''

== Plates I - XLVI ==
Missing from this collection.

== Plate XLVII ==
<blockquote>'''Count, the twenty-third hearthfire of the broken harmony of Underrealm.'''

'''Mole[people] scratches wear thin the holy doors of sanctum.'''

'''Family stone of my children, carried by their colleagues to'''

'''The unknown tunnels.'''

'''Colleagues [and I] ascend Hightunnel with a destination of Overrealm.'''</blockquote>''[the entry would continue, but the plate is broken here]''

== Plates XLVIII - LI ==
Missing from this collection.

== Plate LII ==
<blockquote>'''Count, the fourth skyfire of [our] landing to Overrealm.'''

'''Absence of skyfire, married to darkness and absence of [my] children and elders,'''

'''Sorrow, sorrow, sorrow!'''

'''Water of headsoul aquifer, a trickling fall across a rocky facade,'''

'''Resolute faces scream into the dark of no skyfire.'''

'''Sorrow, sorrow!'''

'''Realmbreath smells of [fruit]rot and carrion, not of hearth and tubers,'''

'''not of''' ''(lists numerous varieties of what are assumed to be mushrooms)''''', for which we hunger.'''

'''Realmhair is strong with a flowing grain, burns warm, and smells of my wife’s beard''' '''perfume.'''

'''Sorrow.'''</blockquote><blockquote>'''Count, the fifth skyfire of [our] landing to Overrealm.'''

'''Realmhair keeps its best fruit.'''

'''Its tassels flat, soft, and of emerald skin.'''

'''The shadows cast by realmhair, dark portraits from skyfire, confirms [Overrealm] is'''

'''round like a head, and without ceiling.'''

'''We ask, do we reside on the head of a goddess?'''

'''Supposed, the realmbreath comes from skyface - his cheeks puft.'''

'''Ancestors speak wisdoms [to us] through these mushrooms.'''

'''Grateful for beautiful wisdom, tasty fruits, and mushrooms.'''</blockquote>

== Plates LIII - LXII ==
Missing from this collection.

== Plate LXIII ==
<blockquote>'''Count, the fifteenth skyfire of [our] landing to Overrealm.'''

'''The forest folk, like Dwarves but with lost beards and limbs thin like twigs,'''

'''Spew curses onto us for the cutting of realmhair.'''

'''We show the growing of realmhair is much like beardhair.'''

'''Abundance!'''

'''A gift from the goddess!'''

'''Ignored!'''

'''Like a great worm has interest in a small prey, their eyes gaze upon us.'''

'''Yet they stand on a shaking bridge when facing the majesty of golems.'''

'''Diplomacy is an untrue stone this fire;'''

'''It will support a doorway for one generation, but not more.'''</blockquote>

== Plates LXIV - LXVII ==
Missing from this collection.

== Plate LXVIII ==
<blockquote>'''Count, the nineteenth skyfire of [our] landing to Overrealm.'''

'''Beasts of armour and great muscle, fang and treachery,'''

'''Transgressions and trespasses against our lodgings.'''

'''Growls like that of demons and great worms,'''

'''Soon silenced by the might of golems and the thrusts of spears.'''

'''Hark, Death: they wish to sic you on us!'''

'''O, beasts, Death drinks at our table!'''

'''Their souls, sent to the company of their ancestors.'''

'''Their flesh, sent to our salt barrels.'''</blockquote>

== Plates LXIX - LXX ==
Missing from this collection.

== Plate LXXI ==
<blockquote>'''Count, the twenty-eighth skyfire of [our] landing to Overrealm.'''

'''With regret, I rush these lines,'''

'''Colleagues, forgive my clumsy couplets.'''

'''Sharp arrows of the forestfolk run through air faster than their cursing words,'''

'''Our flesh punctured.'''

'''Their limbs are long like realmhair, but not strong as such,'''

'''Snapped by the hands of golems.'''

'''They bind our [golems] with realmhair and magic,'''

'''Hypocrisy, that they could grow it so fast but condemn our cutting of it!'''

'''Skyfire grows brighter, but I feel its warmth less so,'''

'''My blood drips down the dirt, may it find its way home.'''

'''Iron, stone, and bronze,'''

'''I see my ancestors and their masterworks.'''

'''Gold, chisel, and blood,'''

'''My tools and legacy.'''

'''Sapphire, ruby, and emerald,'''

'''My children come to embrace me.'''</blockquote>''[curator’s note: it appears Thurgbor attempted to finish engraving the margin ornaments, but they become shallow with lines less straight, until they simply do not continue]''
__NOINDEX__

Main Page

2026-03-16T14:46:11Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* New Additions and Upcoming Changes */ added march 16 post

=== What is Wargame Chess? ===
Wargame Chess is a tabletop wargame that uses a chess set, but also incorporates other gaming devices like dice and cards. The core rules to the game are a framework that supports a variety of faction options. Understanding faction differences and interactions accounts for most of the game’s nuance.

Wargame Chess is not a variation of traditional chess - though it uses the same pieces and borrows some concepts from it, it is a wholly different game.

== Getting started ==
First, you will need the Game Rules and Resources. Then, take a look over the various [[:Category:Factions|Factions]] to see which one best suits your play style.

==== [[Main Resources|<big>Game Rules and Resources</big>]] ====

==== <big>[[Factions]]</big> ====

== New Additions and Upcoming Changes ==

==== March 16, 2026 ====
The team is taking a look at the '''Monsters''' faction and assessing potential small-scale adjustments. This may include, but is not limited to:

* Adjusting ability and functionality to be more in-line with lore.
* Adjusting the costs or function of their upgrades.

==== February 8, 2026 ====
Updated Core Rules to [[Core Rules|Version B.1.2]]. See the Changelog [[Core Rules Changelog|here]].

Updated Core Factions to match Core Rules update.

We will be implementing a Concepts and Theory module, meant to be read before the game's rules. We noticed explaining concepts like movement theory, dice math, and more to new players helped give them a context for the rules they were about to read, and made their first few games play more smoothly.

====== See previous posts [[Previous Upcoming Additions and Changes|here]]. ======

== Mission and vision ==
Wargame Chess aims to provide a free and easily accessible wargaming experience.

You can read our full mission and vision statements [[Mission and vision|here]].

== Account ==
By creating an account, your choice of light or dark theme will keep when you load to a new page.

=== Discussions ===
Until we set up discussion pages on this site, if you wish to discuss the game you can use our page [https://www.patreon.com/c/wargamechess/chats here] on Patreon. If you prefer socializing on a different platform (eg. Reddit, Discord), you're welcome to create a page there.

== Support us ==
If you'd like to support our endeavours, check out the game's [https://www.patreon.com/wargamechess/membership Patreon page] or our [https://ko-fi.com/wargamechess Ko-Fi page].

And feel free to check out our [https://www.instagram.com/wargame.chess/ Instagram] and [https://bsky.app/profile/wargame-chess.bsky.social Bluesky] pages too!

== <big>Credits</big> ==
Click [[Credits|here]] to see our team members.

__TOC__

Activation Tracker Sheet

2026-03-09T00:52:26Z

WargameChessAuthor: Temporary note added

Click [https://wargamechess.com/images/6/67/Activation_Tracker_Sheet_July_2025.pdf here] to download the Activation Tracker Sheet PDF. We recommend printing it double-sided and/or laminating it for repeated use.

Note: This sheet has not been updated with the rule B.1.2 changes and still says "removed from the board" instead of "Banished". Will update soon.

- March 8, 2026

Core Rules

2026-03-06T01:36:23Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Scattering */ removed redundant scattering section.

== What is Wargame Chess? ==
Wargame Chess is a turn-based tabletop wargame that uses a chess set, and also incorporates other gaming devices like dice and cards. Wargame Chess is not a variation of traditional chess. Though it uses the same pieces and borrows some concepts from it, it is a wholly different game.

Each player assumes the role of a faction within the game - factions give a player’s pieces different rules, greatly affecting how they play. The game’s rules are a simple framework to support a plethora of faction options. Understanding faction differences and interactions accounts for most of the game’s nuance.

== What do I Need to Play? ==
Two players will need the following items to play ''Wargame Chess'':

* A chess set (a board and a full set of pieces).
* 2 or more small items that fit within a board square to represent Joker pieces.
* Deck of playing cards (will often be referred to as the Minor Arcana deck).
* All 22 Major Arcana cards from a tarot deck.
* Various dice to be used between both players:
** Six or more 4-sided dice (D4)
** Six or more 6-sided dice (D6)
** Six or more 8-sided dice (D8)
** Six or more 10-sided dice (D10)
** Four or more 20-sided dice (D20)
* 6 items to represent Trees on the board.
* Items to represent Blessing and Curse tokens.
** We recommend different coloured poker chips as these sit under most chess pieces very well
* Two distinct types of small dice to represent Advantage and Disadvantage tokens. Place these next to pieces to keep track of such token quantities.
** We recommend the dice used for Advantage tokens match the colour of your Blessing tokens, and the dice used for Disadvantage tokens match the colour of your Curse tokens.
* A way to mark chess pieces so they become visually distinct among their own type (eg. a way to differentiate between Pawns on a team).
** We suggest using numbers written on the pieces with a marker, using numbered stickers, or colour-coding them in some way.

=== Not Necessary, but Suggested: ===

* Themed pieces for your favourite faction.
** If these are not chess pieces, make sure your opponent knows what they represent before your game starts!
* A notepad.
** Use this to record information of a game which is not accommodated by the [[Activation Tracker]].

== Objective ==
A normal game of chess ends in a checkmate, but in this game not every team will have a King piece to make things so decisive.

In Wargame Chess, a player immediately wins the game if they meet one of the following conditions:

* Your opponent has no pieces left on the board, or...
* The pieces your opponent has left on the board are not capable of Attacking in any way.

However, some pieces or factions may have other ways of attaining victory (such as being granted victory if they meet a particular condition). If a game reaches the end of Turn 10 and no player has achieved victory by some means, both players add up the number of points worth of pieces they each have on the board, add to that the number of points in upgrades they each took, and compare totals - the player with the greater total wins. If both point totals are the same, the game is a draw.

== To Start a Standard Game ==

'''After assembling the items mentioned above, each player must choose different factions.'''

Each faction has different rules, different strengths, can handle certain situations better than others, or have tools at their disposal others wouldn't. You can find all factions listed [[Factions|here]].

Factions have numerous rules and interactions you will need to be mindful of at all times. If you are unsure of how a rule is supposed to work, read through all the footnotes at the bottom of their page for clarification. If you are still left unsure as to how something functions, discuss and agree to a solution with your opponent.

To assess factions at a glance, they are assigned a star rating. Here is what they mean:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Star Rating
!Explanation
|-
|★
|These factions are fairly straightforward. New players and seasoned players alike should be able to understand their nuances quickly.
|-
|★★
|Two-star factions require a bit more effort to learn. New players may need a few games to get comfortable with them. Experienced players should be able to understand them within a game or two.
|-
|★★★
|Three-star factions may be difficult to pilot for newer players. Experienced players may need to play a few games with them to find their groove.
|}

== Building a Team ==
'''Once both players have chosen a faction to play as, they will need to build a team list using options from that faction’s page.'''

You can use the [[Activation Tracker Sheet|Activation Tracker]] or a notepad to organize your team, note rules that happen at certain times, and track other game information.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!A team consists of exactly 14 points worth of Pieces and Upgrades.
|}
Below we will explain how faction rules, piece choices, their quantities, and upgrades fit into your team list.

=== Summoning ===
Some rules (of both faction rules and piece rules) can have the summon tag after their name, which means at some point when resolving that rule's effects you may be required to place a piece - which isn't a part of your starting team - onto the board.

Read through these rules carefully and see what piece type(s) they can summon, and set them aside in a 'Summon' zone (like the one on our [[Activation Tracker Sheet|Activation Tracker]]).

When a piece is summoned onto the board for your team, add it to your Activation Tracker.

Summoning pieces to a team may cause a player to have more than 14 points worth of pieces and upgrades in play.

== Faction Rules and Upgrades ==
Faction rules always apply their effects to that particular faction.

Upgrades are like Faction rules, except they have a point cost in parentheses after their name, and only apply their effects to that particular faction if you account for their cost in your team list. Be sure your opponent knows which Upgrades you have taken in a match.

== Piece Costs and Quantities ==
The following point costs are the same across every faction in the game.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Piece type
!Point cost
|-
|Pawns
|1
|-
|Kings, Bishops, Knights, Rooks, and Jokers
|2
|-
|Queens
|3
|}
Under their name, each piece will have a quantity allowance - this is how many of them you can have in a team. Here are a few examples of what you may see in faction entries and what they mean:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Quantity limit example
!Meaning
|-
|(0-2)
|You may have 0, 1, or 2 of this piece in your team list.
|-
|(2-8)
|You must take at least 2 of this piece, but may also take up to 8 of them.
|-
|(1)
|You must have exactly 1 of this piece in your list - no more, no less.
|-
|(-)
|You cannot include this piece in your starting team list. However, some rules may add this piece to your team throughout the course of a game.
|}
Whether it be during team creation or throughout the game, you can never have a piece added to your team if doing so would bring a piece type's total quantity beyond its listed quantity range maximum ''(eg. if your faction allows you to bring 0-2 Knights, your team could never have 3 or more)'', or the number of pieces that come with a standard chess set ''(eg. a standard set comes with 8 Pawn pieces, therefore your team can never have more than 8 Pawns)''.

== Rank ==
Each piece on a faction’s roster is listed in ranking order - with the highest ranking piece at the top of the table, and the lowest ranking piece at the bottom. Almost every faction has a unique ranking hierarchy, and because of this no rule will ever compare rankings between different factions. Though some rules may compare ranking between pieces in the same faction.

== Multiple Options for one Piece Type ==
Some factions may list many options for a piece type ''(eg. They could have two different entries for a Rook)''. In such cases '''you may only run 1 of those options in your team list'''.

The exception to this are '''Joker''' options as each Joker uses a unique model on the board. If a faction lists multiple Joker options, a player may include any/all of them in one list.
== Rolling Dice ==

=== Rolling Dice for Pieces ===
Pieces will have different dice types based on their identity:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Piece type
!Dice type
|-
|Pawn
|Two D4s
|-
|Knight
|Two D6s
|-
|Rook
|Two D6s
|-
|Bishop
|Two D6s
|-
|Queen
|Two D8s
|-
|King
|Two D10s
|-
|Joker
|One D20
|}
When a rule or action prompts a player to roll their piece's dice, these are the steps you follow:

# Determine any modifiers (this could mean [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage|Advantage/Disadvantage]], or other [[Core Rules#Other Types of Roll Modifiers|types of modifiers]])
# If the piece has any, players now have a chance to spend [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|1 Advantage token or 1 Disadvantage token]] and apply its effect to the roll. Some rules may allow a piece to spend other types of tokens under certain circumstances; that would also happen at this time.
# Roll the piece's dice.
# Sum the results of the dice, and apply all modifiers - this produces the roll total.
# Compare the piece's roll total to the opposing roll total or threshold needed for success, the rule will tell you how to proceed with these values.

=== Rolling Dice Otherwise ===
Sometimes a rule or action will tell you, the player, to roll various dice, and this roll may not have a direct connection to a piece. The rule or action will tell you what to do and how to interpret the results.

== Moves and Attacks ==

=== Move ===
When a piece Moves, it travels along a path as described in its entry (in the '''Piece types, dice, and common piece rules''' section below). A piece must travel at least 1 square during a Move if possible. If a piece is not able to Move (either by a rule saying it cannot, or perhaps other pieces/terrain are blocking its possible paths of movement), then it is permitted to travel fewer than 1 square.
==== Bump ====
When a player is prompted to 'Bump' a piece, they place it onto a square that is both adjacent to its current square, and unoccupied.

==== Scattering ====
When a player is prompted to ‘Scatter’ a piece, token, or other on-board item, assign each square adjacent to them a value from 1 to 8 (it doesn’t matter the order you number them, just be consistent). Once you’ve done that, roll a '''D8''', and place that item onto the unoccupied square whose value matches the result. If the item cannot be placed onto that square (it is occupied and/or they cannot co-occupy the square with whatever is in it) re-roll the '''D8'''.

If a piece does not have 8 squares adjacent to it when prompted to 'Scatter', it is likely in a corner of the board, or along a board edge. Here is what to do in those cases.

===== Scattering from a corner (only three adjacent squares) =====
Assign each square adjacent to them the values 1 & 2, 3 & 4, and 5 & 6. Roll a '''D6''', and place that item onto the unoccupied square whose value matches the result.

===== Scattering from a board edge (only five adjacent squares) =====
Assign each square adjacent to them the values 1 to 5. Roll a '''D6''', and place that item onto the unoccupied square whose value matches the result, re-rolling the die on a result of 6.

=== Attack ===
When a piece Attacks, it travels along the Attack path as described in its entry (see the '''Piece types, dice, and common piece rules''' section below).

A piece may only do its Attack if it would end up on a square occupied by an enemy piece (though some rules allow pieces to Attack non-enemy things, or even Attack allies). While a piece is Attacking another, both count as occupying that square and must complete the Attack sequence to resolve that. Here are the steps of the Attack sequence:
#Place the Attacker onto the square occupied by the Defender.
#Determine any modifiers (this could mean [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage|Advantage/Disadvantage]], or other [[Core Rules#Other Types of Roll Modifiers|types of modifiers]]) for each piece.
# If the pieces have any, players now each have a chance to spend [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|1 Advantage token or 1 Disadvantage token]] from their piece and apply its effect to the rolls.
# Roll the pieces' dice.
# Sum the results of the dice, applying all modifiers.
# Compare roll totals.
## If the Attacking piece has a greater total, they have slain the Defending piece, and it is placed in the ‘slain’ zone on their player's Activation Tracker.
## If the Defender has an equal or greater total, they do one of the following:
### *Bump the Attacker and give them a Disadvantage token, OR
### *Bump the Defender and give them an Advantage token.

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Either of these options are what is referred to as '''Combat Movement'''.

==== Avoiding Death ====

====== "Their slaying is prevented" / "...cannot be slain..." / "If this piece would be slain, instead..." ======
Occasionally, some pieces may have a rule in their entry stating (commonly under certain conditions) that they cannot be slain/their slaying is being prevented. Often it specifies what to do instead; in case it doesn’t, place that piece onto an unoccupied adjacent square (Bump it) if possible. If that is somehow not possible, its owner redeploys it.

Rarer yet, are effects that ignore an inability to be slain. If a piece cannot be slain under certain conditions, and those conditions are being met, yet there is a rule that ignores such effects, the piece can be slain despite the rule preventing its slaying.<blockquote>''A King piece is on the board, and The Emperor tarot card is active - which prevents Kings from being slain while they have allies on the board. This King is now being Attacked by a [[Dwarven Golems#Piece Options|Deadiron Sentinel]] - whose rule states that pieces being Attacked by it cannot have their slaying prevented (among other things). Even though there is an effect saying this King cannot be slain at this time, another rule is denying that type of effect.''</blockquote>

=== Moving and Attacking through Terrain ===
During a Move or Attack, a piece cannot end that action on a square - or pass through squares - occupied by terrain features (like Trees) or other pieces unless it has special rules that allow it to do so in some capacity.[[File:Move Attempt.png|thumb|150x150px|'''A Queen is hoping to Move to the square marked X, but there is a Tree blocking its path. It cannot Move to the intended square and must select another square to Move to.''']]If a rule allows a piece to co-occupy squares with some type of terrain:

* that type of terrain does not block that piece's Move or Attack paths,
* that square does not count as occupied to that piece.

== Piece Types, Dice, and Common Piece Rules ==
Each piece type uses a specific type of dice for their rolls. The dice used for a type of piece are universal, and not different between factions. Likewise, the way each piece type Moves and Attacks are universal, and not different between factions.

There are a few special rules listed below in each piece type’s entry. Pieces of a particular type will have these rules by default and will not be listed in a faction’s entry. However, some factions may have their version of a piece not have one of these rules ''(eg. a handful of factions’ Pawns lose their'' Promotion ''rule)'' - it is assumed that all piece options of a particular type have the rules listed below unless a rule mentioned in their faction entry says otherwise.
=== Pawn ===
A Pawn Moves 1 square vertically or horizontally, and Attacks 1 square diagonally.

Pawns use '''2D4''' for their dice and have the following common rules:
* '''En Passant:'''
** During its first Activation of the game, you may Move this Pawn twice.
* '''Promotion:'''
** At the '''start''' of this Pawn's Activation or Reactivation, if it is within your opponent's deployment zone, you may Banish it and place a slain, non-Legendary ally Noble onto the square that Pawn was just in. This Noble counts as having Activated only if it Activated earlier this turn.

{| class="wikitable"
|+
|[[File:Pawn Move.png|thumb|'''Directions a Pawn may Move from its current position.'''|150x150px]]
|[[File:Pawn Attack.png|thumb|'''Directions a Pawn may Attack from its current position.'''|150x150px]]
|}

=== Rook ===
A Rook Moves 1 to 8 squares orthogonally (vertically or horizontally), and Attacks 1 to 8 squares orthogonally.

Rooks use '''2D6''' for their dice and have the following common rule:

* '''Castle'''
** When this Rook ends their Move adjacent to a non-Rook ally, they may swap places with them. If they do and that ally is lower in rank than this Rook, give that ally an Advantage token; if that ally is higher in rank than this Rook, instead remove a Disadvantage token from it (if it has any).

{| class="wikitable"
|+
|[[File:Rook Move.png|thumb|'''Directions a Rook may Move from its current position.'''|150x150px]]
|[[File:Rook Attack.png|thumb|'''Directions a Rook may Attack from its current position.'''|150x150px]]
|}

=== Knight ===
A Knight's Move places it onto a square which is two squares vertically and one square horizontally from its current position, or two squares horizontally and one square vertically; it Attacks this way as well. Unlike other piece types, when a Knight Attacks or Moves, it does not travel along a path and is simply placed onto its target square.

Knights use '''2D6''' for their dice and have the following common rule:

* '''Mounted Advantage'''
** When Attacking a non-Knight enemy, if there are other enemies adjacent to the square that this Knight and its target are in (during an Attack resolution, both pieces temporarily share a square), roll this Knight’s dice at Advantage.

{| class="wikitable"
|+
![[File:Knight Move.png|thumb|Places a Knight can Move from its current position.|150x150px]]
![[File:Knight Attack.png|thumb|Places a Knight can Attack from its current position.|150x150px]]
|}

=== Bishop ===
A Bishop Moves 1 to 8 squares diagonally, and Attacks 1 to 8 squares diagonally.

Bishops use '''2D6''' for their dice, and have no common special rule.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
![[File:Bishop Move.png|thumb|Directions a Bishop may Move from its current position.|150x150px]]
![[File:Bishop Attack.png|thumb|Directions a Bishop may Attack from its current position.|150x150px]]
|}

=== Queen ===
A Queen Moves 1 to 8 squares vertically, horizontally or diagonally, and Attacks 1 to 8 squares vertically, horizontally, or diagonally.

Queens use '''2D8''' for their dice, and have no common special rule.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
![[File:Queen Move.png|thumb|Directions a Queen may Move from its current position.|150x150px]]
![[File:Queen Attack.png|thumb|Directions a Queen may Attack from its current position.|150x150px]]
|}

=== King ===
A King Moves 1 square vertically, horizontally or diagonally, and Attacks 1 square vertically, horizontally, or diagonally.

Kings use '''2D10''' for their dice, and have the following common rule:

* '''Faction Leader'''
** When this piece is slain, their player loses the game immediately.

{| class="wikitable"
|+
![[File:King Move.png|thumb|Directions a King may Move from its current position.|150x150px]]
![[File:King Attack.png|thumb|Directions a King may Attack from its current position.|150x150px]]
|}

=== Joker ===
For a Joker’s Move, you Bump it, then you may do that up to two more times. In total, a Joker can traverse 1, 2, or 3 squares during its Move. Jokers use '''1D20''' for their dice and have the following common rule:

* '''Fool's Endeavour'''
** Jokers cannot Attack.
** At the end of the turn, remove any/all Dis/Advantage tokens from this piece.

[[File:Joker Move.png|none|thumb|200x200px|'''Possible squares a Joker could end its Move in from its current position.''']]

== Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms ==
In the rules here, and in various faction rules, you may encounter the following terms. Some of these terms may be defined in greater detail further on in these rules, though we are also including them here for the sake of redundancy and quick reference.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Term
!Description
|-
|Adjacent (term)
|Squares that are adjacent to one another are squares that are directly next to each other, either orthogonally or diagonally. Most squares on a board will be adjacent to the 8 squares they are surrounded by - the exceptions being squares along the board edge, who will have fewer squares adjacent to themselves.
If a rule mentions two or more pieces (or terrain, or other game items) being adjacent to each other, they are within squares that are adjacent to each other.
|-
|Banish(ed) (term/zone)
|A piece that becomes Banished is removed from the board and placed into the Banished section on the Activation Tracker Sheet, or kept off to the side with other Banished pieces from the same team.
|-
|Board half (term)
|A player's board half comprises the four board ranks closest to them. Their opponent's board half comprises the four board ranks closest to their opponent.
|-
|Between Activations (term)
|An effect resolving at this time resolves between the Activations or Reactivations of two different pieces. See the [[Core Rules#Turn Structure|Turn Structure]] section below for more details.
|-
|Bump (term)
|When a player is prompted to 'Bump' a piece, they place it onto a square that is both adjacent to its current square and unoccupied.
|-
|Combat Movement (tern)
|When a piece successfully Defends vs an Attack, then either Bumps themselves and gains an Advantage token, or Bumps their Attacker and gives them a Disadvantage token.
|-
|Dis/Advantage (term)
|Used as a shorthand for "Advantage and Disadvantage".
|-
|Flip a Joker card (term)
|Often in Joker piece rules, they will say to turn Joker cards face up or face down depending on what position they are currently in. When instructed to 'flip' a Joker card, you turn it to the opposite of whatever its current state is (eg. If a Joker card is facing up and you are instructed to flip it, you would turn it face down).
|-
|Legendary (rule)
|When a player is resolving their Pawn's ''Promote'' rule, they cannot choose a slain ally piece with this rule to replace that Pawn.
|-
|Major Arcana, Minor Arcana, and Bone Reading (rule tags)
|Some rules (of both faction rules and piece rules) can have these tags after their name. Rules with these tags are considered '''<nowiki/>'faith mechanic'''' rules, and utilise or reference the major arcana deck, the minor arcana deck, and/or bone reading dice pool in some way. You can read about these in greater detail in the '''[[Core Rules#Faith Mechanics|Faith Mechanics]]''' section further down this page.
|-
|Noble (term)
|A Noble is any piece type that isn't a Pawn.
Kings, Queens, Bishops, Knights, Rooks, and Jokers are all Nobles.
|-
|Occupied/Unoccupied/Co-occupy (term)
|A square counts as being occupied when it contains terrain or a piece. A square counts as being unoccupied if there are no pieces or terrain in it. Some rules may cause special types of dice or tokens to be placed onto squares, but dice and tokens do not occupy a square.
Co-occupying happens when multiple pieces and/or terrain are allowed to be in the same square together at the same time. During an Attack, two pieces are allowed to co-occupy the same square until the combat is resolved. Otherwise, co-occupying isn’t allowed unless a rule permits it to happen.

If a rule allows a piece to co-occupy squares with some type of terrain, then that type of terrain does not block that piece's Move or Attack paths.
|-
|Re/Activation (term)
|Used as a shorthand for "Activation or Reactivation". Though an Activation and Reactivation are functionally very similar, some rules specifically address one or the other. For rules referencing both, we often use this "Re/Activation" shorthand.
|-
|Re/Deploy (term)
|Used as a shorthand for "Deploy or Redeploy". Though Deploying and Redeploying are nearly identical, the distinction is when it happens. The first time a piece is ever placed on the board (whether that be anywhere thereon, or in their deployment zone) that is 'deployment'. Each time this happens thereafter is 'redeployment'. Some rules specifically address one or the other.
When a player is instructed to Re/Deploy a piece of their own, it goes into their deployment zone. When a player is instructed to Re/Deploy an enemy piece, it goes into their opponent's deployment zone.

In rare cases, a player may have the option to place a piece into either player's deployment zone - this also counts as a type of Redeployment.
|-
|Relocated (term)
|Relocation includes: Bumping, placement, random placement, redeployment, scattering, [[Core Rules#Attack|combat movement]], or involuntary Moves/Attacks.
|-
|Revered Structure (rule)
|Pieces with this rule cannot Move, Attack, or be relocated by any means. However, they Defend at Advantage. As well, if this piece would be slain by an enemy, between Activations you may remove any/all Blessing and Advantage tokens from that enemy, then you may Curse them.
|-
|Success / Failure (terms)
|Some rules or effects mention a condition being a roll succeeding or failing, this is done to keep wording brief. A success of a roll would be if the action taking place for the piece rolling did end up happening, and a failure would be the opposite.
|-
|Summon (rule tag)
|Some rules (of both faction rules and piece rules) can have the summon tag after their name, which means at some point when resolving that rule's effects you may be required to place a piece - which isn't a part of your starting team - onto the board. Read through these rules carefully and see what piece type(s) they can summon, and set them aside in a 'Summon' zone (like the one on our [[Activation Tracker Sheet|Activation Tracker]] sheet you can download and print).
|}

== Setup ==
'''Each player chooses opposing board halves. Determine who will be setting up Trees on their half of the board first.'''

You may do this by verbal agreement, or by random means - such as rolling a die.

=== Tree Setup ===
Trees are a type of terrain that occupy squares on the board. While a terrain piece is occupying a square, pieces cannot enter or travel over that square unless they have a rule permitting them to do so. Trees are the most common type of terrain players will see; less common types are Holes and Water.

The player who is setting up Trees first rolls a '''D4''' and a '''D8'''. The '''D4''' result determines what rank (in the board half closest to them) it will be in, and the '''D8''' will determine the file. Place a Tree on that square. Do this again 2 more times. If a Tree would end up on a square with a Tree already on it, re-roll the '''D4''' and/or '''D8'''.

Then the other player chooses one of the following for the Tree setup in their half:

* They may mirror the Tree setup in the other half of the board.
* They may mirror and horizontally flip the Tree setup.
* They may randomly generate a Tree setup (as described above).

=== Piece Setup ===
The player who sets up Trees second then deploys their pieces first. Unless stated otherwise in a faction’s special rules, pieces are set up in a player’s '''deployment zone''' - which are the two ranks on the board closest to the player.

Whenever a rule mentions redeploying a piece, you set it up anywhere within your deployment zone. When prompted to redeploy, pieces that are already in your deployment zone may be kept where they are, and they will count as having been redeployed.

=== Card and Dice Setup ===
The following things to set up are dependent on team composition and have detailed explanations later on:

# If any players’ pieces use the '''Minor Arcana''' mechanic, shuffle that deck and set it aside face down.
# If no Joker pieces are present in either team, the Joker cards are left in the Minor Arcana deck.
#* If the total number of Joker pieces being used by players is 1 or 2, remove 1 Joker card from the deck and set it aside face up before the game starts.
#* If the total number of Joker pieces being used are 3 or greater, remove both Joker cards from the deck and set them aside face up before the game starts.
# If any players’ pieces use the '''Major Arcana''' mechanic, shuffle that deck and set it aside face down.
# If a player's pieces use the '''Bone Reading''' mechanic, they assemble these dice pools and keep them aside.
#* Each bone pool will only be used by its player.
#* If a player's team has any Pawns, add a '''D4''' to this collection. If it has any Knights, Rooks, and/or Bishops, add a '''D6'''. If it has a Queen, add a '''D8'''. If it has a King, add a '''D10'''. If it has any Jokers, add a '''D20'''.
#* Do not use these dice for any rolling beyond those required by bone reading effects. Some bone reading rules require the rolled results to be preserved until some later point.
# Lastly, make sure you have enough other dice to be used for each of your types of pieces you are taking on your team.

=== Setup Order Chart ===
[[File:Setup order chart.png|none|thumb|450x450px]]

=== Setting Pieces up Randomly ===
This is a rare situation, but when a rule calls for pieces to be placed randomly on the board, do the following:

* Roll '''two D8''', one after the other. The first determines which rank of the board that piece will be set up in, and the second will determine the file.
* If the square at that coordinate is unoccupied, place that piece in that square. If the square is occupied and it cannot co-occupy that square with whatever is occupying it, you may re-roll one or both dice, or scatter the piece from that square (more on this below).
** Some pieces have rules which allow them to co-occupy a square with other things (such as specific terrain types).

=== Pieces off the Board ===
There are a few situations where pieces may not be on the board. The most common of which is when a piece has been '''slain'''. Less common situations involve rules that may cause a piece to be deployed or set up on the board at a later time, or rules that temporarily (or permanently) '''Banish''' pieces. As well, pieces that could be '''summoned''' by a faction’s rules are kept off the board.<blockquote>'''We advise players to use the [[Activation Tracker]] sheet provided to organize their pieces which aren’t on the board.'''</blockquote>Pieces off the board cannot Activate or Reactivate unless they have a rule allowing them to do so.

In some situations, pieces that have been Banished may return to it by some means. In all cases like this, those pieces returned to the board do not count as having Activated unless they did so earlier in the turn, or the rule bringing them back says otherwise.

* ''Eg. A Knight Activates in turn 3, is slain, then is returned to the board later in turn 3 - it still counts as having Activated.''

== Turn Structure ==
Below are the steps of a turn in two versions.

=== General Turn Breakdown ===

# "Beginning of Turn" effects.
# One player Activates a piece of theirs that hasn’t Activated yet this turn. If all their pieces have Activated, they instead choose one of their pieces and Reactivate it.
# Any "between Activations" effects resolve now.
# If there are still pieces left to Activate, go back and have the other player carry out the turn sequence from Step 2.
#"End of Turn" effects.

=== Comprehensive Turn Breakdown ===

# '''Beginning of turn effects'''
#* '''A)''' Determine who is Activating first this turn
#** This is generally the player who did not Re/Activate a piece last in the previous turn - some rules may alter this.
#* '''B)''' All effects that happen at the start of the turn resolve in the following order. For each of these steps, players will go back and forth resolving relevant and applicable rules, one at a time, starting with the player who will be Activating pieces first this turn.
#** Faction rules
#** Faction upgrades
#** Piece rules
# '''Activations'''
#* '''A)''' Player Activates a piece that hasn’t Activated yet this turn (read below section: '''Activations''')
#** The player Activating first this turn starts this off.
#** If a player has Activated all their pieces when they are passed opportunity to Activate, they instead '''Reactivate''' a piece.
#* '''B)''' Any “'''between Activations'''” effect triggered in the previous Re/Activation resolves now. '''Between Activations''' effects that are prompted will resolve in the next soonest instance of this step in a turn.
#** If a player has multiple effects to resolve here, they choose the order in which they resolve.
#** If both players have effects to resolve here, the player who had just Re/Activated a piece resolves their effects first.
#* '''C)''' Does one team have no pieces on the board? If so, the player with pieces on the board wins immediately. If not, proceed.
#* '''D)''' Are there still pieces that haven't been Activated? If yes, the other player goes back to step '''2A'''; if not, both players go to step '''3'''.
# '''End of turn effects'''
#* '''A)''' All “at end of turn” effects resolve in this order; players go back and forth like at the start of the turn, but starting with the player who did not have the last piece Re/Activation.
#** Faction rules
#** Faction upgrades
#** Piece rules
#* '''B)''' Determine alternate victory conditions.
#** If a player would meet the requisites for winning through an alternate means, it happens now.
#*** If multiple players would win this way at the same time, the player with more points worth of pieces on the board wins.
#* '''C)''' All "until the end of turn" effects cease to function now.
#* '''D)''' Turn all face-down cards face up (like Joker cards), and shuffle away any discarded cards (like Major and Minor Arcana) and cards that are being held until the end of turn. If any dice were temporarily removed from Bone pools, those are returned to their pool now too.
#** Resolve any effects as a consequence of this.
#* '''E)''' Start the next turn.

== Activations ==
'''The player who has set their pieces up first is the player who Activates a piece first in a game.'''

'''For each turn beyond the first, the player who Activates a piece first is the player who didn’t have the last Activation or Reactivation of the previous turn.''' Though some special rules may alter this.

=== Activation ===
An Activation for a piece involves:

# The player resolves any rules’ effects that can happen at the start of their Activation.
#* Should multiple effects attempt to happen at this point, the owner of the Activating piece chooses the order in which they resolve.
# Move '''or''' Attack.
# The player resolves any rules’ effects that can happen at the end of their Activation.
#* Should multiple effects attempt to happen at this point, the owner of the Activating piece chooses the order in which they resolve.

=== Reactivation ===
If the opportunity to Activate a piece is given to a player by the turn order and all of their remaining pieces have been Activated this turn, but their opponent has 1 or more pieces that haven’t Activated, the player chooses any one of their pieces to be Reactivated.

==== '''Steps of a Reactivation:''' ====

* '''If the chosen piece has no Disadvantage tokens, give it one.'''
* '''Have it carry out the steps of an Activation.'''

== Advantage and Disadvantage ==
When a piece is rolling their dice at '''Advantage''', instead of summing the results of the rolled dice, they double the result of the '''higher''' one. Inversely, when a piece is rolling at '''Disadvantage''', they double the result of the '''lower''' die instead.

If a piece would be granted Advantage on a roll it has Disadvantage on—or vice versa—they cancel each other out. If there are multiple instances of Advantage and Disadvantage applying to the same roll, each instance of one cancels out an instance of the other.

If a piece would be granted Advantage on a roll and a rule is preventing them from rolling at Advantage, that roll does not happen at Advantage. The same applies for Disadvantage and the preventing of such.

=== Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens ===
'''Pieces with Advantage tokens may spend 1 before they roll both their dice to give themselves Advantage on that roll.'''

'''If a piece has any Disadvantage tokens and they are prompted to roll their dice, they must spend 1 such token before rolling them—doing so gives Disadvantage on that roll.'''

In either case, you cannot spend more than 1 Advantage or Disadvantage token during a roll to apply their effect ''(eg. your piece is being given Disadvantage on their Attack roll, but they also have 2 Advantage tokens. You may spend 1 of those tokens to cancel out the Disadvantage on the roll, but you cannot then spend the 2nd token to give it Advantage)''. However, some special rules may allow a piece to spend multiples of these tokens for some other bonus or effect.

If a piece with an Advantage token would receive a Disadvantage token—or vice versa—they cancel each other out. This applies also when managing larger quantities of these tokens ''(eg. If a piece has 4 Disadvantage tokens and they are given 3 Advantage tokens, they will be left with 1 Disadvantage token)''.

If a piece would spend an Advantage token to roll its dice at Advantage but some effect is preventing that roll from being at Advantage, the token is still spent and they cannot roll their dice at Advantage. The same is true if a piece must spend a Disadvantage token, but some effect is preventing it from rolling its dice at Disadvantage—the token is spent, but it still cannot roll its dice at Disadvantage.

=== Dis/Advantage and Jokers ===
As Jokers only roll one die, they cannot roll it at Advantage or Disadvantage. If a Joker receives any Dis/Advantage tokens, they cannot spend them to gain Dis/Advantage. At the end of the turn, remove any/all Dis/Advantage tokens on all Jokers. A player cannot voluntarily give their own Joker either type of token unless it is the only valid target for one. A player may give an opponent’s Joker either type of token even if there are other valid targets.

=== Example Interaction ===
A Knight with an Advantage token will Attack an enemy who is adjacent to another enemy, but…

# …there is an effect preventing the Knight from Attacking at Advantage.
#* The Advantage granted to the Knight from its rule ''[[Core Rules#Knight|Mounted Advantage]]'' is inhibited. And though it will have an opportunity to spend a token, the Advantage token will have no effect.
# …there is an effect making the Knight Attack at Disadvantage.
#* The Advantage granted to the Knight from its rule ''[[Core Rules#Knight|Mounted Advantage]]'' is cancelled out by the Disadvantage affecting it, making its roll normal. It still gets an opportunity to spend the Advantage token it has; if it does spend it, its dice go from being rolled normally to being rolled at Advantage.

== Blessings and Curses ==

=== Blessed ===
'''If an effect would cause a piece on your team to receive one or more Advantage tokens, other ally pieces which have a Blessing token also receive one.'''

If a piece with a Blessing token would receive a Curse token, they cancel each other out and both are removed from the piece. A piece that is Blessed cannot have another Blessing token placed on it, nor be a target for a Blessing token.

Blessed pieces cannot gain Advantage tokens as a consequence of another Blessed piece gaining an Advantage token from an initial trigger (i.e. there is no infinite feedback loop of receiving those tokens).

=== Cursed ===
'''If an effect would cause a piece on your team to receive one or more Disadvantage tokens, other ally pieces which have a Curse token also receive one.'''

If a piece with a Cursed token would receive a Blessing token, they cancel each other out and both are removed from the piece. A piece that is Cursed cannot have another Cursed token placed on it, nor be a target for a Curse token.

Cursed pieces cannot gain Disadvantage tokens as a consequence of another Cursed piece gaining a Disadvantage token from an initial trigger (i[[Found lore: The Mortal Waters (3/3)|.]]<nowiki/>e. there is no infinite feedback loop of receiving those tokens).

=== Example Interaction ===
The following pieces are on the same team:

* Piece A
* Piece B (Blessed)
* Piece C (Blessed)

Situation 1:

* Piece A gains 3 Advantage tokens from a rule’s effect. As Pieces B and C are Blessed, they see that their ally gained some number of Advantage tokens, so they each gain 1 Advantage token. No other Advantage tokens will be gained.

Situation 2:

* Piece A has a rule that gives it an Advantage token when it successfully Attacks, and Piece B has a rule that gives allies an Advantage token when they successfully Attack.
* Piece A successfully Attacks.
* Piece A’s rule gives it an Advantage token, so Pieces B and C each gain 1, as they are each Blessed. Piece B’s rule gives Piece A an Advantage token, thus Pieces B and C each gain 1 more from their Blessings.

== Other Types of Roll Modifiers ==

=== +X or -X ===
Sometimes a rule may give +X or -X to a roll total. X is a variable modifier defined by the rule giving it that bonus or penalty, and its value is determined during the roll being made. A -X modifier cannot bring a total below 0.<blockquote>''A rule is stating that all Bishops get +X to their roll totals where X is the number of tarot cards currently dealt out. A Bishop rolls its dice, and the sum of both dice results in 7. However, the current number of tarot cards currently dealt out is 3, so the Bishop's roll total becomes 10 (7+3).''</blockquote>

=== ...would be lesser/greater than X, it becomes equal to X instead. ===
This modifier substitutes the roll total for a determined value if the roll itself would be above or below a specified threshold.<blockquote>''A rule is stating that if a piece would roll their dice and the total would be less than the number of slain pieces (X), it becomes equal to that instead. A Pawn rolls its dice, and the sum of both dice results is 2. However, the current number of all slain pieces in the game is 5, so the Pawn's roll total becomes 5 instead of 2.''</blockquote>

== Targets and Roll Success/Failure ==

=== Choosing Valid Targets ===
If you would go to resolve an effect that requires a target (often a piece), you must select a valid target that meets the mentioned criteria ''(e.g. if you attempt to Curse a piece that cannot be Cursed, you must instead select a piece that can be)''. If there is no valid target, the parts of the effect that require a target cannot resolve. Should an effect have multiple steps to its resolution, but only some parts requiring a target cannot resolve, the other parts that don’t require a target may still resolve--given that they are not contingent on the other target-requiring part to resolve.

Most of the time, effects cannot target pieces or such that are not on the board, unless they specify otherwise. The word "target" may not specifically be used, but is implied. If a rule would say something like, ''"When this King rolls doubles on a Defence roll, slay an enemy Pawn between Activations,"'' the enemy Pawn is the intended target, and for a Pawn to be a valid target in this example, it would need to meet the following criteria:
* It is a Pawn,
* It belongs to the opposing team,
* It is on the board,
* The Pawn does not have a rule preventing this action from happening.

=== Succeeding or Failing a Roll ===
Some rules or effects mention a condition being a roll succeeding or failing, this is done to keep wording brief. A success of a roll would be if the action taking place for the piece rolling did end up happening, and a failure would be the opposite. <blockquote>''As an example, a Knight is Attacking an enemy Rook. If the Knight’s Attack roll was higher than the Rook’s Defence roll, then the Knight’s Attack roll would be considered a success and the Rook’s Defence roll would be considered a failure.''</blockquote>Even in cases where a commonly bad outcome (eg. a player's piece fails a Defence roll) could be seen as advantageous for a player's strategy, that outcome is still considered a failure. '''Success or failure is based on the intent of the roll's function and not on the overall strategic goal.'''

== Faith Mechanics ==
These are a type of rule that interacts with:

* the Major Arcana/Tarot deck,
* the Minor Arcana/Playing card deck,
* or the Bone Reading mechanic.

Rules that interact with a particular mechanic of this type will say which one they use in brackets after their rule name.

=== Bone Reading ===
The Bone Reading mechanic is a pool of dice you assemble at the start of the game (unless stated otherwise in a rule's description). The contents of this pool of dice are based on the pieces on your team during list construction.

* If you have any Pawns on your team, add a '''D4''' to the pool.
* If you have any Knights, Rooks, or Bishops on your team, add a '''D6''' to the pool.
* If you have a Queen, add a '''D8'''.
* If you have a King, add a '''D10'''.
* If you have any Jokers, add a '''D20'''.

Each rule that utilizes this mechanic will tell you how to use this and interpret the results when prompted to roll.

'''You do not share this dice pool with your opponent.'''

To avoid mixing these up with your die used for normal rolls, '''keep this dice pool separate from your other dice at all times.''' We recommend using a small flat dish with short walls to hold these.
=== Minor Arcana ===
This involves using a standard 52 playing card deck (including the joker cards unless they have been removed - see the '''[[Core Rules#Card and Dice Setup|Setup]]''' section). Each faction that uses this will tell you what to do with it. '''If both players are using this mechanic, they share the same deck.''' While set up, the deck is kept face down.

You may use the Minor Arcana cards from a complete tarot set, however you will need to edit its composition so that it matches a standard deck of playing cards:

* Remove the Pages of each suit,
* The suit of Wands/Batons/Rods counts as Clubs,
* The suit of Cups counts as Hearts,
* The suit of Swords count as Spades,
* And the suit of Coins/Pentacles/Disks count as Diamonds.

Cards that get revealed and kept aside until the end of the turn get shuffled away then. Unless stated otherwise, these cards are kept face up.

Cards that get revealed and kept aside until the end of the game are not shuffled away at the end of the turn, and usually have some way of getting returned to the deck or discarded. Unless stated otherwise, these cards are kept face up. Both of these may have exceptions in special rules - read each one carefully.

Cards from this deck may become '''discarded'''. When this occurs, keep them in a distinct pile from the face-down deck. These cannot be drawn from (though if a rule says to '''search''' for a particular card, you look through this discard pile as well). These cards are kept face up. At the end of the turn, shuffle these back into the deck.

If a player would reveal some number of cards from the deck, but the deck has less than that many cards remaining in it, reveal until the deck is empty. The deck remains empty until its discard pile is shuffled back into it.<blockquote>'''While any of these cards are in a deck or pile that is facing up, they can be looked through at any time by either player. While any of these cards are in a deck or pile that is facing down, they cannot be looked through—except in the case of a rule causing a player to make their own face-down pile, which they can look through at any time.'''</blockquote>

=== Major Arcana ===
Major Arcana involves using the 22-card tarot card deck. Different versions of tarot decks have existed throughout history and still exist in a wide variety. Depending on the tarot deck you are using, you may need to edit its composition for play of this game. Since certain decks may not include some cards used for substitutions, we’ve included some alternate cards to use in their place ''(eg. if you are using a'' Minchiate ''tarot deck, use the Faith trump card for the High Priestess)''. If you are using a version where there is no named substitute for a card mentioned below, you and your opponent should agree to an alternate card from the deck that can be used in its place.

While set up, the deck is kept face down and cannot be looked through unless a rule prompts a player to search for a particular card. Rules that use this deck may tell you to “Divinate”. When a special rule prompts you to Divinate, do '''one''' of the following actions:

* Shuffle away all tarot cards that are dealt out (do not shuffle in discarded tarot cards), then deal out 3 from the top of the deck to be facing up. The first of these cards dealt out will be the '''active''' card. However''',''' if the rule causing the Divination mentions specific cards in brackets, the player resolving the Divination may choose for one of those to be '''active''' instead if they are currently dealt out. These cards in brackets can be referred to as a piece’s “preferred cards”.
* Of the cards that are already dealt out, choose an inactive card to become the new active card. The current active card becomes inactive.

Cards from this deck may become '''discarded'''. When this occurs, keep them in a distinct, face-up pile aside from the deck. These cannot be drawn from but players may look through it at any time (and '''searched''' through if a rule prompts such). At the end of the turn, shuffle these back into the deck.

If a player would reveal some number of cards from the deck, but the deck has less than that many cards remaining in it, reveal until the deck is empty. The deck remains empty until its discard pile is shuffled back into it.

==== Tarot Cards and Their Effects ====
Tarot cards can feature two types of effects: ones that resolve immediately upon being made active, and/or passive effects that trigger under certain conditions while they are active. Read each one carefully.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Card name
!Card effects
|-
|'''The Fool''' / The Madman
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, turn any/all Joker cards face up.
'''Passive:''' While this card is active, Jokers [[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|cannot be slain]].
|-
|'''The Magician''' / The Juggler / Illness
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, if a piece would slay another with an Attack roll that was at Advantage, the owner of the Attacking piece may replace them with a slain piece from their team that is of higher rank at the end of their Activation.
|-
|'''The High Priestess''' / Faith / The Popess
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, when a player goes to choose which piece to Activate their opponent chooses which piece they Activate instead. This does not apply to Reactivations.
|-
|'''The Empress''' / Night, Day
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, pieces cannot become Cursed while they are adjacent to Trees.
'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, Curse the highest ranked piece on the team which has more slain pieces.
|-
|'''The Emperor''' / Protection
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active:

* Kings [[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|cannot be slain]] unless they are the last piece of their team on the board.
* Kings cannot Attack.
|-
|'''The Hierophant''' / The Pope
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, Bless each Bishop. Then, for each Bishop of theirs that was just Blessed, each player may Curse up to one piece that does not have a faith mechanic rule.
|-
|'''The Lovers'''
|'''Immediate:''' Starting with the player that made this card active, each player Blesses an enemy piece then Curses a piece of their own.
|-
|'''The Chariot''' / Dissension
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, remove all Curses from pieces belonging to the player with fewer pieces on the board. Then each player may redeploy one of their pieces, starting with the player that made this card active.
'''Passive:''' While this card is active:

* The player with fewer pieces on the board cannot have their pieces be Cursed.
* At the start of a Blessed piece's Re/Activation, their player may spend its Blessing to redeploy it or Bump it.
|-
|'''Justice'''
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, if an enemy piece would slay one of yours, between Activations Curse that piece or a piece on their team that is of equal or higher rank as the one who slayed. If all eligible targets are already Cursed, slay one of them instead.
|-
|'''The Hermit''' / The Sage / Traitor
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, the highest ranked Blessed piece on each team gains an Advantage token. Then give a Disadvantage token to each piece that is not adjacent to another piece or terrain.
|-
|'''Wheel of Fortune''' / Fortune
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, do each of the following (if they are in play):

* Flip all Joker cards (face up cards get turned face down, and vice versa).
* Each player with a bone pool rolls them and gains a die of the type(s) that rolled the lowest result.
* All cards in the Minor arcana deck are discarded, and any Minor Arcana cards that were previously discarded are now shuffled into the deck (the deck and discard switch places).
* Shuffle all tarot cards into the major arcana deck and Divinate again.
|-
|'''Strength''' / Sovereign
|The player that makes this card active chooses one of the following:

* '''Passive:''' While this card is active, the highest ranked pieces on each team Attack at Advantage and cannot be slain.
* '''Passive:''' While this card is active, give a piece a Disadvantage token immediately after they unsuccessfully Attack, before any combat movement is resolved.
|-
|'''The Hanged Man''' / Prudence / The People
|The player that makes this card active chooses one of the following:

* '''Immediate:''' They may slay one of their own pieces. If they do, they remove any/all Curses and Disadvantage tokens from pieces on their team.
* '''Passive:''' While this card is active, pieces cannot gain or spend Dis/Advantage tokens.
|-
|'''Death''' / Morality
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, the player with fewer slain pieces must slay one of their own pieces, but this cannot cause a player to slay their last piece on the board. If, however, players are tied for the amount of slain pieces they have, instead they each put 1 Disadvantage token on an enemy piece of their choosing, starting with the player that made this card active.
'''Passive:''' While this card is active, pieces cannot have their [[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|slaying be prevented]][[Found lore: Goblin Mercenaries|.]]
|-
|'''Temperance'''
|'''Immediate:''' Starting with the player that makes this card active, each player chooses a piece of theirs that has any kind of token on it, if possible. They may remove 1 of those tokens. If they do, each enemy of theirs on the board loses 1 of those tokens as well.
|-
|'''The Devil'''
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, each piece becomes Cursed at the start of their Activation.
|-
|'''The Tower''' / House of God / House of the Devil
|'''Immediate:''' Between Activations, treat all pieces as having Activated this turn (players proceed to resolve end-of-turn effects).
|-
|'''The Star''' / Desolation
|'''Immediate:''' Starting with the player who made this card active, each player chooses a piece of theirs on the board that has Activated or is currently Activating. Those pieces do not/will not count as having Activated yet this turn. Then discard this card. If this is the first turn on the board for either of those pieces, their next Activation also counts as their first Activation of the game (for rules that care about a piece's first Activation of a game).
|-
|'''The Moon''' / Water
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, when players make a roll for a piece of theirs against an enemy piece’s roll, they may choose one of the following:

* To give their piece’s roll Disadvantage; if that roll happens at Disadvantage and is successful…
* To give their piece’s roll Advantage; if that roll happens at Advantage and is unsuccessful…

…their piece does not count as having Activated yet this turn.
|-
|'''The Sun''' / Fire
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, each piece becomes Blessed at the start of their Activation.
|-
|'''Judgement''' / The Fires
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active:

* Rolls cannot be made at Advantage,
* Pieces cannot spend Advantage tokens,
* Pieces cannot be Summoned.
|-
|'''The World''' / Earth
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, each player may choose to redeploy all of their pieces. If they do, remove all Curses and Disadvantage tokens from those pieces. If both players choose to redeploy all their pieces, they alternate redeploying each one, starting with the player that made this card active.
|}

== Ready to Play ==
Having read through these rules, you are now ready to play a game with a friend. If you would like to read through the factions available to play, you can find them [[Factions|here]].

If you feel any part of the rules need better explanation or would like to discuss them with members of the community, you can find our discussions on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/WargameChess here], or @ us on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/wargame-chess.bsky.social here].

Enjoy!

Monsters

2026-03-04T00:30:25Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Piece Options */ fixed wording of Queen rule.

=== Complexity: [[Core Rules#To Start a Standard Game|★]] ===

== Faction Rule ==

=== Profane Beings ===
If a piece on this team would be [[Core Rules#Cursed|Cursed]] by a tarot card, instead give them 1 [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|Advantage token]]. If a piece on this team would be [[Core Rules#Blessed|Blessed]] by a tarot card, instead give them 1 [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|Disadvantage token]].

== Upgrades ==

=== Bump in the Night (Costs 2 points) ===
At the start of each turn, you may remove up to 3 Curses from enemy pieces. If you do, choose a piece of yours on the board that has the same point cost as the amount of Curses removed, then place that piece onto an [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|unoccupied]] black square on the board.

=== Recurring Nightmare (Costs 1 point) ===
At the start of each turn, you may remove up to 4 Curses from ally and/or enemy pieces. If you do, choose a slain piece of yours whose point cost is 1 fewer than the amount of Curses removed. [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|Redeploy]] that piece.

== Piece Options ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Name (ranked highest to lowest) and quantity allowance
!Piece Type
!Additional Special Rules
!Common
Special Rules
|-
|'''Lich Duke'''
(0-1)
|King
|'''Death Magic ([[Core Rules#Major Arcana|Major Arcana]]):''' When this King slays a piece with an Attack, choose one:

* Curse an enemy;
* slay a Cursed, non-King enemy<ref>This does not count as an Attack.</ref>;
* or Divinate (The Devil, Death, The Tower).
'''Acolyte of Darkness:''' This King cannot be Blessed. If this King would be Slain while The Devil is the active card, instead Bump him ([[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|his slaying is prevented]]). While The Sun is the active card, this King rolls his dice at Disadvantage and cannot gain Advantage tokens.
|'''Faction Leader'''
|-
|'''Reanimated Flesh Hulk'''
(0-1)
|Queen
|'''It's Alive!:''' When a piece [[Divinate|Divinates]], [[Core Rules#Reactivation|Reactivates]], or is [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|Summoned]], immediately give this Queen 2 Advantage tokens<ref>This happens immediately: as soon as a piece starts to Divinate, at the start of a piece’s Reactivation, or right when an enemy is slain.</ref>. This Queen [[Core Rules#Other Types of Roll Modifiers|gets +X]] to its Defence totals where X is the number of tokens it has on itself.
'''Withdrawn:''' At the start of any piece's Activation, if this Queen is adjacent to 3 or more pieces, immediately [[Core Rules#Pieces off the Board|Banish]] it (it loses any tokens it has). If this Queen has been Banished by this rule, redeploy it at the start of the next turn.
|'''Legendary'''
|-
|'''Ghoul Shaman'''
(0-1)
|Bishop
|'''Carcass Collection ([[Core Rules#Bone Reading|Bone Reading]]):''' Whenever this Bishop or an ally slays an enemy, add a die of that enemy piece’s type to your bone pool. After this Bishop Moves, you may roll the bones. For each die that rolled its highest possible result or rolled a 1, Curse an enemy.
|
|-
|'''Bayou Ogre'''
(0-2)
|Rook
|'''Outta my swamp!:''' Curse an enemy when they:

* relocate<ref name=":0">Relocation includes: Bumping, placement, random placement, redeployment, scattering, [[Core Rules#Attack|combat movement]], or any involuntary Moves/Attacks.</ref> this Rook,
* end their Re/Activation in your deployment zone, or
* Attack an ally<ref>As soon as the enemy is placed into the ally’s square for the Attack (between steps 1 and 2 of the Attack sequence), give them the Curse.</ref> that is adjacent to this Rook.

When an enemy ends their Re/Activation in your deployment zone, you may redeploy this Rook [[Core Rules#Turn Structure|between Activations]].
|'''Castle'''
|-
|'''Dúlachán'''
(0-2)
|Knight
|'''Beckon Death:''' At the start of this Knight’s first Activation of the game, and at the start of each of its Reactivations, Curse a non-King piece.
'''Spine Whip:''' This Knight [[Core Rules#Other Types of Roll Modifiers|gets +X]] to its Attack totals where X is the number of slain enemies.
|'''Mounted Advantage'''
|-
|'''Grummswol'''
(0-1)
|Joker
|'''Long for this world:''' When Grummswol is slain, remove all Curses from pieces on the board. If Grummswol would be slain while a Joker card is face up, instead turn the card face down and Bump Grummswol ([[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|their slaying is prevented]]).
'''Pandemonium:''' While all Joker cards are face down, if your opponent relocates<ref name=":0" /> one of your pieces - excluding relocations caused by this rule - between Activations you may [[Core Rules#Bump|Bump]] one of their pieces, and vice versa.<ref>In the opposite case, if you relocate one of your opponent's pieces under the condition (all Joker cards face down), they get to Bump one of your pieces between Activations.</ref>
|'''Fool's Endeavour;'''
'''Legendary'''
|-
|'''Vexing Imp'''
(0-8)
|Pawn
|'''Foul Omens:''' When an enemy slays this Pawn, Curse them. When an ally is slain by an enemy [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|Noble]], you may slay a Pawn with this rule - if you do, Curse that enemy.
|'''En Passant;'''
'''Promotion'''
|}

=== <big>Suggested list for new players</big> ===

==== Composition ====
* Recurring Nightmare
* 1x Reanimated Flesh Hulk
* 1x Ghoul Shaman
* 1x Bayou Ogre
* 2x Dúlachán
* 2x Vexing Imp

==== Strategy ====
* Use your Dúlacháns and Ghoul Shaman to produce many Curses early.
** Note that Dúlacháns can place their Curses on any piece, not just enemies - if your opponent has easy ways of cleansing Curses from their own pieces, it might be helpful in the long run to Curse a piece of your own so you can spend it later via Recurring Nightmare.
* Keep your Reanimated Flesh Hulk away from clusters of pieces, and use them to attack lone enemies.

== Footnotes ==
<references />
[[Category:Factions]]

King's Court

2026-03-03T23:33:26Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Piece Options */ Added 'may' clause to harsh edict, this was always intended to be the case but slipped through editing. Not updating version code.

=== Complexity: [[Core Rules#To Start a Standard Game|★]] ===

== Faction Rule ==

=== Casus Belli ===
The first time a piece of yours is slain, between Activations distribute X [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|Advantage tokens and X Disadvantage tokens]], where X is equal to that piece's point cost. Then, for all subsequent turns you Activate a piece first - regardless of who [[Core Rules#Activations|Re/Activated]] a piece last in the previous turn.

== Piece Options ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Name (ranked highest to lowest) and quantity allowance
!Piece
Type
!Additional Special Rules
!Common Special Rules
|-
|'''His Majesty King Rottgleft XII'''
(1)
|King
|'''Harsh edict:''' At the start of each turn, you may choose a [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|Noble]] piece option from your opponent's faction - you may only choose each piece option once in a game. If you do, then choose one of the following effects to apply to all pieces on the board of that option until the end of the turn.<ref>If, say, the opposing faction has multiple Joker options and you choose Joker option A as a target of this rule, it won’t affect pieces on the board that are of Joker option B.</ref>

* If a piece of that option would gain any Advantage or Blessing tokens, this King or an ally of the same piece type gains 1 of such a token instead.
* Pieces of that option cannot Activate until each other piece on their team have been Activated.
* Pieces of that option roll their dice at Disadvantage this turn and cannot spend their tokens this turn.
|'''Faction Leader'''
|-
|'''Groom of the stool'''
(0-1)
|Joker
|'''Confidant:''' If this Joker becomes [[Core Rules#Blessings and Curses|Blessed]] or would gain any Advantage tokens, your King also gains 1 of those tokens.<ref>If the Joker gains any Advantage tokens while the King is Blessed, the King will gain 2 Advantage tokens - 1 from the Blessing, and 1 from this rule. Similarly, if the King gains an Advantage token by some other means while the Joker is Blessed, this will result in the King receiving 1 additional Advantage token, as the Joker is receiving an Advantage token. </ref> When the highest ranking enemy on the board gains any Advantage tokens, your King gains 1 Advantage token [[Core Rules#Turn Structure|between Activations]]. As well, your King cannot be [[Core Rules#Blessings and Curses|Cursed]].

'''Empty the pot:''' At the end of this Joker’s Re/Activation, if a Joker card is face up you may turn it face down to transfer all Curse and Disadvantage tokens from an ally to an enemy.
|'''Fool's Endeavour'''
|-
|'''Spy'''
(0-1)
|Queen
|'''Infiltrate and disrupt:''' At the end of this Queen’s Activation, you may Banish it and a non-Blessed, non-King enemy. Between Activations, you [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|redeploy]] the chosen enemy and give them a Disadvantage token. At the start of each turn you must redeploy this Queen if it is Banished by this ability; when you do, give a piece of yours an Advantage token.
|
|-
|'''Captain of the Guard'''
(0-1)
|Rook
|'''Prestige:''' At the start of this Rook's first Activation of the game, give it 1 Advantage token for each King, Queen, Knight, Bishop, and Joker that were in your starting team list.<ref name=":0">If a piece gets added to your list somehow throughout the game, or is brought back to the board by some means, this does not grant these Nobles an Advantage token - this application of Advantage tokens happens only at the beginning of the game.</ref>
'''Bodyguard:''' Ally Nobles that are adjacent to this Rook Defend at Advantage. If an ally Noble would be Attacked and they are not adjacent to this Rook, you may spend an Advantage token from this Rook to give that ally Advantage on their Defence roll.
|'''Castle'''
|-
|'''Chaplain'''
(0-1)
|Bishop
|'''Faith advisor ([[Core Rules#Minor Arcana|Minor Arcana]]):''' At the start of this Bishop's Activation, you may reveal the top 5 cards of the deck. Consult the table below to resolve the effect(s) based on the revealed cards. You resolve the effects in any order. Then discard those cards.
|
|-
|'''Master of the Horse and Hound'''
(0-1)
|Knight
|'''Prestige:''' At the start of this Knight's first Activation of the game, give it 1 Advantage token for each Pawn that was in your starting team list.<ref name=":0" />
'''Recall the hounds:''' At the end of this Knight’s Activation, you may spend any number of Advantage tokens it has. For each token spent this way, place 1 Pawn of yours onto an unoccupied square adjacent to this Knight. Then, you may have one of those chosen Pawns Attack at Advantage or Move<ref>Though these actions usually happen during a piece's own Re/Activation, the Pawn does this during the Knight's Activation and does not count as having Activated if it does either of these.</ref> during this Knight’s Activation.
|'''Mounted Advantage'''
|-
|'''Hunting Dog'''
(0-8)
|Pawn
|''This Pawn loses its Promotion rule.''
'''Release the hounds:''' At both the start and end of this Pawn's first Activation, you may [[Core Rules#Bump|Bump]] it.<ref>The first Activation of a Pawn with this rule could look like: You may Bump it, Move or Attack, then you may Bump it again.</ref>

'''Pack tactics:''' While this Pawn is Attacking an enemy that is adjacent to another allied Pawn, it Attacks at Advantage.
|'''En Passant;'''
<s>Promotion</s>
|}

=== Faith Advisor table ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Card Types
!Effect
|-
|'''''For every 2 face cards revealed this way…'''''
|Bless up to 1 Noble on your team.
|-
|'''''For every 5 face cards revealed this way…'''''<ref name=":1">These effects are cumulative with the previous effects that look for 2 of a certain card type - ''eg. If you reveal 5 face cards, you can Bless up to 3 Nobles on your team''.</ref>
|Bless 1 additional Noble on your team.
|-
|'''''For every 2 number cards revealed this way…'''''
|An ally on the board may be placed onto an unoccupied square adjacent to the Chaplain.
|-
|'''''For every 5 number cards revealed this way…'''''<ref name=":1" />
|An ally adjacent to the Chaplain may Move or Attack. If they do, the Chaplain cannot Move or Attack this Activation.
|}

=== <big>Suggested list for new players</big> ===

==== Composition ====
* 1x King Rottgleft
* 1x Spy
* 1x Captain of the Guard
* 1x Chaplain
* 1x Master of the Horse and Hound
* 3x Hunting Dogs

==== Strategy ====
* Use King Rottgleft's second effect of ''Harsh Edict'' to stop your opponent from making a big attack with a powerful piece early in the first turn.
* Save your Spy's Activation for when an enemy piece is in a very threatening position - then redeploy that enemy onto a square that is less threatening to your pieces.
* The Master of the Horse and Hound is capable of surrounding enemies with Hunting Dogs, or blocking lanes of movement.

== Footnotes ==
<references />
[[Category:Factions]]

Beastfolk

2026-03-03T20:39:41Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Tribute to Geltakaenogh */ updated wording

=== Complexity: [[Core Rules#To Start a Standard Game|★★]] ===

== Faction Rules ==

=== Tribute to Geltakaenogh ===
Some pieces of this faction have unique '''[Tribute]''' conditions. When those listed conditions are met, roll their dice and sum the results (this roll can be affected by [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage|Dis/Advantage]]). You may choose an effect from the table that is equal to or lesser than the roll total.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Dice Total
!Effect
|-
|1 or greater
|You may [[Core Rules#Bump|Bump]] this piece.
|-
|4 or greater
|Remove all Curse or Disadvantage tokens from this piece or an adjacent ally.
|-
|7 or greater
|Place an adjacent enemy onto a square which is unoccupied and adjacent to this piece.
|-
|10 or greater
|Bless this piece and all adjacent allies, then Curse all adjacent enemies.
|}

=== Chaotic and Relentless ===
At the start of a non-King Beastfolk piece's [[Core Rules#Reactivation|Reactivation]], if you would give them a [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|Disadvantage token]] for Reactivating, instead give an enemy piece of your choice an [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|Advantage token]][[Found lore: Beastfolk|,]] then roll the Reactivating piece’s dice for a Tribute.

== Upgrade ==

=== Conquest Trophies (Costs X points) ===
For every point paid for this upgrade, give a different piece of yours an Advantage token at the start of the first turn of the game.<ref>When applying the tokens granted by this upgrade, you cannot choose the same piece to receive Advantage tokens more than once. Advantage tokens gained this way can trigger Blessings on allies to produce Advantage tokens, and each ally gaining an Advantage token counts as a separate instance of an Advantage token being gained.</ref>

== Piece Options ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Name (ranked from
highest to lowest) and quantity allowance
!Piece Type
!Additional Special Rules
!Common Special Rules
|-
|'''Avatar of Geltakaenogh's Craft and Judgement'''
(0-1)
|King
|'''Multitudes of Gifts:''' When a piece of yours would roll their dice for a Tribute, they may instead roll 1 of those dice up to two times, receiving a bonus for each roll. <ref>As rolls done this way are single-die rolls, they can never be at Advantage or Disadvantage. Should a Beastfolk piece with a Dis/Advantage token roll their Tribute as one die being rolled up to two times, the token cannot be spent and applied to the roll, and thus would remain on the piece.</ref>
'''Clean Slate ([[Core Rules#Major Arcana|Major Arcana]]):''' At the start of this King’s Activation you may [[Core Rules#Tarot Cards and Their Effects|Divinate]] (The Magician, The World, Death, Judgement). While any of those cards are active, this King cannot roll his dice at Disadvantage and [[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|cannot be slain]].<ref>If the Death card becomes active, it prevents this 'cannot be slain' effect from functioning.</ref>
|'''Faction Leader'''
|-
|'''Chosen of Geltakaenogh'''
(0-1)
|Queen
|'''Juggernaut:''' Bless this Queen when they are deployed on the board during setup[[Found lore: Beastfolk|.]] If they would be slain while they are Blessed and have 3 or more Advantage tokens, instead remove 3 Advantage tokens then Bump them ([[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|their slaying is prevented]]).
'''Lead by Example:''' At the end of this Queen's Re/Activation, if they slew a piece this Re/Activation, its lowest ranked ally on the board with a [Tribute] rule may roll for and resolve a Tribute.<ref>If you have multiple pieces with the same rank, choose one to be the target of this.</ref>
|
|-
|'''Desolator of Faiths'''
(0-2)
|Bishop
|'''Doubtcraft [Tribute]''' When this Bishop slays an enemy Bishop, a piece with a faith mechanic rule, or a Joker, roll for and resolve a Tribute. When a piece on your team would roll two dice<ref>You need to roll both dice for the Tribute for this bonus effect to happen. Two single-die rolls (like those granted by the King’s ''Multitudes of Gifts'' rule) will not gain any of these bonus effects.</ref> for a Tribute, you must choose one of the following effects to occur as well, if possible:

* All [[Core Rules#Tarot cards and their effects|tarot cards]] dealt out are discarded.
* Discard the top 10 cards of the [[Core Rules#Minor Arcana|Minor Arcana]] deck.
* Remove a die from your opponent’s Bone Reading pool.
|
|-
|'''Natural Order Invoker'''
(0-1)
|Joker
|'''All things wither:''' At the start of this Joker’s Activation, if a Joker card is facing up, you may turn it face down. If you do, remove 1 Blessing, 1 Curse, 1 Advantage token, and 1 Disadvantage token from pieces on the board.<ref>You must remove 1 of each token type from pieces on the board if possible, even if it means removing a beneficial token from one of your own pieces.</ref>
'''Death's Herald (Major Arcana):''' When any pieces (including this Joker) are slain during a Re/Activation, [[Core Rules#Turn Structure|between Activations]] you may do one of the following:<ref>Normally piece rules are not in effect when that piece is no longer on the board. However, this rule says to resolve an effect after this Joker is slain, so you may resolve its effect when it says to do so (between Activations).</ref>

* [[Core Rules#Tarot Cards and Their Effects|Divinate]] (Death)
* Search for the Death card and make it active.<ref>Any tarot cards that are already dealt out stay dealt out and are made inactive. Should the Death card already be active if and when you resolve this, you can make it active again.</ref>
* If a Joker card is facing down, turn it face up.
|'''Fool's Endeavour'''
|-
|'''Bisonguard'''
(0-2)
|Rook
|'''Steppe Sentinel [Tribute]:''' While an ally is adjacent to this Rook, both Defend at Advantage so long as this Rook isn’t adjacent to a Tree. After this Rook ''Castles'', it or the non-King ally it ''Castled'' with roll for and resolve a Tribute.
|'''Castle'''
|-
|'''Chimaera'''
(0-2)
|Knight
|'''Lethal Grace [Tribute]:''' After this Knight slays an enemy with an Attack, roll for and resolve a Tribute, then you may have it immediately Attack again or Move.
|'''Mounted Advantage'''
|-
|'''Armour Hunter'''
(0-8)
|Pawn
|'''Iron Trophies [Tribute]:''' This Pawn Attacks and Defends at Advantage vs enemy [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|Nobles]], and [[Core Rules#+X or -X|gets +X]] to their Attack and Defence totals, where X is the number of Advantage tokens on them. When this Pawn slays a Noble, roll for and resolve a Tribute, then give it an Advantage token.
|'''En Passant;'''
'''Promotion'''
|}

=== <big>Suggested list for new players</big> ===

==== Composition ====
* Conquest Trophies (X=3)
* 1x Avatar of Geltakaenogh's Craft and Judgement
* 1x Chosen of Geltakaenogh
* 1x Desolator of Faiths
* 2x Chimaera

==== Strategy ====
* For the 3 Advantage tokens given out by Conquest Trophies, distribute them among your non-Queen pieces.
** As the Blessing on your Queen sees three different allies each gain Advantage tokens, it will give the Queen 3 Advantage tokens.
* When your Chimaeras slay an enemy, it is wise to roll two smaller tributes (via the King's ''Multitudes of Gifts'' rule), each time choosing the "Bump" effect, helping the Chimaeras easily set up multiple Attacks in one Re/Activation.
** As the Chimaeras are the lowest-ranking pieces on this team, slaying an enemy with your Queen would give them a free tribute.
* You start the game with only 5 pieces, which is below average, meaning you will likely be Reactivating your pieces in early turns. Place the Advantage tokens (from the ''Chaotic and Relentless'' rule) on your opponent's weakest pieces, and use the free tribute to position your Reactivating piece for a strong Attack.

== Footnotes ==
<references />

== Designer's Note ==

==== Added with version B.1.2 ====
There is a mechanical conflict within this faction: piece rules that allow them to [[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|Avoid Death]] under certain conditions, and some pieces preferring the Death tarot card (which prevents Avoiding Death effects). This is intentional. Thematically, the Beastfolk are Geltakaenogh's creations, and the tool with which he hopes to purge most sentient life from the world; they are harbingers of death and destruction. They are imperfect, twisted amalgams of wild animals, and are often seen as brutish and invincible by their opponents. Their assaults are chaotic and disorganized, yet devastating and effective. Our design intent is for players to balance those conflicting mechanics: lean into their durability when needed, utilize the Death tarot when it would be most impactful, but not benefit from both fully at the same time.
[[Category:Factions]]

Main Page

2026-02-18T17:54:25Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* New Additions and Upcoming Changes */

=== What is Wargame Chess? ===
Wargame Chess is a tabletop wargame that uses a chess set, but also incorporates other gaming devices like dice and cards. The core rules to the game are a framework that supports a variety of faction options. Understanding faction differences and interactions accounts for most of the game’s nuance.

Wargame Chess is not a variation of traditional chess - though it uses the same pieces and borrows some concepts from it, it is a wholly different game.

== Getting started ==
First, you will need the Game Rules and Resources. Then, take a look over the various [[:Category:Factions|Factions]] to see which one best suits your play style.

==== [[Main Resources|<big>Game Rules and Resources</big>]] ====

==== <big>[[Factions]]</big> ====

== New Additions and Upcoming Changes ==

==== February 8, 2026 ====
Updated Core Rules to [[Core Rules|Version B.1.2]]. See the Changelog [[Core Rules Changelog|here]].

Updated Core Factions to match Core Rules update.

We will be implementing a Concepts and Theory module, meant to be read before the game's rules. We noticed explaining concepts like movement theory, dice math, and more to new players helped give them a context for the rules they were about to read, and made their first few games play more smoothly.

====== See previous posts [[Previous Upcoming Additions and Changes|here]]. ======

== Mission and vision ==
Wargame Chess aims to provide a free and easily accessible wargaming experience.

You can read our full mission and vision statements [[Mission and vision|here]].

== Account ==
By creating an account, your choice of light or dark theme will keep when you load to a new page.

=== Discussions ===
Until we set up discussion pages on this site, if you wish to discuss the game you can use our page [https://www.patreon.com/c/wargamechess/chats here] on Patreon. If you prefer socializing on a different platform (eg. Reddit, Discord), you're welcome to create a page there.

== Support us ==
If you'd like to support our endeavours, check out the game's [https://www.patreon.com/wargamechess/membership Patreon page] or our [https://ko-fi.com/wargamechess Ko-Fi page].

And feel free to check out our [https://www.instagram.com/wargame.chess/ Instagram] and [https://bsky.app/profile/wargame-chess.bsky.social Bluesky] pages too!

== <big>Credits</big> ==
Click [[Credits|here]] to see our team members.

__TOC__

Main Page

2026-02-18T17:53:48Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Upcoming Additions and Changes */

=== What is Wargame Chess? ===
Wargame Chess is a tabletop wargame that uses a chess set, but also incorporates other gaming devices like dice and cards. The core rules to the game are a framework that supports a variety of faction options. Understanding faction differences and interactions accounts for most of the game’s nuance.

Wargame Chess is not a variation of traditional chess - though it uses the same pieces and borrows some concepts from it, it is a wholly different game.

== Getting started ==
First, you will need the Game Rules and Resources. Then, take a look over the various [[:Category:Factions|Factions]] to see which one best suits your play style.

==== [[Main Resources|<big>Game Rules and Resources</big>]] ====

==== <big>[[Factions]]</big> ====

== New Additions and Upcoming Changes ==

==== February 8, 2026 ====
Updated Core Rules to [[Core Rules|Version B.1.2]]. See the Changelog [[Core Rules Changelog|here]].

Updated Core Factions to match Core Rules update.

====== See previous posts [[Previous Upcoming Additions and Changes|here]]. ======

== Mission and vision ==
Wargame Chess aims to provide a free and easily accessible wargaming experience.

You can read our full mission and vision statements [[Mission and vision|here]].

== Account ==
By creating an account, your choice of light or dark theme will keep when you load to a new page.

=== Discussions ===
Until we set up discussion pages on this site, if you wish to discuss the game you can use our page [https://www.patreon.com/c/wargamechess/chats here] on Patreon. If you prefer socializing on a different platform (eg. Reddit, Discord), you're welcome to create a page there.

== Support us ==
If you'd like to support our endeavours, check out the game's [https://www.patreon.com/wargamechess/membership Patreon page] or our [https://ko-fi.com/wargamechess Ko-Fi page].

And feel free to check out our [https://www.instagram.com/wargame.chess/ Instagram] and [https://bsky.app/profile/wargame-chess.bsky.social Bluesky] pages too!

== <big>Credits</big> ==
Click [[Credits|here]] to see our team members.

__TOC__

The Blights of Winter

2026-02-12T16:02:05Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Piece Options */

=== Complexity: [[Core Rules#To Start a Standard Game|★]] ===

== Faction Rule ==

=== Conjure Winter ([[Core Rules#Minor Arcana|Minor Arcana]]) ===
When a piece's rule says to “Conjure Winter X”:

# Reveal X cards from the deck and keep 1 aside for the rest of the game;
# Discard the rest of the revealed cards;
# Use the table below to resolve the effect of the kept card.

When a piece would Conjure Winter and each enemy piece on the board has one or more [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|Disadvantage tokens]], The Thaw<ref>The Thaw itself is not an effect that resolves, it’s just a point in the game that can occur: it either has happened, or it hasn’t. The Thaw cannot occur in the middle of a Conjure Winter resolution; if, say, there is only 1 enemy without a Disadvantage token, and your Queen dies, causing you to Conjure Winter 8 and keep 4 or more cards, resolve all of those cards normally. The check for enemies with/without Disadvantage tokens happens at the start of the Conjure Winter resolution. If during the resolution of a Conjure Winter you run out of legal targets to place Disadvantage tokens on, you cannot place more Disadvantage tokens.</ref> begins. Henceforth, when a piece would Conjure Winter by any amount, you must discard that many cards you have kept aside. For each card discarded this way, remove a Disadvantage or [[Core Rules#Cursed|Curse token]] from an enemy piece. If there are no such tokens left on enemy pieces, instead place a Disadvantage token on one of your pieces.<ref>An example of how this could resolve: After The Thaw, a piece from this faction Conjures Winter 3; so you discard 3 of the kept cards; you see only 2 enemies have Disadvantage/Curse tokens, so those 2 get removed, then you give 1 piece from this faction 2 Disadvantage tokens; between removing the 2 Curse/Disadvantage tokens and giving an ally 2 Disadvantage tokens, all 3 cards discarded this way have been resolved.</ref> If a piece would Conjure Winter by any amount and there are no cards to discard this way, instead give a piece from this faction 2 Disadvantage tokens for each card you would have had to discard but could not.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Card type kept
!Effect
|-
|King
|Place 1 Disadvantage token on each enemy adjacent to your King. If you have no King, or there are no enemies adjacent to it, give 1 such token to an enemy piece that has none.
|-
|Queen
|Place 1 Disadvantage token on each enemy adjacent to your Queen. If you have no Queen, or there are no enemies adjacent to it, give 1 such token to an enemy piece that has none.
|-
|Jack or Ace
|Place 1 Disadvantage token on each enemy adjacent to one of your Rooks, Knights, Bishops, or Joker. If you have no such [[Core Rules#Other common rules, rule tags, and shorthand terms|Nobles]], or there are no enemies adjacent to any of them, give 1 such token to an enemy piece that has none.
|-
|Numbered
|Place 1 Disadvantage token on an enemy piece that has none.
|}

== Piece Options ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Name (ranked highest to lowest) and quantity allowance
!Piece Type
!Additional Special Rules
!Common Special Rules
|-
|'''Father Winter'''
(0-1)
|King
|'''Freezing reign (Minor Arcana):''' At the start of this King’s Activation, Conjure Winter 2. While you have 10 or more cards kept aside from Conjuring Winter, this King cannot be Cursed, given Disadvantage tokens, or [[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|be slain]].<ref>If he would be slain while you have 10 or more cards kept aside via '''Conjure Winter''', Bump him.</ref> At the end of turn 10, if this King is still on the board you win the game.
|'''Faction Leader'''
|-
|'''Witch of November'''
(0-1)
|Queen
|'''Bone-chilling gale (Minor Arcana):''' When this Queen Attacks an enemy and they successfully Defend, give that enemy 2 Disadvantage tokens. When this Queen is slain, between Activations Conjure Winter 8 and keep no fewer than 4 of those cards.
|'''Legendary'''
|-
|'''Jack Frost'''
(0-1)
|Joker
|'''Winter wonderland (Minor Arcana):''' At the start of this Joker’s Activation, if a Joker card is face up you may turn it face down to Conjure Winter 2. When a piece Conjures Winter, for each Joker card facing down do one of the following:

* Increase the Conjure Winter amount by 1.
* Keep 1 additional card if possible.
|'''Legendary;'''
'''Fool's Endeavour'''
|-
|'''Solstice Totem'''
(0-2)
|Bishop
|'''The next solstice approaches (Minor Arcana):''' At the start of this Bishop’s Activation, Conjure Winter 3. Whenever you Conjure Winter, keep up to 1 additional revealed card for each Bishop of yours on the board, if possible. Or, if it’s after The Thaw, discard 1 additional card per Bishop of yours on the board.<ref>If after The Thaw you would, for example, Conjure Winter 3 and have 2 Bishops on the board, you will discard 5 cards.</ref>
|'''Revered Structure'''
|-
|'''Barbegazi'''
(0-2)
|Rook
|'''Friendly Demeanor:''' Enemies Attack this Rook at Disadvantage. While this Rook is not Cursed, adjacent enemies cannot Attack it.
'''Little jig (Minor Arcana):''' Immediately after this Rook ''Castles'', Conjure Winter 3. At the end of this Rook's Activation, if it is adjacent to an ally, you may place it onto an [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|unoccupied]] square adjacent to that ally.
|'''Castle'''
|-
|'''Yeti'''
(0-2)
|Knight
|'''Natural camouflage (Minor Arcana):''' While this Knight is not Cursed, if its Attack or Defence totals would be less than X, they become X, where X is the number of cards you have kept aside for Conjure Winter. When this Knight successfully Attacks or Defends, Conjure Winter 4 [[Core Rules#Turn Structure|between Activations]].
|'''Mounted Advantage'''
|-
|'''Arctic Wolf'''
(0-8)
|Pawn
|'''Prowl (Minor Arcana):''' At the start of this Pawn’s Activation you may do one of the following:

* Give it an Advantage token. If you do, it cannot Move this Activation (it may still Attack).
* Give it a Disadvantage token, Bump it, then Conjure Winter 1 (it may still Move or Attack after).
|'''En Passant;'''
'''Promotion'''
|}

=== <big>Suggested list for new players</big> ===

==== Composition ====
* 1x Father Winter
* 1x Witch of November
* 1x Barbegazi
* 2x Yeti
* 3x Arctic Wolf

==== Strategy ====
* As it has decent defensive abilities, and use your Barbegazi to block enemies from attacking your other pieces.
* Conjure Winter with Arctic Wolves, then use more aggressive pieces (like Yetis and the Witch of November) to Attack enemies with Disadvantage tokens. 

== Footnotes ==
<references />{{DEFAULTSORT:Blights of Winter, The}}
[[Category:Factions]]

Core Rules Changelog

2026-02-12T16:01:29Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Version B.1.2 */

=== Version B.1.2 ===

* Posted February 8, 2026
* Many of the changes in this version are about changing some game terms to more appropriately-themed alternatives, or giving commonly-found phrases a simple term to reduce word bloat in faction entries.
* Adjusted the standard game objective to account for units that cannot Attack.
** In addition to having no pieces left on the board, if all a player has left on the board are pieces that cannot Attack, their opponent wins the game immediately.
* Changed the term Positional to Noble.
** Positional was a hold-over from early development of Wargame Chess. The team voted on various options to replace it, and Noble was the winner.
* Changed the phrase 'removed from the board' to Banished.
** The team felt this function could be reduced to a single word given how often it is used.
* Added the common rule [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|Revered Structure]].
** Enough factions in the game will have a rule like this that we feel it warrants being a common one mentioned in the Core Rules. Most of those units with such a rule aren't released yet, but we feel this helps readability for current and future releases.

=== Version B.1.1 ===

* Cleaned up phrasing and clarity of sentences.
* Reordered some sections.
* Added 'Bump' to replace "place the piece into an unoccupied adjacent square."
* Added redundancy to some rule sections and expanded on them.
* Adjusted formatting of tarot card explanations.
* Added functionality to some tarot cards.

=== Version B.1.0 ===

* Previous version was for Alpha testing, and only used internally.

Core Rules

2026-02-12T16:01:05Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Queen */ fixed caption

== What is Wargame Chess? ==
Wargame Chess is a turn-based tabletop wargame that uses a chess set, and also incorporates other gaming devices like dice and cards. Wargame Chess is not a variation of traditional chess. Though it uses the same pieces and borrows some concepts from it, it is a wholly different game.

Each player assumes the role of a faction within the game - factions give a player’s pieces different rules, greatly affecting how they play. The game’s rules are a simple framework to support a plethora of faction options. Understanding faction differences and interactions accounts for most of the game’s nuance.

== What do I Need to Play? ==
Two players will need the following items to play ''Wargame Chess'':

* A chess set (a board and a full set of pieces).
* 2 or more small items that fit within a board square to represent Joker pieces.
* Deck of playing cards (will often be referred to as the Minor Arcana deck).
* All 22 Major Arcana cards from a tarot deck.
* Various dice to be used between both players:
** Six or more 4-sided dice (D4)
** Six or more 6-sided dice (D6)
** Six or more 8-sided dice (D8)
** Six or more 10-sided dice (D10)
** Four or more 20-sided dice (D20)
* 6 items to represent Trees on the board.
* Items to represent Blessing and Curse tokens.
** We recommend different coloured poker chips as these sit under most chess pieces very well
* Two distinct types of small dice to represent Advantage and Disadvantage tokens. Place these next to pieces to keep track of such token quantities.
** We recommend the dice used for Advantage tokens match the colour of your Blessing tokens, and the dice used for Disadvantage tokens match the colour of your Curse tokens.
* A way to mark chess pieces so they become visually distinct among their own type (eg. a way to differentiate between Pawns on a team).
** We suggest using numbers written on the pieces with a marker, using numbered stickers, or colour-coding them in some way.

=== Not Necessary, but Suggested: ===

* Themed pieces for your favourite faction.
** If these are not chess pieces, make sure your opponent knows what they represent before your game starts!
* A notepad.
** Use this to record information of a game which is not accommodated by the [[Activation Tracker]].

== Objective ==
A normal game of chess ends in a checkmate, but in this game not every team will have a King piece to make things so decisive.

In Wargame Chess, a player immediately wins the game if they meet one of the following conditions:

* Your opponent has no pieces left on the board, or...
* The pieces your opponent has left on the board are not capable of Attacking in any way.

However, some pieces or factions may have other ways of attaining victory (such as being granted victory if they meet a particular condition). If a game reaches the end of Turn 10 and no player has achieved victory by some means, both players add up the number of points worth of pieces they each have on the board, add to that the number of points in upgrades they each took, and compare totals - the player with the greater total wins. If both point totals are the same, the game is a draw.

== To Start a Standard Game ==

'''After assembling the items mentioned above, each player must choose different factions.'''

Each faction has different rules, different strengths, can handle certain situations better than others, or have tools at their disposal others wouldn't. You can find all factions listed [[Factions|here]].

Factions have numerous rules and interactions you will need to be mindful of at all times. If you are unsure of how a rule is supposed to work, read through all the footnotes at the bottom of their page for clarification. If you are still left unsure as to how something functions, discuss and agree to a solution with your opponent.

To assess factions at a glance, they are assigned a star rating. Here is what they mean:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Star Rating
!Explanation
|-
|★
|These factions are fairly straightforward. New players and seasoned players alike should be able to understand their nuances quickly.
|-
|★★
|Two-star factions require a bit more effort to learn. New players may need a few games to get comfortable with them. Experienced players should be able to understand them within a game or two.
|-
|★★★
|Three-star factions may be difficult to pilot for newer players. Experienced players may need to play a few games with them to find their groove.
|}

== Building a Team ==
'''Once both players have chosen a faction to play as, they will need to build a team list using options from that faction’s page.'''

You can use the [[Activation Tracker Sheet|Activation Tracker]] or a notepad to organize your team, note rules that happen at certain times, and track other game information.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!A team consists of exactly 14 points worth of Pieces and Upgrades.
|}
Below we will explain how faction rules, piece choices, their quantities, and upgrades fit into your team list.

=== Summoning ===
Some rules (of both faction rules and piece rules) can have the summon tag after their name, which means at some point when resolving that rule's effects you may be required to place a piece - which isn't a part of your starting team - onto the board.

Read through these rules carefully and see what piece type(s) they can summon, and set them aside in a 'Summon' zone (like the one on our [[Activation Tracker Sheet|Activation Tracker]]).

When a piece is summoned onto the board for your team, add it to your Activation Tracker.

Summoning pieces to a team may cause a player to have more than 14 points worth of pieces and upgrades in play.

== Faction Rules and Upgrades ==
Faction rules always apply their effects to that particular faction.

Upgrades are like Faction rules, except they have a point cost in parentheses after their name, and only apply their effects to that particular faction if you account for their cost in your team list. Be sure your opponent knows which Upgrades you have taken in a match.

== Piece Costs and Quantities ==
The following point costs are the same across every faction in the game.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Piece type
!Point cost
|-
|Pawns
|1
|-
|Kings, Bishops, Knights, Rooks, and Jokers
|2
|-
|Queens
|3
|}
Under their name, each piece will have a quantity allowance - this is how many of them you can have in a team. Here are a few examples of what you may see in faction entries and what they mean:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Quantity limit example
!Meaning
|-
|(0-2)
|You may have 0, 1, or 2 of this piece in your team list.
|-
|(2-8)
|You must take at least 2 of this piece, but may also take up to 8 of them.
|-
|(1)
|You must have exactly 1 of this piece in your list - no more, no less.
|-
|(-)
|You cannot include this piece in your starting team list. However, some rules may add this piece to your team throughout the course of a game.
|}
Whether it be during team creation or throughout the game, you can never have a piece added to your team if doing so would bring a piece type's total quantity beyond its listed quantity range maximum ''(eg. if your faction allows you to bring 0-2 Knights, your team could never have 3 or more)'', or the number of pieces that come with a standard chess set ''(eg. a standard set comes with 8 Pawn pieces, therefore your team can never have more than 8 Pawns)''.

== Rank ==
Each piece on a faction’s roster is listed in ranking order - with the highest ranking piece at the top of the table, and the lowest ranking piece at the bottom. Almost every faction has a unique ranking hierarchy, and because of this no rule will ever compare rankings between different factions. Though some rules may compare ranking between pieces in the same faction.

== Multiple Options for one Piece Type ==
Some factions may list many options for a piece type ''(eg. They could have two different entries for a Rook)''. In such cases '''you may only run 1 of those options in your team list'''.

The exception to this are '''Joker''' options as each Joker uses a unique model on the board. If a faction lists multiple Joker options, a player may include any/all of them in one list.
== Rolling Dice ==

=== Rolling Dice for Pieces ===
Pieces will have different dice types based on their identity:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Piece type
!Dice type
|-
|Pawn
|Two D4s
|-
|Knight
|Two D6s
|-
|Rook
|Two D6s
|-
|Bishop
|Two D6s
|-
|Queen
|Two D8s
|-
|King
|Two D10s
|-
|Joker
|One D20
|}
When a rule or action prompts a player to roll their piece's dice, these are the steps you follow:

# Determine any modifiers (this could mean [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage|Advantage/Disadvantage]], or other [[Core Rules#Other Types of Roll Modifiers|types of modifiers]])
# If the piece has any, players now have a chance to spend [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|1 Advantage token or 1 Disadvantage token]] and apply its effect to the roll. Some rules may allow a piece to spend other types of tokens under certain circumstances; that would also happen at this time.
# Roll the piece's dice.
# Sum the results of the dice, and apply all modifiers - this produces the roll total.
# Compare the piece's roll total to the opposing roll total or threshold needed for success, the rule will tell you how to proceed with these values.

=== Rolling Dice Otherwise ===
Sometimes a rule or action will tell you, the player, to roll various dice, and this roll may not have a direct connection to a piece. The rule or action will tell you what to do and how to interpret the results.

== Moves and Attacks ==

=== Move ===
When a piece Moves, it travels along a path as described in its entry (in the '''Piece types, dice, and common piece rules''' section below). A piece must travel at least 1 square during a Move if possible. If a piece is not able to Move (either by a rule saying it cannot, or perhaps other pieces/terrain are blocking its possible paths of movement), then it is permitted to travel fewer than 1 square.
==== Bump ====
When a player is prompted to 'Bump' a piece, they place it onto a square that is both adjacent to its current square, and unoccupied.

==== Scattering ====
When a player is prompted to ‘Scatter’ a piece, token, or other on-board item, assign each square adjacent to them a value from 1 to 8 (it doesn’t matter the order you number them, just be consistent). Once you’ve done that, roll a '''D8''', and place that item onto the unoccupied square whose value matches the result. If the item cannot be placed onto that square (it is occupied and/or they cannot co-occupy the square with whatever is in it) re-roll the '''D8'''.

If a piece does not have 8 squares adjacent to it when prompted to 'Scatter', it is likely in a corner of the board, or along a board edge. Here is what to do in those cases.

===== Scattering from a corner (only three adjacent squares) =====
Assign each square adjacent to them the values 1 & 2, 3 & 4, and 5 & 6. Roll a '''D6''', and place that item onto the unoccupied square whose value matches the result.

===== Scattering from a board edge (only five adjacent squares) =====
Assign each square adjacent to them the values 1 to 5. Roll a '''D6''', and place that item onto the unoccupied square whose value matches the result, re-rolling the die on a result of 6.

=== Attack ===
When a piece Attacks, it travels along the Attack path as described in its entry (see the '''Piece types, dice, and common piece rules''' section below).

A piece may only do its Attack if it would end up on a square occupied by an enemy piece (though some rules allow pieces to Attack non-enemy things, or even Attack allies). While a piece is Attacking another, both count as occupying that square and must complete the Attack sequence to resolve that. Here are the steps of the Attack sequence:
#Place the Attacker onto the square occupied by the Defender.
#Determine any modifiers (this could mean [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage|Advantage/Disadvantage]], or other [[Core Rules#Other Types of Roll Modifiers|types of modifiers]]) for each piece.
# If the pieces have any, players now each have a chance to spend [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|1 Advantage token or 1 Disadvantage token]] from their piece and apply its effect to the rolls.
# Roll the pieces' dice.
# Sum the results of the dice, applying all modifiers.
# Compare roll totals.
## If the Attacking piece has a greater total, they have slain the Defending piece, and it is placed in the ‘slain’ zone on their player's Activation Tracker.
## If the Defender has an equal or greater total, they do one of the following:
### *Bump the Attacker and give them a Disadvantage token, OR
### *Bump the Defender and give them an Advantage token.

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Either of these options are what is referred to as '''Combat Movement'''.

==== Avoiding Death ====

====== "Their slaying is prevented" / "...cannot be slain..." / "If this piece would be slain, instead..." ======
Occasionally, some pieces may have a rule in their entry stating (commonly under certain conditions) that they cannot be slain/their slaying is being prevented. Often it specifies what to do instead; in case it doesn’t, place that piece onto an unoccupied adjacent square (Bump it) if possible. If that is somehow not possible, its owner redeploys it.

Rarer yet, are effects that ignore an inability to be slain. If a piece cannot be slain under certain conditions, and those conditions are being met, yet there is a rule that ignores such effects, the piece can be slain despite the rule preventing its slaying.<blockquote>''A King piece is on the board, and The Emperor tarot card is active - which prevents Kings from being slain while they have allies on the board. This King is now being Attacked by a [[Dwarven Golems#Piece Options|Deadiron Sentinel]] - whose rule states that pieces being Attacked by it cannot have their slaying prevented (among other things). Even though there is an effect saying this King cannot be slain at this time, another rule is denying that type of effect.''</blockquote>

=== Moving and Attacking through Terrain ===
During a Move or Attack, a piece cannot end that action on a square - or pass through squares - occupied by terrain features (like Trees) or other pieces unless it has special rules that allow it to do so in some capacity.[[File:Move Attempt.png|thumb|150x150px|'''A Queen is hoping to Move to the square marked X, but there is a Tree blocking its path. It cannot Move to the intended square and must select another square to Move to.''']]If a rule allows a piece to co-occupy squares with some type of terrain:

* that type of terrain does not block that piece's Move or Attack paths,
* that square does not count as occupied to that piece.

== Piece Types, Dice, and Common Piece Rules ==
Each piece type uses a specific type of dice for their rolls. The dice used for a type of piece are universal, and not different between factions. Likewise, the way each piece type Moves and Attacks are universal, and not different between factions.

There are a few special rules listed below in each piece type’s entry. Pieces of a particular type will have these rules by default and will not be listed in a faction’s entry. However, some factions may have their version of a piece not have one of these rules ''(eg. a handful of factions’ Pawns lose their'' Promotion ''rule)'' - it is assumed that all piece options of a particular type have the rules listed below unless a rule mentioned in their faction entry says otherwise.
=== Pawn ===
A Pawn Moves 1 square vertically or horizontally, and Attacks 1 square diagonally.

Pawns use '''2D4''' for their dice and have the following common rules:
* '''En Passant:'''
** During its first Activation of the game, you may Move this Pawn twice.
* '''Promotion:'''
** At the '''start''' of this Pawn's Activation or Reactivation, if it is within your opponent's deployment zone, you may Banish it and place a slain, non-Legendary ally Noble onto the square that Pawn was just in. This Noble counts as having Activated only if it Activated earlier this turn.

{| class="wikitable"
|+
|[[File:Pawn Move.png|thumb|'''Directions a Pawn may Move from its current position.'''|150x150px]]
|[[File:Pawn Attack.png|thumb|'''Directions a Pawn may Attack from its current position.'''|150x150px]]
|}

=== Rook ===
A Rook Moves 1 to 8 squares orthogonally (vertically or horizontally), and Attacks 1 to 8 squares orthogonally.

Rooks use '''2D6''' for their dice and have the following common rule:

* '''Castle'''
** When this Rook ends their Move adjacent to a non-Rook ally, they may swap places with them. If they do and that ally is lower in rank than this Rook, give that ally an Advantage token; if that ally is higher in rank than this Rook, instead remove a Disadvantage token from it (if it has any).

{| class="wikitable"
|+
|[[File:Rook Move.png|thumb|'''Directions a Rook may Move from its current position.'''|150x150px]]
|[[File:Rook Attack.png|thumb|'''Directions a Rook may Attack from its current position.'''|150x150px]]
|}

=== Knight ===
A Knight's Move places it onto a square which is two squares vertically and one square horizontally from its current position, or two squares horizontally and one square vertically; it Attacks this way as well. Unlike other piece types, when a Knight Attacks or Moves, it does not travel along a path and is simply placed onto its target square.

Knights use '''2D6''' for their dice and have the following common rule:

* '''Mounted Advantage'''
** When Attacking a non-Knight enemy, if there are other enemies adjacent to the square that this Knight and its target are in (during an Attack resolution, both pieces temporarily share a square), roll this Knight’s dice at Advantage.

{| class="wikitable"
|+
![[File:Knight Move.png|thumb|Places a Knight can Move from its current position.|150x150px]]
![[File:Knight Attack.png|thumb|Places a Knight can Attack from its current position.|150x150px]]
|}

=== Bishop ===
A Bishop Moves 1 to 8 squares diagonally, and Attacks 1 to 8 squares diagonally.

Bishops use '''2D6''' for their dice, and have no common special rule.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
![[File:Bishop Move.png|thumb|Directions a Bishop may Move from its current position.|150x150px]]
![[File:Bishop Attack.png|thumb|Directions a Bishop may Attack from its current position.|150x150px]]
|}

=== Queen ===
A Queen Moves 1 to 8 squares vertically, horizontally or diagonally, and Attacks 1 to 8 squares vertically, horizontally, or diagonally.

Queens use '''2D8''' for their dice, and have no common special rule.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
![[File:Queen Move.png|thumb|Directions a Queen may Move from its current position.|150x150px]]
![[File:Queen Attack.png|thumb|Directions a Queen may Attack from its current position.|150x150px]]
|}

=== King ===
A King Moves 1 square vertically, horizontally or diagonally, and Attacks 1 square vertically, horizontally, or diagonally.

Kings use '''2D10''' for their dice, and have the following common rule:

* '''Faction Leader'''
** When this piece is slain, their player loses the game immediately.

{| class="wikitable"
|+
![[File:King Move.png|thumb|Directions a King may Move from its current position.|150x150px]]
![[File:King Attack.png|thumb|Directions a King may Attack from its current position.|150x150px]]
|}

=== Joker ===
For a Joker’s Move, you Bump it, then you may do that up to two more times. In total, a Joker can traverse 1, 2, or 3 squares during its Move. Jokers use '''1D20''' for their dice and have the following common rule:

* '''Fool's Endeavour'''
** Jokers cannot Attack.
** At the end of the turn, remove any/all Dis/Advantage tokens from this piece.

[[File:Joker Move.png|none|thumb|200x200px|'''Possible squares a Joker could end its Move in from its current position.''']]

== Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms ==
In the rules here, and in various faction rules, you may encounter the following terms. Some of these terms may be defined in greater detail further on in these rules, though we are also including them here for the sake of redundancy and quick reference.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Term
!Description
|-
|Adjacent (term)
|Squares that are adjacent to one another are squares that are directly next to each other, either orthogonally or diagonally. Most squares on a board will be adjacent to the 8 squares they are surrounded by - the exceptions being squares along the board edge, who will have fewer squares adjacent to themselves.
If a rule mentions two or more pieces (or terrain, or other game items) being adjacent to each other, they are within squares that are adjacent to each other.
|-
|Banish(ed) (term/zone)
|A piece that becomes Banished is removed from the board and placed into the Banished section on the Activation Tracker Sheet, or kept off to the side with other Banished pieces from the same team.
|-
|Board half (term)
|A player's board half comprises the four board ranks closest to them. Their opponent's board half comprises the four board ranks closest to their opponent.
|-
|Between Activations (term)
|An effect resolving at this time resolves between the Activations or Reactivations of two different pieces. See the [[Core Rules#Turn Structure|Turn Structure]] section below for more details.
|-
|Bump (term)
|When a player is prompted to 'Bump' a piece, they place it onto a square that is both adjacent to its current square and unoccupied.
|-
|Combat Movement (tern)
|When a piece successfully Defends vs an Attack, then either Bumps themselves and gains an Advantage token, or Bumps their Attacker and gives them a Disadvantage token.
|-
|Dis/Advantage (term)
|Used as a shorthand for "Advantage and Disadvantage".
|-
|Flip a Joker card (term)
|Often in Joker piece rules, they will say to turn Joker cards face up or face down depending on what position they are currently in. When instructed to 'flip' a Joker card, you turn it to the opposite of whatever its current state is (eg. If a Joker card is facing up and you are instructed to flip it, you would turn it face down).
|-
|Legendary (rule)
|When a player is resolving their Pawn's ''Promote'' rule, they cannot choose a slain ally piece with this rule to replace that Pawn.
|-
|Major Arcana, Minor Arcana, and Bone Reading (rule tags)
|Some rules (of both faction rules and piece rules) can have these tags after their name. Rules with these tags are considered '''<nowiki/>'faith mechanic'''' rules, and utilise or reference the major arcana deck, the minor arcana deck, and/or bone reading dice pool in some way. You can read about these in greater detail in the '''[[Core Rules#Faith Mechanics|Faith Mechanics]]''' section further down this page.
|-
|Noble (term)
|A Noble is any piece type that isn't a Pawn.
Kings, Queens, Bishops, Knights, Rooks, and Jokers are all Nobles.
|-
|Occupied/Unoccupied/Co-occupy (term)
|A square counts as being occupied when it contains terrain or a piece. A square counts as being unoccupied if there are no pieces or terrain in it. Some rules may cause special types of dice or tokens to be placed onto squares, but dice and tokens do not occupy a square.
Co-occupying happens when multiple pieces and/or terrain are allowed to be in the same square together at the same time. During an Attack, two pieces are allowed to co-occupy the same square until the combat is resolved. Otherwise, co-occupying isn’t allowed unless a rule permits it to happen.

If a rule allows a piece to co-occupy squares with some type of terrain, then that type of terrain does not block that piece's Move or Attack paths.
|-
|Re/Activation (term)
|Used as a shorthand for "Activation or Reactivation". Though an Activation and Reactivation are functionally very similar, some rules specifically address one or the other. For rules referencing both, we often use this "Re/Activation" shorthand.
|-
|Re/Deploy (term)
|Used as a shorthand for "Deploy or Redeploy". Though Deploying and Redeploying are nearly identical, the distinction is when it happens. The first time a piece is ever placed on the board (whether that be anywhere thereon, or in their deployment zone) that is 'deployment'. Each time this happens thereafter is 'redeployment'. Some rules specifically address one or the other.
When a player is instructed to Re/Deploy a piece of their own, it goes into their deployment zone. When a player is instructed to Re/Deploy an enemy piece, it goes into their opponent's deployment zone.

In rare cases, a player may have the option to place a piece into either player's deployment zone - this also counts as a type of Redeployment.
|-
|Relocated (term)
|Relocation includes: Bumping, placement, random placement, redeployment, scattering, [[Core Rules#Attack|combat movement]], or involuntary Moves/Attacks.
|-
|Revered Structure (rule)
|Pieces with this rule cannot Move, Attack, or be relocated by any means. However, they Defend at Advantage. As well, if this piece would be slain by an enemy, between Activations you may remove any/all Blessing and Advantage tokens from that enemy, then you may Curse them.
|-
|Success / Failure (terms)
|Some rules or effects mention a condition being a roll succeeding or failing, this is done to keep wording brief. A success of a roll would be if the action taking place for the piece rolling did end up happening, and a failure would be the opposite.
|-
|Summon (rule tag)
|Some rules (of both faction rules and piece rules) can have the summon tag after their name, which means at some point when resolving that rule's effects you may be required to place a piece - which isn't a part of your starting team - onto the board. Read through these rules carefully and see what piece type(s) they can summon, and set them aside in a 'Summon' zone (like the one on our [[Activation Tracker Sheet|Activation Tracker]] sheet you can download and print).
|}

== Setup ==
'''Each player chooses opposing board halves. Determine who will be setting up Trees on their half of the board first.'''

You may do this by verbal agreement, or by random means - such as rolling a die.

=== Tree Setup ===
Trees are a type of terrain that occupy squares on the board. While a terrain piece is occupying a square, pieces cannot enter or travel over that square unless they have a rule permitting them to do so. Trees are the most common type of terrain players will see; less common types are Holes and Water.

The player who is setting up Trees first rolls a '''D4''' and a '''D8'''. The '''D4''' result determines what rank (in the board half closest to them) it will be in, and the '''D8''' will determine the file. Place a Tree on that square. Do this again 2 more times. If a Tree would end up on a square with a Tree already on it, re-roll the '''D4''' and/or '''D8'''.

Then the other player chooses one of the following for the Tree setup in their half:

* They may mirror the Tree setup in the other half of the board.
* They may mirror and horizontally flip the Tree setup.
* They may randomly generate a Tree setup (as described above).

=== Piece Setup ===
The player who sets up Trees second then deploys their pieces first. Unless stated otherwise in a faction’s special rules, pieces are set up in a player’s '''deployment zone''' - which are the two ranks on the board closest to the player.

Whenever a rule mentions redeploying a piece, you set it up anywhere within your deployment zone. When prompted to redeploy, pieces that are already in your deployment zone may be kept where they are, and they will count as having been redeployed.

=== Card and Dice Setup ===
The following things to set up are dependent on team composition and have detailed explanations later on:

# If any players’ pieces use the '''Minor Arcana''' mechanic, shuffle that deck and set it aside face down.
# If no Joker pieces are present in either team, the Joker cards are left in the Minor Arcana deck.
#* If the total number of Joker pieces being used by players is 1 or 2, remove 1 Joker card from the deck and set it aside face up before the game starts.
#* If the total number of Joker pieces being used are 3 or greater, remove both Joker cards from the deck and set them aside face up before the game starts.
# If any players’ pieces use the '''Major Arcana''' mechanic, shuffle that deck and set it aside face down.
# If a player's pieces use the '''Bone Reading''' mechanic, they assemble these dice pools and keep them aside.
#* Each bone pool will only be used by its player.
#* If a player's team has any Pawns, add a '''D4''' to this collection. If it has any Knights, Rooks, and/or Bishops, add a '''D6'''. If it has a Queen, add a '''D8'''. If it has a King, add a '''D10'''. If it has any Jokers, add a '''D20'''.
#* Do not use these dice for any rolling beyond those required by bone reading effects. Some bone reading rules require the rolled results to be preserved until some later point.
# Lastly, make sure you have enough other dice to be used for each of your types of pieces you are taking on your team.

=== Setup Order Chart ===
[[File:Setup order chart.png|none|thumb|450x450px]]

=== Setting Pieces up Randomly ===
This is a rare situation, but when a rule calls for pieces to be placed randomly on the board, do the following:

* Roll '''two D8''', one after the other. The first determines which rank of the board that piece will be set up in, and the second will determine the file.
* If the square at that coordinate is unoccupied, place that piece in that square. If the square is occupied and it cannot co-occupy that square with whatever is occupying it, you may re-roll one or both dice, or scatter the piece from that square (more on this below).
** Some pieces have rules which allow them to co-occupy a square with other things (such as specific terrain types).

=== Scattering ===
When a player is prompted to ‘Scatter’ a piece, token, or other on-board item, assign each square adjacent to them a value from 1 to 8 (it doesn’t matter the order you number them, just be consistent). Once you’ve done that, roll a '''D8''', and place that item onto the unoccupied square whose value matches the result. If the item cannot be placed onto that square (it is occupied and/or they cannot co-occupy the square with whatever is in it) re-roll the '''D8'''.

If a piece does not have 8 squares adjacent to it when prompted to 'Scatter', it is likely in a corner of the board, or along a board edge. Here is what to do in those cases.

==== Scattering from a corner (only three adjacent squares) ====
Assign each square adjacent to them the values 1 & 2, 3 & 4, and 5 & 6. Roll a '''D6''', and place that item onto the unoccupied square whose value matches the result.

==== Scattering from a board edge (only five adjacent squares) ====
Assign each square adjacent to them the values 1 to 5. Roll a '''D6''', and place that item onto the unoccupied square whose value matches the result, re-rolling the die on a result of 6.

=== Pieces off the Board ===
There are a few situations where pieces may not be on the board. The most common of which is when a piece has been '''slain'''. Less common situations involve rules that may cause a piece to be deployed or set up on the board at a later time, or rules that temporarily (or permanently) '''Banish''' pieces. As well, pieces that could be '''summoned''' by a faction’s rules are kept off the board.<blockquote>'''We advise players to use the [[Activation Tracker]] sheet provided to organize their pieces which aren’t on the board.'''</blockquote>Pieces off the board cannot Activate or Reactivate unless they have a rule allowing them to do so.

In some situations, pieces that have been Banished may return to it by some means. In all cases like this, those pieces returned to the board do not count as having Activated unless they did so earlier in the turn, or the rule bringing them back says otherwise.

* ''Eg. A Knight Activates in turn 3, is slain, then is returned to the board later in turn 3 - it still counts as having Activated.''

== Turn Structure ==
Below are the steps of a turn in two versions.

=== General Turn Breakdown ===

# "Beginning of Turn" effects.
# One player Activates a piece of theirs that hasn’t Activated yet this turn. If all their pieces have Activated, they instead choose one of their pieces and Reactivate it.
# Any "between Activations" effects resolve now.
# If there are still pieces left to Activate, go back and have the other player carry out the turn sequence from Step 2.
#"End of Turn" effects.

=== Comprehensive Turn Breakdown ===

# '''Beginning of turn effects'''
#* '''A)''' Determine who is Activating first this turn
#** This is generally the player who did not Re/Activate a piece last in the previous turn - some rules may alter this.
#* '''B)''' All effects that happen at the start of the turn resolve in the following order. For each of these steps, players will go back and forth resolving relevant and applicable rules, one at a time, starting with the player who will be Activating pieces first this turn.
#** Faction rules
#** Faction upgrades
#** Piece rules
# '''Activations'''
#* '''A)''' Player Activates a piece that hasn’t Activated yet this turn (read below section: '''Activations''')
#** The player Activating first this turn starts this off.
#** If a player has Activated all their pieces when they are passed opportunity to Activate, they instead '''Reactivate''' a piece.
#* '''B)''' Any “'''between Activations'''” effect triggered in the previous Re/Activation resolves now. '''Between Activations''' effects that are prompted will resolve in the next soonest instance of this step in a turn.
#** If a player has multiple effects to resolve here, they choose the order in which they resolve.
#** If both players have effects to resolve here, the player who had just Re/Activated a piece resolves their effects first.
#* '''C)''' Does one team have no pieces on the board? If so, the player with pieces on the board wins immediately. If not, proceed.
#* '''D)''' Are there still pieces that haven't been Activated? If yes, the other player goes back to step '''2A'''; if not, both players go to step '''3'''.
# '''End of turn effects'''
#* '''A)''' All “at end of turn” effects resolve in this order; players go back and forth like at the start of the turn, but starting with the player who did not have the last piece Re/Activation.
#** Faction rules
#** Faction upgrades
#** Piece rules
#* '''B)''' Determine alternate victory conditions.
#** If a player would meet the requisites for winning through an alternate means, it happens now.
#*** If multiple players would win this way at the same time, the player with more points worth of pieces on the board wins.
#* '''C)''' All "until the end of turn" effects cease to function now.
#* '''D)''' Turn all face-down cards face up (like Joker cards), and shuffle away any discarded cards (like Major and Minor Arcana) and cards that are being held until the end of turn. If any dice were temporarily removed from Bone pools, those are returned to their pool now too.
#** Resolve any effects as a consequence of this.
#* '''E)''' Start the next turn.

== Activations ==
'''The player who has set their pieces up first is the player who Activates a piece first in a game.'''

'''For each turn beyond the first, the player who Activates a piece first is the player who didn’t have the last Activation or Reactivation of the previous turn.''' Though some special rules may alter this.

=== Activation ===
An Activation for a piece involves:

# The player resolves any rules’ effects that can happen at the start of their Activation.
#* Should multiple effects attempt to happen at this point, the owner of the Activating piece chooses the order in which they resolve.
# Move '''or''' Attack.
# The player resolves any rules’ effects that can happen at the end of their Activation.
#* Should multiple effects attempt to happen at this point, the owner of the Activating piece chooses the order in which they resolve.

=== Reactivation ===
If the opportunity to Activate a piece is given to a player by the turn order and all of their remaining pieces have been Activated this turn, but their opponent has 1 or more pieces that haven’t Activated, the player chooses any one of their pieces to be Reactivated.

==== '''Steps of a Reactivation:''' ====

* '''If the chosen piece has no Disadvantage tokens, give it one.'''
* '''Have it carry out the steps of an Activation.'''

== Advantage and Disadvantage ==
When a piece is rolling their dice at '''Advantage''', instead of summing the results of the rolled dice, they double the result of the '''higher''' one. Inversely, when a piece is rolling at '''Disadvantage''', they double the result of the '''lower''' die instead.

If a piece would be granted Advantage on a roll it has Disadvantage on—or vice versa—they cancel each other out. If there are multiple instances of Advantage and Disadvantage applying to the same roll, each instance of one cancels out an instance of the other.

If a piece would be granted Advantage on a roll and a rule is preventing them from rolling at Advantage, that roll does not happen at Advantage. The same applies for Disadvantage and the preventing of such.

=== Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens ===
'''Pieces with Advantage tokens may spend 1 before they roll both their dice to give themselves Advantage on that roll.'''

'''If a piece has any Disadvantage tokens and they are prompted to roll their dice, they must spend 1 such token before rolling them—doing so gives Disadvantage on that roll.'''

In either case, you cannot spend more than 1 Advantage or Disadvantage token during a roll to apply their effect ''(eg. your piece is being given Disadvantage on their Attack roll, but they also have 2 Advantage tokens. You may spend 1 of those tokens to cancel out the Disadvantage on the roll, but you cannot then spend the 2nd token to give it Advantage)''. However, some special rules may allow a piece to spend multiples of these tokens for some other bonus or effect.

If a piece with an Advantage token would receive a Disadvantage token—or vice versa—they cancel each other out. This applies also when managing larger quantities of these tokens ''(eg. If a piece has 4 Disadvantage tokens and they are given 3 Advantage tokens, they will be left with 1 Disadvantage token)''.

If a piece would spend an Advantage token to roll its dice at Advantage but some effect is preventing that roll from being at Advantage, the token is still spent and they cannot roll their dice at Advantage. The same is true if a piece must spend a Disadvantage token, but some effect is preventing it from rolling its dice at Disadvantage—the token is spent, but it still cannot roll its dice at Disadvantage.

=== Dis/Advantage and Jokers ===
As Jokers only roll one die, they cannot roll it at Advantage or Disadvantage. If a Joker receives any Dis/Advantage tokens, they cannot spend them to gain Dis/Advantage. At the end of the turn, remove any/all Dis/Advantage tokens on all Jokers. A player cannot voluntarily give their own Joker either type of token unless it is the only valid target for one. A player may give an opponent’s Joker either type of token even if there are other valid targets.

=== Example Interaction ===
A Knight with an Advantage token will Attack an enemy who is adjacent to another enemy, but…

# …there is an effect preventing the Knight from Attacking at Advantage.
#* The Advantage granted to the Knight from its rule ''[[Core Rules#Knight|Mounted Advantage]]'' is inhibited. And though it will have an opportunity to spend a token, the Advantage token will have no effect.
# …there is an effect making the Knight Attack at Disadvantage.
#* The Advantage granted to the Knight from its rule ''[[Core Rules#Knight|Mounted Advantage]]'' is cancelled out by the Disadvantage affecting it, making its roll normal. It still gets an opportunity to spend the Advantage token it has; if it does spend it, its dice go from being rolled normally to being rolled at Advantage.

== Blessings and Curses ==

=== Blessed ===
'''If an effect would cause a piece on your team to receive one or more Advantage tokens, other ally pieces which have a Blessing token also receive one.'''

If a piece with a Blessing token would receive a Curse token, they cancel each other out and both are removed from the piece. A piece that is Blessed cannot have another Blessing token placed on it, nor be a target for a Blessing token.

Blessed pieces cannot gain Advantage tokens as a consequence of another Blessed piece gaining an Advantage token from an initial trigger (i.e. there is no infinite feedback loop of receiving those tokens).

=== Cursed ===
'''If an effect would cause a piece on your team to receive one or more Disadvantage tokens, other ally pieces which have a Curse token also receive one.'''

If a piece with a Cursed token would receive a Blessing token, they cancel each other out and both are removed from the piece. A piece that is Cursed cannot have another Cursed token placed on it, nor be a target for a Curse token.

Cursed pieces cannot gain Disadvantage tokens as a consequence of another Cursed piece gaining a Disadvantage token from an initial trigger (i[[Found lore: The Mortal Waters (3/3)|.]]<nowiki/>e. there is no infinite feedback loop of receiving those tokens).

=== Example Interaction ===
The following pieces are on the same team:

* Piece A
* Piece B (Blessed)
* Piece C (Blessed)

Situation 1:

* Piece A gains 3 Advantage tokens from a rule’s effect. As Pieces B and C are Blessed, they see that their ally gained some number of Advantage tokens, so they each gain 1 Advantage token. No other Advantage tokens will be gained.

Situation 2:

* Piece A has a rule that gives it an Advantage token when it successfully Attacks, and Piece B has a rule that gives allies an Advantage token when they successfully Attack.
* Piece A successfully Attacks.
* Piece A’s rule gives it an Advantage token, so Pieces B and C each gain 1, as they are each Blessed. Piece B’s rule gives Piece A an Advantage token, thus Pieces B and C each gain 1 more from their Blessings.

== Other Types of Roll Modifiers ==

=== +X or -X ===
Sometimes a rule may give +X or -X to a roll total. X is a variable modifier defined by the rule giving it that bonus or penalty, and its value is determined during the roll being made. A -X modifier cannot bring a total below 0.<blockquote>''A rule is stating that all Bishops get +X to their roll totals where X is the number of tarot cards currently dealt out. A Bishop rolls its dice, and the sum of both dice results in 7. However, the current number of tarot cards currently dealt out is 3, so the Bishop's roll total becomes 10 (7+3).''</blockquote>

=== ...would be lesser/greater than X, it becomes equal to X instead. ===
This modifier substitutes the roll total for a determined value if the roll itself would be above or below a specified threshold.<blockquote>''A rule is stating that if a piece would roll their dice and the total would be less than the number of slain pieces (X), it becomes equal to that instead. A Pawn rolls its dice, and the sum of both dice results is 2. However, the current number of all slain pieces in the game is 5, so the Pawn's roll total becomes 5 instead of 2.''</blockquote>

== Targets and Roll Success/Failure ==

=== Choosing Valid Targets ===
If you would go to resolve an effect that requires a target (often a piece), you must select a valid target that meets the mentioned criteria ''(e.g. if you attempt to Curse a piece that cannot be Cursed, you must instead select a piece that can be)''. If there is no valid target, the parts of the effect that require a target cannot resolve. Should an effect have multiple steps to its resolution, but only some parts requiring a target cannot resolve, the other parts that don’t require a target may still resolve--given that they are not contingent on the other target-requiring part to resolve.

Most of the time, effects cannot target pieces or such that are not on the board, unless they specify otherwise. The word "target" may not specifically be used, but is implied. If a rule would say something like, ''"When this King rolls doubles on a Defence roll, slay an enemy Pawn between Activations,"'' the enemy Pawn is the intended target, and for a Pawn to be a valid target in this example, it would need to meet the following criteria:
* It is a Pawn,
* It belongs to the opposing team,
* It is on the board,
* The Pawn does not have a rule preventing this action from happening.

=== Succeeding or Failing a Roll ===
Some rules or effects mention a condition being a roll succeeding or failing, this is done to keep wording brief. A success of a roll would be if the action taking place for the piece rolling did end up happening, and a failure would be the opposite. <blockquote>''As an example, a Knight is Attacking an enemy Rook. If the Knight’s Attack roll was higher than the Rook’s Defence roll, then the Knight’s Attack roll would be considered a success and the Rook’s Defence roll would be considered a failure.''</blockquote>Even in cases where a commonly bad outcome (eg. a player's piece fails a Defence roll) could be seen as advantageous for a player's strategy, that outcome is still considered a failure. '''Success or failure is based on the intent of the roll's function and not on the overall strategic goal.'''

== Faith Mechanics ==
These are a type of rule that interacts with:

* the Major Arcana/Tarot deck,
* the Minor Arcana/Playing card deck,
* or the Bone Reading mechanic.

Rules that interact with a particular mechanic of this type will say which one they use in brackets after their rule name.

=== Bone Reading ===
The Bone Reading mechanic is a pool of dice you assemble at the start of the game (unless stated otherwise in a rule's description). The contents of this pool of dice are based on the pieces on your team during list construction.

* If you have any Pawns on your team, add a '''D4''' to the pool.
* If you have any Knights, Rooks, or Bishops on your team, add a '''D6''' to the pool.
* If you have a Queen, add a '''D8'''.
* If you have a King, add a '''D10'''.
* If you have any Jokers, add a '''D20'''.

Each rule that utilizes this mechanic will tell you how to use this and interpret the results when prompted to roll.

'''You do not share this dice pool with your opponent.'''

To avoid mixing these up with your die used for normal rolls, '''keep this dice pool separate from your other dice at all times.''' We recommend using a small flat dish with short walls to hold these.
=== Minor Arcana ===
This involves using a standard 52 playing card deck (including the joker cards unless they have been removed - see the '''[[Core Rules#Card and Dice Setup|Setup]]''' section). Each faction that uses this will tell you what to do with it. '''If both players are using this mechanic, they share the same deck.''' While set up, the deck is kept face down.

You may use the Minor Arcana cards from a complete tarot set, however you will need to edit its composition so that it matches a standard deck of playing cards:

* Remove the Pages of each suit,
* The suit of Wands/Batons/Rods counts as Clubs,
* The suit of Cups counts as Hearts,
* The suit of Swords count as Spades,
* And the suit of Coins/Pentacles/Disks count as Diamonds.

Cards that get revealed and kept aside until the end of the turn get shuffled away then. Unless stated otherwise, these cards are kept face up.

Cards that get revealed and kept aside until the end of the game are not shuffled away at the end of the turn, and usually have some way of getting returned to the deck or discarded. Unless stated otherwise, these cards are kept face up. Both of these may have exceptions in special rules - read each one carefully.

Cards from this deck may become '''discarded'''. When this occurs, keep them in a distinct pile from the face-down deck. These cannot be drawn from (though if a rule says to '''search''' for a particular card, you look through this discard pile as well). These cards are kept face up. At the end of the turn, shuffle these back into the deck.

If a player would reveal some number of cards from the deck, but the deck has less than that many cards remaining in it, reveal until the deck is empty. The deck remains empty until its discard pile is shuffled back into it.<blockquote>'''While any of these cards are in a deck or pile that is facing up, they can be looked through at any time by either player. While any of these cards are in a deck or pile that is facing down, they cannot be looked through—except in the case of a rule causing a player to make their own face-down pile, which they can look through at any time.'''</blockquote>

=== Major Arcana ===
Major Arcana involves using the 22-card tarot card deck. Different versions of tarot decks have existed throughout history and still exist in a wide variety. Depending on the tarot deck you are using, you may need to edit its composition for play of this game. Since certain decks may not include some cards used for substitutions, we’ve included some alternate cards to use in their place ''(eg. if you are using a'' Minchiate ''tarot deck, use the Faith trump card for the High Priestess)''. If you are using a version where there is no named substitute for a card mentioned below, you and your opponent should agree to an alternate card from the deck that can be used in its place.

While set up, the deck is kept face down and cannot be looked through unless a rule prompts a player to search for a particular card. Rules that use this deck may tell you to “Divinate”. When a special rule prompts you to Divinate, do '''one''' of the following actions:

* Shuffle away all tarot cards that are dealt out (do not shuffle in discarded tarot cards), then deal out 3 from the top of the deck to be facing up. The first of these cards dealt out will be the '''active''' card. However''',''' if the rule causing the Divination mentions specific cards in brackets, the player resolving the Divination may choose for one of those to be '''active''' instead if they are currently dealt out. These cards in brackets can be referred to as a piece’s “preferred cards”.
* Of the cards that are already dealt out, choose an inactive card to become the new active card. The current active card becomes inactive.

Cards from this deck may become '''discarded'''. When this occurs, keep them in a distinct, face-up pile aside from the deck. These cannot be drawn from but players may look through it at any time (and '''searched''' through if a rule prompts such). At the end of the turn, shuffle these back into the deck.

If a player would reveal some number of cards from the deck, but the deck has less than that many cards remaining in it, reveal until the deck is empty. The deck remains empty until its discard pile is shuffled back into it.

==== Tarot Cards and Their Effects ====
Tarot cards can feature two types of effects: ones that resolve immediately upon being made active, and/or passive effects that trigger under certain conditions while they are active. Read each one carefully.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Card name
!Card effects
|-
|'''The Fool''' / The Madman
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, turn any/all Joker cards face up.
'''Passive:''' While this card is active, Jokers [[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|cannot be slain]].
|-
|'''The Magician''' / The Juggler / Illness
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, if a piece would slay another with an Attack roll that was at Advantage, the owner of the Attacking piece may replace them with a slain piece from their team that is of higher rank at the end of their Activation.
|-
|'''The High Priestess''' / Faith / The Popess
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, when a player goes to choose which piece to Activate their opponent chooses which piece they Activate instead. This does not apply to Reactivations.
|-
|'''The Empress''' / Night, Day
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, pieces cannot become Cursed while they are adjacent to Trees.
'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, Curse the highest ranked piece on the team which has more slain pieces.
|-
|'''The Emperor''' / Protection
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active:

* Kings [[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|cannot be slain]] unless they are the last piece of their team on the board.
* Kings cannot Attack.
|-
|'''The Hierophant''' / The Pope
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, Bless each Bishop. Then, for each Bishop of theirs that was just Blessed, each player may Curse up to one piece that does not have a faith mechanic rule.
|-
|'''The Lovers'''
|'''Immediate:''' Starting with the player that made this card active, each player Blesses an enemy piece then Curses a piece of their own.
|-
|'''The Chariot''' / Dissension
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, remove all Curses from pieces belonging to the player with fewer pieces on the board. Then each player may redeploy one of their pieces, starting with the player that made this card active.
'''Passive:''' While this card is active:

* The player with fewer pieces on the board cannot have their pieces be Cursed.
* At the start of a Blessed piece's Re/Activation, their player may spend its Blessing to redeploy it or Bump it.
|-
|'''Justice'''
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, if an enemy piece would slay one of yours, between Activations Curse that piece or a piece on their team that is of equal or higher rank as the one who slayed. If all eligible targets are already Cursed, slay one of them instead.
|-
|'''The Hermit''' / The Sage / Traitor
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, the highest ranked Blessed piece on each team gains an Advantage token. Then give a Disadvantage token to each piece that is not adjacent to another piece or terrain.
|-
|'''Wheel of Fortune''' / Fortune
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, do each of the following (if they are in play):

* Flip all Joker cards (face up cards get turned face down, and vice versa).
* Each player with a bone pool rolls them and gains a die of the type(s) that rolled the lowest result.
* All cards in the Minor arcana deck are discarded, and any Minor Arcana cards that were previously discarded are now shuffled into the deck (the deck and discard switch places).
* Shuffle all tarot cards into the major arcana deck and Divinate again.
|-
|'''Strength''' / Sovereign
|The player that makes this card active chooses one of the following:

* '''Passive:''' While this card is active, the highest ranked pieces on each team Attack at Advantage and cannot be slain.
* '''Passive:''' While this card is active, give a piece a Disadvantage token immediately after they unsuccessfully Attack, before any combat movement is resolved.
|-
|'''The Hanged Man''' / Prudence / The People
|The player that makes this card active chooses one of the following:

* '''Immediate:''' They may slay one of their own pieces. If they do, they remove any/all Curses and Disadvantage tokens from pieces on their team.
* '''Passive:''' While this card is active, pieces cannot gain or spend Dis/Advantage tokens.
|-
|'''Death''' / Morality
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, the player with fewer slain pieces must slay one of their own pieces, but this cannot cause a player to slay their last piece on the board. If, however, players are tied for the amount of slain pieces they have, instead they each put 1 Disadvantage token on an enemy piece of their choosing, starting with the player that made this card active.
'''Passive:''' While this card is active, pieces cannot have their [[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|slaying be prevented]][[Found lore: Goblin Mercenaries|.]]
|-
|'''Temperance'''
|'''Immediate:''' Starting with the player that makes this card active, each player chooses a piece of theirs that has any kind of token on it, if possible. They may remove 1 of those tokens. If they do, each enemy of theirs on the board loses 1 of those tokens as well.
|-
|'''The Devil'''
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, each piece becomes Cursed at the start of their Activation.
|-
|'''The Tower''' / House of God / House of the Devil
|'''Immediate:''' Between Activations, treat all pieces as having Activated this turn (players proceed to resolve end-of-turn effects).
|-
|'''The Star''' / Desolation
|'''Immediate:''' Starting with the player who made this card active, each player chooses a piece of theirs on the board that has Activated or is currently Activating. Those pieces do not/will not count as having Activated yet this turn. Then discard this card. If this is the first turn on the board for either of those pieces, their next Activation also counts as their first Activation of the game (for rules that care about a piece's first Activation of a game).
|-
|'''The Moon''' / Water
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, when players make a roll for a piece of theirs against an enemy piece’s roll, they may choose one of the following:

* To give their piece’s roll Disadvantage; if that roll happens at Disadvantage and is successful…
* To give their piece’s roll Advantage; if that roll happens at Advantage and is unsuccessful…

…their piece does not count as having Activated yet this turn.
|-
|'''The Sun''' / Fire
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, each piece becomes Blessed at the start of their Activation.
|-
|'''Judgement''' / The Fires
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active:

* Rolls cannot be made at Advantage,
* Pieces cannot spend Advantage tokens,
* Pieces cannot be Summoned.
|-
|'''The World''' / Earth
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, each player may choose to redeploy all of their pieces. If they do, remove all Curses and Disadvantage tokens from those pieces. If both players choose to redeploy all their pieces, they alternate redeploying each one, starting with the player that made this card active.
|}

== Ready to Play ==
Having read through these rules, you are now ready to play a game with a friend. If you would like to read through the factions available to play, you can find them [[Factions|here]].

If you feel any part of the rules need better explanation or would like to discuss them with members of the community, you can find our discussions on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/WargameChess here], or @ us on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/wargame-chess.bsky.social here].

Enjoy!

Core Rules Changelog

2026-02-10T00:19:49Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Version B.1.2 */ added date

=== Version B.1.2 ===

* Posted February 8, 2026
* Many of the changes in this version are about changing some game terms to more appropriately-themed alternatives, or giving commonly-found phrases a simple term to reduce word bloat in faction entries.
* Adjusted the standard game objective to account for units that cannot Attack.
** In addition to having no pieces left on the board, if all a player has left on the board are pieces that cannot Attack, their opponent wins the game immediately.
* Changed the term Positional to Noble.
** Positional was a hold-over from early development of Wargame Chess. The team voted on various options to replace it, and Noble was the winner.
* Changed the phrase 'removed from the board' to Banished.
** The team felt this function could be reduced to a single word given how often it is used.
* Added the common rule [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|Revered Structure]].
** Enough factions in the game will have a rule like this that we feel it warrants being a common one mentioned in the Core Rules. Most of those units with such a rule aren't released yet, but we feel this is helps readability for current and future releases.

=== Version B.1.1 ===

* Cleaned up phrasing and clarity of sentences.
* Reordered some sections.
* Added 'Bump' to replace "place the piece into an unoccupied adjacent square."
* Added redundancy to some rule sections and expanded on them.
* Adjusted formatting of tarot card explanations.
* Added functionality to some tarot cards.

=== Version B.1.0 ===

* Previous version was for Alpha testing, and only used internally.

Core Rules

2026-02-10T00:18:38Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms */

== What is Wargame Chess? ==
Wargame Chess is a turn-based tabletop wargame that uses a chess set, and also incorporates other gaming devices like dice and cards. Wargame Chess is not a variation of traditional chess. Though it uses the same pieces and borrows some concepts from it, it is a wholly different game.

Each player assumes the role of a faction within the game - factions give a player’s pieces different rules, greatly affecting how they play. The game’s rules are a simple framework to support a plethora of faction options. Understanding faction differences and interactions accounts for most of the game’s nuance.

== What do I Need to Play? ==
Two players will need the following items to play ''Wargame Chess'':

* A chess set (a board and a full set of pieces).
* 2 or more small items that fit within a board square to represent Joker pieces.
* Deck of playing cards (will often be referred to as the Minor Arcana deck).
* All 22 Major Arcana cards from a tarot deck.
* Various dice to be used between both players:
** Six or more 4-sided dice (D4)
** Six or more 6-sided dice (D6)
** Six or more 8-sided dice (D8)
** Six or more 10-sided dice (D10)
** Four or more 20-sided dice (D20)
* 6 items to represent Trees on the board.
* Items to represent Blessing and Curse tokens.
** We recommend different coloured poker chips as these sit under most chess pieces very well
* Two distinct types of small dice to represent Advantage and Disadvantage tokens. Place these next to pieces to keep track of such token quantities.
** We recommend the dice used for Advantage tokens match the colour of your Blessing tokens, and the dice used for Disadvantage tokens match the colour of your Curse tokens.
* A way to mark chess pieces so they become visually distinct among their own type (eg. a way to differentiate between Pawns on a team).
** We suggest using numbers written on the pieces with a marker, using numbered stickers, or colour-coding them in some way.

=== Not Necessary, but Suggested: ===

* Themed pieces for your favourite faction.
** If these are not chess pieces, make sure your opponent knows what they represent before your game starts!
* A notepad.
** Use this to record information of a game which is not accommodated by the [[Activation Tracker]].

== Objective ==
A normal game of chess ends in a checkmate, but in this game not every team will have a King piece to make things so decisive.

In Wargame Chess, a player immediately wins the game if they meet one of the following conditions:

* Your opponent has no pieces left on the board, or...
* The pieces your opponent has left on the board are not capable of Attacking in any way.

However, some pieces or factions may have other ways of attaining victory (such as being granted victory if they meet a particular condition). If a game reaches the end of Turn 10 and no player has achieved victory by some means, both players add up the number of points worth of pieces they each have on the board, add to that the number of points in upgrades they each took, and compare totals - the player with the greater total wins. If both point totals are the same, the game is a draw.

== To Start a Standard Game ==

'''After assembling the items mentioned above, each player must choose different factions.'''

Each faction has different rules, different strengths, can handle certain situations better than others, or have tools at their disposal others wouldn't. You can find all factions listed [[Factions|here]].

Factions have numerous rules and interactions you will need to be mindful of at all times. If you are unsure of how a rule is supposed to work, read through all the footnotes at the bottom of their page for clarification. If you are still left unsure as to how something functions, discuss and agree to a solution with your opponent.

To assess factions at a glance, they are assigned a star rating. Here is what they mean:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Star Rating
!Explanation
|-
|★
|These factions are fairly straightforward. New players and seasoned players alike should be able to understand their nuances quickly.
|-
|★★
|Two-star factions require a bit more effort to learn. New players may need a few games to get comfortable with them. Experienced players should be able to understand them within a game or two.
|-
|★★★
|Three-star factions may be difficult to pilot for newer players. Experienced players may need to play a few games with them to find their groove.
|}

== Building a Team ==
'''Once both players have chosen a faction to play as, they will need to build a team list using options from that faction’s page.'''

You can use the [[Activation Tracker Sheet|Activation Tracker]] or a notepad to organize your team, note rules that happen at certain times, and track other game information.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!A team consists of exactly 14 points worth of Pieces and Upgrades.
|}
Below we will explain how faction rules, piece choices, their quantities, and upgrades fit into your team list.

=== Summoning ===
Some rules (of both faction rules and piece rules) can have the summon tag after their name, which means at some point when resolving that rule's effects you may be required to place a piece - which isn't a part of your starting team - onto the board.

Read through these rules carefully and see what piece type(s) they can summon, and set them aside in a 'Summon' zone (like the one on our [[Activation Tracker Sheet|Activation Tracker]]).

When a piece is summoned onto the board for your team, add it to your Activation Tracker.

Summoning pieces to a team may cause a player to have more than 14 points worth of pieces and upgrades in play.

== Faction Rules and Upgrades ==
Faction rules always apply their effects to that particular faction.

Upgrades are like Faction rules, except they have a point cost in parentheses after their name, and only apply their effects to that particular faction if you account for their cost in your team list. Be sure your opponent knows which Upgrades you have taken in a match.

== Piece Costs and Quantities ==
The following point costs are the same across every faction in the game.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Piece type
!Point cost
|-
|Pawns
|1
|-
|Kings, Bishops, Knights, Rooks, and Jokers
|2
|-
|Queens
|3
|}
Under their name, each piece will have a quantity allowance - this is how many of them you can have in a team. Here are a few examples of what you may see in faction entries and what they mean:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Quantity limit example
!Meaning
|-
|(0-2)
|You may have 0, 1, or 2 of this piece in your team list.
|-
|(2-8)
|You must take at least 2 of this piece, but may also take up to 8 of them.
|-
|(1)
|You must have exactly 1 of this piece in your list - no more, no less.
|-
|(-)
|You cannot include this piece in your starting team list. However, some rules may add this piece to your team throughout the course of a game.
|}
Whether it be during team creation or throughout the game, you can never have a piece added to your team if doing so would bring a piece type's total quantity beyond its listed quantity range maximum ''(eg. if your faction allows you to bring 0-2 Knights, your team could never have 3 or more)'', or the number of pieces that come with a standard chess set ''(eg. a standard set comes with 8 Pawn pieces, therefore your team can never have more than 8 Pawns)''.

== Rank ==
Each piece on a faction’s roster is listed in ranking order - with the highest ranking piece at the top of the table, and the lowest ranking piece at the bottom. Almost every faction has a unique ranking hierarchy, and because of this no rule will ever compare rankings between different factions. Though some rules may compare ranking between pieces in the same faction.

== Multiple Options for one Piece Type ==
Some factions may list many options for a piece type ''(eg. They could have two different entries for a Rook)''. In such cases '''you may only run 1 of those options in your team list'''.

The exception to this are '''Joker''' options as each Joker uses a unique model on the board. If a faction lists multiple Joker options, a player may include any/all of them in one list.
== Rolling Dice ==

=== Rolling Dice for Pieces ===
Pieces will have different dice types based on their identity:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Piece type
!Dice type
|-
|Pawn
|Two D4s
|-
|Knight
|Two D6s
|-
|Rook
|Two D6s
|-
|Bishop
|Two D6s
|-
|Queen
|Two D8s
|-
|King
|Two D10s
|-
|Joker
|One D20
|}
When a rule or action prompts a player to roll their piece's dice, these are the steps you follow:

# Determine any modifiers (this could mean [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage|Advantage/Disadvantage]], or other [[Core Rules#Other Types of Roll Modifiers|types of modifiers]])
# If the piece has any, players now have a chance to spend [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|1 Advantage token or 1 Disadvantage token]] and apply its effect to the roll. Some rules may allow a piece to spend other types of tokens under certain circumstances; that would also happen at this time.
# Roll the piece's dice.
# Sum the results of the dice, and apply all modifiers - this produces the roll total.
# Compare the piece's roll total to the opposing roll total or threshold needed for success, the rule will tell you how to proceed with these values.

=== Rolling Dice Otherwise ===
Sometimes a rule or action will tell you, the player, to roll various dice, and this roll may not have a direct connection to a piece. The rule or action will tell you what to do and how to interpret the results.

== Moves and Attacks ==

=== Move ===
When a piece Moves, it travels along a path as described in its entry (in the '''Piece types, dice, and common piece rules''' section below). A piece must travel at least 1 square during a Move if possible. If a piece is not able to Move (either by a rule saying it cannot, or perhaps other pieces/terrain are blocking its possible paths of movement), then it is permitted to travel fewer than 1 square.
==== Bump ====
When a player is prompted to 'Bump' a piece, they place it onto a square that is both adjacent to its current square, and unoccupied.

==== Scattering ====
When a player is prompted to ‘Scatter’ a piece, token, or other on-board item, assign each square adjacent to them a value from 1 to 8 (it doesn’t matter the order you number them, just be consistent). Once you’ve done that, roll a '''D8''', and place that item onto the unoccupied square whose value matches the result. If the item cannot be placed onto that square (it is occupied and/or they cannot co-occupy the square with whatever is in it) re-roll the '''D8'''.

If a piece does not have 8 squares adjacent to it when prompted to 'Scatter', it is likely in a corner of the board, or along a board edge. Here is what to do in those cases.

===== Scattering from a corner (only three adjacent squares) =====
Assign each square adjacent to them the values 1 & 2, 3 & 4, and 5 & 6. Roll a '''D6''', and place that item onto the unoccupied square whose value matches the result.

===== Scattering from a board edge (only five adjacent squares) =====
Assign each square adjacent to them the values 1 to 5. Roll a '''D6''', and place that item onto the unoccupied square whose value matches the result, re-rolling the die on a result of 6.

=== Attack ===
When a piece Attacks, it travels along the Attack path as described in its entry (see the '''Piece types, dice, and common piece rules''' section below).

A piece may only do its Attack if it would end up on a square occupied by an enemy piece (though some rules allow pieces to Attack non-enemy things, or even Attack allies). While a piece is Attacking another, both count as occupying that square and must complete the Attack sequence to resolve that. Here are the steps of the Attack sequence:
#Place the Attacker onto the square occupied by the Defender.
#Determine any modifiers (this could mean [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage|Advantage/Disadvantage]], or other [[Core Rules#Other Types of Roll Modifiers|types of modifiers]]) for each piece.
# If the pieces have any, players now each have a chance to spend [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|1 Advantage token or 1 Disadvantage token]] from their piece and apply its effect to the rolls.
# Roll the pieces' dice.
# Sum the results of the dice, applying all modifiers.
# Compare roll totals.
## If the Attacking piece has a greater total, they have slain the Defending piece, and it is placed in the ‘slain’ zone on their player's Activation Tracker.
## If the Defender has an equal or greater total, they do one of the following:
### *Bump the Attacker and give them a Disadvantage token, OR
### *Bump the Defender and give them an Advantage token.

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Either of these options are what is referred to as '''Combat Movement'''.

==== Avoiding Death ====

====== "Their slaying is prevented" / "...cannot be slain..." / "If this piece would be slain, instead..." ======
Occasionally, some pieces may have a rule in their entry stating (commonly under certain conditions) that they cannot be slain/their slaying is being prevented. Often it specifies what to do instead; in case it doesn’t, place that piece onto an unoccupied adjacent square (Bump it) if possible. If that is somehow not possible, its owner redeploys it.

Rarer yet, are effects that ignore an inability to be slain. If a piece cannot be slain under certain conditions, and those conditions are being met, yet there is a rule that ignores such effects, the piece can be slain despite the rule preventing its slaying.<blockquote>''A King piece is on the board, and The Emperor tarot card is active - which prevents Kings from being slain while they have allies on the board. This King is now being Attacked by a [[Dwarven Golems#Piece Options|Deadiron Sentinel]] - whose rule states that pieces being Attacked by it cannot have their slaying prevented (among other things). Even though there is an effect saying this King cannot be slain at this time, another rule is denying that type of effect.''</blockquote>

=== Moving and Attacking through Terrain ===
During a Move or Attack, a piece cannot end that action on a square - or pass through squares - occupied by terrain features (like Trees) or other pieces unless it has special rules that allow it to do so in some capacity.[[File:Move Attempt.png|thumb|150x150px|'''A Queen is hoping to Move to the square marked X, but there is a Tree blocking its path. It cannot Move to the intended square and must select another square to Move to.''']]If a rule allows a piece to co-occupy squares with some type of terrain:

* that type of terrain does not block that piece's Move or Attack paths,
* that square does not count as occupied to that piece.

== Piece Types, Dice, and Common Piece Rules ==
Each piece type uses a specific type of dice for their rolls. The dice used for a type of piece are universal, and not different between factions. Likewise, the way each piece type Moves and Attacks are universal, and not different between factions.

There are a few special rules listed below in each piece type’s entry. Pieces of a particular type will have these rules by default and will not be listed in a faction’s entry. However, some factions may have their version of a piece not have one of these rules ''(eg. a handful of factions’ Pawns lose their'' Promotion ''rule)'' - it is assumed that all piece options of a particular type have the rules listed below unless a rule mentioned in their faction entry says otherwise.
=== Pawn ===
A Pawn Moves 1 square vertically or horizontally, and Attacks 1 square diagonally.

Pawns use '''2D4''' for their dice and have the following common rules:
* '''En Passant:'''
** During its first Activation of the game, you may Move this Pawn twice.
* '''Promotion:'''
** At the '''start''' of this Pawn's Activation or Reactivation, if it is within your opponent's deployment zone, you may Banish it and place a slain, non-Legendary ally Noble onto the square that Pawn was just in. This Noble counts as having Activated only if it Activated earlier this turn.

{| class="wikitable"
|+
|[[File:Pawn Move.png|thumb|'''Directions a Pawn may Move from its current position.'''|150x150px]]
|[[File:Pawn Attack.png|thumb|'''Directions a Pawn may Attack from its current position.'''|150x150px]]
|}

=== Rook ===
A Rook Moves 1 to 8 squares orthogonally (vertically or horizontally), and Attacks 1 to 8 squares orthogonally.

Rooks use '''2D6''' for their dice and have the following common rule:

* '''Castle'''
** When this Rook ends their Move adjacent to a non-Rook ally, they may swap places with them. If they do and that ally is lower in rank than this Rook, give that ally an Advantage token; if that ally is higher in rank than this Rook, instead remove a Disadvantage token from it (if it has any).

{| class="wikitable"
|+
|[[File:Rook Move.png|thumb|'''Directions a Rook may Move from its current position.'''|150x150px]]
|[[File:Rook Attack.png|thumb|'''Directions a Rook may Attack from its current position.'''|150x150px]]
|}

=== Knight ===
A Knight's Move places it onto a square which is two squares vertically and one square horizontally from its current position, or two squares horizontally and one square vertically; it Attacks this way as well. Unlike other piece types, when a Knight Attacks or Moves, it does not travel along a path and is simply placed onto its target square.

Knights use '''2D6''' for their dice and have the following common rule:

* '''Mounted Advantage'''
** When Attacking a non-Knight enemy, if there are other enemies adjacent to the square that this Knight and its target are in (during an Attack resolution, both pieces temporarily share a square), roll this Knight’s dice at Advantage.

{| class="wikitable"
|+
![[File:Knight Move.png|thumb|Places a Knight can Move from its current position.|150x150px]]
![[File:Knight Attack.png|thumb|Places a Knight can Attack from its current position.|150x150px]]
|}

=== Bishop ===
A Bishop Moves 1 to 8 squares diagonally, and Attacks 1 to 8 squares diagonally.

Bishops use '''2D6''' for their dice, and have no common special rule.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
![[File:Bishop Move.png|thumb|Directions a Bishop may Move from its current position.|150x150px]]
![[File:Bishop Attack.png|thumb|Directions a Bishop may Attack from its current position.|150x150px]]
|}

=== Queen ===
A Queen Moves 1 to 8 squares vertically, horizontally or diagonally, and Attacks 1 to 8 squares vertically, horizontally, or diagonally.

Queens use '''2D8''' for their dice, and have no common special rule.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
![[File:Queen Move.png|thumb|Directions a Queen may Move from its current position.|150x150px]]
![[File:Queen Attack.png|thumb|Directions a Queen may Move from its current position.|150x150px]]
|}

=== King ===
A King Moves 1 square vertically, horizontally or diagonally, and Attacks 1 square vertically, horizontally, or diagonally.

Kings use '''2D10''' for their dice, and have the following common rule:

* '''Faction Leader'''
** When this piece is slain, their player loses the game immediately.

{| class="wikitable"
|+
![[File:King Move.png|thumb|Directions a King may Move from its current position.|150x150px]]
![[File:King Attack.png|thumb|Directions a King may Attack from its current position.|150x150px]]
|}

=== Joker ===
For a Joker’s Move, you Bump it, then you may do that up to two more times. In total, a Joker can traverse 1, 2, or 3 squares during its Move. Jokers use '''1D20''' for their dice and have the following common rule:

* '''Fool's Endeavour'''
** Jokers cannot Attack.
** At the end of the turn, remove any/all Dis/Advantage tokens from this piece.

[[File:Joker Move.png|none|thumb|200x200px|'''Possible squares a Joker could end its Move in from its current position.''']]

== Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms ==
In the rules here, and in various faction rules, you may encounter the following terms. Some of these terms may be defined in greater detail further on in these rules, though we are also including them here for the sake of redundancy and quick reference.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Term
!Description
|-
|Adjacent (term)
|Squares that are adjacent to one another are squares that are directly next to each other, either orthogonally or diagonally. Most squares on a board will be adjacent to the 8 squares they are surrounded by - the exceptions being squares along the board edge, who will have fewer squares adjacent to themselves.
If a rule mentions two or more pieces (or terrain, or other game items) being adjacent to each other, they are within squares that are adjacent to each other.
|-
|Banish(ed) (term/zone)
|A piece that becomes Banished is removed from the board and placed into the Banished section on the Activation Tracker Sheet, or kept off to the side with other Banished pieces from the same team.
|-
|Board half (term)
|A player's board half comprises the four board ranks closest to them. Their opponent's board half comprises the four board ranks closest to their opponent.
|-
|Between Activations (term)
|An effect resolving at this time resolves between the Activations or Reactivations of two different pieces. See the [[Core Rules#Turn Structure|Turn Structure]] section below for more details.
|-
|Bump (term)
|When a player is prompted to 'Bump' a piece, they place it onto a square that is both adjacent to its current square and unoccupied.
|-
|Combat Movement (tern)
|When a piece successfully Defends vs an Attack, then either Bumps themselves and gains an Advantage token, or Bumps their Attacker and gives them a Disadvantage token.
|-
|Dis/Advantage (term)
|Used as a shorthand for "Advantage and Disadvantage".
|-
|Flip a Joker card (term)
|Often in Joker piece rules, they will say to turn Joker cards face up or face down depending on what position they are currently in. When instructed to 'flip' a Joker card, you turn it to the opposite of whatever its current state is (eg. If a Joker card is facing up and you are instructed to flip it, you would turn it face down).
|-
|Legendary (rule)
|When a player is resolving their Pawn's ''Promote'' rule, they cannot choose a slain ally piece with this rule to replace that Pawn.
|-
|Major Arcana, Minor Arcana, and Bone Reading (rule tags)
|Some rules (of both faction rules and piece rules) can have these tags after their name. Rules with these tags are considered '''<nowiki/>'faith mechanic'''' rules, and utilise or reference the major arcana deck, the minor arcana deck, and/or bone reading dice pool in some way. You can read about these in greater detail in the '''[[Core Rules#Faith Mechanics|Faith Mechanics]]''' section further down this page.
|-
|Noble (term)
|A Noble is any piece type that isn't a Pawn.
Kings, Queens, Bishops, Knights, Rooks, and Jokers are all Nobles.
|-
|Occupied/Unoccupied/Co-occupy (term)
|A square counts as being occupied when it contains terrain or a piece. A square counts as being unoccupied if there are no pieces or terrain in it. Some rules may cause special types of dice or tokens to be placed onto squares, but dice and tokens do not occupy a square.
Co-occupying happens when multiple pieces and/or terrain are allowed to be in the same square together at the same time. During an Attack, two pieces are allowed to co-occupy the same square until the combat is resolved. Otherwise, co-occupying isn’t allowed unless a rule permits it to happen.

If a rule allows a piece to co-occupy squares with some type of terrain, then that type of terrain does not block that piece's Move or Attack paths.
|-
|Re/Activation (term)
|Used as a shorthand for "Activation or Reactivation". Though an Activation and Reactivation are functionally very similar, some rules specifically address one or the other. For rules referencing both, we often use this "Re/Activation" shorthand.
|-
|Re/Deploy (term)
|Used as a shorthand for "Deploy or Redeploy". Though Deploying and Redeploying are nearly identical, the distinction is when it happens. The first time a piece is ever placed on the board (whether that be anywhere thereon, or in their deployment zone) that is 'deployment'. Each time this happens thereafter is 'redeployment'. Some rules specifically address one or the other.
When a player is instructed to Re/Deploy a piece of their own, it goes into their deployment zone. When a player is instructed to Re/Deploy an enemy piece, it goes into their opponent's deployment zone.

In rare cases, a player may have the option to place a piece into either player's deployment zone - this also counts as a type of Redeployment.
|-
|Relocated (term)
|Relocation includes: Bumping, placement, random placement, redeployment, scattering, [[Core Rules#Attack|combat movement]], or involuntary Moves/Attacks.
|-
|Revered Structure (rule)
|Pieces with this rule cannot Move, Attack, or be relocated by any means. However, they Defend at Advantage. As well, if this piece would be slain by an enemy, between Activations you may remove any/all Blessing and Advantage tokens from that enemy, then you may Curse them.
|-
|Success / Failure (terms)
|Some rules or effects mention a condition being a roll succeeding or failing, this is done to keep wording brief. A success of a roll would be if the action taking place for the piece rolling did end up happening, and a failure would be the opposite.
|-
|Summon (rule tag)
|Some rules (of both faction rules and piece rules) can have the summon tag after their name, which means at some point when resolving that rule's effects you may be required to place a piece - which isn't a part of your starting team - onto the board. Read through these rules carefully and see what piece type(s) they can summon, and set them aside in a 'Summon' zone (like the one on our [[Activation Tracker Sheet|Activation Tracker]] sheet you can download and print).
|}

== Setup ==
'''Each player chooses opposing board halves. Determine who will be setting up Trees on their half of the board first.'''

You may do this by verbal agreement, or by random means - such as rolling a die.

=== Tree Setup ===
Trees are a type of terrain that occupy squares on the board. While a terrain piece is occupying a square, pieces cannot enter or travel over that square unless they have a rule permitting them to do so. Trees are the most common type of terrain players will see; less common types are Holes and Water.

The player who is setting up Trees first rolls a '''D4''' and a '''D8'''. The '''D4''' result determines what rank (in the board half closest to them) it will be in, and the '''D8''' will determine the file. Place a Tree on that square. Do this again 2 more times. If a Tree would end up on a square with a Tree already on it, re-roll the '''D4''' and/or '''D8'''.

Then the other player chooses one of the following for the Tree setup in their half:

* They may mirror the Tree setup in the other half of the board.
* They may mirror and horizontally flip the Tree setup.
* They may randomly generate a Tree setup (as described above).

=== Piece Setup ===
The player who sets up Trees second then deploys their pieces first. Unless stated otherwise in a faction’s special rules, pieces are set up in a player’s '''deployment zone''' - which are the two ranks on the board closest to the player.

Whenever a rule mentions redeploying a piece, you set it up anywhere within your deployment zone. When prompted to redeploy, pieces that are already in your deployment zone may be kept where they are, and they will count as having been redeployed.

=== Card and Dice Setup ===
The following things to set up are dependent on team composition and have detailed explanations later on:

# If any players’ pieces use the '''Minor Arcana''' mechanic, shuffle that deck and set it aside face down.
# If no Joker pieces are present in either team, the Joker cards are left in the Minor Arcana deck.
#* If the total number of Joker pieces being used by players is 1 or 2, remove 1 Joker card from the deck and set it aside face up before the game starts.
#* If the total number of Joker pieces being used are 3 or greater, remove both Joker cards from the deck and set them aside face up before the game starts.
# If any players’ pieces use the '''Major Arcana''' mechanic, shuffle that deck and set it aside face down.
# If a player's pieces use the '''Bone Reading''' mechanic, they assemble these dice pools and keep them aside.
#* Each bone pool will only be used by its player.
#* If a player's team has any Pawns, add a '''D4''' to this collection. If it has any Knights, Rooks, and/or Bishops, add a '''D6'''. If it has a Queen, add a '''D8'''. If it has a King, add a '''D10'''. If it has any Jokers, add a '''D20'''.
#* Do not use these dice for any rolling beyond those required by bone reading effects. Some bone reading rules require the rolled results to be preserved until some later point.
# Lastly, make sure you have enough other dice to be used for each of your types of pieces you are taking on your team.

=== Setup Order Chart ===
[[File:Setup order chart.png|none|thumb|450x450px]]

=== Setting Pieces up Randomly ===
This is a rare situation, but when a rule calls for pieces to be placed randomly on the board, do the following:

* Roll '''two D8''', one after the other. The first determines which rank of the board that piece will be set up in, and the second will determine the file.
* If the square at that coordinate is unoccupied, place that piece in that square. If the square is occupied and it cannot co-occupy that square with whatever is occupying it, you may re-roll one or both dice, or scatter the piece from that square (more on this below).
** Some pieces have rules which allow them to co-occupy a square with other things (such as specific terrain types).

=== Scattering ===
When a player is prompted to ‘Scatter’ a piece, token, or other on-board item, assign each square adjacent to them a value from 1 to 8 (it doesn’t matter the order you number them, just be consistent). Once you’ve done that, roll a '''D8''', and place that item onto the unoccupied square whose value matches the result. If the item cannot be placed onto that square (it is occupied and/or they cannot co-occupy the square with whatever is in it) re-roll the '''D8'''.

If a piece does not have 8 squares adjacent to it when prompted to 'Scatter', it is likely in a corner of the board, or along a board edge. Here is what to do in those cases.

==== Scattering from a corner (only three adjacent squares) ====
Assign each square adjacent to them the values 1 & 2, 3 & 4, and 5 & 6. Roll a '''D6''', and place that item onto the unoccupied square whose value matches the result.

==== Scattering from a board edge (only five adjacent squares) ====
Assign each square adjacent to them the values 1 to 5. Roll a '''D6''', and place that item onto the unoccupied square whose value matches the result, re-rolling the die on a result of 6.

=== Pieces off the Board ===
There are a few situations where pieces may not be on the board. The most common of which is when a piece has been '''slain'''. Less common situations involve rules that may cause a piece to be deployed or set up on the board at a later time, or rules that temporarily (or permanently) '''Banish''' pieces. As well, pieces that could be '''summoned''' by a faction’s rules are kept off the board.<blockquote>'''We advise players to use the [[Activation Tracker]] sheet provided to organize their pieces which aren’t on the board.'''</blockquote>Pieces off the board cannot Activate or Reactivate unless they have a rule allowing them to do so.

In some situations, pieces that have been Banished may return to it by some means. In all cases like this, those pieces returned to the board do not count as having Activated unless they did so earlier in the turn, or the rule bringing them back says otherwise.

* ''Eg. A Knight Activates in turn 3, is slain, then is returned to the board later in turn 3 - it still counts as having Activated.''

== Turn Structure ==
Below are the steps of a turn in two versions.

=== General Turn Breakdown ===

# "Beginning of Turn" effects.
# One player Activates a piece of theirs that hasn’t Activated yet this turn. If all their pieces have Activated, they instead choose one of their pieces and Reactivate it.
# Any "between Activations" effects resolve now.
# If there are still pieces left to Activate, go back and have the other player carry out the turn sequence from Step 2.
#"End of Turn" effects.

=== Comprehensive Turn Breakdown ===

# '''Beginning of turn effects'''
#* '''A)''' Determine who is Activating first this turn
#** This is generally the player who did not Re/Activate a piece last in the previous turn - some rules may alter this.
#* '''B)''' All effects that happen at the start of the turn resolve in the following order. For each of these steps, players will go back and forth resolving relevant and applicable rules, one at a time, starting with the player who will be Activating pieces first this turn.
#** Faction rules
#** Faction upgrades
#** Piece rules
# '''Activations'''
#* '''A)''' Player Activates a piece that hasn’t Activated yet this turn (read below section: '''Activations''')
#** The player Activating first this turn starts this off.
#** If a player has Activated all their pieces when they are passed opportunity to Activate, they instead '''Reactivate''' a piece.
#* '''B)''' Any “'''between Activations'''” effect triggered in the previous Re/Activation resolves now. '''Between Activations''' effects that are prompted will resolve in the next soonest instance of this step in a turn.
#** If a player has multiple effects to resolve here, they choose the order in which they resolve.
#** If both players have effects to resolve here, the player who had just Re/Activated a piece resolves their effects first.
#* '''C)''' Does one team have no pieces on the board? If so, the player with pieces on the board wins immediately. If not, proceed.
#* '''D)''' Are there still pieces that haven't been Activated? If yes, the other player goes back to step '''2A'''; if not, both players go to step '''3'''.
# '''End of turn effects'''
#* '''A)''' All “at end of turn” effects resolve in this order; players go back and forth like at the start of the turn, but starting with the player who did not have the last piece Re/Activation.
#** Faction rules
#** Faction upgrades
#** Piece rules
#* '''B)''' Determine alternate victory conditions.
#** If a player would meet the requisites for winning through an alternate means, it happens now.
#*** If multiple players would win this way at the same time, the player with more points worth of pieces on the board wins.
#* '''C)''' All "until the end of turn" effects cease to function now.
#* '''D)''' Turn all face-down cards face up (like Joker cards), and shuffle away any discarded cards (like Major and Minor Arcana) and cards that are being held until the end of turn. If any dice were temporarily removed from Bone pools, those are returned to their pool now too.
#** Resolve any effects as a consequence of this.
#* '''E)''' Start the next turn.

== Activations ==
'''The player who has set their pieces up first is the player who Activates a piece first in a game.'''

'''For each turn beyond the first, the player who Activates a piece first is the player who didn’t have the last Activation or Reactivation of the previous turn.''' Though some special rules may alter this.

=== Activation ===
An Activation for a piece involves:

# The player resolves any rules’ effects that can happen at the start of their Activation.
#* Should multiple effects attempt to happen at this point, the owner of the Activating piece chooses the order in which they resolve.
# Move '''or''' Attack.
# The player resolves any rules’ effects that can happen at the end of their Activation.
#* Should multiple effects attempt to happen at this point, the owner of the Activating piece chooses the order in which they resolve.

=== Reactivation ===
If the opportunity to Activate a piece is given to a player by the turn order and all of their remaining pieces have been Activated this turn, but their opponent has 1 or more pieces that haven’t Activated, the player chooses any one of their pieces to be Reactivated.

==== '''Steps of a Reactivation:''' ====

* '''If the chosen piece has no Disadvantage tokens, give it one.'''
* '''Have it carry out the steps of an Activation.'''

== Advantage and Disadvantage ==
When a piece is rolling their dice at '''Advantage''', instead of summing the results of the rolled dice, they double the result of the '''higher''' one. Inversely, when a piece is rolling at '''Disadvantage''', they double the result of the '''lower''' die instead.

If a piece would be granted Advantage on a roll it has Disadvantage on—or vice versa—they cancel each other out. If there are multiple instances of Advantage and Disadvantage applying to the same roll, each instance of one cancels out an instance of the other.

If a piece would be granted Advantage on a roll and a rule is preventing them from rolling at Advantage, that roll does not happen at Advantage. The same applies for Disadvantage and the preventing of such.

=== Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens ===
'''Pieces with Advantage tokens may spend 1 before they roll both their dice to give themselves Advantage on that roll.'''

'''If a piece has any Disadvantage tokens and they are prompted to roll their dice, they must spend 1 such token before rolling them—doing so gives Disadvantage on that roll.'''

In either case, you cannot spend more than 1 Advantage or Disadvantage token during a roll to apply their effect ''(eg. your piece is being given Disadvantage on their Attack roll, but they also have 2 Advantage tokens. You may spend 1 of those tokens to cancel out the Disadvantage on the roll, but you cannot then spend the 2nd token to give it Advantage)''. However, some special rules may allow a piece to spend multiples of these tokens for some other bonus or effect.

If a piece with an Advantage token would receive a Disadvantage token—or vice versa—they cancel each other out. This applies also when managing larger quantities of these tokens ''(eg. If a piece has 4 Disadvantage tokens and they are given 3 Advantage tokens, they will be left with 1 Disadvantage token)''.

If a piece would spend an Advantage token to roll its dice at Advantage but some effect is preventing that roll from being at Advantage, the token is still spent and they cannot roll their dice at Advantage. The same is true if a piece must spend a Disadvantage token, but some effect is preventing it from rolling its dice at Disadvantage—the token is spent, but it still cannot roll its dice at Disadvantage.

=== Dis/Advantage and Jokers ===
As Jokers only roll one die, they cannot roll it at Advantage or Disadvantage. If a Joker receives any Dis/Advantage tokens, they cannot spend them to gain Dis/Advantage. At the end of the turn, remove any/all Dis/Advantage tokens on all Jokers. A player cannot voluntarily give their own Joker either type of token unless it is the only valid target for one. A player may give an opponent’s Joker either type of token even if there are other valid targets.

=== Example Interaction ===
A Knight with an Advantage token will Attack an enemy who is adjacent to another enemy, but…

# …there is an effect preventing the Knight from Attacking at Advantage.
#* The Advantage granted to the Knight from its rule ''[[Core Rules#Knight|Mounted Advantage]]'' is inhibited. And though it will have an opportunity to spend a token, the Advantage token will have no effect.
# …there is an effect making the Knight Attack at Disadvantage.
#* The Advantage granted to the Knight from its rule ''[[Core Rules#Knight|Mounted Advantage]]'' is cancelled out by the Disadvantage affecting it, making its roll normal. It still gets an opportunity to spend the Advantage token it has; if it does spend it, its dice go from being rolled normally to being rolled at Advantage.

== Blessings and Curses ==

=== Blessed ===
'''If an effect would cause a piece on your team to receive one or more Advantage tokens, other ally pieces which have a Blessing token also receive one.'''

If a piece with a Blessing token would receive a Curse token, they cancel each other out and both are removed from the piece. A piece that is Blessed cannot have another Blessing token placed on it, nor be a target for a Blessing token.

Blessed pieces cannot gain Advantage tokens as a consequence of another Blessed piece gaining an Advantage token from an initial trigger (i.e. there is no infinite feedback loop of receiving those tokens).

=== Cursed ===
'''If an effect would cause a piece on your team to receive one or more Disadvantage tokens, other ally pieces which have a Curse token also receive one.'''

If a piece with a Cursed token would receive a Blessing token, they cancel each other out and both are removed from the piece. A piece that is Cursed cannot have another Cursed token placed on it, nor be a target for a Curse token.

Cursed pieces cannot gain Disadvantage tokens as a consequence of another Cursed piece gaining a Disadvantage token from an initial trigger (i[[Found lore: The Mortal Waters (3/3)|.]]<nowiki/>e. there is no infinite feedback loop of receiving those tokens).

=== Example Interaction ===
The following pieces are on the same team:

* Piece A
* Piece B (Blessed)
* Piece C (Blessed)

Situation 1:

* Piece A gains 3 Advantage tokens from a rule’s effect. As Pieces B and C are Blessed, they see that their ally gained some number of Advantage tokens, so they each gain 1 Advantage token. No other Advantage tokens will be gained.

Situation 2:

* Piece A has a rule that gives it an Advantage token when it successfully Attacks, and Piece B has a rule that gives allies an Advantage token when they successfully Attack.
* Piece A successfully Attacks.
* Piece A’s rule gives it an Advantage token, so Pieces B and C each gain 1, as they are each Blessed. Piece B’s rule gives Piece A an Advantage token, thus Pieces B and C each gain 1 more from their Blessings.

== Other Types of Roll Modifiers ==

=== +X or -X ===
Sometimes a rule may give +X or -X to a roll total. X is a variable modifier defined by the rule giving it that bonus or penalty, and its value is determined during the roll being made. A -X modifier cannot bring a total below 0.<blockquote>''A rule is stating that all Bishops get +X to their roll totals where X is the number of tarot cards currently dealt out. A Bishop rolls its dice, and the sum of both dice results in 7. However, the current number of tarot cards currently dealt out is 3, so the Bishop's roll total becomes 10 (7+3).''</blockquote>

=== ...would be lesser/greater than X, it becomes equal to X instead. ===
This modifier substitutes the roll total for a determined value if the roll itself would be above or below a specified threshold.<blockquote>''A rule is stating that if a piece would roll their dice and the total would be less than the number of slain pieces (X), it becomes equal to that instead. A Pawn rolls its dice, and the sum of both dice results is 2. However, the current number of all slain pieces in the game is 5, so the Pawn's roll total becomes 5 instead of 2.''</blockquote>

== Targets and Roll Success/Failure ==

=== Choosing Valid Targets ===
If you would go to resolve an effect that requires a target (often a piece), you must select a valid target that meets the mentioned criteria ''(e.g. if you attempt to Curse a piece that cannot be Cursed, you must instead select a piece that can be)''. If there is no valid target, the parts of the effect that require a target cannot resolve. Should an effect have multiple steps to its resolution, but only some parts requiring a target cannot resolve, the other parts that don’t require a target may still resolve--given that they are not contingent on the other target-requiring part to resolve.

Most of the time, effects cannot target pieces or such that are not on the board, unless they specify otherwise. The word "target" may not specifically be used, but is implied. If a rule would say something like, ''"When this King rolls doubles on a Defence roll, slay an enemy Pawn between Activations,"'' the enemy Pawn is the intended target, and for a Pawn to be a valid target in this example, it would need to meet the following criteria:
* It is a Pawn,
* It belongs to the opposing team,
* It is on the board,
* The Pawn does not have a rule preventing this action from happening.

=== Succeeding or Failing a Roll ===
Some rules or effects mention a condition being a roll succeeding or failing, this is done to keep wording brief. A success of a roll would be if the action taking place for the piece rolling did end up happening, and a failure would be the opposite. <blockquote>''As an example, a Knight is Attacking an enemy Rook. If the Knight’s Attack roll was higher than the Rook’s Defence roll, then the Knight’s Attack roll would be considered a success and the Rook’s Defence roll would be considered a failure.''</blockquote>Even in cases where a commonly bad outcome (eg. a player's piece fails a Defence roll) could be seen as advantageous for a player's strategy, that outcome is still considered a failure. '''Success or failure is based on the intent of the roll's function and not on the overall strategic goal.'''

== Faith Mechanics ==
These are a type of rule that interacts with:

* the Major Arcana/Tarot deck,
* the Minor Arcana/Playing card deck,
* or the Bone Reading mechanic.

Rules that interact with a particular mechanic of this type will say which one they use in brackets after their rule name.

=== Bone Reading ===
The Bone Reading mechanic is a pool of dice you assemble at the start of the game (unless stated otherwise in a rule's description). The contents of this pool of dice are based on the pieces on your team during list construction.

* If you have any Pawns on your team, add a '''D4''' to the pool.
* If you have any Knights, Rooks, or Bishops on your team, add a '''D6''' to the pool.
* If you have a Queen, add a '''D8'''.
* If you have a King, add a '''D10'''.
* If you have any Jokers, add a '''D20'''.

Each rule that utilizes this mechanic will tell you how to use this and interpret the results when prompted to roll.

'''You do not share this dice pool with your opponent.'''

To avoid mixing these up with your die used for normal rolls, '''keep this dice pool separate from your other dice at all times.''' We recommend using a small flat dish with short walls to hold these.
=== Minor Arcana ===
This involves using a standard 52 playing card deck (including the joker cards unless they have been removed - see the '''[[Core Rules#Card and Dice Setup|Setup]]''' section). Each faction that uses this will tell you what to do with it. '''If both players are using this mechanic, they share the same deck.''' While set up, the deck is kept face down.

You may use the Minor Arcana cards from a complete tarot set, however you will need to edit its composition so that it matches a standard deck of playing cards:

* Remove the Pages of each suit,
* The suit of Wands/Batons/Rods counts as Clubs,
* The suit of Cups counts as Hearts,
* The suit of Swords count as Spades,
* And the suit of Coins/Pentacles/Disks count as Diamonds.

Cards that get revealed and kept aside until the end of the turn get shuffled away then. Unless stated otherwise, these cards are kept face up.

Cards that get revealed and kept aside until the end of the game are not shuffled away at the end of the turn, and usually have some way of getting returned to the deck or discarded. Unless stated otherwise, these cards are kept face up. Both of these may have exceptions in special rules - read each one carefully.

Cards from this deck may become '''discarded'''. When this occurs, keep them in a distinct pile from the face-down deck. These cannot be drawn from (though if a rule says to '''search''' for a particular card, you look through this discard pile as well). These cards are kept face up. At the end of the turn, shuffle these back into the deck.

If a player would reveal some number of cards from the deck, but the deck has less than that many cards remaining in it, reveal until the deck is empty. The deck remains empty until its discard pile is shuffled back into it.<blockquote>'''While any of these cards are in a deck or pile that is facing up, they can be looked through at any time by either player. While any of these cards are in a deck or pile that is facing down, they cannot be looked through—except in the case of a rule causing a player to make their own face-down pile, which they can look through at any time.'''</blockquote>

=== Major Arcana ===
Major Arcana involves using the 22-card tarot card deck. Different versions of tarot decks have existed throughout history and still exist in a wide variety. Depending on the tarot deck you are using, you may need to edit its composition for play of this game. Since certain decks may not include some cards used for substitutions, we’ve included some alternate cards to use in their place ''(eg. if you are using a'' Minchiate ''tarot deck, use the Faith trump card for the High Priestess)''. If you are using a version where there is no named substitute for a card mentioned below, you and your opponent should agree to an alternate card from the deck that can be used in its place.

While set up, the deck is kept face down and cannot be looked through unless a rule prompts a player to search for a particular card. Rules that use this deck may tell you to “Divinate”. When a special rule prompts you to Divinate, do '''one''' of the following actions:

* Shuffle away all tarot cards that are dealt out (do not shuffle in discarded tarot cards), then deal out 3 from the top of the deck to be facing up. The first of these cards dealt out will be the '''active''' card. However''',''' if the rule causing the Divination mentions specific cards in brackets, the player resolving the Divination may choose for one of those to be '''active''' instead if they are currently dealt out. These cards in brackets can be referred to as a piece’s “preferred cards”.
* Of the cards that are already dealt out, choose an inactive card to become the new active card. The current active card becomes inactive.

Cards from this deck may become '''discarded'''. When this occurs, keep them in a distinct, face-up pile aside from the deck. These cannot be drawn from but players may look through it at any time (and '''searched''' through if a rule prompts such). At the end of the turn, shuffle these back into the deck.

If a player would reveal some number of cards from the deck, but the deck has less than that many cards remaining in it, reveal until the deck is empty. The deck remains empty until its discard pile is shuffled back into it.

==== Tarot Cards and Their Effects ====
Tarot cards can feature two types of effects: ones that resolve immediately upon being made active, and/or passive effects that trigger under certain conditions while they are active. Read each one carefully.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Card name
!Card effects
|-
|'''The Fool''' / The Madman
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, turn any/all Joker cards face up.
'''Passive:''' While this card is active, Jokers [[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|cannot be slain]].
|-
|'''The Magician''' / The Juggler / Illness
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, if a piece would slay another with an Attack roll that was at Advantage, the owner of the Attacking piece may replace them with a slain piece from their team that is of higher rank at the end of their Activation.
|-
|'''The High Priestess''' / Faith / The Popess
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, when a player goes to choose which piece to Activate their opponent chooses which piece they Activate instead. This does not apply to Reactivations.
|-
|'''The Empress''' / Night, Day
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, pieces cannot become Cursed while they are adjacent to Trees.
'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, Curse the highest ranked piece on the team which has more slain pieces.
|-
|'''The Emperor''' / Protection
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active:

* Kings [[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|cannot be slain]] unless they are the last piece of their team on the board.
* Kings cannot Attack.
|-
|'''The Hierophant''' / The Pope
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, Bless each Bishop. Then, for each Bishop of theirs that was just Blessed, each player may Curse up to one piece that does not have a faith mechanic rule.
|-
|'''The Lovers'''
|'''Immediate:''' Starting with the player that made this card active, each player Blesses an enemy piece then Curses a piece of their own.
|-
|'''The Chariot''' / Dissension
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, remove all Curses from pieces belonging to the player with fewer pieces on the board. Then each player may redeploy one of their pieces, starting with the player that made this card active.
'''Passive:''' While this card is active:

* The player with fewer pieces on the board cannot have their pieces be Cursed.
* At the start of a Blessed piece's Re/Activation, their player may spend its Blessing to redeploy it or Bump it.
|-
|'''Justice'''
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, if an enemy piece would slay one of yours, between Activations Curse that piece or a piece on their team that is of equal or higher rank as the one who slayed. If all eligible targets are already Cursed, slay one of them instead.
|-
|'''The Hermit''' / The Sage / Traitor
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, the highest ranked Blessed piece on each team gains an Advantage token. Then give a Disadvantage token to each piece that is not adjacent to another piece or terrain.
|-
|'''Wheel of Fortune''' / Fortune
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, do each of the following (if they are in play):

* Flip all Joker cards (face up cards get turned face down, and vice versa).
* Each player with a bone pool rolls them and gains a die of the type(s) that rolled the lowest result.
* All cards in the Minor arcana deck are discarded, and any Minor Arcana cards that were previously discarded are now shuffled into the deck (the deck and discard switch places).
* Shuffle all tarot cards into the major arcana deck and Divinate again.
|-
|'''Strength''' / Sovereign
|The player that makes this card active chooses one of the following:

* '''Passive:''' While this card is active, the highest ranked pieces on each team Attack at Advantage and cannot be slain.
* '''Passive:''' While this card is active, give a piece a Disadvantage token immediately after they unsuccessfully Attack, before any combat movement is resolved.
|-
|'''The Hanged Man''' / Prudence / The People
|The player that makes this card active chooses one of the following:

* '''Immediate:''' They may slay one of their own pieces. If they do, they remove any/all Curses and Disadvantage tokens from pieces on their team.
* '''Passive:''' While this card is active, pieces cannot gain or spend Dis/Advantage tokens.
|-
|'''Death''' / Morality
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, the player with fewer slain pieces must slay one of their own pieces, but this cannot cause a player to slay their last piece on the board. If, however, players are tied for the amount of slain pieces they have, instead they each put 1 Disadvantage token on an enemy piece of their choosing, starting with the player that made this card active.
'''Passive:''' While this card is active, pieces cannot have their [[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|slaying be prevented]][[Found lore: Goblin Mercenaries|.]]
|-
|'''Temperance'''
|'''Immediate:''' Starting with the player that makes this card active, each player chooses a piece of theirs that has any kind of token on it, if possible. They may remove 1 of those tokens. If they do, each enemy of theirs on the board loses 1 of those tokens as well.
|-
|'''The Devil'''
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, each piece becomes Cursed at the start of their Activation.
|-
|'''The Tower''' / House of God / House of the Devil
|'''Immediate:''' Between Activations, treat all pieces as having Activated this turn (players proceed to resolve end-of-turn effects).
|-
|'''The Star''' / Desolation
|'''Immediate:''' Starting with the player who made this card active, each player chooses a piece of theirs on the board that has Activated or is currently Activating. Those pieces do not/will not count as having Activated yet this turn. Then discard this card. If this is the first turn on the board for either of those pieces, their next Activation also counts as their first Activation of the game (for rules that care about a piece's first Activation of a game).
|-
|'''The Moon''' / Water
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, when players make a roll for a piece of theirs against an enemy piece’s roll, they may choose one of the following:

* To give their piece’s roll Disadvantage; if that roll happens at Disadvantage and is successful…
* To give their piece’s roll Advantage; if that roll happens at Advantage and is unsuccessful…

…their piece does not count as having Activated yet this turn.
|-
|'''The Sun''' / Fire
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, each piece becomes Blessed at the start of their Activation.
|-
|'''Judgement''' / The Fires
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active:

* Rolls cannot be made at Advantage,
* Pieces cannot spend Advantage tokens,
* Pieces cannot be Summoned.
|-
|'''The World''' / Earth
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, each player may choose to redeploy all of their pieces. If they do, remove all Curses and Disadvantage tokens from those pieces. If both players choose to redeploy all their pieces, they alternate redeploying each one, starting with the player that made this card active.
|}

== Ready to Play ==
Having read through these rules, you are now ready to play a game with a friend. If you would like to read through the factions available to play, you can find them [[Factions|here]].

If you feel any part of the rules need better explanation or would like to discuss them with members of the community, you can find our discussions on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/WargameChess here], or @ us on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/wargame-chess.bsky.social here].

Enjoy!

Found lore: Dwarven Golems

2026-02-09T12:28:49Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Plate LXIII */

From the “Exotic Cultures Exhibit” of Pope Innocent IX “the Conqueror Pope”.

Translation of the golden journal plates of:

'''Thurgbor, of the gildcraft family Hurngboort, whose ancestors come from and rest in the iron veins, and whose children now rest in the venerable gem halls.'''

''[curator’s note: This Thurgbor was likely a skilled poet, as their runes show evidence of both phonic and visual rhyme, though that mayn’t translate here]''

== Plates I - XLVI ==
Missing from this collection.

== Plate XLVII ==
<blockquote>'''Count, the twenty-third hearthfire of the broken harmony of Underrealm.'''

'''Mole[people] scratches wear thin the holy doors of sanctum.'''

'''Family stone of my children, carried by their colleagues to'''

'''The unknown tunnels.'''

'''Colleagues [and I] ascend Hightunnel with a destination of Overrealm.'''</blockquote>''[the entry would continue, but the plate is broken here]''

== Plates XLVIII - LI ==
Missing from this collection.

== Plate LII ==
<blockquote>'''Count, the fourth skyfire of [our] landing to Overrealm.'''

'''Absence of skyfire, married to darkness and absence of [my] children and elders,'''

'''Sorrow, sorrow, sorrow!'''

'''Water of headsoul aquifer, a trickling fall across a rocky facade,'''

'''Resolute faces scream into the dark of no skyfire.'''

'''Sorrow, sorrow!'''

'''Realmbreath smells of [fruit]rot and carrion, not of hearth and tubers,'''

'''not of''' ''(lists numerous varieties of what are assumed to be mushrooms)''''', for which we hunger.'''

'''Realmhair is strong with a flowing grain, burns warm, and smells of my wife’s beard''' '''perfume.'''

'''Sorrow.'''</blockquote><blockquote>'''Count, the fifth skyfire of [our] landing to Overrealm.'''

'''Realmhair keeps its best fruit.'''

'''Its tassels flat, soft, and of emerald skin.'''

'''The shadows cast by realmhair, dark portraits from skyfire, confirms [Overrealm] is'''

'''round like a head, and without ceiling.'''

'''We ask, do we reside on the head of a goddess?'''

'''Supposed, the realmbreath comes from skyface - his cheeks puft.'''

'''Ancestors speak wisdoms [to us] through these mushrooms.'''

'''Grateful for beautiful wisdom, tasty fruits, and mushrooms.'''</blockquote>

== Plates LIII - LXII ==
Missing from this collection.

== Plate LXIII ==
<blockquote>'''Count, the fifteenth skyfire of [our] landing to Overrealm.'''

'''The forest folk, like Dwarves but with lost beards and limbs thin like twigs,'''

'''Spew curses onto us for the cutting of realmhair.'''

'''We show the growing of realmhair is much like beardhair.'''

'''Abundance!'''

'''A gift from the goddess!'''

'''Ignored!'''

'''Like a great worm has interest in a small prey, their eyes gaze upon us.'''

'''Yet they stand on a shaking bridge when facing the majesty of golems.'''

'''Diplomacy is an untrue stone this fire;'''

'''It will support a doorway for one generation, but not more.'''</blockquote>

== Plates LXIV - LXVII ==
Missing from this collection.

== Plate LXVIII ==
<blockquote>'''Count, the nineteenth skyfire of [our] landing to Overrealm.'''

'''Beasts of armour and great muscle, fang and treachery,'''

'''Transgressions and trespasses against our lodgings.'''

'''Growls like that of demons and great worms,'''

'''Soon silenced by the might of golems and the thrusts of spears.'''

'''Hark, Death: they wish to sic you on us!'''

'''O, beasts, Death drinks at our table!'''

'''Their souls, sent to the company of their ancestors.'''

'''Their flesh, sent to our salt barrels.'''</blockquote>

== Plates LXIX - LXX ==
Missing from this collection.

== Plate LXXI ==
<blockquote>'''Count, the twenty-eighth skyfire of [our] landing to Overrealm.'''

'''With regret, I rush these lines,'''

'''Colleagues, forgive my clumsy couplets.'''

'''Sharp arrows of the forestfolk run through air faster than their cursing words,'''

'''Our flesh punctured.'''

'''Their limbs are long like realmhair, but not strong as such,'''

'''Snapped by the hands of golems.'''

'''They bind our [golems] with realmhair and magic,'''

'''Hypocrisy, that they could grow it so fast but condemn our cutting of it!'''

'''Skyfire grows brighter, but I feel its warmth less so,'''

'''My blood drips down the dirt, may it find its way home.'''

'''Iron, stone, and bronze,'''

'''I see my ancestors and their masterworks.'''

'''Gold, chisel, and blood,'''

'''My tools and legacy.'''

'''Sapphire, ruby, and emerald,'''

'''My children come to embrace me.'''</blockquote>''[curator’s note: it appears Thurgbor attempted to finish engraving the margin ornaments, but they become shallow with lines less straight, until they simply do not continue]''
__NOINDEX__

Found lore: Dwarven Golems

2026-02-09T12:27:08Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Plate LXIII */

From the “Exotic Cultures Exhibit” of Pope Innocent IX “the Conqueror Pope”.

Translation of the golden journal plates of:

'''Thurgbor, of the gildcraft family Hurngboort, whose ancestors come from and rest in the iron veins, and whose children now rest in the venerable gem halls.'''

''[curator’s note: This Thurgbor was likely a skilled poet, as their runes show evidence of both phonic and visual rhyme, though that mayn’t translate here]''

== Plates I - XLVI ==
Missing from this collection.

== Plate XLVII ==
<blockquote>'''Count, the twenty-third hearthfire of the broken harmony of Underrealm.'''

'''Mole[people] scratches wear thin the holy doors of sanctum.'''

'''Family stone of my children, carried by their colleagues to'''

'''The unknown tunnels.'''

'''Colleagues [and I] ascend Hightunnel with a destination of Overrealm.'''</blockquote>''[the entry would continue, but the plate is broken here]''

== Plates XLVIII - LI ==
Missing from this collection.

== Plate LII ==
<blockquote>'''Count, the fourth skyfire of [our] landing to Overrealm.'''

'''Absence of skyfire, married to darkness and absence of [my] children and elders,'''

'''Sorrow, sorrow, sorrow!'''

'''Water of headsoul aquifer, a trickling fall across a rocky facade,'''

'''Resolute faces scream into the dark of no skyfire.'''

'''Sorrow, sorrow!'''

'''Realmbreath smells of [fruit]rot and carrion, not of hearth and tubers,'''

'''not of''' ''(lists numerous varieties of what are assumed to be mushrooms)''''', for which we hunger.'''

'''Realmhair is strong with a flowing grain, burns warm, and smells of my wife’s beard''' '''perfume.'''

'''Sorrow.'''</blockquote><blockquote>'''Count, the fifth skyfire of [our] landing to Overrealm.'''

'''Realmhair keeps its best fruit.'''

'''Its tassels flat, soft, and of emerald skin.'''

'''The shadows cast by realmhair, dark portraits from skyfire, confirms [Overrealm] is'''

'''round like a head, and without ceiling.'''

'''We ask, do we reside on the head of a goddess?'''

'''Supposed, the realmbreath comes from skyface - his cheeks puft.'''

'''Ancestors speak wisdoms [to us] through these mushrooms.'''

'''Grateful for beautiful wisdom, tasty fruits, and mushrooms.'''</blockquote>

== Plates LIII - LXII ==
Missing from this collection.

== Plate LXIII ==
<blockquote>'''Count, the fifteenth skyfire of [our] landing to Overrealm.'''

'''The forest folk, like Dwarves but with lost beards and limbs thin like twigs,'''

'''Spew curses onto us for the cutting of realmhair.'''

'''We show the growing of realmhair is like beardhair - a gift from the goddess! Ignored!'''

'''Like a great worm has interest in a small prey, their eyes gaze upon us.'''

'''Yet they stand on a shaking bridge when facing the majesty of golems.'''

'''Diplomacy is an untrue stone this fire;'''

'''It will support a doorway for one generation, but not more.'''</blockquote>

== Plates LXIV - LXVII ==
Missing from this collection.

== Plate LXVIII ==
<blockquote>'''Count, the nineteenth skyfire of [our] landing to Overrealm.'''

'''Beasts of armour and great muscle, fang and treachery,'''

'''Transgressions and trespasses against our lodgings.'''

'''Growls like that of demons and great worms,'''

'''Soon silenced by the might of golems and the thrusts of spears.'''

'''Hark, Death: they wish to sic you on us!'''

'''O, beasts, Death drinks at our table!'''

'''Their souls, sent to the company of their ancestors.'''

'''Their flesh, sent to our salt barrels.'''</blockquote>

== Plates LXIX - LXX ==
Missing from this collection.

== Plate LXXI ==
<blockquote>'''Count, the twenty-eighth skyfire of [our] landing to Overrealm.'''

'''With regret, I rush these lines,'''

'''Colleagues, forgive my clumsy couplets.'''

'''Sharp arrows of the forestfolk run through air faster than their cursing words,'''

'''Our flesh punctured.'''

'''Their limbs are long like realmhair, but not strong as such,'''

'''Snapped by the hands of golems.'''

'''They bind our [golems] with realmhair and magic,'''

'''Hypocrisy, that they could grow it so fast but condemn our cutting of it!'''

'''Skyfire grows brighter, but I feel its warmth less so,'''

'''My blood drips down the dirt, may it find its way home.'''

'''Iron, stone, and bronze,'''

'''I see my ancestors and their masterworks.'''

'''Gold, chisel, and blood,'''

'''My tools and legacy.'''

'''Sapphire, ruby, and emerald,'''

'''My children come to embrace me.'''</blockquote>''[curator’s note: it appears Thurgbor attempted to finish engraving the margin ornaments, but they become shallow with lines less straight, until they simply do not continue]''
__NOINDEX__

Found lore: Dwarven Golems

2026-02-09T12:26:36Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Plate LXIII */

From the “Exotic Cultures Exhibit” of Pope Innocent IX “the Conqueror Pope”.

Translation of the golden journal plates of:

'''Thurgbor, of the gildcraft family Hurngboort, whose ancestors come from and rest in the iron veins, and whose children now rest in the venerable gem halls.'''

''[curator’s note: This Thurgbor was likely a skilled poet, as their runes show evidence of both phonic and visual rhyme, though that mayn’t translate here]''

== Plates I - XLVI ==
Missing from this collection.

== Plate XLVII ==
<blockquote>'''Count, the twenty-third hearthfire of the broken harmony of Underrealm.'''

'''Mole[people] scratches wear thin the holy doors of sanctum.'''

'''Family stone of my children, carried by their colleagues to'''

'''The unknown tunnels.'''

'''Colleagues [and I] ascend Hightunnel with a destination of Overrealm.'''</blockquote>''[the entry would continue, but the plate is broken here]''

== Plates XLVIII - LI ==
Missing from this collection.

== Plate LII ==
<blockquote>'''Count, the fourth skyfire of [our] landing to Overrealm.'''

'''Absence of skyfire, married to darkness and absence of [my] children and elders,'''

'''Sorrow, sorrow, sorrow!'''

'''Water of headsoul aquifer, a trickling fall across a rocky facade,'''

'''Resolute faces scream into the dark of no skyfire.'''

'''Sorrow, sorrow!'''

'''Realmbreath smells of [fruit]rot and carrion, not of hearth and tubers,'''

'''not of''' ''(lists numerous varieties of what are assumed to be mushrooms)''''', for which we hunger.'''

'''Realmhair is strong with a flowing grain, burns warm, and smells of my wife’s beard''' '''perfume.'''

'''Sorrow.'''</blockquote><blockquote>'''Count, the fifth skyfire of [our] landing to Overrealm.'''

'''Realmhair keeps its best fruit.'''

'''Its tassels flat, soft, and of emerald skin.'''

'''The shadows cast by realmhair, dark portraits from skyfire, confirms [Overrealm] is'''

'''round like a head, and without ceiling.'''

'''We ask, do we reside on the head of a goddess?'''

'''Supposed, the realmbreath comes from skyface - his cheeks puft.'''

'''Ancestors speak wisdoms [to us] through these mushrooms.'''

'''Grateful for beautiful wisdom, tasty fruits, and mushrooms.'''</blockquote>

== Plates LIII - LXII ==
Missing from this collection.

== Plate LXIII ==
<blockquote>'''Count, the fifteenth skyfire of [our] landing to Overrealm.'''

'''The forest folk, like Dwarves but with lost beards and limbs thin like twigs,'''

'''Spew curses onto us for the cutting of realmhair.'''

'''We show the growing of realmhair grows like beardhair - a gift from the goddess! Ignored!'''

'''Like a great worm has interest in a small prey, their eyes gaze upon us.'''

'''Yet they stand on a shaking bridge when facing the majesty of golems.'''

'''Diplomacy is an untrue stone this fire;'''

'''It will support a doorway for one generation, but not more.'''</blockquote>

== Plates LXIV - LXVII ==
Missing from this collection.

== Plate LXVIII ==
<blockquote>'''Count, the nineteenth skyfire of [our] landing to Overrealm.'''

'''Beasts of armour and great muscle, fang and treachery,'''

'''Transgressions and trespasses against our lodgings.'''

'''Growls like that of demons and great worms,'''

'''Soon silenced by the might of golems and the thrusts of spears.'''

'''Hark, Death: they wish to sic you on us!'''

'''O, beasts, Death drinks at our table!'''

'''Their souls, sent to the company of their ancestors.'''

'''Their flesh, sent to our salt barrels.'''</blockquote>

== Plates LXIX - LXX ==
Missing from this collection.

== Plate LXXI ==
<blockquote>'''Count, the twenty-eighth skyfire of [our] landing to Overrealm.'''

'''With regret, I rush these lines,'''

'''Colleagues, forgive my clumsy couplets.'''

'''Sharp arrows of the forestfolk run through air faster than their cursing words,'''

'''Our flesh punctured.'''

'''Their limbs are long like realmhair, but not strong as such,'''

'''Snapped by the hands of golems.'''

'''They bind our [golems] with realmhair and magic,'''

'''Hypocrisy, that they could grow it so fast but condemn our cutting of it!'''

'''Skyfire grows brighter, but I feel its warmth less so,'''

'''My blood drips down the dirt, may it find its way home.'''

'''Iron, stone, and bronze,'''

'''I see my ancestors and their masterworks.'''

'''Gold, chisel, and blood,'''

'''My tools and legacy.'''

'''Sapphire, ruby, and emerald,'''

'''My children come to embrace me.'''</blockquote>''[curator’s note: it appears Thurgbor attempted to finish engraving the margin ornaments, but they become shallow with lines less straight, until they simply do not continue]''
__NOINDEX__

Bonus Modules

2026-02-09T12:13:41Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Yuletide Skirmish */

=== <big>[[Yuletide Skirmish]]</big> ===
Note: This module has not yet been updated to match Core Rules version B.1.2.

The Blights of Winter

2026-02-09T12:11:11Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Conjure Winter (Minor Arcana) */

=== Complexity: [[Core Rules#To Start a Standard Game|★]] ===

== Faction Rule ==

=== Conjure Winter ([[Core Rules#Minor Arcana|Minor Arcana]]) ===
When a piece's rule says to “Conjure Winter X”:

# Reveal X cards from the deck and keep 1 aside for the rest of the game;
# Discard the rest of the revealed cards;
# Use the table below to resolve the effect of the kept card.

When a piece would Conjure Winter and each enemy piece on the board has one or more [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|Disadvantage tokens]], The Thaw<ref>The Thaw itself is not an effect that resolves, it’s just a point in the game that can occur: it either has happened, or it hasn’t. The Thaw cannot occur in the middle of a Conjure Winter resolution; if, say, there is only 1 enemy without a Disadvantage token, and your Queen dies, causing you to Conjure Winter 8 and keep 4 or more cards, resolve all of those cards normally. The check for enemies with/without Disadvantage tokens happens at the start of the Conjure Winter resolution. If during the resolution of a Conjure Winter you run out of legal targets to place Disadvantage tokens on, you cannot place more Disadvantage tokens.</ref> begins. Henceforth, when a piece would Conjure Winter by any amount, you must discard that many cards you have kept aside. For each card discarded this way, remove a Disadvantage or [[Core Rules#Cursed|Curse token]] from an enemy piece. If there are no such tokens left on enemy pieces, instead place a Disadvantage token on one of your pieces.<ref>An example of how this could resolve: After The Thaw, a piece from this faction Conjures Winter 3; so you discard 3 of the kept cards; you see only 2 enemies have Disadvantage/Curse tokens, so those 2 get removed, then you give 1 piece from this faction 2 Disadvantage tokens; between removing the 2 Curse/Disadvantage tokens and giving an ally 2 Disadvantage tokens, all 3 cards discarded this way have been resolved.</ref> If a piece would Conjure Winter by any amount and there are no cards to discard this way, instead give a piece from this faction 2 Disadvantage tokens for each card you would have had to discard but could not.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Card type kept
!Effect
|-
|King
|Place 1 Disadvantage token on each enemy adjacent to your King. If you have no King, or there are no enemies adjacent to it, give 1 such token to an enemy piece that has none.
|-
|Queen
|Place 1 Disadvantage token on each enemy adjacent to your Queen. If you have no Queen, or there are no enemies adjacent to it, give 1 such token to an enemy piece that has none.
|-
|Jack or Ace
|Place 1 Disadvantage token on each enemy adjacent to one of your Rooks, Knights, Bishops, or Joker. If you have no such [[Core Rules#Other common rules, rule tags, and shorthand terms|Nobles]], or there are no enemies adjacent to any of them, give 1 such token to an enemy piece that has none.
|-
|Numbered
|Place 1 Disadvantage token on an enemy piece that has none.
|}

== Piece Options ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Name (ranked highest to lowest) and quantity allowance
!Piece Type
!Additional Special Rules
!Common Special Rules
|-
|'''Father Winter'''
(0-1)
|King
|'''Freezing reign (Minor Arcana):''' At the start of this King’s Activation, Conjure Winter 2. While you have 10 or more cards kept aside from Conjuring Winter, this King cannot be Cursed, given Disadvantage tokens, or [[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|be slain]].<ref>If he would be slain while you have 10 or more cards kept aside via '''Conjure Winter''', Bump him.</ref> At the end of turn 10, if this King is still on the board you win the game.
|'''Faction Leader'''
|-
|'''Witch of November'''
(0-1)
|Queen
|'''Bone-chilling gale (Minor Arcana):''' When this Queen Attacks an enemy and they successfully Defend, give that enemy 2 Disadvantage tokens. When this Queen is slain, between Activations Conjure Winter 8 and keep no fewer than 4 of those cards.
|'''Legendary'''
|-
|'''Jack Frost'''
(0-1)
|Joker
|'''Winter wonderland (Minor Arcana):''' At the start of this Joker’s Activation, if a Joker card is face up you may turn it face down to Conjure Winter 2. When a piece Conjures Winter, for each Joker card facing down do one of the following:

* Increase the Conjure Winter amount by 1.
* Keep 1 additional card if possible.
|'''Legendary;'''
'''Fool's Endeavour'''
|-
|'''Solstice Totem'''
(0-2)
|Bishop
|'''The next solstice approaches (Minor Arcana):''' At the start of this Bishop’s Activation, Conjure Winter 3. Whenever you Conjure Winter, keep up to 1 additional revealed card for each Bishop of yours on the board, if possible. Or, if it’s after The Thaw, discard 1 additional card per Bishop of yours on the board.<ref>If after The Thaw you would, for example, Conjure Winter 3 and have 2 Bishops on the board, you will discard 5 cards.</ref>
|'''Revered Structure'''
|-
|'''Barbegazi'''
(0-2)
|Rook
|'''Friendly Demeanor:''' Enemies Attack this Rook at Disadvantage. While this Rook is not Cursed, adjacent enemies cannot Attack it.
'''Little jig (Minor Arcana):''' Immediately after this Rook ''Castles'', Conjure Winter 3. At the end of this Rook's Activation, if it is adjacent to an ally, you may place it onto an [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|unoccupied]] square adjacent to that ally.
|'''Castle'''
|-
|'''Yeti'''
(0-2)
|Knight
|'''Natural camouflage (Minor Arcana):''' While this Knight is not Cursed, if its Attack or Defence totals would be less than X, they become X, where X is the number of cards you have kept aside for Conjure Winter. When this Knight successfully Attacks or Defends, Conjure Winter 4 [[Core Rules#Turn Structure|between Activations]].
|'''Mounted Advantage'''
|-
|'''Arctic Wolf'''
(0-8)
|Pawn
|'''Prowl (Minor Arcana):''' At the start of this Pawn’s Activation you may do one of the following:

* Give it an Advantage token. If you do, it cannot Move this Activation (it may still Attack).
* Give it a Disadvantage token, Bump it, then Conjure Winter 1 (it may still Move or Attack after).
|'''En Passant;'''
'''Promotion'''
|}

=== <big>Suggested list for new players</big> ===

==== Composition ====
* 1x Father Winter
* 1x Witch of November
* 1x Barbegazi
* 2x Yeti
* 3x Arctic Wolf

==== Strategy ====
* As it has decent defensive abilities, and use your Barbegazi to block enemies from attacking your other pieces.
* Conjure Winter with Arctic Wolves, then use more aggressive pieces (like Yetis and the Witch of November) to Attack enemies with Disadvantage tokens. 

== Footnotes ==
<references />{{DEFAULTSORT:Blights of Winter, The}}
[[Category:Factions]]

Main Page

2026-02-08T23:00:26Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Upcoming Additions and Changes */

=== What is Wargame Chess? ===
Wargame Chess is a tabletop wargame that uses a chess set, but also incorporates other gaming devices like dice and cards. The core rules to the game are a framework that supports a variety of faction options. Understanding faction differences and interactions accounts for most of the game’s nuance.

Wargame Chess is not a variation of traditional chess - though it uses the same pieces and borrows some concepts from it, it is a wholly different game.

== Getting started ==
First, you will need the Game Rules and Resources. Then, take a look over the various [[:Category:Factions|Factions]] to see which one best suits your play style.

==== [[Main Resources|<big>Game Rules and Resources</big>]] ====

==== <big>[[Factions]]</big> ====

== Upcoming Additions and Changes ==

==== February 8, 2026 ====
Updated Core Rules to [[Core Rules|Version B.1.2]]. See the Changelog [[Core Rules Changelog|here]].

Updated Core Factions to match Core Rules update.

====== See previous posts [[Previous Upcoming Additions and Changes|here]]. ======

== Mission and vision ==
Wargame Chess aims to provide a free and easily accessible wargaming experience.

You can read our full mission and vision statements [[Mission and vision|here]].

== Account ==
By creating an account, your choice of light or dark theme will keep when you load to a new page.

=== Discussions ===
Until we set up discussion pages on this site, if you wish to discuss the game you can use our page [https://www.patreon.com/c/wargamechess/chats here] on Patreon. If you prefer socializing on a different platform (eg. Reddit, Discord), you're welcome to create a page there.

== Support us ==
If you'd like to support our endeavours, check out the game's [https://www.patreon.com/wargamechess/membership Patreon page] or our [https://ko-fi.com/wargamechess Ko-Fi page].

And feel free to check out our [https://www.instagram.com/wargame.chess/ Instagram] and [https://bsky.app/profile/wargame-chess.bsky.social Bluesky] pages too!

== <big>Credits</big> ==
Click [[Credits|here]] to see our team members.

__TOC__

Main Page

2026-02-08T23:00:10Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* February 8, 2026 */

=== What is Wargame Chess? ===
Wargame Chess is a tabletop wargame that uses a chess set, but also incorporates other gaming devices like dice and cards. The core rules to the game are a framework that supports a variety of faction options. Understanding faction differences and interactions accounts for most of the game’s nuance.

Wargame Chess is not a variation of traditional chess - though it uses the same pieces and borrows some concepts from it, it is a wholly different game.

== Getting started ==
First, you will need the Game Rules and Resources. Then, take a look over the various [[:Category:Factions|Factions]] to see which one best suits your play style.

==== [[Main Resources|<big>Game Rules and Resources</big>]] ====

==== <big>[[Factions]]</big> ====

== Upcoming Additions and Changes ==

==== February 8, 2026 ====
Updated Core Rules to [[Core Rules|Version B.1.2]]. See the Changelog [[Core Rules Changelog|here]].

Updated Core Factions to match Core Rules update.

See previous posts [[Previous Upcoming Additions and Changes|here]].

== Mission and vision ==
Wargame Chess aims to provide a free and easily accessible wargaming experience.

You can read our full mission and vision statements [[Mission and vision|here]].

== Account ==
By creating an account, your choice of light or dark theme will keep when you load to a new page.

=== Discussions ===
Until we set up discussion pages on this site, if you wish to discuss the game you can use our page [https://www.patreon.com/c/wargamechess/chats here] on Patreon. If you prefer socializing on a different platform (eg. Reddit, Discord), you're welcome to create a page there.

== Support us ==
If you'd like to support our endeavours, check out the game's [https://www.patreon.com/wargamechess/membership Patreon page] or our [https://ko-fi.com/wargamechess Ko-Fi page].

And feel free to check out our [https://www.instagram.com/wargame.chess/ Instagram] and [https://bsky.app/profile/wargame-chess.bsky.social Bluesky] pages too!

== <big>Credits</big> ==
Click [[Credits|here]] to see our team members.

__TOC__

Main Page

2026-02-08T22:59:56Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Upcoming Additions and Changes */ updated for Feb 8

=== What is Wargame Chess? ===
Wargame Chess is a tabletop wargame that uses a chess set, but also incorporates other gaming devices like dice and cards. The core rules to the game are a framework that supports a variety of faction options. Understanding faction differences and interactions accounts for most of the game’s nuance.

Wargame Chess is not a variation of traditional chess - though it uses the same pieces and borrows some concepts from it, it is a wholly different game.

== Getting started ==
First, you will need the Game Rules and Resources. Then, take a look over the various [[:Category:Factions|Factions]] to see which one best suits your play style.

==== [[Main Resources|<big>Game Rules and Resources</big>]] ====

==== <big>[[Factions]]</big> ====

== Upcoming Additions and Changes ==

=== February 8, 2026 ===
Updated Core Rules to [[Core Rules|Version B.1.2]]. See the Changelog [[Core Rules Changelog|here]].

Updated Core Factions to match Core Rules update.

See previous posts [[Previous Upcoming Additions and Changes|here]].

== Mission and vision ==
Wargame Chess aims to provide a free and easily accessible wargaming experience.

You can read our full mission and vision statements [[Mission and vision|here]].

== Account ==
By creating an account, your choice of light or dark theme will keep when you load to a new page.

=== Discussions ===
Until we set up discussion pages on this site, if you wish to discuss the game you can use our page [https://www.patreon.com/c/wargamechess/chats here] on Patreon. If you prefer socializing on a different platform (eg. Reddit, Discord), you're welcome to create a page there.

== Support us ==
If you'd like to support our endeavours, check out the game's [https://www.patreon.com/wargamechess/membership Patreon page] or our [https://ko-fi.com/wargamechess Ko-Fi page].

And feel free to check out our [https://www.instagram.com/wargame.chess/ Instagram] and [https://bsky.app/profile/wargame-chess.bsky.social Bluesky] pages too!

== <big>Credits</big> ==
Click [[Credits|here]] to see our team members.

__TOC__

Previous Upcoming Additions and Changes

2026-02-08T22:56:40Z

WargameChessAuthor: created

=== Posted February 2, 2026 ===
There will be some adjustments to terminology used in the game. At the very least, the term "Positional" will be replaced with "Noble", and the phrase "removed from the board" will be replaced with the term "Banished". We polled playtesters and members of the team, and they felt these were more fitting to the game's themes and setting.

As well, we will be implementing a Concepts and Theory module, meant to be read before the game's rules. We noticed explaining concepts like movement theory, dice math, and more to new players helped give them a context for the rules they were about to read, and made their first few games play more smoothly.

King's Court changelog

2026-02-08T22:54:10Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Version B.1.2 */

=== Version B.1.2 ===

* Changed wording to include Noble and Banish.

=== Version B.1.1 ===

* Added the 'non-Blessed' restriction for targets of the Spy's ability.
** Being able to constantly flicker an opposing piece with virtually no counterplay options from their owner resulted in un-fun and un-interactive play.

=== Version B.1.0 ===
The previous version was for Alpha testing, and only used internally.

Coven changelog

2026-02-08T22:53:55Z

WargameChessAuthor:

=== Version B.1.3 ===

* Changed wording to include Noble and Banish.

=== Version B.1.2 ===

* Adjusted Baba Yaga's rules.
** While we anticipated her being a strong option vs Dwarven Golems, her being able to swap off-the-board pieces between zones proved to be too powerful in that matchup. She can now only move pieces from the 'slain' zone to the 'removed from the board' zone, and not both ways. Being able to deny promotion options or otherwise reduce slain piece count should still keep her plenty versatile.
** As well, we removed the extra conditions needed for her to Divinate.

=== Version B.1.1 ===

* Adjusted functionality for Maiden, Mother, and Crone
** Fairly similar to how it functioned before, though this change will give it more flexibility against a wider range of factions.

=== Version B.1.0 ===
The previous version was for Alpha testing, and only used internally.

Coven

2026-02-08T22:53:45Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Footnotes */ b.1.3

=== Complexity: [[Core Rules#To Start a Standard Game|★★★]] ===

== Upgrades ==

=== Maiden, Mother, and Crone (Costs 3 points) ===
The cost of this upgrade is reduced by 1 point for each Pawn taken in your list, and costs 0 points in your [[Competitive Guidelines|sideboard]].<ref>This cannot bring its cost below 0. If you are resolving a stalemate by counting up the point values of pieces remaining on the board + upgrades, reduce the point value of this upgrade by the number of ally Pawns left on the board, to a minimum of 0 (eg. if you have 0 Pawns on the board, it's worth 3 points in a stalemate; if you have 3 Pawns on the board, it's worth 0 points in a stalemate).</ref> At the start of each turn you may do any/all of the following:

* Give a piece an [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|Advantage token]], or Disadvantage token.
* [[Core Rules#Blessed|Bless]] a piece, or remove a Blessing from a piece.
* Remove a [[Core Rules#Cursed|Curse]] from a piece, or Curse a piece.

== Piece Options ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Name (ranked
highest to lowest) and quantity allowance
!Piece
Type
!Additional Special Rules
!Common
Special
Rules
|-
|'''High Priestess'''
(0-1)
|King
|'''Seasonal Festival:''' At the start of each turn, a new festival will be active until the end of the turn. Beginning with the festival of your choice, moving down the list sequentially every new turn, and starting over if you reach the end.

# '''Imbolc:''' When a piece of yours is Attacked while in a [[Core Rules#Piece Setup|deployment zone]], give it an Advantage token in Step 2 of the Attack sequence.
# '''Beltane:''' When a piece of yours spends its last Advantage token, give it another.<ref>The token has to be spent. Effects that simply remove tokens from pieces would not trigger this effect.</ref>
# '''Lughnasadh:''' When a piece of yours is slain, [[Core Rules#Turn Structure|between Activations]] choose two other pieces of yours and roll their dice. Whichever piece rolls the higher total becomes Blessed - if a tie, Bless both.
# '''Samhain:''' At the start of a Blessed ally's Activation, you may [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|redeploy]] them. If you do, they cannot Attack this Activation. Then, remove all tokens from them and redeploy a lower-ranking slain ally of theirs. The redeployed piece counts as having Activated.
|'''Faction Leader'''
|-
|'''Baba Yaga'''
(0-1)
|Queen
|'''Mortar and Pestle ([[Core Rules#Major Arcana|Major Arcana]]):''' At the end of Baba Yaga's [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|Re/Activation]], you may transfer a piece from a player's '[[Core Rules#Pieces off the Board|slain]]' zone to their '[[Core Rules#Pieces off the Board|Banished]]' zone. If so, do one of the following:

* Remove all Curse and/or Disadvantage tokens from Baba Yaga or an ally.
* You may [[Core Rules#Tarot Cards and Their Effects|Divinate]] (The Moon, The World, Death).
'''Legged House:''' This Queen may Move through squares [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|occupied]] by terrain, but cannot end her Move on such squares. While she is Blessed or Cursed, she may Attack this way as well.
|'''Legendary'''
|-
|'''Morgan Le Fey'''
(0-1)
|Queen
|'''Queen of Avalon:''' When Morgan le Fey is [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|redeployed]], Banished, or slain, between Activations redeploy your highest ranked slain piece that isn't Morgan le Fey.
|'''Legendary'''
|-
|'''Witch of the'''
'''Westmorland'''

(0-1)
|Knight
|'''Wounds bound in goldenrod ([[Core Rules#Minor Arcana|Minor Arcana]]):''' At the start of the game, and when this Knight is returned to the board<ref>This includes situations such as ending up in either the 'slain' or 'Banished' zones, then being brought back to the board, and excludes situations like being deployed at the start of the game.</ref>, remove the Jack of Hearts ♥ and Jack of Diamonds ♦ from the deck/discard pile and keep them aside until the end of the game. At the end of this Knight's Activation you may discard one or both of these cards. If you do, redeploy a slain ally whose point cost matches the number of cards discarded this way.
----''This Knight gains the following rules depending on the starting composition of your team:''

'''[1 or more Pawns] Lay down thy rowan shield:''' Enemy Knights, and enemies adjacent to or Defending vs this Knight Defend at Disadvantage.

'''[2 or more Pawns, or 1 or more Rooks] Pray sheath thy silvery sword:''' Enemy Knights, and enemies adjacent to or Attacking this Knight Attack at Disadvantage.

'''[3 or more Pawns, or 1 or more Bishops] The rider of the moon goes by, and the bright star falls behind (Major Arcana):''' At the start of this Knight's Activation, you may [[Core Rules#Tarot Cards and Their Effects|Divinate]] (The Moon, The Star).

'''[4 or more Pawns, or 1 Queen] Wet, rose she from the lake; fast and fleet went she:''' This Knight can [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|co-occupy]] squares with Water<ref>Water is a terrain that has all the properties of Trees, except for any rules that call out how a piece or rule interacts with it.</ref>. When an ally is Attacked, between steps 1 and 2 of the [[Core Rules#Attack|Attack sequence]], you may [[Core Rules#Bump|Bump]] this Knight.
|'''Legendary;'''
'''Mounted Advantage'''
|-
|'''Dream Weavess'''
(0-1)
|Joker
|'''Vision Shaper ([[Core Rules#Faith Mechanics|Major Arcana, Minor Arcana, Bone Reading]]):''' At the start of this Joker’s [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|Re/Activation]], if a Joker card is face up, you may turn it face down and do one of the following:

* Change which [[Core Rules#Tarot Cards and Their Effects|tarot card]] is active (if any are dealt out).
* Look at the top 10 minor arcana cards, discard any number of them then place the rest back on top in any order.
* Add to your bone pool a die of the smallest type currently in it.<ref>This does not observe dice that have been temporarily removed from it by other rules (eg. the Keeper of the Circle's ''Ouroboros'' rule).</ref>
|'''Fool's Endeavour'''
|-
|'''Spirit Caller'''
(0-2)
|Bishop
|'''Séance (Major Arcana):''' At the start of this Bishop's Activation, you may Divinate. If you choose to deal out new tarot cards, name a tarot card,<ref>If there were already tarot cards already dealt out, shuffle them away (as per the steps of a Divination mode where you deal out new cards) before naming a card.</ref> then deal out the 3 cards plus an additional X cards, where X is the number of slain pieces (friend and foe). If the card you named was dealt out this way, you may make it Active.<ref>Otherwise you make the first card that was dealt out active.</ref> If this Bishop would ever roll her dice and the total would be less than X, it becomes X instead.
|
|-
|'''Keeper of the Circle'''
(0-2)
|Rook
|'''Ouroboros (Bone Reading):''' When this Rook Defends, before each piece's dice are rolled, roll the bones, then choose 2 dice from the bone pool (if possible) and sum their results for her Defence total (she doesn't roll her normal dice for Defence). Remove those chosen dice from your bone pool until the end of the turn. If no bones can be rolled for this, her Defence total is 0.
|'''Castle'''
|-
|'''Circle Initiate'''
(0-8)
|Pawn
|'''Blood Rite (Major Arcana):''' After this Pawn Moves, you may roll her dice. For each result of a 1, give her a Disadvantage token. For each result of a 2, 3, or 4, give her an Advantage token or Divinate.<ref>If each die rolled produces results of 2, 3, or 4, this does allow you to potentially Divinate twice (in such case you resolve them one after the other), or in the case you choose to gain an Advantage token and Divinate, you choose the order those happen in. Regarding Blessings, this counts as a single instance of a piece gaining 1 or more Advantage tokens. </ref>
|'''En Passant;'''
'''Promotion'''
|}

== Suggested list for new players ==

==== Composition ====

* 1x Morgan Le Fey
* 1x Witch of the Westmorland
* 1x Dream Weavess
* 2x Spirit Callers
* 1x Keeper of the Circle
* 1x Circle Initiate

==== Strategy ====

* Morgan Le Fey and the Witch of the Westmorland are key in resurrecting your slain pieces. Keep them safe if you plan on playing aggressively with your other pieces.
* Make sure your Spirit Callers stick around til the late game - once there are many slain pieces, they have very powerful rolls.
* Tarot card effects can have a great impact on the current game state. If the game isn't going your way, the right tarot card can get you out of a bad situation.

== Footnotes ==
<references />
[[Category:Factions]]

Factions

2026-02-08T22:50:04Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Coven ★★★ */

== Core factions ==
Factions whose version codes start with a 'B' are under public Beta testing and are not yet recommended for competitive play.

=== [[King's Court]] ★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[King's Court changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Monsters]] ★ ===
Version B.1.1, view [[Monsters changelog|changelog]]

=== [[The Blights of Winter]] ★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[The Blights of Winter changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Dwarven Golems]] ★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[Dwarven Golems changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Beastfolk]] ★★ ===
Version B.1.3, view [[Beastfolk changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Townsfolk]] ★★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[Townsfolk changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Coven]] ★★★ ===
Version B.1.3, view [[Coven changelog|changelog]]

== Factions yet to be released ==
Even though faction expansions will release at different times, all 40 factions were written and internally tested during the same stage of development and are built upon each other. As we receive more public feedback on released factions, changes made to them for the better health of the game will improve the quality of future releases.

=== Heaven and Earth ===
Clergy ★★

Mole People ★★

Waterfolk ★★

Forest Elves ★★

Olympian Remnant ★★★

Eldritch Emergence ★★★

Moonfolk ★★★

=== Timeless Legends ===
Time-Lost Dinosaurs ★

Time-Lost Gunslingers ★

Tech Vikings ★★

Time-Lost Fusiliers ★★

Sir Galahad and Company ★★★

Robin Hood and his Merry Men ★★★

=== The Goblin Saga ===
Underrealm Goblins ★★

Goblin Pioneers ★★★

Goblin Mercenaries ★★

The Goblin Renaissance ★★

=== The Dark Ages ===
Star Beasts ★

Eldritch Cult ★★

Elven Revenants ★★

Undead Pirates ★★

The Necropolis Promenade ★★★

=== Battle for Technotron ===
Future Earth Defence Force ★

Agents of S.N.A.K.E. ★

Transmorphers: Mechabots ★★★

Transmorphers: Deceptoborgs ★★★

=== Anti-Core ===
Dwarven Survivors ★

The Summer Cohort ★

Ghost Town Denizens ★★

Fiend-hunter Lodges ★★

Spiderfolk ★★

Queen's Court ★★★

The Mystical League of Sorcerous Wizards ★★★

Townsfolk changelog

2026-02-08T22:49:49Z

WargameChessAuthor:

=== Version B.1.2 ===

* Changed wording to include Noble and Banish.

=== Version B.1.1 ===
Updated Joker rule Foreseen Danger

* Testing revealed that both the interpretation and execution of this rule were clunky.
* Adjusted the rule to have a much cleaner function that still fits with the thematic intent.

=== Version B.1.0 ===
The previous version was for Alpha testing, and only used internally.

Townsfolk

2026-02-08T22:49:40Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Strategy */ b.1.2

==== Complexity: [[Core Rules#To Start a Standard Game|★★]] ====

== Upgrades ==

==== Harvest (Costs 0 points) ====
Before the game starts, choose 1, 2, or 3; this will be X. Roll a D4 to see how the harvest went this year:

* On a roll of a 1, [[Core Rules#Cursed|Curse]] X pieces on your team.
* On a 2, give X different pieces on your team a [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|Disadvantage token]].
* On a 3, give X different pieces on your team an [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|Advantage token]].
* On a 4, [[Core Rules#Blessed|Bless]] X pieces on your team.

==== Stricken Populace (Costs 0 points) ====
While there are 5 or more Pawns on the board (friend and foe):

* Pieces can only spend Disadvantage tokens, and no other type of token<ref>Advantage tokens cannot be spent, and if a rule gives pieces the ability to spend other tokens on them (such as Blessings or Curses), they cannot spend those either.</ref>
* If a piece would spend their last Disadvantage token, give them another.<ref>Effects that simply remove tokens would not count for this. Spending means the token is being expended to apply Disadvantage to a roll, or the token is being expended for some other effect described in the rule allowing it to be spent in the alternative way.</ref>

== Piece Options ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Name (ranked highest to lowest) and quantity allowance
!Piece
Type
!Additional Special Rules
!Common
Special Rules
|-
|'''Viscount'''
(0-1)
|King
|'''Claimed Land:''' At the end of any turn, if this King both started and ended the turn within your opponent's [[Core Rules#Piece Setup|deployment zone]], you win the game.
'''Austerity Measures:''' After this King rolls his dice, Bless him [[Core Rules#Turn Structure|between Activations]] if the total was 16 or greater. While this King is Blessed, other pieces cannot become Blessed, and enemies who are already Blessed cannot gain Advantage tokens.
|'''Faction Leader'''
|-
|'''Militia Caravan'''
(0-1)
|Queen
|'''Convoy ([[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|Summon]]):''' This Queen cannot Attack, nor be relocated<ref name=":0">Relocation includes: placement, random placement, redeployment, random redeployment, scattering, [[Core Rules#Attack|combat movement]], or any involuntary Moves/Attacks.</ref> by enemy rules. After this Queen Moves, you may Summon a Pawn onto an unoccupied square adjacent to it.
'''Zealous Mob:''' Ally Pawns cannot Attack at Disadvantage<ref>If they have a Disadvantage token when they go to Attack, it gets spent if possible, but would have no effect.</ref> and get +X to their Attack totals, where X is the number of allies adjacent to them during an Attack.
|
|-
|'''Rabble Rouser'''
(0-2)
|Bishop
|'''Hateful Rhetoric ([[Core Rules#Minor Arcana|Minor Arcana]]):''' At the start of this Bishop's Activation, you may roll its dice and reveal a number of cards equal to the total. If you do, this Bishop cannot Attack this Activation. Until the end of the turn, keep aside cards revealed this way with the Spades ♠ and Clubs ♣ suits, discard all others. For the rest of the turn, when a lower ranking ally Attacks while there are cards kept aside this way, before rolling dice you must discard one or more of the cards. Increase that roll's total [[Core Rules#+X or -X|by +X]], where X is the number of cards discarded this way. Give that piece a Disadvantage token after the Attack if you discarded 2 or more cards this way.
|
|-
|'''Fortune Teller'''
(0-1)
|Joker
|'''Cartomancy ([[Core Rules#Major Arcana|Major Arcana]]):''' At the start of this Joker’s Re/Activation, you may turn a Joker card face down to [[Core Rules#Tarot Cards and Their Effects|Divinate]] (The Fool, The Hierophant, Wheel of Fortune).
'''Foreseen Danger:''' When an ally is Attacked while any Joker cards are face down, you may give them +X to their Defence total, where X is equal to the number of enemy pieces in the same board half as that ally. If you do give them that bonus, turn a Joker card face up between Activations.
|'''Fool's Endeavour'''
|-
|'''Town Guard'''
(0-2)
|Rook
|'''Town Border:''' While an enemy piece is in your [[Core Rules#Piece Setup|deployment zone]], they cannot roll their dice at Advantage<ref>If they spend an Advantage token to give their roll Advantage, it will have no effect.</ref>. Additionally, if your team contains 2 Rooks, your deployment zone is the first three ranks of your half of the board<ref>This remains your deployment zone for the rest of the game, for all rules that affect you or your opponents and their pieces.</ref>, instead of just the first two.
|'''Castle'''
|-
|'''Angry Donkey'''
(0-2)
|Knight
|'''Wild Temper:''' While a piece is:

* Attacking this Knight,
* Being Attacked by this Knight, or
* Adjacent to this Knight,

their dice rolls cannot be positively modified<ref>Positively modifying a dice roll includes: Advantage, additive modifiers (eg. +X effects), or substitutive modifiers that improve a roll (eg. “if the result would be less than X, it becomes X”).</ref>.
|'''Mounted Advantage'''
|-
|'''Peasant Mob'''
(1-8)
|Pawn
|'''Stick Together:''' So long as this Pawn is adjacent to an ally, it cannot be relocated<ref name=":0" /> by enemy rules, it cannot be Cursed, and it can only be slain by enemies Attacking it.<ref>Rules or effects that slay a piece cannot target a Pawn with this rule under the mentioned conditions. Although it’s limited to certain types of slaying, this is an [["Avoiding Death"]] effect. Thus, if an effect would say this Pawn cannot have its slaying be prevented, it can now be targeted by non-Attack effects that slay.</ref>
'''Strength in numbers:''' If this Pawn's Attack or Defence totals would be [[Core Rules#...would be lesser/greater than X, it becomes equal to X instead.|less than X, it becomes X]], where X is the total number of Pawns with this rule on the board.
|'''En Passant;'''
'''Promotion'''
|-
|'''Village Idiot'''
(0-1)
|Joker
|'''Antagonizing Presence:''' During an enemy’s [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|Re/Activation]], if all Joker cards are turned face down and they could Attack this Joker, they cannot Attack this Joker's allies.<ref>All other pieces become illegal targets for an Attack.</ref> When this Joker is slain, remove all Disadvantage tokens from your pieces. At the end of this Joker’s Activation, if a Joker card is facing up you may turn it face down to give an adjacent piece a Disadvantage token.
|'''Fool's Endeavour'''
|}

== Suggested list for new players ==

==== Composition ====
* 1x Peasant Mob
* 1x Viscount
* 1x Militia Caravan
* 2x Rabble Rousers
* 2x Town Guards

==== Strategy ====
* Have your Rabble Rousers Activate early in the turn and get cards kept aside from ''Hateful Rhetoric'' in case one of your pieces has a good potential Attack lined up later in the turn.
* By setting your Town Guards and Viscount up next to each other, you can carry out a sequence of Moves and ''Castles'' that get your King into your opponent's deployment zone very quickly.
* Use the Militia Caravan's summoned Pawns to block enemy movements or sit in your opponent's deployment zone ready to ''Promote'' if you lose an important [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|Noble]].
* Clustering your Peasant Mobs together while having cards kept aside from ''Hateful Rhetoric'' can make them very dangerous.

== Footnotes ==
<references />
[[Category:Factions]]

Factions

2026-02-08T22:48:01Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Townsfolk ★★ */ b.1.2

== Core factions ==
Factions whose version codes start with a 'B' are under public Beta testing and are not yet recommended for competitive play.

=== [[King's Court]] ★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[King's Court changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Monsters]] ★ ===
Version B.1.1, view [[Monsters changelog|changelog]]

=== [[The Blights of Winter]] ★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[The Blights of Winter changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Dwarven Golems]] ★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[Dwarven Golems changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Beastfolk]] ★★ ===
Version B.1.3, view [[Beastfolk changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Townsfolk]] ★★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[Townsfolk changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Coven]] ★★★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[Coven changelog|changelog]]

== Factions yet to be released ==
Even though faction expansions will release at different times, all 40 factions were written and internally tested during the same stage of development and are built upon each other. As we receive more public feedback on released factions, changes made to them for the better health of the game will improve the quality of future releases.

=== Heaven and Earth ===
Clergy ★★

Mole People ★★

Waterfolk ★★

Forest Elves ★★

Olympian Remnant ★★★

Eldritch Emergence ★★★

Moonfolk ★★★

=== Timeless Legends ===
Time-Lost Dinosaurs ★

Time-Lost Gunslingers ★

Tech Vikings ★★

Time-Lost Fusiliers ★★

Sir Galahad and Company ★★★

Robin Hood and his Merry Men ★★★

=== The Goblin Saga ===
Underrealm Goblins ★★

Goblin Pioneers ★★★

Goblin Mercenaries ★★

The Goblin Renaissance ★★

=== The Dark Ages ===
Star Beasts ★

Eldritch Cult ★★

Elven Revenants ★★

Undead Pirates ★★

The Necropolis Promenade ★★★

=== Battle for Technotron ===
Future Earth Defence Force ★

Agents of S.N.A.K.E. ★

Transmorphers: Mechabots ★★★

Transmorphers: Deceptoborgs ★★★

=== Anti-Core ===
Dwarven Survivors ★

The Summer Cohort ★

Ghost Town Denizens ★★

Fiend-hunter Lodges ★★

Spiderfolk ★★

Queen's Court ★★★

The Mystical League of Sorcerous Wizards ★★★

Beastfolk changelog

2026-02-08T22:47:08Z

WargameChessAuthor:

=== Version B.1.3 ===

* Changed wording to include Noble and Banish.

=== Version B.1.2 ===
Updated King rule Clean Slate

* Clarified how their 'cannot be slain' effect and the Death tarot card interact.
* Added The Magician to his list of preferred cards.
** As Beastfolk can build full teams with fewer pieces, having preferred access to The Magician should slightly help what few pieces Beastfolk can have promote more easily when playing aggressively.

=== Version B.1.1 ===
Updated Joker rule Death's Herald

* Testing revealed that this Joker couldn't fulfill their niche duty, due to this ability having little effect when it did trigger.
* Adjusted to work more reliably and have more interplay with their other rule and other Jokers.

=== Version B.1.0 ===
The previous version was for Alpha testing, and only used internally.

Beastfolk

2026-02-08T22:46:57Z

WargameChessAuthor: Banish and Noble

=== Complexity: [[Core Rules#To Start a Standard Game|★★]] ===

== Faction Rules ==

=== Tribute to Geltakaenogh ===
Pieces on this team have unique '''[Tribute]''' conditions. When those listed conditions are met, roll their dice and sum the results (this roll can be affected by [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage|Dis/Advantage]]). You may choose an effect from the table that is equal to or lesser than the roll total.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Dice Total
!Effect
|-
|1 or greater
|You may [[Core Rules#Bump|Bump]] this piece.
|-
|4 or greater
|Remove all Curse or Disadvantage tokens from this piece or an adjacent ally.
|-
|7 or greater
|Place an adjacent enemy onto a square which is unoccupied and adjacent to this piece.
|-
|10 or greater
|Bless this piece and all adjacent allies, then Curse all adjacent enemies.
|}

=== Chaotic and Relentless ===
At the start of a non-King Beastfolk piece's [[Core Rules#Reactivation|Reactivation]], if you would give them a [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|Disadvantage token]] for Reactivating, instead give an enemy piece of your choice an [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|Advantage token]][[Found lore: Beastfolk|,]] then roll the Reactivating piece’s dice for a Tribute.

== Upgrade ==

=== Conquest Trophies (Costs X points) ===
For every point paid for this upgrade, give a different piece of yours an Advantage token at the start of the first turn of the game.<ref>When applying the tokens granted by this upgrade, you cannot choose the same piece to receive Advantage tokens more than once. Advantage tokens gained this way can trigger Blessings on allies to produce Advantage tokens, and each ally gaining an Advantage token counts as a separate instance of an Advantage token being gained.</ref>

== Piece Options ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Name (ranked from
highest to lowest) and quantity allowance
!Piece Type
!Additional Special Rules
!Common Special Rules
|-
|'''Avatar of Geltakaenogh's Craft and Judgement'''
(0-1)
|King
|'''Multitudes of Gifts:''' When a piece of yours would roll their dice for a Tribute, they may instead roll 1 of those dice up to two times, receiving a bonus for each roll. <ref>As rolls done this way are single-die rolls, they can never be at Advantage or Disadvantage. Should a Beastfolk piece with a Dis/Advantage token roll their Tribute as one die being rolled up to two times, the token cannot be spent and applied to the roll, and thus would remain on the piece.</ref>
'''Clean Slate ([[Core Rules#Major Arcana|Major Arcana]]):''' At the start of this King’s Activation you may [[Core Rules#Tarot Cards and Their Effects|Divinate]] (The Magician, The World, Death, Judgement). While any of those cards are active, this King cannot roll his dice at Disadvantage and [[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|cannot be slain]].<ref>If the Death card becomes active, it prevents this 'cannot be slain' effect from functioning.</ref>
|'''Faction Leader'''
|-
|'''Chosen of Geltakaenogh'''
(0-1)
|Queen
|'''Juggernaut:''' Bless this Queen when they are deployed on the board during setup[[Found lore: Beastfolk|.]] If they would be slain while they are Blessed and have 3 or more Advantage tokens, instead remove 3 Advantage tokens then Bump them ([[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|their slaying is prevented]]).
'''Lead by Example:''' At the end of this Queen's Re/Activation, if they slew a piece this Re/Activation, its lowest ranked ally on the board with a [Tribute] rule may roll for and resolve a Tribute.<ref>If you have multiple pieces with the same rank, choose one to be the target of this.</ref>
|
|-
|'''Desolator of Faiths'''
(0-2)
|Bishop
|'''Doubtcraft [Tribute]''' When this Bishop slays an enemy Bishop, a piece with a faith mechanic rule, or a Joker, roll for and resolve a Tribute. When a piece on your team would roll two dice<ref>You need to roll both dice for the Tribute for this bonus effect to happen. Two single-die rolls (like those granted by the King’s ''Multitudes of Gifts'' rule) will not gain any of these bonus effects.</ref> for a Tribute, you must choose one of the following effects to occur as well, if possible:

* All [[Core Rules#Tarot cards and their effects|tarot cards]] dealt out are discarded.
* Discard the top 10 cards of the [[Core Rules#Minor Arcana|Minor Arcana]] deck.
* Remove a die from your opponent’s Bone Reading pool.
|
|-
|'''Natural Order Invoker'''
(0-1)
|Joker
|'''All things wither:''' At the start of this Joker’s Activation, if a Joker card is facing up, you may turn it face down. If you do, remove 1 Blessing, 1 Curse, 1 Advantage token, and 1 Disadvantage token from pieces on the board.<ref>You must remove 1 of each token type from pieces on the board if possible, even if it means removing a beneficial token from one of your own pieces.</ref>
'''Death's Herald (Major Arcana):''' When any pieces (including this Joker) are slain during a Re/Activation, [[Core Rules#Turn Structure|between Activations]] you may do one of the following:<ref>Normally piece rules are not in effect when that piece is no longer on the board. However, this rule says to resolve an effect after this Joker is slain, so you may resolve its effect when it says to do so (between Activations).</ref>

* [[Core Rules#Tarot Cards and Their Effects|Divinate]] (Death)
* Search for the Death card and make it active.<ref>Any tarot cards that are already dealt out stay dealt out and are made inactive. Should the Death card already be active if and when you resolve this, you can make it active again.</ref>
* If a Joker card is facing down, turn it face up.
|'''Fool's Endeavour'''
|-
|'''Bisonguard'''
(0-2)
|Rook
|'''Steppe Sentinel [Tribute]:''' While an ally is adjacent to this Rook, both Defend at Advantage so long as this Rook isn’t adjacent to a Tree. After this Rook ''Castles'', it or the non-King ally it ''Castled'' with roll for and resolve a Tribute.
|'''Castle'''
|-
|'''Chimaera'''
(0-2)
|Knight
|'''Lethal Grace [Tribute]:''' After this Knight slays an enemy with an Attack, roll for and resolve a Tribute, then you may have it immediately Attack again or Move.
|'''Mounted Advantage'''
|-
|'''Armour Hunter'''
(0-8)
|Pawn
|'''Iron Trophies [Tribute]:''' This Pawn Attacks and Defends at Advantage vs enemy [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|Nobles]], and [[Core Rules#+X or -X|gets +X]] to their Attack and Defence totals, where X is the number of Advantage tokens on them. When this Pawn slays a Noble, roll for and resolve a Tribute, then give it an Advantage token.
|'''En Passant;'''
'''Promotion'''
|}

=== <big>Suggested list for new players</big> ===

==== Composition ====
* Conquest Trophies (X=3)
* 1x Avatar of Geltakaenogh's Craft and Judgement
* 1x Chosen of Geltakaenogh
* 1x Desolator of Faiths
* 2x Chimaera

==== Strategy ====
* For the 3 Advantage tokens given out by Conquest Trophies, distribute them among your non-Queen pieces.
** As the Blessing on your Queen sees three different allies each gain Advantage tokens, it will give the Queen 3 Advantage tokens.
* When your Chimaeras slay an enemy, it is wise to roll two smaller tributes (via the King's ''Multitudes of Gifts'' rule), each time choosing the "Bump" effect, helping the Chimaeras easily set up multiple Attacks in one Re/Activation.
** As the Chimaeras are the lowest-ranking pieces on this team, slaying an enemy with your Queen would give them a free tribute.
* You start the game with only 5 pieces, which is below average, meaning you will likely be Reactivating your pieces in early turns. Place the Advantage tokens (from the ''Chaotic and Relentless'' rule) on your opponent's weakest pieces, and use the free tribute to position your Reactivating piece for a strong Attack.

== Footnotes ==
<references />

== Designer's Note ==

==== Added with version B.1.2 ====
There is a mechanical conflict within this faction: piece rules that allow them to [[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|Avoid Death]] under certain conditions, and some pieces preferring the Death tarot card (which prevents Avoiding Death effects). This is intentional. Thematically, the Beastfolk are Geltakaenogh's creations, and the tool with which he hopes to purge most sentient life from the world; they are harbingers of death and destruction. They are imperfect, twisted amalgams of wild animals, and are often seen as brutish and invincible by their opponents. Their assaults are chaotic and disorganized, yet devastating and effective. Our design intent is for players to balance those conflicting mechanics: lean into their durability when needed, utilize the Death tarot when it would be most impactful, but not benefit from both fully at the same time.
[[Category:Factions]]

Factions

2026-02-08T22:44:34Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Beastfolk ★★ */ b.1.3

== Core factions ==
Factions whose version codes start with a 'B' are under public Beta testing and are not yet recommended for competitive play.

=== [[King's Court]] ★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[King's Court changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Monsters]] ★ ===
Version B.1.1, view [[Monsters changelog|changelog]]

=== [[The Blights of Winter]] ★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[The Blights of Winter changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Dwarven Golems]] ★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[Dwarven Golems changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Beastfolk]] ★★ ===
Version B.1.3, view [[Beastfolk changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Townsfolk]] ★★ ===
Version B.1.1, view [[Townsfolk changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Coven]] ★★★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[Coven changelog|changelog]]

== Factions yet to be released ==
Even though faction expansions will release at different times, all 40 factions were written and internally tested during the same stage of development and are built upon each other. As we receive more public feedback on released factions, changes made to them for the better health of the game will improve the quality of future releases.

=== Heaven and Earth ===
Clergy ★★

Mole People ★★

Waterfolk ★★

Forest Elves ★★

Olympian Remnant ★★★

Eldritch Emergence ★★★

Moonfolk ★★★

=== Timeless Legends ===
Time-Lost Dinosaurs ★

Time-Lost Gunslingers ★

Tech Vikings ★★

Time-Lost Fusiliers ★★

Sir Galahad and Company ★★★

Robin Hood and his Merry Men ★★★

=== The Goblin Saga ===
Underrealm Goblins ★★

Goblin Pioneers ★★★

Goblin Mercenaries ★★

The Goblin Renaissance ★★

=== The Dark Ages ===
Star Beasts ★

Eldritch Cult ★★

Elven Revenants ★★

Undead Pirates ★★

The Necropolis Promenade ★★★

=== Battle for Technotron ===
Future Earth Defence Force ★

Agents of S.N.A.K.E. ★

Transmorphers: Mechabots ★★★

Transmorphers: Deceptoborgs ★★★

=== Anti-Core ===
Dwarven Survivors ★

The Summer Cohort ★

Ghost Town Denizens ★★

Fiend-hunter Lodges ★★

Spiderfolk ★★

Queen's Court ★★★

The Mystical League of Sorcerous Wizards ★★★

Dwarven Golems changelog

2026-02-08T22:44:14Z

WargameChessAuthor: b.1.2

=== Version B.1.2 ===

* Changed wording to include Noble and Banish.
** Adjusted functions that would include Banished pieces.
* Changed rankings of Bishops to better reflect lore.

=== Version B.1.1 ===
Updated the Joker's rule Machine Coordination.

* Now allows more versatile play options.
* More elegant realization of design theme.

=== Version B.1.0 ===
The previous version was for Alpha testing, and only used internally.

Dwarven Golems

2026-02-08T22:44:03Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Composition */

=== Complexity: [[Core Rules#To Start a Standard Game|★]] ===

== Faction Rules ==
'''Bound in Roots:''' Pieces with the '''[Golem]''' tag start the game Banished (you do not deploy them on the board).

== Piece Rules ==
'''Awaken:''' If a piece with this rule ends its Move adjacent to a [[Core Rules#Tree Setup|Tree]][[Found lore: Dwarven Golems|,]] roll its dice. If the sum of the results is 6 or greater, replace that Tree with a [Golem] piece of yours that is Banished.

'''Iron Bones and Stone Flesh:''' If a piece with this rule would be slain while it isn't [[Core Rules#Cursed|Cursed]], instead Curse it then [[Core Rules#Bump|Bump]] it. While a piece with this rule is Cursed, it cannot Attack or Defend at [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage|Advantage]]. Once a piece with this rule enters the ‘[[Core Rules#Pieces off the Board|slain]]’ zone, it cannot leave the ‘slain’ zone.

== Piece Options ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Name (ranked highest to lowest) and quantity allowance
!Piece
Type
!Additional Special Rules
!Common Special Rules
|-
|'''Forgemaster Revenant'''
(0-1)
|King
|'''Awaken'''
'''Manifestation of rage:''' Pieces Defend at [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage|Disadvantage]] vs Attacks from this King. When an ally is slain, give this King an [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|Advantage token]] [[Core Rules#Turn Structure|between Activations]].

'''Mender of steel''': At the end of this King’s Activation, you may spend X Advantage tokens from it to remove a Curse from an adjacent ally; where X is the point cost of that ally.
|'''Faction Leader'''
|-
|'''Magnum Opus'''
(0-1)
|Queen
'''[Golem]'''
|'''Iron Bones and Stone Flesh'''
'''Culmination of progress:''' While you have a Knight on the board, this Queen has all Special Rules of that Knight - but replace all instances of the word 'Knight' in those rules with 'Queen'. The same applies for your Rooks and Bishops.<ref>While a Knight of yours is on the board, this Queen has the ''Transport'' and ''Mounted Advantage'' rules. While a Bishop of yours is on the board, this Queen has either the ''Void'' rule or the ''Wisdom of the Ancients'' rule - depending on which Bishop option is on the board. While a Rook of yours is on the board, this Queen has the ''Castle'' and ''Sapphire Core'' rules.</ref>
|
|-
|'''Ancestral Totem Automaton'''
(0-1)
|Bishop
'''[Golem]'''
|'''Iron Bones and Stone Flesh'''

'''Wisdom of the ancients [[Core Rules#Minor Arcana|(Minor Arcana]]):''' At the start and end of this Bishop's Activation, you may reveal the top 2 cards of the deck. If the cards revealed this way were:

* Both Hearts ♥♥ or both Diamonds ♦♦: Bless an ally.
* Both Spades ♠♠ or both Clubs ♣♣: Curse an enemy.
* Any other combination: you may Bump this Bishop.
Then discard the revealed cards.
|
|-
|'''Bluestone Guard'''
(0-2)
|Rook
'''[Golem]'''
|'''Iron Bones and Stone Flesh'''
'''Sapphire core:''' After you Move this Rook, you may roll its dice. If both dice results are odd, this Rook also counts as being adjacent to any lower ranking ally until the end of its Re/Activation.<ref name=":0">This temporary location relation is relevant for its ''Castle'' rule.</ref> If both dice results are even, it also counts as being adjacent to any higher ranking ally until the end of its [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|Re/Activation]].<ref name=":0" /> If one die is even and one is odd, you may [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|redeploy]] this Rook and up to 1 other ally.
|'''Castle'''
|-
|'''Spider Walker'''
(0-2)
|Knight
'''[Golem]'''
|'''Iron Bones and Stone Flesh'''
'''Transport:''' When this Knight Moves or Attacks, any ally Pawn or Joker pieces that were adjacent to it before it Moved or Attacked may be placed adjacent to it after it completes that action - so long as there are unoccupied squares for those pieces to be relocated to.<ref>If there are not enough unoccupied squares those allies could be placed onto, they cannot be placed adjacent to this Knight.</ref>
|'''Mounted Advantage'''
|-
|'''Awakener Foreman'''
(1)
|Joker
|'''Awaken'''

'''Iron Bones and Stone Flesh'''

'''Machine coordination:''' Ally Pawns roll their dice at Advantage while Awakening. At the start of this Joker's Re/Activation, you may have an ally Pawn Attack at Advantage or Move.<ref>Though these actions usually happen during a piece's own Re/Activation, the Pawn does this during the Joker's Activation and does not count as having Activated if it does either of these. If the Pawn Moves, it may attempt to Awaken an adjacent Tree.</ref> If you do, this Joker cannot Move this Re/Activation. At the end of this Joker’s Re/Activation, if a Joker card is face up, you may turn it face down to remove all Disadvantage tokens from all ally Pawns.
|'''Fool's Endeavour'''
|-
|'''Awakener'''
(1-8)
|Pawn
|'''Awaken'''
'''Iron Bones and Stone Flesh'''

''This Pawn loses its Promotion rule.''

'''Chop chop!:''' After this Pawn Moves, if it didn't end that Move adjacent to a Tree, you may have it make up to 1 additional bonus Move, so long as that bonus Move has the Pawn end adjacent to a Tree.
|'''En Passant;'''
<s>Promotion</s>
|-
|'''Deadiron Sentinel'''
(0-1)
|Bishop
'''[Golem]'''
|'''Iron Bones and Stone Flesh'''

'''Void:''' Pieces adjacent to, Attacking, or being Attacked by this Bishop cannot:

* spend tokens,
* gain tokens,<ref>Tokens that would be gained from combat movement are not gained, as this is a part of the Attack resolution. Though this Bishop is still able to gain tokens.</ref>
* [[Core Rules#Major Arcana|Divinate]],<ref>This includes any action that causes the piece's player to interact with the tarot cards/deck.</ref>
* or have their [[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|slaying be prevented]].<ref>This affects ally pieces as well.</ref>
|
|}

=== <big>Suggested list for new players</big> ===

==== Composition ====
* 1x Awakener Foreman
* 3x Awakeners
* 1x Magnum Opus
* 1x Bluestone Guard
* 1x Spider Walker
* 1x Deadiron Sentinel

==== Strategy ====
* Set up your Awakeners and Awakener Foreman so they can reach any awkwardly placed Trees in your board half within the first turn.
** Use the Spider Walker's ''Transport'' rule to help them move about.
* If you are facing a fearsome enemy piece that cannot be slain under certain conditions, make sure your Deadiron Sentinel has a clear line to Attack them.
** Your Bluestone Guard is capable of swapping places with allies near and far - it can set up your Deadiron Sentinel or Magnum Opus for good ambushes your opponent may not see coming.

== Footnotes ==
<references />
[[Category:Factions]]

Dwarven Golems

2026-02-08T22:43:36Z

WargameChessAuthor:

=== Complexity: [[Core Rules#To Start a Standard Game|★]] ===

== Faction Rules ==
'''Bound in Roots:''' Pieces with the '''[Golem]''' tag start the game Banished (you do not deploy them on the board).

== Piece Rules ==
'''Awaken:''' If a piece with this rule ends its Move adjacent to a [[Core Rules#Tree Setup|Tree]][[Found lore: Dwarven Golems|,]] roll its dice. If the sum of the results is 6 or greater, replace that Tree with a [Golem] piece of yours that is Banished.

'''Iron Bones and Stone Flesh:''' If a piece with this rule would be slain while it isn't [[Core Rules#Cursed|Cursed]], instead Curse it then [[Core Rules#Bump|Bump]] it. While a piece with this rule is Cursed, it cannot Attack or Defend at [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage|Advantage]]. Once a piece with this rule enters the ‘[[Core Rules#Pieces off the Board|slain]]’ zone, it cannot leave the ‘slain’ zone.

== Piece Options ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Name (ranked highest to lowest) and quantity allowance
!Piece
Type
!Additional Special Rules
!Common Special Rules
|-
|'''Forgemaster Revenant'''
(0-1)
|King
|'''Awaken'''
'''Manifestation of rage:''' Pieces Defend at [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage|Disadvantage]] vs Attacks from this King. When an ally is slain, give this King an [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|Advantage token]] [[Core Rules#Turn Structure|between Activations]].

'''Mender of steel''': At the end of this King’s Activation, you may spend X Advantage tokens from it to remove a Curse from an adjacent ally; where X is the point cost of that ally.
|'''Faction Leader'''
|-
|'''Magnum Opus'''
(0-1)
|Queen
'''[Golem]'''
|'''Iron Bones and Stone Flesh'''
'''Culmination of progress:''' While you have a Knight on the board, this Queen has all Special Rules of that Knight - but replace all instances of the word 'Knight' in those rules with 'Queen'. The same applies for your Rooks and Bishops.<ref>While a Knight of yours is on the board, this Queen has the ''Transport'' and ''Mounted Advantage'' rules. While a Bishop of yours is on the board, this Queen has either the ''Void'' rule or the ''Wisdom of the Ancients'' rule - depending on which Bishop option is on the board. While a Rook of yours is on the board, this Queen has the ''Castle'' and ''Sapphire Core'' rules.</ref>
|
|-
|'''Ancestral Totem Automaton'''
(0-1)
|Bishop
'''[Golem]'''
|'''Iron Bones and Stone Flesh'''

'''Wisdom of the ancients [[Core Rules#Minor Arcana|(Minor Arcana]]):''' At the start and end of this Bishop's Activation, you may reveal the top 2 cards of the deck. If the cards revealed this way were:

* Both Hearts ♥♥ or both Diamonds ♦♦: Bless an ally.
* Both Spades ♠♠ or both Clubs ♣♣: Curse an enemy.
* Any other combination: you may Bump this Bishop.
Then discard the revealed cards.
|
|-
|'''Bluestone Guard'''
(0-2)
|Rook
'''[Golem]'''
|'''Iron Bones and Stone Flesh'''
'''Sapphire core:''' After you Move this Rook, you may roll its dice. If both dice results are odd, this Rook also counts as being adjacent to any lower ranking ally until the end of its Re/Activation.<ref name=":0">This temporary location relation is relevant for its ''Castle'' rule.</ref> If both dice results are even, it also counts as being adjacent to any higher ranking ally until the end of its [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|Re/Activation]].<ref name=":0" /> If one die is even and one is odd, you may [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|redeploy]] this Rook and up to 1 other ally.
|'''Castle'''
|-
|'''Spider Walker'''
(0-2)
|Knight
'''[Golem]'''
|'''Iron Bones and Stone Flesh'''
'''Transport:''' When this Knight Moves or Attacks, any ally Pawn or Joker pieces that were adjacent to it before it Moved or Attacked may be placed adjacent to it after it completes that action - so long as there are unoccupied squares for those pieces to be relocated to.<ref>If there are not enough unoccupied squares those allies could be placed onto, they cannot be placed adjacent to this Knight.</ref>
|'''Mounted Advantage'''
|-
|'''Awakener Foreman'''
(1)
|Joker
|'''Awaken'''

'''Iron Bones and Stone Flesh'''

'''Machine coordination:''' Ally Pawns roll their dice at Advantage while Awakening. At the start of this Joker's Re/Activation, you may have an ally Pawn Attack at Advantage or Move.<ref>Though these actions usually happen during a piece's own Re/Activation, the Pawn does this during the Joker's Activation and does not count as having Activated if it does either of these. If the Pawn Moves, it may attempt to Awaken an adjacent Tree.</ref> If you do, this Joker cannot Move this Re/Activation. At the end of this Joker’s Re/Activation, if a Joker card is face up, you may turn it face down to remove all Disadvantage tokens from all ally Pawns.
|'''Fool's Endeavour'''
|-
|'''Awakener'''
(1-8)
|Pawn
|'''Awaken'''
'''Iron Bones and Stone Flesh'''

''This Pawn loses its Promotion rule.''

'''Chop chop!:''' After this Pawn Moves, if it didn't end that Move adjacent to a Tree, you may have it make up to 1 additional bonus Move, so long as that bonus Move has the Pawn end adjacent to a Tree.
|'''En Passant;'''
<s>Promotion</s>
|-
|'''Deadiron Sentinel'''
(0-1)
|Bishop
'''[Golem]'''
|'''Iron Bones and Stone Flesh'''

'''Void:''' Pieces adjacent to, Attacking, or being Attacked by this Bishop cannot:

* spend tokens,
* gain tokens,<ref>Tokens that would be gained from combat movement are not gained, as this is a part of the Attack resolution. Though this Bishop is still able to gain tokens.</ref>
* [[Core Rules#Major Arcana|Divinate]],<ref>This includes any action that causes the piece's player to interact with the tarot cards/deck.</ref>
* or have their [[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|slaying be prevented]].<ref>This affects ally pieces as well.</ref>
|
|}

=== <big>Suggested list for new players</big> ===

==== Composition ====
* 1x Awakener Foreman
* 3x Awakeners
* 1x Magnum Opus
* 1x Bluestone Guard
* 1x Deadiron Sentinel
* 1x Spider Walker

==== Strategy ====
* Set up your Awakeners and Awakener Foreman so they can reach any awkwardly placed Trees in your board half within the first turn.
** Use the Spider Walker's ''Transport'' rule to help them move about.
* If you are facing a fearsome enemy piece that cannot be slain under certain conditions, make sure your Deadiron Sentinel has a clear line to Attack them.
** Your Bluestone Guard is capable of swapping places with allies near and far - it can set up your Deadiron Sentinel or Magnum Opus for good ambushes your opponent may not see coming.

== Footnotes ==
<references />
[[Category:Factions]]

Dwarven Golems

2026-02-08T22:42:35Z

WargameChessAuthor: Added Banished and reranked Bishops

=== Complexity: [[Core Rules#To Start a Standard Game|★]] ===

== Faction Rules ==
'''Bound in Roots:''' Pieces with the '''[Golem]''' tag start the game Banished.

== Piece Rules ==
'''Awaken:''' If a piece with this rule ends its Move adjacent to a [[Core Rules#Tree Setup|Tree]][[Found lore: Dwarven Golems|,]] roll its dice. If the sum of the results is 6 or greater, replace that Tree with a [Golem] piece of yours that is Banished.

'''Iron Bones and Stone Flesh:''' If a piece with this rule would be slain while it isn't [[Core Rules#Cursed|Cursed]], instead Curse it then [[Core Rules#Bump|Bump]] it. While a piece with this rule is Cursed, it cannot Attack or Defend at [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage|Advantage]]. Once a piece with this rule enters the ‘[[Core Rules#Pieces off the Board|slain]]’ zone, it cannot leave the ‘slain’ zone.

== Piece Options ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Name (ranked highest to lowest) and quantity allowance
!Piece
Type
!Additional Special Rules
!Common Special Rules
|-
|'''Forgemaster Revenant'''
(0-1)
|King
|'''Awaken'''
'''Manifestation of rage:''' Pieces Defend at [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage|Disadvantage]] vs Attacks from this King. When an ally is slain, give this King an [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|Advantage token]] [[Core Rules#Turn Structure|between Activations]].

'''Mender of steel''': At the end of this King’s Activation, you may spend X Advantage tokens from it to remove a Curse from an adjacent ally; where X is the point cost of that ally.
|'''Faction Leader'''
|-
|'''Magnum Opus'''
(0-1)
|Queen
'''[Golem]'''
|'''Iron Bones and Stone Flesh'''
'''Culmination of progress:''' While you have a Knight on the board, this Queen has all Special Rules of that Knight - but replace all instances of the word 'Knight' in those rules with 'Queen'. The same applies for your Rooks and Bishops.<ref>While a Knight of yours is on the board, this Queen has the ''Transport'' and ''Mounted Advantage'' rules. While a Bishop of yours is on the board, this Queen has either the ''Void'' rule or the ''Wisdom of the Ancients'' rule - depending on which Bishop option is on the board. While a Rook of yours is on the board, this Queen has the ''Castle'' and ''Sapphire Core'' rules.</ref>
|
|-
|'''Ancestral Totem Automaton'''
(0-1)
|Bishop
'''[Golem]'''
|'''Iron Bones and Stone Flesh'''

'''Wisdom of the ancients [[Core Rules#Minor Arcana|(Minor Arcana]]):''' At the start and end of this Bishop's Activation, you may reveal the top 2 cards of the deck. If the cards revealed this way were:

* Both Hearts ♥♥ or both Diamonds ♦♦: Bless an ally.
* Both Spades ♠♠ or both Clubs ♣♣: Curse an enemy.
* Any other combination: you may Bump this Bishop.
Then discard the revealed cards.
|
|-
|'''Bluestone Guard'''
(0-2)
|Rook
'''[Golem]'''
|'''Iron Bones and Stone Flesh'''
'''Sapphire core:''' After you Move this Rook, you may roll its dice. If both dice results are odd, this Rook also counts as being adjacent to any lower ranking ally until the end of its Re/Activation.<ref name=":0">This temporary location relation is relevant for its ''Castle'' rule.</ref> If both dice results are even, it also counts as being adjacent to any higher ranking ally until the end of its [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|Re/Activation]].<ref name=":0" /> If one die is even and one is odd, you may [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|redeploy]] this Rook and up to 1 other ally.
|'''Castle'''
|-
|'''Spider Walker'''
(0-2)
|Knight
'''[Golem]'''
|'''Iron Bones and Stone Flesh'''
'''Transport:''' When this Knight Moves or Attacks, any ally Pawn or Joker pieces that were adjacent to it before it Moved or Attacked may be placed adjacent to it after it completes that action - so long as there are unoccupied squares for those pieces to be relocated to.<ref>If there are not enough unoccupied squares those allies could be placed onto, they cannot be placed adjacent to this Knight.</ref>
|'''Mounted Advantage'''
|-
|'''Awakener Foreman'''
(1)
|Joker
|'''Awaken'''

'''Iron Bones and Stone Flesh'''

'''Machine coordination:''' Ally Pawns roll their dice at Advantage while Awakening. At the start of this Joker's Re/Activation, you may have an ally Pawn Attack at Advantage or Move.<ref>Though these actions usually happen during a piece's own Re/Activation, the Pawn does this during the Joker's Activation and does not count as having Activated if it does either of these. If the Pawn Moves, it may attempt to Awaken an adjacent Tree.</ref> If you do, this Joker cannot Move this Re/Activation. At the end of this Joker’s Re/Activation, if a Joker card is face up, you may turn it face down to remove all Disadvantage tokens from all ally Pawns.
|'''Fool's Endeavour'''
|-
|'''Awakener'''
(1-8)
|Pawn
|'''Awaken'''
'''Iron Bones and Stone Flesh'''

''This Pawn loses its Promotion rule.''

'''Chop chop!:''' After this Pawn Moves, if it didn't end that Move adjacent to a Tree, you may have it make up to 1 additional bonus Move, so long as that bonus Move has the Pawn end adjacent to a Tree.
|'''En Passant;'''
<s>Promotion</s>
|-
|'''Deadiron Sentinel'''
(0-1)
|Bishop
'''[Golem]'''
|'''Iron Bones and Stone Flesh'''

'''Void:''' Pieces adjacent to, Attacking, or being Attacked by this Bishop cannot:

* spend tokens,
* gain tokens,<ref>Tokens that would be gained from combat movement are not gained, as this is a part of the Attack resolution. Though this Bishop is still able to gain tokens.</ref>
* [[Core Rules#Major Arcana|Divinate]],<ref>This includes any action that causes the piece's player to interact with the tarot cards/deck.</ref>
* or have their [[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|slaying be prevented]].<ref>This affects ally pieces as well.</ref>
|
|}

=== <big>Suggested list for new players</big> ===

==== Composition ====
* 1x Awakener Foreman
* 3x Awakeners
* 1x Magnum Opus
* 1x Bluestone Guard
* 1x Deadiron Sentinel
* 1x Spider Walker

==== Strategy ====
* Set up your Awakeners and Awakener Foreman so they can reach any awkwardly placed Trees in your board half within the first turn.
** Use the Spider Walker's ''Transport'' rule to help them move about.
* If you are facing a fearsome enemy piece that cannot be slain under certain conditions, make sure your Deadiron Sentinel has a clear line to Attack them.
** Your Bluestone Guard is capable of swapping places with allies near and far - it can set up your Deadiron Sentinel or Magnum Opus for good ambushes your opponent may not see coming.

== Footnotes ==
<references />
[[Category:Factions]]

Factions

2026-02-08T22:36:58Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Dwarven Golems ★ */ b.1.2

== Core factions ==
Factions whose version codes start with a 'B' are under public Beta testing and are not yet recommended for competitive play.

=== [[King's Court]] ★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[King's Court changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Monsters]] ★ ===
Version B.1.1, view [[Monsters changelog|changelog]]

=== [[The Blights of Winter]] ★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[The Blights of Winter changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Dwarven Golems]] ★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[Dwarven Golems changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Beastfolk]] ★★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[Beastfolk changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Townsfolk]] ★★ ===
Version B.1.1, view [[Townsfolk changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Coven]] ★★★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[Coven changelog|changelog]]

== Factions yet to be released ==
Even though faction expansions will release at different times, all 40 factions were written and internally tested during the same stage of development and are built upon each other. As we receive more public feedback on released factions, changes made to them for the better health of the game will improve the quality of future releases.

=== Heaven and Earth ===
Clergy ★★

Mole People ★★

Waterfolk ★★

Forest Elves ★★

Olympian Remnant ★★★

Eldritch Emergence ★★★

Moonfolk ★★★

=== Timeless Legends ===
Time-Lost Dinosaurs ★

Time-Lost Gunslingers ★

Tech Vikings ★★

Time-Lost Fusiliers ★★

Sir Galahad and Company ★★★

Robin Hood and his Merry Men ★★★

=== The Goblin Saga ===
Underrealm Goblins ★★

Goblin Pioneers ★★★

Goblin Mercenaries ★★

The Goblin Renaissance ★★

=== The Dark Ages ===
Star Beasts ★

Eldritch Cult ★★

Elven Revenants ★★

Undead Pirates ★★

The Necropolis Promenade ★★★

=== Battle for Technotron ===
Future Earth Defence Force ★

Agents of S.N.A.K.E. ★

Transmorphers: Mechabots ★★★

Transmorphers: Deceptoborgs ★★★

=== Anti-Core ===
Dwarven Survivors ★

The Summer Cohort ★

Ghost Town Denizens ★★

Fiend-hunter Lodges ★★

Spiderfolk ★★

Queen's Court ★★★

The Mystical League of Sorcerous Wizards ★★★

Core Rules

2026-02-08T22:36:03Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms */ Added Relocated to common terms table

== What is Wargame Chess? ==
Wargame Chess is a turn-based tabletop wargame that uses a chess set, and also incorporates other gaming devices like dice and cards. Wargame Chess is not a variation of traditional chess. Though it uses the same pieces and borrows some concepts from it, it is a wholly different game.

Each player assumes the role of a faction within the game - factions give a player’s pieces different rules, greatly affecting how they play. The game’s rules are a simple framework to support a plethora of faction options. Understanding faction differences and interactions accounts for most of the game’s nuance.

== What do I Need to Play? ==
Two players will need the following items to play ''Wargame Chess'':

* A chess set (a board and a full set of pieces).
* 2 or more small items that fit within a board square to represent Joker pieces.
* Deck of playing cards (will often be referred to as the Minor Arcana deck).
* All 22 Major Arcana cards from a tarot deck.
* Various dice to be used between both players:
** Six or more 4-sided dice (D4)
** Six or more 6-sided dice (D6)
** Six or more 8-sided dice (D8)
** Six or more 10-sided dice (D10)
** Four or more 20-sided dice (D20)
* 6 items to represent Trees on the board.
* Items to represent Blessing and Curse tokens.
** We recommend different coloured poker chips as these sit under most chess pieces very well
* Two distinct types of small dice to represent Advantage and Disadvantage tokens. Place these next to pieces to keep track of such token quantities.
** We recommend the dice used for Advantage tokens match the colour of your Blessing tokens, and the dice used for Disadvantage tokens match the colour of your Curse tokens.
* A way to mark chess pieces so they become visually distinct among their own type (eg. a way to differentiate between Pawns on a team).
** We suggest using numbers written on the pieces with a marker, using numbered stickers, or colour-coding them in some way.

=== Not Necessary, but Suggested: ===

* Themed pieces for your favourite faction.
** If these are not chess pieces, make sure your opponent knows what they represent before your game starts!
* A notepad.
** Use this to record information of a game which is not accommodated by the [[Activation Tracker]].

== Objective ==
A normal game of chess ends in a checkmate, but in this game not every team will have a King piece to make things so decisive.

In Wargame Chess, a player immediately wins the game if they meet one of the following conditions:

* Your opponent has no pieces left on the board, or...
* The pieces your opponent has left on the board are not capable of Attacking in any way.

However, some pieces or factions may have other ways of attaining victory (such as being granted victory if they meet a particular condition). If a game reaches the end of Turn 10 and no player has achieved victory by some means, both players add up the number of points worth of pieces they each have on the board, add to that the number of points in upgrades they each took, and compare totals - the player with the greater total wins. If both point totals are the same, the game is a draw.

== To Start a Standard Game ==

'''After assembling the items mentioned above, each player must choose different factions.'''

Each faction has different rules, different strengths, can handle certain situations better than others, or have tools at their disposal others wouldn't. You can find all factions listed [[Factions|here]].

Factions have numerous rules and interactions you will need to be mindful of at all times. If you are unsure of how a rule is supposed to work, read through all the footnotes at the bottom of their page for clarification. If you are still left unsure as to how something functions, discuss and agree to a solution with your opponent.

To assess factions at a glance, they are assigned a star rating. Here is what they mean:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Star Rating
!Explanation
|-
|★
|These factions are fairly straightforward. New players and seasoned players alike should be able to understand their nuances quickly.
|-
|★★
|Two-star factions require a bit more effort to learn. New players may need a few games to get comfortable with them. Experienced players should be able to understand them within a game or two.
|-
|★★★
|Three-star factions may be difficult to pilot for newer players. Experienced players may need to play a few games with them to find their groove.
|}

== Building a Team ==
'''Once both players have chosen a faction to play as, they will need to build a team list using options from that faction’s page.'''

You can use the [[Activation Tracker Sheet|Activation Tracker]] or a notepad to organize your team, note rules that happen at certain times, and track other game information.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!A team consists of exactly 14 points worth of Pieces and Upgrades.
|}
Below we will explain how faction rules, piece choices, their quantities, and upgrades fit into your team list.

=== Summoning ===
Some rules (of both faction rules and piece rules) can have the summon tag after their name, which means at some point when resolving that rule's effects you may be required to place a piece - which isn't a part of your starting team - onto the board.

Read through these rules carefully and see what piece type(s) they can summon, and set them aside in a 'Summon' zone (like the one on our [[Activation Tracker Sheet|Activation Tracker]]).

When a piece is summoned onto the board for your team, add it to your Activation Tracker.

Summoning pieces to a team may cause a player to have more than 14 points worth of pieces and upgrades in play.

== Faction Rules and Upgrades ==
Faction rules always apply their effects to that particular faction.

Upgrades are like Faction rules, except they have a point cost in parentheses after their name, and only apply their effects to that particular faction if you account for their cost in your team list. Be sure your opponent knows which Upgrades you have taken in a match.

== Piece Costs and Quantities ==
The following point costs are the same across every faction in the game.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Piece type
!Point cost
|-
|Pawns
|1
|-
|Kings, Bishops, Knights, Rooks, and Jokers
|2
|-
|Queens
|3
|}
Under their name, each piece will have a quantity allowance - this is how many of them you can have in a team. Here are a few examples of what you may see in faction entries and what they mean:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Quantity limit example
!Meaning
|-
|(0-2)
|You may have 0, 1, or 2 of this piece in your team list.
|-
|(2-8)
|You must take at least 2 of this piece, but may also take up to 8 of them.
|-
|(1)
|You must have exactly 1 of this piece in your list - no more, no less.
|-
|(-)
|You cannot include this piece in your starting team list. However, some rules may add this piece to your team throughout the course of a game.
|}
Whether it be during team creation or throughout the game, you can never have a piece added to your team if doing so would bring a piece type's total quantity beyond its listed quantity range maximum ''(eg. if your faction allows you to bring 0-2 Knights, your team could never have 3 or more)'', or the number of pieces that come with a standard chess set ''(eg. a standard set comes with 8 Pawn pieces, therefore your team can never have more than 8 Pawns)''.

== Rank ==
Each piece on a faction’s roster is listed in ranking order - with the highest ranking piece at the top of the table, and the lowest ranking piece at the bottom. Almost every faction has a unique ranking hierarchy, and because of this no rule will ever compare rankings between different factions. Though some rules may compare ranking between pieces in the same faction.

== Multiple Options for one Piece Type ==
Some factions may list many options for a piece type ''(eg. They could have two different entries for a Rook)''. In such cases '''you may only run 1 of those options in your team list'''.

The exception to this are '''Joker''' options as each Joker uses a unique model on the board. If a faction lists multiple Joker options, a player may include any/all of them in one list.
== Rolling Dice ==

=== Rolling Dice for Pieces ===
Pieces will have different dice types based on their identity:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Piece type
!Dice type
|-
|Pawn
|Two D4s
|-
|Knight
|Two D6s
|-
|Rook
|Two D6s
|-
|Bishop
|Two D6s
|-
|Queen
|Two D8s
|-
|King
|Two D10s
|-
|Joker
|One D20
|}
When a rule or action prompts a player to roll their piece's dice, these are the steps you follow:

# Determine any modifiers (this could mean [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage|Advantage/Disadvantage]], or other [[Core Rules#Other Types of Roll Modifiers|types of modifiers]])
# If the piece has any, players now have a chance to spend [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|1 Advantage token or 1 Disadvantage token]] and apply its effect to the roll. Some rules may allow a piece to spend other types of tokens under certain circumstances; that would also happen at this time.
# Roll the piece's dice.
# Sum the results of the dice, and apply all modifiers - this produces the roll total.
# Compare the piece's roll total to the opposing roll total or threshold needed for success, the rule will tell you how to proceed with these values.

=== Rolling Dice Otherwise ===
Sometimes a rule or action will tell you, the player, to roll various dice, and this roll may not have a direct connection to a piece. The rule or action will tell you what to do and how to interpret the results.

== Moves and Attacks ==

=== Move ===
When a piece Moves, it travels along a path as described in its entry (in the '''Piece types, dice, and common piece rules''' section below). A piece must travel at least 1 square during a Move if possible. If a piece is not able to Move (either by a rule saying it cannot, or perhaps other pieces/terrain are blocking its possible paths of movement), then it is permitted to travel fewer than 1 square.
==== Bump ====
When a player is prompted to 'Bump' a piece, they place it onto a square that is both adjacent to its current square, and unoccupied.

==== Scattering ====
When a player is prompted to ‘Scatter’ a piece, token, or other on-board item, assign each square adjacent to them a value from 1 to 8 (it doesn’t matter the order you number them, just be consistent). Once you’ve done that, roll a '''D8''', and place that item onto the unoccupied square whose value matches the result. If the item cannot be placed onto that square (it is occupied and/or they cannot co-occupy the square with whatever is in it) re-roll the '''D8'''.

If a piece does not have 8 squares adjacent to it when prompted to 'Scatter', it is likely in a corner of the board, or along a board edge. Here is what to do in those cases.

===== Scattering from a corner (only three adjacent squares) =====
Assign each square adjacent to them the values 1 & 2, 3 & 4, and 5 & 6. Roll a '''D6''', and place that item onto the unoccupied square whose value matches the result.

===== Scattering from a board edge (only five adjacent squares) =====
Assign each square adjacent to them the values 1 to 5. Roll a '''D6''', and place that item onto the unoccupied square whose value matches the result, re-rolling the die on a result of 6.

=== Attack ===
When a piece Attacks, it travels along the Attack path as described in its entry (see the '''Piece types, dice, and common piece rules''' section below).

A piece may only do its Attack if it would end up on a square occupied by an enemy piece (though some rules allow pieces to Attack non-enemy things, or even Attack allies). While a piece is Attacking another, both count as occupying that square and must complete the Attack sequence to resolve that. Here are the steps of the Attack sequence:
#Place the Attacker onto the square occupied by the Defender.
#Determine any modifiers (this could mean [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage|Advantage/Disadvantage]], or other [[Core Rules#Other Types of Roll Modifiers|types of modifiers]]) for each piece.
# If the pieces have any, players now each have a chance to spend [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|1 Advantage token or 1 Disadvantage token]] from their piece and apply its effect to the rolls.
# Roll the pieces' dice.
# Sum the results of the dice, applying all modifiers.
# Compare roll totals.
## If the Attacking piece has a greater total, they have slain the Defending piece, and it is placed in the ‘slain’ zone on their player's Activation Tracker.
## If the Defender has an equal or greater total, they do one of the following:
### *Bump the Attacker and give them a Disadvantage token, OR
### *Bump the Defender and give them an Advantage token.

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Either of these options are what is referred to as '''Combat Movement'''.

==== Avoiding Death ====

====== "Their slaying is prevented" / "...cannot be slain..." / "If this piece would be slain, instead..." ======
Occasionally, some pieces may have a rule in their entry stating (commonly under certain conditions) that they cannot be slain/their slaying is being prevented. Often it specifies what to do instead; in case it doesn’t, place that piece onto an unoccupied adjacent square (Bump it) if possible. If that is somehow not possible, its owner redeploys it.

Rarer yet, are effects that ignore an inability to be slain. If a piece cannot be slain under certain conditions, and those conditions are being met, yet there is a rule that ignores such effects, the piece can be slain despite the rule preventing its slaying.<blockquote>''A King piece is on the board, and The Emperor tarot card is active - which prevents Kings from being slain while they have allies on the board. This King is now being Attacked by a [[Dwarven Golems#Piece Options|Deadiron Sentinel]] - whose rule states that pieces being Attacked by it cannot have their slaying prevented (among other things). Even though there is an effect saying this King cannot be slain at this time, another rule is denying that type of effect.''</blockquote>

=== Moving and Attacking through Terrain ===
During a Move or Attack, a piece cannot end that action on a square - or pass through squares - occupied by terrain features (like Trees) or other pieces unless it has special rules that allow it to do so in some capacity.[[File:Move Attempt.png|thumb|150x150px|'''A Queen is hoping to Move to the square marked X, but there is a Tree blocking its path. It cannot Move to the intended square and must select another square to Move to.''']]If a rule allows a piece to co-occupy squares with some type of terrain:

* that type of terrain does not block that piece's Move or Attack paths,
* that square does not count as occupied to that piece.

== Piece Types, Dice, and Common Piece Rules ==
Each piece type uses a specific type of dice for their rolls. The dice used for a type of piece are universal, and not different between factions. Likewise, the way each piece type Moves and Attacks are universal, and not different between factions.

There are a few special rules listed below in each piece type’s entry. Pieces of a particular type will have these rules by default and will not be listed in a faction’s entry. However, some factions may have their version of a piece not have one of these rules ''(eg. a handful of factions’ Pawns lose their'' Promotion ''rule)'' - it is assumed that all piece options of a particular type have the rules listed below unless a rule mentioned in their faction entry says otherwise.
=== Pawn ===
A Pawn Moves 1 square vertically or horizontally, and Attacks 1 square diagonally.

Pawns use '''2D4''' for their dice and have the following common rules:
* '''En Passant:'''
** During its first Activation of the game, you may Move this Pawn twice.
* '''Promotion:'''
** At the '''start''' of this Pawn's Activation or Reactivation, if it is within your opponent's deployment zone, you may Banish it and place a slain, non-Legendary ally Noble onto the square that Pawn was just in. This Noble counts as having Activated only if it Activated earlier this turn.

{| class="wikitable"
|+
|[[File:Pawn Move.png|thumb|'''Directions a Pawn may Move from its current position.'''|150x150px]]
|[[File:Pawn Attack.png|thumb|'''Directions a Pawn may Attack from its current position.'''|150x150px]]
|}

=== Rook ===
A Rook Moves 1 to 8 squares orthogonally (vertically or horizontally), and Attacks 1 to 8 squares orthogonally.

Rooks use '''2D6''' for their dice and have the following common rule:

* '''Castle'''
** When this Rook ends their Move adjacent to a non-Rook ally, they may swap places with them. If they do and that ally is lower in rank than this Rook, give that ally an Advantage token; if that ally is higher in rank than this Rook, instead remove a Disadvantage token from it (if it has any).

{| class="wikitable"
|+
|[[File:Rook Move.png|thumb|'''Directions a Rook may Move from its current position.'''|150x150px]]
|[[File:Rook Attack.png|thumb|'''Directions a Rook may Attack from its current position.'''|150x150px]]
|}

=== Knight ===
A Knight's Move places it onto a square which is two squares vertically and one square horizontally from its current position, or two squares horizontally and one square vertically; it Attacks this way as well. Unlike other piece types, when a Knight Attacks or Moves, it does not travel along a path and is simply placed onto its target square.

Knights use '''2D6''' for their dice and have the following common rule:

* '''Mounted Advantage'''
** When Attacking a non-Knight enemy, if there are other enemies adjacent to the square that this Knight and its target are in (during an Attack resolution, both pieces temporarily share a square), roll this Knight’s dice at Advantage.

{| class="wikitable"
|+
![[File:Knight Move.png|thumb|Places a Knight can Move from its current position.|150x150px]]
![[File:Knight Attack.png|thumb|Places a Knight can Attack from its current position.|150x150px]]
|}

=== Bishop ===
A Bishop Moves 1 to 8 squares diagonally, and Attacks 1 to 8 squares diagonally.

Bishops use '''2D6''' for their dice, and have no common special rule.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
![[File:Bishop Move.png|thumb|Directions a Bishop may Move from its current position.|150x150px]]
![[File:Bishop Attack.png|thumb|Directions a Bishop may Attack from its current position.|150x150px]]
|}

=== Queen ===
A Queen Moves 1 to 8 squares vertically, horizontally or diagonally, and Attacks 1 to 8 squares vertically, horizontally, or diagonally.

Queens use '''2D8''' for their dice, and have no common special rule.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
![[File:Queen Move.png|thumb|Directions a Queen may Move from its current position.|150x150px]]
![[File:Queen Attack.png|thumb|Directions a Queen may Move from its current position.|150x150px]]
|}

=== King ===
A King Moves 1 square vertically, horizontally or diagonally, and Attacks 1 square vertically, horizontally, or diagonally.

Kings use '''2D10''' for their dice, and have the following common rule:

* '''Faction Leader'''
** When this piece is slain, their player loses the game immediately.

{| class="wikitable"
|+
![[File:King Move.png|thumb|Directions a King may Move from its current position.|150x150px]]
![[File:King Attack.png|thumb|Directions a King may Attack from its current position.|150x150px]]
|}

=== Joker ===
For a Joker’s Move, you Bump it, then you may do that up to two more times. In total, a Joker can traverse 1, 2, or 3 squares during its Move. Jokers use '''1D20''' for their dice and have the following common rule:

* '''Fool's Endeavour'''
** Jokers cannot Attack.
** At the end of the turn, remove any/all Dis/Advantage tokens from this piece.

[[File:Joker Move.png|none|thumb|200x200px|'''Possible squares a Joker could end its Move in from its current position.''']]

== Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms ==
In the rules here, and in various faction rules, you may encounter the following terms. Some of these terms may be defined in greater detail further on in these rules, though we are also including them here for the sake of redundancy and quick reference.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Term
!Description
|-
|Adjacent (term)
|Squares that are adjacent to one another are squares that are directly next to each other, either orthogonally or diagonally. Most squares on a board will be adjacent to the 8 squares they are surrounded by - the exceptions being squares along the board edge, who will have fewer squares adjacent to themselves.
If a rule mentions two or more pieces (or terrain, or other game items) being adjacent to each other, they are within squares that are adjacent to each other.
|-
|Banish(ed) (term/zone)
|A piece that becomes Banished is removed from the board and placed into the Banished section on the Activation Tracker Sheet, or kept off to the side with other Banished pieces from the same team.
|-
|Board half (term)
|A player's board half comprises the four board ranks closest to them. Their opponent's board half comprises the four board ranks closest to their opponent.
|-
|Between Activations (term)
|An effect resolving at this time resolves between the Activations or Reactivations of two different pieces. See the [[Core Rules#Turn Structure|Turn Structure]] section below for more details.
|-
|Bump (term)
|When a player is prompted to 'Bump' a piece, they place it onto a square that is both adjacent to its current square and unoccupied.
|-
|Combat Movement (tern)
|When a piece successfully Defends vs an Attack, then either Bumps themselves and gains an Advantage token, or Bumps their Attacker and gives them a Disadvantage token.
|-
|Dis/Advantage (term)
|Used as a shorthand for "Advantage and Disadvantage".
|-
|Flip a Joker card (term)
|Often in Joker piece rules, they will say to turn Joker cards face up or face down depending on what position they are currently in. When instructed to 'flip' a Joker card, you turn it to the opposite of whatever its current state is (eg. If a Joker card is facing up and you are instructed to flip it, you would turn it face down).
|-
|Legendary (rule)
|When a player is resolving their Pawn's ''Promote'' rule, they cannot choose a slain ally piece with this rule to replace that Pawn.
|-
|Major Arcana, Minor Arcana, and Bone Reading (rule tags)
|Some rules (of both faction rules and piece rules) can have these tags after their name. Rules with these tags are considered '''<nowiki/>'faith mechanic'''' rules, and utilise or reference the major arcana deck, the minor arcana deck, and/or bone reading dice pool in some way. You can read about these in greater detail in the '''[[Core Rules#Faith Mechanics|Faith Mechanics]]''' section further down this page.
|-
|Noble (term)
|A Noble is any piece type that isn't a Pawn.
Kings, Queens, Bishops, Knights, Rooks, and Jokers are all Nobles.
|-
|Occupied/Unoccupied/Co-occupy (term)
|A square counts as being occupied when it contains terrain or a piece. A square counts as being unoccupied if there are no pieces or terrain in it. Some rules may cause special types of dice or tokens to be placed onto squares, but dice and tokens do not occupy a square.
Co-occupying happens when multiple pieces and/or terrain are allowed to be in the same square together at the same time. During an Attack, two pieces are allowed to co-occupy the same square until the combat is resolved. Otherwise, co-occupying isn’t allowed unless a rule permits it to happen.

If a rule allows a piece to co-occupy squares with some type of terrain, then that type of terrain does not block that piece's Move or Attack paths.
|-
|Re/Activation (term)
|Used as a shorthand for "Activation or Reactivation". Though an Activation and Reactivation are functionally very similar, some rules specifically address one or the other. For rules referencing both, we often use this "Re/Activation" shorthand.
|-
|Re/Deploy (term)
|Used as a shorthand for "Deploy or Redeploy". Though Deploying and Redeploying are nearly identical, the distinction is when it happens. The first time a piece is ever placed on the board (whether that be anywhere thereon, or in their deployment zone) that is 'deployment'. Each time this happens thereafter is 'redeployment'. Some rules specifically address one or the other.
When a player is instructed to Re/Deploy a piece of their own, it goes into their deployment zone. When a player is instructed to Re/Deploy an enemy piece, it goes into their opponent's deployment zone.

In rare cases, a player may have the option to place a piece into either player's deployment zone - this also counts as a type of Redeployment.
|-
|Relocated (term)
|Relocation includes: Bumping, placement, random placement, redeployment, random redeployment, scattering, [[Core Rules#Attack|combat movement]], or involuntary Moves/Attacks.
|-
|Revered Structure (rule)
|Pieces with this rule cannot Move, Attack, or be relocated by any means. However, they Defend at Advantage. As well, if this piece would be slain by an enemy, between Activations you may remove any/all Blessing and Advantage tokens from that enemy, then you may Curse them.
|-
|Success / Failure (terms)
|Some rules or effects mention a condition being a roll succeeding or failing, this is done to keep wording brief. A success of a roll would be if the action taking place for the piece rolling did end up happening, and a failure would be the opposite.
|-
|Summon (rule tag)
|Some rules (of both faction rules and piece rules) can have the summon tag after their name, which means at some point when resolving that rule's effects you may be required to place a piece - which isn't a part of your starting team - onto the board. Read through these rules carefully and see what piece type(s) they can summon, and set them aside in a 'Summon' zone (like the one on our [[Activation Tracker Sheet|Activation Tracker]] sheet you can download and print).
|}

== Setup ==
'''Each player chooses opposing board halves. Determine who will be setting up Trees on their half of the board first.'''

You may do this by verbal agreement, or by random means - such as rolling a die.

=== Tree Setup ===
Trees are a type of terrain that occupy squares on the board. While a terrain piece is occupying a square, pieces cannot enter or travel over that square unless they have a rule permitting them to do so. Trees are the most common type of terrain players will see; less common types are Holes and Water.

The player who is setting up Trees first rolls a '''D4''' and a '''D8'''. The '''D4''' result determines what rank (in the board half closest to them) it will be in, and the '''D8''' will determine the file. Place a Tree on that square. Do this again 2 more times. If a Tree would end up on a square with a Tree already on it, re-roll the '''D4''' and/or '''D8'''.

Then the other player chooses one of the following for the Tree setup in their half:

* They may mirror the Tree setup in the other half of the board.
* They may mirror and horizontally flip the Tree setup.
* They may randomly generate a Tree setup (as described above).

=== Piece Setup ===
The player who sets up Trees second then deploys their pieces first. Unless stated otherwise in a faction’s special rules, pieces are set up in a player’s '''deployment zone''' - which are the two ranks on the board closest to the player.

Whenever a rule mentions redeploying a piece, you set it up anywhere within your deployment zone. When prompted to redeploy, pieces that are already in your deployment zone may be kept where they are, and they will count as having been redeployed.

=== Card and Dice Setup ===
The following things to set up are dependent on team composition and have detailed explanations later on:

# If any players’ pieces use the '''Minor Arcana''' mechanic, shuffle that deck and set it aside face down.
# If no Joker pieces are present in either team, the Joker cards are left in the Minor Arcana deck.
#* If the total number of Joker pieces being used by players is 1 or 2, remove 1 Joker card from the deck and set it aside face up before the game starts.
#* If the total number of Joker pieces being used are 3 or greater, remove both Joker cards from the deck and set them aside face up before the game starts.
# If any players’ pieces use the '''Major Arcana''' mechanic, shuffle that deck and set it aside face down.
# If a player's pieces use the '''Bone Reading''' mechanic, they assemble these dice pools and keep them aside.
#* Each bone pool will only be used by its player.
#* If a player's team has any Pawns, add a '''D4''' to this collection. If it has any Knights, Rooks, and/or Bishops, add a '''D6'''. If it has a Queen, add a '''D8'''. If it has a King, add a '''D10'''. If it has any Jokers, add a '''D20'''.
#* Do not use these dice for any rolling beyond those required by bone reading effects. Some bone reading rules require the rolled results to be preserved until some later point.
# Lastly, make sure you have enough other dice to be used for each of your types of pieces you are taking on your team.

=== Setup Order Chart ===
[[File:Setup order chart.png|none|thumb|450x450px]]

=== Setting Pieces up Randomly ===
This is a rare situation, but when a rule calls for pieces to be placed randomly on the board, do the following:

* Roll '''two D8''', one after the other. The first determines which rank of the board that piece will be set up in, and the second will determine the file.
* If the square at that coordinate is unoccupied, place that piece in that square. If the square is occupied and it cannot co-occupy that square with whatever is occupying it, you may re-roll one or both dice, or scatter the piece from that square (more on this below).
** Some pieces have rules which allow them to co-occupy a square with other things (such as specific terrain types).

=== Scattering ===
When a player is prompted to ‘Scatter’ a piece, token, or other on-board item, assign each square adjacent to them a value from 1 to 8 (it doesn’t matter the order you number them, just be consistent). Once you’ve done that, roll a '''D8''', and place that item onto the unoccupied square whose value matches the result. If the item cannot be placed onto that square (it is occupied and/or they cannot co-occupy the square with whatever is in it) re-roll the '''D8'''.

If a piece does not have 8 squares adjacent to it when prompted to 'Scatter', it is likely in a corner of the board, or along a board edge. Here is what to do in those cases.

==== Scattering from a corner (only three adjacent squares) ====
Assign each square adjacent to them the values 1 & 2, 3 & 4, and 5 & 6. Roll a '''D6''', and place that item onto the unoccupied square whose value matches the result.

==== Scattering from a board edge (only five adjacent squares) ====
Assign each square adjacent to them the values 1 to 5. Roll a '''D6''', and place that item onto the unoccupied square whose value matches the result, re-rolling the die on a result of 6.

=== Pieces off the Board ===
There are a few situations where pieces may not be on the board. The most common of which is when a piece has been '''slain'''. Less common situations involve rules that may cause a piece to be deployed or set up on the board at a later time, or rules that temporarily (or permanently) '''Banish''' pieces. As well, pieces that could be '''summoned''' by a faction’s rules are kept off the board.<blockquote>'''We advise players to use the [[Activation Tracker]] sheet provided to organize their pieces which aren’t on the board.'''</blockquote>Pieces off the board cannot Activate or Reactivate unless they have a rule allowing them to do so.

In some situations, pieces that have been Banished may return to it by some means. In all cases like this, those pieces returned to the board do not count as having Activated unless they did so earlier in the turn, or the rule bringing them back says otherwise.

* ''Eg. A Knight Activates in turn 3, is slain, then is returned to the board later in turn 3 - it still counts as having Activated.''

== Turn Structure ==
Below are the steps of a turn in two versions.

=== General Turn Breakdown ===

# "Beginning of Turn" effects.
# One player Activates a piece of theirs that hasn’t Activated yet this turn. If all their pieces have Activated, they instead choose one of their pieces and Reactivate it.
# Any "between Activations" effects resolve now.
# If there are still pieces left to Activate, go back and have the other player carry out the turn sequence from Step 2.
#"End of Turn" effects.

=== Comprehensive Turn Breakdown ===

# '''Beginning of turn effects'''
#* '''A)''' Determine who is Activating first this turn
#** This is generally the player who did not Re/Activate a piece last in the previous turn - some rules may alter this.
#* '''B)''' All effects that happen at the start of the turn resolve in the following order. For each of these steps, players will go back and forth resolving relevant and applicable rules, one at a time, starting with the player who will be Activating pieces first this turn.
#** Faction rules
#** Faction upgrades
#** Piece rules
# '''Activations'''
#* '''A)''' Player Activates a piece that hasn’t Activated yet this turn (read below section: '''Activations''')
#** The player Activating first this turn starts this off.
#** If a player has Activated all their pieces when they are passed opportunity to Activate, they instead '''Reactivate''' a piece.
#* '''B)''' Any “'''between Activations'''” effect triggered in the previous Re/Activation resolves now. '''Between Activations''' effects that are prompted will resolve in the next soonest instance of this step in a turn.
#** If a player has multiple effects to resolve here, they choose the order in which they resolve.
#** If both players have effects to resolve here, the player who had just Re/Activated a piece resolves their effects first.
#* '''C)''' Does one team have no pieces on the board? If so, the player with pieces on the board wins immediately. If not, proceed.
#* '''D)''' Are there still pieces that haven't been Activated? If yes, the other player goes back to step '''2A'''; if not, both players go to step '''3'''.
# '''End of turn effects'''
#* '''A)''' All “at end of turn” effects resolve in this order; players go back and forth like at the start of the turn, but starting with the player who did not have the last piece Re/Activation.
#** Faction rules
#** Faction upgrades
#** Piece rules
#* '''B)''' Determine alternate victory conditions.
#** If a player would meet the requisites for winning through an alternate means, it happens now.
#*** If multiple players would win this way at the same time, the player with more points worth of pieces on the board wins.
#* '''C)''' All "until the end of turn" effects cease to function now.
#* '''D)''' Turn all face-down cards face up (like Joker cards), and shuffle away any discarded cards (like Major and Minor Arcana) and cards that are being held until the end of turn. If any dice were temporarily removed from Bone pools, those are returned to their pool now too.
#** Resolve any effects as a consequence of this.
#* '''E)''' Start the next turn.

== Activations ==
'''The player who has set their pieces up first is the player who Activates a piece first in a game.'''

'''For each turn beyond the first, the player who Activates a piece first is the player who didn’t have the last Activation or Reactivation of the previous turn.''' Though some special rules may alter this.

=== Activation ===
An Activation for a piece involves:

# The player resolves any rules’ effects that can happen at the start of their Activation.
#* Should multiple effects attempt to happen at this point, the owner of the Activating piece chooses the order in which they resolve.
# Move '''or''' Attack.
# The player resolves any rules’ effects that can happen at the end of their Activation.
#* Should multiple effects attempt to happen at this point, the owner of the Activating piece chooses the order in which they resolve.

=== Reactivation ===
If the opportunity to Activate a piece is given to a player by the turn order and all of their remaining pieces have been Activated this turn, but their opponent has 1 or more pieces that haven’t Activated, the player chooses any one of their pieces to be Reactivated.

==== '''Steps of a Reactivation:''' ====

* '''If the chosen piece has no Disadvantage tokens, give it one.'''
* '''Have it carry out the steps of an Activation.'''

== Advantage and Disadvantage ==
When a piece is rolling their dice at '''Advantage''', instead of summing the results of the rolled dice, they double the result of the '''higher''' one. Inversely, when a piece is rolling at '''Disadvantage''', they double the result of the '''lower''' die instead.

If a piece would be granted Advantage on a roll it has Disadvantage on—or vice versa—they cancel each other out. If there are multiple instances of Advantage and Disadvantage applying to the same roll, each instance of one cancels out an instance of the other.

If a piece would be granted Advantage on a roll and a rule is preventing them from rolling at Advantage, that roll does not happen at Advantage. The same applies for Disadvantage and the preventing of such.

=== Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens ===
'''Pieces with Advantage tokens may spend 1 before they roll both their dice to give themselves Advantage on that roll.'''

'''If a piece has any Disadvantage tokens and they are prompted to roll their dice, they must spend 1 such token before rolling them—doing so gives Disadvantage on that roll.'''

In either case, you cannot spend more than 1 Advantage or Disadvantage token during a roll to apply their effect ''(eg. your piece is being given Disadvantage on their Attack roll, but they also have 2 Advantage tokens. You may spend 1 of those tokens to cancel out the Disadvantage on the roll, but you cannot then spend the 2nd token to give it Advantage)''. However, some special rules may allow a piece to spend multiples of these tokens for some other bonus or effect.

If a piece with an Advantage token would receive a Disadvantage token—or vice versa—they cancel each other out. This applies also when managing larger quantities of these tokens ''(eg. If a piece has 4 Disadvantage tokens and they are given 3 Advantage tokens, they will be left with 1 Disadvantage token)''.

If a piece would spend an Advantage token to roll its dice at Advantage but some effect is preventing that roll from being at Advantage, the token is still spent and they cannot roll their dice at Advantage. The same is true if a piece must spend a Disadvantage token, but some effect is preventing it from rolling its dice at Disadvantage—the token is spent, but it still cannot roll its dice at Disadvantage.

=== Dis/Advantage and Jokers ===
As Jokers only roll one die, they cannot roll it at Advantage or Disadvantage. If a Joker receives any Dis/Advantage tokens, they cannot spend them to gain Dis/Advantage. At the end of the turn, remove any/all Dis/Advantage tokens on all Jokers. A player cannot voluntarily give their own Joker either type of token unless it is the only valid target for one. A player may give an opponent’s Joker either type of token even if there are other valid targets.

=== Example Interaction ===
A Knight with an Advantage token will Attack an enemy who is adjacent to another enemy, but…

# …there is an effect preventing the Knight from Attacking at Advantage.
#* The Advantage granted to the Knight from its rule ''[[Core Rules#Knight|Mounted Advantage]]'' is inhibited. And though it will have an opportunity to spend a token, the Advantage token will have no effect.
# …there is an effect making the Knight Attack at Disadvantage.
#* The Advantage granted to the Knight from its rule ''[[Core Rules#Knight|Mounted Advantage]]'' is cancelled out by the Disadvantage affecting it, making its roll normal. It still gets an opportunity to spend the Advantage token it has; if it does spend it, its dice go from being rolled normally to being rolled at Advantage.

== Blessings and Curses ==

=== Blessed ===
'''If an effect would cause a piece on your team to receive one or more Advantage tokens, other ally pieces which have a Blessing token also receive one.'''

If a piece with a Blessing token would receive a Curse token, they cancel each other out and both are removed from the piece. A piece that is Blessed cannot have another Blessing token placed on it, nor be a target for a Blessing token.

Blessed pieces cannot gain Advantage tokens as a consequence of another Blessed piece gaining an Advantage token from an initial trigger (i.e. there is no infinite feedback loop of receiving those tokens).

=== Cursed ===
'''If an effect would cause a piece on your team to receive one or more Disadvantage tokens, other ally pieces which have a Curse token also receive one.'''

If a piece with a Cursed token would receive a Blessing token, they cancel each other out and both are removed from the piece. A piece that is Cursed cannot have another Cursed token placed on it, nor be a target for a Curse token.

Cursed pieces cannot gain Disadvantage tokens as a consequence of another Cursed piece gaining a Disadvantage token from an initial trigger (i[[Found lore: The Mortal Waters (3/3)|.]]<nowiki/>e. there is no infinite feedback loop of receiving those tokens).

=== Example Interaction ===
The following pieces are on the same team:

* Piece A
* Piece B (Blessed)
* Piece C (Blessed)

Situation 1:

* Piece A gains 3 Advantage tokens from a rule’s effect. As Pieces B and C are Blessed, they see that their ally gained some number of Advantage tokens, so they each gain 1 Advantage token. No other Advantage tokens will be gained.

Situation 2:

* Piece A has a rule that gives it an Advantage token when it successfully Attacks, and Piece B has a rule that gives allies an Advantage token when they successfully Attack.
* Piece A successfully Attacks.
* Piece A’s rule gives it an Advantage token, so Pieces B and C each gain 1, as they are each Blessed. Piece B’s rule gives Piece A an Advantage token, thus Pieces B and C each gain 1 more from their Blessings.

== Other Types of Roll Modifiers ==

=== +X or -X ===
Sometimes a rule may give +X or -X to a roll total. X is a variable modifier defined by the rule giving it that bonus or penalty, and its value is determined during the roll being made. A -X modifier cannot bring a total below 0.<blockquote>''A rule is stating that all Bishops get +X to their roll totals where X is the number of tarot cards currently dealt out. A Bishop rolls its dice, and the sum of both dice results in 7. However, the current number of tarot cards currently dealt out is 3, so the Bishop's roll total becomes 10 (7+3).''</blockquote>

=== ...would be lesser/greater than X, it becomes equal to X instead. ===
This modifier substitutes the roll total for a determined value if the roll itself would be above or below a specified threshold.<blockquote>''A rule is stating that if a piece would roll their dice and the total would be less than the number of slain pieces (X), it becomes equal to that instead. A Pawn rolls its dice, and the sum of both dice results is 2. However, the current number of all slain pieces in the game is 5, so the Pawn's roll total becomes 5 instead of 2.''</blockquote>

== Targets and Roll Success/Failure ==

=== Choosing Valid Targets ===
If you would go to resolve an effect that requires a target (often a piece), you must select a valid target that meets the mentioned criteria ''(e.g. if you attempt to Curse a piece that cannot be Cursed, you must instead select a piece that can be)''. If there is no valid target, the parts of the effect that require a target cannot resolve. Should an effect have multiple steps to its resolution, but only some parts requiring a target cannot resolve, the other parts that don’t require a target may still resolve--given that they are not contingent on the other target-requiring part to resolve.

Most of the time, effects cannot target pieces or such that are not on the board, unless they specify otherwise. The word "target" may not specifically be used, but is implied. If a rule would say something like, ''"When this King rolls doubles on a Defence roll, slay an enemy Pawn between Activations,"'' the enemy Pawn is the intended target, and for a Pawn to be a valid target in this example, it would need to meet the following criteria:
* It is a Pawn,
* It belongs to the opposing team,
* It is on the board,
* The Pawn does not have a rule preventing this action from happening.

=== Succeeding or Failing a Roll ===
Some rules or effects mention a condition being a roll succeeding or failing, this is done to keep wording brief. A success of a roll would be if the action taking place for the piece rolling did end up happening, and a failure would be the opposite. <blockquote>''As an example, a Knight is Attacking an enemy Rook. If the Knight’s Attack roll was higher than the Rook’s Defence roll, then the Knight’s Attack roll would be considered a success and the Rook’s Defence roll would be considered a failure.''</blockquote>Even in cases where a commonly bad outcome (eg. a player's piece fails a Defence roll) could be seen as advantageous for a player's strategy, that outcome is still considered a failure. '''Success or failure is based on the intent of the roll's function and not on the overall strategic goal.'''

== Faith Mechanics ==
These are a type of rule that interacts with:

* the Major Arcana/Tarot deck,
* the Minor Arcana/Playing card deck,
* or the Bone Reading mechanic.

Rules that interact with a particular mechanic of this type will say which one they use in brackets after their rule name.

=== Bone Reading ===
The Bone Reading mechanic is a pool of dice you assemble at the start of the game (unless stated otherwise in a rule's description). The contents of this pool of dice are based on the pieces on your team during list construction.

* If you have any Pawns on your team, add a '''D4''' to the pool.
* If you have any Knights, Rooks, or Bishops on your team, add a '''D6''' to the pool.
* If you have a Queen, add a '''D8'''.
* If you have a King, add a '''D10'''.
* If you have any Jokers, add a '''D20'''.

Each rule that utilizes this mechanic will tell you how to use this and interpret the results when prompted to roll.

'''You do not share this dice pool with your opponent.'''

To avoid mixing these up with your die used for normal rolls, '''keep this dice pool separate from your other dice at all times.''' We recommend using a small flat dish with short walls to hold these.
=== Minor Arcana ===
This involves using a standard 52 playing card deck (including the joker cards unless they have been removed - see the '''[[Core Rules#Card and Dice Setup|Setup]]''' section). Each faction that uses this will tell you what to do with it. '''If both players are using this mechanic, they share the same deck.''' While set up, the deck is kept face down.

You may use the Minor Arcana cards from a complete tarot set, however you will need to edit its composition so that it matches a standard deck of playing cards:

* Remove the Pages of each suit,
* The suit of Wands/Batons/Rods counts as Clubs,
* The suit of Cups counts as Hearts,
* The suit of Swords count as Spades,
* And the suit of Coins/Pentacles/Disks count as Diamonds.

Cards that get revealed and kept aside until the end of the turn get shuffled away then. Unless stated otherwise, these cards are kept face up.

Cards that get revealed and kept aside until the end of the game are not shuffled away at the end of the turn, and usually have some way of getting returned to the deck or discarded. Unless stated otherwise, these cards are kept face up. Both of these may have exceptions in special rules - read each one carefully.

Cards from this deck may become '''discarded'''. When this occurs, keep them in a distinct pile from the face-down deck. These cannot be drawn from (though if a rule says to '''search''' for a particular card, you look through this discard pile as well). These cards are kept face up. At the end of the turn, shuffle these back into the deck.

If a player would reveal some number of cards from the deck, but the deck has less than that many cards remaining in it, reveal until the deck is empty. The deck remains empty until its discard pile is shuffled back into it.<blockquote>'''While any of these cards are in a deck or pile that is facing up, they can be looked through at any time by either player. While any of these cards are in a deck or pile that is facing down, they cannot be looked through—except in the case of a rule causing a player to make their own face-down pile, which they can look through at any time.'''</blockquote>

=== Major Arcana ===
Major Arcana involves using the 22-card tarot card deck. Different versions of tarot decks have existed throughout history and still exist in a wide variety. Depending on the tarot deck you are using, you may need to edit its composition for play of this game. Since certain decks may not include some cards used for substitutions, we’ve included some alternate cards to use in their place ''(eg. if you are using a'' Minchiate ''tarot deck, use the Faith trump card for the High Priestess)''. If you are using a version where there is no named substitute for a card mentioned below, you and your opponent should agree to an alternate card from the deck that can be used in its place.

While set up, the deck is kept face down and cannot be looked through unless a rule prompts a player to search for a particular card. Rules that use this deck may tell you to “Divinate”. When a special rule prompts you to Divinate, do '''one''' of the following actions:

* Shuffle away all tarot cards that are dealt out (do not shuffle in discarded tarot cards), then deal out 3 from the top of the deck to be facing up. The first of these cards dealt out will be the '''active''' card. However''',''' if the rule causing the Divination mentions specific cards in brackets, the player resolving the Divination may choose for one of those to be '''active''' instead if they are currently dealt out. These cards in brackets can be referred to as a piece’s “preferred cards”.
* Of the cards that are already dealt out, choose an inactive card to become the new active card. The current active card becomes inactive.

Cards from this deck may become '''discarded'''. When this occurs, keep them in a distinct, face-up pile aside from the deck. These cannot be drawn from but players may look through it at any time (and '''searched''' through if a rule prompts such). At the end of the turn, shuffle these back into the deck.

If a player would reveal some number of cards from the deck, but the deck has less than that many cards remaining in it, reveal until the deck is empty. The deck remains empty until its discard pile is shuffled back into it.

==== Tarot Cards and Their Effects ====
Tarot cards can feature two types of effects: ones that resolve immediately upon being made active, and/or passive effects that trigger under certain conditions while they are active. Read each one carefully.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Card name
!Card effects
|-
|'''The Fool''' / The Madman
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, turn any/all Joker cards face up.
'''Passive:''' While this card is active, Jokers [[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|cannot be slain]].
|-
|'''The Magician''' / The Juggler / Illness
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, if a piece would slay another with an Attack roll that was at Advantage, the owner of the Attacking piece may replace them with a slain piece from their team that is of higher rank at the end of their Activation.
|-
|'''The High Priestess''' / Faith / The Popess
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, when a player goes to choose which piece to Activate their opponent chooses which piece they Activate instead. This does not apply to Reactivations.
|-
|'''The Empress''' / Night, Day
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, pieces cannot become Cursed while they are adjacent to Trees.
'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, Curse the highest ranked piece on the team which has more slain pieces.
|-
|'''The Emperor''' / Protection
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active:

* Kings [[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|cannot be slain]] unless they are the last piece of their team on the board.
* Kings cannot Attack.
|-
|'''The Hierophant''' / The Pope
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, Bless each Bishop. Then, for each Bishop of theirs that was just Blessed, each player may Curse up to one piece that does not have a faith mechanic rule.
|-
|'''The Lovers'''
|'''Immediate:''' Starting with the player that made this card active, each player Blesses an enemy piece then Curses a piece of their own.
|-
|'''The Chariot''' / Dissension
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, remove all Curses from pieces belonging to the player with fewer pieces on the board. Then each player may redeploy one of their pieces, starting with the player that made this card active.
'''Passive:''' While this card is active:

* The player with fewer pieces on the board cannot have their pieces be Cursed.
* At the start of a Blessed piece's Re/Activation, their player may spend its Blessing to redeploy it or Bump it.
|-
|'''Justice'''
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, if an enemy piece would slay one of yours, between Activations Curse that piece or a piece on their team that is of equal or higher rank as the one who slayed. If all eligible targets are already Cursed, slay one of them instead.
|-
|'''The Hermit''' / The Sage / Traitor
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, the highest ranked Blessed piece on each team gains an Advantage token. Then give a Disadvantage token to each piece that is not adjacent to another piece or terrain.
|-
|'''Wheel of Fortune''' / Fortune
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, do each of the following (if they are in play):

* Flip all Joker cards (face up cards get turned face down, and vice versa).
* Each player with a bone pool rolls them and gains a die of the type(s) that rolled the lowest result.
* All cards in the Minor arcana deck are discarded, and any Minor Arcana cards that were previously discarded are now shuffled into the deck (the deck and discard switch places).
* Shuffle all tarot cards into the major arcana deck and Divinate again.
|-
|'''Strength''' / Sovereign
|The player that makes this card active chooses one of the following:

* '''Passive:''' While this card is active, the highest ranked pieces on each team Attack at Advantage and cannot be slain.
* '''Passive:''' While this card is active, give a piece a Disadvantage token immediately after they unsuccessfully Attack, before any combat movement is resolved.
|-
|'''The Hanged Man''' / Prudence / The People
|The player that makes this card active chooses one of the following:

* '''Immediate:''' They may slay one of their own pieces. If they do, they remove any/all Curses and Disadvantage tokens from pieces on their team.
* '''Passive:''' While this card is active, pieces cannot gain or spend Dis/Advantage tokens.
|-
|'''Death''' / Morality
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, the player with fewer slain pieces must slay one of their own pieces, but this cannot cause a player to slay their last piece on the board. If, however, players are tied for the amount of slain pieces they have, instead they each put 1 Disadvantage token on an enemy piece of their choosing, starting with the player that made this card active.
'''Passive:''' While this card is active, pieces cannot have their [[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|slaying be prevented]][[Found lore: Goblin Mercenaries|.]]
|-
|'''Temperance'''
|'''Immediate:''' Starting with the player that makes this card active, each player chooses a piece of theirs that has any kind of token on it, if possible. They may remove 1 of those tokens. If they do, each enemy of theirs on the board loses 1 of those tokens as well.
|-
|'''The Devil'''
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, each piece becomes Cursed at the start of their Activation.
|-
|'''The Tower''' / House of God / House of the Devil
|'''Immediate:''' Between Activations, treat all pieces as having Activated this turn (players proceed to resolve end-of-turn effects).
|-
|'''The Star''' / Desolation
|'''Immediate:''' Starting with the player who made this card active, each player chooses a piece of theirs on the board that has Activated or is currently Activating. Those pieces do not/will not count as having Activated yet this turn. Then discard this card. If this is the first turn on the board for either of those pieces, their next Activation also counts as their first Activation of the game (for rules that care about a piece's first Activation of a game).
|-
|'''The Moon''' / Water
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, when players make a roll for a piece of theirs against an enemy piece’s roll, they may choose one of the following:

* To give their piece’s roll Disadvantage; if that roll happens at Disadvantage and is successful…
* To give their piece’s roll Advantage; if that roll happens at Advantage and is unsuccessful…

…their piece does not count as having Activated yet this turn.
|-
|'''The Sun''' / Fire
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active, each piece becomes Blessed at the start of their Activation.
|-
|'''Judgement''' / The Fires
|'''Passive:''' While this card is active:

* Rolls cannot be made at Advantage,
* Pieces cannot spend Advantage tokens,
* Pieces cannot be Summoned.
|-
|'''The World''' / Earth
|'''Immediate:''' When this card becomes active, each player may choose to redeploy all of their pieces. If they do, remove all Curses and Disadvantage tokens from those pieces. If both players choose to redeploy all their pieces, they alternate redeploying each one, starting with the player that made this card active.
|}

== Ready to Play ==
Having read through these rules, you are now ready to play a game with a friend. If you would like to read through the factions available to play, you can find them [[Factions|here]].

If you feel any part of the rules need better explanation or would like to discuss them with members of the community, you can find our discussions on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/WargameChess here], or @ us on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/wargame-chess.bsky.social here].

Enjoy!

The Blights of Winter changelog

2026-02-08T22:35:34Z

WargameChessAuthor: b.1.2

=== Version B.1.2 ===

* Changed wording to include Noble and Banish.
* Updated Solstice Totem to have Revered Structure common rule.
* Because of the changes to victory conditions that include pieces which cannot Attack, we have adjusted Barbegazi.

=== Version B.1.1 ===
Updated Yeti's Natural Camouflage rule.

* Previously, the Yeti could only receive Curse and Disadvantage tokens from things that were right next to it.
* This proved to be limited in relevance, rather wordy for a subtle effect, and didn't function well with the faction's rule.
* New version is more relevant to common game situations, and has more synergy with faction mechanics.

=== Version B.1.0 ===
The previous version was for Alpha testing, and only used internally.

The Blights of Winter

2026-02-08T22:34:18Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Piece Options */ Gave Bishop Revered Structure

=== Complexity: [[Core Rules#To Start a Standard Game|★]] ===

== Faction Rule ==

=== Conjure Winter ([[Core Rules#Minor Arcana|Minor Arcana]]) ===
When a piece's rule says to “Conjure Winter X”:

# Reveal X cards from the deck and keep 1 aside for the rest of the game;
# Discard the rest of the revealed cards;
# Use the table below to resolve the effect of the kept card.

When a piece would Conjure Winter and each enemy piece on the board has one or more [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|Disadvantage tokens]], The Thaw<ref>The Thaw itself is not an effect that resolves, it’s just a point in the game that can occur: it either has happened, or it hasn’t. The Thaw cannot occur in the middle of a Conjure Winter resolution; if, say, there is only 1 enemy without a Disadvantage token, and your Queen dies, causing you to Conjure Winter 8 and keep 4 or more cards, resolve all of those cards normally. The check for enemies with/without Disadvantage tokens happens at the start of the Conjure Winter resolution. If during the resolution of a Conjure Winter you run out of legal targets to place Disadvantage tokens on, you cannot place more Disadvantage tokens.</ref> begins. Henceforth, when a piece would Conjure Winter by any amount, you must discard that many cards you have kept aside. For each card discarded this way, remove a Disadvantage or [[Core Rules#Cursed|Curse token]] from an enemy piece. If there are no such tokens left on enemy pieces, instead place a Disadvantage token on one of your pieces.<ref>An example of how this could resolve: After The Thaw, a piece from this faction Conjures Winter 3; so you discard 3 of the kept cards; you see only 2 enemies have Disadvantage/Curse tokens, so those 2 get removed, then you give 1 piece from this faction 2 Disadvantage tokens; between removing the 2 Curse/Disadvantage tokens and giving an ally 2 Disadvantage tokens, all 3 cards discarded this way have been resolved.</ref> If a piece would Conjure Winter by any amount and there are no cards to discard this way, instead give a piece from this faction 2 Disadvantage tokens for each card you would have had to discard but could not.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Card type kept
!Effect
|-
|King
|Place 1 Disadvantage token on each enemy adjacent to your King. If you have no King, or there are no enemies adjacent to it, give 1 such token to an enemy piece that has none.
|-
|Queen
|Place 1 Disadvantage token on each enemy adjacent to your Queen. If you have no Queen, or there are no enemies adjacent to it, give 1 such token to an enemy piece that has none.
|-
|Jack or Ace
|Place 1 Disadvantage token on each enemy adjacent to one of your Rooks, Knights, Bishops, or Joker. If you have no such [[Core Rules#Other common rules, rule tags, and shorthand terms|positionals]], or there are no enemies adjacent to any of them, give 1 such token to an enemy piece that has none.
|-
|Numbered
|Place 1 Disadvantage token on an enemy piece that has none.
|}

== Piece Options ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Name (ranked highest to lowest) and quantity allowance
!Piece Type
!Additional Special Rules
!Common Special Rules
|-
|'''Father Winter'''
(0-1)
|King
|'''Freezing reign (Minor Arcana):''' At the start of this King’s Activation, Conjure Winter 2. While you have 10 or more cards kept aside from Conjuring Winter, this King cannot be Cursed, given Disadvantage tokens, or [[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|be slain]].<ref>If he would be slain while you have 10 or more cards kept aside via '''Conjure Winter''', Bump him.</ref> At the end of turn 10, if this King is still on the board you win the game.
|'''Faction Leader'''
|-
|'''Witch of November'''
(0-1)
|Queen
|'''Bone-chilling gale (Minor Arcana):''' When this Queen Attacks an enemy and they successfully Defend, give that enemy 2 Disadvantage tokens. When this Queen is slain, between Activations Conjure Winter 8 and keep no fewer than 4 of those cards.
|'''Legendary'''
|-
|'''Jack Frost'''
(0-1)
|Joker
|'''Winter wonderland (Minor Arcana):''' At the start of this Joker’s Activation, if a Joker card is face up you may turn it face down to Conjure Winter 2. When a piece Conjures Winter, for each Joker card facing down do one of the following:

* Increase the Conjure Winter amount by 1.
* Keep 1 additional card if possible.
|'''Legendary;'''
'''Fool's Endeavour'''
|-
|'''Solstice Totem'''
(0-2)
|Bishop
|'''The next solstice approaches (Minor Arcana):''' At the start of this Bishop’s Activation, Conjure Winter 3. Whenever you Conjure Winter, keep up to 1 additional revealed card for each Bishop of yours on the board, if possible. Or, if it’s after The Thaw, discard 1 additional card per Bishop of yours on the board.<ref>If after The Thaw you would, for example, Conjure Winter 3 and have 2 Bishops on the board, you will discard 5 cards.</ref>
|'''Revered Structure'''
|-
|'''Barbegazi'''
(0-2)
|Rook
|'''Friendly Demeanor:''' Enemies Attack this Rook at Disadvantage. While this Rook is not Cursed, adjacent enemies cannot Attack it.
'''Little jig (Minor Arcana):''' Immediately after this Rook ''Castles'', Conjure Winter 3. At the end of this Rook's Activation, if it is adjacent to an ally, you may place it onto an [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|unoccupied]] square adjacent to that ally.
|'''Castle'''
|-
|'''Yeti'''
(0-2)
|Knight
|'''Natural camouflage (Minor Arcana):''' While this Knight is not Cursed, if its Attack or Defence totals would be less than X, they become X, where X is the number of cards you have kept aside for Conjure Winter. When this Knight successfully Attacks or Defends, Conjure Winter 4 [[Core Rules#Turn Structure|between Activations]].
|'''Mounted Advantage'''
|-
|'''Arctic Wolf'''
(0-8)
|Pawn
|'''Prowl (Minor Arcana):''' At the start of this Pawn’s Activation you may do one of the following:

* Give it an Advantage token. If you do, it cannot Move this Activation (it may still Attack).
* Give it a Disadvantage token, Bump it, then Conjure Winter 1 (it may still Move or Attack after).
|'''En Passant;'''
'''Promotion'''
|}

=== <big>Suggested list for new players</big> ===

==== Composition ====
* 1x Father Winter
* 1x Witch of November
* 1x Barbegazi
* 2x Yeti
* 3x Arctic Wolf

==== Strategy ====
* As it has decent defensive abilities, and use your Barbegazi to block enemies from attacking your other pieces.
* Conjure Winter with Arctic Wolves, then use more aggressive pieces (like Yetis and the Witch of November) to Attack enemies with Disadvantage tokens. 

== Footnotes ==
<references />{{DEFAULTSORT:Blights of Winter, The}}
[[Category:Factions]]

The Blights of Winter

2026-02-08T22:19:47Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Piece Options */ Updated Rook rules to accomodate pacifist changes. Adjusted tip in suggested team list.

=== Complexity: [[Core Rules#To Start a Standard Game|★]] ===

== Faction Rule ==

=== Conjure Winter ([[Core Rules#Minor Arcana|Minor Arcana]]) ===
When a piece's rule says to “Conjure Winter X”:

# Reveal X cards from the deck and keep 1 aside for the rest of the game;
# Discard the rest of the revealed cards;
# Use the table below to resolve the effect of the kept card.

When a piece would Conjure Winter and each enemy piece on the board has one or more [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|Disadvantage tokens]], The Thaw<ref>The Thaw itself is not an effect that resolves, it’s just a point in the game that can occur: it either has happened, or it hasn’t. The Thaw cannot occur in the middle of a Conjure Winter resolution; if, say, there is only 1 enemy without a Disadvantage token, and your Queen dies, causing you to Conjure Winter 8 and keep 4 or more cards, resolve all of those cards normally. The check for enemies with/without Disadvantage tokens happens at the start of the Conjure Winter resolution. If during the resolution of a Conjure Winter you run out of legal targets to place Disadvantage tokens on, you cannot place more Disadvantage tokens.</ref> begins. Henceforth, when a piece would Conjure Winter by any amount, you must discard that many cards you have kept aside. For each card discarded this way, remove a Disadvantage or [[Core Rules#Cursed|Curse token]] from an enemy piece. If there are no such tokens left on enemy pieces, instead place a Disadvantage token on one of your pieces.<ref>An example of how this could resolve: After The Thaw, a piece from this faction Conjures Winter 3; so you discard 3 of the kept cards; you see only 2 enemies have Disadvantage/Curse tokens, so those 2 get removed, then you give 1 piece from this faction 2 Disadvantage tokens; between removing the 2 Curse/Disadvantage tokens and giving an ally 2 Disadvantage tokens, all 3 cards discarded this way have been resolved.</ref> If a piece would Conjure Winter by any amount and there are no cards to discard this way, instead give a piece from this faction 2 Disadvantage tokens for each card you would have had to discard but could not.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Card type kept
!Effect
|-
|King
|Place 1 Disadvantage token on each enemy adjacent to your King. If you have no King, or there are no enemies adjacent to it, give 1 such token to an enemy piece that has none.
|-
|Queen
|Place 1 Disadvantage token on each enemy adjacent to your Queen. If you have no Queen, or there are no enemies adjacent to it, give 1 such token to an enemy piece that has none.
|-
|Jack or Ace
|Place 1 Disadvantage token on each enemy adjacent to one of your Rooks, Knights, Bishops, or Joker. If you have no such [[Core Rules#Other common rules, rule tags, and shorthand terms|positionals]], or there are no enemies adjacent to any of them, give 1 such token to an enemy piece that has none.
|-
|Numbered
|Place 1 Disadvantage token on an enemy piece that has none.
|}

== Piece Options ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Name (ranked highest to lowest) and quantity allowance
!Piece Type
!Additional Special Rules
!Common Special Rules
|-
|'''Father Winter'''
(0-1)
|King
|'''Freezing reign (Minor Arcana):''' At the start of this King’s Activation, Conjure Winter 2. While you have 10 or more cards kept aside from Conjuring Winter, this King cannot be Cursed, given Disadvantage tokens, or [[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|be slain]].<ref>If he would be slain while you have 10 or more cards kept aside via '''Conjure Winter''', Bump him.</ref> At the end of turn 10, if this King is still on the board you win the game.
|'''Faction Leader'''
|-
|'''Witch of November'''
(0-1)
|Queen
|'''Bone-chilling gale (Minor Arcana):''' When this Queen Attacks an enemy and they successfully Defend, give that enemy 2 Disadvantage tokens. When this Queen is slain, between Activations Conjure Winter 8 and keep no fewer than 4 of those cards.
|'''Legendary;'''
|-
|'''Jack Frost'''
(0-1)
|Joker
|'''Winter wonderland (Minor Arcana):''' At the start of this Joker’s Activation, if a Joker card is face up you may turn it face down to Conjure Winter 2. When a piece Conjures Winter, for each Joker card facing down do one of the following:

* Increase the Conjure Winter amount by 1.
* Keep 1 additional card if possible.
|'''Legendary;'''
'''Fool's Endeavour'''
|-
|'''Solstice Totem'''
(0-2)
|Bishop
|'''Ancient obelisk:''' This Bishop cannot Attack, Move, or be relocated.<ref>Relocation includes: Bumping, placement, random placement, redeployment, random redeployment, scattering, [[Core Rules#Attack|combat movement]], or involuntary Moves/Attacks.</ref> If an enemy slays this Bishop, remove all Blessing and Advantage tokens from them, then you may Curse them.
'''The next solstice approaches (Minor Arcana):''' At the start of this Bishop’s Activation, Conjure Winter 3. Whenever you Conjure Winter, keep up to 1 additional revealed card for each Bishop of yours on the board, if possible. Or, if it’s after The Thaw, discard 1 additional card per Bishop of yours on the board.<ref>If after The Thaw you would, for example, Conjure Winter 3 and have 2 Bishops on the board, you will discard 5 cards.</ref>
|
|-
|'''Barbegazi'''
(0-2)
|Rook
|'''Friendly Demeanor:''' Enemies Attack this Rook at Disadvantage. While this Rook is not Cursed, adjacent enemies cannot Attack it.
'''Little jig (Minor Arcana):''' Immediately after this Rook ''Castles'', Conjure Winter 3. At the end of this Rook's Activation, if it is adjacent to an ally, you may place it onto an [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|unoccupied]] square adjacent to that ally.
|'''Castle'''
|-
|'''Yeti'''
(0-2)
|Knight
|'''Natural camouflage (Minor Arcana):''' While this Knight is not Cursed, if its Attack or Defence totals would be less than X, they become X, where X is the number of cards you have kept aside for Conjure Winter. When this Knight successfully Attacks or Defends, Conjure Winter 4 [[Core Rules#Turn Structure|between Activations]].
|'''Mounted Advantage'''
|-
|'''Arctic Wolf'''
(0-8)
|Pawn
|'''Prowl (Minor Arcana):''' At the start of this Pawn’s Activation you may do one of the following:

* Give it an Advantage token. If you do, it cannot Move this Activation (it may still Attack).
* Give it a Disadvantage token, Bump it, then Conjure Winter 1 (it may still Move or Attack after).
|'''En Passant;'''
'''Promotion'''
|}

=== <big>Suggested list for new players</big> ===

==== Composition ====
* 1x Father Winter
* 1x Witch of November
* 1x Barbegazi
* 2x Yeti
* 3x Arctic Wolf

==== Strategy ====
* As it has decent defensive abilities, and use your Barbegazi to block enemies from attacking your other pieces.
* Conjure Winter with Arctic Wolves, then use more aggressive pieces (like Yetis and the Witch of November) to Attack enemies with Disadvantage tokens. 

== Footnotes ==
<references />{{DEFAULTSORT:Blights of Winter, The}}
[[Category:Factions]]

Factions

2026-02-08T21:35:58Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* The Blights of Winter ★ */ b.1.2

== Core factions ==
Factions whose version codes start with a 'B' are under public Beta testing and are not yet recommended for competitive play.

=== [[King's Court]] ★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[King's Court changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Monsters]] ★ ===
Version B.1.1, view [[Monsters changelog|changelog]]

=== [[The Blights of Winter]] ★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[The Blights of Winter changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Dwarven Golems]] ★ ===
Version B.1.1, view [[Dwarven Golems changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Beastfolk]] ★★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[Beastfolk changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Townsfolk]] ★★ ===
Version B.1.1, view [[Townsfolk changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Coven]] ★★★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[Coven changelog|changelog]]

== Factions yet to be released ==
Even though faction expansions will release at different times, all 40 factions were written and internally tested during the same stage of development and are built upon each other. As we receive more public feedback on released factions, changes made to them for the better health of the game will improve the quality of future releases.

=== Heaven and Earth ===
Clergy ★★

Mole People ★★

Waterfolk ★★

Forest Elves ★★

Olympian Remnant ★★★

Eldritch Emergence ★★★

Moonfolk ★★★

=== Timeless Legends ===
Time-Lost Dinosaurs ★

Time-Lost Gunslingers ★

Tech Vikings ★★

Time-Lost Fusiliers ★★

Sir Galahad and Company ★★★

Robin Hood and his Merry Men ★★★

=== The Goblin Saga ===
Underrealm Goblins ★★

Goblin Pioneers ★★★

Goblin Mercenaries ★★

The Goblin Renaissance ★★

=== The Dark Ages ===
Star Beasts ★

Eldritch Cult ★★

Elven Revenants ★★

Undead Pirates ★★

The Necropolis Promenade ★★★

=== Battle for Technotron ===
Future Earth Defence Force ★

Agents of S.N.A.K.E. ★

Transmorphers: Mechabots ★★★

Transmorphers: Deceptoborgs ★★★

=== Anti-Core ===
Dwarven Survivors ★

The Summer Cohort ★

Ghost Town Denizens ★★

Fiend-hunter Lodges ★★

Spiderfolk ★★

Queen's Court ★★★

The Mystical League of Sorcerous Wizards ★★★

Monsters changelog

2026-02-08T21:35:06Z

WargameChessAuthor:

=== Version B.1.1 ===

* Changed wording to include Noble and Banish.

=== Version B.1.0 ===
The previous version was for Alpha testing, and only used internally.

Factions

2026-02-08T21:34:24Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Monsters ★ */ b.1.1

== Core factions ==
Factions whose version codes start with a 'B' are under public Beta testing and are not yet recommended for competitive play.

=== [[King's Court]] ★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[King's Court changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Monsters]] ★ ===
Version B.1.1, view [[Monsters changelog|changelog]]

=== [[The Blights of Winter]] ★ ===
Version B.1.1, view [[The Blights of Winter changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Dwarven Golems]] ★ ===
Version B.1.1, view [[Dwarven Golems changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Beastfolk]] ★★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[Beastfolk changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Townsfolk]] ★★ ===
Version B.1.1, view [[Townsfolk changelog|changelog]]

=== [[Coven]] ★★★ ===
Version B.1.2, view [[Coven changelog|changelog]]

== Factions yet to be released ==
Even though faction expansions will release at different times, all 40 factions were written and internally tested during the same stage of development and are built upon each other. As we receive more public feedback on released factions, changes made to them for the better health of the game will improve the quality of future releases.

=== Heaven and Earth ===
Clergy ★★

Mole People ★★

Waterfolk ★★

Forest Elves ★★

Olympian Remnant ★★★

Eldritch Emergence ★★★

Moonfolk ★★★

=== Timeless Legends ===
Time-Lost Dinosaurs ★

Time-Lost Gunslingers ★

Tech Vikings ★★

Time-Lost Fusiliers ★★

Sir Galahad and Company ★★★

Robin Hood and his Merry Men ★★★

=== The Goblin Saga ===
Underrealm Goblins ★★

Goblin Pioneers ★★★

Goblin Mercenaries ★★

The Goblin Renaissance ★★

=== The Dark Ages ===
Star Beasts ★

Eldritch Cult ★★

Elven Revenants ★★

Undead Pirates ★★

The Necropolis Promenade ★★★

=== Battle for Technotron ===
Future Earth Defence Force ★

Agents of S.N.A.K.E. ★

Transmorphers: Mechabots ★★★

Transmorphers: Deceptoborgs ★★★

=== Anti-Core ===
Dwarven Survivors ★

The Summer Cohort ★

Ghost Town Denizens ★★

Fiend-hunter Lodges ★★

Spiderfolk ★★

Queen's Court ★★★

The Mystical League of Sorcerous Wizards ★★★

Monsters

2026-02-08T21:34:05Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Piece Options */

=== Complexity: [[Core Rules#To Start a Standard Game|★]] ===

== Faction Rule ==

=== Profane Beings ===
If a piece on this team would be [[Core Rules#Cursed|Cursed]] by a tarot card, instead give them 1 [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|Advantage token]]. If a piece on this team would be [[Core Rules#Blessed|Blessed]] by a tarot card, instead give them 1 [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|Disadvantage token]].

== Upgrades ==

=== Bump in the Night (Costs 2 points) ===
At the start of each turn, you may remove up to 3 Curses from enemy pieces. If you do, choose a piece of yours on the board that has the same point cost as the amount of Curses removed, then place that piece onto an [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|unoccupied]] black square on the board.

=== Recurring Nightmare (Costs 1 point) ===
At the start of each turn, you may remove up to 4 Curses from ally and/or enemy pieces. If you do, choose a slain piece of yours whose point cost is 1 fewer than the amount of Curses removed. [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|Redeploy]] that piece.

== Piece Options ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Name (ranked highest to lowest) and quantity allowance
!Piece Type
!Additional Special Rules
!Common
Special Rules
|-
|'''Lich Duke'''
(0-1)
|King
|'''Death Magic ([[Core Rules#Major Arcana|Major Arcana]]):''' When this King slays a piece with an Attack, choose one:

* Curse an enemy;
* slay a Cursed, non-King enemy<ref>This does not count as an Attack.</ref>;
* or Divinate (The Devil, Death, The Tower).
'''Acolyte of Darkness:''' This King cannot be Blessed. If this King would be Slain while The Devil is the active card, instead Bump him ([[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|his slaying is prevented]]). While The Sun is the active card, this King rolls his dice at Disadvantage and cannot gain Advantage tokens.
|'''Faction Leader'''
|-
|'''Reanimated Flesh Hulk'''
(0-1)
|Queen
|'''It's Alive!:''' When a piece [[Divinate|Divinates]], [[Core Rules#Reactivation|Reactivates]], or is [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|Summoned]], immediately give this Queen 2 Advantage tokens<ref>This happens immediately: as soon as a piece starts to Divinate, at the start of a piece’s Reactivation, or right when an enemy is slain.</ref>. This Queen [[Core Rules#Other Types of Roll Modifiers|gets +X]] to its Defence totals where X is the number of tokens it has on itself.
'''Withdrawn:''' At the start of any piece's Activation, if this Queen is adjacent to 3 or more pieces, immediately [[Core Rules#Pieces off the Board|Banish]] it (it loses any tokens it has). If this Queen has been Banished this way, redeploy it at the start of the next turn.
|'''Legendary'''
|-
|'''Ghoul Shaman'''
(0-1)
|Bishop
|'''Carcass Collection ([[Core Rules#Bone Reading|Bone Reading]]):''' Whenever this Bishop or an ally slays an enemy, add a die of that enemy piece’s type to your bone pool. After this Bishop Moves, you may roll the bones. For each die that rolled its highest possible result or rolled a 1, Curse an enemy.
|
|-
|'''Bayou Ogre'''
(0-2)
|Rook
|'''Outta my swamp!:''' Curse an enemy when they:

* relocate<ref name=":0">Relocation includes: Bumping, placement, random placement, redeployment, scattering, [[Core Rules#Attack|combat movement]], or any involuntary Moves/Attacks.</ref> this Rook,
* end their Re/Activation in your deployment zone, or
* Attack an ally<ref>As soon as the enemy is placed into the ally’s square for the Attack (between steps 1 and 2 of the Attack sequence), give them the Curse.</ref> that is adjacent to this Rook.

When an enemy ends their Re/Activation in your deployment zone, you may redeploy this Rook [[Core Rules#Turn Structure|between Activations]].
|'''Castle'''
|-
|'''Dúlachán'''
(0-2)
|Knight
|'''Beckon Death:''' At the start of this Knight’s first Activation of the game, and at the start of each of its Reactivations, Curse a non-King piece.
'''Spine Whip:''' This Knight [[Core Rules#Other Types of Roll Modifiers|gets +X]] to its Attack totals where X is the number of slain enemies.
|'''Mounted Advantage'''
|-
|'''Grummswol'''
(0-1)
|Joker
|'''Long for this world:''' When Grummswol is slain, remove all Curses from pieces on the board. If Grummswol would be slain while a Joker card is face up, instead turn the card face down and Bump Grummswol ([[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|their slaying is prevented]]).
'''Pandemonium:''' While all Joker cards are face down, if your opponent relocates<ref name=":0" /> one of your pieces - excluding relocations caused by this rule - between Activations you may [[Core Rules#Bump|Bump]] one of their pieces, and vice versa.<ref>In the opposite case, if you relocate one of your opponent's pieces under the condition (all Joker cards face down), they get to Bump one of your pieces between Activations.</ref>
|'''Fool's Endeavour;'''
'''Legendary'''
|-
|'''Vexing Imp'''
(0-8)
|Pawn
|'''Foul Omens:''' When an enemy slays this Pawn, Curse them. When an ally is slain by an enemy [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|Noble]], you may slay a Pawn with this rule - if you do, Curse that enemy.
|'''En Passant;'''
'''Promotion'''
|}

=== <big>Suggested list for new players</big> ===

==== Composition ====
* Recurring Nightmare
* 1x Reanimated Flesh Hulk
* 1x Ghoul Shaman
* 1x Bayou Ogre
* 2x Dúlachán
* 2x Vexing Imp

==== Strategy ====
* Use your Dúlacháns and Ghoul Shaman to produce many Curses early.
** Note that Dúlacháns can place their Curses on any piece, not just enemies - if your opponent has easy ways of cleansing Curses from their own pieces, it might be helpful in the long run to Curse a piece of your own so you can spend it later via Recurring Nightmare.
* Keep your Reanimated Flesh Hulk away from clusters of pieces, and use them to attack lone enemies.

== Footnotes ==
<references />
[[Category:Factions]]

Monsters

2026-02-08T21:31:59Z

WargameChessAuthor: /* Piece Options */

=== Complexity: [[Core Rules#To Start a Standard Game|★]] ===

== Faction Rule ==

=== Profane Beings ===
If a piece on this team would be [[Core Rules#Cursed|Cursed]] by a tarot card, instead give them 1 [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|Advantage token]]. If a piece on this team would be [[Core Rules#Blessed|Blessed]] by a tarot card, instead give them 1 [[Core Rules#Advantage and Disadvantage Tokens|Disadvantage token]].

== Upgrades ==

=== Bump in the Night (Costs 2 points) ===
At the start of each turn, you may remove up to 3 Curses from enemy pieces. If you do, choose a piece of yours on the board that has the same point cost as the amount of Curses removed, then place that piece onto an [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|unoccupied]] black square on the board.

=== Recurring Nightmare (Costs 1 point) ===
At the start of each turn, you may remove up to 4 Curses from ally and/or enemy pieces. If you do, choose a slain piece of yours whose point cost is 1 fewer than the amount of Curses removed. [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|Redeploy]] that piece.

== Piece Options ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Name (ranked highest to lowest) and quantity allowance
!Piece Type
!Additional Special Rules
!Common
Special Rules
|-
|'''Lich Duke'''
(0-1)
|King
|'''Death Magic ([[Core Rules#Major Arcana|Major Arcana]]):''' When this King slays a piece with an Attack, choose one:

* Curse an enemy;
* slay a Cursed, non-King enemy<ref>This does not count as an Attack.</ref>;
* or Divinate (The Devil, Death, The Tower).
'''Acolyte of Darkness:''' This King cannot be Blessed. If this King would be Slain while The Devil is the active card, instead Bump him ([[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|his slaying is prevented]]). While The Sun is the active card, this King rolls his dice at Disadvantage and cannot gain Advantage tokens.
|'''Faction Leader'''
|-
|'''Reanimated Flesh Hulk'''
(0-1)
|Queen
|'''It's Alive!:''' When a piece [[Divinate|Divinates]], [[Core Rules#Reactivation|Reactivates]], or is [[Core Rules#Other Common Rules, Rule Tags, and Shorthand Terms|Summoned]], immediately give this Queen 2 Advantage tokens<ref>This happens immediately: as soon as a piece starts to Divinate, at the start of a piece’s Reactivation, or right when an enemy is slain.</ref>. This Queen [[Core Rules#Other Types of Roll Modifiers|gets +X]] to its Defence totals where X is the number of tokens it has on itself.
'''Withdrawn:''' At the start of any piece's Activation, if this Queen is adjacent to 3 or more pieces, immediately [[Core Rules#Pieces off the Board|Banish]] it (it loses any tokens it has). If this Queen has been Banished this way, redeploy it at the start of the next turn.
|'''Legendary'''
|-
|'''Ghoul Shaman'''
(0-1)
|Bishop
|'''Carcass Collection ([[Core Rules#Bone Reading|Bone Reading]]):''' Whenever this Bishop or an ally slays an enemy, add a die of that enemy piece’s type to your bone pool. After this Bishop Moves, you may roll the bones. For each die that rolled its highest possible result or rolled a 1, Curse an enemy.
|
|-
|'''Bayou Ogre'''
(0-2)
|Rook
|'''Outta my swamp!:''' Curse an enemy when they:

* relocate<ref name=":0">Relocation includes: Bumping, placement, random placement, redeployment, scattering, [[Core Rules#Attack|combat movement]], or any involuntary Moves/Attacks.</ref> this Rook,
* end their Re/Activation in your deployment zone, or
* Attack an ally<ref>As soon as the enemy is placed into the ally’s square for the Attack (between steps 1 and 2 of the Attack sequence), give them the Curse.</ref> that is adjacent to this Rook.

When an enemy ends their Re/Activation in your deployment zone, you may redeploy this Rook [[Core Rules#Turn Structure|between Activations]].
|'''Castle'''
|-
|'''Dúlachán'''
(0-2)
|Knight
|'''Beckon Death:''' At the start of this Knight’s first Activation of the game, and at the start of each of its Reactivations, Curse a non-King piece.
'''Spine Whip:''' This Knight [[Core Rules#Other Types of Roll Modifiers|gets +X]] to its Attack totals where X is the number of slain enemies.
|'''Mounted Advantage'''
|-
|'''Grummswol'''
(0-1)
|Joker
|'''Long for this world:''' When Grummswol is slain, remove all Curses from pieces on the board. If Grummswol would be slain while a Joker card is face up, instead turn the card face down and Bump Grummswol ([[Core Rules#Avoiding Death|their slaying is prevented]]).
'''Pandemonium:''' While all Joker cards are face down, if your opponent relocates<ref name=":0" /> one of your pieces - excluding relocations caused by this rule - between Activations you may [[Core Rules#Bump|Bump]] one of their pieces, and vice versa.<ref>In the opposite case, if you relocate one of your opponent's pieces under the condition (all Joker cards face down), they get to Bump one of your pieces between Activations.</ref>
|'''Fool's Endeavour;'''
'''Legendary'''
|-
|'''Vexing Imp'''
(0-8)
|Pawn
|'''Foul Omens:''' When an enemy slays this Pawn, Curse them. When an ally [[Core Rules#Other common rules, rule tags, and shorthand terms|positional]] is slain by an enemy, you may slay a Pawn with this rule - if you do, Curse that enemy.
|'''En Passant;'''
'''Promotion'''
|}

=== <big>Suggested list for new players</big> ===

==== Composition ====
* Recurring Nightmare
* 1x Reanimated Flesh Hulk
* 1x Ghoul Shaman
* 1x Bayou Ogre
* 2x Dúlachán
* 2x Vexing Imp

==== Strategy ====
* Use your Dúlacháns and Ghoul Shaman to produce many Curses early.
** Note that Dúlacháns can place their Curses on any piece, not just enemies - if your opponent has easy ways of cleansing Curses from their own pieces, it might be helpful in the long run to Curse a piece of your own so you can spend it later via Recurring Nightmare.
* Keep your Reanimated Flesh Hulk away from clusters of pieces, and use them to attack lone enemies.

== Footnotes ==
<references />
[[Category:Factions]]

King's Court changelog

2026-02-08T21:29:24Z

WargameChessAuthor:

=== Version B.1.2 ===

* Updated to use the Noble and Banish wordings.

=== Version B.1.1 ===

* Added the 'non-Blessed' restriction for targets of the Spy's ability.
** Being able to constantly flicker an opposing piece with virtually no counterplay options from their owner resulted in un-fun and un-interactive play.

=== Version B.1.0 ===
The previous version was for Alpha testing, and only used internally.