Crystal Crucible: The Rules
The types of cards
There are 5 types of cards in Crystal Crucible:
- Destiny
- Tile
- Memory
- Token
- Damage
Destiny cards are your fate. They are drawn when you Attack, Block, Cast a Spell, or attempt to resist a Spell. The phrase “measure your Destiny” refers to drawing a Destiny card (then sometimes adding a bonus) and comparing it to the value of the Destiny of your opponent.
Tiles have 4 Types: Open, Monster, Item, and Spell. Open Tiles grant access to Mana, which is used to Cast Spells, and also bequeath a certain number of Memories; Monster Tiles Attack player-controlled Tokens and bequeath Victory Points upon defeat, and can be Mini-bosses or Bosses; Item Tiles are held or consumed by your character to enhance your abilities; Spell Tiles mark where a Multi-Tile Spell is placed on the Battlefield. Tiles do not Move.
Memory cards are the remnants of your past. Memories hold Spells — draw them by occupying an Open Tile. Memories come from your choice of 1 of 8 Magick Types. Draw Memories from the top of your Memory deck.
There are 2 Types of Tokens: Character Tokens and Memory Tokens. Character Tokens mark your character’s place amongst the battle. Character Tokens are unique in that they can be flipped to change the Token’s facing. Memory Tokens are Cast by characters to aid them in battle. Tokens govern 5 stats: your Turn (displayed in the top left corner in a circle), Move distance (bottom left corner), Attack Range (bottom right corner), and 4 triads of Attack/Block/Cast stats (1 triad for each edge of your Token). Each Token has a passive ability that influences how it interacts with the Battlefield. There are 12 Character Tokens representing 12 classes, and a variety of Memory Tokens. Memory Tokens display their Mana Cost in the top left corner. Memory Tokens Move and Attack on the Spell Phase.
Damage cards are used to keep track of how much Damage your character currently holds.
Battle Phases
There are 3 Battle Phases in Crystal Crucible:
- Move Phase
- Attack Phase
- Spell Phase
Each player takes a turn during the Move Phase, a turn during the Attack Phase, and a turn during the Spell Phase, in an order determined by their tokens’ Turn stat. Lower Turn numbers go first.
During the Move Phase, a player Moves their character’s Token to an Open Tile within their Move distance, determined by their Tokens’ Move stat. The player places their Token hanging over the Tile, and then does 3 things:
1. Notes the Tile‘s effects on their character
2. Notes the Mana available to them (determined by the number displayed in the lower left corner of the Tile)
3. Draws the corresponding number of Memories bequeathed by the Tile (1,2,3)
If the Tile Moved to was an Item, the player places the Item in their hand. A character can Cast any Spells they hold that are Cast on the Move Phase during their Move Phase turn. Once each player has taken their Move Phase turn, the Move Phase ends, and the Attack Phase begins.
On the Attack Phase, all Monsters Attack first. A character can perform 1 Attack during their Attack Phase turn and any held Spells that are Cast on the Attack Phase. Once each player has taken their Attack Phase turn, the Attack Phase ends, and the Spell Phase begins.
During the Spell Phase, a character can Cast held Spells that are Cast on the Spell Phase. Memory Tokens Attack and Move during this Phase, and can do both immediately after being Cast. A player can end their Spell Phase turn at their discretion. Spells display the Phase they are Cast on in the top row of information.
Once each player has taken their Spell Phase turn, the Spell Phase ends, each player’s held Damage is measured against their characters’ Destinies, results are noted, and the Move Phase begins again. If any characters died at the end of the Spell Phase, they Respawn at the start of the Move Phase.
Memories
Memories hold Spells. There are 12 types of Magick, each holding 6 Memories. Memories have 4 types of cards: Core, Transient, Tile, and Token.
Your Core Memory is unforgettable. Core Memories are not discarded upon casting their Spell, and remain with your character upon death. Transient Memories are Memories that are discarded after triggering a certain action. All Spells will descibe the trigger that discards them.
Transient Memories are discarded upon character death. All Memories other than your Core Memory are Transient. Discarded Memories are placed at the bottom of your Memory Deck.
Tile Memories mark the location of a Spell on the Battlefield, and are placed over existing tiles. They display the number of Tiles they affect and the amount of Damage they deal, and can be placed on occupied Tiles.
Token Memories mark where your summoned allies are on the Battlefield. Token Memories do not interact with Open or Item Tiles, but do engage with Monster Tiles. Token Memories are active until taking 1 or more points of Damage, just like Monster tiles. All Token Memories are placed within 1 Tile of your character when Cast.
Spells
To Cast a Spell, you must have access to Mana equal to or greater than the Spell’s Mana cost. Then, enact the Spell’s effects exactly as described on the card. You are immune to your own Spells. Casting Spells does not reduce your available Mana. You can Cast as many Spells as your currently held Spells allow during your turn, provided you have the available Mana. Characters can Cast Spells on their turn, provided the Spell can be Cast on the current Phase. To Cast a Spell:
1. Select a target within the Spell’s Range
2. Determine the appropriate Casting bonus (determined by your Attack Path)
3. Draw a Destiny card, and add it to your Casting bonus
If the total value of your Cast is equal to or greater than the value of the target’s Cast, the Spell is successful. If a Spell’s text describes a different process, use the card’s text. Targets of Multi-Tile Spells determine the Cast bonus they use to attempt to resist the Spell, provided it is a possible Attack Path emanating from the Spell.
Order of Operations
When multiple players need to draw from the Destiny Deck, each player draws in the same order as the established Turn Order. However, the instigator always draws from the Destiny Deck first (i.e. the player who cast the Spell, or Attacked another character).
Movement
Only player-controlled Tokens can Move purposefully. A Token cannot Move to or over an occupied Tile. Tokens can only Move horizontally and vertically. If a Token Moves during a Phase that is not the Move Phase (e.g. using the Lancer’s ability), the Token aquires the new Tile’s Mana/effect(s), and is no longer affected by the Tile it occupied previously.
When a character Token Moves to an Open Tile, they gain access to its Mana and Memories. Tiles only bequeath Memories once, but a Tile’s Mana remains available until it is removed. Tiles are removed and replaced after a character Token Moves away from them. Memory Tokens do not cause Tiles to be removed.
Attack & Spell Range & Attack Paths
Attack and Spell Range is calculated using the same rules as Move distance: vertical and horizontal directions only. When determining the path a ranged Attack or Spell travels, trace a line from your character’s Token to the target. Lines can be shaped as a straight line, or an “L” shape. The length of either portion of the “L” can be any ratio. Attack paths ignore unintended targets. Apply your token’s Attack or Cast bonus from the edge which your Attack or Spell emanates; this is then measured against the target’s Block or Cast bonus that intersects with the Attack Path.
Who defeated a character?
If a character deals Damage to another character, and the Damaged character dies on that round’s Spell Phase, the character who Damaged them is considered their killer. If a character dies after being Damaged by multiple characters, each character that Damaged the deceased measures their Destiny. The character with the highest Destiny wins the dead character’s Victory Points.
Attacks & Blocks
Characters can perform 1 Attack on their Attack Phase turn. To perform an Attack:
1. Select a target within your Attack Range
2. Determine the appropriate Attack bonus (determined by your Attack Path)
3. Draw a Destiny card, and add it to your Attack bonus
If the total value of the Attack is equal to or greater than the value of the target’s Block, the Attack is successful. All Attacks naturally deal 1 Damage, unless otherwise stated.
Characters can perform a Block each instance they are Attacked. To perform a Block:
1. Determine the appropriate Block bonus (determined by direction only).
2. Draw a Destiny card, and add it to your Block bonus.
If the total value of the Block is greater than the value of the opposing Attack, the Attack is unsuccessful, and deals 0 Damage.
Death & Respawn
If a player draws a Destiny card with a value lower than the amount of Damage cards they hold at the end of the Spell Phase, they die. Upon death, a player discards all currently held Memories, excluding their Core Memory, and all of their active Spells are removed from the Battlefield. Dead characters Respawn at the start of the Move Phase. Place the Respawned character on the Chrysalys. They are affected by it. If multiple characters Respawn on the same Move Phase, randomly place each instead.
Random Placement
To randomly place a token, draw two Destiny cards. The sum of the two Destiny cards’ values determines which Tile the Token is placed on, ranging from a value of 0 to 14. If a randomly placed token would be placed on a Monster Tile, replace the Monster with the Token. This does not result in Victory Points. If a randomly placed Token would be placed on a player-controlled Token, draw Destiny to randomly place the Token again.
Monsters
Monsters are tiles from the Tile Deck that have Attack and Block stats. Monsters Attack any and all player-controlled tokens within 1 tile of their position on their turn. All Monsters take their turn at the start of the Attack Phase. All Monsters have 1 Attack Range, unless otherwise stated. All Monsters and Token Memories are defeated upon taking 1 Damage. Monsters and Token Memories do not draw Destiny – their Attack and Block values include simulated Destiny. During the Attack Phase, enact each Monsters’ Attack, starting with the Monster in the top left corner of the Battlefield (Tile 1 based on the random placement table), and ending with the Monster in the bottom right corner of the Battlefield (Tile 14 based on the random placement table). If a Monster is placed during the Attack Phase to fill a Tile hole, the Monster does not engage in any way with Tokens in its range. If a Boss or Mini-Boss would be played while a Boss or Mini-Boss is in play, place it at the bottom of the Tile deck. A combatant is defined as any Token/Tile with Attack/Block/Cast stats presently on the Battlefield.
Starting Play
1. Select your character (a Token).
2. Select your Magick type (6 Memories).
3. Layout the Battlefield: Place a grid of Tiles in 5 columns and 3 rows. Place the Chrysalys in the center space.
4. Randomly place your characters.
5. Begin the Move Phase.
Victory Points
Victory Points are won by defeating Monsters and characters in combat. When you defeat another player, draw the top Memory from their Memory deck. Memories won this way cannot be Cast, and cannot be Core Memories. The number of stars on a card denotes the number of Victory Points it gives. A player wins upon collecting 10 Victory Points. This occurs as soon as they have won 10 points.
Card Orientation
All cards are placed in portrait orientation. Do not rotate Tokens to landscape orientation for more advantageous Attack/Block/Cast stats.
