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BASICS
REQUIREMENTS
- 2 - 5 players.
- A normal deck of 52 playing cards.
BASIC IDEA
Mortal Swords is a combat card game, where the players attack others (in clockwise motion) on their turn.
- In the beginning, each player is dealt 6 hand cards, and the Strong Suit is declared (see below).
- The game progresses in the form of sword attacks in which one player attacks the other players.
- First the attacker plays a card (and draws a new one), and then the first defender clockwise plays a card to defend (and draws a new one right after).
- If the strike is blocked by a card of the same number or higher of the same colour / suit (see Strong Suit below), the defender is safe and the attacking motion continues on towards the next player clockwise who then defends similarly.
- Otherwise (= lower number or wrong colour / suit), the defender loses a hand card, or if lucky only a suitable armor card, and starts the next attack.
- After each attack, the played cards are discarded (face down aside). When the deck runs out, it's reshuffled by the knight who picked the last card.
- After losing all hand cards, the knight dies and the player is out of the game. The game is played until there's only one knight standing.
- If playing many games in a row, the winner chooses the player to swap places with (if many), while the dealer's job moves one spot clockwise.
STRONG SUIT
Normally, only the colour of the card matters, so there are just red cards (♥, ♦) and black cards (♤, ♧) - same colour suits being interchangeable. However, for each game a Strong Suit is declared that acts as its own suit.
- The only difference is that the Strong Suit cards cannot be substituted by the other suit of the same colour, whereas the other 3 suits can be.
- For example, if spades (♤) is the Strong Suit, then hearts (♥) and diamonds (♦) are interchangeable, and likewise you can play spades (♤) in place of clubs (♧). However, spades (♤) is the only suit that cannot be substituted (by its neighbour suit: ♧ clubs) - which makes strong suit attacks very powerful.
- So in practical terms, there are only three suits in the game: 1. Strong Suit, 2. its neighbour suit and 3. the other colour.
LAYOUT & START UP
The players are positioned into a ring, and one player chosen as the dealer.
- After dealing 6 hand cards to each, the dealer draws one more card and puts it face up sideways under the deck: it's the Strong Suit for the game.
- With 5 players, it's recommended to play with 5 cards instead of 6 (to speed up the game and fatten the deck), and possibly skip Warrior's Vow (to balance back).
- Optional: With Warrior's Vow, each player puts 1 hand card face down, and when all ready turns it face up as the first armor (so each has 5 hand cards).
- The first attack of the game is started by the player on the dealer's left.
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PLAYING
SWORD ATTACK
The attacker starts by either playing a hand card and drawing a new one, or playing the topmost card of the deck as a random card.
- The next player clockwise then defends against the attack similarly by playing a hand card (and drawing a new one) or with a random card.
- DODGING: Any card of the same number dodges the strike - the player cannot get the initiative, however. The next player clockwise then defends.
- BLOCKING: Likewise any higher number of the same colour (or same suit - see Strong Suit) blocks from damage, but might also give the defender the initiative.
- TAKE DAMAGE: Anything else results in either losing a hand card or a suitable armor card (see below). The attack stops and the loser starts the next one.
- Whenever a player has played a hand card (not random card), he immediately draws a new replacement card from the deck. The only exception is when the loser wants to use the attacking card as the armor (see Damage & Armors below).
- The next turn goes to the loser (3.), or if none to the highest number blocker (2.) - if many the first one. If all dodged (1.), the attacker gets a new turn.
ATTACKING RESTRICTIONS
There are two special rules regarding attacks:
- Aces are number 1 (= the lowest) when used for attacks, but number 14 (= the highest) while defending.
- Regardless of this, defending an ace with another ace always dodges (1.) the attack - instead of (2.) blocking or (3.) taking damage.
- It's not allowed to attack with a face card (J, Q, K) of the Strong Suit except by random choice. (Aces are fine, since they are number 1 when attacking.)
DAMAGE & ARMORS
When taking damage, the player must do one of the following:
- Put a hand card face up on the table as a face up armor card. The player does not pick up a new card (and so has 1 hand card fewer).
- Take the attacking card as a face up armor. This requires having played a hand card (knowing it will fail) without drawing a new card (so 1 hand card fewer).
- In practice, the loser simply plays a poor card and takes the attacking card directly as a face up armor, and then starts the next attack.
- Use an existing face up armor card to absorb the damage by turning it face down (= cannot be used again) - and not lose a hand card.
- To be effective, the armor card must be face up and of the same colour / suit (for the Strong Suit) as the attacking card - numbers make no difference.
- In other words, the other colour and strong suit armors provide 50% protection, whereas the non-strong neighbour suit only provides 25% protection.
Upon losing the last hand card, the knight dies and his cards are discarded (to be reshuffled back), while the player on his left gets the next turn.
- Note. The total number of cards per player is always 6 (= hand cards + armor cards): All start in hand -> can become face up armors -> turned face down.
- The choices for armors last until death: The armor cards are discarded (and reshuffled back to the deck) only after the knight dies (-> out of the ring).
- The next player clockwise then defends against the attack similarly by playing a hand card (and drawing a new one) or with a random card.
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EXTENSIONS
WARRIOR'S VOW (recommended)
The only change is that in the beginning each player performs a Warrior's Vow (= to fight until death) by dropping one hand card face up as the first armor card leaving each with 5 hand cards. Traditionally each player puts their chosen card face down, and all reveal them simultaneously.
- This variation skips the corteous beginning part of the game and jumps right into action - making the game shorter but more dynamic.
GENTLEMAN'S RULE (recommended)
On their first attacking turn, the players are not allowed to attack with a card of the Strong Suit nor with a high card (J, Q, K of any suit).
- If unable to do so, the player should play a random card as his/her first attack. (Note. The rule only affects the very first attacking turn of each player.)
- This variation is usually used with Warrior's Vow because it makes the beginning shorter while this makes it a bit softer.
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STRATEGY
THE 3 SUITS
It's best to think of the colours and suits in three categories: 1. the Strong Suit, 2. its neighbour suit and 3. the other colour.
- The Strong Suit is the most important channel of attack, because it cannot be protected by its neighbour suit like other suits can.
- In particular, the high cards (J, Q, K) and the ace (A) of the Strong Suit are used for defense, and the lower cards for attacking (10, 9, ... but even low ones).
- Cards of the neighbour suit are less important but useful:
- They can be used for attacking the Strong Suit by eating away the opponent's defensive cards - even low cards of the neighbour suit might be very useful.
- The neighbour suit cards are also useful because (unlike the Strong Suit) they can be attacked by high cards (J, Q, K). Often an attack against the Strong Suit is finished off by an attack on the neighbour suit.
- Half of the deck consists of the cards of the other colour, so they are abundant.
- Accordingly they are the easiest to protect and least useful in attacks. The other colour cards are often used for dodging (by the same number).
- However, because attacking with high cards of the other colour is allowed, you can deliver very deadly combos with them.
NUMBERS FOR PURPOSES
The number of the card tells how powerful it is, and thus what it's good for.
- The higher the number the more powerful the card is. For the Strong Suit, the high cards (J, Q, K) can only be used for defense (which can sometimes render them as extra baggage), but on other suits dangerous attacks can be delivered with them.
- Aces are meant for defense. The only time you'd use an ace for an attack (as number 1) is by attacking the Strong Suit and being fairly certain your opponent cannot defend it (typically near the end).
- The lowest numbers are typically unwanted cards. However, they are sometimes handy for dodging attacks by the same number, and even low cards of the Strong Suit are useful in attacking combinations.
KNOW YOUR ARMORS
While your hand cards flux, the armor cards are more permanent and thus bear strategical implications.
- For suits:
- You'd always like at least one armor of the Strong Suit: it's the only armor protection against Strong Suit (and protects against 50% of cards).
- The next best is an armor of the opposite colour (also 50% protection). With opposite colour and Strong Suit armors, you're fully protected.
- The neighbour suit armor only protects against the neighbour suit (25%) so it's least useful.
- Because the number of the armor card makes no difference, it's best to sacrifice low number cards as armors.
- However, sometimes you might also consider giving up a high card (J, Q, K) or an ace (A) of the Strong Suit as an armor for strategic reasons. Because, if the card is out of play, this makes Strong Suit more vulnerable, while you get a protecting armor against it. This is especially true if your target is weak on the Strong Suit, or if there are more vulnerabilities (= it's done again, or the original Strong Card is a high card).
- It's good to repeatedly re-evaluate your and your opponents' weak suits: ie. any suit that is unprotected by the armor cards.
- These suits are called weak, because an attack on them hits a hand card instead of the armor. So you're likely to be attack on your weak suits.
- Conversely, in regards to your own armor, it would be best to attack with your protected suits: because you're less likely attacked there, and if you are, the armor can take the hit.
THE ART OF ATTACK
Here are some collected wisdoms that have risen out of many iterations of gameplay.
- When the armors start popping up, look for weak suits (= unprotected by armor) - your own and opponents.
- When attacking, use combos of the same suit (often ascending number), don't just attack here and there. With the colour of the Strong Suit, use the neighbour suit in combination with the Strong Suit (see above).
- Whenever you have a high card (of other than the Strong Suit), think about attacking with it. Especially with many high cards, because you also have something against counter attacks, and on the other hand, can deliver longer combos.
- Some players even go with the strategy of never attacking with low cards but instead recycle them away when taking damage (or by lucky dodging). Often to the extreme of attacking by random cards instead of using off bad cards in attacks.
- Remember to counter attack: When an opponent attacks on a particular suit (especially the higher the number), his/her defences on that suit are also weakened. It's not uncommmon to take a hit and then deliver a hit right back on the same suit (especially in duels).
- Near the end (with only 2 players left), it might even be a good idea to willingly take a hit and use the last card that could have protected to deliver a hit back instead. This is more favourable if: 1. you know your opponent is weak on that suit, 2. you have many bad cards, 3. you have an armor of that suit, 4. the opponent has fewer hand cards than you.
- Openings for attacks come from seeing opponents defending with high cards (J, Q, K and A) or knowing that they cannot have them (not yet shuffled back, you hold them, or used as armor). So it's good to keep track of them and when the deck is reshuffled - always scan for openings on the Strong Suit.
- If you can dodge an attack with a very low card (of the same number), it might be a good opportunity to trash it away (especially if not Strong Suit) and let the opponent keep the initiative. You might also prefer dodging when you know you can't get the next turn anyhow (with many players).
- When faced with almost certain damage, it's often best to just take the hit and trash a bad card instead of trying your luck against the odds. You might also consider taking the attacking card as an armor (and thus not picking a new hand card), especially if you're weak on the attacked suit.
THE 4 PHASES OF MORTAL SWORDS
As the largest scale strategical layer, you should orientate yourself and your plans according to the phase of the game.
- The beginning / opening lasts until a few armors have appeared.
- The situation is very equal and no long term weaknesses have appeared.
- It's advantegous to prolong taking your first hit, as you have no armor and you lose a hand card immediately (unless playing Warrior's Vow). This makes it common to try to stay well protected as long as possible, which in turn can make the beginning phase longer - but nothing's forever.
- The middle game comes after the opening stage:
- It's characterised by the presence of armors which bear important strategical meanings (both your own and opponents, see above).
- There are more hand card weaknesses due to lost hand cards, but not so much as to go crazy: It's better to focus attacking past the armors.
- With multiple players, it's often beneficial to be aggressive and try to win the initiative, at least in the early and middle game. This is because when you're attacking, you cannot get hurt.
- The killing game begins when one or two players have only 1 or 2 cards left.
- The focus of the healthy knights goes to making sure they'll stand well when the end game starts. Because they'd like to attack the players doing well, they might sometimes help or protect the dying knights (until the end game).
- The focus of the dying knights is instead merely in staying alive, as they tend to have very few options anyhow.
- The end game starts when there are only two players left and they have only a few (1 - 3) cards left.
- Typically this stage is characterized by focus on survival but also on fiercely attacking the potential weaknesses. Obviously the one with more hand cards has an advantage, but things are far from clear, and suitable armors can easily turn the situation around.
- If possible, the aim is to attack with suits that get past the opponent armor (if any) while keeping other suits for defense. But of course having hand cards to balance your armor weaknesses is important as well.
GLOSSARY FOR DAMAGE
- Slash to the chest (= Warrior's Vow).
- Slash to the arm.
- Losing one arm.
- Losing one leg.
- Losing the other leg.
- Slash of death.
- The Strong Suit is the most important channel of attack, because it cannot be protected by its neighbour suit like other suits can.
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HISTORY
v1.4 (2023-10-17)
- Simplified a few details, mostly to better fit multi-player-game (regarding 1. attacking turns, 2. using the attack card as armor, 3. dodging with aces, 4. who reshuffles). Accordingly dropped the variations (as their purpose was to address the multi-player imbalance), and extended the support up to 5 players.
v.1.3.2 (2021-12-01)
- Last refines to the basic game (mostly regarding the variations).
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THANKS
SPECIAL THANKS
Special thanks to Ville Viitala for important ideas, testing and feedback.
FOR IDEAS, HELP WITH DEVELOPMENT & PLAYING
Ville Viitala, Johannes Aho, Emmi Viitala, Rosanna Viitala, Tomi Laine, Antti Mannila and Akseli Leinonen.