3stica: Difference between revisions
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⚫ | <h1 align=center>INTRO</h1><p>3Stica ("Threestica") is a quick little abstract territory-based war game, being the unholy union of the original [[Gnostica]] rules (and, by extension, a Tarot deck), a set of FATE/Fudge dice, and a "3house" set of Looney Pyramids. The cards make up an oft-changing board, and players move Looney Pyramids around the board as minions. Every card has a power, and when a player has one of his pyramids on a card, he or she may use the power of that card through the minion. Players also have a hand of cards which allow them to use those powers through any of their minions. Cards are worth points while occupied, and the game ends when the deck is exhausted an agreed-upon number of times (once per player, for a normal game). Playing time: 15-30 minutes</p> |
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<title>3STICA |
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⚫ | <h1 align=center>INTRO</h1><p>3Stica ("Threestica") is a quick little abstract territory-based war game, being the unholy union of the original Gnostica rules (and, by extension, a Tarot deck), a set of FATE/Fudge dice, and a "3house" set of Looney Pyramids. The cards make up an oft-changing board, and players move Looney Pyramids around the board as minions. Every card has a power, and when a player has one of his pyramids on a card, he or she may use the power of that card through the minion. Players also have a hand of cards which allow them to use those powers through any of their minions. Cards are worth points while occupied, and the game ends when the deck is exhausted an agreed-upon number of times (once per player, for a normal game). Playing time: 15-30 minutes</p> |
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<h3>REQUIRED EQUIPMENT</h3> |
<h3>REQUIRED EQUIPMENT</h3> |
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<li>MINION -- Any of your pyramids on a card which is activated, or any pyramid allowed to act via other game effects, is a 'minion' for the current turn. |
<li>MINION -- Any of your pyramids on a card which is activated, or any pyramid allowed to act via other game effects, is a 'minion' for the current turn. |
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<li>TERRITORY -- Any card currently in play on the board is a territory; only three pyramids are allowed per territory. |
<li>TERRITORY -- Any card currently in play on the board is a territory; only three pyramids are allowed per territory. |
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<li>ORIENTATION -- A minion may point in any four of the cardinal directions, or straight up (targeting its own territory). |
<li>ORIENTATION -- A minion may point (laying on its side) in any four of the cardinal directions, or straight up (targeting its own territory). |
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<li>TARGET -- The pyramid(s) or territory a minion is pointing to; a minion may only affect the pyramid/territory targeted, but a minion may always target itself, regardless of orientation. |
<li>TARGET -- The pyramid(s) or territory a minion is pointing to; a minion may only affect the pyramid/territory targeted, but a minion may always target itself, regardless of orientation. |
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<li>WASTELAND -- The space at the outside edge of the current gameboard, one card wide (i.e., blank spaces) |
<li>WASTELAND -- The space at the outside edge of the current gameboard, one card wide (i.e., blank spaces) |
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<li>QUEEN -- Three-pip Looney Pyramid (three per player) |
<li>QUEEN -- Three-pip Looney Pyramid (three per player) |
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<li>CREATE -- Add a new pawn to the board OR play a card to the board |
<li>CREATE -- Add a new pawn to the board OR play a card to the board |
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<li>MOVE -- Move or push one |
<li>MOVE -- Move or push one pyramid for your minion's value OR push an empty/friendly territory |
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<li>GROW -- Replace a pyramid with one size larger OR replace a territory with one of greater value |
<li>GROW -- Replace a pyramid with one size larger OR replace a territory with one of greater value |
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<li>ATTACK -- Reduce target pyramid by the difference between rolls OR replace a territory with one of lesser value |
<li>ATTACK -- Reduce target pyramid by the difference between rolls OR replace a territory with one of lesser value |
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<h3>STARTING PLAYER</h3> |
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<p>To start the game, every player ‘bids’ a card at once. The player with the highest value Major card wins the bid; if nobody bid one, then the player with the highest value Minor card wins the bid. If there is still a tie, set aside the bid cards and repeat until someone wins the bid. The player to the right of the winner fills his hand to five from the bid cards, as does each player anticlockwise around the table. Finally, the winner claims the remaining card(s) and takes the first turn, with play proceeding clockwise.</p> |
<p>To start the game, every player ‘bids’ a card at once. The player with the highest value Major card wins the bid; if nobody bid one, then the player with the highest value Minor card wins the bid. If there is still a tie, set aside the bid cards and repeat until someone wins the bid. The player to the right of the winner fills his hand to five from the bid cards, as does each player anticlockwise around the table. Finally, the winner claims the remaining card(s) and takes the first turn, with play proceeding clockwise.</p> |
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<h3>SCORING</h3> |
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<p>Your score is the total value of territory occupied solely by your pyramids: Major territories are each worth 2 points, while Minor ones are 1 point. Wastelands count for nothing.</p> |
<p>Your score is the total value of territory occupied solely by your pyramids: Major territories are each worth 2 points, while Minor ones are 1 point. Wastelands count for nothing.</p> |
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<h3>WINNING</h3> |
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<p>When the discard pile must be reshuffled, flip the turn marker; once the cards have been exhausted again, the players each take another turn, the game ends, and players take score. The player with the highest score wins the game.</. |
<p>When the discard pile must be reshuffled, flip the turn marker; once the cards have been exhausted again, the players each take another turn, the game ends, and players take score. The player with the highest score wins the game.</. |
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<h3>TURN ACTIONS</h3> |
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On your turn, you must choose *ONE* of the following:<br> |
On your turn, you must choose *ONE* of the following:<br> |
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<li>If you have no pyramids on the board, you must create a pawn in any empty territory or wasteland. |
<li>If you have no pyramids on the board, you must create a pawn in any empty territory or wasteland. |
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<li>Yes, a minion using the Sun can place a Major territory in a targeted wasteland without first creating a Minor territory. Similarly, you can create a Drone without a pawn in your stash.<br> |
<li>Yes, a minion using the Sun can place a Major territory in a targeted wasteland without first creating a Minor territory. Similarly, you can create a Drone without a pawn in your stash.<br> |
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<p>^A "3HOUSE" set is three [[icehouse piece |
<p>^A "3HOUSE" set is three [[icehouse piece|Looney Pyramid]] stash sets. If you already have your own pyramids, you need three of each size of one color, per player.<br> |
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†Originally, [[http://www.ginohn.com/wunder201005/games/Gnostica/GnosticaRules.html Gnostica]] was played with a Tarot deck; if playing 3stica with them, Cups = create, Rods/Wands = move, Discs/Coins/Pentacles = grow, and Swords = attack. My thanks to [[https://www.thegamecrafter.com/games/gnostica this fine designer]] for being the main inspiration behind this game.<br> |
†Originally, [[http://www.ginohn.com/wunder201005/games/Gnostica/GnosticaRules.html Gnostica]] was played with a Tarot deck; if playing 3stica with them, Cups = create, Rods/Wands = move, Discs/Coins/Pentacles = grow, and Swords = attack. My thanks to [[https://www.thegamecrafter.com/games/gnostica this fine designer]] for being the main inspiration behind this game.<br> |
Revision as of 10:55, 6 March 2017
INTRO
3Stica ("Threestica") is a quick little abstract territory-based war game, being the unholy union of the original Gnostica rules (and, by extension, a Tarot deck), a set of FATE/Fudge dice, and a "3house" set of Looney Pyramids. The cards make up an oft-changing board, and players move Looney Pyramids around the board as minions. Every card has a power, and when a player has one of his pyramids on a card, he or she may use the power of that card through the minion. Players also have a hand of cards which allow them to use those powers through any of their minions. Cards are worth points while occupied, and the game ends when the deck is exhausted an agreed-upon number of times (once per player, for a normal game). Playing time: 15-30 minutes
REQUIRED EQUIPMENT
GLOSSARY
SETUP
Each player starts with a complete set of nine pyramids. Deal out five cards to each player, then tile nine cards face-up in a three-by-three grid. These are the first nine territories comprising the play area; place the remaining cards face down as the draw pile (leave room for discards).
STARTING PLAYER
To start the game, every player ‘bids’ a card at once. The player with the highest value Major card wins the bid; if nobody bid one, then the player with the highest value Minor card wins the bid. If there is still a tie, set aside the bid cards and repeat until someone wins the bid. The player to the right of the winner fills his hand to five from the bid cards, as does each player anticlockwise around the table. Finally, the winner claims the remaining card(s) and takes the first turn, with play proceeding clockwise.
SCORING
Your score is the total value of territory occupied solely by your pyramids: Major territories are each worth 2 points, while Minor ones are 1 point. Wastelands count for nothing.
WINNING
When the discard pile must be reshuffled, flip the turn marker; once the cards have been exhausted again, the players each take another turn, the game ends, and players take score. The player with the highest score wins the game.</.
TURN ACTIONS
On your turn, you must choose *ONE* of the following:
Then, give the turn marker to the next player, clockwise.
MINOR CARD POWERS
Alternatively, create a territory by placing a Minor card from your hand into a targeted unoccupied (or friendly) wasteland. You may not create in the void - nothing lives in the void. Any pyramids on the target wasteland remain there in the same orientations, even though the territory under them has changed. If you don't have a Minor card in your hand, you cannot create a territory.
Alternatively, you may push a territory in the direction the minion is pointing, but only if the territory is not occupied by enemy pyramids. When a territory is pushed, all pyramids remain in their original space, with orientations intact. The territory may be pushed up to as many spaces as the minion has pips. The territory may be pushed through any space, but must land in an unoccupied (or friendly) wasteland. If a territory lands in a wasteland you control, place the territory under your pyramids. You may not push a territory into the void.
Alternatively, you may grow the target unoccupied (or friendly) territory. Discard it and replace with one from your hand worth more than the original territory; thus, a Minor card can be grown into a Major territory, while any card may be replaced with a higher-value card of the same type. Any pyramids on the targeted space remain there, in the same orientations, even though the territory under them has changed. If you don't have an appropriate card in your hand, you cannot grow that territory.
Alternatively, you may attack the target unoccupied (or friendly) territory. Discard the it and replace with one from your hand worth one less point than the original; thus, a Major card can be shrunk to a Minor territory and a Minor can be reduced to a wasteland. Any card may be replaced with a lower-value card of the same type. Any pyramids on the targeted space remain there, in the same orientations, even though the territory under them has changed, unless you destroy a territory and it leaves minions in the void (remember -- nothing lives in the Void). If you don't have an appropriate card in your hand, you cannot use this action.
MAJOR CARD POWERS
When a Major card is played or activated, multiple actions may be taken by a single minion, or multiple minions may each take a single action. When playing Death, two different minions may attack, or one minion could attack twice; if Lovers is activated, one of your pyramids could move off of the Lovers and can still use Lovers' grow action, or a pyramid on Lovers could use move to push away one of your pyramids, and that minion could still use grow.
Please note that you may not reverse the order of a Major card with two different powers -- the Hanged Man is always an attack followed by trading hands, and never the other way around!
NOTES
^A "3HOUSE" set is three Looney Pyramid stash sets. If you already have your own pyramids, you need three of each size of one color, per player.
†Originally, [Gnostica] was played with a Tarot deck; if playing 3stica with them, Cups = create, Rods/Wands = move, Discs/Coins/Pentacles = grow, and Swords = attack. My thanks to [this fine designer] for being the main inspiration behind this game.
‡Fudge dice are six-sided dice with 1:3 odds of getting each symbol: a plus (+), a minus (-), and a blank face. Anything with identical odds - like a deck of cards with one suit removed - may be substituted.