Invoke Official Rules

Invoke Version 0.3.1

Free Print and Play coming soon!

Being this is a blog post refer to Official Invoke Card game Rules page  

Invoke is a turn based strategy card game with the goal of accumulating power through Thaumaturgy.  Thaumaturgy is the practice of summoning the power of the elements through Invocation.  This Art is practiced by Mages.

The game is played by combining cards to achieve a desired effect.

This game is all about creating new and unexpected card combinations; so don’t rely on the included Invocations as anything other than a small sample of multiple possibilities.

(see end of instructions for examples)

Object of the Game     “I have the Power!”

The game is won by “Invoking elements” to attack your opponents' power while trying to defend your own.  Like life, the player (Mage) with the most toys (Gems) wins.

The game ends when either: (whichever comes first)

a)    Only one Mage with any power remains (the winner); OR

b)   The Aether is depleted - at which point the Mage with the most power wins.

Power Gems

Mages keep account of their power through the use of “Power Gems”. Each Mage should have a bank of Power Gems. Any item can be used - coins, marbles, etc. - the gems move around, so they do not have to be different for each Mage.

To keep the game play fast we have found the following combinations work well … This is only a suggestion.

  10 Mages = 3 Power Gems

  6-9 Mages = 4 Power Gems

  4-5 Mages = 5 Power Gems

  2-3 Mages = 7 Power Gems 

The Aether

This is a general bank of Power Gems representing the total unclaimed magical power loose in the world.  The gems in the Aether will equal 1/2 of the starting gems for any one Mage, rounded up (3 Mages, 7 gems - Aether = 4 gems) When the Aether is empty - magic is depleted and the game ends. NOTE:  The Aether is on a different physical plain - you can target Aether Power Gems for destruction (Target Power Gem) but you cannot steal from the Aether with a Move card because they are neither to the left nor right of any one Mage.

Cards - the Three Decks

Invoke consists of three distinct decks, each with multiple suits which are explained in more detail later on. Cards from different decks are combined to form Invocations.  The deck descriptions in these instructions describe the cards available in the starter Invoke set.  It is possible that further booster packs may introduce new suits within the three decks.

1)    Manifest: These are things that can be manifested in physical form (Nouns).  The Manifest deck has three suits:

a)    Magical items;

b)   Elements; and

c)     Creatures.     

2)    Thaumaturgy: This is the deck of magic, but magic can sometimes get out of control, resulting in unintended consequences or random events.  The Thaumaturgy deck has two suits: 

a)    Action; and

b)   Chaos.

3)    Focus:  To invoke magic is to call and then direct power.  All magic must be focused either externally or internally.  The Focus deck has two suits: 

a)    Target (the external focus); and

b)   Modifier (the internal focus)

Setting the Game

1)    Place the appropriate amount of Power Gems in front of you.

2)    Seed the Aether (this is a bank of Power Gems that is equal to the number of 1/2 Gems any one Mage has at the start of the Game)

3)    Separate the Card set into its 3 decks, forming a stack and an associated discard pile for each deck.

4)    Each Mage draws their starting hand by taking cards from the three piles in any combination until they have 7 cards in their hand.  No more then 3 cards can be taken from any one pile.

5)    CHAOS CARDS ON SET UP:  Chaos cards in the Thaumaturgy deck are always played immediately EXCEPT on the set up draw.  Any Chaos cards drawn at the initial hand should be discarded.  After every Mage has their starting hand - add the Chaos cards back into the Thaumaturgy deck and reshuffle it.

6)    Choose who goes first.  This can be done by any method according to house rules.  We like the gamer geek dice stack [Who can stack D20 the highest].  But this game has no dice (unless you use them as your Power Gems) so whatever works for you works for Invoke.

Sequence of Play

1)    At the start of each turn the Mage draws cards from the three piles in any combination until they have 7 cards in their hand. No more then 3 cards can be taken from any one pile on any one turn. 

2)    Unless a card is played that states otherwise:

a)    Mages may never have more than 7 cards in their hand; and

b)   Mages can only draw cards at the start of their turn before any invocations.

3)    The Mage takes their turn by combining cards to Invoke magic. (See Examples) 

4)    They place their invocations on the table in front of them. 

5)    An Invocation that is being currently formed is called the “Current Invocation”.  If the Invocation is such that it can last beyond the turn or is delayed, it remains in front of the Mage as an “Established Invocation”.  There is no limit to the number of Established Invocations that a Mage may have.

6)    The Mage can place as many cards into an Invocation as they like - as long as the Invocations are sensible and self-explanatory.

7)    All damage takes effect at the end of play - once all the current Mage’s Invocations are complete.  This allows a targeted Mage to Invoke counter spells if they are able (as with a “Haste” modifier or “Target Current Invocation” card)

8)    Any Power Gems that are DESTROYED by Invocation are removed from play.  They are NOT placed into the Aether.

9)    If the Mage is not able to Invoke, then they MUST discard two cards before passing their turn.

10)    At the end of their turn, after all invocations and damages, the Mage may, if they choose, discard any or all of the cards remaining in their hand.  Discarding is NOT required if an Invocation has occurred.

11)    Play continues Clockwise (unless caused to change by a card)

12)    The Ghost round:

a)    When a Mage’s power is depleted the Mage may remain in the game until the end of their next turn.  If they have no Power Gems left at the end of their next turn, then they are removed from the game.

 

 

Invocations

Duration

Invocations only last 1 turn, unless modified by a “Sustain” or “Delay”.  Unmodified Invocations are “Current Invocations” for the purpose of Target Cards (See Focus Deck section).  Sustained or Delayed Invocations are “Established Invocations”

Build Wall Invocations have a built in “Sustain” and last as long as they are charged (See Thaumaturgy) section, so are always “Established Invocations”.

Any Invocation that manifests a Magical Item or a Creature is permanent until destroyed - but is NOT an Established Invocation for the purpose of Target Cards.

Sequence:  IT MATTERS

The Sequence in which you combine the cards is the art of Thaumaturgy!

Example: You have the following four cards: +2, Move Left, Air, Fire

+1 & Move Left  & Air & Fire = An Invocation that moves left once, attacks with Air, moves left again and attacks with Fire.  NOTE: If you did not have the second element (Fire) the Invocation would have nothing to attack the second Mage.  Even if your Air had a +1 on it - this is just a single Air element with a Power of 2 (assumed 1 of card +1 more), not two Air elements

Move Left  & +2 & Air & Fire = An Invocation that Moves three space (the initial Move Left Space + two more) to the left and attacks that single Mage with both Air and Fire.

Move Left  & Air & Fire & +2 = An Invocation that attacks the Mage to your immediate left with 1 Air element and a Fire Element with a power of 3

Disputes

There are all kinds of ways to Invoke and there is no way to have all the combinations in the instructions. When attempting new and creative combinations, there  will be times when another Mage disagrees with you. In cases like this you will have to convince them why it should work the way you want. However creating generalized house rules about Invocation structure will more than likely bite you in the ass later. So be careful. There will be a list of known working Invocations on our website under Invoke and we are happy to have Mages send us suggestions and inquiries.

Manifest Deck

This is the deck of any object that can Manifest in reality: Elements, Magical Items and Creatures. By themselves they are harmless. Objects cannot move on their own,  they need to be moved with an event. Thus just throwing down a fire card does not make a fireball or a defensive shield.

Elements  (for more explanation of defensive use see “Build Wall”  Thaumaturgy Action Card)

These cards are the building blocks of the game.  Thaumaturgy is the invocation of elemental power. Each Element has an inherent 1 damage which can be modified with (+) Cards.  Alternately, that power can be diminished with (-) cards as in the case of:  Target Current Invocation & (Element here) & -1

An Element is fully blocked without damage by itself:  A Shield Wall with a Fire Element will block all Fire attacks no matter what the power modifications without taking damage.

An Element absorbs damage from its opposite: A Shield Wall with a Fire Element will counter a Water Element on a power to power basis - one Fire element will destroy one Water Element but also destroy itself in the process.

An Element does not respond to Elements that are not itself or opposite - Fire and Water neither take damage from nor block attacks from Air or Earth. 

Opposing Elements May NOT be combined in the same invocation.  For Instance:

The +2 & Move Left Invocation moves left once, has an effect and moves left again.  This can have 2 Fire Elements on it, or a Fire Element and either an Earth or Air element, but NOT a Fire and Water

Creatures

Each creature has its own special abilities. In the basic set they hold cards. In later versions they may become offensive weapons.  See the Card for explanation.

Creatures are also aligned with specific Elements.  A Mage may not defend a creature with a wall of its opposing Element, nor may they have two creatures in play at the same time that are of opposing Elements (A Mermaid and an Imp for instance)

Magic Items

A Mage may only have 1 Magic Item in play at any one time!

Tomes:

Tomes allow a Mage to bank up to 3 cards from any one deck for later use.  The Tome is placed face up in front of the Mage but the cards may be placed face down. So a Mage with a hand full of Manifest cards but no targets or actions may want to create a Manifest Tome - getting the cards out of their hand without forcing them to discard.

Once a Tome has been depleted it must be discarded.  A Tome May not be regenerated after being played - even if it was originally played with less than the 3 card maximum.

Wands:

Allow the Mage to Pre-Invoke. The Wand is placed face up in front of the Mage and then the Invocation cards are placed upon it.  The Mage has the choice of placing the Invocation Face-Up in a flexing of power, or face-down (are you bluffing?)

Wands have a built in Haste - so may be used at any moment regardless of the Mage’s turn.  Once the stored Invocation has been activated, the Wand is destroyed

Cards in a Wand are NOT in play until activated.  So even if a Mage has a Fire Wall, they CAN power a Wand with a Build Wall & Water Invocation.  They just cant ACTIVATE the Invocation until after their Fire Wall has been destroyed

Be warned! If, at the end of the game, there is an un-activated wand and it is determined that the cards did not create a legitimate invocation - the Wand Explodes, costing the Mage a Power Gem.

Be prepared for More Magic Items and Creatures to arrive in Boosters!

Thaumaturgy Deck

Now that you have called the power to you, what are you going to do with it?  You must either target it - with cards from the focus deck, or you must move the power, or both.

Action Cards

Moves

Without a specific target card a Mage relocates power by movement.  Movement is either a Move Left, Move Right or Invoke which is like a translocation spell allowing the Mage to target any Mage of choice. 

Movement cards with an element and no other target are an Attack and only effect power gems (and the shield walls protecting them). 

Movement plus a target can be used for specific results - like stealing a power gem, relocating a creature or causing general chaos:  (Don’ forget - Sequence Matters!)

Target Hand & Move Left = another Mage must pass one card from their hand to the Mage to their Left.

Target Hand & +2 & Move Left = THREE Cards (Target Hand is an assumed value of 1) moving to the Mage to their immediate Left

Target Hand & Move Left & +1 = One card moving left 2 (the assumed 1 of the move card plus the 1) places

Discard  Combined with a Target Hand card to force opposing Mage to Discard.  May not be used to target Power Gems.

Build Wall

You can build shield walls in front of Magical Items, Creatures or Power gems (yours or the Aether!) A Wall built in the absence of a Magical Item or creature is assumed to be protecting the Mage’s Power Gems.  A wall protecting a magical item or creature must be placed with the Shield (Build Wall) card touching the object it is protecting.

Once built Shield Walls are considered “Established Invocations” 

A Mage may not have opposing elements interacting as Established Invocations.  So if you have a Water Wall, you can not also have a Fire Wall, nor can you have an Imp (a fire based creature) protected by a Water Wall.  But you can have an Imp in Play and build a Water Wall that protects your power gems or a non-fire magical item or creature.

For Damage … see Elements section above

Walls are built by placing down a Build Wall card and charging it with an element (and possibly modifiers). Walls can hold up to 3 POINTS. You may have more than one element card on the wall - as long as they are all the same type. You can also add modifiers on the element.

When the shield does its job and protects you from damage the effected element card is discarded. If at any point the shield no longer has any elements the wall crumbles and the shield is discarded. At the beginning of your turn only you may repair your wall by adding modifiers or more element cards to an already existing shield - but only as long as the shield still holds that element.

Shield Wall Examples:

You have built a shield wall in front of your power gems consisting of:

·      Build Wall Card

·      2 Water Elements

·      +2 Modifier

This is not a legitimate wall - even thought it only has 3 cards, it has more than 3 points of damage protection.  You must remove either the +2 modifier (replace it with a +1 or another Water card if you can) or remove one of the Water Element cards.

So you build it with 2 Water, +1 modifying the Water  This wall will block and take no damage from Water. It will block but also take damage from Fire.  It does not interact with Air or Earth at all

Later on you are attacked and the wall is diminished to 1 Water Element.  At the beginning of your next turn you can repair by adding either a power modifier or another Water Element. 

There are no Ghost rounds for Walls - if all the elements are gone the wall crumbles immediately - you can not wait until your next turn and add a different (Air) element. A repair can only improve what currently exists on the wall - not rebuild it.

Chaos Cards

Any time you practice Thaumaturgy you run the risk of loosing control of the Invocation, and unleashing wild magic.  So any time you draw from the Thaumaturgy deck there is a chance (14% in the Starter Deck) you will draw a Chaos Card.  THESE CARDS MUST BE PLAYED IMMEDIATELY WHEN DRAWN

The Cards are self explanatory and usually random in who will be affected. In the Starter Deck there are three cards that specifically damage the drawing Mage, and three that specifically benefit the drawer.  The other 6 Chaos cards affect the whole table.

Focus Deck

Power without focus is Chaos.  Successful Invocations require that elements and actions be specifically targeted.  Power Gems, specific Mages and the cards or hands of specific Mages can all be targets. These cards are mostly self explanatory:

Target

Target Magical Item          allows Mage to identify and target any one Magical Item in play and is either combined with a move card (steal) or with an element card (destroy)

Target Creature                  allows Mage to identify and target any one Creature in play and is either combined with a move card (steal) or with an element card (destroy)

Target Hand                        allows Mage to target a single card in any one other Mage's Hand - only targets cards in the hand, not those laid out as Established Invocations.  Can be combined with either a Move or a Discard Action.

Target Power Gem             allows Mage to identify and target any one Power Gem of any other Mage or the Aether.  Since Attacks always affect a Mage’s Power, Target Power is usually combined with a Move card to steal or relocate a Mage’s Power, combined with an element card to destroy the gem.   Remember, Aether cards can be destroyed – but not relocated (at this point but never know what might be hatched in an expansion pack!)

Target Current Invocation   this has a built in Haste and can be played by any Mage, even out of turn.

Target Established Invocation      allows Mage to identify and target any Established Invocation in Play - Does NOT effect Magical Items or Creatures

Modifiers

Modifiers that are (+) or (-):

Every card has an assumed value of 1.  (+) or (-) modifiers can be used on any card.  So a “Move Left” moves the Invocation 1 space to the left of a Mage.  But a “Move Left” with a (-2) modifier would actually move the Invocation 1 space to the right. (Move Left moves one space left, -1 space brings it back to the Mage, -1 more space moves it to the Mage to the right.)

Likewise an Element with a +1 is an Element with a power of 2 (But NOT two separate Elements).  Delay or Sustain can similarly be modified

Delay 

Delays the effect of an Invocation by one turn.  So a Mage that Invokes:  Delay & Move Right & Earth is targeting the Mage to their right, but the Invocation will be placed down as an “Established Invocation” and be moved to the right with damage calculated at the end of the Invoking Mage’s next turn.

Sustain

Continues the effect of a card for one extra turn. So Sustain & Move Right & Earth is a way to target two Mages to the right and is treated as a “Current Invocation” which is cast against the Mage to the immediate right with damages assessed at the end of the Invoking Mage’s  turn, and moves one more space to the right with damages applied at the end of the next Mage’s turn.  Unlike a +1 & Move Right invocation, the Sustain card sustains the entire Invocation, not just the movement, so the same single Earth can be used against both Mages.

Sustain & Invoke & Earth would result in a “Current Invocation” cast against the targeted Mage with damages assessed at the end of the Invoking Mage’s turn AND an “Established Invocation” cast against the same targeted Mage with damages applied at the end of the Invoking Mage’s next turn.

Haste:           Allows immediate play - even out of turn, or speeds up the action in a current turn.

Sample Invocations

Example #1

You want to force another Mage to discard 3 cards from their hand.  You cannot just throw a Discard card at them.  You must lay out a focus and increase the power:

Target Hand & Discard & +2 = targeted Mage must discard 3 cards

BUT  a third Mage thinks you are getting too powerful and wants to keep the targeted Mage in the game…… So….

Target Current Invocation (remember - built in haste, allowing Mage to Invoke out of turn) & -1 = Your Invocation has been diminished by one power point so the targeted Mage only has to discard 2 cards.

Example #2

Using the Invocation: Target Power Gem & Move Left you stole a power gem from the Mage to your right. The victim of the spell would like to get his Gem back…

In his hand he has “Move Left” and Five Element cards.  Because he does not have “Target Power Gem” he is not able to reclaim the stone. But, assuming you do not have any shields against one of those elements, he can, for example, Invoke: Air & Move Left - essentially sending a tornado at you.  Without any defense this will cause 1 point of damage - destroying the power gem you stole.

Example #3

You want to strike the Mage across from you with a bolder (Earth).  They do not have either an Earth or Air Shield, so hitting them with this automatically damages the Power Gem because it’s straight damage.  BUT there are 5 Mages at the table and the Mage you are targeting is neither directly to your left nor directly to your right.  There is one person between you to the left, and two people between you to the right.

You must have either:

•   Move Left & +1 & Earth;  OR 

•   Move Right & +2 & Earth; OR

•   You could use -1 or -2 cards with your Move Left or Move Right as long as the Maths works out: OR

•   Invoke (which allows you to target any Mage) & Earth

Example #4

It’s your turn and you want to send a fireball at the Mage across from you. (Invoke & Fire) But that Mage has a Wand with two cards face up Build Wall & Fire and 1 card face down.  You suspect the face down card is either a +1 or another Fire element. They do not have any Established Invocations with Water remaining, so they can activate the wand and  build their Shield Fire Wall as soon as you cast – because Wands have a built in Haste. 

The only way to get past it is to cast a Fireball faster than they can build the wall so you Invoke with: Invoke & Fire & Haste.  Since its your turn you have the first action, which is negated by their built in Haste, but your Haste get the fire through faster than they can build.

EXCEPT – the face down card is not a +1, but a HASTE.  Unless you had Invoke & Fire & Haste & +1 (sequence matters, the 1 adding to the Haste, not the Fire), they still build faster than you can cast and block all Fire attacks with no damage!

Example #5

You REALLY want to win the game and you notice that you have the most power gems of any Mage at the table.  But your defenses are all destroyed and your cards are not going to ensure you are the last Mage standing.  The Aether, however, only has one gem left……..

Target Power Gem & Invoke & Fire - you can destroy the Aether - ending the game as the most powerful Mage! (Muwhahaha)

But wait….   OOPS

Another Mage has:

•  Target Current Invocation & Build Wall & Fire; OR

•  Target Current Invocation &Haste & Invoke & Water

You have been blocked and are now the least popular Mage at the table…….

Curses – foiled again!