In writing an adventure for Break!! I came across the need for a game of skill. In the tradition of Break!! being rooted in anime and Japanese Roleplaying Games, I thought the perfect thing to add in would be a Collectible Card Game, or CCG. Something to evoke the many card games that have appeared throughout the Final Fantasy series, or perhaps Yu-Gi-Oh!
I felt I had two options before me. I could either just sit down and actually develop a game that could be played at the table in a fully immersive way, or I could develop procedures that mimic the dramatic arc of one of these games. What I chose to attempt is to develop a set of procedures, what Break!! would call “Focused Rules” based on the procedures for combat that exist within the game. This is very much initial draft material, but I think there’s enough here to be excited by that I felt it was worth sharing even at this incredibly early stage.
Some of the terminology here is specific to Break!! but I think the names of the stats involved are evocative enough to get their idea across. In another system I might replace Grit with Charisma, and Aura with Wisdom. Also I’m going to put a bunch of sample decks in at the end. I am absolutely not a mathematically inclined designer, so I’m sure these are absolutely insane and not in line with their stated rarity in terms of power. Take them as just ideas of what Decks should be structured like.
Phantasia Reverie is a collectible card game that has become an obsession in the Twilight Meridian. Devised and produced by an eccentric Merchant Lord, Elena De Luca, who made her fortune creating toys. She’s become an infamous recluse, designing cards from the depths of her labyrinthine mansion in the Galvanus Archipelago.
Phantasia Reverie is a game where players construct sixty card decks and play one versus one. The cards depict fantastical creatures and heroic figures from all across The Outer World in Aeons past. PCs may purchase or find decks in their travels and test their skills against all sorts of folk as they adventure through The Outer World. You never know who might be a secret Phantasia Reverie super fan. They might even be a genius player with a rare deck you can win!
Card Game Procedure
Start
Step 1: Setup Play
- Each player chooses their Deck.
- Determine who plays first. Make an Grit Test. If you pass you go first, if you fail you go second
- Draw Starting Hand. Make an Aura test. If you pass, obtain the “Good Hand” item for the rest of the match. If you fail by 3 or less, obtain “Decent Hand” item for the rest of the match, if you fail by 4 or more obtain “Bad Hand” item for the rest of the match.
- Decide if you Mulligan. If you don’t, retain your hand. If you do you may draw a new hand by re-rolling your Aura test, but you must take the new result.
Step 2: Taking Turns
- The first player makes an attack using their Deck, against their opponent’s Deck.
- The opponent then takes their turn, doing the same.
- Each Deck Attack deals one Heart of damage by default.
- If you have a “Good Hand” you gain a Minor Bonus (+2) on your Deck Attacks.
- If you have a “Decent Hand” you gain no bonus or penalty to your Deck Attacks.
- If you have a “Bad Hand” you gain a Minor Penalty (-2) on your Deck Attacks.
Step 3: End a Game
- The game is over when one player’s Deck has reached zero hearts.
- Discard any “Hand” items you have put into your inventory as the cards are shuffled back into your deck.
Sample Decks:
Phantom’s Call (Common)
- Hearts: 3
- Attack: +0
- Defense: 12
- Special Ability: Regain one Heart for your Deck on round three of the game.
Rise of Regulus (Rare)
- Hearts: 4
- Attack: +3
- Defense: 13
- Special Ability: For every Heart of damage this Deck has add +1 to its Attack.
Sage’s Spirit (Common)
- Hearts: 2
- Attack: +2
- Defense: 10
- Special Ability: Each Heart of damage this deck does reduces the Defense of the opponent Deck by one.
Chompa Crush (common)
- Hearts: 2
- Attack: +3
- Defense: 9
- Special Ability: Roll an Aura test to deal one extra Heart worth of damage to your opponent’s deck on round two of the game.
Pedagogue’s Primacy (Uncommon)
- Hearts: 3
- Attack: +2
- Defense: 10
- Special Ability: You may subtract one from one stat on your deck, and add one to another before the game begins
Unshaped Unity (Legendary)
- Hearts: 4
- Attack: +3
- Defense: 11
- Special Ability: Impose a Minor Penalty on the Attack action by the opponent’s Deck once per game after their Attack roll.