SpiritWars

Gameplay

SpiritWars is played head-to-head between two opposing players, similar to most other Collectible/Trading Card Games (CCG/TCG's). An online server matches up players seeking a game and relays their actions and text communications.

The basic concepts of SpiritWars are quite simple. The game is built upon the traditional design legacy of classic board games, like Chess. The actual mechanics and goals of the game are easy to learn. To win, you must destroy your opponent's castle (home base) before he destroys yours. Castles begin the game with 10 defense (health) and a player loses when their castle defense falls to 0 or below.

The main difference between SpiritWars and most other classic CCG's, is that the playing field is a map with differing terrain (map spaces) instead of a blank playing area or table.

Before play starts, players must construct a deck of cards from their own personal collection to use during each game. Players begin each game with 8 cards in their hand chosen randomly from their deck of at least 30 cards. There are four basic types of spirits in SpiritWars: 'Energy', 'Combat', 'Defender' and 'Spell'. Players must use these spirits to find and destroy their opponents castle before their own castle is destroyed by their opponent.

The basic elements of gameplay are simple:

1. place spirits on the playing field (map);
2. move them;
3. attack your opponent;
4. cast spells that affect pieces in play.

Since the game is played exclusively online, they can be restricted information about their opponent, such as the number of cards in their hand and deck, their energy pool, and which spirits they have in play. Since players are restricted certain information, this introduces an element and a whole new level of strategy that isn't found in most TCG's that are also played offline. For example, initially, a player does not know where the opponent is, but somewhere out there is the enemy and their castle. Players must explore (uncover) the map spaces to find their opponent. This allows for a "fog of war" mechanic found in other online strategy games, such as Age of Empires and Starcraft. The "fog of war" is a fog-like layer that hides everything but the terrain. If a player does not maintain vision of a map space, the "fog of war" obstructs their vision of any playing pieces that are on that space or any that may unknowingly move onto it.

In addition, each map space is also a type of terrain, such as desert or forest, that may provide combat or resource bonuses to some spirits (playing pieces). For example, many animal spirits have woodlands as their native homeland and receive an attacking and defending bonus while in forest spaces. Players must use terrain and vision to their advantage to find and destroy their opponent's castle and win the game while simultaneously protecting their own castle from destruction as well.

Deck Construction

Each player is the ruler of their kingdom in the world of Valhalla and has a population (collection) of spirits (cards) that are unique to each player. In order to play a game, players must construct a dungeon (deck) of spirits from their population with certain restrictions. To be legal for play in a standard game, a dungeon must: NOTE: Some powerful spirits are considered "unique" and allow only one copy per dungeon. A player may have as many "unique" spirits in a dungeon as they like, as long as they're different spirits. Primary and Secondary Homelands (Colors) Each dungeon must also designate a "primary" and "secondary" homeland. The primary and secondary homeland chosen will provide the player with additional (base) energy from those homelands at the start of the game and during the last phase of each round. The primary homeland will provide 2 additional energy and the secondary homeland will provide 1 additional energy. A player may choose the same homeland as both primary and secondary homeland, in which case they will receive 3 additional energy for that homeland.

Energy

Almost every action in SpiritWars requires energy resources. There are 6 different energy colors, one for each homeland. Spirits may only use energy from their specific homeland (i.e., no dual-energy spirits) and therefore will never be able to use energy from a homeland other than its own. There is no "neutral or uncolored energy" in SpiritWars. Energy is generated during the last phase of each round by all 'Energy' spirits as well as some 'Combat' and 'Defender' spirits. In addition, three units of energy are generated by a player's castle based on their primary (2) and secondary (1) homeland colors.

Homelands (Colors)

The spirits populating your kingdom in the world of Valhalla are divided into homelands (colors) based upon the terrain type from which the spirit comes. Each class of spirit has an associated terrain type, color and unifying traits and characteristics. It is important to know the nature of each homeland when choosing which spirits you wish to use in your dungeon (deck) and to determine which homelands fit your play style. The better you understand the strengths and weaknesses of each homeland, the more effective you will be in creating dungeon combinations and synergies that will lead to victory. It is equally important to study the nature of opposing spirits in order to plan adequate defenses against the diverse range of opponents you will face on the field of battle. The definitions below are designed to provide some initial guidelines to aid you in the study of spirits from the various homelands. Even though the game places no restrictions on the creative combinations you can try, there are some inherent relationships between various homelands of which you should be aware. Each homeland has a natural ally in the world of Valhalla. Each homeland also has two opposing homelands that are considered to be natural enemies by nature. This does not mean, however, that you can't use conflicting homelands (colors) of spirits together in your dungeon. It just means that there are some inherent advantages and synergies that may be exploited when using certain color combinations, and that certain colors create some natural advantages when playing an opponent who favors a conflicting spirit class. The chart below shows the basic structure of these inherent relationships between spirit classes:

Types of Spirits

There are four different types of spirits, which fall into two exclusive categories: physical or spells. 'Energy', 'Combat' and 'Defender' spirits are all physical playing pieces that are 'put into play' on the map when activated. These physical spirits have attributes, such as attack power, movement range, defense, etc., and occupy a map space while in play. Only one physical spirit can occupy a map space at a time, but they all can be moved or destroyed. Spells are unique in that they aren't physical spirits and are not represented by a physical playing piece on the map. 'Spells' are enchantments or events, sometimes global, that can have a wide arrange of effects on the game. Here's a brief description of the four types of spirits found in SpiritWars:

Playfield and Terrain

SpiritWars is played on a board (map) with a hexagonal (6-sided) grid, in contrast to most board games, which are played on a board with a square (4-sided) grid, such as Chess and Stratego. The map has 86 spaces (hexes) comprising up to 8 different types of terrain, such as deserts and forests, and both castles. The terrain type can provide attacking/defending bonuses during battle or generate an additional unit of energy from energy-producing spirits when occupying their native homeland terrain. Using terrain to your advantage is one of the most important strategies in SpiritWars as it can often turn the tides of battle. Basic Terrain Any spirit may occupy any of the basic terrain spaces regardless of its native homeland; however, a spirit will only receive the terrain bonuses if it is their native homeland. The following is a list of the basic terrain types along with their native homeland: Special Terrain Special terrain spaces have slightly different rules (restrictions) applied to them compared to basic terrain spaces. The following is a list of the special terrain types and their restrictions: Castles Each player begins the game with a castle on the map. Player 1 will have a silver castle and Player 2 will have a gold castle. Castles are immobile and cannot be moved by any means. As the game progresses, players will activate spirits from their castle to be used in the game. 'Combat' spirits must enter the game in a space adjacent to its home castle but can be moved after entering play. 'Energy' and 'Defender' spirits may enter the game adjacent to any friendly piece on the playing field, including a player's home castle. Terrain Bonuses As mentioned earlier, spirits receive terrain bonuses while occupying its native homeland space during certain phases of each round.

Spirit Attributes

All physical spirits have attributes, which are what helps to make them unique from one another. The following are a list of these attributes: Attack First Turn By default, units can not move or attack the round they enter play. This ability allows 'Combat' and 'Defender' spirits to attack or block the same round they are activated. Attack Power This indicates the amount of damage the spirit inflicts on an opponent during an attack event, whether they are initiating an attack or defending themselves. Units that are on their homeland terrain gain +1 bonus to their attack power. Attack Range This defines the maximum distance, measured in hexes on the playing map, between an active piece and the target of its attack. For example, if a piece has an attack range of two, the target of its attack must be located within two hexes of the piece. Most combat units have an attack range of 1 by default. 'Combat' spirits with an attack range >1 are commonly referred to as "archers" in SpiritWars. Blocking Power "Blocking" is the ability to intercept an attack directed at another piece on the playing field. All 'Defender' spirits and a few 'Energy' and 'Combat' spirits have the ability to "block". This powerful ability is determined by a spirit having a blocking range greater than zero. A spirit can only attack or block once per round. Blocking Range "Blocking" is the ability to intercept an attack directed at another piece on the playing field. All 'Defender' spirits and a few 'Energy' and 'Combat' spirits have the ability to "block". This powerful ability is determined by a spirit having a blocking range greater than zero. A spirit can only attack or block once per round. Defense This is the critical measurement of the life force remaining for the unit in play. If a spirits 'Defense', aka 'Defense Rating', is reduced to zero or below, the unit is destroyed and removed from the playing field. Energy Production All 'Energy' spirits, and some rare 'Combat' and 'Defender' spirits, have the ability to generate energy points during the "Energy Phase" that begins each round of play. This ability is represented by colored windmill icons. Some pieces, such as the Aqueduct, have the ability to create more than one color of energy resources each turn. Healing Some spirits have the ability to heal themselves after they have been damaged. Each round, after combat is resolved, any surviving spirits with the healing attribute will have the opportunity to self-heal, or repair, some/all of the damage they have suffered. An associated "healing cost" must also be paid in order for the unit to be healed. Healing Cost For those spirits with the "healing" ability, an associated "healing cost" determines the cost of self-healing. This rating reflects the cost, in color-specific energy points, to heal one point of damage. The Unicorn, for example, has a "healing cost" of two points. To heal 3 points of damage would require 6 green energy points. Maintenance Most spirits have a "maintenance" rating of zero. These pieces, once activated, have no ongoing energy requirements to remain in play. Some spirits, however, have a "maintenance rating" greater than zero and require an ongoing "maintenance" (energy fee) in order to remain in play each round. Move First Turn By default, units can not move or attack the round they enter play. This ability grants units the ability to move the same round they are activated. Movement Cost Some units can move without any associated energy cost. If this attribute is greater than zero, however, you must be prepared to pay a "movement cost" when the unit is moved. This cost is always paid in energy resources (or points) of the homeland color of the spirit. Movement Range The distance, in hexes, that a unit can move in a turn. A unit has one movement opportunity per turn and can move any number up to this maximum "movement range". Some units have a "movement range" of zero, indicating that they can not be moved. Resurrection A spirit with the resurrection ability can be resurrected (revived) when it has been destroyed. If resurrected, the dying spirit is returned to the courtyard of the player's castle and reverts back to its original state, losing any enchantments that it may have gained while in play. Resurrection Cost For physical spirits with the ability to be resurrected, this is the energy cost required. If the player can not afford to pay this energy cost, the resurrection opportunity will not occur. Shielding Some spirits have shielding that protects them from physical attacks by spirits from specific homelands. Special Abilities Some physical spirits also have special abilities or spells that they can use once they are in play. These abilities can be used once per round during the "Movement Phase". There will be an energy cost required to use a spirits ability each time. Vision This determines the distance the unit can see. As with all distance-related attributes in the game, this is measured in physical hexes on the playing field. A spirit with a "vision" of three can see three hexes in all directions from its current location.

Rounds and Phases

Every 'round' (turn) in SpiritWars is broken down into five 'phases'. During each of these 'phases', players will be able to perform different actions. Below is a description of each of these phases: 1) Activation Phase The 'Activation Phase' is the first phase of each round. During this phase, players may activate spirits from their 'Courtyard' (hand) if they have the energy required for each particular spirit. When activating an 'Energy', 'Combat', or 'Defender' spirit, a player must also put that piece into play. Remember that these pieces also have certain rules about where they may be placed on the map when activated (see Types of Spirits). 'Spells' are also cast during the 'Activation Phase' and this is the only time during the round that they may be cast. Players may activate none, some, or all of the spirits in their 'Courtyard'. The only limitation is that a player may only activate one 'Energy' spirit per round. 2) Movement Phase During the 'Movement Phase', players can move spirits and/or use their ability. Moveable spirits (i.e., spirits with a 'Movement Range' > 0) can be moved once each during this phase. Remember, some spirits also have a 'Movement Cost' associated with them that must be paid in order to move. 3) Combat Phase In the 'Combat Phase', players may choose to engage in combat with other units within their 'Attack Range'. Defender spirits may also use their defensive abilities during this phase as well. Spirits may only attack or defend once per round, so players must plan their attacks strategically. 4) Healing Phase The 'Healing Phase' begins once all combat has ended. Spirits with the ability to regenerate (self-heal) can heal themselves, and only themselves, during this phase. Regenerating health has an associated energy cost that must be paid each time the ability is used. It can be used an unlimited number of times per turn until the unit is fully healed. For example, a Unicorn (woodlands combat spirit) can regenerate 2 units of health for 2 woodlands energy. A player may choose to regenerate 2, 4, 6, etc units of health for 2, 4, 6, etc energy in this phase. 5) Maintenance Phase At the start of this phase, players will receive energy from their energy-producing spirits as well as the three units of energy produced by their castle. Some spirits will have a 'Maintenance Cost', which must be paid each round in order to keep the spirit in play. If a player does not have the energy required to pay a spirit's 'Maintenance Cost', it will be removed from play. If a player wishes, they may opt to not pay for a spirit's maintenance (sometimes done for strategic reasons) even if they have the energy required and it will be removed from play.

Business

The name SpiritWars is registered with the USPTO, and has been successfully defended.

The business model is free + fee. Anyone can play anytime for free. However players get more options for a few dollars per year.

In the free mode, players get about 200 different spirits (cards), and the ability to customize their dungeon (deck).

Paying members start with over 600 cards, plus hundreds of different maps. Paying customers gain new powers with each victory and lose some with each loss.

Evolution

As is with online games that have with an active developer and a dedicated fan base: SpiritWars they can and do get better with age as bugs are zapped and worthy features added.

Launched in 1998, SpiritWars was kept online by Randy Chase, the original developer, after its original publisher disappeared into a merger.

Chase kept it going for fans under the banner of Kellogg Creek Software and continued to add upgrades up to the moment of his untimely passing at age 56 in early 2009. Since then, his family has attempted to keep it running but has been unsuccessful as of 07-09-15

The Chase family is currently seeking a new publisher for the game.