Part 1: Setting up the game
This Variant of Halfwish is a 1v1 game. 2 players are required. But it’s best played with 2 on each side with some stakes on the line for the loser (e.g. Loser pays for pizza)
Start by separating the cards according to the following:
- Actions (Strike, Long Strike, Heavy Strike, Defend, Evade)
2. Adventure Map (Adventure, Hazard, Treasure)
3. Powers
4. Upgrades (Note the Yellow Arrows)
5. Hero Classes
Part 2: Preparing to Play
Step 1: Both players select a Hero Class to play. (We recommend first time players to build an identical deck of 3 Strikes, 2 Defends, 2 Evades, 2 Long Strikes and 1 Heavy Strike for both players.)
Step 2: Construct a deck with Actions according to the list stated on your Hero card, your deck should have 10 cards in total.
Step 3: Shuffle Upgrade and Adventure decks thoroughly.
Step 4: Both Players choose 3 Powers from their respective Powers deck and do not reveal them until they decide to play them.
Step 5: Take the “Halfwish” and “Feint” cards and place it in front of both players.
Step 6: Deal 5 random cards from the top of the Adventure deck and lay out the Adventure Map faced down
Step 7: The completed setup should look like below. Note that the Discard Pile will be empty before the round starts.
Every round of the game, the Adventure Map contains 5 cards, each representing a turn. There are 3 rounds each game, totalling 15 turns for the entire game
Part 3: Playing the game
To start Round 1, choose a player to start the first turn. The other player starts the following turn, alternating so on and so forth until the round ends.
In Round 2, the other player will start the first turn, and the player who is currently losing will start the final round.
Every Turn:
Draw 2 cards from your Action Deck. You may only have a maximum of 4 Action Cards in your hand at the start of turn, so discard extras after drawing.
Discarded cards are discarded face up. Discarded cards are public information.
Every turn, roll a pair of dice in secret. The total number = Your DV (Dice Value)
Each player starts with 25 Health. If it reaches 0, you’re dead. Game over.
If it’s your turn to start: Choose Duel, Scout or Parley. (refer to the flowcharts below for easy navigation)
- Scout
A Scout is used during a turn to reveal a card to both players from the Adventure Map. Both players have to agree for a scout to proceed. Should a disagreement occur, the person who rejects the scout will be forced to Duel their opponent.
2. Parley
A Parley is an offer to skip the current Map card, and to proceed to the next card. When a parley is agreed on, both players can choose to reroll their DV or keep their DV for 1 turn before starting the new turn.
If a consecutive parley occurs, the player with lower points will gain 1 point. Every consecutive parley after will also keep granting 1 point until points become tied.
3. Duel (See Part 4: Duel Mechanics for an in-depth guide)
Duels occur when players enter combat. The winner of the duel is the one who scores more points during the duel. Players can score points and take damage during a duel.
Whoever starts a duel is the aggressor. Aggressors and Defenders score points differently in duels, so knowing when to attack and defend is crucial. This is not to be confused with the player who starts the turn.
Refer to the flowcharts below for each choice:
Part 4: Duel Mechanics
Whoever starts a duel is the Aggressor and the other player the Defender.
Aggressors and Defenders score points differently in duels, so knowing when to attack and defend is crucial.
This is not to be confused with the player who starts the turn.
Players use one action for duels in turns 1,2,3 and two actions for turns 4 and 5.
The 2 Phases of a Duel:
- Before Showdown:
This phase occurs when a duel is declared. Here, players choose what cards to commit from their hand to a duel.
Powers can be played here by either player, but the player who started the turn will get the first right to play a power first, if they decline, then the other player may decide to play a power.
If they do, then the player who started the turn will get another chance to respond with their power, and so on.* When both players are done using or opt to not play powers, reveal the map card if it’s still face down and resolve it before moving to the showdown.
*for the sake of an orderly game, but if it’s too much work for you guys — just let whoever is first to declare their power to play it first.
2. During Showdown:
This phase occurs when all actions and DVs are revealed. Players may count the points and damages before deciding to accept it or play powers to try and change the outcome, again with the Turn Starter gets to decide first.
Players take turns playing powers until they are out of options or choose to move on. Once both players accept, apply points, damage and effects from actions to both players.
Damage and Point Calculation
This section gives a few examples of how points would be calculated in a duel.
Scenario 1: Strike vs Strike (Aggressor: Player A)
Player A plays Strike and rolls 9
Player B plays Strike and rolls 7
9–7=2 Player B takes 2 damage
Points Awarded:
Player A (Aggressor) scores 1 point as the defender took damage 1 time.
Player B (Defender) scores 0 points for having took damage during the duel and also because the aggressor did not take damage during
Scenario 2: Strike vs Defend (Aggressor: Player A)
Player A plays Strike and rolls 9
Player B plays Defend and rolls 7
9-(7+2)=0 Player B takes 0 damage
Points Awarded:
Player A (Aggressor) scores 0 points as the defender took no damage during the duel.
Player B scores 1 point for taking no damage during the duel but since the aggressor took no damage in this duel, the defender will not score the second point.
Scenario 3: Heavy Strike vs Defend (Aggressor: Player A)
Player A plays Heavy Strike and rolls 9. DV+2=11
Player B plays Defend and rolls 7
Heavy Strike goes through Defend, Player B takes 11 damage
Points Awarded:
Player A (Aggressor) scores 1 point as the defender took damage 1 time.
Player B scores scores 0 points for having took damage during the duel and also because the aggressor did not take damage during
Scenario 4: Strike vs Long Strike (Aggressor: Player A)
Player A plays Strike and rolls 9
Player B plays Long Strike and rolls 7. DV-2=5
“First Strike” only works against aggressive actions (Strike/Heavy Strike)
Player A takes 5 damage first
9–5=4 Player B takes 4 damage
Points Awarded:
Player A (Aggressor) scores 1 point as the defender takes damage 1 time.
Player B scores 1 point as the aggressor took at least one instance of damage, but do not score a second point since they took damage during the duel as the defender.
Scenario 5: Evade vs Strike (Aggressor: Player B)
Player A plays Evade and rolls 9 (Evade succeeds as DV is 8 and above)
Player B plays Strike and rolls 7
Player A successfully evaded the attack
Points Awarded:
Player A (Defender) scores 1 point for taking no damage during the duel but since the aggressor took no damage in this duel, the defender will not score the second point.
Player B (Aggressor) scores 0 points as the defender took no damage during the duel.
Part 4: Between Rounds and Upgrades
End of Round:
- Both players heal 3, but not more than 25 (even if poisoned or ignited)
- Remove all buffs or debuffs (e.g. +DV, poison, stunned, icebeam etc)
- If the game is not over, proceed to upgrade.
Upgrades
Upgrades are better or alternate versions of basic action cards that will replace a card from your Action Deck or your Halfwish. Upgrades will follow you the rest of the game — pick carefully!
When players enter the upgrade phase,
- Deal 5 cards face up from the upgrade deck.
- The current loser (whoever is currently losing) chooses to upgrade 1st or 2nd.
- Upgrade 1st = Pick an upgrade 1st but publicly.
- Upgrade 2nd = Pick from the remaining 4 but in secret.
- If either player still has extra upgrades, deal 5 new upgrades and players take turns picking publicly (starting with whoever upgraded 1st) until all extra upgrades are used.
- Players may skip one upgrade to heal 5 health for each upgrade skipped.
End Game — Win Conditions
Use these metrics to determine the current loser or winner if the game were to end right now
- At the end of Round 3, the player with the higher points wins.
- If points are tied, whoever has more Lamps wins.
- If Lamps are tied, whoever has more HP wins.
- If Health Points are tied, whoever scored the first point wins
- If any player’s health goes to 0, they are killed and lose immediately.
Part 5: Powers
Powers are powerful (heh) abilities that players start the games with. Powers can be used to alter outcomes to duels, severely cripple your opponent, or save your life. Use them wisely!
Basic Powers: Halfwish and Feint
Powers — The Real Stuff
- Players pick 3 powers at the start of the game. They stay hidden!
- Non-basic Powers cost 1 mana to play. Each power can only be played once per game.
- Players start with 1 mana and are given another in Round 2.
- Mana can be used to refresh Halfwish immediately in emergencies.
- Halfwish and Feint are basic powers and cost no mana to play.
- Apart from basic powers, you cannot play more than 1 power per turn.
When can you play powers?
1. After you draw your cards when a new turn begins, but only if it’s your turn
2. Before you commit action cards to a duel
3. After all actions and DVs are revealed (i.e. during the showdown)
4. After your opponent plays any power
Note: Players may receive additional mana while navigating the Adventure Map
Part 6: Additional Game Tips and Glossary
- Halfwish is mostly Defender sided, bait your opponents into bad attacks!
- Use your Halfwish/Powers carefully, leaving yourself exposed without bailout options can allow your opponent to punish you later in the game.
- Learn how to use a Parley to your advantage
- Comebacks are very possible and more common than you would imagine.
Important Keywords
