multiplayer rules

[LWSyndrome]

@Lighttigersoul

True, once you are attacked, you see their target, but no one else does. For all anyone else knows, they may be rogue. Test it out, first. There's more strategy than what originally appears.

Also, we did test out adjacent foes. Contract killing works better in this situation.

[lighttigersoul]

But again, your contract system does not address the issue of 4 players attacking 1 player to drain all his blockers and remove him from the game in a single round of turns. In Magic, this isn't a problem, since the blockers don't tap after blocking, in the Spoils, your defenders deplete after blocking, making them unavailabe for future blocks.

[tgrtrax]

But again, your contract system does not address the issue of 4 players attacking 1 player to drain all his blockers and remove him from the game in a single round of turns. In Magic, this isn't a problem, since the blockers don't tap after blocking, in the Spoils, your defenders deplete after blocking, making them unavailabe for future blocks.

ummm yes it keeps you from being attacked by all of the players. ummmm you can only attack your contract or attack someone who attacked you the turn before.....so how are the 4 people going to gang bang one guy? unless everyone is rogue and well if that happens it is just tough luck.....sometimes bad things happen....but really what are the odds of 5 people each getting thier own contract?.....?
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Buell xb12ss

[lighttigersoul]

Wait, so you don't know who holds your contract, but unless your opponent is 'rogue', they can't attack you without your contract?

Then I revise my statement, except for the 'rogues', this will play identically to attack left/attack right with an occasion 'OMG Random!'. Sure everyone can worry about 'is he rogue, or is he not' but the problem with that is simple: the guy attacking the table is a rogue. The guys swinging at one, or striking back against the guy attacking the table obviously has a specific contract. Like I said, all this really adds is a needless complexity to game start. It works identically to 'pass left, attack right' except my way only takes a few seconds to get running, yours actually requires set up.

Now, as a goofoff variant, this isn't bad, and most games with a multiplayer has a huge array of fun formats. But if we're talking serious multiplayer rules, I will always be the advocate of less work for the same effect.

[Lioge]

I don't see how the suggested multiplayer format takes any more time to set up. It seems to me that you could have doubled playing cards (i.e. Jack - Ace) and each player is given one to start denoting their alliance, then picks one at random denoting their contract (hidden). If you start with Ace/Ace then you are rogue. If you start with Jack/Queen you can only be attacked by the player holding the Jack contract card OR a rogue and you can only attack the Queen alliance holder.

One pile of unshuffled cards and one pile of shuffled cards does the trick nicely in a couple seconds.

[lighttigersoul]

So handing out alliances, making sure everyone is clear on who is who ((Considering skipping this step leads to the inevitable 'Who's the ace?', so much for secrecy.)), handing out contracts, shuffling, mulliganing in an orderly manner, and playing vs shuffling, mulliganing in an orderly manner, and playing?

In my experience with multiplayer TCG formats, there's alot of wasted time while the table is prepping, adding to that prep is my complaint.

Also: Since you mentioned FreeForAll as a failure due to 'who counts as your opponent' the 'freelancers' have the exact same problem. Also, any 'over table' effects that say 'your opponent' still have the issue stand as examples why the contracts don't say secret long enough to matter.

[tgrtrax]

this is another reason not to do free-for-all

Deadly Striker
Uncommon
4
Character - dragon
4/2/3

If this card is destroyed, your opponent's faction loses 4 influence.

i kill my striker with something....anything....the table takes 4. that is a bit overpowered....

and yes the pass left attack right is mostly the same....but a bit more boring....its not that you attacked me so i know you have my contract...its the wait until the attack happens trying to find out who is going to attack you and not knowing if i can attack my contract because i dont know if the guy with the l33tism deck is going to attack me. in attack right i look to the left and say well he has no rage...is playing banker/l33tism so he will not kill me this turn....i can hit my right with 4 guys and still be ok....
limited range has some of the same problems as free-for-all.
we will use downsizing...i kill all the dudes i have and everybody to the left and right thats 13 guys.....lets see both of you gain 13 life? really...or i play irrisistable bribe on your dragon tank everybody in range gains 10 life?
in the contract you only give it to the person who you contract.
setup yeah it takes about 1 min more to setup the game.
tell ya what play all 3 miltipalyer ways and use every card in the game (no we have not used every card but we have sat down and talked about most of the ones that we have not used) see how they would effect the game then report back...play about 10 games of each just to get the feel....you will have the same problems we had....you may come up with diffrent solutions(we also came up with rulings for diffrent wordings on the cards such as 'your opponent' and 'both players'. contract and attack right really are the best solutions but contract is really just more fun......
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Lovely Wendie

[gillityr]

I have heard of the Contract method played like this before in other CCGs; It addresses many of the concerns pointed out above.


Everyone throws in a card to represent themselves. Each player draws a card and keeps it secretly to themselves. This is the one you must kill. You only reveal your contract card that you hold when the target dies. Note that if you draw your own contract, then you are a Rogue (see below).

Randomly determine seating order and play goes clockwise.

Now you start the game. Anyone can attack anyone else per a typical free-for-all.

If your contract dies, you gain all of his/her contracts unless they were killed by a Rogue!
If anyone kills a Rogue, they gain their contract(s).
When a Rogue kills someone, the Rogue gains all contracts.

The player that ends the game with the most contracts wins.

[tgrtrax]

we just play it last man standing but collecting personas killed is fun also....
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Prilosec Settlement

[w4r10rd]

The contract way may take longer to set up but in reality it is the best way to play multi-player so far. the only problem is the contract drawing, a few times we have sat down to play and all of us ended up drawing our own contracts. the thing was we didn't know every body else had done the same thing so we all sat back not attacking each other. it was a big laugh at the end. but what i'm trying to get at is, the not knowing who has your contract is most of the fun.