MTG RPG Thingy Rules Outline

Character Creation:

Traits: Race, Class, Abilities

Identity: 5 points divided among the 5 colors (WUBRG)

Primary Stats: Derived from Identity

• Preparation (15 +5 per W & U) Starting and maximum deck size
• Intellect (5 +1 per U & B) Starting and maximum hand size
• Initiative (7 -1 per B & R) Determines order of action (lower numbers move first)
• Power (0 +1 per R & G) Damage dealt by physical attacks
• Toughness (0 +1 per G & W) Damage that can be taken before life loss

Secondary Stats: Derived from Identity

• Charisma (-2 +1 per W & B) Number of advantage dice rolled for speech checks etc.
• Sorcery (-2 +1 per U & R) Number of advantage dice rolled for meta-magic checks etc.
• Resistance (-2 +1 per B & G) Number of advantage dice rolled for status effect checks etc.
• Quickness (-2 +1 per R & W) Number of advantage dice rolled for reaction checks etc.
• Wisdom (-2 +1 per G & U) Number of advantage dice rolled for mystery checks etc.

Deck Building:

• Decks contain cards equal to your Preparation stat.
• Your deck can contain up to four copies of any card (except for basic lands).
• Your deck can contain cards of any color, but during the game lands you produce cannot tap for a color that is not part of your identity.
• Each card in your deck can be used only once, including lands, until you have time to recover.
• Most effects that target creatures, including Auras and Equipment, can be used to target yourself or other players.
• While many card effects will function similar to their magic counterparts, others will be improvised based on the situation. Additionally, cards can be used outside of combat for effects that match their flavor.
• Each level a character has allows them to include up to three uncommons and one rare or mythic rare in their deck. The rest of the cards must be commons.

Gameplay

When the game starts, each player selects an opening hand from their deck.

Most card effects play as written, some notable exceptions are:

The game is comprised of two modes: a free flowing story mode and a more turn based combat mode.

In both of these modes, players are allowed to take similar actions. They can play lands from their hand, use mana from their lands to cast spells, and take time to draw cards (discarding if necessary). Spells can be used for their written effect or for a non-combat effect based on their flavor, so long as the GM agrees. Players can also make physical attacks or take other actions that don't involve cards.

While outside of combat, players make decisions and take actions in any order they see fit, consulting each other and the GM for the current situation. They are allowed to play as many lands, cast as many spells, and draw as many cards as they see fit. However, mana bonds are severed between scenes (lands are put into graveyards), many spells will not persist from one area to the next, and draw cards takes time to think. Players should be cautious about spending resources unnecessarily.

While in combat, players take turns fighting their adversaries. The order of actions is based on Initiative, with the lowest numbers acting first (most creature's initiative is determined by their converted mana cost). Just like in magic, each turn a player can play a land and use any lands he or she has played to cast spells. Unlike in magic, players do not get to draw a card each turn, and must spend a turn thinking in order to add a card to his or her hand. As with non-combat scenarios, most cards played will fade after combat. The only way to regain used cards (barring card effects) is by long-resting, which the party can do once they've found a suitable area safe from danger.

In addition to casting spells, players can make physical attacks using their power (depending on their position). If a creature takes enough damage to exceed its toughness before it takes its next action, it is destroyed. Similarly, players' life totals will only be affected if they take damage that exceeds their toughness.

Throughout the course of the game, players will be asked to make dice checks for a number of different reasons. The majority of dice rolled in this game are six sided, which means the target for most rolls will be between 2 and 6. Due to both stats and other effects, players will make most rolls either advantaged or disadvantaged. This means they will roll more than one die, than choose either the highest or lowest value among the options, respectively.

Example Character