The game only requires a deck of cards and four dice. Use any type of dice; including mixed pairs. For example, I like to use a d6 and d8 to represent an average fighter, with 2d6 being a weak one and 2d8 simulating a great warrior. You can even use a d4 and d12 pair if you choose. The only restriction is that two dice share one color, the other dice another color, allowing you to discriminate between the pairs.
Shuffle the deck thoroughly with the Joker cards left in. The card deck controls your opponent's fighter; you make all the decisions for your fighter. Choose one pair of dice for your opponent. The other belongs to your fighter. You're now ready to start the match.
Declare (to yourself, not out loud weirdo) your fighter's technique for this round: either a Mixed Offense or Mixed Defense style. The figure below, the Scale of Styles, shows the four techniques a fighter might use in a round, and the Attack and Defense scores generated by each style. Draw the top card off the card deck. A Club or Spade (black) card indicates the opponent's fighter adopts a Mixed Defense technique; a Heart or Diamond (red) card means his fighter chooses a Mixed Offense style. Roll the four dice together. Count the number of even die scores for each pair (0-2); this is the respective fighter's Initiative score. Compare Initiative scores. If both fighters share the same Initiative score, then each figures their Attack and Defense scores according to their styles. If one fighter has a higher Initiative score however, that fighter can react and change techniques. Subtract the lower Initiative score from the higher one; the difference indicating how many techniques (1 or 2) the reacting fighter may shift on the Scale of Styles. For example: you roll a 2 and 4 for your fighter and a 5 and 6 for the opponent's. You have an Initiative of 2 (two even dice) versus his Initiative of 1, so you can shift one technique in either direction on the Scale of Styles. You originally chose a Mixed Defense technique and may use that style or elect to switch to either an Iron Defense or Mixed Offense technique. In order to select All-Out Attack your opponent's Initiative would have had to been 0. After both fighters establish their final techniques, assign the dice scores rolled to Attack and Defense as indicated on the Scale of Styles. Fighters deal a number of Damage points equal to their Attack score, reduced (to a minimum of 0) by their opponent's Defense score. Record the damage received by each fighter. Discard the face-up card into a separate pile; do not shuffle unless you run out of cards to draw. Repeat the steps above for subsequent rounds and continue the match until one fighter reaches a predetermined limit. I use the arbitrary number of 12 before a fighter is eliminated, but you can vary that to show relative stamina of different combatants.
So what if the opponent's fighter wins initiative? Well, you'll have to decide which technique the opposing fighter uses against yours. Choose the most detrimental technique to your fighter, if that's obvious. If not, then use the number on the card drawn to help you make the decision. The card's number value indicates the maximum amount of damage the opponent's fighter is willing to take. Assume a value of "10" for face cards. A Joker indicates the opponent executes a Signature Move. Roll three dice instead of two when executing a signature move. All three dice are used to calculate Initiative, but only the highest two are used for computing Attack and Defense scores.
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| The Scale of Styles; print and paste on a spare card |
For a two player game, each player needs a pack of cards, plus four dice each. I recommend a tube of polyhedral dice for each player with the d4, one d10 and the d20 removed. Each player does not shuffle their respective card deck, but instead puts them in order of the moves they want their fighter to take. Each fighter has an Experience Level, from 0 to 11; players can start at 0 or some other mutually agreed on level.
Draw a card and place face up in front of you. The card shows your fighter's style, as above. The number however shows the Reaction Speed of the fighter. A face card indicates a Reaction Speed equal to the fighter's Experience Level. Players each roll four dice; the d6 and d8 will be used to determine Attack and Defense score as before, while the d10 and d12 will be compared against the Reaction Speed indicated on the card. For each die (d10 and d12) that is less than or equal to the Reaction Speed, the player adds 1 to his fighter's Initiative score for the round. This gives a possible range of 0 to 2 for the Initiative score and as before the players compare values. Determine if either fighter seizes the initiative and can shift techniques, then calculate Attack and Defense scores as appropriate using the d6 and d8. Damage indicates the number of cards the opponent must remove off the top of his deck and discard without playing. Thus by scoring a massive attack you may disrupt your opponent's carefully constructed battle plan. Signature moves (Joker cards) start as a Mixed Offense style. If performing a signature move the fighter has an automatic Initiative score of 2, and uses the two highest of all four dice to determine Attack and Defense Scores.
Continue fighting until one deck is totally discarded. The victor earns 1 experience point (XP) for each face card in the deck (not discarded). 12 XP are required to advance to the next Level. Thus inexperienced fighters who win should advance faster, while veteran fighters may advance slower as they fall back on past experience to give them advantages during combat instead of learning new lessons.
Enjoy! I think I actually prefer the "two player" method for solo play, pitting two randomly shuffled decks against each other.
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