Patent Application
20120313320
This invention relates generally to role-playing games (RPGs) and, in particular to a board game that uses character dice and other features and rules to enhance randomness and skill.
A role-playing game or “RPG” is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Actions taken by the characters result in success or failure according to the rules and guidelines of the particular game. Role-playing games are typically quite different from most other types of games in that they stress social interaction and collaboration, whereas board games, card games, and sports emphasize competition. There are several types of RPGs, now including electronic versions.
An early fantasy RPG is Dungeons & Dragons or “D&D,” which was first published in 1974. D&D's publication is widely regarded as the beginning of modern role-playing games and the role-playing game industry. In D&D, each player assumes a specific character to play instead of a military formation. These characters embark upon imaginary adventures within a fantasy environment. A Dungeon Master serves as the game's referee and storyteller, while also maintaining the setting in which the adventures occur. The characters interact with each other and the inhabitants of the game to solve dilemmas, engage in battles, and gather treasure and knowledge. The early success of D&D led to a proliferation of similar games.
Some trading card games and war games are related to role-playing games. RPG activity may sometimes be present in such games, but it is not the primary focus. On such card game is Magic: The Gathering (colloquially known as MTG or “Magic.”) The game is played by two or more players, each using a deck of printed cards or virtual cards available through Internet-based or third-party programs. Each Magic game involves a battle between powerful wizards depicted on individual Magic cards who use magical spells, items, and fantastic creatures to defeat their opponents. With an estimated six million players in over seventy countries, Magic cards can be valuable due to their rarity and power in game play.
This invention relates to a board game that uses character dice and other features and rules to enhance randomness and skill. The game, played in rounds of battles, a plurality of dice, each die representing a character involved the game, each die having at least one face side and a plurality of roll sides. Each face side presents character information, at least including the level of the character represented by that die. Each roll side includes roll information regarding the round of the game and actions which the character represented by that die may take during a particular round.
In the preferred embodiment, the character information on the face side further includes the number of life points associated with that character, and at least some of the dice have roll sides providing different information. The preferred embodiment further includes a map and a plurality of map pieces to be placed and moved on the map, each map piece being representative of a respective one of the character dice involved in the game.
In playing the game, each player chooses a subset of the dice until the level reaches a predetermined value for each player. The map pieces representing the dice chosen by the players are placed onto the map and, for each round of the game, each player chooses at least one character die to roll, and based upon the result of the roll, the player either moves the map piece associated with that die, takes an action, or neither moves nor takes an action. In the preferred embodiment, each player must announce their intentions to move or take an action prior to rolling a die.
Each character has a number of life points associated with it, the life points representing the amount of damage that the character can endure before it is killed during an attack. The action taken by a player may include attacking an opponent's character in an attempt to reduce the life points of that character or healing a character by increasing its life points of that character. Numerous other actions are possible, including casting spells to affect the status of an opponent's character or alter other attributes.
The map may include a pattern of placement areas such as hexagons representing a terrain, and the information on a die may includes how that character moves on the map or interacts with other characters. The players may record the progress of the game with a battle data sheet listing the characters in play, their map pieces and the number of life points remaining for each piece. The game is over when all but one of the players looses all of the life points associated with all of its chosen characters or all opponent(s) concede victory to the winner.
This invention resides in a role-playing game played on a board using character dice. Each player is a diety or “God,” and the dice represent the warriors commanded by each God. The goal is for each player to prove that they are the one, true diety.
Each character dice has various characteristics, including a character level. A standard battle consists of two Gods with teams of characters of up to 20 character levels among them.
The face side of the die includes a square containing labeled L/C. Next to this square is another square with number and a colored background. When choosing a team each player picks as many characters as they like so long as the levels add up to 20. For example, a player may chose a team of 20 level 1 characters or a team of 2 level 10 characters or any combination in between. For specifics on the proper procedures for selecting a team refer to the “Assembling your team” section.
Although more than two players may compete, a typical game consists of two players. A battle is over once the other God's team has been defeated. Either God can concede a battle at any time, resulting in a loss. Since all of the competitor's characters are dead at the end of a game, the winner is generally not entitled to selecting an enemy character as spoils though non-sanctioned side bets may occur.
You and your opposition will each select one character that you want to take into battle. You will each roll your selected character and the character with the higher roll in first block of turn zero (typically a black roll) will determine whether that player would like to chose (A) the map which the fight will occur on or whether they would like to (B) pick their next character first (F) or if their opponent will pick first (F). The player not winning the role will get to make the selection not chosen by the player with the winning role. You will now fill the rest of your team starting with whoever was previously determined to have the first pick (God (F)) and then alternating picks until you have reached the 20 level limit.
There are some characters that can only be damaged by certain attacks. As such, when picking an army, you will want to look very closely at your opponent's team to make sure there are no “untouchables” as defined below. Given this possibility, the God that did not chose the last character (N) has the opportunity to replace one, and only one, character with one or more characters from their hold. The total levels of the replacement character(s) will total the discarded character minus one. This means in a 20 level battle a God that chooses to replace a character will go to battle with a total of 19 levels. The opposing God (L) will have the opportunity to also replace one character if and only if the (N) God chooses to replace a character.
Having completed team selection, the next step is for God (A) to chose the side of the map they will start on with God (B) relegated to the opposing start area (each board contains two start areas on opposite sides of the board). The (F) God will be the first to act at the beginning of each round.
L/C—Character Level and Character Class color designation. Each character has a level in the range of 1-10. In a standard battle, you will match your best team of characters with a combined 20 levels versus your opponent's best team of characters with a combined 20 level total. Examples would be a team containing two Level 10 characters, a team of four Level 5 characters, or a team of twenty Level 1 characters. The Color of the square represents the class of your character. Attacking units may have an advantage or disadvantage based on characters class. This is explained in more detail in the Battle Sequence section.
LP—Life Points. Each Character has a starting amount of Life Points which represent the damage they can take before death. This number, along with your character's name (8) and your character's designated map piece (see: Battle set up) will be entered on the battle data sheet shown in
M/D—Move and Distance. The move number represents the maximum number of hexes on the chosen board that your character can move in a turn. Distance is the number of hexes away your character can attack.
SP—Special Pattern. This is the pattern of hexes that your character can attack, cast magic, or Status Affect. This is your pattern and cannot be altered. If you heal your characters and an enemy unit is within your pattern that character will be healed as well. Likewise, if you attack enemy units and one of your team mates is in the pattern they will take damage as well. See Special Patterns section for more detail.
SN—Status Number. This number represents your characters ability to resist a Status Affect. When an enemy unit attempts a Status Affect they must roll a number higher than your characters SN for the Status Affect to be affective. A roll of equal to or less than your characters SN will result in a miss of the Status Affect.
CA—Character Attributes. Some characters have a special attribute that will help or hinder them in battle. These special attributes are designated by at light green square. Characters can have multiple SA all designated by the light green square. The character shown in
Character Picture—This is the picture of the character represented by this die.
Character Name—This is the name of the character represented by this die.
SA—Status Affect. See the Status Affect section for a description of each attack and its affects. The character of
Status Affect Roll—This number represents your character's Status Affect number. See the Status Affect section of the Battle Sequence section.
Magic, Attack, or Heal number—These numbers represent the amount of damage or heal that your character experiences if the die lands with the die face up during your action roll.
SN—This number represents your characters Status Number. See 5, above or the Battle Sequence section.
SP—This represents your characters attack, heal, or Status Affect pattern. See the Special Pattern section of Battle Sequence.
M/D—This number represents your characters move and attack, heal, or Status Affect distance. See the Battle Sequence section.
LP—This number represents your characters Life Points. See 2, above, for details.
LIC—Level and Character Class Color
This column represents the round of the battle a player is on. 0 is the starting round and any attack during the initial round will be made in the 0 row of the die. Once every character on the board has executed an attack, move, or defense, the round will be over and the next round starts where the attacks, heals or Status Affects in row 1 will be in effect. See the Battle section for details.
Column 1. The first column (Typically Black) represents your characters attack, heal or Status Affect based on the round. Example for the round 0 attack on the character above the number in the black box for round one is 1. This means the character you just attacked lost 1 LP. If your character had chosen to heal (20) (Yellow) the roll for this side in round 0 is 2. This means your character would have healed themselves or anyone within their distance and SP 2 LP.
This column represents an advantage or disadvantage that the character has over another class. The dark blue class represents Flying creatures. If you chose to attack a flying creature with your characters first attack you would do damage of 2 LP's to a flying unit (Dark Blue). This advantage or disadvantage number will be the number you must use if attacking a character with a class color represented in your attacking characters die even if that roll is lower than your characters standard attack. Such would be the case in round 5 where your standard roll (Black) is 4 and your advantaged roll (Dark Blue) is 1. You do not get to pick the best roll. The exceptions to this rule are listed in the Standard Attack segment of the Battle Sequence section.
This column is a yellow column which represents your Heal roll. If you chose to heal in round 0 you would heal your character, team member or enemy unit for 2 LP. A detailed list of all of the class colors, attack advantage/disadvantage, and Status Affect rolls are listed in the Standard Attack segment of the Battle Sequence section.
These two columns represent your rolls for either of your characters available Status Affects. The first column represents your characters first Status Affect, in this case M for movement. The second column represents the rolls your characters second Status Affect, in this case RS for remove status.
Each character is represented on the board as a Map Piece. Each is colored pieces with a number (See
After the teams are picked the players prepare for battle.
Step 1 is to enter all of your character information on the Battle Date sheet (BDS) of
Step 2 is to place your characters on the map. Once each God has finished filling out his Battle Data Sheet the God who is designated as the first to act (F) will have to place their pieces first. The (F) God will have up to 3 minutes to place his team. The God designated as the second to act can chose to wait until the (F) God has placed all of his team or not. Either way the second God to act will have up to 5 minutes from the start of the placement period (designated by each God having finalized their BDS).
Step 3 is to start the battle.
The Battle system is an alternating execution system. This means starting with the (F) God each God will execute one character's turn until every character on the board has executed their turn. The step by step specifics are listed below.
Step 1. The God designated earlier as the (F) God will chose to move any one of his characters based on that characters Movement stat (square 15) or execute an action. Each character's turn per round consists of two components: Move and Action (attack, heal, Status Affect, or character attribute). You can execute your character's turn in three ways: (1) execute both move and action, (2) execute either move or action, or (3) execute neither move nor action. Once you have announced your intentions and executed those intentions, your character's turn is over. The order in which you choose to execute your characters turn is up to you. You can move first and then take action or take action and then move.
On the Face side of the dice square 14 is your movement and distance number. The move number is the first number and this indicates how many hexes on the map your character can move. The second number is the distance of your action. If your character has a 1 in this category that means he can execute an action to any hex next to them or any adjacent hex. A 2 indicates that your character can attack an adjacent hex or a hex up to two hexes away from your characters current location, and so on. Your character can always attack a 0 distance, which means you will be executing the action upon yourself.
Die Roll—Once you have decided which character's turn to execute you must announce your intentions before rolling the character die. Failure to due so will result in the loss of that character's turn.
Step 2. After the (F) God has executed their first character's turn the God chosen second to act (S) will execute their first characters turn. Now return to step 1 and repeat until both Gods have executed a turn for each character. Since the number of characters on a side may differ, one God may execute multiple character turns in a row with the opponent having to wait until the next round to execute a characters turn. The original attack order will remain intact regardless of the number of characters on a side. This means if the (F) God has 4 characters on the board and the (S) God has 3 characters on the board, the (F) God will execute the first turn in round 0, the last turn in round 0 and then the first turn in round 1.
Winning—Winning is accomplished in one of two ways. First the battle is over when one God has defeated all of the characters controlled by the opposing God. Second, a standard battle will consist of 30 rounds. At the end of 30 rounds the God with the most total UP left is considered the winner.
Each map consists of a collection of hex spaces. Each hex is made up of one of the following types of terrain: Grass, Mountain, Rocks, Forest, and Swamp. The standard character movement allows a character to walk on spaces designated by Grass, Forest, and Swamp. The only exception is if character has a (CA) of NF. Only characters with a (CA) of W can walk through Mountains and Rocks. Flying Characters (Dark Blue) are not affected by terrain unless G has been played in which case they have standard character movement.
Most characters will have a black square on their Die Face and a column of white numbers with black background as represented in (18) in
Brown—Brown units can be hit by any attacking unit with a black attack. If the attacking unit has a brown attack then the brown roll will be the damage levied on that particular roll.
Dark Blue—Dark Blue units can only be hit by characters with a dark blue attack. Black attacks will not do damage. The only exception to this rule is (G) in the Character Attributes section.
Red—Red units can be hit by any attacking unit with a black attack. If the attacking unit has a red attack then the red roll will be the damage levied on that particular roll.
Orange—Orange units can be hit by any attacking unit with a black attack. If the attacking unit has an orange attack then the orange roll will be the damage levied on that particular roll.
Purple—Purple units can be hit by any attacking unit with a black attack. If the attacking unit has a purple attack then the purple roll will be the damage levied on that particular roll.
Pink—Pink units can be hit by any attacking unit with a black attack. If the attacking unit has a Pink attack then the Pink roll will be the damage levied on that particular roll.
Teal—Teal units can be hit by any attacking unit with a black attack. If the attacking unit has a teal attack then the teal roll will be the damage levied on that particular roll.
Yellow—A unit with a yellow roll on the Die Face and Roll Sides has the ability to heal other units. The number in the yellow square for that round will be the amount of LP that is restored. Two exceptions to this rule are (NH) and (UN) in the character attributes section
Green—A unit with a green roll has an advantage or disadvantage when they are attacking a unit that is on a forest space. They also have this same advantage or disadvantage when they are attacking from within a forest space.
Grey—A unit with a grey square on the Die Face and Roll Sides has the ability to Status Affect. See item (5) in the understanding your dice section for hit or miss instructions or the Status Affects section for the affects of a Status Affect.
This is the pattern of hexes that your character can attack, cast magic, or Status Affect. This is your pattern and cannot be altered.
Status Affects are spells that can be cast which can have positive affects on team members or detrimental affects to an enemy unit. The pattern for a status affect is the standard SP in box 4 on the Die Face. As with any attack you will only roll the die once even if you are using your SP to do a SA on multiple characters. The Status Affects are defined as follows:
In the preferred embodiment, each character is represented on the board as a Map Piece. However, if the character dice are made smaller and/or the map has sufficiently large movement areas, the dice themselves may be used as map pieces and moved around the board. Future iterations of the game could include a digitized format for the character dice, scoring system, battle maps and all associated items. This could include but is not limited to online applications, portable electronic device applications, as well as a video game format.
