Shadow Era Trading Card Game - Free TCG for iPhone, Android and Web

Turn Phases Overview:

Draw
Sacrifice
Action
-- Target
Finished

(Game Start)

At the beginning of the game, each player draws 6 cards from the top of their deck into their hand. The player that goes first is chosen randomly. On the first turn, the player will skip the Draw phase and their hero does not gain 1 Shadow Energy. This is to balance first turn advantage.

Draw

At the start of this phase, all exhausted cards are readied, and any "each turn" effect is triggered.

During the Draw phase, you will draw a card from the top of your deck into your hand. Hand maximum is always enforced, so if you have 7 cards already, you cannot draw a card.

When you do not have any cards in your deck and a card is required to be drawn from it, your hero will take 1 damage each time.

Sacrifice Phase

During the Sacrifice phase, you select a card to convert into a resource. To do so, select the card by clicking on it, then press the "Sacrifice" button. Clicking anywhere else will return the card to your hand so you can choose a different card to sacrifice.

Sacrificing is optional and you can press the "Skip" button in the bottom right if you do not wish to sacrifice a card this turn.

Sacrificed cards will enter play ready to be used as a resource immediately.

Action

The Action phase is when you put cards into play, use abilities, and attack with your allies or hero. Cards that can be played or used will be highlighted. Click on the card to select and view its details. If you have enough available resources to play a card in your hand, a "Cast" button will appear below the card.

Summoned allies enter play exhausted (colored purple) and will be readied on your next turn. If you select an ally that can attack, click the "Attack" button to enter the Target phase to initialize combat.

Target

Upon playing a card or using an ability where you need to select a target, or attacking with an ally or hero, you will enter the Target phase. Available targets will be highlighted and you can select your desired target by clicking on the card and then pressing the "Target" button. Cancel your action with the "Cancel" button in the bottom right; such as when no card is selectable for targeting.

Cards mentioning multiple targets allow you to choose more than one target if you wish. Press the "Done" button to finish and play the card.

After the effects play out, you will return to the Action phase.

Finished

When you click on the "End Turn" button, your turn ends and any end of turn effects now trigger. The opponent then starts their turn with the Draw phase.

More About Combat

When attacking with your allies or hero, you can choose to attack their allies or the hero directly; unless there are special effects in play that limit this. The two cards will be brought into focus while the attack is played out. The attacker will first deal their damage to the target. If the target is still alive after the attack, the target will "defend" and do their damage to the attacker.
Heroes can only attack once they have a weapon equipped.

More About Abilities

Abilities that cost resource to use are shown with a black circle icon next to the ability text, indicating the number of resources it costs to use that ability. All abilities on cards can only be used once per turn, then it is grayed out and will be ready again on your next turn. Allies and heroes can use their ability and attack in the same turn; however, you cannot attack and then use their ability as they would be exhausted already.

Item cards enter play ready to be used. Allies however, enter play exhausted so you cannot use their abilities right away.

Abilities that do not have a cost to use are considered to always be in effect.

Shadow Energy

Cards may have special abilities that cost Shadow Energy to use and are shown with a purple circle icon. Heroes automatically generate Shadow Energy during their Draw phase and this accumulates up to 10 points.

Hero Weapons and Armor

Hero weapons have an attack value in the bottom left corner of the card and a durability value, denoted by the anvil icon in the bottom right corner. Each time a hero hits with the weapon, whether attacking or defending, the weapon used loses 1 durability.

Hero Armors work similarly and has durability as well. Each time the hero is hit in combat, the equipped armor loses 1 point of durability. In the bottom right corner is its defense value; denoted by the shield icon. Damage received in combat is reduced by the defense value of the armor.

If you play a weapon when you already have one equipped, your old weapon is discarded to the graveyard. The same applies with armors. Hero equipment will be destroyed when they run out of durability and sent to the graveyard.

Key Terms:

"target" - you can select any target for this effect
"n targets" - you can select up to n targets, although they can be duplicated if you wish
"n different targets" - you can select up to n targets, with no duplicates
"target opponent" - you can only target the enemy hero or allies
"target ally" - only allies can be targeted
"target Hero" - only heroes can be targeted
"each turn" - the start of the card owner's draw phase, or if the card is attached to a target, the target card owner's draw phase
"attack" - launch a combat attack against another ally or hero
"defend" - return damage to your attacker
"summon" - to play an ally card from your hand onto the field.

Protector - When you control an ally with Protector, your opponent may not target allies you control that do not have the Protector ability.
Defender - When defending in combat, cards with defender deal combat damage before the attacker.
Ambush - When this card attacks in combat, their target cannot defend against that attack.
Stealth - This card cannot be targeted by combat attacks.
Poisons - When the hero or ally damages a target, that target takes 1 damage at the beginning of the controller's turn.
Haste - This ally is summoned un-exhausted; able to attack and use its ability on the turn it's played.
Disabled - This ally cannot attack, defend, or use any activated abilities.