A rulebook on 'Working as Intended'

 This is a prototype rule for Working as Intended v1.03

This will later be converted into a PDF with images so stay tuned!

Working as Intended

1. What you do

'Working as Intended' is a card game based on the famous 'Dark Souls' series.

You will be faced with unpredictable enemies, hopeless bosses and especially, each other.

Starting from normal enemies, progress through the game to fight strong elite enemies and even bosses.

Gather 4 great souls to progress to the end of your journey, to link or abandon the right of kindling.

Cooperate with your fellow undead/cursed/ashen ones and slay these mighty souls and take what is rightfully yours.

But alas, the brighter the flame, the deeper the shadow. As such feeble hollow, forlorn, not even fit to be cinder, 

Many will invade. One or the other must die. Perhaps to grasp a fleeting glimpse of their own humanity.

Will you join in jolly-cooperation with others? Or stab each other in the back and embrace your dark soul?

2. Variety of Cards

2.1. Character

The character represents the build and quality of your playstyle. All characters possess Health, Stamina, and Focus. 

Health is the amount of hits you can take before death.

Stamina is the amount of actions you can do.

Focus is the amount of spells/weapon arts you can use.

With these 3 traits, there is a forth. Almost all characters have some kind of special ability.

For example, unlike other characters, the 'Bearer of the Cursed' can use 2 weapons at once at the cost of lower overall stats.

Choose 1 of these cards that best presents your playstyle.

2.2. Input Deck

The 'Input Deck' consists of action and spell cards. Player can choose 3 (+ boss soul hold) cards every turn.

2.2.1. Action

Action cards are used as player/mob input, usually involves melee actions.

2.2.1.1. Attack

Attack cards are used to attack your opponent with your right hand equipment.

This action itself costs nothing, but will cost your set amount of stamina and/or focus depending on your equipment.

2.2.1.2. Block

Block cards are used to block incoming damage with your left hand or two handed equipment.

As default, all block will reduce incoming damage by half. But having a shield will increase the blocking effect further.

The action itself costs nothing, but beware! This is not a block-everything card! 

A guard break (or any input with a guard break) will open you for a critical attack!

Some dual-wield weapons will not be able to block, instead it will perform an attack.

2.2.1.3. Weapon Art

Weapon Art cards are used to activate your left handed or two handed equipment special ability.

These special actions are represented by a star symbol.

The action itself costs nothing, but will cost your set amount of focus on your equipment.

Some Weapon Art includes an Attack. In this case the WA will cost stamina as well.

2.2.1.4. Roll

Roll cards are used to evade almost any harmful effects & damages unless mentioned.

This action costs 1 stamina, and cannot be used if your stamina is 0.

Although this card will protect you from almost anything, some equipment or spells can still catch you!

2.2.1.5. Guard Break

Guard Break cards are used to mainly break your opponent's guard.

If your opponent gets guard broken, the next card he/she has will be canceled, 

And you will be able to swap all your equipment, armor, and ring.

The next 'attack' will be a critical, meaning it will do *1.5 damage by default.

This does not apply to weapon arts involving 'attack' or any other damaging properties such as firebombs or spells.

2.2.2. Miracle

Miracles are a type of magic that usually heals/buffs the player or deal lightning damage.

Miracles can only be cast by wielding a proper catalyst. These catalysts will have the phrase: Can cast Miracles

These type of magic greatly enhances player's ability. And there offensive spells usually has unique effects such as knockdowns.

But be warned as these types of magic usually drains your stamina as well as your focus!

Recommended to: Melee type players who want to enhance their ability with buffs.

2.2.3. Sorcery

Sorceries are a type of magic that does the highest damage output per focus and usually deals magic damage.

Sorceries can only be cast by wielding a proper catalyst. These catalysts will have the phrase: Can cast Sorceries

These type of magic possesses insane damage per turn and uses little, even no focus to cast.

But alas, it lacks proper protection against melee attacks and has less special/unique abilities.

Recommended to: Glass cannon type players who want to burst out insane amounts of damage.

2.2.4. Pyromancy

Pyromancies are a type of magic that has the most unique & special abilities.

Pyromancies can only be cast by wielding a proper catalyst. These catalysts will have the phrase: Can cast Pyromancies 

These type of magic possesses very unique abilities such as breaking armor, poison, and more!

But these type of magic will drain your focus very fast as they are not the most efficient.

Recommended to: Players who want a joker card to turn the tables.

2.3. Item Deck

This deck consists of usable items such as equipment, armor, rings, etc.

You can use your soul cards to trade with these items in firelink shrine.

Also, you can sell 5 of ANY cards to trade with one of these if you have too much card on your hand!

2.2.1. Equipment

Equipment cards are chosen as your starting gear. They consists of weapons, catalysts, and shields.

Every player can choose 2 equipment before the game begins.

2.2.2. Unique Equipment

Unique equipment cards can be traded for souls and is much powerful and possesses unique features unlike normal equipment.

Note that equipment are the only thing left when you die, and will not be discarded no matter what.

2.2.3. Consumable

Consumable cards are used in battle to boost have special abilities during combat.

Using them costs no stamina or focus. And offer unique abilities & buffs.

Be warned! As buffs are removed when going back to firelink shrine and invasion!

2.2.4. Online Play

Online Play items are used before each turn or certain situations in PvP.

They enable players to do interactions such as invasion, coop, and more.

Choosing these cards will affect your stats in any way, but will give you an edge against other players.

2.2.5. Armor

Armor cards are mostly defensive. They give you a passive health buff and sometimes even damage reduction!

Only one chest piece and one head piece can be equipped at a time.

Having a good armor will prevent you from being one-shotted, and will prove very effective on boss battles and PvP.

Note that the health buff is only a 'max health increase'. So you will have to heal to get the full potential.

Armors do not disappear when going back to firelink shrine. Also will not disappear on death as a phantom.

But they will disappear if you die as a host or other means such as acid surge or corrosive urns!

2.2.6. Ring

Rings offer special boost to your stats and offer powerful abilities.

They work as same as armors. 2 rings can be equipped at the same time.

2.3. Enemies

Enemy cards consists of health, damaging property, and move set.

Health represents the amount of hit the enemy can take before death.

Damage represents the type and amount of damage on an attack.

The move set represents what the enemy will do on a certain action card

2.3.1 Enemy

Enemies are the most standard foes in this game. They rely on simple attacks and generally have low health and damage.

Use 3 action cards to represent there move set. 

All action cards will be open so that the opposing player may predict and act accordingly.

On death the player takes the card as the 'soul',

And can be traded in firelink shrine for 1 unique equipment/consumable/online play/armor/ring card

2.3.2. Elite Enemy

Elite enemies are formidable foes, often with special moves and traits. They have complex moves and have high health and damage.

Use 3 action cards to represent there move set. 

Only 2 action cards will be open. Like the normal enemies the player takes the card as the 'soul'.

Can be traded in firelink shrine for 2 unique equipment/consumable/online play/armor/ring card

2.3.3. Boss

Bosses are hopeless opponents. They cannot be staggered, backstabbed or parried unless mentioned.

Use 3 action cards to represent there move set. 

Only 1 action cards will be open. Like the normal enemies the player takes the card as the 'soul'.

Cannot be traded in firelink shrine, but will boost your action by enabling you to draw more cards every turn.

To initiate a boss fight, a player must discard 1 elite (or 2 normal) enemy card. 

This prevents a player from spamming boss battles after death.

The player who started the boss battle becomes the host, whereas the other players becomes the phantom.

All living players get 1 normal enemy card as a reward. The person who kills the boss gets all cards in the bloodstain pile.

3. Card Placement

3.1. Start

All players start with 1 character card and 2 equipment card of their choice.

These cards are placed in the middle, with the left handed equipment going to the left hand, and the right handed equipment going to the right.

Having an empty left hand will be considered as 'two handing' and will open up new options.

3.2. PvE

If you choose to fight a normal or an elite enemy, draw 1 enemy card and place them in front of your character.

Draw 3 action cards and place them under the enemy card to represent there move set.

After that draw & place your own action/spell card to fight against the enemy.

Reveal all cards (if elite) and go from left to right to calculate health, stamina, and focus.

If the enemy dies, discard all remaining action/spell cards (they will not become active) and take the enemy card as 'soul' cards.

If the enemy does not die, discard all action/spell card and write down (or use tokens) the amount of health left.

3.3. Boss

If you choose to fight a boss, discard ALL normal/elite enemy fights of all players. 

Draw 1 boss card and place it in the middle of all players. 

Draw 3 action cards and place them under the boss card to represent its move set.

After that draw & place your own action/spell card to fight against the enemy.

Reveal all cards and go from left to right to calculate health, stamina, and focus.

If the boss dies, discard all remaining action/spell cards (they will not become active) and take the boss card as 'soul' cards.

If the boss does not die, discard all action/spell card and write down (or use tokens) the amount of health left and pass on to the next player.

If the boss battle ends, either by success or failure, the turn will begin from the next person to the host, regardless of current turn.

3.4. PvP

If you choose to fight a player, discard enemy fight of the host. Cannot be initiated during a boss fight.

Players take turn as 'Offensive' and 'Reactive'. The invader starts as the offensive by default.

The offensive player places 3 card in front of his/her character card without revealing them. And the reactive player does the same.

Reveal each card from left to right (Host's perspective) to calculate health, stamina, and focus.

The rest of the players will continue on their PvE. Boss battles cannot be initiated.

The PvP will only happen during the hosts turn.

3.5. Buffs, Armors, and more.

As you gain more and more gear, you will be placing more cards around your character.

Buffs can be applied during battle and will boost your stats. These cards go at the top of your character card.

Rings go to the right side of your character.

And armors go to the left side of your character.

4. Death

All death will cause a certain amount of cards to be lost. 

These cards will go into a pile called the 'bloodstain'. This card will be open and anyone who kills a boss will take these cards.

Bloodstains will reset every death, meaning that the pile will not grow.

4.1. Death as a Host

Death as a Host is critical. You lose ALL cards except for your equipped weapon/catalyst/shields.

If you were defeated by an invader, the invading player will take ALL your soul cards and the rest will be discarded.

4.2. Death as a Phantom

Death as a Phantom is certainly critical, but not too bad.

All soul cards will be discarded, and all buffs will be removed. But you do not lose any cards in your hand.

If you were defeated by an invader or the host in PvP, the triumphant player will take ALL your soul cards.

5. Winning

Any player who has 4 or more boss soul cards will win.

(Alternate rule) If a player has 4 or more boss card, all battle will stop and the game will go into the 'Soul of Cinder' mode.

All players will become the 'Soul of Cinder' and will fight against the winning player.

If the player wins, game over. If SoC wins, the player will die as a host and the game will continue.