slaywithfriends/docs/rules-web-mvp.md

slaywithfriends web rules (MVP)

This document defines the rules currently enforced by the web app. It is intentionally smaller than the full board game rulebook.

Scope: support a complete multiplayer run through at least Act I with correct turn order, combat resolution, rewards, and map progression.

Core loop

• 1-4 players cooperate through map rooms.
• If any player reaches 0 HP, the run ends in defeat.
• Clear the Act boss to complete the Act.

Setup

1. Each player chooses a character and starts with that character's starter deck.
2. Each player starts with 3 Energy, 0 Block, and max HP.
3. Prepare decks needed for the selected Act.
4. Build/reveal the map and place players in starting rows.
5. Resolve Neow bonuses.
6. Start first encounter combat.

Map rooms

• Encounter
• Elite
• Event
• Campfire (Rest/Smith)
• Treasure
• Merchant
• Boss

Combat flow

Player turn

1. Reset Energy to 3 and Block to 0.
2. Draw 5 cards.
3. Roll die once for round-level enemy/relic effects.
4. Resolve start-of-turn/start-of-combat/die-trigger effects.
5. Players act simultaneously: play cards, use potions/items, choose targets.
6. Resolve end-of-turn effects, then discard hand (except retained cards).

Enemy turn

1. Remove all enemy Block.
2. Enemies act by row order, then bosses/acts-last enemies.
3. Advance cube-action enemies.

End of combat

1. Resolve end-of-combat triggers.
2. Grant rewards.
3. Reset decks/boards/tokens according to combat cleanup rules.
4. Allow row switching before next combat room.

Keywords required for MVP

• Energy (max 6)
• Block (player max 20)
• Strength (max 8)
• Vulnerable (max 3)
• Weak (max 3)
• Poison (max 30 across all enemies)
• Exhaust
• Ethereal
• Retain
• Scry
• Unplayable
• Area of Effect (single row + boss)
• All Enemies
• Multi-hit

Reward handling required for MVP

• Card Reward, Upgraded Card Reward, Rare Reward
• Potion (max 3) and potion use/discard rules
• Relic, Boss Relic
• Gold
• Remove, Upgrade, Transform
• Golden Ticket behavior

Character mechanics required for MVP

• Ironclad: Strength interactions
• Silent: Shiv + Poison limits/behavior
• Defect: Orb channel/end-of-turn/evoke behavior
• Watcher: Neutral/Calm/Wrath + Miracle behavior

Explicitly out of MVP scope

• Daily Climb mode
• Achievement tracking
• Full unlock tree UX
• Complete FAQ card-by-card interaction coverage

Source of truth

• Canonical rules: docs/rules-canon.md
• Product deltas: docs/rules-web-delta.md