Focus Deck

 

Power without focus is Chaos.  Successful Invocations require that elements and actions be specifically targeted.  Power Gems, specific Mages and the cards or hands of specific Mages can all be targets.  These cards are mostly self explanatory:

 

Target

 

Target Magical Item

Allows Mage to identify and target any one Magical Item in play and is either combined with a move card (steal) or with an element card (destroy)

 

Target Creature

Allows Mage to identify and target any one Creature in play and is either combined with a move card (steal) or with an element card (destroy)

 

Target Hand

Allows Mage to target a single card in any one other Mage's Hand - only targets cards in the hand, not those laid out as Established Invocations. Can be combined with either a Move or a Discard Action.

 

Target Power Gem 

Allows Mage to identify and target any one Power Gem of any other Mage or the Aether.  Since Attacks always affect a Mage’s Power, Target Power is usually combined with a Move card to steal or relocate a Mage’s Power, or combined with an element card to destroy the gem.  Remember,  Aether Gems can be destroyed – but not relocated (at this point but one never know what might be hatched in an expansion pack)

 

Target Current Invocation

This has a built in Haste and can be played by any Mage, even out of turn.

 

Target Established Invocation

Allows Mage to identify and target any Established Invocation in Play - Does NOT effect Magical Items or Creatures

 

Modifiers

Modifiers that are (+) or (-):  Every card has an assumed value of 1. (+) or (-) modifiers can be used on any card.  So a “Move Left” moves the Invocation 1 space to the left of a Mage.  But a “Move Left” with a (-2) modifier would actually move the Invocation 1 space to the right. (Move Left moves one space left, -1 space brings it back to the Mage, -1 more space moves it to the Mage to the right.)

 

Likewise an Element with a +1 is an Element with a power of 2 (But NOT two separate Elements). Delay or Sustain can similarly be modified

 

Delay

Delays the effect of an Invocation by one turn.  So a Mage that Invokes:

 

Delay & Move Right & Earth

 

is targeting the Mage to their right, but the Invocation will be placed down as an “Established Invocation” and be moved to the right with damage calculated at the end of the Invoking Mage’s next turn.

 

Sustain

Continues the effect of a card for one extra turn.  So Sustain & Move Right & Earth is a way to target two Mages to the right and is treated as a “Current Invocation” which is cast against the Mage to the immediate right with damages assessed at the end of the Invoking Mage’s turn, and moves one more space to the right with damages applied at the end of the next Mage’s turn. Unlike a +1 & Move Right invocation, the Sustain card sustains the entire Invocation (Move Right & Earth), not just the movement, so the same single Earth can be used against both Mages.

 

 

Sustain & Invoke & Earth would result in a “Current Invocation” cast against the targeted Mage with damages assessed at the end of the Invoking Mage’s turn AND an “Established Invocation” cast against the same targeted Mage with damages applied at the end of the Invoking Mage’s next turn.

 

Haste

Allows immediate play - even out of turn, or speeds up the action in a current turn.

 

Remember - sequence matters!  To avoid confusion - always  place the modifier on the card or grouping of cards that you are effecting.

 

Invocation Examples

Example #1

You want to force another Mage to discard 3 cards from their hand. You cannot just throw a Discard card at them. You must lay out a focus and increase the power:

 

Target Hand & Discard & +2 = targeted Mage must discard 3 cards

 

BUT a third Mage thinks you are getting too powerful and wants to keep the targeted Mage in the game…… So….

 

Target Current Invocation (remember - built in haste, allowing Mage to Invoke out of turn) & -1 = Your Invocation has been diminished by one power point so the targeted Mage only has to discard 2 cards.

 

Example #2

Using the Invocation: Target Power Gem & Move Left = you stole a power gem from the Mage to your right.  The victim of the spell would like to get their Gem back…

 

In their hand their they have “Move Left” and Five Element cards.  Because they do not have “Target Power Gem” they are not able to reclaim the stone. But, assuming you do not have any shields against one of those elements, they can Invoke:

 

Air & Move Left - essentially attacking you with a tornado.  Without any defense this will cause 1 point of damage - destroying the power gem you stole.

 

Example #3

You want to strike the Mage across from you with a bolder (Earth).  They do not have either an Earth or Air Shield, so hitting them with this automatically damages the Power Gem because it’s straight damage.

 

BUT there are 5 Mages at the table and the Mage you are targeting is neither directly to your left nor directly to your right.  There is one person between you to the left, and two people between you to the right.

 

You must have either:

 

• Move Left & +1 & Earth; or

• Move Right & +2 & Earth; or

• You could use -1 or -2 cards with your Move Left or Move Right as long as the Maths works out: or

• Invoke (which allows you to target any Mage) & Earth

 

Example #4

 

It’s your turn and you want to send a fireball at the Mage across from you. (Invoke & Fire) But that Mage has a Wand with two cards face up Build Wall & Fire and 1 card face down. You suspect the face down card is either a +1 or another Fire element. They do not have any Established Invocations with Water remaining, so they can activate the wand and build their Shield Fire Wall as soon as you cast – because Wands have a built in Haste.

 

The only way to get past it is to cast a Fireball faster than they can build the wall so you Invoke with: Invoke & Fire & Haste. Since its your turn you have the first action, which is negated by their built in Haste, but your Haste gets the fire through faster than they can build.

 

EXCEPT – the face down card is not a +1, but a HASTE!

Unless you had Invoke & Fire & Haste & +1 (sequence matters, the 1 adding to the Haste, not the Fire), they still build faster than you can cast and block all Fire attacks with no damage!

 

Example #5

 

You REALLY want to win the game and you notice that you have the most power gems of any Mage at the table.  But your defenses are all destroyed and your cards are not going to ensure you are the last Mage standing.  The Aether, however, only has one gem left……..

 

Target Power Gem & Invoke & Fire - you can destroy the Aether - ending the game as the most powerful Mage! (Muwhahaha)

But wait…. OOPS

 

Another Mage has:

• Target Current Invocation & Build Wall & Fire; OR

• Target Current Invocation &Haste & Invoke & Water - You have been blocked and are now the least popular Mage at the table……. Curses – foiled again!

 

 

GOT IT ? 

 

Ok Maybe not ... but here are some basic Invocations to get you going.