Kari-Ta Matilo

'Chieftain's Clan Wars'

Written by Sierra Brown.
Artwork by Sierra Brown.

History

Released only a year ago on the Drakari homeworld of Roka, the game is still fairly new to the Drakari. The concept of Kari-Ta Matilo first came to be when Makira Chakri was introduced to an old human trading card game by Terran visitors. This concept quickly grew as Makira worked with his new Terran comrades to produce, balance, and then release the game, themed around Drakari cultures and beliefs.

Shortly after its debut, the card game quickly grew in popularity among the younger Drakari population and has even begun to be picked up by some foreign visitors.

Execution

Preparation

The game is built around the traditional rules of a competitive trading card game. Players have decks of cards with various effects and statistics written on them, which are drawn and played every turn as allowed by the game's rules. The main objective of the game is to defeat your opponent(s) by reducing their kariqo to zero.

At the beginning of a match, each player draws five cards. Each 'Round' then has individual phases: A 'Preparation' phase where each player draws a card and plays cards on the field, an 'Action' phase where each player then performs actions using cards on the field, and a 'Resolution' phase where the results of all actions taken are resolved and recorded.

Preparation Phase

For the Preparation Phase, each player draws a card from the top of their deck, and then roll a dice to determine who acts first in the round. The highest roll goes first, followed by the next highest. Ties are broken by additional rolls. A player may then play a number of cards from their hand based on the following rules:

• Only one Creature or Figure may be played per turn.
• If a given Figure is currently on the field for any player, a duplicate of that figure cannot be played.
• Only one Effect card can be added to the field per turn, either as an immediate action, as a prepared reaction, or as an attachment to a chained effect. If an Equipment card was played this turn, an Effect card cannot be played.
• Effect cards may be placed 'Hidden', or face down, if they will not be played in the same round.
• Only one Equipment card can be added to the field per turn. If an Effect card was played this turn, and Equipment card cannot be played.
• No more than 5 creatures and figures may be in play for a single player at once.
• No more than 3 equipments can be attached to a single figure at once.
• No more than 5 unactivated effects may be on the fields at once.

This effectively leaves a maximum of two cards being played per turn.

Action Phase

Following the playing of cards, each player may then perform actions using the cards currently on the field. A player may only perform one action per card, but otherwise has no limits on available actions per turn. The common rules for actions outside of special effects for certain cards are:

• Any effect currently on the field can be activated, even if it was just played in the same round, with the exception of face-down hidden effects that cannot be activated on the same turn.
• Creatures and Figures cannot act on the same turn they were played, unless the card's description says otherwise.
• Only a single Effect action can be performed per round. This includes reactions taken on another player's turn - You only get one action or reaction until the start of the next round.
• An Effect may be activated as a reaction at any point of the Action phase, even when it is not your turn. A reaction may only be used against a player's field or actions if it is that player's turn.
• Each Creature and Figure may make an attack, a defense, or a hold action.
  • Attack actions target another player.
  • Defense actions force a single attack from another player to strike the Creature/Figure instead of the player.
  • Hold actions are simply no action - Neither an attack nor defense. Such actions are useful for avoiding damage from combat, but are not immune to Effects.

Once all actions are declared, any players that declared a defense actions may then have a single defender divert the attack from a single attacker against that player. A single creature or figure cannot divert multiple attackers, unless otherwise stated on the card.

Resolution Phase

Once every player has declared their actions and reactions, the results of these actions are then resolved. Resolutions occur in this order - Any conflicts in the order are resolved by which player acts first according to the start of round dice roll:

1. Effect cards targeting the owning player.
2. Effect cards targeting other effect cards. Any effects that remove a targeted effect also cancel that effects actions, if those actions have not already been resolved or if it's an ongoing effect.
3. All other effect cards.
4. Figure/Creature special abilities.
5. Figure/Creature attacks on Defenders.
6. Figure/Creature attacks on Players.

It is during this phase that damage to creatures, figures, and players is subtracted. Every Creature and Figure card has a given kariqo value, representing the total amount of damage that card can receive before it is removed from play. If an attacker's damage value exceeds a defenders remaining kariqo, the remainder is applied to the player as direct damage.

Additionally, a Defender's attack value is applied to an Attacker's kariqo at the same time. If an attacker would be removed from play by a defender, its attack is still applied. Excess damage dealt by a defender is not carried over to the attacking player.

During the resolution phase, a player's kariqo will likely change. If a player's kariqo is at or below 0 at the end of the resolution phase, that player has lost and he and all of his cards are removed from play. If a resolution phase would result in all active players being removed from play, the game ends in a stalemate. Otherwise, the victor is the last player still in the game.

Components and tools

The only items required to play are a deck of specially made cards and a dice of any size or shape. A dice with more sides is generally preferred as the chance of rolling the same as another player is reduced. The cards used to build a Kari-Ta Matilo deck can be divided into four main categories: Creatures, Figures, Effects, and Equipment.

Creatures

Creature cards represent creatures, beasts, and generic people. Each Creature card has two stats: A kariqo or health value, and an attack damage value. Some creatures may also have additional effects or abilities described on the card. An example of a creature card is the Rakiki, which has a high kariqo but a low damage value. Creatures cannot act in the same round they were played.

Figures

Figure cards are identical to Creature cards except that they represent specific idols or historical figures in Drakari culture. The rules allow only a single copy of each unique figure to be on the field at any given time. If one player has Altara Krieus in their hand, and an opponent has him in the field, he cannot be played until the copy already on the field is removed from play.

Effects

Effects are cards that perform a specific action as described on the card. Effects are placed on the field during the Preparation phase, and can be activated in the same round they were played unless they were played as a hidden (Face down) effect. Effects can be activated as a reaction during any other players turn during the Action phase. Effect cards can also be 'chained' together, allowing all effects of a chain to be activated at once, but only allowed to act upon a single target. Effects targeting other effects can target an entire chain.

Equipment

Equipment cards apply modifiers to Creatures and Figures, typically in the form of bonuses to kariqo or attack damage, though some also provide effects or abilities. A single creature or figure may only have up to three equipment cards attached at any time. An equipment card can be replaced, but the replaced card is removed from play and no longer usable.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

1. History