Cosmic Conquest Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents and Game Pieces
• Game Setup
• Win Condition and Gambit Points
  • Gambit Points
• Playing the Game
  • Turn Phases
  • 1. Recovery Phase
  • 2. Armory Phase
  • 3. Action Phase
  • 4. Conquest Phase
• Key Terms
• Contenders
• Card Types
• Symbols
• Alternate Game Modes

Contents and Game Pieces

• 9x Planet Tiles
• 9x Planet Cards
• 18x Contender Cards
• 18x Contender Standees
• 6x Team Base Holders
• 6x Player Guide Cards
• 6x Gambit Point Cards
• 80x Armory Cards
• 12x Red Attack Dice
• 12x Blue Defense Dice
• XP Tokens (1 XP and 5 XP)
• 1x Turn Counter (D20)

Note: Prior to your first game you will need to remove the die-cut game pieces from the cardboard sheets. It is recommended to carefully punch out each separate piece to avoid damaging game pieces.

Game Setup

Step 1: Distribute 1x Gambit Point card, 1x Player Guide card, and 1x Team Base Holder to each player.

Step 2: Shuffle the Armory deck and place 5x cards face up.

• Shuffle all Armory cards and place the deck into the game space.
• Reveal the top 5x cards from the Armory and place them face up. The face up cards are known as the Armory cards.

Step 3: Form a pool of XP tokens / gems. Each player receives 10 XP. (Players may have XP tokens or gems based on the game edition.)

Step 4: Place the red Attack dice and blue Defense dice into your play area. The Attack dice and Defense dice make up each player's Combat dice. (Additional red and blue dice may be used throughout the game.)

Step 5: Set Your Turn Timer to 10 turns.

Step 6: Set Planet Tiles.

• Place the planet tiles facedown and shuffle them. Then place them in a 3x3 formation. Flip the planet tiles face up to reveal the layout for the game.

Step 7: Assemble Your Team.

• A team is made up of 1x Sentinel, 1x Savior and 1x Destroyer.
• Assign Contenders by randomly distributing them to each player, or perform a snake draft for a more tactical approach.
• To snake draft, randomly assign a player to draft first. Pick orders are reversed each round. A snake draft example would follow:
  • Round 1: Player 1 / Player 2 / Player 3 / Player 4 (Clockwise)
  • Round 2: Player 4 / Player 3 / Player 2 / Player 1 (Counter Clockwise)
  • Round 3: Player 1 / Player 2 / Player 3 / Player 4 (Clockwise)
• Contender types can be selected in any order.
• Place your Contenders on their Unrivaled side.

Step 8: Awakening.

• If Contenders were drafted, start with the last player to draft and move in clockwise order.
• If Contenders were randomly distributed, randomly decide who goes first and proceed in a clockwise order.
• Awakening order determines player turn order for the game.
• You may recycle the market (discard all cards and reveal 5 new cards).
• Purchase any number of cards from the market.
• Awaken any number of Contenders (costs 5 XP per Contender).

Step 9: Place Contenders on Game Board.

• Place your Contender cards in front of you.
• Place your team of Contenders into the Team Base Holder and place them onto a single planet of your choice. Start with the first player and proceed in a clockwise order.
• Set Contender Health to 20. (This is the default for all Contenders.)

You are ready to start the game!

Win Condition and Gambit Points

Players win the game by having the most Gambit Points at the completion of the game.

Gambit Points

• Endgame Trigger: A player reaches 20 Gambit Points OR turn timer reaches zero.
• Gambit Point endgame threshold: Continue the current round until all players finish their turns, then end the game.

During the game, players can accumulate Gambit Points in various ways:

• 2 Gambit Points: Planet Conquer
• 1 Gambit Point: Planet Overthrow
• 1 Gambit Point: When you deal 5 or more damage to an opposing Contender (Once per combat)
• 1 Gambit Point: Collectively restore 6 or more health to Contenders you control (Once per turn)
• 1 Gambit Point: Defeat an opposing Unrivaled Contender
• 2 Gambit Points: Defeat an opposing Awakened Contender

Endgame bonus points:

• 1 Gambit Point: For each Awakened Contender you control
• 1 Gambit Point: For each planet you control
• 1 Gambit Point: For each home planet you control (Listed on Unrivaled side of Contender you control)
• 1 Gambit Point: For every 5 XP worth of unspent XP
• 1 Gambit Point: For every 5 XP worth of Armory cards in your hand

If the game is tied after calculating bonus Gambit Points, the criteria will follow a descending order to determine a winner:

• Total controlled planets
• Total Awakened Contenders
• Total XP
• Total Weapons
• One final combat roll: each player will roll 6x Attack dice. The highest total Attack Combat Value is declared the winner. In an event where the Attack Combat Values are equal, players will continue the process until one winner is decided.

Playing the Game

Turn Phases

Each player's turn consists of 4x phases including the Recovery Phase, Armory Phase, Action Phase and Conquest Phase. Players may not rearrange the order of the turn phase.

1. Recovery Phase

• Reduce your Contender cooldowns by 1.
• Gain 2 XP.
• Resolve applicable effects and/or abilities.
• (Optional) Awaken any number of Unrivaled Contenders you control. Awakening a Contender costs 5 XP.
  • Cooldowns are reset to zero when a Contender is Awakened.

2. Armory Phase

• Players can visit the Armory once per turn after their Recovery Phase has concluded.
• Whenever an Armory card is purchased or discarded, replace the card with the next card from the top of the Armory deck immediately. This card can be purchased.
• When visiting the Armory, players can pay 2 XP to send all the revealed Armory cards to the Discard pile.
• Players can purchase as many Armory cards as their XP allows.
• Purchased Weapons must be attached immediately to a Contender that player controls.
• Purchased Action cards go to your hand.
• If the Armory deck is depleted, players must reshuffle the Discard pile back into the Armory deck and then restock the Armory cards by placing the top 5x cards of the deck face up.
• Resolve any Contender, Planet, or Weapon abilities. Resolve in the order of your choice.

3. Action Phase

Players may perform two Actions during their turn, in any combination of Move and Combat.

Move

• Move your Contenders:
  • Players may move to any planet they control.
  • Players may move orthogonally (up, down, left, right) to an adjacent planet.
• Once per turn, as a free action, players may choose to Traverse to any planet by spending 2 XP.

Combat

• Declare an attack against an opposing Contender occupying the same planet. Players engaged in Combat gain 1 XP.

Combat Steps

• Step 1 - Target: The attacking player chooses a Contender they control to attack an opposing Contender on the same planet.
• Step 2 - Roll: The attacker and defender both roll their dice pool simultaneously.
• Step 3 - Reroll: The attacking player may choose to pick up any number of their dice and roll again once. Then the defending player may choose to pick up any number of their dice and roll again once.
• Step 4 - Defender Support Action: This is an opportunity for the defending player to play Armory cards or activate Contender abilities with the Support Action symbol. The defending player may use up to two Support Actions.
• Step 5 - Attacker Combat Action and Support Action: This is an opportunity for the attacking player to play Armory cards or activate Contender abilities with the Combat Action or Support Action symbol. Only the Contender that initiated the attack may activate their Combat Action ability. The attacking player may use up to two total Combat Actions and Support Actions.
• Step 6 - Resolve Damage: Damage is resolved by total attack and total defense. This is known as the final Combat Value. Total attack is determined for each player by the number of Hit symbols while total defense is determined for each player by the number of Defense symbols. Once the final Combat Values have been resolved, Combat damage will be dealt simultaneously. Both attacking and defending Contenders can receive Combat damage.
  • Note: After the final Combat Values are calculated, Combat damage is dealt. There may be Armory card or Contender abilities that could affect final Combat Value.

Combat (cont.)

• Contender abilities may only be activated when the cooldown spinner is at zero. When a Contender ability is activated, set the cooldown spinner to the cooldown default.
• A Contender is defeated when their Health total is reduced to 0.
  • Once a Contender is defeated, send any attached Weapons to the Discard pile, set the Contender card to its Unrivaled side and set its Health to 15.
  • A Contender's Health may not exceed the default value of 20.

Dice Pool

• All Combat damage attempts will be determined by Attacker and Defender dice pools which contribute to final Combat Value.
• An Attacking Contender will have a base dice pool of 6x to roll during combat.
  • This dice pool consists of six 6-sided die including:
    • Hit (single sword)
    • Hit (single sword)
    • Hit (single sword)
    • Double Hit
    • Defense
    • Defense
• A Defending Contender will have a base dice pool of 5x to roll during combat.
  • This dice pool consists of five 6-sided die including:
    • Hit (single sword)
    • Hit (single sword)
    • Double Hit
    • Defense
    • Defense
    • Miss
• Cards or abilities may alter a Contender's dice pool and/or final Combat Value.
• An individual player's Combat dice pool may not exceed more than 12x Combat dice.

4. Conquest Phase

Conquer and Overthrow

• Players may attempt to take control of any planet they occupy during the Conquest Phase.
• In order to take control of a planet, players must either Conquer or Overthrow. Planets have different Conquer and Overthrow criteria.
• A Conquer is allowed when no player currently controls that planet. Players will then follow the Conquer criteria to take control of that planet.
  • If players meet the Conquer criteria, they take control of that planet and receive the dedicated Planet card.
• An Overthrow is required to take control of a planet when another player currently controls that planet. Players will then follow the Overthrow criteria to take control of that planet.
  • If players meet the Overthrow criteria, they take control of that planet and receive the dedicated Planet card.
• Players gain 1 XP for Conquering or Overthrowing a planet. Each planet has a Passive effect that is gained when a player takes control of that planet.
• Players gain Gambit Points by Conquering or Overthrowing a planet.
  • Note: see Win Condition and Gambit Points page for Gambit Point criteria.

Example planet: Evelon (illustration in the rulebook)

• Conquer: Restore health to 2 or more Contenders this turn.
• Overthrow: An opponent restores health to 2 or more Contenders this turn.
• Passive: If you restore health to 1 or more Contenders, restore 1 additional health to those Contenders.

Key Terms

• Ability: Unique attribute or action inherent to a Contender, influencing gameplay with Support Action, Combat Action, or Passive bonuses.
• Activate: Refers to the utilization of a Contender's ability.
• Attach: Players can assign a Weapon to a specific Contender by placing it on or near the designated Contender. Weapons are attached by placing them on or near the designated Contender.
• Attack Dice: Red dice that are rolled by attacking players during combat to contribute to a player's final Combat Value.
• Awaken: Set an Unrivaled Contender to its Awakened side by paying 5 XP at the start of the game or during the Recovery Phase of your turn.
• Can't: When a rule or effect allows or directs something to happen, and another effect states that it can't happen, the "can't" effect takes precedence.
• Combat Dice: Can be Attack or Defense dice, determined by the players current role in combat.
• Conquer: Gain control of a planet during the Conquest Phase when certain criteria are met.
• Control: Refers to a player's possession and authority over a card or game element during gameplay. In the case of Contenders, control signifies ownership and the ability to make decisions while the Contender is in play with remaining health.
• Defeated: Occurs once a Contender's Health is reduced to 0.
• Defense Dice: Blue dice that are rolled by defending players during combat to contribute to a player's final Combat Value.

Contenders

Contender card anatomy (the rulebook labels each part of the example card, Clarity, a Sentinel):

• Contender Class: Shown at the top of the card (Sentinel, Savior or Destroyer).
• Health: The Contender's current Health, shown at the top of the card.
• Lore: Flavor text on the Unrivaled side (not a rule).
• Character Name.
• Passive Ability: Shown on the Unrivaled side.
• Unrivaled: The default side of the Contender card, with only Passive abilities.
• Awakened: The side of the Contender card with Combat Action and Support Action abilities.
• Combat Action Ability and Combat Action Cooldown.
• Support Action Ability and Support Action Cooldown.

Example Contender: Clarity

• Unrivaled side, Passive ability, Life and Death: Whenever Clarity is engaged in combat and loses 3 or more Health, restore 2 Health to another Contender you control.
• Awakened side, Combat Action ability, Spectral Reckoning: After Combat damage resolves, roll 3 Attack dice. For each Defense rolled, reduce the Health of each Contender the defending player controls by 2. Cooldown: 3.
• Awakened side, Support Action ability, Shadow Parry: Choose a Contender from the opposing player's team that is not engaged in combat. The chosen Contender loses 1 Health for each Hit in your final Combat Value after Combat damage is resolved. Cooldown: 3.

Card Types

Non-Combat Action

• Acquired from the Armory, these cards are added to your hand upon purchase.
• Non-Combat Actions are played as a free action during the Action Phase outside of combat.
• Once resolved, they are placed into the Discard pile.

Combat Action

• Acquired from the Armory, these cards are added to your hand upon purchase.
• Available for use by Attacking players.
• These cards are available to be played during the Combat Action phase of combat.
• These cards can be played up to twice per combat.
• Once resolved, they are placed into the Discard pile.

Support Action

• Obtained from the Armory, these cards are added to your hand upon purchase.
• Defending and Attacking players can play these cards during the Support Action phase of combat.
• Players can play up to two Support Action cards during each combat.
• Once resolved, they are placed into the Discard pile.

Weapon

• Once purchased from the Armory, these cards are attached to a Contender that the player controls.
• Each Contender can only attach one Weapon, unless specified otherwise by an Armory card or ability.
• Upon purchase, a Weapon is attached to a Contender under the player's control.
  • If a Contender already has a Weapon attached and a new one is acquired, the previous Weapon is discarded and replaced, unless specified otherwise.
  • When attaching a Weapon, it is placed on or near the Contender to signify attachment.
• Weapons can only be activated during combat by both the active Attacking and Defending Contenders, with abilities activated based on specified conditions.
  • Active Weapon abilities can only be activated if the attached Contender is involved in combat, unless specified otherwise.
  • Weapons are active solely during combat, unless specified otherwise by an Armory card or ability.
  • Weapons with a Passive ability may trigger abilities outside of combat.
• Weapons attached to an Unrivaled Contender stay attached when that Contender is Awakened.
• Weapons attached to a Contender that is defeated are sent to the Discard pile.

Planet Card

• These cards are given to the controlling player to signify ownership.
• These cards have various passive effects.

Example cards shown in the rulebook

• Bad Intentions (5 XP, Non-Combat Action): Set an opposing Awakened Contender to Unrivaled.
• Amplification (3 XP, Combat Action): If you are occupying a planet you control, double the number of Hit or Defense in your final Combat Value. Then gain 1 Gambit Point.
• Collective Intelligence (2 XP, Support Action): Search the Discard pile for a Weapon and attach it to an Unrivaled Contender.
• Battle Mace (4 XP, Weapon): The attached Contender can't reroll during combat. Restore 1 Health for each Hit in your final Combat Value to a Contender you control.
• Evelon (Planet): If you restore Health to 1 or more Contenders, restore 1 additional Health to those Contenders.

Symbols

• Sentinel (Contender class)
• Destroyer (Contender class)
• Savior (Contender class)
• Health
• Hit
• Double Hit
• Defense
• Miss
• Non-Combat Action
• Combat Action
• Support Action
• Weapon
• Gambit Point
• XP
• Passive

Alternate Game Modes

Alternate Game Modes (Coming Soon...) — the rulebook lists the following modes without rules text:

• Pure Domination
• 5-6 Player Free For All
• 2 v 2 Team Doubles
• 3 v 3 Triple Threat
• King of the Hill
• Zone Control