Forged in Fire
How to Play
Start here for your first game.
Set up your battlefield, choose between attacking and using an Ability, and reduce the opposing Forge Core to 0.
Attack OR Ability
Your Battle Forgekin may Attack OR use its Ability, not both.
Acting ≠ End Turn
Attacking, using an Ability, or a Chaos Check does not end your turn.
Defeat Costs 10
Every defeated Forgekin deals 10 damage to its own Forge Core.
1
Goal and Setup
Your Forge Core is your HP - it starts at 50. When one of your Forgekin is defeated, your Forge Core takes 10 damage. You win by reducing your opponent's Forge Core to 0.
You need: each player needs a 30-card deck plus one separate Forger. You'll also need a six-sided die (for Chaos Checks) and a way to track damage on Forgekin and each Forge Core's points.
- 1Shuffle your deck, then place your Forger at your Forge Core; set each Forge Core to 50.
- 2Each player draws 5 cards.
- 3No Forgekin in hand? Reveal it, reshuffle into your deck, draw 5 new cards. Repeat if needed.
- 4Place 1 Forgekin in your Battle Slot and up to 3 in your Standby Slots. Unplaced cards stay in your Hand.
- 5After both players finish placing, flip a coin; the winner chooses who goes first. The first player draws 1 and may attack on turn 1.
If a player must draw a card and their Draw Pile is empty, they lose. At 7 cards in hand, you may choose not to draw.
2
Your Battlefield and Three Stats
Battlefield zones (each player): Forge Core (HP, 50) · Forger · Battle Slot · up to 3 Standby Slots · 2 Decree Slots · Scrap Pile · Hand (cards you hold) · Draw Pile (cards not yet drawn).
You can play on any flat surface - a Battle Mat is an accessory, not a requirement. View the battlefield layout →
Three stats (every Forgekin)
- Power = health. A Forgekin is defeated when damage on it equals or exceeds its Power.
- Control = attack damage.
- Chaos = risk. Add the Chaos of all your Forgekin in play (Battle + Standby). At 20+, an attack triggers a Chaos Check.
Two card-text types
- Passive - always active while the Forgekin is in play (Battle or Standby), unless the card says otherwise.
- Ability - an activated action your Battle Forgekin can use once per turn, instead of attacking.
3
Your Turn and Legal Actions
Start Phase
Resolve start-of-turn effects/defeats, then draw 1 (at 7 you may skip; you may draw past 7 and discard down later).
Main Phase - during your Main Phase, subject to the action's restrictions
Play Forgekin
From your hand into empty Standby Slots, any number.
Evolve
Play an Evolution onto its matching lower-stage Forgekin. A Forgekin cannot evolve on the turn it entered play.
Swap
Once per turn, before your Battle Forgekin attacks or uses its Ability. A swapped-in Forgekin cannot Attack or use its Ability that turn; its Passive remains active.
Play Decrees
Up to 2 per turn, before or after your Forgekin acts.
Use Your Forger
Once per turn, optional. Does not replace your Forgekin's action.
Attack or Ability
Your Battle Forgekin may Attack OR use its Ability, not both. Once it does, you cannot swap afterward.
End Turn
When you're finished taking actions, end your turn and complete the end-of-turn cleanup before your opponent begins. Acting does not end your turn.
When you're finished taking actions, end your turn and complete the end-of-turn cleanup before your opponent begins. Attacking, using an Ability, playing a Decree, or resolving a Chaos Check does not end your turn.
4
One Worked Attack
Your Battle Forgekin attacks the opposing Battle Forgekin, dealing damage equal to its Control. If the opposing Battle Slot is empty, attack its Forge Core directly. Normal attacks cannot target Standby Forgekin.
Sparkit (FDX-002) attacks the opponent's Blunny (FDX-003). Both Forgekin begin with no existing damage or statuses. Sparkit was not swapped in this turn and has not used its action. Sparkit has no Standby Forgekin on its own side, so its Team Chaos is just its own Chaos. No relevant modifiers, Passive effects, or Forger effects apply. The defender's Forge Core starts at 50.
- 1Sparkit Control = 7. Sparkit Chaos = 6, with no Standby on its side → Team Chaos = 6. Below 20 → no Chaos Check; the attack resolves.
- 2Damage dealt = Control = 7.
- 3Blunny Power = 3. Damage 7 equals or exceeds Power 3 → Blunny is defeated.
- 4Blunny goes to the defender's Scrap Pile; the defender's Forge Core takes 10 (50 → 40); the defender chooses a Standby to promote (if they have one).
- 5The turn continues.
Chaos Check (details below)
Before an attack resolves, if your Team Chaos is 20+, roll a D6 - 1–2 Misfire (attack fails, action spent) · 3–4 Backfire (attack fails; attacker takes its own Control; action spent) · 5–6 Success (attack resolves normally). Only attacks trigger it, not Abilities, unless a card says otherwise. Neither Misfire nor Backfire ends your turn.
5
End Your Turn
When you're finished taking actions, end your turn and complete the end-of-turn cleanup before your opponent begins:
- Played Decrees → Scrap Pile.
- Temporary end-of-turn modifiers expire.
- Discard down to 7 cards if over.
- Damage and persistent statuses remain between turns.
Reference
Situations That Arise During Play
These are rules, not optional. Expand any section for the full detail.
FORGED IN FIRE: HOW TO PLAY