The Turn Spiral Part 1: Beginning the game, order of play, prayer, and generating blessings

The turn spiral flowchart. Today's column, part 1 of 2, covers the prompt mode loop - blessing making.

This post is the first of two that explain the turn spiral, or round, detailing the sequence of play in Devacurse.  Important concepts like order of play, prayer, and blessings are also clarified.  

The turn spiral is the core of the game, so understanding it is crucial to playing Devacurse.  The turn spiral rules may look complicated at first glance, and indeed they aren’t simple.  But take heart – the structure of play is logical and easy to follow.  

So read on, and lets get ready to play!

What is a Turn Spiral?

Simply put, a turn spiral constitutes a single round of play.  Devacurse uses the term “turn spiral” rather than round because of the nature of play:  each player will take turns in an alternating pattern that, when diagrammed (see the flowchart above), resembles a spiral.  If you get confused, just remember that one turn spiral = one round of play.

Understanding the turn spiral sequence, i.e. the order of play, is crucial.  This section will take you step-by-step through each phase of the turn spiral.  In Devacurse, phases are called “loops”.  

I. Prompt Mode Loop

If this is the first turn spiral of the game (i.e., if this is the beginning of the game), skip this loop and proceed to the Draw Loop (below).  

If this is not the first turn spiral, all depleted (at rest, horizontal) cards may be prompted (returned to a vertical position).  Each player does this simultaneously.  

Note:  In certain cases special effects, such as poisoning, may prevent cards from being prompted.  See the forthcoming skills / abilities column for more information on poison and its effects.

II.  Draw Loop

The Draw Loop, like the Prompt Mode Loop, is performed simultaneously by both players.  

A.  The first turn spiral, i.e., starting the game (if this is not the first turn spiral, skip to B below):

Both players draw 5 cards from their universes into their hands.  

Each player reviews their 5 cards, and decides whether to keep them all or reshuffle them all back into the universe deck and draw another five. 

If a player chooses to reshuffle their cards and draw again, they must discard and reshuffle all 5 cards.  Players cannot discard and reshuffle fewer than five cards (for example, you can’t keep two cards and redraw three.)

Why would you want to discard and reshuffle your hand and redraw another five cards?  This rule is designed to mitigate unlucky draws that would otherwise stifle a player from the beginning, such as:

1.  a player draws all hero cards, which cannot be used as prayer cards.

2.  a player draws multiple copies of the same card.

After a player has drawn and kept five cards, he / she draws 2 more cards into his / her hand, for a total of seven cards.  Proceed to the construction loop.

B.  During normal turns (i.e., not the first turn spiral of the game), each player must draw at least one card, and may draw a maximum of two.   

At the end of the draw phase, each player checks the number of cards in their hand.  Players can have no more than 7 cards.  If a player has more than 7 cards in their hand, they can discard cards to the cenotaph to reduce the number to 7 or less.

III.  The Construction Loop

A.  Determine the order of play.

Players randomly determine who will go first.  Do this any way you like (rock, paper, scissors, flip a coin, etc.)

The player who goes first will go first during every loop and subphase of this turn spiral.  This includes praying, summoning soldiers and heroes, and attacking with soldiers and heroes.  In Devacurse, the player who goes first is said to have “order”, or initiative.

Once this turn spiral is completed, “order” will revert to the other player, who will go first during every loop and subphase of the next turn spiral.  Initiative will alternate back and forth in this fashion every turn spiral until the game ends.

B.  Prayer

1.  What is prayer?

Prayer in Devacurse is the means by which you generate blessings.  Blessings constitute the raw spiritual power you use to summon soldiers and events.  Think of prayer like an electric generator.  You activate the generator to produce electricity (blessings).  Turning on a light bulb will require a little electricity, running an air conditioner will require a lot.  Just so, using a minor incantation will require only a few blessings, while casting a very powerful one will require a lot.

Generally speaking, the more blessings you can generate, the more you will be able to accomplish.

2.  How do I set up a prayer card?

Any card except a hero card may be used for prayer.  

A player creates a prayer card by putting any non-hero card from their hand into their temple zone.  Players may place no more than one prayer card in their temple zone per turn spiral.  

The open (face up) card on the left can generate 1 earth or unaligned blessing. The closed (face down) card on the right can only generate one unaligned blessing.

Cards may be put in the temple zone for prayer in two positions, each of which has different advantages:

a.  Open (face up)

To generate a single blessing, deplete (turn horizontal) one vertical prayer card.  An open prayer card may generate either one unaligned blessing or one blessing of the same elemental alignment as the card (fire, water, wind, etc..)

b.  Closed (face down)

To generate a single blessing, deplete (turn horizontal) one vertical prayer card.  A closed prayer card can only generate one unaligned blessing. 

Here, a player depletes (rotates horizontal) three prayer cards (shown in the black band at bottom) in their temple zone to generate one unaligned blessing and two earth blessings. These blessings pay the cost of the closed prayer card, a soldier card, flipping the card face up and calling it into active play. The summoned soldier is immediately placed in the battlefield. It can no longer function as a closed prayer card.

Closed prayer cards in the prompt (vertical) position have an additional function:  they may be called into play.  To call a closed prayer card into play, simply pay its blessing cost as you would for a card in your hand (see the forthcoming second column on the turn spiral for a discussion of calling cards into play).  

Closed prayer cards in the depleted (horizontal) position may not be used in this way.

Closed prayer cards effectively permit you to expand your card options beyond the 7 cards in your hand.  However, using a closed prayer card in this way also removes it from the temple zone, so it will not be there to generate blessings for you in future turn spirals.

3.  Sacrificing prayer cards

Prayer cards typically generate only one blessing, but players can generate an additional blessing from a depleted prayer by “sacrificing” it, i.e., by discarding it to the cenotaph pile.  

So a single prayer card can generate 2 blessings if it is sacrificed, but your ability to generate blessings will be reduced during the following turn spiral by its absence. 

Players may sacrifice as many prayer cards as they have at any time in the game.   

Tactically, sacrifice is a double-edged sword, providing a short-term boost at the cost of future potential:  use it wisely.  

That concludes the first column on the turn spiral.  Tune in soon for the second part, which will address summoning your forces and resolving combat.

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