Overwhelming Firepower

On the third day of trying to create the card game, there were now several people present. Most of them were dwarves, seeing as they were good with their hands.

They could draw and create the cards themselves with better material than the paper they were using.

Of course, since it’s the creation of something new, Robert Duskwell was also present.

When Lucen asked how he knew they were creating something new, Robert looked at him as if he had asked something foolish.

”Do you think I would not notice when you suddenly gathered dwarves, paper, mana crystals, ink, and Lady Mireya in one room for three days straight?”

Robert looked offended as he spoke. ”How come you didn’t call me when you were trying to create something so interesting?”

”Well, for starters, this is a game design, which has nothing to do with explosions you like so much.”

”I do like explosions, but I like creating new things more. Also, if you were creating a new game, this gives me a chance to try and win against you. Since I haven’t won a single time in Territory War.”

”No, I’ll be the one to defeat Lucen.” Mireya stopped what she was doing and chimed in.

Lucen looked at both Robert and Mireya. He could not help but smile. Even though this was a different world filled with magic, fantastical creatures, and horrible ways to die, the culture of gamers was slowly blossoming.

Of course, Lucen did not know whether this was a good thing or not, but he was sure that it was going to be interesting.

Gamers were a passionate bunch; their morals were all over the place, but their creativity in solving problems was unmatched. They were also a competitive bunch who would do their best to get better or drag others down with them.

They argued over the smallest details, spent hours refining strategies, and would stubbornly cling to their own playstyle even when it clearly was not working. Yet because of that, they improved faster than most.

’Well, it would be really interesting to see what kind of gaming culture could emerge in this kind of fantasy world.’

While Lucen was thinking of such things, one of the dwarves placed a newly created card on the table.

The original creation was made of paper, since Lucen did not know how cards were made and what material they used, so he just decided to wing it.

The moment Durik saw Lucen’s paper cards, he looked at them as if Lucen had insulted not only him, but all craftsmen who had ever lived.

”Lad, how can someone as skilled as you create these things? Even dwarven children would create better playing cards than these things.”

”Well, I don’t really know where to start.” Lucen shrugged his shoulders as he answered.

That was what Lucen said back then, and now the dwarves were creating cards with different materials to see which was the best one.

Some were made from thin wood. Some were made from treated monster hide. Some were made from a strange mixture of paper, cloth, and alchemical glue that Robert insisted was superior because it would not easily tear.

They had made different ones, but for now, the best quality one was the one made from a monster’s hide.

The card was thin, flexible, and difficult to tear. It also had a slightly rough texture that made it easy to hold. When one of the dwarves bent it between his fingers, it returned to its original shape without leaving a crease.

Lucen looked at the card with satisfaction. ”This is good.”

Durik snorted. ”Of course it is. Who do you think made these?”

After that, the group continued creating cards and discussing effects, and so on. When they reached that part, it became rather chaotic. Seeing as everyone had their own ideas.

Lucen wanted to make each card balance, but since this is a fantasy world and the cards they were creating were based on real things, everyone had their own opinion about the effects, the attack power, as well as the defense of each card.

”This is wrong,” one of the dwarves said as he held up the newly made card.

Lucen looked at it. ”What is wrong with it?”

The dwarf pointed at the numbers written beneath the rough drawing of the monster.

”Attack value of one? Guard value of one? Lad, I have seen those horned little beasts ram through wooden doors.”

”Well, though it is strong in a way, but against the other summoned cards it is the weakest. I guess we can add an effect to make it something usable.”

Looking at the card, Lucen remembered the first time he killed in this world using a gun. His opponent at the time was a glacier hare. It was a day he would never forget, the fear mixed with excitement.

If he were using a sword and did not have the stats and skills he had at the time, he might have either died or gotten severely injured from that monster.

Lucen then looked at the other cards, each one of which was a monster he had already encountered and a few that he had only seen in books.

The Art Cards were just different spells and concoctions that also exist in reality. The Ambush Cards were the same thing.

This card game is basically based on their reality, but given shape in card form. This would make it feel even better once they are able to use illusion spells to make it as if they were actually fighting using the cards.

Lucen wrote down the basic rules on a separate sheet of paper while the dwarves continued preparing the monster-hide cards.

Each player would begin with a deck. Each player would draw five cards.

Each turn, they would draw one more card, gain one Battle Pulse, place Summon Cards on the battlefield, use Art Cards, set Ambush Cards, and attack.

The rules were simple enough. A Summon Card had an attack value and a guard value. If one Summon Card attacked another, the attacker’s attack value would be compared to the target’s guard value.

If the attack was higher than the guard, the target was destroyed. If it was not, nothing happened.

There was no strange change between attacking and guarding. There was no need to turn the card sideways or declare a separate stance.

Destroying a Summon Card also did not damage the Life Crest. To damage the opponent’s Life Crest, a player had to attack directly, use an Art Card, activate an Ambush Card, or trigger a special ability.

’Yeah, let’s keep the rules simple like this, since the people in this world are just beginners in this kind of game. Still, I need to make it a little more exciting for me to enjoy.’

Lucen tapped the pen against the paper for a few seconds.

If the rules were too simple, then the game would become boring for him. It would quickly lose its appeal, since there would be nothing to master.

If the rules were too complicated, then people would give up before they even understood how to play.

He needed something in between. A game that looked simple on the surface, but became deeper the more one played.

He had played quite a few TCGs in his past life, so he just needed to add and remove a few things here and there. But the main basis of his card game was from that anime he watched when he was a child.

”Battle Pulse will be the most important part,” Lucen said.

Robert leaned closer. ”Explain.”

”Each turn, a player gains one Battle Pulse. Weak cards can be played immediately, but stronger cards need more Battle Pulse. That way, you cannot just throw out the strongest monster at the start.”

Durik stroked his beard. ”So the bigger beasts need more time to bring out.”

”Exactly.”

Mireya looked at the cards scattered across the table. ”Then even a weak card has value in the early part of the game.”

Lucen smiled. ”Yes. Cards with weak attack and defense can be useful if they have their own effects, or if paired with the right Art or Ambush Card. We need to do this because if weak cards are useless, then no one will use them. If strong cards are too easy to play, then everyone will only use strong cards. Balance is important.”

Robert stared at Lucen for a few seconds. ”You keep saying that word, but I feel like you are using it to stop me from making interesting cards.”

Lucen shrugged his shoulders as he replied. ”Well, that’s your own opinion.”

Robert clicked his tongue, but he did not argue further.

After that, the work continued much faster. Lucen wrote the rules, Mireya checked whether the cards felt fair, Robert tried to add strange effects, and the dwarves turned every rough idea into something that could actually be held.

There were cards with monsters, cards with spells, cards with alchemical mixtures, and cards that existed purely to ruin an opponent’s plan. By the fifth day, two small decks finally sat in the middle of the table.

Lucen did not know how many problems each deck has; the only way to fully know the answer to that is if they play a round to see.

”Well then, how about Robert and Mireya play the first game? The winner gets to play with me. So, let the duel begin.”

At this moment, Lucen could not predict how much this game would influence an entire generation.