Culdcept BEGINS · Rules & first-match guide

Draw and cast

First, draw 1 card from your book. You may then choose to use a Spell Card before rolling the die. Time spells wisely to gain an advantage in crucial moments.

Move and contest land

Roll the dice, and advance that number of spaces. If you move onto a vacant land space (not belonging to any player), you may summon a creature there to claim it as your territory. If you move onto a land space occupied by an enemy creature, you may summon a creature of your own and do battle with them. If you win, that land becomes your territory, but if you lose, you will have to pay a magic toll to the opponent. If you choose not to fight, you must still pay the toll.

Forts and laps

When you pass through a fort, you will be granted a magic bonus called a Fort Bonus. Additionally, returning to the castle after passing through each type of fort will grant you a larger magic bonus called a Lap Bonus. Your Lap Bonus increases as you acquire more territories.

Develop territory

If you have not summoned a creature or gone into battle on this turn, you may use Territory Development to level up a territory, change its element, or swap/move placed creatures.

Manage your hand

If you have 7 or more cards in your hand, you must discard until you have 6 remaining. This ends your turn, and play moves to the next Cepter.

Reach the castle

The Cepters continue according to the established turn order. The first Cepter to reach the castle with Total Magic at or above the target value wins, and the match ends. Second place and below are determined by the amount of Total Magic.

Land effects

If you have not summoned a creature and have not gone into battle, you may use Territory Development on a territory you have passed through on your turn. Territory Development allows you to level up a territory, change its element, or move or swap the creature summoned there.

Leveling up territories increases your Total Magic. Additionally, when a creature's element matches that of the territory it's guarding, it will benefit from a Land Effect, which grants increased HP in battle.

Select "End Turn" if you do not wish to use Territory Development.

Before an invasion

*When choosing a creature to summon on an enemy territory, some cards in your hand may glow brightly. This indicates that their AT is higher than the enemy creature's HP. This doesn't guarantee a win, as the outcome of the battle may still be influenced by items and creature abilities, but you can use it as a rough guide.