A Card Game for four players

Each player takes on the role of a Superhero. They first build their hero, adding powers, weaknesses, costume and technological aids. Once the hero is built, they move into the World, and fight adversaries, save innocents and gain Renown.

At the end of the game, the most renowned hero wins.

There are two decks of cards, Hero cards and World cards. In the initial phase of the game, each player uses Hero cards to build their hero. They use World cards in the second phase of the game, to gain Renown with their own hero, or to thwart the efforts of others.

Give one hero card to each player. They are identical except for the colour, so it doesn't matter who is given which hero. Each hero has three statistics, Strength, Speed and Vitality. These statistics are boosted by cards played in the hero phase, and are used to determine success of actions in the World phase. Place the City location card face up in the centre of the table, this forms the beginning of the World.

Now deal five Hero cards to each player. Determine who will go first, letting the youngest player act first is traditional, letting the player who can most impressively quote a Superhero go first is more interesting.

A turn in the Hero phase consists of the following stages.

1. Play a card
2. Discard a card if you wish
3. Draw cards until you are holding five

When you play a card, you must play a Hero card to improve your hero. You may then discard a card, if you wish. Finally, you must draw so that you have five cards in your hand. You may choose to draw either Hero or World cards.

Once these actions are complete, your turn is over, and the player to your left takes their turn. Play continues in this manner until you wish to deploy your Hero into the World.

Once you are happy with your Hero, you can deploy them to the World. You cannot play any more Hero cards once your Hero has deployed. When you have deployed, you can play World cards, and start gaining Renown.

You deploy your hero at the end of your turn, and from the start of your next turn, the turn order is as follows:

1. Move your Hero
2. Play a World card
3. Discard a card, if you wish
4. Draw cards until you are holding five

There are several types of World card

1. Locations
2. Adversaries
3. Events

Locations are played to the centre of the table, either to the left or right end of the existing location track. Locations remain on the table once played. Heroes must always be at a location. They initially deploy to any played location, then can move between locations as required. During their turn a hero can move across a number of locations up to their Speed value.

Adversaries can be played to specific locations. They will battle one of the Heroes present at that location. Each adversary has a Strength, Speed and Vitality score. If the battled hero exceeds all of these scores, then they win the battle, and gain the amount of Renown stated on the adversary card. If the hero loses, then they lose that amount of Renown. Once an adversary has fought a Hero, they are discarded.

Events can be played as described on the card. They are ways to gain or lose extra renown, or to steal it from your opponents

You can choose to play adversaries or events either on your own hero, or your opponents' heroes.

If there is more than one Hero present at a location, then an adversary played there will attack only one of the Heroes. The other heroes are allowed to assist only if both the player of the attacked hero and the allying her agree. The statistics of the allied Heroes are added together to determine if they beat the adversary. Any Renown gained or lost is shared equally amongst all Heroes that allied together.

Once you have played your card in the World phase, each other player with a deployed hero has a chance to play a card that alters the situation. The other players can only play cards that state they can be played at this time. Once all other deployed players have reacted, the player who's turn it is has a final chance to play a card.

The first hero to deploy gains 3 Renown. The second gains 2 and the third gains 1. If at the start of your World phase turn there are 1 or 2 deployed Heroes, you gain 2 Renown. If there are three deployed heroes, then you gain 1 renown.

The game ends when the final World card is drawn. Each player counts their renown, the player with the greatest score wins.