PDF game files

Theses PDF files are required to play the game on court or as a table top dice rolling simulation. You are invited to download them. The bonus spells have not been included in this packet.

Avalancheverlost; End of Spells

 The final bonus spell unlocked and added to the bench  also ends the game when cast. Avalancheverlost closes both gates and immediately ends the game; the victory number can never be reached and because of this the win is awarded to the mage.

Should a mage pour all resources into reaching spell 16? Perhaps, though the quest is a bit of a lure; rather than concentrate on adding marker cones to the court and hardening  defense the mage's focus turns to casting Librarian's Bench and Time's Blessing in a alternating fashion. It is a win of style over substance.

It's possible to cast Avalancheverlost on the first turn. It would stand as a spectacular achievement and thus far, a singular one yet to be executed in testing. 

Elves or Giants; Capture or Delay

What is the more effective Mage strategy; capture by arrow damage or using blockers to run out the clock? 

I want the game to strike a balance with no clear strategy more effective than the other. I am not sure if we are there yet. Some spells focus on placing giants on the board and facilitating their movement. Other spells arm elves with arrows or place the spy in a position where it is more vulnerable to arrow damage.

I will argue spell # 1 (Elvis Marcus Conus) is both a capture spell and a run out the clock spell as elves without arrows are nothing but simple blockers. As such, the first 5 spells in a starting line-up provide us with more blocking (1,2,4) spells than capture (1,3) spells. 

The delay game does see more spells cast, perhaps more bench spells added and bonus spells introduced; as a designer you kinda want that. And I do enjoy a good giant battle, stacking marker cones on top of marker cones in response to a spy's missed free throw and working to run out the turn. 

Perhaps the bias favours delay.

Turtles all the way down

On the court, giants are identified as inverted stacks of marker cones. They can exist as a single marker cone, a double, or many, many more. 

Giants occupy the middle of spans connecting two locations. For a spy to travel along a span blocked by a giant they must make free throws equal to the number of marker cones in the stack. Defeating a single marker cone giant requires a single free throw to be made by the spy. If successful, the marker is removed from the court and the spy continues along the span to the destination. 

If the spy misses a free throw attempt the mage can  call for the ball in an effort to build up the blocking giant. In order to do this the mage removes a leap counter,  makes a successful free throw and moves a marker cone giant to to the disputed span, stacking the newly arrived giant atop the existing to form a single titan.

Following a spy missed free throw the mage can also withdraw the giant to a different span at a cost of a leap counter and made free throw. Why do this? Perhaps you want the spy to advance to a town and attempt a capture by arrow. 

In the illustration below, the spy has missed its free throw attempt and the mage has stepped up and made two consecutive free throws, moving  marker cone giants from W2 - W5 and P - E5, stacking them atop the blocking giant at W5 - B. The spy will now need to make 3 baskets from the free throw line in order to advance to W5. If the spy's turn ends before defeating the giant it will be forced to retreat to B. 

Using leap counters to stack multiple giants into one super giant boosts their usage and increases the value of a number of giant centered spells: Bildebig, Collosaleapea, Atlas Stacked, Fortify fo fum, and Thudika. 

It also provides an alternate spy fighting strategy; one of delay rather than capture by arrow. I think it is important to have decision points players can agonize over and while I think it would be a mistake to focus solely on creating the game's largest giant I applaud the mage who travels this path at least once. Let me know how it works out.

G.Walker

Rules update

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                                         Spells and Arrows, Heroes and Spies

© Garry Walker 2019. All rights Reserved

Spells & Arrows, Heroes & Spies is a game of makes and misses for two basketball players that combines static shooting with a fantasy RPG.  One player acts as Mage, defender of the realm, and an opponent plays as Spy, tasked with escaping a kingdom of court lines and marker cone stacks. 

Using the map board as guide, place a single marker cone on the court for each orange and yellow circle. These cones make up the 8 towns, 2 border gates, and other points of interest within the kingdom. A court side table is required for the map/score boards and 17 spell cards.

A game begins with one player announcing a Victory Number. The opponent considers the number and chooses to play as spy or mage. The spy wins the game if total points earned from escapes equals or exceeds the Victory Number; the Mage wins if the spy fails to reach the Victory Number.

The spy starts the game at B with the goal of exiting with escape points through a pair of border gates (WG or EG). The spy moves along court lines - both real and dotted imaginary - traveling from marker cone to adjacent marker cone usually by paying an exit toll to move off and away. The toll is paid in the form of made baskets equal to the total number of marker cones stacked at the location.

A six sided dice serves as shot clock, counting down from 6 with each basket attempt. After the clock expires, the spy continues to make basket attempts but “miss” counters are now placed on the score board for each failed attempt. Three miss counters or an escape through a gate end the spy’s turn. 

The spy enters a game with a health rating of 4. Health and the spy’s location is tracked using a six sided dice placed on the map board. The spy’s health is increased by 3 whenever exiting the pharmacy (P) but can never exceed 6. 

The spy enters the game with no armour counters. The spy earns 1 armour counter whenever exiting the armoury (A). The spy is limited to no more than 2 armour counters.

Four Goto marker cones allow the spy direct travel to specific locations. Baskets are not required to exit a Goto portal.

Place a Travel counter on the score board when a spy exits one of eight towns: E2, E3, E4, E5, W2, W3, W4, & W5. These counters determine the value of an escape ( 2 or 3 points apiece). 

Remove all miss counters and reset the shot clock to 6 prior to the start of the next turn.  

Following an escape, remove all travel counters and record the escape’s value. The spy begins the next turn at B, carrying forward the health rating and armour counters.

The mage begins the bottom half of each turn with the half court also serving as a workshop where spells are cast in an effort to hinder the spy’s escape. 

A starting line-up of court spells 1 thru 5 are placed face up on the court side table. Place cards 6 and 7- bench spells - under Librarian’s Bench. For now, bonus spells 8 through 16 are considered out of play.

Spells and the patterns of baskets required to cast them are listed on individual spell cards. Starting from the green star, a single basket must be made at each point in the pattern on the card. Grace, in the form of permissible missed attempts, is tracked by counters placed on the spell card. Grace counters can alter a spell’s potency. A spell fails when missed shots exceed measures of grace extended. 

A failed spell results in a spell fail counter placed on the score board. Two spell fail counters on the board end the mage’s turn. Should the mage abandon a spell cast attempt, add a spell fail counter.

The mage is limited to 5 spell casting attempts per turn unless modified by specific spell cards. Use a six sided die as a spell clock to countdown casting attempts from 5.

The mage cannot have more than 5 court spells in play. To be eligible for casting, bench spells must first become court spells by casting Librarian’s Bench. More than 5 court spells in play requires a spell card to be cut from the court and placed under Librarian’s Bench.

Bonus spells are introduced to the bench in numeric order whenever Librarian’s Bench is cast without a miss.

Court spells cannot be cast consecutively during the same turn; Librarian’s Bench is not a court spell.

The mage can cast elf marker cones to guard towns and gates. These additional marker cones increase exit tolls. A single elf marker cone can be stacked atop towns and gates along the 3pt line and up to 2 elf marker cones added to towns inside the line. These cone stacks are maximum limits and cannot be exceeded. In addition to the 2 gates (WG,EG), 8 towns can be guarded. Point (B), the armoury (A), and pharmacy (P) are not considered towns, cannot be guarded with elf marker cones, and require an exit toll of a single basket.

Exit tolls reset each turn. If, for example, the spy ends a turn having made 1 of 2 required baskets, 2 baskets are required next turn before moving off and away.

In response to a missed spy basket attempt, the mage can deliver elf arrow damage to the spy in guarded towns or guarded gates at a cost of one arrow counter and basket executed from the guarded location. If successful, the mage may continue making successive shots until missing a basket or running out of elf arrow counters. The mage is limited to no more than 5 arrow counters at any time.

An elf arrow reduces the spy’s health by an amount equal to the value of the successful basket (2 health points inside the 3 pt shooting arc or 3 health points along it). Spy armour reduces arrow damage by 1 per armour counter. If health is reduced to zero (or less) the spy is captured and the game ends. 

The mage can also spell cast marker cone giants along any unoccupied road span connecting adjacent location marker cones. A road span may never be occupied by more than one giant. On court, we distinguish giants from fixed locations by inverting the cones.

Giants may leap from one span to another following a spy’s missed basket attempt at a cost of 1 leap counter and successful mage free throw (y). The mage may continue making successive free throws and moving giants until missing a basket or running out of leap counters. The mage is limited to no more than 5 leap counters at any time. 

The spy moves past a blocking giant by making successful free throws (y) equal to the giant’s cone stack. In this exchange, marker cones are permanently removed from the giant’s cone stack with each successful spy free throw. If destroyed, remove the giant’s last marker cone from the court and advance the spy directly to the destination at the end of the span.

Moving a giant to a span occupied by another giant creates a single giant super stack.

Despite appearances to the contrary, the W4 to E4 span requires a single giant to block.

If a spy’s turn ends before the giant is destroyed, return the spy to the location marker cone anchoring the span.

The mage may not make loose arrows or leap giants in response to the spy’s turn ending. 

A game ends with a spy’s capture, the successful casting of spell 16, or following a pre-determined number of turns played (5).

Penny Pinchers

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The map board can be used to track the progress of the mage in the pattern. It requires you to use three cards in total: The spell card, the make or miss card, and the map board: It's a bit of a juggling act. I ignore the map board when casting spells and just reference the make/miss card and spell card.

 I use pennies as markers because they are ubiquitous. Everyone has 'em. But while they may appear tiny in the hand, placed on a spell card they become cumbersome things.

So try this: Take two pennies and the spell card. One penny tracks the misses or measures of grace that may modify the spell. The other penny tracks the progress of the mage on the court and we do this by occluding the star that marks the Mage's current location in the pattern.

In the example above, the mage is attempting to cast Bo Quiverosa. The pattern begins at W5. At this point in the spell the mage has missed on the first shot. If the mage completes the spell without dropping another shot the end result will add up to 3 arrow counters to the scoreboard. 

In the illustration above, the mage has completed 4 basket attempts, two of them for misses. The penny on the pattern has pinched off W4. This marks the location of the mage. The second penny pinches off G2.

When playing the table top simulator against an opponent, it is the responsibility of the spy to track the spell's progress with the spell card and make/miss roll chart. The mage is busy rolling the 20 sided dice.

I promise this: A little practice will turn you into a penny pinching expert.

G.Walker

 

Scorer's table

 It is the scorer's responsibility to track the game's progress on the map and score board. The scorer provides marker cones to an assistant to run out onto the court. The scorer also provides directional prompts to the mage when casting spells.

Good board management comes with practice.

Calculating Victory

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The spy has to reach or exceed the Victory Number in order to win the game. But what should that number be? 

Early play testing with with the simulator using 192 player cards would appear to indicate an announced Victory Number of 21  provides a good break even point but feel free to hedge on either side of it. If you have control over selecting the number but want to play as the mage select a lower number. The lower the number, the more likely your opponent will play as spy. Rather play as spy? Choose a higher one.

 A higher victory number should be selected if the players in the game have a rating greater than 192. 

The Will of the Map over the the Will of the Court

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The world of basketball has several different court lay outs. I want to get by with a single map. As such we place the onus on players to adapt their court to our game.

But let's provide a little guidance on the movement of the spy and where to place giants:

In high school basketball, the court's three point line intersects with the top of the key. Do we create a new set of rules and map for this layout? Do we allow the spy to move from B directly to W4 or E4? Do we create 18 new spell cards?

I would rather not. 

On a high school court, B is co-located with z however we will not recognize a direct path from B to E4 or B to W4;  it cannot accommodate spy movement or blocking giants.

Span W4 - E4 also presented interpretative problems on our map that required addressing in our rules. Three paths created an advantage for the spy that doesn't exist between other points on the map board. I wanted consistency.  As such, W4 - E4 can be blocked by a single giant; there is no x,y, or z alternative.

In all, 21 spans can be blocked by giants.

Don't be surprised if x is eventually removed. Currently it is used in casting one spell and the dotted line arc isn't even present on many courts. The more I think about it....

G.Walker

 

Out in 10 for 20

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Turn 1 is the only turn a spy is guaranteed 9 basket attempts. Miss counters are not placed on the board until after the shot clock dice has counted down and been removed. Only then do missed baskets draw the spy closer to turn's end. 

Turn 1 is also the only turn the spy faces no mage assets on the board. There are no giants. Towns are not guarded by elves or  worse, elves  with arrows. The spy faces a clear landscape. Get busy, visit towns (do that thing that spy's do; namely spy), get to a gate, and get out.

It is possible to craft a Turn 1 escape for 20 points on 10 shots; unlikely, but possible. It would require making 10 consecutive baskets without a miss. But the game isn't about escaping without dropping a shot. If you're the spy, it's about escaping with points. 

Revised Scoreboard

 

Revised Rules: March, 2021

Spells and Arrows, Heroes and Spies

© Garry Walker 2019. All rights Reserved

Spells & Arrows, Heroes & Spies is a game of makes and misses for two basketball players that combines static shooting with a fantasy RPG.  One player acts as Mage, defender of the realm, and an opponent plays as Spy, tasked with escaping a kingdom of court lines and marker cone stacks. 

Using the map board as guide, place a single marker cone on the court for each orange and yellow circle. These cones make up the 8 towns, 2 border gates, and other places of interest within the kingdom. A court side table is required for the map/score boards and 18 spell cards.

A game begins with one player announcing a Victory Number. The opponent considers the number and chooses to play as spy or mage. The spy wins the game if total points earned from escapes equals or exceeds the Victory Number; the Mage wins if the spy fails to reach the Victory Number.

The spy starts the game at B with the goal of exiting with escape points through a pair of border gates (WG or EG). The spy moves along court lines - both real and dotted imaginary - traveling from marker cone to adjacent marker cone usually by paying an exit toll to move off and away. The toll is paid in the form of made baskets equal to the total number of marker cones stacked at the location.

A six sided dice serves as shot clock, counting down from 6 with each basket attempt. After the clock expires, the spy continues to make basket attempts but “miss” counters are now placed on the score board for each failed attempt. Three miss counters or an escape through a gate end the spy’s turn. 

The spy enters a game with a health rating of 4. Health and the spy’s location is tracked using a six sided dice placed on the map board. The spy’s health is increased by 3 whenever exiting the pharmacy (P) but can never exceed 6. 

The spy enters the game with no armour counters. The spy earns 1 armour counter whenever exiting the armoury (A). The spy is limited to no more than 2 armour counters.

Four Goto marker cones allow the spy direct travel to specific locations. Baskets are not required to exit a Goto portal.

Place a Travel counter on the score board when a spy exits one of eight towns: E2, E3, E4, E5, W2, W3, W4, & W5. Theses counters determine the value of an escape ( 2 or 3 points apiece). 

Reset the shot clock to 6 and remove all miss counters at the end of turn. Do not adjust health, or armour and travel counters unless escape occurred. 

Following an escape, a spy begins their next turn at B with a health rating of 4, and without armour counters or travel counters.

The mage begins the bottom half of each turn with the half court also serving as a workshop where spells are cast in an effort to hinder the spy’s escape. 

A starting line-up of court spells 1 thru 5 are placed face up on the court side table. Place cards 6 thru 8 - bench spells - under card 9, Librarian’s Bench. For now, bonus spells 10 through 18 are considered out of play.

Spells and the patterns of baskets required to cast them are listed on individual spell cards. Starting from the green star, a single basket must be made at each point in the pattern on the card. Grace, in the form of permissible missed attempts, is tracked by counters placed on the spell card. Grace counters can alter a spell’s potency. A spell fails when missed shots exceed measures of grace extended. 

A failed spell results in a spell fail counter placed on the score board. Two spell fail counters on the board end the mage’s turn. Should the mage abandon a spell cast attempt, add a spell fail counter.

The mage is limited to 5 spell casting attempts per turn unless modified by specific spell cards. Use a six sided die as a spell clock to countdown casting attempts from 5.

The mage cannot have more than 5 court spells in play. To be eligible for casting, bench spells must first become court spells by casting Librarian’s Bench. More than 5 court spells in play requires a spell card to be cut from the court and placed under Librarian’s Bench.

Bonus spells are introduced to the bench in numeric order whenever Librarian’s Bench is cast without a miss.

Court spells cannot be cast consecutively during the same turn; Librarian’s Bench is not a court spell.

Spells can add elf marker cones to guard towns and gates. These additional marker cones increase exit tolls. A single elf marker cone can be stacked atop towns and gates along the 3pt line and up to 2 elf marker cones added to towns inside the line. These cone stacks are maximum limits and cannot be exceeded. In addition to the 2 gates (WG,EG), 8 towns can be guarded. Point (B), the armoury (A), and pharmacy (P) are not considered towns, cannot be guarded with elf marker cones, and require an exit toll of a single basket.

Exit tolls reset each turn. If, for example, the spy ends a turn having made 1 of 2 required baskets, 2 baskets are required next turn before moving off and away.

In response to a missed spy basket attempt, the mage can deliver elf arrow damage to the spy in guarded towns or guarded gates at a cost of one arrow counter and basket executed from the guarded location. If successful, the mage may continue making successive shots until missing a basket or running out of elf arrow counters. The mage is limited to no more than 5 arrow counters at any time.

An elf arrow reduces the spy’s health by an amount equal to the value of the successful basket (2 health points inside the 3 pt shooting arc or 3 health points along it). Spy armour reduces arrow damage by 1 per armour counter. If health is reduced to zero (or less) the spy is captured and the game ends. 

The mage can also spell cast marker cone giants along any unoccupied road span connecting adjacent location marker cones. A road span may never be occupied by more than one giant. On court, we distinguish giants from fixed locations by inverting the cones.

Giants do not deal damage but may leap from one span to another following a spy’s missed basket attempt at a cost of 1 leap counter and successful mage free throw (y). The mage may continue making successive free throws and moving giants until missing a basket or running out of leap counters. The mage is limited to no more than 5 leap counters at any time.

The spy moves past a blocking giant by making successful free throws (y) equal to the giant’s cone stack. In this exchange, marker cones are permanently removed from the giant’s cone stack with each successful spy free throw. If destroyed, remove the giant’s last marker cone from the court and advance the spy directly to the destination at the end of the span.

If a spy’s turn ends before the giant is destroyed, return the spy to the location marker cone anchoring the span.

Despite appearances to the contrary, the W4 to E4 span requires a single giant to block.

The mage may not make loose arrows or leap giants in response to the spy’s turn ending. 

A game ends with a spy’s capture or following a predetermined number of turns played (5).  

New Map

 

Spell Cards 7 & 8: The targeting spells

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Many a spy's turn ends at a gate and can make for an easy exit the following turn. The mage can use Metal Plunder, Dragged Down under to either remove the spy from the gate or weaken her and make her vulnerable to capture by arrow damage.

A bit of a journey to cast, Metal Plunder requires the mage to make 5 baskets.

Picapocapocus affects a spy's health; Like Metal Plunder, also useful in making the spy vulnerable to arrow damage. 

Both spells cannot be cast on Turn 1 as they require the spy to have entered  the game in order to be cast. The spy always begins the game off court and needs to make a play in free throw to officially enter the game.

Is it possible for a spy to never enter the game? 

Yes. It would require the spy to miss 3 consecutive play-in free throws on every turn. Unlikely, because the game is designed to be played by elite shooters.

This week's $100 donation was made to Community Living Dufferin. Thanks to all play testers for your efforts.

Spell Card #6: Time's Blessing

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Should we have a spell that extends a turn indefinitely?

I was thinking a better spell in this slot may be one that moves an elf marker cone to an unfortified gate - I currently don't have a spell that creates this effect and I think it may be more practical than a turn extender.

For now though - let's keep testing Time's Blessing.

A mage is allowed to cast 5 spells per turn unless modified by Scrubbles or Time's Blessing. It is a restricted spell and goes to the bench after a casting attempt but if cast clean without acquiring a Grace counter the pay off is a new count down clock.

Turn 1 is such a crucial turn for the mage. Elforticus is cast repeatedly in an effort to get as many elf marker cones on the court as possible and it is not an easy spell to cast. The mage has to make a pair of 3 pointers with a free throw sandwiched in-between. One can run out of attempts very quickly and I like the lure of a spell that extends that runway; Enter Time's Blessing, a scattering of high percentage shots laid out in a pattern that resembles an hourglass.

Play testers helping make a difference

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One of the things I want to do is commit to  play testing families donations to local community groups during these trying times.

The Smewing family of Orangeville played a match recently. It was Mother versus Son and while both players managed to escape the gameboard, Mom Sue won on the first tie break by escaping on Turn 1, compared to Carson's Turn 3 exit.

Sue chose the Orangeville food bank as the recipient of our $100 donation and I'm pleased to make it on their behalf.

G.Walker

Spell card #5: Scrubbles - A magical broom sweeps the room

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In Spells & Arrows, Heroes & Spies, a spell fails when missed shots exceed measures of grace extended. This  results in a spell fail counter added to the board and presents the mage with a dilemma; Continue casting spells knowing that a second spell fail counter will end the turn or cast Scrubbles in an effort to remove the counter.

Scrubbles requires a mage to make two high percentage shots within three attempts. Successfully cast, it will remove a spell fail counter. But a mage can only cast 5 spells in a turn; Does he really want to spend one of those attempts casting something that does not add marker cones to the court or asset counters to the board?

If cast clean - without a miss -  Scrubbles also adds a spell to the countdown clock and herein lies the temptation; If the mage takes a spell fail counter on casting attempt 3, should he use Scrubbles on attempt 4? Missing a shot and taking a grace counter will reduce the potency of the spell. Yes, it will remove the spell fail counter off the board, but it leaves the mage with only one spell left to cast.

It's kinda like a fail without a counter.

Cast Scrubbles on attempt 2? Absolutely.

Cast on attempt 3? Yes.

Attempt 4? Risky....Which is why I love the spell. 

The Starting Line-up

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We have play tested three different ways to build a Mage’s starting line-up of 5 spell cards.

Choose All: 

Lay out spell cards #1 thru #8 face up and choose the 5 spell cards with which you want to begin the game.  Place the remaining 3 cards face down underneath spell card #9, The Librarian’s Bench in any order.

I would choose spells #1 thru #5. I designed the game with those 5 spells in mind. It can played with only those 5 spells - the first four, actually. If playing basketball you usually start your best 5 players so this may actually be the most appropriate format to use.

Choose Some: 

Using numbered spell cards, the mage shuffles and deals two groups of four cards from spells 1 though 8 then examines and selects one card group to comprise a starting line-up. One additional card is drawn at random from the other group and added to the line-up. Shuffle and place the remaining 3 cards face down underneath spell card #9, The Librarian’s Bench.

This is the format included in the email package of rules. Always choose the card group with Elforticus*. I think. I prefer this format because it allows you to make the conscious decision to not choose Elforticus - and suffer the consequences.

Choose None:

Shuffle spell cards #1 thru #8 and deal out 5 cards face up. Shuffle and place the remaining 3 cards face down underneath spell card #9, The Librarian’s Bench.

I believe the mage should have access to Elforticus*  from the beginning of the game. For that reason I am not convinced this is a viable format to use when constructing a starting line-up unless you’re looking to handicap a better on-court shooter. One player could get to choose all, the other could choose none.

*Formerly Forticus - changed it because play testers were struggling to make the initial connection to elves)

Covid 19 and Orangeville ON play testing

Spells & Arrows, Heroes & Spies is designed to allow someone with severe mobility challenges to play court side against the very best basketball shooters in the game. That is the long term goal; To launch that format.

But as a community we face a different challenge; Covid 19. No one is going out to play basketball any time soon but  this game can also be played at the kitchen table as a dice rolling simulator.

To play you will need a printer, 6 sheets of paper (card stock is best for the game board and spell sheet but not necessary), a six sided dice, pennies as counters, and a 20 sided dice (not a lot of people have these - a work around using a deck of playing cards is included).

If interested in a free game contact me via email at slingpin1@gmail.com . Please include "free game" in the subject header. ( 4 pdf files, total size under 1MB )

I hope you will consider being one of our play testers.

Stay safe and thanks for your interest,

G.Walker

The counter spells

Bo Quiverosa and Colossaleapea are spells 3 and 4 in our library. While they don't put more marker cones on the court they do place counters on the game board. The Mage can spend these counters following a Spy's missed FGA, allowing elves to shoot arrows and giants to leap to block.