DOTR - Kairu's Duelists of the Roses Rules & Mechanics

Prologue
I know many of you are here because you are fans of the original PS2 game which is my favourite game of all time (Hense why I have spent hundreds of hours making this game).
I have created my own version of the game with updated rules which aim to balance the game and its core mechanics and to keep the game balanced for the future when new cards are implemented which were not on the original game. If you know the PS2 rules off by heart, feel free to use them, however I have changed certain cards for my version of the game. You are free to however enjoy it however you like.

If you want a fun, competitive and balanced experience with new cards, with a version that tries to both bring the game into the future and stay true to its original form, then please give my rules a go and give me some feedback on them!
There are also ban lists and archtype rule pages which you can find on the Discord and steam workshop page.
Please first of all remember that DOTR is a game of honour. This means that you MUST be honest with your opponent. When designing cards I decided to instead of making it so you have to just show your opponent all of youre face-down cards to destroy specific types of cards, you have to just be honest and destroy the cards effected by an effect.
For example "destroy all trap cards." I could have said to show your opponant every card you control. Instead I did not, for all of our enjoyment you should be honest and just destroy the required cards (and maintain the secrecy of your other cards).


Set up: The Table
The game can be played with 2 or 4 players, though it is designed to work with 2. Both players can choose their terrain on their section of the board. For two players, the board is 9x9 squares (vs the original games 7x7). in a 4 player game I would recommend increasing this to a 9x9 field.
Each player may design their side of the field using whatever vanilla tiles they like but the overall board must be agreed upon by all players. (Don't surround your deck leader in labyrinth for example).
If you right click the vanilla tile you can select what state it is in. Each number on the menu will be a different type of terrain. You cannot use terrain from field spells to build the playing field. The rows of tiles between players sides of the field are neutral and should be agreed upon what they look like.

You can place your deck anywhere you like on the table. There is a calculator for keeping track of Lifepoints and a counter for keeping track of your Summoning Points. There is a bag of counters for each player. These are used to put on top of your cards that are in play so you know who is in control of which card. Especially in 4 player games you will appreciate this.
There is a Hand Zone for each player. You can also press "Alt + Shift" while hovering your mouse over your facedown cards to see what they are. Do not use this over your opponants cards when you have not been allowed to do so via a card effect (It will tell other players that you have done it).
There is also a graveyard for your destroyed cards. Lastly and most importantly there is a Summoning Point Counter. Summoning Points are a unique resource to the DOTR game. When normal summoning a monster from your hand, you do not tribute other monsters (unless specified otherwise). You deduct a number of Summoning Points from your point counter equal to the level of the monster that you wish to summon, and then place that monster face-down in your summoning area. Each player starts with 4000 or 8000 Lifepoints. I prefer to use 4000 but if your opponent is is burn/stall deck trash you'd better use 8000 lol. Ordinarily, each player can control a maximum of 5 monsters and 5 spells and traps. However, each player may control 1 additional mosnter from their Extra Deck which does not count towards the summoning limit. This can give you a total of 11 cards under your control, 12 including your Deck leader. If a player would play a monster when they already control the maximum amount, the new monster is immediately destroyed and sent to the Shadow Realm (the totally banished never coming back pile).
You can play a new monster on top of a monster that is already on the field, or remove one of your other monsters from the field another way.


Deck Building
There is a table with all of the cards currently implemented in the game. They are organised by the video game and also real life sets, decks and booster packs as well as anime card pools etc.
There are also premade decks which you can pick up and play with immediately without having to make your own.
Some cards have multiple versions and there is a ban list for each separate collection of cards on the steam workshop page. Once you make your own deck you can save it as an object to easily import it in the future for use with friends in multiplayer. You can obviously agree whatever you want regarding using banned cards with your friends, however cards on the ban list (especially the destiny draw list) are often outright busted and not balanced or fair to use in any way in your main deck. They are banned for a reason lol.
Certain cards go in the Extra deck. These include but are not limited to Fusion, Synchro, Ritual, Metalmorph, Evolve monsters and any other cards which say they must go there. Any of these cards cannot go in the main deck.
Tokens and other cards which are not normally in play also go in the extra deck. An example of this is harpie lady sisters. It is not a dedicated evolve monster but it can only be played by the Elogant Egotist card. The extra deck does not have a card limit.
You will find all cards in the booster pack, deckbox or anime season they were released or first seen in. In the in game description below a card, any relevent "rulings" will be detailed.




Game Rules - The Turn
The Phases of the Game occur in this order
- Draw Phase
- Standby Phase
- Main Phase
- End Phase

Draw Phase - During the draw phase you draw 1 card from your deck. Each player starts with 5 cards in their hand and has a hand size limit of 6. (If you have 7 cards, you must discard until you hold only 6 cards during the end phase).

Standby Phase - The standby phase is used similarly to the Yugioh card game. Any card that specifies its use, will have its effect occur now. Also, during your standby phase you gain 2 summoning points during each of YOUR turns (not your opponents). You can have a maximum of 12 summoning points stored and each player starts with 4 Summoning Points at the start of the game.

Main Phase - This is where you can play your cards, move and attack. Each card can only move one tile per turn unless it has a terrain bonus or an effect which specifies otherwise. You can only play 1 card from your hand per turn. All cards must be placed within a 3x3 square around the deck leader (this is called the Summoning Area) and must be initially placed face down, but you may flip them face-up or move them immediately if you wish. You may combine cards from your hand if applicable; Such as you may play a monster and equip an Equip Spell at the same time or you may play Harpie Lady and Elegant Egotist or another appropriate 'Power up' card in the same action.
All cards are played in face-down attack position by default and can be moved 1 space, switched into Defense Position or flipped face-up on the turn they are played. All cards can be moved or have their position changed once per turn. You cannot move a card and change its position into Defense Position in the same turn. If a card moves, it must end its turn in attack position. If a monster is in Defense position and has not moved, you can then move it, but by moving it the card will be switched into attack position. You can flip a face-down card face-up on the turn it was played. If you move your card over another one of your cards then the card which moved first destroys the card it is moved on top of and the later card is sent to the graveyard. You CAN manually flip any face-down card you control face-up as a part of a movement order. IE: you can move a card one space forward AND flip it face up during the same movement order. Any flip effect will activate from the space the card is moved ONTO and not the space it moves from. If you do this with a normal spell card for example, it will then activate it's effect after the move. Or if it is a continuous spell card it will remain on the field on the space it was moved to and its effects will become active until it is removed from the field.
If you move a card over an opponents card, they battle. If you move a spell/trap card over an opponents monster, your spell/trap is destroyed. If you move a spell or trap over an opponents one, yours will destroy theirs and remain on the tile of the opponents card. If you move a monster over an opponents, they battle. Battle works the same way as the Yugioh card game. If you attack the opponents deck master with a monster, the damage is treated as a direct attack and your opponent takes damage equal to your monsters full attack power.
During a battle between monsters, the Attacking monster is flipped face-up first. the defender may then choose to activate any spell or trap cards in response. If they do, and if they negate the attack then they do not have to Flip the attack target face-up. If they do not activate a card, then the defending monster is flipped face-up second and the battle ensues.

End Phase - Triggers any effects that specify the end phase. If a player is holding 7 or more cards they must discard until they hold 6. Your opponent then begins their turn.





Game Rules - The Cards

This section will detail how all of the different card types in the game work.

Deck Leader - Each Player must choose a monster to act as their Deck Leader. Your Deckleader must be a Normal or Effect monster which can be Normal Summoned and it must be a card that can start in your Main Deck. Each Player's Deck leader starts on the board where there is already a White Rose Token. In 4 player games they start on the spaces above the white rose tokens below the board. Place the White Symbols on top of your Deck Leader to indicate that they are your Deck Leader. At the beginning of the game place your Deck leaders on the correct spaces. For 4 player games, place them on the tiles with the White Rose symbols below the board. For 2 player games place them on the tiles with the White Rose symbols already on the board.
To recognise your deckleader, place the White Rose symbol on top of your Deck Leader. Deck Leaders have no Attack and Defense, no card effects, can only move 1 Square per turn and cannot be removed from the field by any means, be flipped face-down and are unaffected by any card effects. If an opposing monster attacks your deck leader it is treated as a direct attack and the damage is subtracted from your Lifepoints. All cards played most be played onto a space inside your Summoning Area. This is a 3x3 tile area around your Deck Leader. If the deckleader physically cannot move for 3 full turns (AKA: you surrounded it in labyrinth) you immediately lose the duel.

There are currently no deck leader abilities in the game (unlike the original) but if players wish me to implement this we can consider simple ones such as small buffs for monsters that share a type within 2 range, or the 2 movement spaces per turn buff etc.


Normal Monsters - These are monsters with no effect. To play a normal monster you must deduct Summoning Points from your Summoning Point counter pool equal to the level of the monster you wish to summon from your Hand. Then place the monster in face-down attack position in your Summoning Area. This is a Normal Summon. You can only Normal Summon once per turn.

Effect Monsters - These work the same way as Normal Monsters, however they have additional effects. They can have many different types of effect and each cards effect takes precedence over the rule book unless it is an Archtype rule. These apply even if they are not on the card so if a player is using an Archtype deck, check the Archtype and Mechanics page. In the original DOTR game many monsters had flip effects. Flip effects are activated WHENEVER the monster is flipped face up; even in battle. However the effect cannot activate if the monster becomes spellbound. You can flip all monsters up as a part of a movement order during your turn manually. While a monster is face-down, it's effects are inactive until it is face-up on the field.

Fusion Monsters - Fusion monsters go in your Extra Deck and are played with a Fusion Spell card such as Polymerization. To summon a fusion monster you must activate an appropriate fusion spell card. To do this flip the Fusion Spell Card face up. You can play the Spell from your hand and flip it face-up on the first turn. Or, you can set it face-down and move it around like regular cards and activate it several turns later from a new position. When the spell card is activated, send appropriate face-up fusion material monsters you control listed on a Fusion Monster in your extra deck from anywhere on the field, or discard them from your hand and place the fusion monster on the tile which the Fusion Spell was activated on. Then place the Fusion Spell card in the graveyard.
Ritual Monsters - if you use a Ritual card, you should be aware that Ritual Monster cards go in your Extra Deck and NOT your main deck. Ritual Spell cards still go in your main deck. To play a Ritual Monster, activate the appropriate Ritual Spell card by flipping it face-up on the field. All ritual monsters require 3 tributes and tend to be very powerful. You send the 3 appropriate face-up ritual monster offerings which are designated on the Ritual Spell Card from anywhere on the field to the graveyard and then place the ritual monster from your extra deck onto the space which the Ritual Spell card was activated. All Ritual Monster cards are unable to be destroyed or removed from the field by card effects and work very well as boss monsters. They may have further immunities or abilities which will be detailed on the card. This rule however applies to all ritual monsters regardless whether it is written on the card or not!!

XYZ Monsters - XYZ monsters also go in the Extra Deck. To summon them you must send face-up monsters you control equal to the rank of an XYZ monster in your extra deck. You can summon the XYZ monster to any of the spaces one of the materials were offered from. Then place the materials under the XYZ monster.
Synchro Monsters - Send to the graveyard the required monsters listed on a Synchro monster in your Extra deck. The Synchro materials must equal the level of the Synchro monster you wish to summon. Synchro Summon the Synchro monster onto the space of Tuner monster tributed for its summoning.
Dark Synchro Monsters - Dark synchro monsters work similarly to a Synchro monster but require a Dark Synchro monster. You must add the level of the Non-Tuner materials to the level of the Dark-Tuner monster and then Dark Synchro Summon the Dark Synchro monster onto the space of the Dark Tuner used in its summoning.

Spell Cards
Normal Spell Cards - A normal spell card is activated by flipping it face-up on the board. When flipped, it's effect immediately activates. Follow the instructions on the card and then place the card in the graveyard. All Spell Cards can only be activated during your turn with the exception of Quick Play Spell Cards which can be activated during your opponent's turn.
If a Spell card is flipped face up (Not by you activating it): it is not activated at this time. It cannot move or be flipped back facedown, however you can still activate it when you like and send it to the Graveyard as usual.

Quick play Spell Cards - A quick play spell card is the same as a normal spell card except you can choose to either flip it face-up during your turn, or you can activate it during your opponents turn. You do not need a specific trigger event to activate a Quick Play Spell Card and can activate it whenever you like instantly. You can chain it to your opponent flipping or activating a card. Quick play spells generally have global effects.

Power up / Equip Spell Cards - Equip Spell cards can be played directly on top of a monster which is adjacent to your deck leader to be equipped to them. You can also play an Equip Spell card at the same time that you play a monster if you wish to equip it to that monster immediately. Keep the card placed under the monster, however its effects are not applied until your monster is flipped face-up. You can also flip and move an Equip Spell which is already on the field to a monster which is also already on the field to buff the card. If an opponents monster moves on top of your equip spell, it will steal the spell and equip it to the opponents monster if its effect is applicable to the monster. If it is not, it will destroy it. You can equip an Equip Spell to a face-down monster, however its effects are not activated until the monster is flipped face up. Therefore, if you have a equip spell which prevents a monsters destruction equipped to a face-down monster, the monster will NOT be protected if it is targeted for destruction. Also, once an Equip Spell card has been flipped face-up, it can no longer be moved. If you move a monster on top of that Equip Spell, if applicable, the spell card will equip to the monster. While equipped to a monster, Equip spell cards do not count towards the spell / trap card limit.

Continuous Spell Cards - A continuous spell card remains on the field after it is activated and its effect continues until it is destroyed or removed from the field. Face-up continuous spell cards cannot move once they have been flipped face-up

Field Spell Cards - A field spell card activates in the same way as a Normal Spell Card. When it is activated, it is sent to the graveyard and any tiles within 2 movement range of the tile where the card was activated is turned into the terrain specified on the Field Spell card. Labyrinth terrain cannot be transformed however and is immune to the effects of the Field Spell Cards. If there is a Labyrinth space between your monster and an opposing monster, you cannot target the opposing monster with your own monster effects. This only applies when there is Labyrinth wall directly between the monsters. If a monster effect says 'Within 3 range' then you must be able to count spaces the monster could move on in order to reach the opposing monster.
Field spell cards will describe what effects the field terrain tiles will have.

Ritual Spell Cards - Ritual Spell Cards require you to Tribute 3 face-up appropriate monsters you control which are detailed on the Ritual Spell Card. Once you have done this, you may Ritual Summon the appropriate Ritual Monster detailed on the spell onto the space which the Ritual Spell Card was activated.

Trap Cards
All Trap cards must be face-down for at least 1 turn before they can be activated and almost always require a Trigger even in order to be activated.
Normal Trap Cards

Normal Trap cards can only be activated if:
- An Opponent's card declares an attack against the face-down Trap card.
- An Opponent's card declares an attack against an adjacent card to this card.
- An opponent's card moves onto a space adjacent to this card.
If one of the previous conditions have been met, you may activate your Trap Card. You do not HAVE to activate it however unless the card specifies that it must trigger. Generally, all Vanilla DOTR traps MUST trigger, and all later cards are optional.
Continuous Traps - Continuous Trap Cards work very similiarly to Continous Spell Cards however they must be activated in response to an opponents action. Once Continuous Trap cards have been activated they cannot move. The card should detail it's own specific trigger events and often have global effects.
Quick-play Trap Cards - Generally these cards function the same way as Quick play spell cards, however they must have been face-down for at least 1 turn and will detail their own activation criteria. Many of these cards have global effects.
Equip Trap Cards - Equip Trap Cards can only be activated if:
- an adjacent monster you control is attacked (in which case the Trap equips to your monster)
or
- if the trap card is attacked directly (in which case the Trap equips to the opposing monster).
Equip trap cards equipped to a monster do not count towards the spell / trap card limit
Counter Traps - Counter Trap Cards generally have global range and can be activated against any opponent's card regardless of location as long as the target opposing card is a valid target. Once activated, the card is placed in the graveyard. Again, the card should specify it's own trigger events/Targets. Counter Traps generally do not HAVE to be activated and you may choose to save them for later and only other Counter Trap Cards can be activated in response to a Counter Trap Card. some traps activate automatically and cannot be saved. These will be detailed on the card. (vanilla dotr traps since they dont have costs).



Special Rules and Mechanics
Spellbound - When a monster is Spellbound, put a Spellbound counter on it for each turn it is Spellbound for. If a card is Spellbound, it is unable to move or change its battle position and its effects cannot be activated and any passive effects are negated. Archtype effects etc are also negated. It cannot be tributed for a Ritual, Fusion, Synchro, Evolve summon etc. If an attacking monster is Spellbound when it attacks, then that attack is cancelled. You can put a number of "Spellbound Counters" from the bag on the table which contains them equal to the number of turns it is spellbound for. During each of YOUR End phases (not including the turn it was spellbound) you can remove 1 Spellbound counter from each monster you control.

Destiny Draw - On the ban list there is a set of cards called "Destiny Draw" you may only draw these cards from a destiny draw. To "Destiny Draw" you must have at least 3000 Lifepoints fewer than your opponent and you may conduct a Destiny Draw once per duel instead of your regular draw phase. Cards on the destiny draw "Ban list" cannot be included in the main deck. There is a separate bag of 'Destiny Draw' Cards on the table so they are all in one pile.
If you really want to use banned cards obviously you can agree with your opponent to use them how you like, one each or no restrictions. But these cards are BROKEN and not balanced in any way for fair or competitive games.

Evolve - When time Wizard is Flipped Face-up, you may send any monster which is face-up on your field and capable of evolution to the Graveyard and Special Summon the monster described on it's card text onto the same space from your extra deck. You can also use the 'Evolve' Magic Card to do the same thing. Evolve monsters cannot be included in the main deck and must go in the Extra deck. A monster must be Successfull Evolve Summoned first before it can be revived from the Graveyard. And may have some effects that only work when it is Evolve summoned and not just when it is revived from the Graveyard.

Metal - Metal monsters are made by powering up their base form with the MetalMorph spell. You send the original monster to the graveyard to transform it into its evolved metal form. Metal Monsters must go in the Extra Deck

Negate - If a monsters summon is 'Negated' When it is flipped etc. That effect overrides any native immunity with the exception of divine monsters.

Quick Effects - If a card has a quick effect that means that it resolves immediately. For a monster, it means that you can use the effect at ANY time. Including if your monster is being attacked by an opposing monster. If you had a quick effect banished your monster until the end of the turn, you can use it to avoid the battle.

Piercing Damage - This means that if an attacking monster attacks a defence position monster, the difference between your monsters attack points and the defending monsters Defense position will be deducted from the defenders Lifepoints.

'Check/Checking' - This means you can look at your opponents specified cards. It may be their hand or cards on the field. For example you may get to check a face-down card and if it is a spell, destroy it. If the card is not the required type however you must return it to its original position.

Teleport - This means that your monster can move moved to a designated place. This is most commonly when a monster could originally attack a player directly as with toon monsters. You can teleport to an opponent's Summoning Area and launch a direct attack in these cases. You can move and attack after Teleporting as this does not count as your cards movement order.

Clone/Cloning - This means that you can literally copy and paste a monster you control onto an adjacent space or to your Summoning Area or create a card out of thin air. It should specify on the card where to summon the clone. Cloning is a literal copy and paste and you do not play the card from your Deck.

Contact Fusion - If two or more elegible monsters are on adjacent spaces and able to move, you can move all fusion material monsters onto the same space immediately to Fusion Summon the contact fusion monster. You do not need to use a fusion spell card