How to play Biobeast TCG
Objective
Players battle using teams of five Biobeasts, evolving them, setting up obstacles, and coordinating attacks. The game is designed for 1v1 competitive play but supports multiple players. A player loses when all five of their Biobeasts are defeated.
Basic Terms
Consume - Turning a card sideways to show it's been used. A card can only be consumed once. To consume it again, it must be Unconsumed by a card effect or during the Unconsume phase on your turn.
Unconsume - Turning a card right side up. This indicates the card can be consumed again from an attack or effect!
Choose - Select anything that can be chosen for the effect or ability. (Some abilities prevent being chosen)
Hidden - Refers to any card face down regardless of type.
Waste - Instructs a player to either place a Biome on the field or a card from their hand into their Wastepile.
Burn X - Player puts X cards from the top of their Deck into their Wastepile.
Freeze - A specific attack of your choice cannot be used until your next turn
Splash - Choose any Hidden card and reveal it before any other effects occur.
More TBA
Game Setup
Determine the First Player – Roll two six-sided dice (the highest or lowest roll decides): Rock, Paper, Scissors, or any other means outside of the game itself.
Shuffle Decks – Each player shuffles their deck and allows an opponent to cut or reshuffle it before drawing their starting hands.
Place Biobeasts – Choose five Basic Biobeasts (these start outside of your deck and are never placed in a deck by any effect) and place them face down in any configuration (max 3 active, min 2 active).
Draw Starting Hand – Each player draws seven cards. Players may mulligan by redrawing a new hand (each mulligan reduces hand size by 1).
Begin the Game – Players reveal their Biobeasts, and the first player starts. (The first player does not draw a card and cannot swap a Biobeast on their first turn.)
Additional Rules
Damage Stays – Damage does not heal naturally unless removed by a card effect.
Biobeasts that were swapped in or evolved cannot attack the same turn unless a card or ability says so.
Counters – Attack & Defense counters can be spent to temporarily increase attack or block damage.
Turn Structure
Each turn follows these phases:
Unconsume Phase – All Biomes and Biobeasts become Unconsumed and usable again.
Preparation Phase – Draw one card and resolve effects that trigger during this phase.
Main Phase 1 –
-Play Biomes (max 1 per turn).
-Evolve Biobeasts (once per Biobeast per turn).
-Generate Mana (by Consuming Biomes & Biobeasts).
-Cast Spells (any number, as long as you can afford them).
-Play Obstacles, Tactics, and Evolved Biobeasts (with available Mana).
Battle Phase 1 –
-Play Attack & Defense Spells.
-Declare attacks with any single Biobeast. (unless a card says otherwise)
Main Phase 2 – Same as Main Phase 1.
Battle Phase 2 – Same as Battle Phase 1.
Final Phase –
-Resolve effects that trigger at the end of the turn.
-Discard down to 7 cards (if over the limit).
-Pass turn to opponent.
Zones
Deck - What your pile of 60 cards is referred to within the game. Each deck must be sufficiently randomized to each players satifaction before playing.
Hand - This refers to the cards you are holding to actively play with. Normally, you are only allowed up to 7 in your hand.
Active Field - All Biobeasts that are in this zone can be Chosen by card effects and abilities as well as produce mana and attack other active cards. Other card types can appear here as well but function differently depending on their text.
Inactive Field - All Biobeasts here cannot attack, produce mana, or be Chosen by opponents, unless an effect specifically allows it. Other card types can be placed here in an attempt to prevent being Chosen for attacks and effects.
Wastepile - A zone directly below your Deck. This is where all cards that are Wasted, destroyed, or knocked out go. Cards can be Chosen from within the Wastepile, and some can even activate effects from it.
Banish - Cards are permanently removed from the game if they are placed here by card effects. Cards in this zone do not exist in the game anymore. There are very limited ways to return a card from the Banish Zone
CARD TYPES
Turtsteel art by Daniel Gardener aka dgrugz080
bASIC bIOBEASTS
Top Right - Mana Production Number - This number represents the number of Biomes you must Consume in addition to this Biobeast to create the mana listed below.
Right Side - Mana Number - The listed crystals below the Mana Production Number indicate how much mana and of what types are created when its Mana Production is paid for.
Bottom Left - Base Attack - Default damage this Biobeast deals through its own attacks and effects of other cards. This number is dealt as retaliatory damage for any effect that mentions it.
Bottom Right - Base Defense - This represents the Biobeast's vitality; if the damage on this Biobeast ever exceeds this number, the Biobeast is Defeated.
Lower Center - Abilities & Attacks - Some require specific Unconsumed Biomes to activate. Others trigger when conditions are met. Attacks are listed with orbs representing the number of UNCONSUMED Biomes you must control for that attack to be activated. Almost all abilities of Biobeasts are static/passive and don't require a cost payment to activate.
Evolved Biobeasts & Evolving a Basic Biobeast
Jellyzolt art by zvnimir
Evolving Biobeasts
Basic Biobeasts start in play, while Evolved Biobeasts must be in your deck. To evolve into one, combine the Mana Production Number and its Mana Number. This represents the card's Mana Cost. Evolved Biobeasts function the same as Basic Biobeasts once in play.
For Example: Manowatt has a Mana Cost of 9. The crystals represent that 6 of that mana must be either Fire or Gale type. The Mana Production Number represents that 3 of the mana can be of any type.
Manowatt art by zvnimir
Spells
Generic Spells
Surge art by Joshua Gomes aka sp00ks.art
Attack/Defense Spells
All types of spells are cast the same way, by the crystals representing the types required for mana, and the number above representing the amount of mana can be any type.
Cards that are just Spells, can be cast AT ANY TIME ON ANY TURN.
Cards that are Attack or Defense Spells, can be cast at any time DURING ANY BATTLE PHASE.
The only major difference is the restriction of cards intended to feel like combat tactics being restricted to Battle Phases. Some cards allow interactions to counter or modify spells before they fully complete their effects.
More TBA
Flocking Fury art by Pebblespells
OBSTACLES
Can be played face-up by paying their Mana Cost or face-down first to be revealed later.
Enchanted Shard art by Daemon.daze aka Yourlocaldemongirl
Playing them face down can allow them to be revealed for free or at a reduced cost. They also reveal when attacked by an opponent's Biobeast but don't deal any retaliatory damage.
Saftey Stoplight art by Horbot
They have Attack values that damage anything that does damage to it as retaliatory damage.
They have Defense values and can be destroyed or healed as well as trigger effects when opponents attack, cast spells, swap Biobeasts, and more.
Burning Cauldron art by Hakidraws
Biomes
Played once per turn, free of cost. Choose carefully when to consume Biomes to maximize strategy!
Gale Type Biome Concept by flordia.swamp.witch
Water Type Biome Concept by Joshua Gomes aka sp00ks.art
The main resource of the game—used to pay Biobeast Mana Production Costs to generate Mana. Consuming a Biome alone does not generate Mana—you must use it alongside a Biobeast's ability.
Fire Type Biome Concept by Joshua Gomes aka sp00ks.art
Earth Type Biome Concept by Joshua Gomes aka sp00ks.art