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Terms, and Glossary Rules

REVOLT N REIGN GLOSSARY RULES

OFFICIAL FULL GLOSSARY

Version 1.0.0 — LOCKED

Action Zone

The area of play where Attack, Defense, Freedom, Rights, and Bills cards are placed after being played. Cards in the Action Zone are considered in play unless moved to another zone.

Active Player — Controller's Turn

The player whose turn it currently is. If multiple victory conditions occur simultaneously, the active player wins.

Age Exception

Pre-game rule:

If one player is under age 15, that player automatically goes first.
If both players are under 15, the youngest is Player 1 and draws first.
If both players are 15 or older, determine turn order by dice roll — higher roll is Player 1 and draws first.

AoA (Attack on Attack) / Rebel Clash

A special combat action where an Attack card targets an opposing Attack card.

Cost: Attack card's IP cost + 1 additional IP
Resolves during Resolve Phase – Step 2
Both Attack cards deal damage to each other simultaneously
Bypasses all Defense cards
Surviving Attack card keeps remaining Attack Points
Does not bypass Defense to directly attack UAs unless explicitly stated
UAs deal damage but are not Attack cards

Attack Cards

Cards that deal Attack Damage. Attack cards are hostile actions and target the opponent's Defense or UAs by default. Default Targeting applies to effects, not attacks. Attacks are hostile actions with their own targeting rules. Attack Damage is assigned according to the Defense and Unconstitutional Act protection rules, not the Default Targeting rule.

Attack Damage (AD)

Attack Damage is damage dealt by Attack cards during Step 4 of the Resolve Phase. When an Attack card states "{X} Attack to Opponent," it means: assign that damage to opponent Defense cards, or if no Defense cards are in play, assign it to opponent Unconstitutional Acts (UAs). Attack Damage does not affect Liberty Points unless the card explicitly states it targets LP.

Cards that can deal harm to an opponent's Attack, Defense, LP, Bills, Rights, Freedom cards, or UAs if explicitly designated by the Attack card:

Damage range: 5–45
IP cost range: 0–8
May target other Attack cards via AoA
May have up to 2 copies per unique card name
Maximum 2 unique Attack cards may have duplicates if no other duplicates exist

Attack Points (AP)

The damage value of an Attack card. During AoA, surviving Attack cards retain remaining AP after absorbed damage. Damage dealt by Attack cards or effects. Damage must be assigned to a single valid target and cannot be divided unless a card explicitly states otherwise.

Base IP

The total Independence Points available at the start of the Independence Phase, including:

Pillar-generated IP
Non-Pillar-generated IP

Bills

Legislative action cards representing powerful but controlled effects.

May only be played during the Play Phase
Not instant-speed
Resolve once, then do not remain in play
When removed, Bills return to their owner's hand unless exiled
"IP cost doubles every use" applies per Bill name, not globally
Increased cost persists between uses
0–4 per deck, no duplicates
10 total in the base subset

Bills — IP Cost Doubling

A mechanic applied to Bills. Each time a Bill resolves and leaves play, the IP cost to play that Bill again is doubled. "Leaving play" includes returning to hand, destruction, replacement, or removal by effect. Cost increases apply per Bill name and persist for the remainder of the game.

Bills Removal

Removal includes: resolution, destruction, sacrifice, replacement, or override. When removed by any method, Bills return to their owner's hand unless exiled.

Block

An effect that prevents damage, card play, targeting, or a specific action. Blocks resolve first during Resolve Phase – Step 1.

Branch Symbols

Each card may belong to one of four Branch symbols(UA’s excluded):

Bison — resilience, endurance, LP pressure
Eagle — control, mill, exile
Liberty Bell — opposition to Unconstitutional Acts
Scroll — organization, petitions, disruption

Branch symbols provide synergy only and do not restrict victory paths.

Bypass Defense

An effect that allows damage to ignore Defense cards and hit UAs directly. This ability must be explicitly stated on the card.

Card Text

The written effects and abilities on a card. Card text is the highest authority for resolving effects, except where a core rule explicitly states it cannot be modified.

Card Types

The primary card types in the game:

Unconstitutional Acts (UA)
Pillar
Rights
Attack
Defense
Freedom
Bills

Common / Uncommon / Rare

Rarity tiers that affect power, deck limits, and UA stats. Examples below reflect historical design patterns and are not rules; all UA behavior is defined solely by card text.

Common UA: 25 DP, 1 LP drain/turn
Uncommon UA: 30 DP, 1 LP drain/turn
Rare UA: 35 DP, 2 LP drain/turn (has drawback)

Controller

The player who currently controls the card in play. A card's controller resolves its effects and makes all decisions for that card unless stated otherwise.

Damage

Referred to as Attack Damage (AD). A numerical reduction applied to LP, DP, or AP. Damage resolves simultaneously during its designated Resolve Phase step unless stated otherwise.

Damage Assignment

When multiple Defense cards exist, the attacker chooses which Defense card receives damage. Damage cannot be split. Excess damage is lost.

Deck

A non-rules term referring to a player's complete card collection at the start of the game. Once the game begins, the term "deck" has no mechanical meaning and always refers to the Draw Pile when used.

Deck-Out Victory

A win condition triggered when an opponent must draw a card and cannot because their draw pile(deck) is empty. Effects that prevent, replace, or skip a draw do not cause Deck-Out even when the deck is empty.

Default Targeting

A core rule governing how non-attack effects resolve. Unless a card explicitly names an opponent or another target, all effects apply to the card's controller and the cards they control. This rule does not apply to Attack cards.

Defense Cards

Cards that provide Defense Points (DP). Defense cards protect Unconstitutional Acts by default and do not protect Liberty Points unless a card explicitly states otherwise.

Remain in play until DP reaches 0
Attacker chooses which Defense card is damaged
Damage cannot be split
DP range: 1–45
May have up to 2 copies per unique card name
Maximum 2 unique Defense cards may have duplicates if no other duplicates exist

Defense Points (DP)

A numeric value representing how much damage a Defense card can absorb.

DP ≤ 0: card is destroyed
DP > 0: card remains in play with reduced DP

Defense cards must be destroyed before damage can be assigned to protected targets, unless a card explicitly bypasses Defense.

Destroy

To remove a card from play due to damage or an effect. Destroyed cards go to the Discard Pile unless stated otherwise.

Disable

A keyword that suppresses passive and continuous effects on a card. Disabled cards remain in play but their ongoing effects do not function until the disabled card's controller's next turn.

Discard

To move a card from a hand, play area, or Draw Pile to the Discard Pile without being destroyed. Discard does not imply damage or DP reduction.

Discard Pile

A public zone containing destroyed or discarded cards. Cards in the Discard Pile do not provide symbol synergy.

Draw Pile

The face-down stack of cards(deck) from which a player draws. Contents are secret unless a card allows inspection. The Draw Pile is the only zone checked for Deck-Out Victory.

Draw Replacement

When a draw is replaced, the card is drawn and then immediately discarded. This does not count as skipping a draw.

Duplicates (Attack & Defense Cards Only)

A deck may include up to 2 unique Attack cards or up to 2 unique Defense cards. For any card name included this way, the deck may contain the unique card and up to 1 additional copy of that same card. Duplicates are optional, not mandatory. Duplicates are determined by card name only, not by effect, text, or function.

Legal Duplicate Configurations

This rule permits all of the following deck constructions without requiring additional clauses:

2 unique Named Attack cards, each with up to 1 copy
2 unique Named Defense cards, each with up to 1 copy
1 unique Named Attack card and 1 unique Defense card, each with up to 1 copy
No duplicates at all
Only 1 Named Attack card total (unique card with up to 1 copy)
Only 1 Named Defense card total (unique card with up to 1 copy)

Each Turn = Each Controller's Turn

"Each Turn" is a keyword indicating an effect triggers once during the card controller's turn only. Effects that do not have this keyword symbol happen only once. Each Turn effects resolve during the appropriate step of the controller's Resolve Phase and do not trigger during the opponent's turn.

Effect Targeting and Default Control

All card effects in Revolt N Reign apply to the card's controller by default. Unless a card explicitly states "opponent," "opponent controls," "any opponent," or otherwise clearly identifies another target, every effect resolves only on the player who played the card and the cards they control. This includes, but is not limited to, effects involving LP, IP, damage, prevention, locks, unlocks, draws, discards, milling, exile, card movement, and status changes.

This rule exists to eliminate ambiguity and preserve intentional design. Players may never assume an effect applies to the opponent unless the card text clearly says so. A cards effects may never do self harm. When a card refers to "a card," "a UA," "a Pillar," "a Defense," "a Rights," "a Freedom," "an Attack," "a Bills," or "a player," it always means your own unless the opponent is explicitly named. This standard ensures consistent resolution, prevents rules disputes, and guarantees that every card functions exactly as written — no inference, no interpretation, no exception.

Effects That Do Not Trigger

A card affected by Block or Lock does not trigger or apply any triggered, passive, continuous, or Each Turn effects unless explicitly immune.

End Phase

The final phase of the turn, during which:

Players discard down to 7 cards
Temporary effects expire
Each player's LP is counted
All victory conditions are checked
Return used IP sideways cards to straight up and down position.

Evaporated Effect

If a mandatory cost or condition cannot be met, the effect does nothing.

Exile

To remove a card from the game entirely. Exiled cards cannot return unless explicitly referenced.

Forced Resolution

An automatic effect that resolves when a card is destroyed as part of fulfilling its discard condition. This is not considered activation and does not require player choice. Forced Resolution occurs immediately when the card is destroyed and discarded due to damage or effect.

Forced Resolution applies only when destruction satisfies the full discard condition
Partial damage does not trigger Forced Resolution
Forced Resolution cannot be declined
Forced Resolution does not bypass Locks, Blocks, or Prevent effects unless stated

Exile, mill, or removal without destruction does not trigger Forced Resolution.

Freedom Cards

Unique hybrid cards honoring freedom fighters.

0–4 per deck
No duplicates
IP cost range: 3–7

Hand

Cards held by a player.

Maximum size: 7
Excess cards discarded during End Phase
Hidden from opponent

In Play

A card is considered in play if it is located in one of the following zones: Action Zone, Pillar Zone, UA Area, or Petition Stack. Cards in Hand, Draw Pile, Discard Pile, or Exile Zone are not in play. Cards in play provide symbol synergy.

Independence Phase

Phase 2 of each turn, during which players:

Generate IP from Pillar cards
Trigger any effects that occur "when you gain IP"

IP does not exist unless generated by cards in play. If a player controls no IP-generating cards, they have 0 available IP.

Independence Points (IP)

The primary resource used to play cards.

Generated mainly by Pillars
No maximum unless stated
Pillar IP generation is a core rule effect

Available IP

The total IP a player may spend during their Play Phase. Available IP equals IP generated by Pillars plus any non-Pillar IP.

Instant

Only draw effects are instant. Instant effects resolve immediately upon occurrence and do not wait for the Resolve Phase. All other effects resolve during the Resolve Phase.

IP Cost Doubling

A Bills mechanic where IP cost doubles each time that specific card is used.

Liberty Points (LP)

A measure of a player's remaining civic stability.

Start at 100
LP ≤ 0 is checked during the End Phase
LP gain before End Phase may prevent loss

LP is evaluated before victory conditions are finalized.

Life Victory

A win condition achieved by reducing the opponent's LP to 0 or less at End Phase.

Lock

A keyword preventing a card from being activated or used. A locked card is frozen and cannot do anything until the end of its owner's next turn.

Lock — Duration

A Lock lasts until the end of the locked card's controller's next turn. If Player A locks a card controlled by Player B during Player A's turn, the Lock expires at the end of Player B's next End Phase. The Lock does not end during the Resolve Phase and does not end on the locking player's turn.

Lock — Effect Scope

A locked card is frozen and may not:

Attack
Defend
Activate abilities
Apply passive, continuous, or "Each Turn" effects

Locked cards remain in play and may still:

Be targeted
Take damage
Be destroyed
Be discarded or exiled by effects

Lock does not grant immunity.

Lock and Core Rule Effects

Lock suppresses card effects, not core rule effects. Therefore, a locked Unconstitutional Act still drains LP, because UA LP drain is a core rule effect, not a card effect. Lock does not stop UA LP drain unless a card explicitly states it prevents "UA LP drain."

LP Drain by Unconstitutional Acts

LP loss caused by UAs. LP loss is not Attack damage and cannot be blocked by Defense unless explicitly stated. Occurs during Resolve Phase – Step 3.

Common: 1 LP/turn
Uncommon: 1 LP/turn
Rare: 2 LP/turn

Mill

Forcing cards from a draw pile into discard or exile.

Mulligan

Up to twice before turn order is determined, a player may reshuffle their hand and redraw 7 cards.

Once

An implicit timing rule meaning an effect resolves a single time when its trigger occurs. "Once" does not mean once per turn or once per game unless explicitly stated. Each effect resolves once unless stated otherwise — once per occurrence, per card, per trigger.

Owner

The player who began the game with the card in their deck.

Pay X IP

An optional ability that resolves once per activation.

Petition

A trait indicating a card counts toward Petition Victory. Any card — including Freedom cards — that states it "counts as a Petition" is treated as a Petition card while in play. Each card may count as only one Petition. Petitions count only while in play unless a card explicitly states otherwise. A victory condition checked during Resolve Phase – Step 6; all required Petition cards and Scroll Pillars must be in play at the moment of the check.

Petition Stack

A tracking area for Petition cards currently in play.

Petition Timing

Petition cards count toward control thresholds and victory conditions immediately upon entering play, unless a card effect explicitly states otherwise.

Petition Victory

Win condition requiring control of:

3 Petition cards
3 Scroll Pillars
LP ≥ 20

Pillar Cards

Foundation cards that generate IP.

Cannot be targeted or destroyed unless stated
No duplicates
Most cost 0 IP
Remain in play indefinitely

Play Description

Play Descriptions in Revolt N Reign are historically inspired adaptations drawn from Founding-era writings and speeches. They are not presented as verbatim quotations but as faithful summaries credited to their original authors when available. Repeated Founders' quotations reflect the historical reality that liberty must be continually reaffirmed to survive.

Play Phase

Phase 3 of each turn, during which players may play cards and activate abilities.

Possible Deck Builds

How many legal decks can be built from a single 355-card Revolt N Reign set? Effectively limitless: millions of distinct, fully legal decks — with practical variety extending into the billions — even before expansions. More legal deck configurations than any player could explore in a lifetime. Unlike many TCGs, Revolt N Reign forces structural diversity and prevents degenerate duplication, encouraging strategic identity, philosophical alignment, and long-term mastery. This means no solved meta, no single "best deck," and skill and understanding outperform raw power — making the game extremely attractive to strategy players, history-minded collectors, and long-form competitive communities.

Pre-Game Equalizing Phase

Player 2 may play one 0-IP card before Player 1 draws.

Prevent

Prevent effects apply only to future resolution and do not undo effects that have already resolved.

Protect

Prevents discard only. Does not prevent destruction, exile, or DP loss.

Rare Card Limit

Maximum of 8 Rare cards per deck.

Resolve Phase

Phase 4 of each turn, with 7 ordered steps. The phase in which all effects resolve in a fixed, non-interactive sequence. No cards may be played, activated, or declared once the Resolve Phase begins.

Resolve Phase Steps

Step 1 — Lock & Block: Locks apply; Blocks must already be in play to apply
Step 2 — AoA resolution
Step 3 — UA LP Drain: Core rule effect; not damage; ignores Defense unless explicitly stated
Step 4 — Attack Damage: Damage from Attack cards or effects that explicitly deal Attack Damage
Step 5A — Ongoing effects
Step 5B — Forced Resolution: Automatic effect when card is destroyed fulfilling discard condition
Step 5C — Other Effects: All non-damage, non-lock, non-block effects
Step 6 — Petition Victory check

Each step resolves fully before the next step begins. No effects may be added mid-step.

Rights Cards

Once-use cards representing the Bill of Rights.

0 to 10 per deck (12 allowed for dedicated Petition decks)
No duplicates
Some have the Petition trait

Rules Hierarchy

In order of authority:

Card text
Rulebook
Glossary
Specific rule over general rule
Active Player breaks ties

Scroll Pillar

A Scroll-symbol Pillar required for Petition Victory. Three Scroll Pillars must be in play simultaneously to satisfy the Petition Victory condition.

Symbol Synergy

Checked from cards in play only. Branch symbols provide synergy effects when specific combinations of symbols are present among cards the controller has in play.

Target

The recipient of damage or an effect.

Target Rules

If an Attack card does not specify a target, it follows the default Attack targeting rules and targets Defense first, then UAs. If no Defense cards are present, UAs take direct damage.

Turn Structure

Each turn has 5 phases, in order:

1. Draw
2. Independence
3. Play
4. Resolve
5. End

Unconstitutional Acts (UA)

A card type representing government overreach that continuously removes liberty from players by draining Liberty Points (LP) each turn of its controller. Powerful cards representing violations of liberty.

Each player starts with exactly 3
Drain LP each turn
Must be destroyed for Attack Victory
Cannot be damaged while protected by Defense unless bypassed

UA Statistics

Common: 20 DP / 1 LP drain
Uncommon: 25 DP / 1 LP drain
Rare: 30 DP / 2 LP drain

UA Liberty Drain

A continuous effect caused by Unconstitutional Acts that reduces Liberty Points (LP) during the UA controller's turn. UA Liberty Drain is not an attack and is not affected by Defense cards unless explicitly stated.

UA — Defense Points (DP)

A value representing how much protection a UA has against attacks. For Unconstitutional Acts, DP represents government power defending itself and only matters when the UA is attacked.

UA — Separation of Effects

Unconstitutional Acts use two independent systems: Liberty Point Drain affects players; Defense Points protect the UA card. Reducing or blocking one does not affect the other unless the defense points are at 0, at that point the LP Drain goes away.

Victory Check

Occurs during the End Phase. If multiple conditions are met simultaneously, the active player wins.

Victory Conditions

Life Victory — reduce opponent LP to 0 or less: stops government oppression.
Attack Victory — destroy all 3 opponent UAs: stops government oppression.
Petition Victory — control 4 Petitions, 3 Scroll Pillars, LP ≥ 20: stops government oppression.
Deck-Out Victory — opponent must draw from an empty Draw Pile: stops government oppression.

Zones

The defined areas of play in Revolt N Reign:

Draw Pile
Hand
Discard Pile
Pillar Zone
Action Zone
Petition Stack
UA Area
Exile Zone(out of play area)

FINAL NOTE

This glossary is rules-authoritative, tournament-ready, and designed to scale without redefining core mechanics.

Terminology Lock

Revolt N Reign uses defined terms exactly as written in this Glossary. If two terms appear similar, only the glossary-defined term has rules authority. Informal language has no mechanical effect.

Glossary Version: 1.0.0 — LOCKED

TRIBUTE TO THE FOUNDING FATHERS

Foundational Principle (Constitutional Framing)

The Founders understood that emergencies are the most common justification for the expansion of government power. History shows that powers granted "temporarily" during crisis often persist long after the crisis has passed.

Under the original constitutional framework, government exists to secure pre-existing rights, not to redefine, suspend, or ration them. Any exercise of authority that contradicts the Constitution's structure, limits, or guarantees was understood by the Founders to be without lawful force, regardless of justification or duration.

As James Madison warned, the accumulation of power under the pretext of necessity is the most reliable path to liberty's erosion. The Constitution was therefore designed not for convenience in emergencies, but as a restraint precisely when power claims necessity.

Revolt N Reign reflects this principle: when authority relies on perpetual emergency, liberty no longer erodes suddenly — it erodes administratively.