Revolt N Reign Official Rules

OFFICIAL REVOLT N REIGN - GUIDE / RULEBOOK

DEDICATION

This game is dedicated to:

* patriots & players who value depth *
Educators & parents who care and believe learning should be engaging.

REVOLT N REIGN exists to teach systems thinking, constitutional principles, and the consequences of unchecked power — through play, not lectures.

WHAT IS REVOLT N REIGN?

REVOLT N REIGN is a competitive strategy card game inspired by history, civics, and the struggle between liberty and power.

It is not a fantasy game.
It is not random chaos.
It is not a passive engine builder.

It is a pressure-based strategy game where:

• Power exists by default

• Liberty erodes automatically

• Victory is earned through action

If players must adapt — that is strategy.
Victory is earned.

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. “Founders’ quotations may appear on multiple cards to reflect their deliberate repetition of core truths—liberty, rights, and limits on power—essential to preserving a Republic of freedom rather than a system of privileges.”

Duplicates:

Pillar cards: non-rare & non-petition, any amount are allowed

(Attack & Defense Cards Only)

A deck may include duplicates of up to 4 different total card names, chosen from Attack and/or Defense cards only.

For any Attack or Defense 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.

Copy limit: Lawful Duplicate Configuration Clarification

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

Duplicates (Attack & Defense Cards Only)

Duplicates are optional, not mandatory. Duplicates are determined by card name only, not by effect, text, or function.

Lawful Duplicate Configurations

• No duplicates at all

or

• 1 unique Attack card total with up to 1 copy

or

• 2 unique Attack card total with up to 1 copy for each unique card

or

• 3 unique Attack card total with up to 1 copy for each unique card

or

• 4 unique Attack cards total with up to 1 copy for each unique card

or

• 1 unique Defense card total with up to 1 copy

or

• 2 unique Defense cards total with up to 1 copy for each unique card

or

• 3 unique Defense cards total with up to 1 copy for each unique card

or

• 4 unique Defense cards total with up to 1 copy for each unique card

or

• 1 unique Attack card and 3 unique Defense cards, each with up to 1 copy for each unique card

or

• 1 unique Defense card and 3 unique Attack cards, each with up to 1 copy for each unique card

or

• 2 unique Attack cards and 2 unique Defense cards, each with up to 1 copy for each unique card

Each named card remains limited to one copy per deck regardless of Attack or Defense Subset.

*Pillar non-rare any amount are allowed*

CORE DESIGN PHILOSOPHY

REVOLT N REIGN is built on five pillars:

1. Pressure is constant
   Unconstitutional Acts drain Liberty during their controller’s turn.

2. Stalling is impossible
   Automatic LP loss forces engagement.

3. No pay-to-win scaling
   Skill, not card volume, wins games.

4. Multiple victory paths
   Players must respond to threats, not follow scripts.

5. Systems > single cards
   No card wins alone. Positioning and timing matter.

COMPONENTS

All rules and card effects use Draw Pile. Any reference to “deck” is considered informal language only and has no separate mechanical meaning. Deck may be used in place of Draw Pile to save space.

✔ This prevents future card text drift
✔ Makes deck-out rulings bulletproof

Each player uses:

• A 60-card deck. Before play, remove the 3 UA’s and place them in the UA Area

• Shuffle the remaining 57 cards. Pull the top 7 for your hand. The remaining 50 form your draw deck

• Liberty Points (LP) tracker (start at 100) - Independence Points (IP) tracker

CARD TYPES OVERVIEW (7 TOTAL)

REVOLT N REIGN has seven card types, each with a specific role:

1. Unconstitutional Acts (UA) – automatic pressure

2. Pillars – resource foundation

3. Attack – deal damage

4. Defense – absorb damage

5. Rights – one-time actions

6. Freedom – unique hybrid cards

7. Bills – powerful, escalating actions

   
   

BRANCHES & SYMBOLS

Branches represent structural philosophies and systems of power, not political factions.

They confer no inherent bonuses unless explicitly referenced by a card effect.

Every card has one Branch symbol. Exception: Unconstitutional Acts.
Symbols provide synergy, not automatic abilities.

The Four Branches

• Bison — LP pressure and resilience

• Eagle — mill, exile, control

• Liberty Bell — UA destruction

• Scroll — Petitions and disruption

Symbols only matter when a card effect references them.

Step 1: Place Unconstitutional Acts

• Each player starts with exactly 3 UA's

• Place them face-up in the UA Area

• Do not shuffle UA's into the deck. KEEP UA’S SEPARATE!!!

Step 2: Shuffle Decks

• Shuffle your 57-card deck

• UA's are not part of the deck, UA's are put in place Pre-game and left in play until UA's Defense Points are destroyed.

Step 3: Opening Hand

• Draw 7 cards

• You may mulligan up to twice, shuffle your hand back and draw 7

• Mulligans occur before turn order is decided

Step 4: Determine Turn Order

• If one player is under 15, they go first (“Age in years at time of play”)

• Otherwise, roll dice (high roll = Player 1)

Step 5: Pre-Game Equalization

• Player 2 may play one 0-IP card before player 1 draws and starts the game.

• Effects wait until the first Resolve Phase

Card Text (highest authority), the Rulebook, and the Glossary are rules- authoritative.

Design notes, examples, and safety limits have no rules force.

A card is only destroyed when explicitly stated or when reduced to 0 DP or durability.

A card that is discarded is not destroyed.

✔ Enables precise Forced Resolution timing
✔ Prevents “discard counts as destruction” exploits

Only cards in play provide symbol synergy, apply continuous effects, or count toward victory conditions unless explicitly stated otherwise.

✔ Locks Petition math
✔ Prevents “hand counts” arguments

Card effects always reference the controller, not the owner, unless a card explicitly states otherwise.

✔ Enables future control effects
✔ Aligns with competition standards

Effect Targeting and Default Control

All card effects in Revolt N Reign apply to the card’s controller by default.

Attacks are not general card effects; they are a distinct game action with their own default targeting rules. Revolt N Reign does not allow self harm.

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, 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.

When a card refers to “a card,” “a UA,” “a Pillar,” “a Defense,” or “a player,” it always means your own unless the term Opponent or Attack or Mill is used.

This standard ensures consistent resolution, prevents rules disputes, and guarantees that every card functions exactly as written—no inference, no interpretation, no exception.

Attack Targeting

Playing an Attack card is a hostile action that targets the opponent DP (Defense Points) by default.

Harmful Attacks target the opponent. When an Attack card has an aspect that is helpful the helpful part targets the controller.

Attack Targeting (Default Rule)

By default, any Attack card that says “{X} Attack to Opponent” does not target Liberty Points.

Unless an Attack card explicitly states otherwise, Attack Damage is assigned to the opponent’s Defense cards first, and then to Unconstitutional Acts (UAs) if no Defense cards remain.

Additional clarity line (recommended):

Attack cards may only deal damage to Liberty Points if the card text explicitly states that it targets or deals damage to LP.

Attack Damage Resolution

(Procedural: applied during play)

Attack Damage Resolution: When an Attack card or effect resolves, determine whether the card text specifies a target. If no target is specified, the Attack Damage is applied to the opponent’s Defense Points (DP) or Unalienable Acts (UAs) according to normal targeting rules and protections. Attack Damage never affects Life Points (LP) or any other game zone unless the card text explicitly states such an effect. Any card that specifies LP loss, card destruction, milling, locking, or bypass effects supersedes the default Attack Damage resolution described here.

Why this works

• Covers timing (“when an Attack resolves”)

• Reinforces default

• Explicitly subordinates itself to card text

• Prevents cross-rule contradictions

When an Attack card resolves:

1. If the opponent controls any Defense cards protecting Unconstitutional Acts, the attacking player must assign all Attack Damage from one card to one of those Defense cards.

2. If no Defense cards remain, Attack Damage may be assigned to an Unconstitutional Act.

3. Attack Damage may only be assigned to Liberty Points if the Attack card explicitly states it can target LP.

Attack cards never target the controller or the controller’s cards unless explicitly stated.

TURN STRUCTURE (5 PHASES)

Each Turn:

• = “Each Controllers Turn (Each Turn)” effects trigger/resolve during controller turn only unless specified by card.

• Each Turn = Each Controllers Turn

• Each Turn Symbol used on cards in place of words.

• Effects that do not have an happen only once.

• Each Turn effects do not trigger during an opponent’s turn.

• More than 1 Effect can happen per card, and they are separated by a (.) period. An Effect only happens once unless there is a within that period.

• Each Turn effects resolve automatically during the appropriate step of the controller’s Resolve Phase.

• If multiple Each Turn effects exist, all resolve once per turn.

One-Time Effects

Unless a card explicitly states otherwise, an effect resolves once at the moment it is triggered.

• Played cards resolve once when played

• Triggered effects resolve once per triggering event

• Passive effects without timing icons do not repeat

If an effect repeats, the card must explicitly say so.

Return to Hand

When a card returns to a player’s hand after resolving, it is still considered to have left play.

This prevents dozens of future edge-case disputes.

Phase 1: Draw Phase

• Draw exactly 1 card

• The draw phase cannot be skipped or passed.

• If you cannot draw because your draw pile is empty, you lose by Deck-Out Victory

A player loses by Deck-Out only during their draw phase when they are required to draw a card and cannot because their draw pile is empty.

• If a draw is prevented, replaced, or skipped by a card effect, Deck-Out does not occur.

• Having zero cards in a draw pile does not cause a loss by itself.

• Deck-Out is checked at the moment a draw is required and fails.

• Draw Replacement: When a draw is replaced, the card is drawn, then immediately discarded. This does not count as skipping a draw.

Phase 2: Independence Phase

Independence Points (IP) — Core Rules

A player may play only one Pillar card from their hand per turn.

Pillars generate Independence Points (IP), which may be used to play cards from any Branch, provided the player has enough IP available. Pillars that enter the battlefield through card effects do not count toward the one-per-turn limit.

Any Branch of Pillar cards IP may be used to play any other Branch of cards!

There is no maximum amount of IP a player may retain unless a card effect explicitly states otherwise.

📘 Independence Phase — Timing

IP Generation Timing

During the Independence Phase, IP is calculated in the following order:

1. Pillar cards generate IP simultaneously.

Effects that trigger “when you gain IP” trigger during this phase after IP is added.

Multiple “when you gain IP” effects resolve simultaneously. If order matters, the Active Player chooses the resolution order.

• Gain IP from:

  • Pillars

• IP has no maximum cap

Phase 3: Play Phase

Spend IP

• Play Pillar cards

• Play IP cost cards by turning Pillar card sideways to pay IP

• Declare targets

• Activate abilities

• Attack, Bills, Defense, Freedom, Pillar, and Rights cards may be played here

• Mill: from the top card or cards of Opponents Deck (draw pile).

• Discard: from the target players hand.

Playing cards from your hand is optional.

Phase 4: Resolve Phase (ORDER MATTERS)

All effects resolve here, in order:

1. Locks and Blocks: Locks apply; Blocks must already be in play to apply

2. Attack on Attack (AoA / Rebel Clash)

3. UA Drain to LP: Core rule effect; not damage; ignores Defense unless explicitly stated

4. Resolve Attack Damage (AD): Damage from Attack cards or effects that explicitly deal Attack Damage

5. Apply Defense Points (DP) , Destroy cards reduced to 0 DP, Other Ongoing Effects - Forced Resolution: Automatic effect when card is destroyed fulfilling discard condition

6. Petition Check

7. LP Gain

No player responses occur during Resolve Phase.

Phase 5: End Phase

• Discard to 7 cards

• Temporary effects expire

• Count LP

• Check all victory conditions

• No card may cause an immediate victory outside this step unless explicitly stated.

• Turn IP cards straight for beginning of your next turn.

UNCONSTITUTIONAL ACTS (UA)

What Unconstitutional Acts Represent

Unconstitutional Acts (UA's) represent government control that removes Liberty from the people.

• Liberty Points (LP) represent the people’s freedom.

• Unconstitutional Acts reduce LP over time, showing constant pressure on liberty.

UA Liberty Drain (Primary Function)

• While a UA is in play, it automatically drains Liberty Points (LP).

• This LP loss happens each turn of the UA’s controller, without attacking.

• This represents ongoing government overreach, not combat.

⚠️ Important:
This LP drain is not an attack and cannot be blocked unless a card explicitly says it modifies or prevents UA LP drain.

UA Defense Points (Separate System)

Unconstitutional Acts also have Defense Points (DP).

• DP represents government power protecting itself from being removed.

• DP is completely separate from LP drain.

• DP only matters when a UA is attacked.

When a UA takes enough Attack damage to reduce its DP to 0, it is destroyed.

Key Separation Rule (Critical)

UA Liberty Drain and UA Defense Points are two separate systems.

• LP drain affects opponent players

• DP protects the UA card itself

• Reducing one does not reduce the other

Defense Cards vs UAs

• Defense cards only interact with UA Defense Points (DP).

• Defense cards do not protect against LP loss caused by UAs.

• Even if your opponent UA is fully protected by Defense cards, your UA’s still drains opponent LP each turn.

Example

A UA with:

• 2 LP drain each turn

• 30 DP

And a Defense card providing:

• 15 Defense

Result:

• The UA still drains 2 LP every turn

• Attacks against the UA must destroy defense cards first in order to deal damage to UA’s. The 15 Defense card must be destroyed and then 30 DP is required to destroy that UA.

• LP drain continues until the UA is destroyed or modified by a specific card

UA Rules

• Each Unconstitutional Act causes the opposing player to lose Liberty Points during its controller’s turn only. During your opponents turn your UA’s do not take away opponents LP. During your turn your UA’s take away opponents LP.

• Unconstitutional Acts (UA) cards drain Liberty Points (LP) bypassing all Defense!

• All Unconstitutional Act Defense Points, and LP drain values are defined exclusively by card text. Rarity does not define UA behavior.

• All 3 UA’s must have all Defense Points destroyed, exiled or a mix of both to win via Attack Victory

• UA LP Drain (Core Rule):
  Each Unconstitutional Act has a printed Opponent LP Drain value displayed below its name.

This LP loss:

• Is defined by the UA’s printed LP drain value
• Resolves as a core rule effect unless explicitly modified

• Is not preventable, disabled, or modified unless a card explicitly states it affects UA LP drain

• UA’s LP drain is not attack, it is Unconstitutionally taking Liberty away.

• Occurs as long as the UA remains in play. During the controller’s turn Resolve Phase (Step 3), each of that player’s UA’ s causes the opponent to lose LP equal to its printed value.

UA’s Historical Note (Non-Rules):
During development, UA’s often followed durability and drain patterns by rarity. These values are not rules. All UA behavior is defined only by card text:

• Common: 20 DP, 1 LP drain/turn

• Uncommon: 25 DP, 1 LP drain/turn

• Rare: 30 DP, 2 LP drain/turn

Destroying UA’s reduces pressure.
Ignoring them loses games.

ATTACK CARDS

Valid Targets - Attack cards deal damage.

• Defense cards
• Attack cards (AoA) (when player pays 1 extra IP to initiate Attack on Attack).
• Unconstitutional Acts (UA)
• Liberty Points (LP) (only when stated by the cards effect).

Targeting Clarification:

Attack cards by default damage Defense cards first and Unconstitutional Acts if no opponent defense cards are in play.
Attack cards may only target Liberty Points or Milling opponent when a card effect specifically states LP or Milling is the target or effect.

Defense Rule — Scope of Protection
Defense cards protect Unconstitutional Acts by default.
Defense cards do not protect Liberty Points or Milling unless a card explicitly states that it prevents or reduces LP damage or Milling.

Damage Rules

• Damage cannot be split

• Excess damage is lost

Example:
20 Attack Damage (AD) hits 12 Defense Points (DP) → Defense destroyed, the 8 extra damage is absorbed by the card.

ATTACK ON ATTACK (AoA / Rebel Clash)

• Costs Attack IP + 1 IP

• Both Attacks deal damage simultaneously

• Bypasses all Defense

• Surviving Attack retains remaining damage

• Example:
  20 Attack Damage (AD) card hits 10 Attack Damage (AD) card → 10 Attack Damage (AD) card is destroyed, the 10 extra damage is retained by the surviving card.

Activated Effects and Forced Resolution

Some cards contain Activated effects that require discarding the card.
If such a card is destroyed by damage, and that destruction fulfills the discard requirement, the effect resolves automatically. This is called Forced Resolution.

• Players do not choose to activate the effect
• The effect resolves because the discard condition was met
• Partial damage does not cause Forced Resolution
• Forced Resolution is not optional

Forced Resolution may only occur if destruction fully satisfies the card’s activation or discard requirement exactly as written.

Defense Card Exception:
Forced Resolution does not apply to Defense cards unless the Defense card explicitly states that its effect triggers on discard, destruction, or being destroyed.

DEFENSE CARDS - (Protection of Unconstitutional Acts Only)

Defense absorbs damage — it does not stop the game.

Defense cards do ONE job only:
👉 They protect Unconstitutional Acts from being destroyed.

They do NOT stop Liberty Points from being lost or cards from being milled or petitions from being played (UNLESS a card explicitly states one or some of these other effects).

🧱 Think of It Like This

• Unconstitutional Acts (UA) are like government your opponent controls.

• Every turn, that government automatically drain Liberty Points (LP) from you.

• Defense cards are walls around the government — not shields for your Liberty.

✅ What Defense Cards DO

✔ Defense cards protect a UA’s Defense Points (DP)
✔ They make it harder to break the UA
✔ Attack cards must break Defense first before destroying a UA

❌ What Defense Cards DO NOT DO

✖ They do not stop LP loss
✖ They do not protect your Liberty
✖ They do not block UA LP drain
✖ They do not protect anything except UA Defense Points

⚠️ Very Important Rule

Unconstitutional Acts always drain Liberty Points.

• This happens only on the UA owner’s turn

• Defense cards cannot stop this

• Only a card that specifically says it changes UA LP drain can affect it

Defense Activation Timing

A Defense card is considered “attacked” only when Attack Damage is assigned to that Defense card during Resolve Phase – Step 4.

Clarifications:

• Being targeted is not being attacked

• Declaring an attack is not being attacked

• Damage must actually be assigned to that Defense card

🔒 Trigger Rule (Clean)

Any triggered effect on a Defense card that says “when attacked” or functions automatically activates only if Attack Damage is assigned to that card. Example: A card that is locked does not trigger when targeted because it takes no attack damage.

🔁 Redirect Clarification (Critical)

If an attack is redirected away from a Defense card before damage assignment, that Defense card was not attacked and does not trigger.

📘 Simple Example

• Your opponent has 1 UA that drains 2 LP

• You have Defense cards

• On their turn:

  • You lose 2 LP no matter what

  • Defense cards do nothing to stop it

• Defense only matters when:

  • You try to attack and destroy the UA

🧠 One-Sentence Rule

Defense cards only protect Unconstitutional Acts from being destroyed. They never stop Liberty Point loss unless a card clearly says it does.

Defense Rules

• Damage must be assigned to one Defense card

• Defense may survive an attack

• When an opponent controls Defense cards protecting Unconstitutional Acts, all Defense cards must be reduced to 0 DP and destroyed before Attack Damage may be assigned to Unconstitutional Acts, unless a card explicitly bypasses Defense.

Survival Example:
Defense has 30 DP
Attack deals 20 damage, Attack card is destroyed
Defense remains with 10 DP

Defense does not:

• Protect against UA LP drain as clarified above.

• Split damage

• Stop bypass effects

• Defense cards do not protect Petitions unless a card explicitly states otherwise.

Defense Cards Activation

• Playing a Defense card places it into play, but does not immediately activate its effects.

• A Defense card’s printed effects trigger automatically when the card is attacked.

• If a Defense card has an effect that activates on play, each turn, or at another time, this will be explicitly stated on the card.

Example:

• A Defense card that reads
  “15 🛡️ Defense. +1 LP if you control a 🔔.”
  grants its LP when it is attacked, not when it enters play.

• A Defense card that reads
  “When this card enters play, gain +1 IP.”
  activates immediately because it explicitly overrides the default rule.

RIGHTS CARDS

• Maximum of 12 per deck

• One-time effects

• Resolve once, then discard

• May deal damage, gain LP, or draw cards

• Petitions stay in play unless exiled or removed by a cards effects

Rights are tools, not engines.

FREEDOM CARDS

• Unique hybrid cards

• No duplicates

• May include Pay X IP abilities

• Maximum of three (3) per deck. No copies.

Freedom cards reward timing and foresight.

PILLAR CARDS

Pillars represent foundational systems.

Pillar Rules

• Generate IP automatically

• Cannot be targeted or destroyed unless stated

• Pillar non-rare & non-petition, any amount are allowed including duplicate

• Remain in play indefinitely

Pillar IP generation is a core rule effect.

BILLS

Bills represent authority with escalating cost.

Bills Rules - Bills are powerful — and intentionally self-limiting.

• Play Phase only

• Resolve once

• Return to hand unless exiled

• IP cost doubles every use (per instance) after leaving play

• Bills are one-time legislative action cards.

When a Bill is played:

1. Its effects resolve.

2. It leaves play.

3. It returns to its owner’s hand unless exiled.

Each time a Bill leaves play after resolving, the IP cost to play that Bill again is doubled.

This increased cost:

• Applies to all future uses of that Bill

• Persists between turns

• Is tracked by Bill name, not by individual card copies

• Maximum of three (3) per deck. No copies.

If a Bill is exiled, it cannot be played again and no further cost increases occur.

PETITION -& PETITION VICTORY

Petition Victory Requires:

• 4 Petition cards in play

• 3 Scroll Pillars in play

• LP ≥ 20

• A Petition may only be protected by one effect at a time, unless explicitly stated otherwise by a card.

Petitions must remain in play to count.

VICTORY CONDITIONS (4 TOTAL)

1. LP Victory — Opponent LP ≤ 0 at End Phase / A player wins if their opponent’s LP is reduced to 0

2. Attack Victory — Destroy all 3 opponent UA's (instant) / A player wins if all three opponents Unconstitutional Acts are destroyed.

3. Petition Victory — Conditions met at End Phase / A player wins if they control the required number of active Petitions during End Phase, and no opposing effect prevents counting.

4. Deck-Out Victory — Opponent cannot draw during their Draw Phase because they have no cards in their Draw Pile. Cards Effects/Traits preventing draw do not count for Victory

If multiple occur simultaneously, active player wins.

Simultaneous Victory and Loss

If one or more victory conditions and one or more loss conditions are met simultaneously, the Active Player wins.

This includes situations where:

• The Active Player reduces an opponent’s LP to 0 or less

• The Active Player achieves Petition Victory

• The Active Player destroys the opponent’s final UA
  even if the Active Player would otherwise lose due to Deck-Out or LP loss on the same turn.

Victory conditions take precedence on the Active Player’s turn.

🔒 CORE TIMING & INTERACTION RULE

Rules Consistency Clause
Revolt N Reign uses fixed terminology. If multiple cards appear to describe similar effects, the exact wording determines the rule. Synonyms do not create new meanings.

1. WHOSE EFFECTS TRIGGER

Only the Active Player’s “Each Turn” effects and UA LP drain trigger.

• UA LP drain occurs only during the Active Player’s Resolve Phase

• “Each Turn” effects trigger only for the Active Player

• Inactive players’ cards do not trigger their own “Each Turn” effects

This rule governs automatic triggering only.

2. WHO MAY INTERACT (CRITICAL DISTINCTION)

Both players may affect the Resolve Phase.

Opponent cards may lock, block, modify, redirect, prevent, or alter effects that occur during the Resolve Phase if their card text allows it.

Lock: A locked card cannot attack, defend, activate abilities, or apply ongoing effects.
A Lock lasts until the end of the locked card’s controller’s next turn, unless a card explicitly states otherwise.
Locks are not permanent.

❓ If Player A locks Player B’s card during Player A’s turn, when does it end?

✅ End of Player B’s next End Phase

❓ Can a locked card be targeted?

✅ Yes

❓ Can a locked card be destroyed?

✅ Yes

❓ Does a locked UA still drain LP?

✅ Yes — always, unless a card explicitly prevents UA LP drain

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”.

Effects do not have to belong to you to be interacted with.

This preserves defensive play, disruption, and counter-strategy.

Forced Resolution

Forced Resolution occurs when a card is destroyed and that destruction fulfills its full discard requirement.

• Forced Resolution triggers regardless of how the card was destroyed

• Forced Resolution does not trigger from:

  • Exile

  • Milling

  • Returning a card to hand

• Forced Resolution cannot be declined

• Forced Resolution does not bypass Locks, Blocks, or Prevent effects unless explicitly stated

  
  

3. RESOLVE PHASE — INTERACTION WINDOWS

RESOLVE PHASE — CORE RULE

The Resolve Phase executes all effects in a fixed sequence.
Once the Resolve Phase begins, no player may play cards, activate abilities, pay costs, or declare new effects.
All outcomes resolve automatically based only on effects already in play or previously declared during the Play Phase.

STEP 1 — LOCKS AND BLOCKS

All Lock and Block effects already in play apply simultaneously.

• Locked cards cannot attack, defend, activate abilities, or apply ongoing effects for the remainder of this Resolve Phase and until the end of their controller’s next turn.

• Block effects prevent their specified targets from resolving.

• No new Locks or Blocks may be created after this step begins.

Timing Rule:
The Play Phase is the final opportunity to deploy defensive modifiers.

STEP 2 — ATTACK ON ATTACK (AoA / Rebel Clash)

If any Attack on Attack was declared during the Play Phase:

• Both Attack cards deal damage to each other simultaneously.

• AoA bypasses all Defense cards.

• Surviving Attack cards retain remaining Attack Damage for later steps.

• Destroyed Attack cards are discarded.

STEP 3 — UNCONSTITUTIONAL ACT LP DRAIN

The Active Player’s Unconstitutional Acts drain Liberty Points.

• Each UA causes the opponent to lose LP equal to its printed LP drain value.

• This is a core rule effect, not a card effect.

• UA LP Drain cannot be blocked, prevented, reduced, or modified unless a card explicitly states it affects “UA LP Drain” or “LP loss from Unconstitutional Acts.”

• Defense cards do not prevent UA LP Drain.

STEP 4 — ATTACK DAMAGE

All Attack Damage resolves.

Attack Damage includes:

• Attack cards targeting Defense cards

• Attack cards targeting UAs (if no Defense remains)

• Attack cards targeting LP only if explicitly stated

• Surviving AoA damage

• Damage effects that explicitly deal Attack Damage

Resolution Order:

1. Active Player’s Attack Damage

2. Inactive Player’s Attack Damage (if any)

Damage Rules:

• Damage from a single source must be assigned to one target.

• Excess damage is lost.

• Defense cards must be destroyed before UAs may be damaged unless bypass is stated.

STEP 5 — STATE CLEANUP & EFFECTS

5A — Defense Points

• Reduce DP from damage.

• Destroy any Defense card reduced to 0 DP.

5B — Destruction

• Destroy all cards reduced to 0 durability.

• Forced Resolution effects trigger here if destruction fulfills their condition.

5C — Other Effects

• Resolve all remaining triggered effects.

• Effects resolve in play order. If simultaneous, the Active Player chooses.

STEP 6 — PETITION CHECK

Petition Victory is checked only during Resolve Phase — Step 6.

To achieve Petition Victory, the Active Player must control at that moment:

• 4 or more Petition cards in play

• 3 or more Scroll Pillars in play

• LP of 20 or greater

Cards destroyed, disabled, or removed from play earlier in the Resolve Phase do not count toward Petition Victory.

STEP 7 — LP GAIN

• All LP gain resolves.

• LP may exceed 100.

INTERACTION RULE (ONE-SENTENCE HARD LOCK)

Once the Resolve Phase begins, the game executes automatically.
Players cannot add, activate, or modify effects until the next turn’s Play Phase.

4. WHAT “EACH TURN, EACH CONTROLLERS TURN” REALLY MEANS (FINAL) Each turn

“Each Turn” means: once during the controller’s turn — but resolution is still interactive.

Example:

• Your opponent’s card says:
  “ Opponent loses 2 LP Each turn.”

“Each turn, opponent loses 2 LP”
→ It triggers only on their turn

• Your Defense or Freedom card may still:

  • Block it

  • Reduce it

  • Prevent it

  • Modify it

5. UA TRAITS — INTERACTION CLARIFIED

• UA traits are card effects

• UA LP drain is a core rule effect

• Therefore:

Interaction Type

Allowed?

Reduce UA LP drain

❌ No (unless card explicitly references “UA LP drain”) or (“UA Defense Point damage resulting in destruction”)

Block UA LP drain

❌ No (unless explicitly stated)

6. SIMPLE PLAYER EXAMPLE (GUIDE-READY)

Example: Defensive Counterplay

• Player 1 has 3 UA's

• Player 2 plays a Defense card:
  “Prevent 2 LP loss this turn.”

Player 1’s Resolve Phase

• UA LP drain attempts to resolve

• Player 2’s Defense card applies

• LP loss is reduced or prevented as written

✔ Player 1’s effects still trigger
✔ Player 2 still defends
✔ No ambiguity
✔ No “double turn” nonsense

7. HARD RULE (BOXED — NON- NEGOTIABLE)

Only the Active Player’s cards trigger automatic effects.
Both players’ cards may interact with the Resolve Phase.

This is the sentence that prevents every future argument.

8. DESIGN PHILOSOPHY (WHY THIS WORKS)

• Strategy requires reaction

• Reaction requires shared resolution

• Shared resolution does NOT require shared triggering

REVOLT N REIGN keeps:

• Player agency

• Tactical disruption

• Emotional fairness

• Strategic depth

Without sacrificing clarity.

RIGHTS → PRIVILEGE TIMELINE

How Liberty Becomes Permission

CORE STATEMENTS (Top of Page – Large Type)

You did not apply to exist.
You did not license your labor.
You did not rent your liberty.

These were not radical ideas at the founding of the United States.
They were assumed truths.

Government was created to secure rights, not to issue them.

📊 DIAGRAM: THE RIGHTS → PRIVILEGE PIPELINE

(Horizontal Timeline Diagram)

LEFT SIDE — NATURAL CONDITION

(Green / Earth Tone)

Natural Rights

• Exists by nature

• Requires no permission

• Cannot be revoked by authority

• Exercised by default

Examples (Historical Norm):

• Work and trade

• Build a home

• Gather food

• Speak and assemble

• Defend oneself

• Travel freely

• Raise a family

Government Role: Protect against force or fraud

⬇️

STAGE 1 — REGULATION

(Yellow / Caution Tone)

Regulated Activity

• Still recognized as a right

• Rules added “for safety” or “order”

• Compliance encouraged, not mandatory

Change in Relationship:

• From free action → monitored action

⬇️
Key Shift: Rules begin replacing trust

STAGE 2 — LICENSING

(Orange / Warning Tone)

Licensed Permission

• Approval required before action

• Fees introduced

• Authority decides who may act

Change in Relationship:

• From right exercised → permission requested

⬇️
Key Shift: Authority becomes gatekeeper

STAGE 3 — PRIVILEGE

(Red / Control Tone)

Conditional Privilege

• May be revoked

• Subject to renewal

• Penalties for noncompliance

• Exercised only by approval

Change in Relationship:

• From citizen → subject

• From liberty → compliance

⬇️
End State: Rights treated as rented access

🔍 REALITY CHECK (Inset Box)

A right that requires:

• Permission

• Payment

• Renewal

• Surveillance

• Revocation

…is no longer functioning as a right.

REVOLT N REIGN explores what happens when this process accelerates.

🎲 HOW THIS APPEARS IN GAMEPLAY

• Rights cards represent original liberties

• Bills represent permission systems

• Unconstitutional Acts represent enforced control

• Pillars represent institutional power

• IP costs represent compliance friction

You are not told what is right.
You are shown what it costs.

🧠 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

(Teacher / Parent / Table Talk Prompts)

Use these between games or after a match:

1. At what point does protection become control?

2. If a right requires permission, who benefits?

3. Can something still be a right if it can be revoked?

4. Who decides when regulation is “necessary”?

5. What happens when permission replaces trust?

6. Is compliance the same as consent?

7. If you must pay to exercise a right, who owns it?

8. How does slow change differ from sudden force?

9. Which systems in the game felt hardest to escape?

10. Did you adapt — or did you submit?

There are no “correct” answers.
The purpose is systems thinking.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 EDUCATOR / PARENT EXPLAINER (Sidebar)

This game is designed to:

• Encourage thoughtful discussion

• Illustrate how systems evolve

• Separate authority from legitimacy

• Show how incentives shape behavior

Children and adults alike learn best when they:

• Discover patterns themselves

• Experience consequences

• Debate respectfully

REVOLT N REIGN teaches through play, not persuasion.

📌 DESIGN NOTE (For Consistency & Protection)

Rulebook Hard Principle:

Natural rights are treated as the default state.
Control systems must justify themselves through cost.

These principles ensures:

• Players always understand why pressure exists

FINAL TRUTH

REVOLT N REIGN is not about comfort.
It is about awareness, pressure, and choice.

The game teaches:

• Civic literacy

• Power structures

• Historical consequences

• Strategic decision-making

Through play.

Revolt N Reign is a reality-based competitive card game built on the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Federalist Papers. The Official Rulebook covers every core mechanic, Liberty Points, Independence Points, Unconstitutional Acts, the 7-step Resolve Phase, Attack on Attack combat, Bills Cards cost escalation, Forced Resolution, and all four victory conditions. Designed for serious players, educators, and anyone who believes strategy should mean something, Revolt N Reign is the only trading card game in history built entirely on real American founding documents.