u/Dabiel303

The basic idea is that you’re playing as a bug army fighting against an enemy army. All of the cards are based on actual insect, arachnid, bug like species. This is my first attempt at making a tcg and want feedback. I have spent around 3 months working on it but don’t know how good it is currently. I have done extensive research on tcg making and am a huge fan of tcgs as a whole and wanted to make one myself. I apologize for any errors or inconsistencies that you find and would love if you pointed them out.

The idea is that all of the cards are actual bugs species (ie. rhino beetles, stag beetles, etc). Resource system is called nectar and is basic gain one per turn. Board is separated into 3 main sections. The backline (yours and opponents) the frontline and the arena. The frontline and arena occupy the same area. Units are always played in the backline(unless card effects state otherwise) and move into the frontline on later turns.
DECK BASICS
 Each deck is composed of 50 cards +1 General. Only 3 copies of each card. Only 5 cards with the Overclock keyword per deck. Starting hand size is 5.
STATS
Separated into Attack, Armor, Vitality and Control
Attack-exactly what you think, it’s how much damage a unit does.
Armor-before vitality is reduced damage has to go through Armor and the damage is reduced by the amount of Armor a unit has. (A unit with 4 Arm is hit with 5 damage then vitality reduced by 1.) Acts as a “shield” for units. If Arm is depleted (say from 4 to 0) then all future attacks do full damage until Arm resets at end of turn.
Vitality-it’s the hp of a unit, pretty self explanatory
Control-how much control each unit has on the arena
WIN CONDITION
Hold the arena for 4 turns in a row (every end phase counts as a turn), deckout the opponent, or reduce the opponents Generals Vit from to 0. 
CARD TYPES
Units-what do you need to know it’s just the units. Each one has an Attack,Armor,Vitality, and Control stat.
Gear-it’s the artifact equivalent in this game and each unit can only have one piece of Gear equipped at a time, if you try to equip another piece of Gear then discard the previous piece.
Arenas- arena cards have different effects based on who controls the arena (say if you control it then some specific units gain +1 ATK and if you don’t control it then units could gain +1 Vit) or effects that act on the entire field (backline included). Arenas can be switched out for other arenas throughout the game (like stadiums in other tcgs) and there can only be one arena in affect at any time(you may only play one arena card per turn)the game will always start with a “neutral” arena with no effects.
Commands-the “spells” of the game all of which act as single use cards.
  Attack Commands- can only be played when attacking 
 Defense Commands- can only be played when blocking
 Special Commands- can be played during your main phase.
Generals- Special “leader” cards that sit outside of the battlefield and have passive/activated abilities. Each has their own Vit stat (usually 20) and can only be damaged by units on the frontline if no defenders are present. Some Generals have Arm, unlike in normal units Generals Arm doesn’t regenerate. If your Generals Vit is reduced to 0 you lose. 
RESOURCES
The resource in this game is nectar . Each player starts with 3 nectar each and gains +1 at the end of their turn. The maximum amount of permanent nectar a player can have at a time is 10. You may expend 2 nectar each turn to draw an extra card.
Vigor Nectar- gain +1 VN every time one of your units are destroyed and for every turn you don’t control the arena. You may only have up to 10 permanent VN.
RARITIES
Normal, Uncommon,Rare 
RULES
Each player starts with three nectar each at the end phase of a players turn that player gains +1 nectar Each player starts the game by drawing 5 cards. There is no maximum hand size.
Movement-each unit can perform one “action” per turn. Attacking, and moving from backline to frontline (and vice versa) all count as actions. Once a unit has performed an “action” exhaust it by turning it 90°. When a unit is exhausted, they cannot attack or retreat(move from the frontline to the backline), the exhausted unit can still use abilities. All units enter exhausted the turn they’re played. 
Control- Control determines who owns the arena.The player with higher total Control in the arena controls it. To determine this, at the end of each turn add up the total amount of control units on the frontline have, whichever player has the higher total Control owns the arena. If both players have equal total control then neither player owns the arena. (Some unit abilities rely on control of arena) 
Board-you may only have up to 5 units on the frontline at a time(same for the backline as well) for a total of 10 friendly units on the battlefield at a time.
PHASES
Draw Phase- draw 1 card from your deck and unexhaust all units. 
Main Phase- You may play units onto your backline (can only be played in backline unless explicitly stated) play Commands, and gear. During this phase you may activate any ability that says “during your main phase”. Units that are not exhausted may perform their actions.
Combat Phase- Declare attackers (attacking units must not be exhausted and on the frontline, unless explicitly stated) and opponent declares defenders (you may block one attacker with one or two blockers. Exhausted units can be used as blockers.) You may play attack commands, and your opponent may play defense commands at this time. Each player may activate unit abilities that say “during your combat phase” .When both players are finished with this, resolve damage. All damage happens all at once.(Armor resets after Combat Phase ends. units do not recover Vitality unless card effects are activated)
End Phase-add up total control and determine which player owns the arena. Gain +1 nectar.
KEYWORDS
Aerial- these units can attack from the Backline and target units on the opposing Backline.
Puncture[X]- attacks from units with this keyword ignore an [X] amount of Arm. (Unit with 5 Atk and Puncture[2] would ignore 2 Arm).
Corrosive- when this unit attacks reduce target units Arm by [X](can be permanent). If permanent it reduces maximum Arm.
Ambush- this unit can attack the turn it moves into the Frontline.
Rush- this unit can move to the Frontline the turn it’s played. 
Grapple- When this unit attacks, the target unit cannot move back to the Backline during controllers next turn.
Burrow- when this unit is in the Backline it can’t be targeted by enemy Commands.
Camouflage- This unit can’t be targeted by an attack the first turn it enters the Frontline. 
Signal- All attacks target this unit while on the Frontline.
Overclock- a special keyword does whatever effect is described. You can only have up to 5 cards with this keyword in your deck.

CARD LIST
COMMON
 
Sample Unit
Card name: Japanese rhino beetle
Cost:3
Stats: Atk 2, Arm 3, Vit 4, Con 2 (or 2/3/4/2)
Ability: Charge!-once per turn Deal 1 damage to target frontline unit (yours or opponents)
Flavor Text: the common giant of the Japanese mountains.
Rarity: Common

Name: Move, Move, Move!
Type: Special Command
Cost:3
Effect: Target friendly unit moves into the Frontline
Flavor Text: Crawl like your life depends on it!
Rarity: Common

Name: Sharp Horn
Type: Gear
Cost: 2
Effect: Equipped unit gains +1 Atk
Flavor Text: The best horn is a sharp one!
Rarity: Common

Name: Worker Ant
Type: Unit
Cost:2
Stats:  Atk 2, Arm 1, Vit 2, Con 1
Abilities: Aid. On Play. Target friendly unit gains +1 Vit until end of turn.
Flavor text: The smallest body gives the most life
Rarity: Common

Name: Ladybird Beetle
Type: Unit
Cost: 3
Stats: 2/3/3/1
Abilities: On Play. Destroy target enemy unit with cost 2 or less.
Flavor Text: Devouring the parasites that plague the plant
Rarity: Common

UNCOMMON

Name: Brace
Type: Defense Command 
Cost:2
Effect: Target friendly defending unit gains +2 Arm until end of Combat
Flavor Text: Don’t just mimic a wall, become the wall
Rarity: Uncommon

Name: Forest Floor
Type: Arena
Cost:3
Effect: Controllers units gain +1 Vit. Non-controllers units gain +1 ATK 
Flavor text:The calm background of a chaotic war.
Rarity:Uncommon

Name: General Palestripe
Type: General
Stats: Vit 20  Arm 3 
Abilities: Fortress Commander: Passive. Friendly units gain +1 Arm when defending. Tactical Acquirement: Once per turn you may discard a card, if you do draw 1 card.
Flavor Text:  The stalwart leader of the 19th beetle legion.
Rarity: Uncommon

Name: Firefly Scout
Type: Unit
Cost: 2
Stats: 2/1/3/2
Abilities: Signal. 
Flavor Text: In the night soft bodies fill with light.
Rarity: Uncommon
RARE

Name:Flip
Type: Attack Command 
Cost: 3
Effect: Exhaust target unit with cost 4 or lower
Flavor Text: Try fighting upside down!
Rarity: Rare

Name: Desperate Recovery
Type: Special Command
Cost: 5 VN (vigor nectar)
Effect: Only play this card if you don’t control the arena. Overclock target ally until end of turn. Until the end of turn, it cannot be destroyed. Destroy that unit at the end of turn ( This effect can’t be prevented) the unit doesn’t contribute to control this turn.
Flavor text: In the heat of battle pain is the greatest enemy.
Rarity: Rare

Name: Unrelenting Assault
Type:Attack Command
Cost: 3 VN
Effect: Play only if a friendly unit was destroyed last turn. Overclock target friendly unit until the end of next turn. Overclocked unit gains +3 Atk. Afterwards Exhaust unit for 2 turns.
Flavor text: Don’t give them a moments rest!- Corporal Whiteshell of the Goliath legion (Goliath beetle soldier)
Rarity: Rare

Name: Last Stand
Type: Special Command
Cost: 7 VN
Effect: Only play this if you don’t control the Arena. OVERCLOCK up to 4 friendly units until end of turn. They gain +3 Atk +5 Arm +2 Con. Destroy those units at the end of turn. (Effect cannot be negated) Units Con still applies.
Flavor text: Let our shells shatter but the line holds!
Rarity: Rare 

Name: White Wall
Type: Defense Command
Cost: 4
Effect: Play only if General Palestripe is your General. Target friendly Frontline unit gains +1 Arm for every other unit in the Frontline until end of turn. If the target units Arm is 5 or more Arm, it also gains +1 Con till end of turn.
Flavor Text: For every enemy, his defense grows the same.
Rarity: Rare

Name: Lord Kage
Type: General
Stats: 20 Vit
Abilities: Duelist: Passive. When a friendly attacking unit is blocked by 1 unit, it gains +2 Atk until the end of combat. Tactical Retreat: Active(2N). Target friendly frontline unit moves to the Backline and heals +1 Vit.
Flavor Text: A genius in both tactics and duels, fitting for the mantis Lord.
Rarity: Rare

Name: Duels End
Type: Attack Command

Cost: 4

Effect: Play only if Lord Kage is your General. Target friendly unit gains Puncture[2] and Grapple until the end of combat. If the target unit destroys an enemy unit this turn, it doesn’t exhaust.

Flavor Text: In the breaths between strikes death, and victory are decided.

Rarity: Rare

Name: Queen Issia

Type: General

Stats: 18 Vit

Abilities: Pheromones. Passive. Your units with cost 2 or less gain +1 Con. Gathering Swarm. Active(2N). Create a 1/0/1/1 Worker Ant token unit with Rush in your Backline. (It enters exhausted)

Flavor Text: The grand sovereign of Castle Dirtmound

Rarity: Rarity

Name: Hive’s Call

Type: Special Command 

Cost: 4

Effect: You may only Play this card if Queen Issia is your General. Your units with Cost 3 or less gain Puncture[2] and +2 Atk until end of turn.

Flavor Text: By the Queens command. ATTACK!- ant soldier battle cry.

Rarity: Rare