Game’s name: First Contact

Objective: The objective of First Contact is to summon powerful Entities and maintain a strategic advantage against your rivals to achieve your victory. Players control a Hero and aim to establish and maintain control over clusters of territory while managing their resources and strategically interacting with various types of Entities.

Setting: American suburbs, 1990’s. A vaguely Pennsylvanian city’s suburban area.

Components:

1. Hero cards (5 different Hero types). Hero cards are oversized.
   1. Heroes have several unique abilities:
      1. Static ability that always applies to them.
      2. Discovery ability that can be used during the Discovery phase.
      3. Arrival ability that can be used during the Discovery phase.
      4. Win Condition. Once achieved, they instantly win the game.
   2. Heroes have unique Attack and Defense values.
   3. There are 5 different Hero types:
      1. The Guardian: A defensive Hero focused on establishing and maintaining control over territory. They excel at protecting clusters from opponents and have abilities that synergize with Location cards.
      2. The Dev: A versatile Hero who specializes in upgrading Locations and utilizing powerful Anomaly cards. They are adept at controlling resources and gaining currency for their abilities.
      3. The Element: An aggressive Hero with powerful weather manipulation abilities. They excel at disrupting opponents' plans and controlling the battlefield through their mastery of the elements.
      4. The Prodigy: A strategic Hero with the power to manipulate the minds of others. They excel at controlling the actions of Entities and can create powerful synergies with their Engram cards.
      5. The Seeker: A cunning Hero dedicated to unearthing ancient relics and harnessing their power. They are skilled at discovering and utilizing powerful Engram cards to gain an advantage over their opponents.
2. Entity cards (5 different Entity types). Entity cards are oversized.
   1. Entities can be summoned to the game board when certain conditions are met. When an Entity is on board, the game is in the “Arrival” phase. the Each Entity has a unique set of requirements that must be fulfilled in order to summon it.
   2. Entity cards have several abilities:
      1. One “Power” ability that can be activatd by the Entity ONCE during the Arrival phase.
      2. One “First Contact” ability that can be activated ONCE during the arrival phase by a Hero in the same location.
      3. One Harmonize ability that can be activated any number of times by Heroes, to attempt to Harmonize with the Entity.
   3. When an Entity is destroyed or Harmonized with, it is removed from the game board.
   4. There are 5 different Entity types
      1. Althuman: Approachable, familiar, and cunning Entities. They focus on supporting the player's Hero and enhancing their abilities.
      2. Glitchkin: Enigmatic and unpredictable Entities that thrive in chaos. They can disrupt opponents' strategies and create unexpected opportunities.
      3. Quantites: Ethereal, time-manipulating Entities that excel in controlling the flow of the game. They can create powerful temporal effects and alter the rules of the game to their advantage.
      4. Thoughtflame: Psychic Entities that feed on the minds of others. They can provide powerful mental enhancements to the player's Hero and weaken opponents through mental warfare.
      5. Silver Beasts: Ferocious and powerful Entities that can decimate their enemies. They are difficult to control but provide substantial offensive capabilities when successfully harnessed.
   5. Harmony counters
      1. Entities enter play with a number counters on them equal to the Harmony value shown on their card.
      2. As players deal damage to Entities, Harmony counters are removed.
      3. Harmony counters are an important factor in being able to successfully Harmonize with an Entity. More counters make it easier for Heroes and Entities to Harmonize.
3. Base cards (5 different starting Locations)
   1. Base cards represent the starting points for each player's territory, built around the sites where alien monoliths were discovered. They are named for the area where the monoliths were found, with a focus on natural features. Each Base card provides a unique ability or advantage to the player who controls it.
   2. At the start of the game, each player places their Base Location on the board with their Hero on it.
4. Discovery deck (a deck containing Location and Anomaly cards)
   1. Location cards
      1. Location cards represent various types of terrain found on the game board. They provide Energy, which fuels various abilities and interactions in the game. Players build clusters of Locations to establish and expand their territory, gaining control over additional resources and strategic positions.
         1. Locations can be played adjacent to another location, or, if they produce Energy, they can be placed separate from other locations to form a new Cluster.
         2. A Location can only be played to a cluster that meets its Energy requirement.
         3. Players cannot place a Location card in another player's Territory.
         4. Locations are double-sided. When a Location is played, it enters play on its front side. To flip a location, upgrade it.
         5. You can Upgrade a Location during your turn as a Hero Action.
         6. Most upgrades have a Stacks cost.
   2. Anomaly cards (one-time use effects)
      1. Anomaly cards are one-time use cards that provide powerful, game-changing effects. They are drawn from the Discovery deck and can be played during the Discover phase. Anomalies can turn the tide of the game and create exciting, unexpected moments.
         1. Anomaly cards can only be played during the Discover step of the Discovery phase.
         2. An Anomaly can only be played if the player’s Hero is in a cluster that meets the Anomaly’s Energy requirement.
         3. When an Anomaly card is played, its effect is resolved immediately and the card is then discarded.
5. Engram deck (cards that provide ongoing effects and “Affinity” for Entities)
   1. Engram cards represent historic moments for each Entity type, providing ongoing effects that enhance the player's strategy. They are aligned with a specific Entity. Abilities on numerous locations and on Anomalies can grant Engrams. Engrams can provide powerful synergies and greatly influence the outcome of the game.
6. Currency counters (to track Hero’s currency, called “Stacks”)

Game Setup:

1. Each player selects a Hero card.
2. Players select a Base card and place it on the game board in their “Territory”.
3. The Discovery deck is shuffled and placed face-down.
4. Each player draws five cards from the Discovery deck and adds them to their hand.
5. Players decide who goes first.

Gameplay:

A game of First Contact is played in phases, starting with the Discovery Phase, and changing to the Arrival Phase when an Entity is summoned.