Draim arena
Encyclopedia
Draim Arena is a Trading card game developed by the Swedish company Draim
and released in Sweden
autumn 2006. It is the first game released by this company and is set in the continent of Disia in the fantasy
world Draimia, the company's trademark setting.
The game can be played by two or more players, though the typical game is played with four players. Each game represents a battle between armies in the Bautadon stadium in the land of Grytland. Each player builds and controls an army of one to five characters, represented by character cards. Additional arena cards represent spells, artifacts and strategies that are played upon the players own cards or on cards in opponent armies.
In the game players put armies against each other and the player whose army is defeated loses the game, the winner is the player that in the end stands alone. The armies are built one character at a time, a player cannot attack opponents during a turn that a new character is added to the army and players therefore have to balance play between reinforcing the army and playing aggressive to defeat opponents.
The use of character cards are central to the game, these form the army and are needed to play arena cards. Each character can take damage two times, the first time they are turned and the second they are dead and put in the grave. Cards in the grave cannot be used during the rest of the same game. Turned characters can be healed, either by use of some arena cards or by turning another character in your own army during phase two. This last choice prevents that same player from attacking or playing a character card that turn, however and this should therefore be considered.
Game play is built around four phases that divide each player's turn. These four phases allow different actions and card types to be played. Every time a player starts a turn it begins with phase one and continues through all four until the turn is over and next player starts.
The phases allow the following:1. play phase 1 arena cards. 2. play a new character card, switch places between two characters, heal a character or attack a player. 3. preparation for battle (only in case of attack during phase2). 4. battle (only in case of attack during phase2). If attack is chosen during phase two a special tactical dice is used to decide which character in the attacking and the defending armies that will fight. The fight during phase four is primarily decided with the use of another dice, called battle dice. The use of dice has been compared with pencil-and-paper Role-playing game
s and set this game apart from most other card games.
9-cards
In this rule set each player build a deck of nine cards, with a free mix of character cards and arena cards. All cards are played in the hand from the start and can therefore be played at any time.
30-cards
In this rule set each player uses a total of 30 cards. 25 arena cards and 5 character cards. The major difference från 9-cards play is that all arena cards are put in a library from start and are therefore not available to play. To make the cards in the library available the player has to do one of two things, either turning a character in phase one and draw one card from the library or by killing a character in an opponent army.
Tournament play
Two different tournament
formats are used in official play; emperor and conqueror. The difference between them are basically that emperor is a format with pre-made decks and conqueror is a variation of sealed deck. During play in conqueror format some changes are applied, primarily concerning how many instances of each card and card type can be used.
of the game since this offers a chance to build a unique deck and surprise your opponents. Depending on which type of game you prefer, 9 or 30 cards, the setup of the deck vary a lot. The use of arena cards are often more central in play with 30 cards. In 30-cards the deck may only include one of each character and two of each arena card and in 9-cards it may only consist one of each. During tournaments in the conqueror format there is no limit to this, and a deck can have any number of each card, the deck however cannot be bigger than 20 cards in this format.
world called Draimia. Like other comparable fantasy world
s such as Middle-earth
this is a high fantasy setting, featuring a number of different creatures
and species unique to this world. The game also features an open use of magic
and enchanted artifacts
that enhances characters in a number of ways.
The company Draim that is behind the game mentions on their Swedish official website a number of other future uses of this world for example comic books, board game
and a Role-playing game
.
The story behind the game is released a bit at a time so that players will find out more as it progresses.
Draim
Draim AB is a Swedish developer and publisher of fantasy-based tactical card games, headquartered in Nacka, Sweden. It was founded in 2003 as Draim HB. The most famous game title is the tcg Draim arena which has existed on the market since autumn 2006...
and released in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
autumn 2006. It is the first game released by this company and is set in the continent of Disia in the fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
world Draimia, the company's trademark setting.
The game can be played by two or more players, though the typical game is played with four players. Each game represents a battle between armies in the Bautadon stadium in the land of Grytland. Each player builds and controls an army of one to five characters, represented by character cards. Additional arena cards represent spells, artifacts and strategies that are played upon the players own cards or on cards in opponent armies.
Game play
Draim Arena is played with several different rules sets, two rules sets are presented on the official website and two additional tournament setups for each rules set. The two rules sets are called 9-cards and 30-cards after the difference between the number of cards used. Most of the rules are common to both rule sets and the difference is primarily the number of cards in the deck.In the game players put armies against each other and the player whose army is defeated loses the game, the winner is the player that in the end stands alone. The armies are built one character at a time, a player cannot attack opponents during a turn that a new character is added to the army and players therefore have to balance play between reinforcing the army and playing aggressive to defeat opponents.
The use of character cards are central to the game, these form the army and are needed to play arena cards. Each character can take damage two times, the first time they are turned and the second they are dead and put in the grave. Cards in the grave cannot be used during the rest of the same game. Turned characters can be healed, either by use of some arena cards or by turning another character in your own army during phase two. This last choice prevents that same player from attacking or playing a character card that turn, however and this should therefore be considered.
Game play is built around four phases that divide each player's turn. These four phases allow different actions and card types to be played. Every time a player starts a turn it begins with phase one and continues through all four until the turn is over and next player starts.
The phases allow the following:1. play phase 1 arena cards. 2. play a new character card, switch places between two characters, heal a character or attack a player. 3. preparation for battle (only in case of attack during phase2). 4. battle (only in case of attack during phase2). If attack is chosen during phase two a special tactical dice is used to decide which character in the attacking and the defending armies that will fight. The fight during phase four is primarily decided with the use of another dice, called battle dice. The use of dice has been compared with pencil-and-paper Role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
s and set this game apart from most other card games.
9-cards
In this rule set each player build a deck of nine cards, with a free mix of character cards and arena cards. All cards are played in the hand from the start and can therefore be played at any time.
30-cards
In this rule set each player uses a total of 30 cards. 25 arena cards and 5 character cards. The major difference från 9-cards play is that all arena cards are put in a library from start and are therefore not available to play. To make the cards in the library available the player has to do one of two things, either turning a character in phase one and draw one card from the library or by killing a character in an opponent army.
Tournament play
Two different tournament
Tournament
A tournament is a competition involving a relatively large number of competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:...
formats are used in official play; emperor and conqueror. The difference between them are basically that emperor is a format with pre-made decks and conqueror is a variation of sealed deck. During play in conqueror format some changes are applied, primarily concerning how many instances of each card and card type can be used.
Deck building
Like other Trading card games deck building is a central part of the strategyStrategy
Strategy, a word of military origin, refers to a plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal. In military usage strategy is distinct from tactics, which are concerned with the conduct of an engagement, while strategy is concerned with how different engagements are linked...
of the game since this offers a chance to build a unique deck and surprise your opponents. Depending on which type of game you prefer, 9 or 30 cards, the setup of the deck vary a lot. The use of arena cards are often more central in play with 30 cards. In 30-cards the deck may only include one of each character and two of each arena card and in 9-cards it may only consist one of each. During tournaments in the conqueror format there is no limit to this, and a deck can have any number of each card, the deck however cannot be bigger than 20 cards in this format.
Story background
The game is set in a fantasyFantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
world called Draimia. Like other comparable fantasy world
Fantasy world
A fantasy world is a fictional universe used in fantasy novels and games. Typical worlds involve magic or magical abilities and often, but not always, either a medieval or futuristic theme...
s such as Middle-earth
Middle-earth
Middle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
this is a high fantasy setting, featuring a number of different creatures
Animal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
and species unique to this world. The game also features an open use of magic
Magic (gaming)
Some role-playing games or game systems can include a set of rules that are used to portray magic in the paranormal sense. These rules simulate the effects that magic would have within the game context, according to how the game designer intended the magic to be portrayed...
and enchanted artifacts
Magic item
A magic item is any object that has magical powers inherent in it. These may act on their own or be the tools of the person or being whose hands they fall into. Magic items are commonly found in both folklore and modern fantasy...
that enhances characters in a number of ways.
The company Draim that is behind the game mentions on their Swedish official website a number of other future uses of this world for example comic books, board game
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
and a Role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
.
The story behind the game is released a bit at a time so that players will find out more as it progresses.