Millennium Blades

2016

Experience the excitement of collectible card games with Millennium Blades! Build decks, crack open boosters, trade wisely, and become the World Champion.

120
minutes

2 - 5
player(s)

12+

Medium Heavy

About the game

Millennium Blades is a unique, exciting board game that brings the captivating world of trading card games to your tabletop. Set in a fictional universe where Millennium Blades is the most popular trading card game, you’re not just playing a game – you’re living a new, thrilling life as a professional card player.

In the immersive world of Millennium Blades, you start as a beginner with a starter deck, and over the course of several rounds, you will buy, sell, trade, and play cards to build your ultimate deck. The aim is to earn the most victory points, which are achieved by winning tournaments and making savvy trades.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Millennium Blades is a board game that simulates the experience of playing and trading collectible card games. Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to set up the game:

Step 1: Player Roles and Starting Materials

Each player assumes the role of a character from the game. The characters have unique abilities that affect gameplay. Each player takes a character board, a deck box, a binder (for storing cards), and a set of score markers.

Step 2: Game Currency

Each player starts the game with 30 Millennium Dollars. This is the game’s currency, used to buy and sell cards.

Step 3: Initial Deck

Each player also starts with a starter deck of 9 cards. These cards are the player’s initial resources for the game. Draw them from the deck of starter cards.

Step 4: Store Deck and Meta Game

Shuffle the store deck and place it face down on the table. Draw the top six cards and place them face up next to the deck. This forms the store, from which players can buy new cards. Also, draw a single card from the Meta deck and place it face up on the table.

Step 5: Tournament Deck

Shuffle the tournament deck and place it face down on the table. This deck will be used in the tournament phases of the game.

Step 6: Placement of Game Elements

Arrange the store deck, Meta deck, and tournament deck in the middle of the table. Place the store and Meta cards next to their respective decks. Each player should place their character board, deck box, binder, and score markers in front of them.

Step 7: Random Elements

In Millennium Blades, the store deck represents the random elements. The deck contains a wide variety of cards, and the ones available for purchase are drawn randomly from the top of the deck.

Now you’re all set to start playing Millennium Blades! The game proceeds in a series of deck-building and tournament phases, where players buy and sell cards to improve their decks and then compete in tournaments to score points.

Game flow Round and round we go

Millennium Blades is a board game that simulates the experience of playing and trading collectible card games. The game is structured in a series of rounds, each consisting of three main phases: the Deckbuilding Phase, the Tournament Phase, and the Aftermath Phase.

Deckbuilding Phase: This phase is all about preparation and strategy. It’s broken down into the following steps:

Selling and Buying: Players start with a set amount of money and a small collection of cards. They can sell these cards to gain more money, or buy new cards to expand their collection. Each player also receives a “starter deck” of cards to begin with.
Trading: Players can also trade cards with each other during this phase. Trading is a crucial part of the game, as it allows players to acquire cards that may be better suited to their strategy.
Fusion: Some cards can be combined, or “fused”, to create more powerful cards. This process costs money, but it can result in significant advantages during the Tournament phase.
Preparation: Finally, players prepare for the Tournament phase by selecting up to eight cards from their collection to form their “tournament deck”.

Tournament Phase: This is where the action happens. The steps in this phase are:

Play Cards: Players take turns playing cards from their tournament deck. Each card has a specific effect, which can either help the player who played it, or hinder their opponents.
Score Points: After all players have played all their cards, points are scored based on the effects of the cards that were played. The player with the highest score wins the tournament.

Aftermath Phase: This is a wrap-up stage, where players perform the following actions:

Discard: Players discard any cards they played during the Tournament phase, as well as any remaining cards in their hand.
Draw: Each player draws a fresh set of cards to prepare for the next round.

After the Aftermath Phase, a new round begins with another Deckbuilding Phase. The game ends after a certain number of rounds, and the player with the most points is declared the winner.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In Millennium Blades, a player’s turn involves several strategic choices and potential actions that directly affect the gameplay. These actions are divided into two main phases: the Deckbuilding Phase and the Tournament Phase.

Deckbuilding Phase:

During this phase, players take turns to perform actions that help them build their deck, collect and trade cards, and prepare for the upcoming tournament. The main actions in this phase include:

Buying Cards: Players can purchase card packs from the store using their Millennium Dollars. These packs contain random cards that can enhance their deck or collection.
Selling Cards: Players can sell any of their cards back to the store for Millennium Dollars. This can be strategically used to gather resources for future purchases.
Trading Cards: Players can propose trades with their opponents, offering cards from their own collection in exchange for cards from their opponents’ collections.
Fusing Cards: Players can choose to fuse two identical cards from their collection to create a more powerful version of the card.

Tournament Phase:

After the deckbuilding phase, players enter the Tournament Phase, where they use their carefully constructed decks to compete against each other. The main actions in this phase include:

Playing Cards: Players take turns playing cards from their deck, activating their effects to gain points or disrupt their opponents.
Reacting to Opponents: Players can react to their opponents’ actions by playing cards from their hand that have reaction effects. This can be used to strategically counteract an opponent’s play.
Scoring: After all players have taken their turns, they add up the scores on their played cards along with any bonus points from card effects. The player with the highest score wins the tournament.

Each of these actions offers a range of strategic choices. For example, choosing which cards to buy, sell, trade, or fuse can greatly affect a player’s deckbuilding strategy. Similarly, deciding when and how to play cards during the tournament can greatly affect the outcome of the game. Therefore, Millennium Blades is a game of deep strategic planning and tactical execution.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

The game of ‘Millennium Blades’ is a dynamic board game that ends after the completion of three tournament rounds. The game simulates a span of two years in the lives of the players, divided into three rounds, each consisting of a deck-building phase and a tournament phase.

Game End:

The game ends after the third tournament phase is completed. However, it is vital to remember that all players have the chance to play their cards and make their moves until the very end of the third tournament phase. No player is eliminated before the game ends.

Victory Conditions:

Victory in ‘Millennium Blades’ is determined by the total score of each player. The score is calculated based on a variety of factors:

Rank Points: These are the points players earn based on their performance in each of the three tournament phases. The better a player performs in a tournament, the more Rank Points they earn.
Collection Points: During the deck-building phases, players have the opportunity to create collections of cards. Each collection that a player completes earns them Collection Points.
Friendship Points: These are a unique type of point that players can earn by helping other players during the game. They embody the spirit of friendship and cooperation in the game.

The player with the highest total score (Rank Points + Collection Points + Friendship Points) at the end of the third tournament phase is declared the winner.

Actions Before Final Scoring:

Before the final scoring, players must complete a few actions:

Players must calculate and add up their Rank Points, based on their positions in the three tournaments.
Players must count their Collection Points from all the card collections they have created during the deck-building phases. A collection is considered complete if it consists of at least 2 cards of the same type.
Players must tally their Friendship Points. These points are given out by other players for helpful actions during the game.
All the points (Rank Points, Collection Points, and Friendship Points) are then added together to determine the player’s final score.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

Millennium Blades is a unique board game simulating a collectible card game. The scoring system of Millennium Blades is quite detailed and involves several elements. Players accumulate points during the game through various means, and the player with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Scoring during the Tournament:

Rank Points: Players receive points based on their ranking in each tournament. The player in first place receives 30 points, second place gets 20 points, third place receives 15 points, and all other players get 10 points.
Deck Points: Players also score points equal to the star value of the cards in their deck. This includes the active cards, as well as cards in the player’s score pile.
Collection Points: At the end of each tournament, players can also score points from their collections. A collection consists of a set of different cards from the same set or with the same type. The more unique cards in the collection, the higher the score.

Scoring between Tournaments:

Between tournaments, players can also score points by selling cards. Each card has a sell value, and when a player sells a card, they add the sell value to their score.
Some card abilities can also grant players additional points between tournaments.

Tie-breaking Rules:

In the event of a tie at the end of the game, the following rules are applied in order:

The player with the most remaining money wins.
If there is still a tie, the player who won more tournaments wins.
If there is still a tie, the player with the most cards in their binder wins.
If there is still a tie, the player with the most cards in their deck wins.
If there is still a tie, the player with the most cards in their collection wins.
If there is still a tie, the victory is shared.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Millennium Blades is a unique and complex board game about a collectible card game. It has several special rules and exceptions that players need to be aware of. Let’s take a look at some of the most important ones:

Rare Cards: In Millennium Blades, there are some cards that are considered rare. These cards are not necessarily more powerful than other cards, but they are harder to come by. They often have unique abilities and can significantly impact the game if used correctly.

Promos: Another special type of card in Millennium Blades is the Promo card. These cards are not part of any regular set and can only be obtained in specific ways, such as through tournaments or as a reward for top-ranking players. Promo cards usually have powerful effects and can be a game-changer if played at the right time.

Deck Building Phase: During the Deck Building Phase, players are not allowed to communicate with each other about what cards they have or what strategies they are planning. This is to simulate the uncertainty and unpredictability of a real card game tournament. However, general conversation about the game is allowed.
Tournament Phase: In the Tournament Phase, players are allowed to discuss their strategies and cooperate with each other to a certain extent. However, revealing your hand to other players is strictly prohibited.

Card Selling: Players can sell their cards during the Deck Building Phase, but not during the Tournament Phase. The price of a card when sold is always half of its cost rounded down.
Set Rotation: At the end of each Tournament Phase, there is a Set Rotation. This means that all cards from the oldest set are removed from the game and a new set is added. This simulates the evolution of a collectible card game over time.

It’s crucial for players to be aware of these special rules and exceptions in order to fully understand the game and create effective strategies. The complexity of Millennium Blades is one of its most appealing aspects, and mastering its unique mechanics can provide a deep and rewarding gaming experience.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Advanced Strategies:

Deck Building: Focus on building a synergistic deck. A deck with cards that enhance and complement each other’s abilities is often more effective than a deck with high-power, but unrelated cards.
Marketplace: Use the marketplace wisely. Sometimes, it’s better to sell a high-value card in the marketplace to gain more money for buying better cards.
Tournament Strategy: In tournament rounds, try to predict your opponents’ moves and play your cards strategically to counter them.

Beginner Tips:

Start by familiarizing yourself with the cards. Understanding each card’s abilities and how they can be combined is key to building a strong deck.
Don’t underestimate the importance of the marketplace. It can be a great source of income, especially in the early stages of the game.
Try to participate in as many tournaments as possible. Not only do they provide a chance to earn points, but they also offer valuable practice in playing the game.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Ignoring Synergy: One of the common mistakes beginners make is ignoring the synergy between cards. Even if a card has a high power, it won’t be much help if it doesn’t work well with your other cards.
Overlooking the Marketplace: Another common mistake is overlooking the marketplace. Selling and buying cards in the marketplace is an important part of the game and can greatly affect your overall strategy.
Not Preparing for Tournaments: Not preparing properly for tournaments is another mistake. It’s important to have a strong deck and a well-thought-out strategy before entering a tournament.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

One way to optimize gameplay is to constantly review and adjust your strategy based on the game’s progress. If a strategy isn’t working, don’t hesitate to change it.
Another way to optimize gameplay is to keep track of the cards your opponents have played. This information can give you a clue about their strategies and help you plan your moves accordingly.
Lastly, try to balance your focus between building your deck and managing the marketplace. Both are crucial to winning the game, so it’s important to pay attention to both.