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Critter Arena Rules

The official rulebook -- your creatures, your battlefield, your strategy!

Quick Reference

Goal

First to 3 Victory Points wins!

Team Size

3 critters per player on an 8x10 grid

Turn Actions

Each critter can Move + Attack + Use Ability

Scoring

Defeat a critter = 1 VP | Raid enemy base = 1 VP

Setup

  • Each player picks a team of 3 critters.
  • The battlefield is an 8-wide by 10-tall grid.
  • The first 2 rows on each side are that team's base (colored red or blue).
  • Obstacles are placed on the grid -- they block movement AND line of sight.
  • Both players place their 3 critters anywhere inside their own base.
  • Both players roll a 6-sided die (d6) for initiative. Highest roll chooses to go first or second. Re-roll ties!

Turn Structure

  • Players take full team turns: you activate ALL 3 of your critters, then your opponent takes their turn.
  • Each critter can move, attack, AND use an ability on its turn (unless an ability says otherwise).
  • You can activate your critters in any order you want.

Movement

  • A critter can move up to its SPD (speed) stat in grid squares.
  • Moving diagonally counts as 1 square -- same as moving straight.
  • You cannot move through obstacles.
  • You cannot move through other critters (friendly or enemy).
  • You do not have to use all of your movement.

Combat

  • A critter can attack any enemy that is adjacent (1 square away, including diagonals).
  • To deal damage: roll 1d6 + your critter's ATK stat.
  • Subtract the damage from the target's HP.
  • When a critter's HP reaches 0, it is defeated!
  • Defeating a critter earns you 1 Victory Point.
Example: Your critter has 3 ATK. You roll a 4 on the d6. That is 4 + 3 = 7 damage to the enemy critter!

Line of Sight

  • Line of sight (LoS) is a straight, unobstructed line between two critters.
  • Obstacles block line of sight.
  • Other critters (friendly or enemy) also block line of sight.
  • Some abilities require line of sight to a target -- if something is in the way, you can't use the ability on that target.

Abilities

  • Each critter has a unique ability.
  • By default, a critter can use its ability once per turn.
  • Some abilities have special rules, like "once per game" or "can't use if you attacked this turn."
  • Always read the ability card carefully -- it will tell you exactly when and how you can use it.

Scoring & Winning

There are two ways to earn Victory Points (VP):

1 VP

Defeat a critter. Knock an enemy critter down to 0 HP.

1 VP

Raid the enemy base. Move into the enemy base when no defenders are inside, then spend your attack action to score.

First player to reach 3 Victory Points wins the game!

Critter Arena -- Have fun, play fair, and may the best critters win!