Nova Verden

Playable prototype for a tactical trading card game.

Overview

Across the Eastern Ocean lies a mysterious landmass of unfathomable size – Nova Verden.  Its discovery sparks the collective imagination of the Old World.  Though long abandoned, the ruins that remain suggest a people far more advanced than any in the West once occupied the vast plains, lush jungles, and snowy mountains of the secret continent.  Each of the major powers set their sights on claiming their own territory in the New World, be it for untold wealth, scientific discovery, or else to recover forgotten weapons of war.  The mightiest forces of the West shall converge upon the misty shores of Nova Verden, and to the winner goes the world!

Players build three decks from their chosen faction's pool of cards.  At the beginning of the game, each player can only draw from their first decks, but as play progresses, they will unlock their second and third decks, each more powerful than the last.  Direct your units around the battlefield, seize strategic positions, and try to maneuver past your opponent's line.  Armies march on their stomachs, so managing your limited rations is of utmost importance.  A shrewd commander will make use of the land itself, rich in resources and endlessly customizable.  Even in the face of renowned heroes or overwhelming numbers, a well-timed gambit or powerful upgrade can change the course of battle.  The winner will be the first to seize all of their opponent's supply lines.

Each of the eight factions has their own unique mechanics, cards, and commanders, and each will pose a unique deck-building challenge and offer a new play experience.  Master the elements with the Xar Tsin Dynasty, rally the morale of your warriors with the Northlands Alliance, or summon infernal deities with the Order of Azelas.  Command a battalion of disciplined soldiers with the Zhankhein Empire or a motley band of tribal warriors and lawless pirates with the Mandalian Isles.  The choice is yours.

With a base set of over 240 cards, 32 commanders, customizable maps, and a rich world to discover, Nova Verden is the next evolution in trading card games!

Print & Play

You can play Nova Verden today!  To start, read the Rules document (and the Lore if you so choose).  This will instruct you how to set up and give you an idea of which factions you may want to try.

Then download the Print & Play folder.  For one full set, print each document in this folder the number of times listed in the file name (e.g. print three copies of "6a NOR x3").  The sheets are separated by faction if you only wish to play with certain factions.  If both players wish to play the same faction, you will need to double the number of copies in the file name (e.g. print six copies of "6a NOR x3").  You will always need a full set of Terrain, and depending on which factions you are interested in, you may need to print the Extras sheets as well.  Print the Elements Reference and Glossary pages as necessary per the number of players.

I recommend using card stock for Terrain sheets.  For the rest of the sheets, I used ordinary printer paper, then put each card face in card sleeves with other trading cards behind for form.  This made them easy to shuffle and draw.  Play is best on felt or some textured surface so the terrain tiles don't slide.

You also need tokens of various kinds to track health, damage, materiel, etc.  I used poker chips of different colors, but multicolored playing pieces of any kind should be fine.  Lastly you need a way to keep track of rations.  I experimented with D20s, homemade spinners, and paper scales (like the Morale Gauge).  Nowadays I am using an app on my phone called Carbon, but any of these solutions will work.

Leave a comment if you have any questions.  Thanks for playing!