2009 BGG rank #862

Summoner Wars

2–4 players 30–60 min Ages 9+ 2.3/5 complexity 6.7/10 rating

About this game

GAME SYSTEM This entry is to allow for discussion/rating of the game system as a whole. It is not for a specific product or release. Versions will appear on the individual item pages. Summoner Wars is a fast-playing, action-packed 2-4 player card game. Players take on the role of Summoners: powerful beings who harness the power of mysterious Summoning Stones to lead their race to conquest on the war-torn planet of Itharia. These Summoners wield terrible magic on the battlefield, freezing their foes in place, draining their enemies of power, and even bringing rains of fire down from the heavens. But most notoriously, they summon their great race’s hordes of warriors to the battlefield, to clash in the never-ending struggle for supremacy. A Summoner is both mage and general, and must combine their wizardly might with clever tactics to defeat the enemy Summoner on the opposite side of the battle. Each Starter Set of Summoner Wars contains 2 complete, battle-ready Factions, ready to jump you and an opponent into the thick of the War for Itharia. Each Faction is a unique race or civilization with its own secret goals, be it wild-eyed Elves bent on revenge, or blood-crazed Goblins who merely want to set the world ablaze. Starter Sets also include everything you will need to play, including a Battle Mat, Wound counters, dice, and a rulebook. But the war doesn’t end there! Summoner Wars is fully expandable with entirely new faction decks such as the hideous Undead of the Fallen Kingdom, or the righteous and knightly Human Vanguards. In addition, each Faction will have its own expansions, adding new warriors, summoners, and abilities to allow for a never-ending mix of combat options and surprises. Expansions will also include Mercenary units - warriors who care nothing for politics and will fight for any side that can afford them! Summoner Wars uses a simple but deep rules set to capture both the strategy of deck construction and card playing, with the tactics of miniature war games. By purchasing expansions or multiple Starter Sets, players can customize their Faction Decks to suit any style of play and to keep their opponents guessing. During the game, players summon and move their various warriors about the battlefield using their unique powers and abilities to wreak havoc on the enemy lines. In the course of a game each side will inflict terrible casualties upon the other in their brutal quest for victory.

What it feels like

Variable Player Powers Grid Movement Dice Rolling Take That Action Points Hand Management Card Game Fantasy Fighting Wizards

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Game intelligence

Learn the game

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Setup

1. Each player chooses a card deck. Consult each deck's Reference card to determine which Starting Setup cards are placed on the battlefield and where. Orient cards so they face your side. 2. Shuffle remaining cards facedown onto your Draw Pile space. 3. Each player rolls a die; the highest roller chooses who takes the first turn (reroll ties). 4. The player taking the first turn must skip phases 1–3 of the Turn Sequence on their first turn, and during their first Movement Phase may only move up to 2 units. 5. If playing Swamp Orcs, set aside the Vine Wall cards (as listed on the Summoner's Reference card) into a Vine Wall Pile off the battlefield — do not shuffle them into the deck.

Turn flow

Each turn is divided into 6 phases, played in order: 1. DRAW – Draw cards until you have 5 in hand. If your Draw Pile is empty, you no longer draw. 2. SUMMON – Pay Magic Points (by discarding from your Magic Pile) to place units adjacent to a Wall you control. 3. PLAY EVENT CARDS – Play any number of Event cards one at a time, resolving each immediately before playing the next. 4. MOVEMENT – Move up to 3 of your units, up to 2 spaces each. No diagonal movement or movement through occupied spaces. 5. ATTACK – Attack with up to 3 different units. Roll dice equal to each unit's Attack Value; each roll of 3+ is a Hit. 6. BUILD MAGIC – Place any number of cards from your hand facedown on top of your Magic Pile.

Scoring and victory

Sudden death — the first player to destroy the opposing Summoner wins the game. Target score: Eliminate the opponent's Summoner from the battlefield Scoring sources: Destroying the opponent's Summoner

Source: Rulebook

Rules to know

The most useful rules for getting a first game right.

Setup

Use each deck's Reference card to set up starting units on the battlefield.

Each player chooses a card deck. The deck's Reference card specifies which Starting Setup cards are placed on the battlefield and their exact positions. Place cards so they can be read from your side of the battlefield.

Setup

Shuffle remaining non-starting cards facedown to form your Draw Pile.

After placing Starting Setup cards on the battlefield (and setting aside Vine Wall cards if applicable), shuffle all remaining cards facedown and place them on your Draw Pile space.

Setup

Each player rolls a die; highest roller chooses who goes first. Reroll ties.

Each player rolls a die. The player with the highest result chooses who will take the first turn. In the event of a tie, both players reroll.

Setup

The first player skips phases 1–3 on their first turn and may only move up to 2 units.

The player who takes the first turn must skip phases 1 (Draw), 2 (Summon), and 3 (Play Event Cards) on their very first turn. Additionally, during their first Movement Phase they may only move up to 2 units instead of the normal 3.

Turn structure

Draw cards at the start of your turn until you have 5 in hand.

At the start of each turn (Phase 1), draw cards from your Draw Pile until you have 5 cards in hand. If your Draw Pile is empty, you do not draw any cards this phase.

Turn structure

Pay Magic Points to summon units adjacent to a Wall you control.

During Phase 2, you may summon units from your hand to the battlefield by paying their Summon Cost in Magic Points. To spend a Magic Point, remove 1 card from the top of your Magic Pile and place it faceup on your Discard Pile. A summoned unit must be placed on an empty space orthogonally adjacent to a Wall card you control. You may not summon a unit if you cannot pay its cost or if no appropriate space is available.

Turn structure

Play any number of Event cards one at a time, resolving each immediately.

During Phase 3, you may play any number of Event cards from your hand (including Wall cards, with the exception that Swamp Orc Vine Walls have special placement rules). Event cards are played one at a time; each is resolved immediately, then placed faceup on your Discard Pile.

Turn structure

Move up to 3 of your units, up to 2 spaces each.

During Phase 4, you may move up to 3 of your units. Each unit may move up to 2 spaces. No unit may be moved more than once per turn unless an Event or Special Ability says otherwise.

Strategy briefing

Protect Your Walls

Your Walls are your only summoning points. If your opponent destroys all your walls, you cannot bring reinforcements onto the battlefield. Prioritize keeping at least one Wall alive, or hold Wall cards in hand to play during Phase 3.

Magic Economy

Destroying enemy units fills your Magic Pile, giving you more points to summon your own units. Prioritize attacking units you can kill outright to maximize Magic gain. Conversely, weakening but not killing units wastes attacks.

Hand vs Magic Trade-off

During Build Magic (Phase 6), every card you put on your Magic Pile is a card removed from your hand. Balance having enough Magic to summon units against keeping Event cards and units available to play.

Ranged Unit Positioning

Ranged (Bow) units require a clear, unblocked orthogonal line up to 3 spaces. Position them behind your own walls to shield them from melee retaliation while keeping clear sightlines to enemy units.

Vine Wall Denial (vs. Swamp Orcs)

Unlike normal walls, destroyed Vine Walls return to the owner's Vine Wall Pile rather than your Magic Pile. Destroying Vine Walls denies movement-trap utility and summoning adjacency, but yields no Magic benefit — focus on killing Swamp Orc units for Magic instead.

Vine Wall Trapping (Swamp Orcs)

Place Vine Walls under enemy units to potentially trap them (roll of 3 or less wounds and immobilizes). This can lock down high-value targets and deny your opponent movement options without spending an attack.

Common questions and edge cases

When I destroy an enemy unit, where does it go?

The destroyed unit card is placed facedown on top of YOUR (the attacker's) Magic Pile, giving you additional Magic Points for future summoning.

I destroy a Swamp Orc Vine Wall — does it go onto my Magic Pile like a normal unit?

No. Unlike regular units and walls, a destroyed Vine Wall is returned to its OWNER's Vine Wall Pile, not to the attacker's Magic Pile.

Can I summon a unit onto a space that contains a Vine Wall?

No. A unit cannot be summoned onto a space containing a Vine Wall. However, you can summon a unit onto an empty space adjacent to a Vine Wall as normal.

Does a Vine Wall with a unit on top of it block line of sight?

The Vine Wall still blocks line of sight like a normal Wall. However, it does NOT block line of sight to or from the unit sharing its space. That unit can be targeted by ranged attacks from any direction unless another card blocks the line.

All of my Wall cards have been destroyed. Can I still summon units?

No. Summoning requires placing a unit on an empty space orthogonally adjacent to a Wall you control. With no walls, you have no valid summon spaces and cannot summon until a new wall is played.

Can I activate a movement-triggered Special Ability without actually moving a unit?

Yes. You may declare that a unit is moving 0 spaces to trigger a movement-activated Special Ability. However, this still counts as using one of your 3 allowed movement actions for the turn.

Can a unit on a Vine Wall space attack the Vine Wall it is sharing a space with?

Yes. A unit sharing a space with a Vine Wall is considered adjacent to it and may therefore attack it.

Can a Special Ability or power that targets 'units' affect a Wall card?

No. Walls are not units. Any ability or power that only affects units does not affect Wall cards.

What restrictions apply to the player who goes first on their very first turn?

The first player must skip phases 1 (Draw), 2 (Summon), and 3 (Play Event Cards) entirely. During their Movement Phase, they may only move up to 2 units instead of the normal 3.

Can a ranged (Bow) unit shoot through a Wall or Vine Wall?

No. Ranged attacks require an unblocked orthogonal straight line. Any card — including Wall cards and Vine Walls — in the line of sight between attacker and target blocks the ranged attack. Exception: a Vine Wall does NOT block line of sight to or from a unit sharing its own space.