Play With Fire is a competitive elimination card game for 2 to 6 players (15-30 min) where the goal is to be the last survivor with at least one active Heart Card. The core gameplay centers on a dynamic, push-your-luck mana system used to fuel tactical spells and effects against opponents, featuring 110 hand-illustrated cards.
Each player chooses a Hero from those available by consulting the Matchmaking Table based on the number of participants. Each profile indicates how many and which Heart Cards (lives) are at the player's disposal at the start, which are placed face-up next to the hero. The battlefield is prepared with the Brazier (6 Fire Cards: 5 Blue Flames and 1 Red Flame, placed face-down and shuffled), the Magic Deck (Instant, Sorcery, and Equipment cards), and the Hearts Deck (remaining lives). All players start with zero cards in hand.
The game proceeds clockwise through three distinct phases. Phase 1: Ignition involves drawing a card from the Magic Deck, respecting the maximum limit of three cards in hand. Phase 2: Blaze (The Trial of Fire) is when the player challenges the Brazier by choosing a target, declaring their intention, and revealing a Fire Card. If Targeting Yourself: a Blue Flame grants +1 Mana and the player is forced to continue the Trial (unless using specific magic) by revealing another card, deciding whether to target themselves again or change the objective to attack an opponent; a Red Flame causes the loss of 1 Life, ending the Round immediately and requiring the Brazier to be reshuffled. If Targeting an Opponent: a Blue Flame causes the attack to fail, the target gains +1 Mana, and the player can still spend accumulated Mana to play cards or abilities before the turn ends; a Red Flame causes the target to lose 1 Life, ending the Round immediately and requiring the Brazier to be reshuffled. Phase 3: Embers concludes the turn as the fire subsides and any amount of Mana accumulated and not spent during the turn dissipates. It is important to note that Blue Flames revealed during turns remain face-up, increasing the risk for whoever challenges the brazier next, until the Red Flame is revealed.
Accumulated Mana is used to play Magic Cards or to activate the hero's specific ability by spending the indicated cost. Sorceries and Equipment can only be played during the Blaze phase of the player's turn, while Instants can be played at any time, during the player's turn or during opponents' turns. Each hero has a unique power that can be activated once per turn during the Blaze phase. By balancing the escalating risks of the Brazier with the strategic use of hand cards and hero abilities, players must outlast their rivals to secure victory in the trial.
.png)
