This is a version of Battle Chess that I had published in Knights of the Dinner Table 111. Sorry if this is the wrong place to post this, but I thought that since it was a variant...
Esper’s Battle Chess
Version 1.5
At its heart, Battle Chess is still played like normal chess, but with one exception. The pieces each have their own point value and powers. You collect points every time you capture (kill) and enemy piece. You can save up those points and use them to activate the various powers your own pieces have. The pieces (with their point value on the left) and their powers (with costs) are listed below. Each player rolls 1d6 for their starting point pool.
(20) KING – It’s good to be the King. Unlike boring, normal chess where he is practically the weakest piece on the field, in Battle Chess he gains these powers.
• Summon – the King may summon any piece from anywhere on the field and teleport it immediately to any of the 8 adjacent squares surrounding him. He can then use the piece as a human shield or have them activate one of their powers. Cost = point value of piece summoned.
• Promote – the King may promote any Pawn in any of the adjacent squares to a Knight. This power cannot be used unless there are less than two Knights on your team. Cost = 4 points.
(10) QUEEN – The most powerful piece in regular chess gets even more powerful now by using her feminine… charms. Yeah, charms, that’s it.
• Seduce – at any time the Queen may seduce an enemy piece in an adjacent square and have it change sides. This power does not work on the enemy King or Queen and she won’t sully herself with lowly Pawns. Cost = point value of seduced piece -2.
(8) BISHOP – The Cleric of the game, especially in Battle Chess.
• Raise – the Bishop may raise one of your own captured piece from the dead and have it appear in an adjacent square. Cost = point value of raised piece +2.
(6) ROOK – The mighty castle becomes a stone golem in Battle Chess.
• Resist – the Rook may resist capture. Cost = point value of attacking piece.
(4) KNIGHT – What good is having a horse to ride if you can’t make a charge on the enemy like the Riders of Rohan?
• Charge – the Knight may charge across the field in a straight line forward/backward or left/right (but not diagonal). This charge may be either a simple move or a capture. Cost = number of squares moved.
(2) PAWN – What else is a common Pawn good for besides being cannon fodder? Why breeding more Pawns of course.
• Spawn – a Pawn may spawn another Pawn only while in the back two rows of the field. This may be before the Pawn starts its first move, or after being summon to the area by the King. You may have no more than 8 Pawns on your side of the field. Cost = 2 points.
The maximum number of pieces in your army cannot exceed the normal numbers for each rank (2 Bishop, 2 Rook, etc) unless the Queen has seduced pieces from the enemy army or you are using Optional Rule A (see below).
The following rules are OPTIONAL and need not be used unless desired:
Optional Rule A: for double the normal point cost, the Bishop may raise from the dead pieces from the enemy’s army. Until that piece dies again, the enemy Bishops cannot raise it.
Optional Rule B: the game doesn’t end with the capture of the King. Each Player can start the game with 100 Hit Points (HP). Any piece reaching an opponent’s “Throne” (the square where the King starts) may attack the Player’s HP doing its point value in damage every turn.
Optional Rule C: the Queen may lower her standards and seduce a pawn if not doing so means she will be captured. Cost = 4 points (the high price of lowering her standards)
