Hi everyone,
I designed a 2 player game (30 minutes, ages 12+) and am looking for some playtesters. I feel like the game is easy to learn, but not sure how well that conveys in the rulebook as it currently stands.
The game takes place on a 5x5 board, where units on the board are controlled by card abilities. Physically stronger units are balanced by having the drawback of fewer card abilities to play. Weaker units allow for more card abilities to be used, leading to very satisfying combos to wipe out the enemy.
Each turn, you draw two unit cards and choose one to play. The unit's level correlates to how many card abilities you can play on that turn.
The goal is to achieve a positional advantage (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line) with your units while preventing your opponent from doing the same. Taking out high level enemy units will also add to your final score.
For a better idea of the game, here are links to the print & play files as well as a virtual demo:
- Print & Play: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/13-_mDxdo75ww-TREMv6hGZH2o_Co6oqa
- Virtual Demo: https://tabletopia.com/games/paw-of-duty-xseuqf/play-now
Received some great feedback during a blind playtest session today. It will take me some time to digest all of this info, so posting a copy of the feedback here for reference:
2/6/23 - Playtester: Patrick C.
"Overall, game is fun, hard to get control victory, theme is really nice (but some pictures are cartoony while some other are more realistic).
Here is a lot of comments, things to improve, either rule clarification, ideas etc. Take whatever feels usefull to you. It is totally base on my own opinion andnopinions can differ.
Reference card : it could be only 1 card recto verso. The quick reference is really not needed while the guide for x2 damages would be even better if simply an icon on each kitty was added to show against which type of kitty they are strong. For example : Add “green claw icon” on Tank kitty to show that tank kitty deals double damage to green kitty (huntress). Definitly i would prefer having that quick reference directly on the card.
By having the reference card recto verso (or eliminating it), you could use the nice back for kitty or tactic card instead.
Directional cards : When printing, it doesnt say to print them twice and that they are not recro verso, so i kinda waste a paper first time when printing the page recto verso. So there should be 18 directional card while the rulebook says at the set up to put 12 directional card in feont of each player (makes 24 now instead of 18).
In my opinion, i would totally ditch the directional cards, they are fiddly to use and serve as main purpose to know which kitty is own by who.
Instead, i would make 14 “war medal Paw” token, one side silver, the other side gold. For sure there wont be more than 14 kittys on the map. So just pick a token and place it on top of your kitty with your color (either silver or gold). For the direction, simply put an arrow on each kittys card on the top pointing up and this is the direction they are facing. Rotate the kitty card instead than having to rotate a directional card under the kitty.
Rulebook : precise that the attacking kitty doesnt receive damage from the defending kitty.
Precise to put back in the deck the first 2 kittys drawn to determine the first player.
Cat’s game : maybe precise for the sake of clarity that there will always be only 1 kitty left after the 7th turn of the second player.
Add a turn example : The active player wants to attack an enemy Pilot kitty adjacent to his just played huntress kitty. The pilot has a defense of 4 while the huntress has an attack of 1. Being able to play 4 tactic cards, the active player chose to play Dive Bomb that lets him deal 2 damages to all adjacent Kitty. Also, he plays Claws Out that lets him attack the pilot. Since the huntress has an advantage against the pilot, her attack is doubled and deals 2 more damage. The enemy kitty is captured. The active player can still play 2 tactic cards but he chose to discard one. Since his turnnis finished, he luts back in his hand the claws out tactic card and draw tactic cards till he has a total of 5.
From the rules, i understand that the first player has 6 tactic cards. The claws out, then the radio, then draw 4 tactic cards. If this is correct, then nothing to do here (or precise it is normal that the first player has 6 tactic cards on his first turn so people wont have the same question).
Tactic : Can you play multiple card on a kitty that triggers an effect when Claws out is played amd activates them all? For example : Salvo and defector to gain +2 damages and control the enemy kitty when aying claws out?
Bamboozle : who gets the captured kitty? The one who played bamboozle or the enemy who captured his own kitty?
Cat-a-pult : The wording is different than the other cards. It should something like : the target of the chosen kitty is pushed 1 space away.
Turn & Burn : The word spin should be change to rotate.
I would personnaly add Trap tactic cards that you play face down and can activate on the other player turn. Some example : Laser pointer - Cancel a tactic card that was just played except Claws out.
Catnip - Activate immediatly after a Kitty is played. The played kitty can’t attack this turn.
Mouse Trap - Activate immediatly after a Kitty is played. Move an enemy kitty 1 space to any direction and rotate it facing the direction he just moved.
Should precise in the rulebook that the effect of a tactic card last till the endnof the current turn. Can be usefull for cards like Need a medic.
I would suggest at the set up to have a tactic card mulligan. You can discard up to 2 tactics card outside of claws out and radio an redraw new tactic card. Sometime, a really bad stsrting hand can be quite devastating.
Rulebook should say to reshuffle the tactic card deck once empty. (If it can happen. Did not happen to me, not sure it is possible).
Instead of power victory being the level number of all captured kitty it should simply be the most kitty captured (and the total level being a tie breaker instead). It is not interesting to play a level 5 kitty knowing you will most likely give 5 points to the opponent while not being able to even attack with it. Also, it will discourage players to try to play only low number kitty to make sure they dont lose by power victory while capturing higher kitty using tactics card.
Or
for power victory, the more captured kitty of a type the more they give point. For example : I have 1 captured huntress, and 3 captured pilot. 1 hunter will be worth 1 point while 3 pilot will be worth 3 points each."