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Tetrad is a tabletop card and dice game that combines the world of DnD, with the gameplay of UNO.

  Pick your class and play your cards.  Get special cards for your class and if you can play them right, you can turn the fight.  It's a game of strategy... yet simplistic. You can pick it up and run with it easily.

Work with your friends.... work with your enemies.

Do what it takes to be the victor.

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Work with or against each other to be the victor. Empty your hand or take down your enemies. Strike deals. Betray deals. Use your special abilities to turn the battle in your favor. 4 classes, 8 subclasses.

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Or if you want a different style, you can try the Player vs Monster version.  One person plays as the monster against other players.  The monster is incredibly powerful and cannot be beaten alone.  Do you have what it takes to beat a black dragon?  Or do you find putting a stop the adventurers more your style?

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Complete Rules

Each game is started by shuffling the deck and dealing 7 cards to each player. This game ideally plays with 4 players but can be played with 2-8 players.

 

We start with a tournament! The winner gets to choose the dealer. Every player pairs up and then rolls 2d6, the higher roll wins. If both results were the same, the first player who successfully finger-guns their opponent gets the win. We repeat the process with the winners until only one winner remains. If there is an odd number of players in a round, the first player to scream "Dibs Not" will move on automatically.

 

There are 4 base classes, each with their own color for bonus:

Warrior, Mage, Rogue, and Cleric

 

There are 8 subclasses, two for each class. Each subclass uses either Odds or Evens in addition to their base class color.

 

Subclasses will be picked on Round 1 after the cards are dealt. All players will reveal their chosen subclass choices at the same time.

 

Once all subclasses are revealed, the top card from the card pile will be placed face up on the playing field and the player to the left of the dealer will play first.

 

You can choose to play or draw on your turn.

 

You can play a card that matches the color or number of the card on the playing field from your hand.

 

If you cannot play a fitting card, you can draw a card and play it if the card matches the card on the playing field. If it does not match, or you do not want to play it, you can end your turn.

 

If you play a card, you are granted 1 basic attack from your class. This targets the player next in order unless it is an ability card for your class. If the card you played is your color, you get to do your class color bonus damage. Each player or summon can only attack once unless otherwise stated.

 

The rules are simple: Get your hand to 0 cards or get your enemy’s HP to 0.

 

You can play Free-for-All or you can play teams where players across from each other are allies.


 

Each class has abilities that help them complete their assigned role. These abilities can only be used when the correct colored and numbered card is played. Abilities can target any player instead of the next clockwise player.

 

For Example: To use the Double Strike ability as the Zerker, the player would need to play a Red 5 to enable the use of the ability. This ability could target any player, even the player that is behind them in order. Using a card of a different color or number will not produce the same effect.

 

Stuns and Counters can be used by any class to either stun (Skip their turn) or counter (Reverse the play order). Stuns attack the player it is used on and counters hit the player that last hit the user. Odd classes specialize in stuns which makes them even more devastating as they can be targeted and their stuns are usually much stronger as they add effects in addition to skipping 1 turn. Even classes specialize in counters which allow them to prevent damage or return attacks back to the aggressor who triggered the counter. These are considered ill effects in addition to damage over time.

 

The exceptions to the above rule are Advantage cards, Inspiration cards, Reaction cards, Rally cards, and Ultimate cards.

 

Advantage cards and Inspiration cards have the ability to change the active color on the playing field to the player’s choice. Inspiration cards also force the targeted player to draw 4 cards. These cards receive their class bonus for damage and ability regardless of the previous color.

 

Reaction cards can be played despite the active color or number on the field and are placed under the active card when triggered, thus not changing the color or number. Ill effects may occur from reactions, such as poison.

 

Rally cards are designed to give a small advantage by attacking the targeted player and forcing them to draw 2 cards in addition to the ability if the class color matches the card played. Rally cards that do not match the class color will not allow ability to use and are not targeted but will attack the next player and force them to draw 2 cards. This is not an ill effect.

 

Ultimate cards are the number 0, there are less of them in the deck than other cards. Any player can use them but they are still bound by the active card color or number on the field. These are the most powerful cards in the game and are designed to change the entire flow of the fight. They receive their class bonus for damage even if the card color played does not match the class color

 

Saves are when a player has to roll 2D6 to determine if an ability takes effect on them. A “Save 9” refers to an ability that will impact the targeted player(s) unless they are able to roll a 9 or higher on the dice.

 

If a player cannot play a card when forced to due to the card not meeting the current requirements to be played, it is added to their hand instead.



 

The Odd subclasses are:

Zerker, Warlock, Thief, and Priest

 

The Even subclasses are:

Knight, Summoner, Scout, and Paladin

 

There are three types of playing styles: HP, Cards, and Mixed

 

The HP based classes are: Zerker and Priest

 

The Card based classes are: Summoner and Scout

 

The Mixed based classes are: Knight, Warlock, Thief, and Paladin

 

HP based classes focus on keeping HP up for allies or taking out the HP of the enemies or other players while not directly influencing card counts in most instances.

 

While all classes can and will do damage to HP, these two classes excel in their role.

 

Card based classes have the ability to influence the field with key actions using cards.

 

While all classes have abilities, these abilities will directly influence gameplay of other players while not directly harming their HP in most instances.

 

Mixed based classes are 4 of the 8 classes due to the dual nature of their abilities.

These classes are excellent in both HP handling and card play. Their play style is less focused on taking one or the other down but more about maintaining the balance in their favor of both types.

 

Here is a summary of each class followed by subclass:

 

Warrior: A high HP character who is hardier than most classes with moderate damage

Zerker: A character who uses reckless tactics to overwhelm the enemy while raging but leaves himself open to counter attack

Knight: A character who can block and prevent players from taking damage, cards are used to protect and attack while dealing moderate damage

 

Mage: A non-armored character who focuses on changing the flow of battle to suit their needs

Warlock: A character who is capable of a wide range of feats from inflicting ailments to controlling enemy actions to even inflicting heavy damage

Summoner: A character who summons an ally to the table to team-up with. The summoner plays differently from all other classes. The Summon is very important to this class to survive and win.

 

Rogue: A lightly armored class that focuses on undermining the enemy with good damage

Thief: Stealing cards and stabbing the enemies in the back, they focus on offensive tactics to tip the scale in their favor

Scout: Peeking at cards, choosing the path they want to take, Scouts influence cards by forcing players to take the path they choose through traps. Scouts have travel very light and lack major combat ability.

 

Cleric: A hardy class who focuses on healing and keeping allies in the fight.

Priest: Devoting themselves purely to protection, this class excels at staying in the fight and has the ability to reverse even death itself

Paladin: Trading off some healing for offensive ability and health, the paladin is a class who is balances the roles of knight and priest to keep peace

Players VS Monster

In Player vs. Monster, the monsters have a role as well. This is determined by what type of origin the beast is tied to.

 

Example: Black Dragon is a Mage class and will be able blue cards for their abilities.

The minotaur is a Warrior class and will be able red cards for their abilities.

 

If a monster class does not play their color, they use their standard attack damage listed on their monster class card. This can be targeted for half damage or hit a player randomly via dice roll, for full damage.

 

The starting play order is Player, player, monster, player player, monster, etc.

 

If the monster is able to get rid of all of his cards before the players, everyone takes 5 times the monster’s base damage and the monster draws 5 cards if anyone survives and the game continues until non-monster player has no cards, the monster dies, or the non-monster players die.

Characters

Warrior - Subclasses: Zerker and Knight

This character and their subclasses use RED cards for their bonus damage

 

Zerker:

This character uses ODD cards for their abilities

HP: 110 Damage: 2D6+3

 

Zerker Abilities:

1: Battle cry – Recover half of damage done by player in health for 2 turns

While Raging - Recover half of damage done by player in health until rage ends

3: Frenzy – Do 2x damage but take 2x damage for 2 turns

While Raging - Do 3x damage but take 3x damage until rage ends

5: Double Strike – Play 2 cards from your hand on the next turn instead of 1

While Raging - Play 2 cards from your hand on the next turn instead of 1 and standard attack a second time on this turn

7: Danger Sense – Roll twice against ill effects and take better roll for 3 turns

While Raging - Roll twice for Saves and take better roll until rage ends

9: Second Wind – Heal 2D6+3 and skip attack for current turn

While Raging - Heal 2D6+3 and regain 1D6 HP per turn until rage ends

0: Whirlwind – An attack that hits enemies for 6D6+3, Save 8 for half damage

While Raging - An attack that hits all chosen targets for 6D6+9, Save 9 for half damage

Stun: Sweep – A sweeping strike that stuns the targeted player for 1 extra turn: Save 10

While Raging - A sweeping strike that stuns 2 targeted players for 1 extra turn: Save 10

Advantage: Battle Rage – Activate the Raging status and the While Raging effect below until color change, you can continue the rage if you can change the color back on your turn, Max 5 turns

While Raging - Zerker’s bonus damage is increased by +4 on targeted attacks

Rally: Press On – Take 3 less damage from the next attack and return a standard attack back

While Raging - Unable to be reduced under 1 HP and take 1 less damage until end of rage

Inspiration: War Rage – Activate the Raging status and the While Raging effect below for 5 turns

While Raging - Zerker’s bonus damage is increased by +4 on all attacks


 

Knight:

This character uses EVEN cards for their abilities

HP: 110 Damage: 1D6+4

 

Knight Abilities:

Passive: Defensive Master – Reduce any damage taken by 1 per hit, minimum 1 damage taken

2: Back At You – Upon being targeted with an ability, reflect effect to a target of your choice

4: For Me Alone – Taunt targeted player for 3 turns, knight takes half damage from target for 3 turns, target must Save 10 to target someone else for that turn

6: Revenge – Upon being targeted with an ability, deal double damage back

8: I Can Tank it – This card can be played in protection of self or chosen player: No damage taken - Reaction Card

0: Stand Behind Me – No damage for all chosen players 1 turn - Reaction Card

Counter: Shield Master – Upon taking damage, stun the enemy who attacked for 1 turn and they must draw a card

Advantage: Multi-layered Defense – Reduce damage by 1 from chosen color until color change

Rally: Multi-attack – Strike twice to any target (May attack different targets per hit)

Inspiration: Parry and Riposte – Block next attack and strike the attacker for 2D6+4, heal for half the damage done

 

Mage - Subclasses: Warlock and Summoner

This character and their subclasses use BLUE cards for their bonus damage

 

Warlock:

This character uses ODD cards for their abilities

HP: 100 Damage: 2D6+1

 

Warlock Abilities:

1: Life Drain – Deal 2D6+1 damage to the target and heal yourself for the damage done

3: Hex – Deal 1D6+1 per turn for 3 turns to the target, double length for Cursed targets, Save 8 to avoid double length

5: Bestow Curse – Curse the target. Once per turn for 3 turns, pick any card from affected and view it. Target cannot play the viewed card unless the player allows it or Bestow Curse ends

7: Dark One’s Own Luck – Roll 2D6, On 9 or higher, Pick a card from the discard pile and add it to your, or a target’s hand

9: Blind – Targeted player on their turn must shuffle their hand and pick a card without looking. If they cannot play it, must draw a card and end their turn, Save 8, no effect

0: Finger of Death – Choose one target and deal 8D6+6 damage, Save 10 for half damage

Stun: Soul Link – Any damage received by the warlock is done to target as well for 3 turns

Advantage: Summon Pact Demon – (All attacks do +6 instead of +1, until color change)

Rally: Devil’s Eyes – View both drawn cards

Inspiration: Delirium – Pick an enemy have them pick a card from your hand and play it on their turn on your behalf

 

Summoner

This character uses EVEN cards for their abilities

HP: 75 Damage: 1D6+3

 

Summoner Abilities

Passive: The Summoner has a summon with them at all times unless it is defeated during play. You can target the Summoner or the summon with any attack. Area of Effect abilities hit the Summoner and the summon. Summon takes double damage from abilities.

 

Pick a summon type when you pick your class

 

Lightning: Not targetable, No HP, Assists and Ability damage grant an additional +4 damage

Stone: 75 HP, Summoner reflects 50% of damage taken to summon, cannot assist

Lizard: 75 HP, Assists or using an Ability, heal the Summoner for 1d6 HP

 

The summon can take one action each round on the Summoner's turn: Ability, Defend, Assist

Ability: Using an ability card prevents the Summoner from attacking but allows the summon to use the related ability

Defend: Basic attacks and targeted abilities against the Summoner are rolled twice for damage and the lower is taken

Assist: Any attack made by the summoner gains the benefit of their summon

 

2: Beetle Shell Block – The summon’s exterior becomes reinforced and allows the summon to block the next 3 attacks or 1 ability as if using Defend

4: Unruly Summon – The summon grows angry and strikes back for 1D6+3 damage per attack towards the summon or summoner for 3 turns. Summon cannot Defend during this duration.

6: Goat Gluttony – Feed one card from their hand to discard it or feed the active card on the field to the summon as a reaction between player turns. The card is placed on the bottom of the draw deck. If the active card is chosen a new card is drawn to replace it on the field regardless of color

8:  Shock & Draw – The summon produces a streak of chain lightning that strikes the target for 2D6+3 and bounces from the target to the next 2 players via current turn order, halving damage with the first bounce and forcing the last player to draw a card, this ability skips the summoner to the next player in order

0:  Over Channeled Power – The summon is filled with power for 3 turns. This doubles the assist bonus, reduces damage taken by the summon by 50%, and all attacks are treated as if using Defend. If the summon was defeated, it will be restored for the duration of the skill then perishes again when the ability ends.

Counter: Time Owl Memory – The summon is in flux for 3 turns, allowing it to change the play order once per round as a reaction between players and strike the player who was denied their turn for 1D6+3

Advantage: Tetrad Chameleon – Pick a color. The summoner can use one ability card on that color with no bonus

Rally: Rat Mischief – Creates a swarm of rats that attack the target player, forcing them to draw 2 cards. Each blue card drawn by the enemy causes 1D6+3 damage and is shown to the Summoner

Inspiration: Summoner’s Command – The Summoner draws four cards and can choose who to give them to. Each card given does 1+3 damage. No damage to Summoner if player keeps any.

 

Rogue - Subclasses: Thief and Scout

This character and their subclasses use GREEN cards for their bonus damage

 

Thief:

This character uses ODD cards for their abilities

HP: 100 Damage: 1D6+7

 

Thief Abilities:

1: Stealin' Your Heart – Deal 1D6+7 HP and heal for the damage done

3: Three's A Crowd – Roll 2D6, 8 or higher, Dodge the next AoE

5: Finger Discount – Pick a card from another player and swap it with one in hand

7: Loaded Dice – Next dice roll after attack is automatically a max roll.

9: Disarm Trap – Remove ill effect, Save 9 or fail to remove

0: Anything You Can Do – Pick any ability from any other class in play and use it with your bonus

Stun: Rigged Game - The thief picks a card from their hand and the Target has to guess the correct color and take the card, if wrong the Target is stunned for 2 turns instead of 1 turn

Advantage: Surprise! – The next person to change the color takes 1D6+7

Rally: Sleight of Hand – Target draws 1 card and you can give them 1 card from your hand

Inspiration: It’s not cheating – The next card played from you can be considered the color you choose but works as normal

 

Scout:

This character uses EVEN cards for their abilities

HP: 85 Damage: 1D6+3

 

Scout Abilities:

Passive: Bag of Tricks: You can place one ability card per turn (Max 3) face down with a declared condition or two conditions (Must apply at same time) that must be met for it to be played freely as Reaction Cards – Specific number, Specific color, Targeted attack, Draw by Player or target, Chosen Trap. These can be retrieved at any time back to the player’s hand and count as cards in hand.

2: Inside Knowledge – View top 2 cards on deck and put them back

4: Poison Trap – Target loses color bonus until Save 10 each turn

6: Tripwire – Target fails their next Save roll or attack

8: Planning Ahead – Force two players to arrange two cards of your blind choice between hands, including yourself or moving 2 cards from one hand to the other

0: Eyes in the Skies – View all drawn cards and move 1 card per turn from one player to another for 5 turns

Counter: Think Fast – Avoid the next or triggering attack

Advantage: Eyes on the Prize – View all cards drawn on chosen color

Rally: Unintended consequences – Force a draw card to affect someone else than the intended target

Inspiration: According to Plan – Pick a color on trigger, if trigger card does not match, triggered enemy must pick a new card to play

 

Cleric - Subclasses: Priest and Paladin

This character and their subclasses use YELLOW cards for their bonus damage

 

Priest:

This character uses ODD cards for their abilities

HP: 100 Damage: 1D6+3

Priest Abilities:

1: Healing Word – Heal 2d6+3 to chosen player or self

3: Guiding Bolt – Deal 2d6+3 damage, ALL attacks against target deal 1d6 more damage for the next turn

5: Protection Circle – Cannot have negative effects or forced card draws for 2 turns

7: Absolute Restore – Remove all negative effects and prevent the next stun or counter for up to 3 players

9: Preserve Life – Roll 2d6+3 per unique targeted ally and split this number as healing for up to 3 targets

0: Divine Intervention – Bring one player back to life and/or force a player to draw 5 cards (Even if they have 0) - Reaction Card

Stun: Banish – Stun 2 turns instead of 1 turn, Save 8 for 1 turn stun (Target is not targetable for duration)

Advantage: Sanctuary – Unable to take damage until color change, Save 9 to bypass

Rally: Pray – Heal 1d6+4 to a chosen player, +1d6+4 more per yellow card drawn by draw target (2 targets max)

Inspiration: Spiritual Guardian – 1d6+4 to all enemies, 3 turns, Save 9 for half damage

 

Paladin:

This character uses EVEN cards for their abilities

HP: 110 Damage: 1D6+4

 

Paladin Abilities:

Passive: God’s Favor – Deal +1 extra damage to non-Holy enemies, receive 1 less damage from Holy enemies

2: Lay on Hands – Heal 1d6+4 to chosen player and/or self

4: Blessed Weapon – Roll your attacks twice and take higher roll for 3 turns

6: Shield of Faith – Receive 2 less damage from all attacks for 3 turns

8: Even the Odds – Reduce the next ability card played to a standard card attack

0: Holy Smite – All enemies take 2d6+4 damage and Save 9 or also lose their turn

Counter: Golden Rule – Forgo your attack to prevent damage from next attack against self or chosen target

Advantage: Flame Strike – Deal 1d6 damage to target until color change or until the Paladin is attacked and fails Save 9 after taking the damage, Flame Strike can be moved from Target to the closest enemy once per turn

Rally: Deal 1d6+4 damage to target, deal 1d6+4 extra per yellow card drawn

Inspiration: Zone of Truth – Target must reveal all cards of the chosen color or all cards of the chosen number/type to the Paladin, Save 10

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