The Governing Rules.

Base Rules:

1.   All players must choose a base CCG system. (i.e. Magic, Star Wars, etc).

2.   All decks must be exactly 60 cards. No exceptions, unless cards in your deck specifically allow you to alter this.

3.   Each CCG can only be represented by ONE player. (First in ...)

4.   40 of your 60 cards MUST be your base system. The remaining 20 can be from any other CCG. Note: Pre-game cards for your base system are not included in this total. (i.e. Stronghold for L5R, Outfit for Doomtown, etc.)

5.   For every card, from each CCG system that you put in your deck, you must bring along a rule book for that CCG.

6.   Irrespective of any of the CCG rule systems, no player may check for victory until each player in the game has had one full complete turn.

7.   First player will be determined randomly by a die roll.

8.   Anyone playing a PURE deck (only cards from their base CCG), automatically go first in each game, unless their opponent/s have a pure deck too. In this case, the first turn will be determined randomly between these players only.

9.   Two player games will be 30 minutes in duration. Four player games will be 90 minutes duration. When the time end, the game immediately ends. The game is then a tie.

10.    All the cards in your deck must be in opaque sleeves.

Tournament Format Rules.

1.   The objective of the game is to win, by either using your rules for victory, or win by eliminating your opponent using your rules for victory. (You can also win by making your opponent lose by their own rules, during their own turn!). A victory check is made during each players turn, at the appropriate phase during the players turn.

E.G.: The first player (Player A) is using Magic as his base system. For him to win, he must inflict 20 points of damage to the opponent player (Player B). 

Each player is automatically assigned the appropriate life/HT/hits, etc that is applicable for each CCG in the game. When a Magic player inflict damage to his opponent during his turn, or with his cards that do damage during his opponent's turn (i.e. direct damage), his opponent's life is reduced accordingly.

Each player may take damage in 2 (and only 2) forms of CCG system damage.
ie. A L5R player attacks a Magic player and inflicts 4 points damage. This
will affect the magic players life and for the purposes of L5R, a successful
province kill. This would leave the Magic player (if this was the only
attack so far) at 16 life (magic system) and 3 provinces (L5R system).

2.   Each turn, the basic rules of the game change to that of the player who turn it is, specifically for turn sequence, play sequence and attack type and sequence. However, your own base CCG rules still apply to allow you to play cards.

E.G.: Continuing the above example: Player A, is using Magic as his base system. For him to win, he must inflict 20 points of damage to the opponent player (Player B). He can not win by making his opponent run out of cards and not being able to draw, (under normal circumstances) as Player B, his opponent (using Magic rules) does not draw until his turn. During Player's B turn, he then operates under his own CCG rules.

Extension: Player E is using Highlander as his base system. NONE of his opponent can play any cards during his turn, as this is a basic Highlander CCG rule. However, Player E can play can during a Magic players turn, because the Magic rules allow it.

3.   All cards in the game, operate as the closest equivalent to the cards who base system it is. 

E.G.: Continuing the above example: Player A, is using Magic as his base system. All characters or creatures from other CCG's are the equivalent of creatures during the Magic turn. They are treated as such and can be affect as such. Player B is using Star Wars as his base system. During Players A turn, all characters in Star Wars are creatures. All vehicles and equipment in Star Wars are artifact creatures. They can be affect as such by Player's A cards. Under Magic rules, both players can play instants, so Player B can play any cards that are the equivalent of instants (i.e.. Interrupts). 

4.   The "cost" to play cards is dependant on your base system. The ONLY modifier for this rule is if the card itself has a cost.

E.G.: Player B has a magic creature in his Star Wars deck. Creature Z has a 2 black, 3 colourless cost. The cost for the Star Wars player to bring this card into play would be 5 force. He is not required to pay using Mana. The star Wars player cost to bring cards into play is force. Player C is playing Highlander. In Highlander all creatures/characters are considered situations. Cost is nil. Player C can bring Creature Z in for no specific cost. 

5.   Combat. The combat rules are dependant on the current base system. All cards such as creatures and characters operate in combat as per the current base system. When the magic player attacks the Star Wars player, it is a battle of just strength with combat modifiers. No "force" bonus, unless the bonus comes from the card itself. 

E.G.: Player D is playing Dragon Ball Z. He has an ally in play with 2000 energy. If attacked by the Magic player, his defensive and offensive force is 2000. 

6.   The main thing to remember is that all cards in the game have equivalents in other games, and that is how they are treated and played in other game system rules.

E.G.: Instants in Magic = Interrupts in Star Wars/Star Trek = Edges in Highlander = Flash in Dr. Who = Actions in Doomtown/L5R, etc. 

7.    Each player has a "Nexus" point which intersect with every other
player in the game. This Nexus point is considered to be in the same
time/space continuum. Players can "travel" between these Nexus points at
will, with no special cards. However, other locations in a players game
field may not be and may require special means of transportation to be
reached. (i.e. space locations in Star Trek or Star Wars CCG).

(i.e. A player using Star Trek Next Gen as his main system has 6 planet
or space locations in his space lane. One of these planet locations is a
Nexus point. This means any other player from any other system (such as
Magic or L5R) can attack the STNG player at this point. However, if they
want to attack him at one of the other space lane locations, they must have
the means to travel there, such as a spaceship. If this planet space lane
location is destroyed, the Nexus point still exists but come out into
nothing. Unless the other players have a means of traveling, they can not
attack the STNG player any further. Likewise, the STNG player can only
defend with creatures and card AT the Nexus location.

Deck Construction

1.   Players must abide by their base CCG deck construction rules and you can use either the Open or Sealed Deck criteria. 

E.G.: If you are playing Star Wars, you can use the Sealed Deck rules and only construct a light or Dark deck. If you are playing L5R, which requires two sub decks, you can build your deck using the Sealed Deck rules of 30 Fate and 30 Dynasty.

2.   The specific number of each type of card in your deck must abide by BOTH your base system and the system of the CGG it is from (i.e. whichever is less).

E.G.: If you are playing Magic, you can only have 4 of any card in your deck, unless you are restricted otherwise. For Example, if you include any Tomb Raider cards in your deck, you are then restricted to 3 of each of those. If you include any Highlander cards in your deck, your would normally be allowed 6, but Magic rules cut it down to 4. However, if you included "Watcher Heal" from Highlander in your deck, you could only have 2, as that particular card is restricted to 2 by Highlander rules.

Tournament Pairing and Scoring.

The tournament will be run in three rounds of random pairing, with a four player final.

Round 1 is a one on one match. Winner scores 3 game points.

Round 2 is a 3 or 4 multiplayer match. Winner scores 5 game points (for 4 players otherwise 4 for three players), Second place score 3 game points (for 4 players otherwise 2 for three players).

Round 3 is a one on one match. Winner scores 3 game points.

Ties or time out draws will result in each player scoring 1 game point. (You are supposed to prove you have the best CCG system, not a stall deck!)

Each round will have a differential score. The differential score will be 5 points for each 5 minutes (round up) your game ends before final time. Differential will only be used in case of game point ties. The highest differential will qualify.

Questions/FAQ.

Obviously, we can not cover every example. This section will be a constantly updated FAQ.

Ask your questions and they will be answered. Please address questions to Ultimate Chaos, email: aworld@labyrinth.net.au.

Interesting Facts.

Ultimate Chaos has been run on numerous occasions over the last few years. Since then, some interesting tidbits have surfaced. 

1.   Major CCG systems tend to give a poor showing in Ultimate Chaos. Amongst those that have failed dismally are: L5R, Magic and Star Trek Next Generation. Can you fare better with these!.

2.   The previous winners of this event have been (in sequence), Illuminati, James Bond and Dr. Who.

3.    Remember, the governing rules are those of the current players CCG system. Cards that are immune to many things in your CCG system, may not be in others.

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