Creative Forge

1. Introduction & Design Philosophy

Arenas of Imagination is a storytelling roleplaying game that replaces dice with ACEO art cards to create a unique narrative experience. Each card flip reveals not just mechanical outcomes, but visual inspiration that drives the story forward.

What Are ACEOs?

Art Cards, Editions, and Originals (ACEOs) are miniature artworks sized at 2.5" × 3.5" - the same dimensions as trading cards. Originally created by artists as an affordable way to share their work, ACEOs provide perfect visual storytelling tools for tabletop gaming.

Design Philosophy

This game embraces three core principles:

• Art as Oracle: Visual inspiration drives narrative outcomes
• Collaborative Interpretation: Players work together to weave meaning from imagery
• Emergent Storytelling: The unexpected combinations of art and mechanics create surprising plot developments

2. Materials & Setup

Required Materials

• ACEO Collection: Each player needs 25-40 cards minimum
• Card Organization: Sleeves, binders, or digital tracking for card qualities
• Tokens: Edge Points (3 per player), Fatigue markers, Burn counters
• Play Surface: Large enough for card flipping and arena grids
• Reference Sheets: Quality quick-reference and archetype guides

Acquiring ACEOs

• Online Sources: Etsy, eBay, artist websites, and social media platforms
• Convention Finds: Art shows, comic conventions, and maker faires
• Commission Custom Cards: Work with artists to create setting-specific imagery
• Digital Alternatives: Print art at ACEO dimensions for budget-friendly options

Setup Checklist

3. Core Concepts & Qualities

Deck as Character

Your ACEO deck IS your character. The mix of art, assigned qualities, and special tags creates a unique personality and capability set. As you play, your deck evolves through burns, acquisitions, and narrative connections.

The Four Qualities

Quality Interactions

• Matching Quality: When your card's quality matches your intended action, you succeed with style.
• Opposing Qualities: Power vs. Subtlety often creates interesting tensions - brute force against finesse.
• Chaos Always Twists: Even on success, Chaos introduces unexpected complications or opportunities.

Special Tags (Optional)

Assign 1-3 thematic tags to cards for enhanced storytelling: Fire, Ice, Shadow, Light, Beast, Spirit, Memory, Dream, Metal, Nature, etc.

4. Character Creation

Creation Steps

5. Resolution System

Basic Resolution

When attempting something risky, opposed, or dramatically important:

Success Conditions

• Clear Success: Your quality matches action type, opponent's doesn't oppose
• Contested Success: Both qualities are relevant - compare art and context
• Partial Success: You succeed but with a cost, complication, or lesser effect
• Failure with Style: You fail but gain advantage for future attempts

Chaos Rules

Extended Challenges

For complex tasks requiring multiple attempts:

• Set a target number of successes needed (typically 3-5)
• Each flip either contributes success or adds complications
• Failures don't end the challenge but increase difficulty
• Chaos cards count as successes but always add twists

6. Resources & Risk Management

Edge Points

Each player begins sessions with 3 Edge Points. These represent luck, determination, and heroic effort.

Spending Edge:

• Draw 2 cards, choose which to use (cost: 1 Edge)
• Flip opponent's card face-up before they use it (cost: 2 Edge)
• Declare a card's special tag as relevant to current scene (cost: 1 Edge)

Gaining Edge:

• Exceptional roleplay or creative solutions
• Accepting significant complications from Chaos
• Achieving major story milestones
• Real-Time Refresh: After the first scene is completed, the GM starts a 1-hour real-time timer. When it completes, all players regain 1 Edge Point and the timer resets for another hour. The GM may pause the timer if players need to step away from the table.
• Arena Combat: All players regain all 3 Edge Points at the end of each match.

Burned Cards & Fatigue

Used cards go to your discard pile. When your deck runs empty:

• Shuffle discards to reform deck
• Gain 1 Fatigue point
• At 3+ Fatigue: All cards count as Chaos quality
• At 5+ Fatigue: Gain disadvantage on all flips

Fatigue Recovery: Characters lose 1 Fatigue point for every 3 hours of in-game rest/sleep.

Treasure Deck

The GM maintains a shared deck of 10-20 exceptional ACEOs representing:

• Legendary artifacts and magical items
• Dramatic story moments and revelations
• Powerful allies and dangerous enemies
• Environmental effects and location cards

Players can earn Treasure cards through exceptional achievements, story milestones, or dramatic sacrifices.

7. Advanced Mechanics

Combo Cards

When two cards share thematic elements (similar art, matching tags, or narrative connections), they can be played as combos:

• Spend 2 Edge to play a second card immediately after the first
• Both cards contribute their qualities to the outcome
• Create more dramatic and powerful narrative results

Signature Moves

Each character has 3-5 Signature Cards representing their defining abilities:

• Can be played once per session without cost
• Always count as matching the attempted action
• Create more dramatic narrative effects when used

Environmental Factors

The GM can introduce location-based modifiers:

• Favored Qualities: Certain qualities work better in specific locations
• Restricted Qualities: Some environments limit certain approaches
• Environmental Cards: Location-specific cards that any player might trigger

Social Conflicts

Use the same system for debates, negotiations, and social maneuvering:

• Power: Intimidation, direct confrontation, authority
• Subtlety: Manipulation, seduction, careful word choice
• Insight: Empathy, reading motivations, finding common ground
• Chaos: Unexpected revelations, social gaffes that somehow work

8. GM Guidelines & Tools

Building Challenge Decks

Create themed decks for different scenarios:

• Dungeon Deck: Traps, monsters, ancient magic
• Urban Deck: NPCs, social situations, city hazards
• Wilderness Deck: Weather, beasts, natural obstacles
• Mystery Deck: Clues, red herrings, revelations

NPC Quick Creation

When you need an NPC on the fly:

Pacing Guidelines

• Action Scenes: Quick flips, minimal interpretation debate
• Investigation: Detailed art analysis, multiple card context
• Social Scenes: Focus on character interactions suggested by art
• Exploration: Use environmental cards to reveal locations

Managing Interpretation Disputes

When players disagree on card interpretation:

• Everyone states their interpretation briefly
• Look for synthesis - can multiple readings coexist?
• GM makes final call but incorporates player input
• When in doubt, choose the interpretation that advances the story

9. Modes of Play

Traditional Adventure Mode

GM guides 3-6 players through collaborative storytelling adventures. Use Challenge Decks to introduce obstacles, NPCs, and environmental factors.

Duel Mode

Two players face off in dramatic conflicts:

• Each player flips cards alternately
• Winner of each exchange narrates the outcome
• First to win 3 exchanges wins the duel
• Chaos always creates interesting complications

Collaborative Oracle Mode

GM-less play using shared story decks:

• Create communal location, threat, and opportunity decks
• Players take turns being active player and opposition
• Story emerges from card combinations and group interpretation
• Use prompt cards to maintain narrative momentum

Tournament Mode

Competitive play using Arena Combat rules with multiple rounds, elimination brackets, and prize pools of rare ACEOs.

10. Arena Combat Subsystem

Arena Setup

Enhanced Combat Rules

Setup Phase:

• Each player builds a 20-30 card Arena Deck
• Players start in opposite corners with 3 Edge Points
• Place one starting card face-up in your corner
• Shuffle remaining cards as your draw deck

Turn Sequence:

Clash Resolution

When cards are placed adjacent to enemy cards:

• Quality Superiority: Power > Subtlety > Insight > Power
• Chaos Trumps All: But always creates complications
• Art Analysis: When qualities tie, interpret the visual narrative
• Defeated Cards: Flip face-down but remain on board

Victory Conditions

• Control majority of arena spaces after 10 rounds
• Eliminate all opponent face-up cards
• Force opponent to run out of cards (deck depletion)
• Complete arena-specific objectives (variant play)

Edge Point Reset: All players regain all 3 Edge Points at the end of each arena match.

Advanced Arena Rules

• Legendary Cards: Once per game, play face-up immediately with powerful effects
• Chain Reactions: Adjacent friendly cards can support each other in clashes
• Environmental Arenas: Special boards with unique rules and victory conditions
• Team Play: 2v2 or 3v3 with shared spaces and combo opportunities

11. Extended Examples

12. Quick Reference & Appendices

Quality Quick Reference

Edge Point Uses

• Draw 2, Choose 1: 1 Edge
• Reveal Opponent's Card: 2 Edge
• Activate Card Tag: 1 Edge
• Play Combo Card: 2 Edge
• Reroll Arena Clash: 1 Edge

Fatigue Effects

• 1-2 Fatigue: No mechanical effect
• 3-4 Fatigue: All cards count as Chaos quality
• 5+ Fatigue: Disadvantage on all flips (opponent draws extra card)

Fatigue Recovery: Lose 1 Fatigue point per 3 hours of in-game rest

Session Preparation Checklist

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Players argue over card interpretation: Set a 30-second discussion limit, then GM decides
• Game feels too random: Increase Edge Point refresh rate or allow more Signature card uses
• Combats take too long: Use simplified clash resolution focusing on dominant visual elements
• Players struggle with narrative: Provide prompt questions: "What does this character want?" "What goes wrong?" "What's unexpected?"

Expanding Your Game

• Setting Integration: Commission artists to create setting-specific ACEOs
• Campaign Cards: Add permanent cards to decks representing character growth
• Legacy Elements: Cards gained in one session carry forward to future games
• Custom Mechanics: Develop setting-specific qualities or new card interaction rules

Optional Rules for Advanced Play

Deck Evolution

Between sessions, players can:

• Replace up to 3 cards based on character experiences
• Change qualities on cards to reflect character growth
• Add new tags based on story developments
• Retire damaged or "burned out" cards permanently

Shared Destiny Deck

Create a group deck representing party bonds and shared fate:

• Each player contributes 1-2 cards representing their connection to the group
• Any player can draw from this deck by spending 2 Edge Points
• Cards drawn this way always count as matching the action
• Represents how party members support each other in crucial moments

Corruption Mechanics

For horror or dark fantasy games:

• Certain experiences "corrupt" cards, changing their qualities to Chaos
• Corrupted cards have twisted interpretations of their original art
• Players must find ways to cleanse corruption or accept growing unpredictability
• At high corruption levels, character might become NPC