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Scourge War Card Game

Legends of the Dragonguard    Characters    Culture      Scourge War Card Game
Scourge War is a simple card game, typically played by two, four, or six players using two or three Draconian Decks. It is a variation of the original War card game.[1]   Scourge War can be played with two, four, or six players and generally uses two Draconian Decks — 56 cards — with only one pair of Ancient cards. Typically, one of the Ancient cards will always be the black variant, while the second Ancient card can be any one of the other variants.  

Composition

56-card Draconian Deck spread out.
56-card draconian deck spread out, including all Ancient (Joker) card variants by Nulcheck
A Draconian Deck comprises 56 cards of 14 ranks in each of the four suits: Hoards, Hearts, Scales, and Claws. Each suit includes four court cards: Jack, Guardian, Queen, and King. Each suit also includes 10 numeral cards, from one (Ace) to ten. Each card displays the appropriate numeral in at least two corners, except "A" for the Ace, "J" for the Jack, "G" for the Guardian, "Q" for the Queen, and "K" for the King.   The deck is also divided in half based on color. The Hoards and Hearts suits are red, while the , and Claws suits are black.   The Guardian court card sits between the Jack and the Queen.[1]   In addition, the 56-card deck also includes a pair of Ancients, with a small star and a dragon's head in at least two corners. The Ancients are often distinguishable from one another, with one being colored white or a simple black outline, while the other is colored full in black. They are respectively called the White Ancient and the Black Ancient. Alternatively, some decks may have red and black Ancient versions, corresponding with the red and black colors of the other cards in the deck. Some decks may contain a blue or gold Ancient instead.   In most games, the ace is considered the highest-valued card. If the Ancient cards are used, they are considered the highest court cards and are even above the ace.   Scourge War uses two 56-card decks in addition to a pair of Ancient cards — for a total of 114 cards, including the Ancients (112 without). Typically, one of the Ancient cards will always be the black variant, while the second Ancient card can be any one of the other variants.

Execution

2p diagonal war pt2
Two players playing a diagonal war.
The objective of the game is to have captured the most cards by the end.   First, all court cards from one Draconian Deck are removed and put aside into their own pile. This is known as the Legends deck. Two Ancient cards are also added to this deck for a total of 18 cards (4 suits, 4 courts, 2 ancients). The Legends deck should always have 18 cards regardless of how many draconian decks are used.   The large pile of combined decks should have one set of court cards (two if playing with three decks, three if playing with four decks). This pile is known as the Units deck, as these are the cards players will have in their hands and play on the battlefield.   Players are split evenly between two sides, with a maximum of six players in total. In a two-player game, players will play head-to-head in a verses game. A four-player game will have two players on each side, while a six-player game will have three players on each side.   Before the game starts, both decks are shuffled. One card from the Legends deck is dealt face-down to each player. The Legend card is kept face-down in front of the players until it is needed in battle. Typically, for the first game, the oldest player is the dealer. Subsequent games can either proceed clockwise from the previous dealer or the next oldest player.     After the cards are shuffled and the Legend cards are dealt, the Units deck will be distributed evenly to all players. Aces are considered the highest card in the Units deck, while the Ancients are considered the highest card in the Legends deck. The Guardian card sits between the Jack and the Queen.   If playing with two decks (96 Unit cards):
  • Two players; 48 cards each.
  • Four players, 24 cards each.
  • Six players, 16 cards each.
    •   If playing with three decks (152 Unit cards):
  • Two players; 76 cards each.
  • Four players, 38 cards each.
  • Six players, 25 cards each. (Remainder of 2 unused Unit cards)
    •   If playing with four decks (192 Unit cards):
  • Two players; 96 cards each.
  • Four players, 48 cards each.
  • Six players, 32 cards each.
    •   When players draw their Unit cards face-up onto the battlefield, a column of cards that are directly across from each other is called a battle. The highest card in a column, or battle, will win that column. A war is declared when any opposing cards on the battlefield match. Cards that match those from the same side do not declare a war.


    Battling

    Each player draws two (2) cards from the top of their Units deck, laying them face-up, side by side on the battlefield. Players can choose to lay their cards from left to right or right to left. The column of cards that are directly across from each other is called a battle. Whoever has the highest card of that column, or battle, wins and takes those cards.  

    Fighting the War

    A war is declared when any opposing cards on the battlefield match. Cards that match those from the same side do not declare a war.   When a war is declared, players will lay a Unit card face-down on the cards at war (ones that match), then another one face-up. Whoever has the highest card wins. If the opposing cards are again equal, then the battle repeats with another set of face-down/up cards. This repeats until one player's face-up card is higher than their opponent's.   The winner will take the cards based on the positioning of the cards at war:
  • If the war is in a column — cards match directly across — the winner takes the cards from that column. The other column is a separate battle and is played as normal, with whoever has the highest card in that battle winning that column of cards.
  • If the war is diagonal — cards match diagonally — the winner takes all the cards on the battlefield, regardless of initial card values, as the war has spanned across multiple columns. The diagonal war takes precedence, even if the opposing card is higher in the initial battle.
    •   If three cards match and go to war — one player is at war with one battle, while the other player is at war with two battles — the player fighting the war with two battles has an advantage because they have two chances of getting a higher card than their opponent. However, they are at a disadvantage afterward, as now they have a mismatched amount of cards.
    If two opposing cards are again equal, the battle repeats with another set of face-down/up cards, only on the matching cards at war, even if another card in the initial war is of higher value. Whoever has the highest card wins and takes all the cards on the battlefield.   If a war is declared and there are no more Unit cards to fight it, then the Legend cards are placed face-up on the field. Whoever has the higher card wins and takes all the cards on the battlefield, and the game is over. If the Legend cards match in value, both players draw another Legend card and immediately play it face-up. Whoever has the highest card wins and takes all the cards from the battlefield. Ancient cards are considered to be the highest. This is called the Final War or Final Battle.  

    Scourge War

    When all cards on the battlefield match in some way, a Scourge War is declared. Instead of playing four battles, the Legend cards are used.   There are several types of Scourge Wars, each with their own set of rules.   Matching Paired Values (Scourge War)
    If the values of all cards on the battlefield match in pairs, either directly across or diagonally, it is known as a Scourge War. Both players will place their Legend card face-up onto the field. Whoever has the highest Legend card wins the Scourge War and takes all the cards on the battlefield. Ancient cards are considered to be the highest.   If the Legend cards match in value, both players draw another Legend card and immediately play it face-up. Whoever has the highest card wins and takes all the cards from the battlefield. After the Scourge War has been fought, both players draw a Legend card and place it face-down in front of them, ready to be used in another Scourge War or in the Final Battle. The game continues on as normal.   For example, a Scourge War is declared by:
  • 2 aces, 2 sevens. (Diagonally)
  • 2 jacks, 2 fives. (Columns)
    •   Matching Suits / Matching All Values (Battle of the Scarsands Canyon)
    If all the cards match in a suit (regardless of card values) or if all the values match (regardless of card suits), it is known as the Battle of the Scarsands Canyon or by the name of any significant battle, typically one that has ended a war.   Players will place only one set of face-down/up Unit cards. If the face-up cards match (only in value), the battle is repeated with another set of face-down/up cards. Whoever has the highest card wins and takes all the cards on the battlefield. After the War has been fought, the Final Battle is played, regardless of how many Unit cards players have remaining.   For example, Battle of the Scarsands Canyon happens with:
  • 4 aces, any suit.
  • 4 suits (Hoards, Hearts, Scales, and Claws), any value.
    •   Matching Colors and Values (Scorched Earth)
    If all cards match in value and color (red or black), it is known as Scorched Earth. Additionally, if all cards match in a suit and values — if playing with four or more decks — then it will also cause Scorched Earth.   For example, Scorched Earth is caused by:
  • 4 aces, 2 suits, all black. (Scales and Claws)
  • 4 sevens, 2 suits, all red. (Hoards and Hearts)
  • 4 sixes, 1 suit. (Four deck game)
    •   When Scorched Earth happens, both players will draw an extra Legend card and place both of their Legends face-up on the battlefield. The outcome of the game is determined by the face-up Legend cards played, indicating whether the game is Scorched or spared.  
  • If any of the face-up Legend cards is the black ancient (Wyrm of Chaos), the game is Scorched and ends with no winner, regardless of how many captured cards players have.
  • If none of the face-up Legend cards is the black ancient (Wyrm of Chaos), the game is not Scorched and continues. Players shuffle their extra Legend card back into the Legends deck. The original Legend cards face-up on the battlefield will then battle. If those Legend cards match in value, both players draw another Legend card and immediately play it face-up. Whoever has the highest card wins and takes all the cards from the battlefield.
    •   After the Scourge War has been fought, both players draw a Legend card and place it face-down in front of them, ready to be used in another Scourge War or in the Final Battle — except in the case of a Scorched game.  

    Final War / Final Battle

    When the players get to the Final Battle, either by running out of Unit cards to play or by the Matching Suits Scourge War, they use their Legend cards.   If a player has a mismatched amount of cards because of a 3-way in a war and has no Unit cards to play, the game goes into final battle, regardless of how many Unit cards the other player has left.   Both players will place their Legend card onto the battlefield face-up. If the Legend cards match in value, both players draw another Legend card and immediately play it face-up. Whoever has the higher card wins and takes all the cards on the battlefield, and the game ends. Ancient cards are considered to be the highest.  

    Game Over

    When the game ends after the Final Battle, whichever player has the most captured cards is the winner. This does not include unused unit cards in the case of Matching Suits Scourge War or a mismatch of cards because of a 3-way battle in a War.   Additionally, the end of a game can come suddenly and unexpectedly, as in the case of Scorched Earth. When this happens, there are no winners, regardless of how many cards each player has captured. All players must return their cards to their respective decks, shuffle them, and begin a new game.

    Battling

    Each player draws one (1) card from the top of their Units deck, laying them face-up, side by side on the battlefield. Players can choose where to lay their card on their side, remembering which spot they have placed their card in. The column of cards that are directly across from each other is called a battle. Whoever has the highest card of that column, or battle, wins and takes those cards. It is vital to remember which battle your card is in.  

    Fighting the War

    A war is declared when any opposing cards on the battlefield match. Cards that match those from the same side do not declare a war.   When a war is declared, players whose cards are at war will lay a Unit card face-down on those cards, then another one face-up. Whoever has the highest card wins that battle (column of cards). If the opposing cards are again equal, then the battle repeats with another set of face-down/up cards. This repeats until one player's face-up card is higher than their opponent's.   The winner will take the cards based on the positioning of the cards at war:
  • If the war is in a column — cards match directly across — the winner takes the cards from that column. The other column is a separate battle and is played as normal, with whoever has the highest card in that battle winning that column of cards.
  • If the war is diagonal — cards match diagonally — the winner takes all the cards on the battlefield, regardless of initial card values, as the war has spanned across multiple columns. The diagonal war takes precedence, even if the opposing card is higher in the initial battle.
  • If there are three battles on the field — such as in a six-player game — only the two diagonal cards at war will be captured. The other untouched third battle that does not match is played as normal.
    •   If three cards match and go to war — one side is at war with one or two battles, while the other side is at war with two or three battles — the side fighting the war with more battles has an advantage because they have more chances of getting a higher card than their opponents. However, they are at a disadvantage afterward, as now they have a mismatched amount of cards.
    If two opposing cards are again equal, the battle repeats with another set of face-down/up cards, only on the matching cards at war, even if another card in the initial war is of higher value. Whoever has the highest card wins and takes all the cards of the columns that were at war.   If a war is declared and no one has Unit cards to fight it, then the Legend cards are placed face-up on the field. Whoever has the higher card wins and takes all the cards on the battlefield, and the game ends. If the Legend cards match in value, players at war draw another Legend card and immediately play it face-up. Whoever has the highest card wins and takes all the cards from the battlefield. Ancient cards are considered to be the highest. This is called the Final War or Final Battle.  

    Scourge War

    When all cards on the battlefield match in some way, a Scourge War is declared. Instead of playing four battles, the Legend cards are used.   There are several types of Scourge Wars, each with their own set of rules.   Matching Paired Values (Scourge War)
    If the values of four (4) cards on the battlefield match in pairs, either directly across or diagonally, it is known as a Scourge War. Players at war will place their Legend card face-up onto the field. If playing with six players, the other untouched third battle that does not match is not played. Whoever has the highest Legend card wins the Scourge War and takes all the cards on the battlefield. Ancient cards are considered to be the highest.   If the Legend cards match in value, players at war will draw another Legend card and immediately play it face-up. Whoever has the highest card wins and takes all the cards from the battlefield. After the Scourge War has been fought, all players draw a Legend card and place it face-down in front of them, ready to be used in another Scourge War or in the Final Battle. The game continues on as normal.   For example, a Scourge War is declared by:
  • 2 aces, 2 sevens. (Diagonally)
  • 2 jacks, 2 fives. (Columns)
    •   Matching Suits / Matching All Values (Battle of the Scarsands Canyon)
    If all the cards match in a suit (regardless of card values) or if all the values match (regardless of card suits), it is known as the Battle of the Scarsands Canyon or by the name of any significant battle, typically one that has ended a war.   For example, Battle of the Scarsands Canyon happens with: In a four-player game:
  • 4 aces, any suit.
  • 4 suits (Hoards, Hearts, Scales, and Claws), any value.
    • In a six-player game:
  • 6 suits (Hoards, Hearts, Scales, and Claws), any value.
    •   When Battle of the Scarsands Canyon happens, two players will battle each other at a time. The two players choose which battle to fight and place their Legend card face-up. Whoever has the highest card wins and takes the column of cards from that battle. Then, the next two players go to war with their Legend card.   If the Legend cards match in value, the next two players will place their Legend cards face-up on the matching Legends. Whoever has the highest card wins and takes all the cards from the battlefield. If those Legend cards match, the following happens:   In a four-player game:
  • The initial players that went to war draw a new Legend card and immediately place it face-up on top of the matching cards.
  • The battle continues alternating between players until one player's card is higher than their opponent's.
  • The winner takes all the cards from the battlefield, and the game is over, regardless of how many Unit cards players have.
    • In a six-player game:
  • The third player on each side place their Legend cards face-up on top of the matching cards.
  • If they match again, the initial players that went to war draw a new Legend card and immediately place it face-up on top of the matching cards.
  • The battle continues rotating through players in the order they chose to fight until one player's card is higher than their opponent's.
  • The winner takes all the cards from the battlefield, and the game is over, regardless of how many Unit cards players have.
    •   Matching Colors and Values (Scorched Earth)
    If all cards match in value and color (red or black), it is known as Scorched Earth. Additionally, if all cards match in a suit and values — if playing with four or more decks — then it will also cause Scorched Earth.   For example, Scorched Earth is caused by:
  • 4 aces, 2 suits, all black. (Scales and Claws)
  • 4 sevens, 2 suits, all red. (Hoards and Hearts)
  • 4 sixes, 1 suit. (Four deck game)
    •   When Scorched Earth happens, all players will draw an extra Legend card and place both of their Legends face-up on the battlefield. The outcome of the game is determined by the face-up Legend cards played, indicating whether the game is Scorched or spared.  
  • If any of the face-up Legend cards is the black ancient (Wyrm of Chaos), the game is Scorched and ends with no winner, regardless of how many cards players have collected.
  • If none of the face-up Legend cards is the black ancient (Wyrm of Chaos), the game is not Scorched and continues. Players shuffle their extra Legend card back into the Legends deck. The original Legend cards face-up on the battlefield will then battle. If those Legend cards match in value, players at war will draw another Legend card and immediately play it face-up. Whoever has the highest card wins and takes all the cards from the battlefield.
    •   After the Scourge War has been fought, players draw a Legend card and place it face-down in front of them, ready to be used in another Scourge War or in the Final Battle — except in the case of a Scorched game.  

    Final War / Final Battle

    When the players get to the Final Battle, either by running out of Unit cards to play or by the Matching Suits Scourge War, they use their Legend cards.   Both players will place their Legend card onto the battlefield face-up. If the Legend cards match in value, both players draw another Legend card and immediately play it face-up. Whoever has the higher card wins and takes all the cards on the battlefield, and the game ends. Ancient cards are considered to be the highest.  

    Unfought Battle

    If a player has a mismatched amount of cards and has none left, the other side still places all their Units cards to battle but leaves the card in an unfought battle face-down. In the next round, the unfought card is kept in place, and a player on the other side must place their card in the empty slot to fight the battle. Once an unfought card has been challenged, the cards are faced up and battle.   This continues until all players can play all their Unit cards. If a war is declared and a player cannot both place face-down/up cards, they will fight the war understaffed and just place a face-up card. The player on the other side will still place cards face-down/up.  

    Game Over

    When the game ends after the Final Battle, whichever side has the most captured cards is the winner. Whichever player on each side has the most captured cards of their team is the MVP. This does not include unused unit cards in the case of Matching Suits Scourge War.   Additionally, the end of a game can come suddenly and unexpectedly, as in the case of Scorched Earth. When this happens, there are no winners, regardless of how many cards each player has captured. All players must return their cards to their respective decks, shuffle them, and begin a new game.

    Gallery

     

    Trivia

  • This game was built off of the original War card game.[1]
  • Blue Fairy 74's Dragon's Hoard board game inspired Nulcheck to create this dragon-themed card game.

    • References

    1. "War (card game)" — on Wikipedia; March 7, 2025.  
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    Cover image: by Nulcheck
    Article template
    Tradition / Ritual
    World
    Legends of the Dragonguard
    Category
    Culture in Characters
    Author
    Nulcheck
    Publication Date
    31 May, 2025
    Creation Date
    28 May, 2025
    Last Update Date
    19 Jun, 2025
    Visibility
    Public
    Views
    149
    Favorites
    10
    Comments
    3
    Work In Progress
    Tags
    culture tradition game idx-s-trad-gme typ-trad-gme menu-cul

    Comments

    Author's Notes

    While this card game has history from my own world, the gameplay was created to be generic enough to fit in any world. This is my submission to the Dip a Toe In Challenge by Asmod for Blue Fairy 74's world: E L A Q I T A N. I was inspired by the Dragon's Hoard board game to create a dragon-themed game for my world. I chose to create my own version of the War card, as I thought it could fit into any world.   The game still follows the standard 52-card or a 56-card deck in the real world. You can play it without the extra court cards (Knight / Cavalier) — but that only works for 2 and 4 players. (96 unit cards to distribute evenly)

    Please Login in order to comment!
    Master Asmo
    May 31, 2025 09:14 by Asmod

    Badge for the Dip a Toe in Challenge
    Dip a Toe in Badge by CoolG
    Have a spider. I'm totes going to try playing this

    Sage Nulcheck
    May 31, 2025 16:57

    <3 Thanks for hosting the challenge!

    SUMMER CAMP 2025 WOOO
    Fly high, Guardian. o7
    — Nulcheck ¦ Dragonguard Legend
    Grandmaster Blue Fairy 74
    May 31, 2025 12:20

    Thank you so much for taking Dragon Hoard as inspiration. Great idea, I could very well imagine playing it sometime.

    Summer Camp is back! Rippling waves lead you to my answers of this year's prompts.
    Sage Nulcheck
    May 31, 2025 16:58

    <3

    SUMMER CAMP 2025 WOOO
    Fly high, Guardian. o7
    — Nulcheck ¦ Dragonguard Legend
    Councilor of the Inner Sanctum Serukis
    Jun 20, 2025 20:58 by Dr Emily Vair-Turnbull

    So detailed. I love the addition of the pictures.

    Emy x
    Explore Etrea | Summer Camp 2025
    Sage Nulcheck
    Jun 20, 2025 21:08

    <3

    SUMMER CAMP 2025 WOOO
    Fly high, Guardian. o7
    — Nulcheck ¦ Dragonguard Legend
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