Gnostic Chess 0.2

PaulSnyder? and RonHaleEvans?

Introduction

We combine several Frames to build chess into an [[Archon?]]-like game. Using [[FIDE_Chess?]] as our starting point, we add the EbbAndFlow and TacticalBoard Frames.

• When one piece attempts to take an opposing piece, the combat is resolved via a TacticalBoard game of HyperPig. If the attacker wins, the defending piece is removed from the board and the attacker is placed on its square. If the defender wins, the attacker is removed from the board and the defender does not move. If the game is a draw, both the defender and the attacker are removed from the board.
• Pieces have attack strength based on their conventional value (CV) (Pawn=1, Knight=3, Bishop=3, Rook=5, Queen=9, King=10). In HyperPig combat, a piece may roll up to as many d6's as its CV (so a rook may roll from 1d6 to 5d6 each round).
• A piece's defending strength is also based on its CV: it has (10 * CV) hit points.
• Hit points are used in combat to determine the opponent's target score. So, if a pawn and a knight fight on a neutral square, the knight must score 10 points to defeat the pawn while the pawn must score 30 points to defeat the knight.

Combat

Pieces damaged during combat remain damaged. Thus, several weaker pieces can take down a stronger by attacking it in series.

Checkmate is eliminated; to win, the opposing king must be killed. There is no restriction on a king moving into check.

The Board

• Squares on the chessboard are either white (W), black (B), or variable (*) as follows:

W * W * * B * B
B W * W B * B W
W B W * * B W B
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
B W B * * W B W
W B * B W * W B
B * B * * W * W

The Track

EbbAndFlow uses a 5-position track. The track starts in the middle and starts moving toward the dark end. Positions are ( A:100% dark, B:75% dark, C:neutral, D:75% light, E:100% light).

• A dark piece on a 100% dark square multiplies its hit points by 2.
• A dark piece on a 75% dark square multiplies its hit points by 1.5.
• A dark piece on a 75% light square multiplies its hit points by 0.75.
• A dark piece on a 100% light square multiplies its hit points by 0.5.

Thus, if a white pawn attacks a black knight on a 100% dark square, the knight has 15 hit points and the pawn has 20.

Magic

Instead of moving a piece, a side's Queen may cast a magic spell. A Queen may cast each spell only once during the course of the game.

• Teleport: move any of your own pieces to any square (though an Imprisoned piece may not be teleported).
• Heal: Heal all damage sustained by one piece.
• Shift Time: Change the direction of movement of the light-dark track. If the track is currently at one extreme, it instantly changes to the other extreme.
• Exchange: switch the positions of any two pieces on the board, as long as neither piece is Imprisoned.
• Revive: resurrect one killed piece and place it on an empty square next to the Queen.
• Imprison: Immobilize an enemy piece. An imprisoned piece may not move as long as the spell is in place. The spell lasts until the light-dark track reaches the imprisoned player's own extreme. Imprisoned spellcasters may not cast spells.