User:Supercomputer276/Duel Monsters Chess

Inspired by Capsule Monsters Chess and the Paradox Brother's labyrinth tag-team duel, this experimental Duel Monsters variation combines the card game with turn-based strategy for a unique dueling experience. I feel like Kaiba!

This one's complex, so pay attention and read all the instructions before playing. This game is still experimental and rules are subject to change as I perfect it. Regular rules of Duel Monsters apply except where stated otherwise. If you try out this game, please give me feedback on my talk page or through e-mail so I may contine to fine-tune it.

=The Battlefield= The game takes place on a square grid of spaces, called cells. The smallest possible size is five by five. Each cell is big enough for a card horizontally or vertically. The two rows closest to either player, on opposite sides of the board, is known as the player's home row. When setting up the game, the player's Deck, Graveyard, and Field Spell Card, and Extra Deck zones are place relative to the home row as if the front row were the Monster Card Zones and the back row was the Spell and Trap Card Zones.

=King piece= Both players are present on the field in the form of the King piece. Use whatever you have handy, such as coins or small action figures, as long as it is small enough to fit in a single cell and both of you can whose is whose (however, you cannot use other Duel Monster cards, to avoid confusion). The King piece can move but not attack, but you have to attack your opponent's King to damage his/her Life Points. Attacks made on the King piece count as Direct Attacks by standard Duel Monsters rules. Although he moves like a monster, the King is not a monster and is not affected by any card effects.

=Setting Up=
 * 1) As per usual Duel Monsters, greet your opponent with a friendly handshake.
 * 2) Shuffle your deck and let your opponent cut it, as usual. Place it in the Deck Zone, which is to the right of your back home row.
 * 3) Place your Extra Deck in the Extra Deck Zone, to the left of your back home row.
 * 4) Place your King piece wherever you wish on your home row. Standard position is the middle of the back row.
 * 5) Decide who goes first however you do as such, such as by a coin flip.
 * 6) Draw your five-card starting hand.

=Summoning Monsters and Playing Cards= When you play a card, such as summon a monster or activate a Spell, you may use any open cell in your home row. However, there is still a 5-card total limit on how many monsters and Spells/Traps you can play, just like in the regular game, regardless if you have cells open. It doesn't matter whether you play in the front or back row; if you wish, you can set a Trap in the front row or summon a monster to the back.

=Movement= Once per turn, during your Main Phase, a monster can move around the board. How many spaces it can move depends on its current Level. It all cases, a monster doesn't have to move all the spaces it's allowed, but it can only move once a turn and any unused movement is wasted. Like in chess, once you stop touching the card after a movement, you cannot take it back.
 * A monster Level 4 or lower can move up to 3 cells.
 * A monster Level 5 or 6 can move up to 2 cells. King pieces can also move up to 2 cells.
 * A monster Level 7 or higher can only move up to 1 cell.

You cannot move through an occupied cell, whether the occupier is yours or your opponent's.

A monster can change direction during its move, but it cannot double-back on the cells it already moved through that turn, and it cannot move diagonally.

A monster's battle position does not affect its movement in any way (although if you move your face-down Defense Position monster three spaces, your opponent will know it's a four star or lower monster). Also, card effects cannot affect movement (even cards you think would like "Spellbinding Circle").

Spell and Trap Cards cannot move around on their own. However, if you move a monster adjacent to one of your Spells or Traps, that Spell or Trap can move with them in the same direction (space permitting).

=Attacking= During your Battle Phase, monsters can only attack cards in cells adjacent to them. They cannot attack diagonally. Damage Calculation is applied as normal, regardless of either King's position in relation to the battle.

If a monster attacks a King, that battle is treated as a Direct Attack against the player, regardless of if that player has monsters. Kings cannot attack, but they cannot be removed from the board.

If a monster is adjacent to an opponent's Spell or Trap Card, the monster can attack the Spell or Trap. Damage Calculation is not applied in battles against Spells or Traps, so neither player can take Battle Damage. NOTICE: Even if you are in the space next to the Field Spell Card Zone, you cannot attack a Field Spell Card.
 * If the attack target is a Spell or a face-up Trap, the controller of the attacked card flips a coin and calls heads or tails. If he or she calls it wrong, the card is destroyed; if it's face-down, it does not activate.
 * If your opponent attacks a face-down Trap Card, it is automatically activated. If the timing is off, the card is then destroyed.

=Notes on Card Effects=
 * If a card effect refers to your Monster Card or Spell and Trap Card Zones (such as "Ojama King"), it refers to any cell in your home row, front or back. (For example, in the case of "Ojama King," your opponent would pick up to 3 open cells in your home row, and no card can ever move into those cells as long as the effect is active.)
 * If a card effect refers to your monsters or Spells or Traps (such as "Shifting Shadows"), it only affects the cells the designated cards are in, regardless of their position on the board. (For example, in the case of "Shifting Shadows," your face-down Defense Position monsters would swap places with each other.)
 * If a card effect refers to cards on a player's side of the field, all cards under that player's control are affected regardless of their position on the board. (For example, if your opponent activated "Raigeki," all monsters you control would be destroyed, even if one of them was in your opponent's home row.)