How to Play
Eternal Empires is a strategic card game where two civilizations clash for dominance. Each player starts with 30 Civilization Points (CP) — reduce your opponent's CP to zero to win. Build your board with units, structures, and technologies, then attack with your armies to deal damage.
Win Conditions: Reduce your opponent's CP to 0 through combat damage, or force them to draw from an empty library (deck-out).
Match Setup
- Choose your empire — Rome, Egypt, Japan, or Polynesia. Each has unique cards, a leader, and two affinities.
- Opening hand — Both players draw 5 cards. Each hand is guaranteed at least 1 land.
- First turn — Player 1 goes first and draws a card normally.
The Basics
- Resource Points (RP) are your currency. Play lands to generate RP, then spend RP to deploy units, structures, and spells.
- Civilization Points (CP) are your life total. You start with 30. When unblocked units attack, they deal damage to your CP.
- Units have Attack and Defense stats. They fight in combat and deal damage to your opponent when unblocked.
- Spells are one-time effects — damage, healing, buffs, or removal.
- Structures, Technologies, and Wonders stay on the board and provide ongoing benefits.
Turn Phases
Each turn follows six phases in order. Some are automatic; others require you to take actions.
1
Start Phase
Automatic
All your tapped cards untap. Start-of-turn effects trigger. You draw 1 card.
2
Development Phase
Your Turn
Play one land from your hand (one per turn). Spend RP to deploy units, structures, technologies, artifacts, and wonders. Basic lands enter untapped and produce RP immediately; advanced lands enter tapped.
3
Action Phase
Your Turn
Cast spells and events. Deploy your leader from the Command Zone. Activate abilities on your cards. This is your window for tactical plays before combat.
4
Combat Phase
Your Turn
Declare attackers by clicking your untapped units. Your opponent declares blockers. Damage resolves simultaneously (unless First Strike applies). Unblocked attackers deal their attack value as damage to the opponent's CP. If you have no units that can attack, this phase is skipped automatically.
5
Main Phase 2
Your Turn
A second chance to deploy permanents (units, structures, technologies) and cast spells after combat. Useful for holding back resources to see what survives combat before committing more to the board.
6
End Phase
Automatic
End-of-turn effects trigger. If you have more than 7 cards in hand, discard down to 7. All temporary effects ("until end of turn") expire. The turn passes to your opponent.
Tip: Use the Next Phase button to advance through phases, or the End Turn button to skip directly to the end. Press Space or Enter as a shortcut for Next Phase.
Card Types
U
Unit
Your fighters. Units have Attack and Defense stats. They can attack during combat and block enemy attackers. Newly deployed units have summoning sickness and can't attack until your next turn.
Play during: Development, Main Phase 2
S
Structure
Permanent installations that provide ongoing effects. Structures can't attack or block, but they buff your units, reduce costs, generate resources, or hinder your opponent.
Play during: Development, Main Phase 2
T
Technology
Permanent doctrines that upgrade your entire strategy. Technologies often grant keywords or stat bonuses to specific unit types.
Play during: Development, Main Phase 2
P
Spell
One-time tactical effects. Spells resolve immediately and go to the graveyard. They can deal damage, heal, buff units, remove threats, or create tokens.
Play during: Action, Main Phase 2
E
Event
Powerful one-time effects, limited to 2 copies per deck. Events are match-shaping plays that can swing the game in your favor.
Play during: Action, Main Phase 2
W
Wonder
Legendary landmarks. Only 1 copy allowed per deck, and you can't have duplicates in play. Wonders provide powerful ongoing effects. They can't be targeted the turn they enter.
Play during: Development, Main Phase 2
L
Leader
Your commander. Starts in the Command Zone with a passive ability and a once-per-game Command Action. Deploy to the battlefield during the Action Phase by paying RP. If destroyed, the leader goes to the Recall Zone and costs +2 RP more each time you redeploy.
Play during: Action, Development, Main Phase 2
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Land
Your resource generators. Play one land per turn during Development. Basic lands enter untapped and produce 1 RP. Advanced lands enter tapped but produce 2 RP or have special effects.
Play during: Development only (1 per turn)
Combat
Combat is where games are won. Understanding when and how to attack is the key to victory.
How Combat Works
- Declare Attackers — Click your untapped units to send them into battle. Attacking taps the unit.
- Declare Blockers — Your opponent assigns their untapped units to block your attackers. Each blocker can only block one attacker.
- Resolve Damage — Attackers and blockers deal damage to each other simultaneously. If damage dealt equals or exceeds a unit's Defense, it's destroyed and sent to the graveyard.
- Unblocked Damage — Any attacker that wasn't blocked deals its Attack value as damage directly to the opponent's CP.
Special Combat Rules
First Strike
Units with First Strike deal their damage before the opposing unit. If the opposing unit is destroyed, it never deals damage back.
Unblockable
Units with Unblockable can't be blocked. Their damage always goes through to the opponent's CP.
Fortification
Fortified units take 1 less damage from all combat sources. This can mean the difference between surviving and being destroyed.
Summoning Sickness
Newly played units can't attack the turn they're deployed. They can still block. Look for the hourglass icon on affected units.
Deathboon
Some units have effects that trigger when they're destroyed — dealing damage, summoning tokens, drawing cards, or returning to hand.
Keywords
| Keyword | Effect |
|---|
| First Strike | Deals combat damage before units without First Strike. If it kills the opposing unit, that unit never deals damage back. |
| Unblockable | Cannot be blocked by defending units. Damage always hits the opponent's CP. |
| Fortify | Takes 1 less damage from combat. Also can't be targeted by opponent spells/abilities until your next turn. |
| Deathboon | Triggers a special effect when this unit is destroyed (e.g., deal damage, draw a card, summon a token). |
| Double Attack | May attack a second time if the first attack was unblocked. |
| Navigation | Sub-type for oceanic/mobile units. Gains bonuses from Navigation synergies and the Wayfinder passive. |
| Token | A unit created by an effect (not drawn from the deck). Removed from the game when it leaves play. |
Resources & Lands
Resource Points (RP) are the currency you use to play cards. Your RP pool resets and refills at the start of each Development Phase based on your lands.
Land Types
Basic Land
Enters untapped. Produces 1 RP immediately. The foundation of every deck — play one per turn to steadily grow your resource base.
Advanced Land
Enters tapped (can't produce RP the turn it's played). Produces 2 RP on subsequent turns, or provides a special effect. Worth the tempo loss for the payoff.
Cost Modifiers
- Affinity Surcharge: Playing a card outside your empire's two affinities costs +1 RP extra.
- Cost Reductions: Certain structures and technologies reduce the cost of specific card types (e.g., "Engineering cards cost 1 less RP").
- Identity Bonus: If 80%+ of your deck shares a single affinity, you unlock a powerful passive bonus.
Primary AffinityPolitics
Secondary AffinityEngineering
PlaystyleControl & Infrastructure
Overview
Rome is the empire of order, control, and disciplined military might. With Politics as its primary affinity, Rome excels at disrupting opponents — forcing discards, taxing resources, and denying key plays. Engineering as a secondary affinity gives Rome access to powerful structures that create defensive fortifications and reduce costs over time.
Rome is the best choice for players who want to control the pace of the game, build an impenetrable board, and methodically grind out victories through attrition and board advantage.
Leader: Julius Caesar
4 ATK / 5 DEF / 5 RP
Passive — Roman Discipline
All your units gain +1 Defense while you control at least one Structure. This makes your units significantly harder to kill in combat, rewarding you for building infrastructure.
Command Action — Forced March
Once per game: Untap all your units. They may attack again this turn. Use this to deliver a devastating double-attack turn when your opponent isn't expecting it.
Key Cards
Legionary Infantry 3 RP 3/2
On summon: opponent discards 1 card. The core of Rome's hand disruption strategy.
Praetorian Elite 5 RP 4/4
First Strike. On summon: each opponent discards a card. Rome's premium threat.
Centurion Guard 4 RP 2/4
On summon: Fortify an adjacent Structure. Protects your key buildings.
Roman Road 3 RP Structure
Ongoing: Engineering cards cost 1 less RP. Accelerates your building engine.
Senate Decree 2 RP Spell
Target opponent's next card costs +2 RP this turn. Tempo disruption.
Aqueduct Foundation 2 RP Structure
Ongoing: heal 1 CP at start of turn. Sustain through long games.
Colosseum 7 RP Wonder
Start of turn: deal 1 damage to each enemy unit. Your units gain +1 Attack. Rome's crown jewel.
Strategy Guide
Early game: Focus on playing lands and deploying structures like Roman Road and Aqueduct Foundation. These provide long-term value that compounds every turn.
Mid game: Deploy Caesar to activate Roman Discipline, giving all your units +1 Defense. Start pressuring with Legionary Infantry to strip your opponent's hand.
Late game: Drop the Colosseum to dominate the board. Save Forced March for a critical turn where you can attack twice with your full army. Use Senate Decree to prevent your opponent from answering your threats.
Primary AffinityReligion
Secondary AffinityEconomics
PlaystyleSustain & Value
Overview
Egypt is the empire of endurance, sacred authority, and wealth. Religion provides healing, protection, and revival effects, while Economics gives Egypt superior resource generation and card advantage. Egypt wants to outlast opponents — healing damage faster than it comes in, drawing more cards, and generating more resources.
Egypt is the best choice for players who enjoy grinding out long games, maintaining a resource advantage, and winning through inevitability rather than aggression.
Leader: Cleopatra VII
3 ATK / 5 DEF / 5 RP
Passive — Divine Authority
At the start of your turn, if your CP total is higher than your opponent's, draw 1 additional card. Rewards you for maintaining a life advantage and snowballs card advantage.
Command Action — Treasury of the Nile
Once per game: Immediately gain 5 RP and heal 3 CP. A massive tempo swing that lets you deploy a huge threat while recovering health.
Key Cards
Temple Priest 2 RP 1/3
On death: heal 1 CP. Deathboon unit that heals even when destroyed.
Pharaoh's Guard 3 RP 2/4
On summon: target friendly unit gains +0/+2 until next turn. Protects your board.
Desert Rider 3 RP 3/2
On summon: gain 1 RP. Ramps your resources while threatening combat.
Sacred Revival 3 RP Spell
Return destroyed unit from graveyard to hand. Heal 2 CP. Recursion + sustain.
Blessing of Ra 2 RP Spell
Heal 3 CP. If you control a Wonder, draw 1 card. Efficient healing.
Merchant Fleet 3 RP Technology
All Economics cards cost 1 less RP. Accelerates Egypt's economy.
Great Pyramid 6 RP Wonder
Draw 1 card and gain 1 CP at start of each turn. Unstoppable value engine.
Strategy Guide
Early game: Deploy cheap units like Temple Priest to block while building your economy with Merchant Fleet and Treasury Vault. Keep your CP high to trigger Divine Authority.
Mid game: Deploy Cleopatra once you have a CP advantage to start drawing extra cards. Use Sacred Revival to recycle your best units. Treasury of the Nile provides a massive mid-game spike.
Late game: The Great Pyramid makes Egypt nearly impossible to out-value. You'll draw more cards, generate more resources, and heal more damage than any opponent can deal. Victory through inevitability.
Primary AffinityHonor
Secondary AffinityReligion
PlaystyleAggro & Precision Combat
Overview
Japan is the empire of martial honor, spiritual discipline, and tactical precision. Honor provides aggressive combat buffs, First Strike, and initiative effects. Religion as a secondary gives Japan access to healing and sustain to keep its warriors fighting. Japan excels at winning through superior combat efficiency — its units trade better than anything else on the board.
Japan is the best choice for players who love aggressive combat, overwhelming the opponent with efficient attackers, and using precision tactics to control the battlefield.
Leader: Tokugawa Ieyasu
4 ATK / 4 DEF / 5 RP
Passive — Warrior's Code
All your units deal +1 extra damage when they attack and are not blocked. This makes every unblocked attacker more threatening, punishing opponents who can't match your board.
Command Action — Shogunate Order
Once per game: All your units gain +2 Attack and First Strike until end of turn. An explosive finisher that turns your entire army into a lethal fighting force.
Key Cards
Samurai Vanguard 3 RP 3/2
First Strike. On death: deal 1 damage to attacker. Deathboon punishes the opponent for killing it.
Zen Monk 2 RP 1/4
Start of turn: heal 1 CP. Sustain unit that keeps you alive while you attack.
Ronin Wanderer 3 RP 3/1
Attack cannot be reduced below 1. Glass cannon that always hits hard.
Kenjutsu Strike 2 RP Spell
Target unit gets +2/+0. If it destroys an enemy, draw 1 card. Reward for aggression.
Katana Technique 3 RP Technology
Samurai units gain +1/+0 and First Strike. Transforms your army.
Bushido Discipline 2 RP Technology
All Honor units gain +1/+1. Passive army-wide buff.
Torii Gate 5 RP Wonder
On entry: summon a 2/2 Spirit with First Strike. Religion Spells cost 1 less RP.
Strategy Guide
Early game: Deploy efficient units like Samurai Vanguard and Ashigaru Spearman. Start attacking immediately — every point of unblocked damage matters more for Japan thanks to Warrior's Code.
Mid game: Deploy Tokugawa to activate the +1 unblocked damage passive. Play Katana Technique and Bushido Discipline to permanently buff your army. Use Kenjutsu Strike for favorable combat trades.
Late game: Save Shogunate Order for the killing blow. With +2 Attack and First Strike on your entire army, most opponents can't survive a full assault. Japan wins fast or risks being out-valued by slower empires.
Primary AffinityNavigation
Secondary AffinityMythology
PlaystyleTempo & Token Swarm
Overview
Polynesia is the empire of ocean mastery, migration, and spirit tradition. Navigation gives Polynesia flexible, mobile attackers that bypass defensive strategies. Mythology adds surprise summons, unusual threats, and spirit-based synergies. Polynesia wins by swarming the board with tokens and efficient units, then making them unblockable to push damage through.
Polynesia is the best choice for players who enjoy tempo plays, token synergies, and creative combat tricks. It rewards players who think several turns ahead and know when to commit to an all-in attack.
Leader: Moana Te Ariki
3 ATK / 5 DEF / 5 RP
Passive — Wayfinder
Navigation units you control may attack any opponent lane freely, ignoring lane assignment restrictions. Your fleet can strike where the enemy is weakest.
Command Action — Tides of Fate
Once per game: Return all your units to your hand. This turn, you may redeploy them for free. A massive repositioning tool — use it to re-trigger all your on-summon effects or dodge a board wipe.
Key Cards
Outrigger Raider 2 RP 2/1
If unblocked, may attack again. Double Attack lets this unit punch through massive damage.
Wave Caller 3 RP 2/3
On summon: if you control another Spirit, deal 2 damage to opponent unit. Spirit synergy removal.
Sea Spirit 4 RP 3/3
Costs 1 less RP if opponent controls a Wonder. Punishes greedy opponents.
Tidal Guardian 3 RP 2/3
When blocking: gains +0/+2 until combat ends. Excellent defensive anchor.
Tide Surge 3 RP Spell
Tap all opponent units. Your units are Unblockable this combat. Game-ending swing spell.
Ancestral Call 2 RP Spell
Summon a 1/1 Spirit token with Navigation. Cheap token generation for synergies.
Marae 5 RP Wonder
Start of turn: summon a 1/1 Spirit token with Navigation. Endless token generation.
Strategy Guide
Early game: Deploy cheap units like Outrigger Raider and Navigator Scout. Play lands aggressively — you need RP to deploy your fleet and tokens. Use Ancestral Call to start building Spirit synergies.
Mid game: Deploy Moana to unlock Wayfinder. Build token presence with Marae. Use Wave Caller's on-summon effect to pick off opposing blockers. Tides of Fate is your secret weapon — bouncing units and redeploying them for free re-triggers all on-summon effects.
Late game: Cast Tide Surge to tap all enemy units and make your army unblockable for a massive lethal swing. If one big attack doesn't win, the steady stream of Spirit tokens from Marae will eventually overwhelm any defense.
Affinities
Every card belongs to one of seven affinities. Each empire has a primary and secondary affinity. Playing cards that match your affinities is cheaper — off-affinity cards cost +1 RP.
Politics
Control and disruption. Forces discards, taxes resources, denies opponent plays. Rome's primary strength.
Engineering
Fortification and scaling. Powerful structures, cost reductions, defensive engines. Rome's secondary, but a potent standalone strategy.
Religion
Healing and protection. Restores CP, protects units, revives from the graveyard. Egypt and Japan's spiritual backbone.
Economics
Growth and acceleration. Extra card draw, RP generation, efficient development. Egypt's resource engine.
Honor
Direct combat excellence. Attack buffs, First Strike, initiative effects. Japan's martial core.
Mythology
Mystery and spiritual force. Surprise summons, unusual threats, miracle turns. Polynesia's wild card.
Navigation
Mobility and tempo. Naval synergy, flexible attacks, positioning advantage. Polynesia's fleet.
Identity Bonus
If 80% or more of your deck shares a single affinity, you unlock that affinity's Identity Bonus — a powerful passive effect that lasts the entire game.
| Affinity | Identity Bonus |
|---|
| Politics | Opponent pays +1 RP for the first disruptive effect targeting them each turn. |
| Engineering | First Structure each game costs 1 less RP and enters Fortified. |
| Religion | Heal 1 CP at the start of each turn. |
| Economics | Start with +2 CP (32 total) and improved opening hand smoothing. |
| Honor | First attacking unit each turn gets +1 Attack until end of combat. |
| Mythology | First non-standard unit summoned each turn costs 1 less RP. |
| Navigation | First Naval or mobility card each turn costs 1 less RP. |
Strategy Tips
1. Play a Land Every Turn
Missing a land drop sets you behind on resources. Mulligan aggressively for at least 1 land in your opening hand.
2. Curve Matters
Play your cheapest cards first. A 2-cost unit on turn 2 is better than holding it to play alongside a 4-cost unit on turn 4.
3. Attack With Purpose
Don't attack blindly. Consider which units your opponent might block with. Sometimes holding back a unit to block is better than sending it to die.
4. Use Main Phase 2
Don't play all your cards before combat. Wait until after combat to deploy new units — you'll have more information about what survived and what your opponent can do.
5. Protect Your Leader
Your leader is powerful but expensive to redeploy (+2 RP each time). Don't deploy them into a losing board — wait until you can protect them.
6. Watch the Timer
You have 75 seconds per turn. Don't rush, but don't stall. If the timer runs out, your turn ends automatically.
7. Read the Cards
Hover over any card to see its full text and stats. Understanding what your opponent's cards do is just as important as knowing your own.
8. Save Your Command Action
Your leader's Command Action can only be used once per game. Save it for a critical moment where it can swing the game in your favor.