In Prime Ordeal, two or more players take turns drafting armies from a "Spawning Pool" (a face-up collection of Creature and Bonus cards that all players have access to) to get ready for battle. Each creature has a Power Level, represented by a single number. These numbers are added together to form a player's Total Power Level when battling. As the game progresses, so does each player's army and Total Power Level. To draft (referred to as "Create" in game), players discard combinations of Prime cards from their hands into the Prime card discard pile. Each Creature or Bonus card features a Creation Cost, specifying the combination of Prime cards necessary to create it. The Creation Cost may feature any combination of the following Prime card types: Bug, Sea, Bird, Reptile, Mammal, and Amphibian. Creatures themselves have types that directly correspond to their Creation Cost. Players are encouraged to collect creatures that share types to increase synergy and for better chances at acquiring Bonus cards. After each player takes a turn Creating, the round concludes with a mandatory, free-for-all style battle. Each player's Power Level is compared and those with the highest or tied for highest Power Level win the battle, while each other player loses a Life. Players draft in between each battle and the game continues until only one player remains with any Life. The amount of Life chosen before the game will determine how long a game lasts. It is recommended to start players at 7 (short game), 11 (medium-length game), or 13 Life (long game). This strategic, card-based brawler features a modular design. The core set, Genesis, functions as a standalone game. Players may purchase expansions and shuffle them directly into the core set to change the game entirely. Groups may decide on which expansions to include and which to omit for a customizable gaming experience. Prime Ordeal is traditionally played as a free-for-all; however, its design accommodates team play as well. -description from publisher