Prepare the Battlefield
- Place the official 19-Hex hexagonal board at the center of the table.
- Identify the center hex — this is the Resonance Hex. Place the Resonance marker there.
- Each player places their Home Base token at one of the two opposite point-hexes on the outer ring of the board (straight across from each other).
- Each player then places their Sanctum Token on an unoccupied hex.
Select Your Hexmasters
- Each player chooses 3 Hexmasters, selecting from six available classes:
Warrior, Mage, Archer, Cleric, Druid, Rogue - Place your chosen Hexmasters near your play area. These will be deployed during the game, one at a time.
- Attach a Focalis selector ring to each Hexmaster, aligned with their Class Edict.
Build Your Lexicon
- Each player constructs a Lexicon of 12 unique Glyphexes — no duplicates allowed.
- Shuffle your Lexicon into a face-down stack.
- Each player draws 1 Glyphex from their Lexicon to begin the match.
Echo Start Protocol (Turn Order)
Player 1:
- Begins the game with 1 CE
- Deploys 1 Hexmaster adjacent to their Home Base
- That Hexmaster:
- Cannot move or activate an Edict this turn
- Cannot be targeted or damaged
- Player 1 does not gain CE at the end of Turn 0 (this is a pre-turn, not a full turn)
Player 2:
- Begins the game with 1 CE
- At the start of their Turn 1:
- Gains +1 CE (Total: 2 CE)
- Takes the first full turn of the game:
- May deploy a Hexmaster
- May attune (1 CE)
- May move + activate an Edict with a single Hexmaster
- May begin setting up CE plays or pressure zones immediately
Strategic Setup Tips
First Game? Consider These:
- Sanctum placement shapes your revival flow — avoid crowding near your Home Base.
- Open with a versatile Hexmaster — Rogues and Druids can manipulate space early.
- Your first Glyphex draw could shift your entire opening — pick your first deploy to match its strengths.