Der Musikclub TCG — Comprehensive Rules (Draft v2.1)

This document supersedes Draft v2.0. Its primary change is the clarification and isolation of the Endgame & Three‑Turn Test as a standalone rules section for table clarity. No mechanical changes are introduced beyond wording, structure, and emphasis.

If an action is not explicitly permitted by this document, it is not allowed.

1. Game Overview

Der Musikclub TCG is a competitive two-player game in which each player (a DJ) contributes music into a shared system (the mixer).

Victory is determined by whether the DJs collectively succeed in creating and sustaining a satisfying musical performance. Failure to do so results in a shared loss.

The game emphasizes:

time as a scarce, non-renewable resource,
shared state evaluation,
balance over excess,
and sustained cooperation under competitive pressure.

2. Components

Each DJ requires:

One crate (deck)
Two (or more) time dice (six-sided dice)
One bin

Shared:

One mixer

3. Zones

3.1 Crate

Private, face-down, ordered deck.

3.2 Hand

Private zone. Cards here have no effect.

3.3 Queue

Public zone owned by a DJ.

Holds up to 4 song cards.
Songs in queue do not contribute to the mixer.

3.4 Playlist

Public, ordered, linear zone.

Contains song and effect cards.
All songs here contribute continuously to the mixer.

3.5 Mixer

Shared public zone representing the derived global state:

total static Victory Points,
frequency balance,
volume,
active loop effects.

3.6 Bin

Public discard zone.

Cards here are overclocked.
Order matters.

4. Time System

4.1 Time Dice

Each DJ has exactly two time dice.
Dice normally range from 1 to 6.
The time bank is the sum of both dice.

4.2 Automatic Die Reset

When a DJ pays a time-dice cost using their own dice:

If a die would be reduced to exactly 0, it is immediately set to 6 after payment resolves.
This does not require a Change Tempo action.
This cannot be combined with Time Thief.

4.3 Parallel Seconds

Temporary seconds granted by cards.
Refresh at start of the DJ’s turn.
Do not advance the inner clock.
Any parallel-second cost may be paid with time-dice seconds instead.

4.4 Inner Clock

Advances whenever any time-dice seconds are spent.
Does not advance when only parallel seconds are spent.

5. Turn Structure

5.1 Start of Turn

Refresh parallel seconds.

5.2 Actions

Any number of actions costing only parallel seconds may be taken.
At most one action spending time-dice seconds may be taken.
Any action that spends time-dice seconds ends the turn immediately after resolution.

6. Constant Game Actions

6.1 Change Tempo

Cost: 1 time-dice second
Effect: Set one of your time dice to any value from 1 to 6
Ends the turn

6.2 Queue Actions

May be paid with parallel or time-dice seconds.

Enqueue Song (2s)
Dequeue Song (2s)
Swap Song (2s)
Fly In (2s; reveal top card, play if valid, otherwise bin)

6.3 Crate Actions (All End the Turn)

Draw 1 — 3s
Draw 2 — 5s
Draw 3 — 7s
Draw 4 — 9s
Draw 5 — 12s
Shuffle Draw — 5s
Shuffle your crate, then draw 1.
Sort Upcoming — 5s
Look at the top 6 cards of your crate, reorder them, then draw 1.
Dig for Song — 7s
Search your crate for a song card and put it into your hand. Do not shuffle.

7. Song Cards

7.1 Properties

A song card may specify:

Frequencies (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass)
Volume contribution
Static Victory Points (VP)
Victory Coins (VC)
Time-dice cost
Parallel-second effects
Activated or static abilities

7.2 Playing Songs

Songs are played from the queue to the head or tail of a playlist.
Color matching is checked only at the moment of play.

7.3 Fadeout

Only head or tail songs may be faded out.
Cost: twice the song’s printed time-dice cost.
Fadeout always spends time-dice seconds and ends the turn.

8. Effect Cards

Placed in playlist.
Modify rules or evaluation temporarily.
May grant VP, VC, or time-related effects.
Expire when their lifetime reaches zero inner-clock seconds.

9. Loop Cards

Placed in the mixer.
Affect both DJs equally unless stated otherwise.
Do not grant VP or VC directly.

10. Mixer Evaluation

10.1 Victory Points

Only static VP count toward endgame.
VC never count toward endgame qualification.

10.2 Frequency Balance & Negative Feedback

If any frequency exceeds its maximum:

All VP are treated as 0
Endgame cannot begin or progress
This state persists until corrected by card removal

10.3 Volume

Volume modifies stability and risk.
Volume does not trigger endgame.

11. Endgame & the Three‑Turn Test (Standalone Reference)

11.1 Endgame Trigger

At the end of any turn, if:

the mixer contains 10 or more static VP, and
VP are not suppressed by negative feedback,

the game enters endgame.

This does not immediately end the game.

11.2 The Three‑Turn Test

To conclude the game successfully:

The mixer must end three turns
with 10 or more VP
while VP are not suppressed.

Clarifications:

These are three end‑of‑turn checks
Turns with suppressed VP do not count
If VP fall below 10 at any clean check, progress resets
Partial progress is not retained

11.3 Negative Feedback Limits

Each DJ may personally cause negative feedback once without penalty.
Causing negative feedback a second time permanently forfeits that DJ’s Victory Coins.

11.4 Endgame Resolution

If the three‑turn test is completed:

Static VP are totaled
Victory Coins are evaluated
The higher total wins

12. Shared Failure Condition

If the game ends without a successful three‑turn endgame:

Both DJs lose.

Failure to end the night is a shared loss. No Victory Coins are awarded.

13. Time Thief

When paying a time-dice cost, a DJ may borrow seconds from opposing dice valued at 1 or 2.
Borrowed dice are set to 6 after resolution.
Must be declared before using own dice.
Cannot be combined with automatic die reset.

14. Rule Priority

Card text
These rules
Default game state