In our last post, we talked about the setting and Erumi's story, and today we want to show you how combat works in Spears & Spirits. At its core, combat is turn-based grid tactics, where shaman cards combine with classic unit positioning.
Every encounter takes place on a grid-based battlefield. Position matters a lot: cover, terrain, and choke points directly affect line of sight and attack accuracy. Your main goal is to control distance, keep your characters from getting surrounded, and balance ranged attacks with melee pushes.
We didn't want a combat system where you have to tediously chip away at an armored enemy with basic attacks for five turns in a row. So every character on the field has two bars:
Health - physical condition. If it drops to zero, the warrior dies or gets severely injured.
Willpower - mental fortitude and the will to fight.
You don't have to break through a heavily armored enemy head-on. If you unleash shamanic magic on him or frighten him with ancestral spirits, his will bar will drop quickly. But the Spirits will take their due, and to wield their power you will have to sacrifice either your blood or your willpower.
While the party holds the physical defense line, Erumi plays cards from her deck. Depending on their ability, cards can harm enemies, help allies with healing or buffs, and even the odds in battle by summoning spirits. Combining grid positioning with well-timed cards gives you plenty of options to complete the exact same encounter. And don't forget to add Spears & Spirits to your wishlist - it really helps the project: