Manticore

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About

Manticore the Multiplayer

Rogue-Like Deck-Builder

Manticore is an innovative board game that introduces a wide range of multiplayer interactions, filling a niche often underserved in this genre. Its design draws inspiration from games like Hearthstone and Slay the Spire and a litte bit from Divinity: Original Sin 2. The theme gets inspiration from Jumanji with a demonic twist.

Animation showing some card graphics and game play. Fire mage picking up a fireball spell and blowing up 3 skeletons with it and Castle defending itself using Shockwave pushing all enemies away.

Animation showing the spell system. Clicking the spell caster opens up spells around the spell caster and dragging it to enemy executes the spell. In this case throwing knives.

The Innovation

Designed for content freedom

The spell casting system allows for any amount of heroes and players. Smart camera movement always shows what you can do at any given moment. Possible moves always visible and highlight-able by a simple click of a button.

This system also allows for immense character variety and customization. When minions can also have abilities like cannons and trebuchets shooting far or sneaky rogue turning invisible. Or innate effects like knockback, jump or flight. The possibilities are endless.

Flexible Expansive System

Level designers paradise

Nearly everything is customizable, from levels and card images to sounds and effects. The game is controlled by an effect system, allowing for numerous creative possibilities. For instance, a healing aura can be configured as:

ChangesPermanent -> Change Health +1 -> Area of 1 -> Target Teammates -> Activates on turn start -> Unlimited uses.
Alternatively, the same effect type can be used to create a harmful spell:

ChangesPermanent -> Set Health to 1 -> Area of 1 -> Target Enemies -> Activates on impact -> Activates once.
These effects can be applied not only to characters but also to the board itself, enabling the creation of traps, burning tiles, slippery ice tiles, or even a tile that heals using the effect mentioned above.

Click the button below to open the current list of planned effect types.

Open Effect Types List

Decorative image of a man pondering in front of a board game.

Shady character in tavern pointing you with a finger.

Story

A Story-Less Story

The story unfolds through the interplay of locations, events, and sounds, without any characters directly explaining the narrative. It feels as though you're witnessing the spectral echoes of a game played in the past. This storytelling approach is inspired by Dark Souls, relying heavily on lore and environmental cues to reveal the plot, rewarding those who pay close attention.

Compact Design

One element, multiple uses.

The board serves a dual purpose: it functions as both the battlefield and the level selector. Watching the tiles roll is almost hypnotic. The roguelike map features a tile maze that includes levels, various rewards, and switches that can trigger events to manipulate the board.

Animation showing how the game board forms by opening and closing one tile at a time.

The Card Design

Aiming for interesting synergies. Things like:

Pandemic + Ability to move enemies next to each other.

Protecting bullfinch so it can target powerful minions for insta kill hit.

Protect the Trebutchet for constant bombardment.

Card for Advanced Trebuchet. It is a minion card which can shoot projectiles far away dealing damage from safe distance.

Pandemic spell card. It deals 1 point of damage each time it spreads to nearby characters, potentially dealing infinite amount of damage if unable to separate and isolate.

The Bullfinch card. The description says "It is said bullfinch is a messenger from the underworld bearing bad news".
This minion on hit dooms any hit character to perish within 2 next turns with no hope of escaping it.

Or just knock dynamite on your opponents

Animation showing game mechanics. In this a hero with a knockback ability hits dynamite in the middle of skeleton army and blows all of them up at once.

Roadmap

Manticore is still in active development and not yet finished. You can read the development diary by clicking the button below.

Open Development Diary

1. Combat System

The initial game system is well-advanced in its development. Content creation is straightforward, and numerous effect types have been implemented, enabling the creation of a vast amount of content.

2. Multiplayer

Create a multiplayer demo for Steam, ensuring all multiplayer bugs are fixed to make it playable. Include a few PvP and Co-op combat levels. Note that the content will not be highly polished at this stage.

3. Deck-Builder

Develop a deck-building spell-casting system and demonstrate its functionality and usefulness. The system is fully compatible with all existing components, ensuring that the game remains viable even if this feature does not succeed.

4. Rogue-Like

Develop a generative campaign and level creator to randomize the tile maze. This will serve as the initial system, with ongoing content refinement. Create tools to adjust difficulty and variety

5. PVP

Experiment to determine the best PvP content. It remains to be seen whether separate card sets should be used for the deck-building campaign mode and PVP.

6. Early Access

It should be nearly time to launch on Early Access. Content development and polishing will continue, using feedback to achieve better game balance.

Your support is vital

Show interest by wish-listing on steam. Spread the word.

Every little bit helps.

Thank you.

Cute happy Bullfinch with a message saying "Wishlist on steam now"