Dates: Dec 2022
Where: TU Dublin (Student)
Type: Game & Graphic Design
Illustrated - Game In Action
Why Tarot Inspired?
Tarot cards, originally created in 15th-century Italy for games and later used for fortune-telling, have always fascinated me with their rich symbolism and timeless, mystical art.
I was drawn to their ability to tell stories through imagery, each card holding its own weight and meaning. Inspired by this, I wanted to bring that same depth and mystery into a board game, blending Tarot’s visual language with my own illustration style to create something both strategic and symbolic.
The Game Pieces | 2-6 Players
6x meeples | 1 per person
36x dice | 6 per person | used to tally lives
60x TRAPS | 10 per person
150x DUNGEON TILES | PLACE START TILE & SHUFFLE REMAINING | SUN TILE SHOULD BE NEAR BOTTOM OF PILE
6X character cards | 1 PER PERSON
24X attack cards | EXAMPLES | SHUFFLE & FACE DOWN [STACKED]
12X attack cards | EXAMPLES | SHUFFLE & FACE DOWN [STACKED]
Game Set Up
Trap Design: The trap designs are inspired by pentacles in Tarot Cards. Originally, they represent resilience and responsibility. Each player gets 10x traps of the same colour.
Card Design: The hearts represent the player's lives. The shield represents the player's attack ability. The number represents the player's speed. The design integrates these elements into the card's overall look.
Tile Design: Designed in the same style as the other game pieces, I only needed to create five unique tiles for the 150 total pieces, aside from the start and sun tiles. These tiles can be placed and connected in any order, just like a puzzle, allowing players to create their own board as they play.
Dice: The dice aren't used traditionally but serve to indicate the player's lives. Each player can have up to 36 lives using 6 dice, but start initially with the amount on their card (i.e. The Empress starts with 6 while the The Hierophant starts with 3).
Cards Faced Down: The Attack Cards, Dungeon Tiles, and the Trap Cards are kept faced down. The character cards are chosen at the start by the players, and each have their skills and weaknesses.
Character Cards Design: The Character cards are inspired by the Major Arcana Tarot. The numbers on them match the original Tarot cards, but, I adapted them for the game as the player's speed.
Instructions Part 1: Before The Sun Tile Is Found
Step 1: Let all players choose a Meeple colour. Hand them their colour of choice. Also, hand them six dice of the same colour as their Meeple. Hand everyone their colour of traps too (there should be 10 of each colour).
Step 2: Let one player shuffle the Character Cards. Then, they will deal everyone one card randomly. You do not need to hide this card. Each Character Card has unique abilities for lives, attack, and speed. Set one dice to show your current lives.
Lives
Attack
Speed
Step 3: Shuffle the Attack Cards and place them face down in a pile. Shuffle the Trap Cards and place them face down in a pile. Don’t worry about these for now.
Step 4: Grab the Dungeon Tiles and find the "start" card. Place it in the center of the table, and have everyone place their Meeple on it. Shuffle the remaining Dungeon Tiles and place them face down in a pile within everyone's reach.
Step 5: Choose a player to go first. They draw and place a Dungeon Tile next to the "start tile," then move based on their Character Card's speed (6 speed means they can move between 1-6 tiles, while 3 speed means 1-3 tiles). Players can’t move back and forth in one turn or leave the Dungeon Tiles. The game starts slow until more tiles are placed, then the next player draws a tile and continues.
Instructions Part 2: Once Sun Tile Is Placed
Step 6: When a player finds the 'sun tile,' the game shifts. It doesn't matter who finds it—once placed, everyone turns on each other. Attack Cards, Trap Cards, and Traps then come into play.
Step 7: On each turn, players choose one action:
Pick a Trap Card and place Traps as instructed.
Move your Meeple and pick an Attack Card to use immediately.
Pick an Attack Card, attack immediately, then move your Meeple.
Draw and place a Dungeon Tile, then move your Meeple.
You can only attack if you're on the same tile as an opponent and must do so immediately after drawing an Attack Card. Traps take one life from a player who lands on them. Discard used Attack or Trap Cards to the bottom of their piles. Players with no lives are out. Last player standing wins.
Sun Seeker - A Magical, Strategy Game
