Playtest VersionBasic Rules

Emoji TCG

Playtest Rulebook v1.0 — The complete guide to the competitive card game where players Post Emojis to their Feed, build Power Points, and race to earn Clout Points.

01

Overview

Emoji TCG is a competitive card game where players Post Emojis to their Feed, build Power Points (PP), and earn Clout Points (CP).

Goal: Be the first player to reach 20 Clout Points.

02

What You Need

To play Emoji TCG, you need:

👥

2 Players

Playtest supports 2 players

🃏

40-Card Deck

One deck per player

🎲

Dice/Counters

To track statuses and counters

📝

CP Tracker

Paper, app, dice, etc.

03

Winning the Game

You win the game immediately when you reach 20 Clout Points (CP)

04

Card Types & Anatomy

4.1 Emoji Types

Emojis have 1 of 5 Types:

😀

Faces

✨

Vibes

🚫

Signs

💻

Tech

📦

Objects

4.2 Stages

Emojis come in 4 Stages:

Stage 1

Basicmoji

Stage 2

Supermoji

Stage 3

Ultramoji

Stage 4

Megamoji

4.3 Effects by Stage

Basicmojis

Have Post effects — these trigger when the Emoji is posted from your Keyboard to Feed.

Supermoji / Ultramoji / Megamoji

Each have:

  • UAn Upgrade effect
  • GA Glitch effect

The game automatically determines which effect triggers based on how it was played.

4.4 Keywords

Keywords appear in the text of Emojis and are explained in the Keyword Glossary section of this rulebook.

05

Zones

Each player has the following zones:

📚

5.1 Library

Your deck. Cards are drawn from here.

⌨️

5.2 Keyboard

Your hand.

📱

5.3 Feed (Front Row)

A row of 5 Emoji slots.

Only Emojis in your Feed count toward PP scoring.

⏳

5.4 Queue (Back Row)

A row of 5 Emoji slots, each directly below a Feed slot.

Emojis in your Queue do not count toward PP scoring.

🗑️

5.5 Trash

Your discard pile.

06

Deckbuilding Rules (Playtest)

Decks must contain exactly 40 cards.

Copy Limits (maximum copies of a card in your deck):

up to 4

Basicmoji

up to 3

Supermoji

up to 2

Ultramoji

up to 1

Megamoji

07

Game Setup

  1. 1Each player shuffles their Library.
  2. 2Each player presents their Library for a cut.
  3. !Players may not shuffle the opponent's Library.
  4. 3Determine who goes first (coin flip, die roll, etc.). Winner chooses to go first or second.
  5. 4Each player draws 7 cards into their Keyboard.
  6. 5
    Mulligan Phase:
    • • First player may mulligan up to 2 times.
    • • Then second player may mulligan up to 2 times.
    • • To mulligan: shuffle your hand into your Library, then draw 7 new cards.
  7. 6Begin the first round.
08

Round Structure (Main Gameplay)

Emoji TCG is played in repeating rounds. Each round contains the following steps:

8.1 Start of Main Phase — Draw

At the start of the Main Phase: Both players draw 1 card.

8.2 Main Phase — Posting

Starting with the player who goes first that round, players alternate taking turns.

On your turn, you may either:

Post 1 Emoji

Press Enter (pass)

Posting Rules

  • •To play a card is to Post it.
  • •Posted Emojis move from your Keyboard → Feed.
  • •You choose which Feed slot to post into.
  • •You may not post into an occupied Feed slot.
  • •Emojis have no cost to post.

Basic-only Posting Rule

You may only post Basicmojis into an empty Feed slot unless you perform an Upgrade or Glitch.

09

Upgrade & Glitch (Leveling Up)

9.1 How to Upgrade or Glitch

To post a Supermoji, Ultramoji, or Megamoji, you must Upgrade or Glitch:

  1. 1Return an Emoji from your Queue to your Keyboard
  2. 2Post an Emoji of the next Stage into your Feed
Basicmoji→Supermoji→Ultramoji→Megamoji

9.2 Upgrade vs Glitch (Automatic)

Upgrade and Glitch are not choices — the game determines which triggers automatically.

Upgrade

Happens if the returned Queue Emoji is the same Type as the Emoji being posted.

Example: Return a Faces Basicmoji → Post a Faces Supermoji → Trigger Upgrade effect

Glitch

Happens if the returned Queue Emoji is a different Type.

Example: Return a Faces Basicmoji → Post a Tech Supermoji → Trigger Glitch effect
10

Press Enter Rule (Closing Window)

When a player chooses to stop Posting, they Press Enter.

Once a player Presses Enter: The opponent may Post up to 3 more Emojis, then must Press Enter.

10.1 Must Press Enter

Once a player has no legal Posts, they must Press Enter.

10.2 Slow Play

Players must play at a reasonable pace. Excessive delaying or slow play is not allowed.

11

Power Points (PP) Calculation

11.1 What Counts for PP

After both players Press Enter, PP is calculated.

PP includes only Emojis in your Feed

Emojis in your Queue do not count

11.2 PP Formula

PP is the sum of each Emoji's current Power in your Feed:

  • •Printed Power
  • •Modified by Boost/Nerf counters
  • •Modified by ongoing effects

Shadowbanned Emojis do not contribute their Power

12

Clout Points (CP) Scoring

12.1 Gaining CP

After PP is calculated:

The player with higher PP gains CP equal to the difference.

Example:
Player A = 5 PP
Player B = 10 PP
Player B gains 5 CP

12.2 Tie Rule

If PP is tied:

  • •No player gains CP
  • •The player who went first that round goes first again next round

12.3 Viral Timing

After PP is calculated and CP is assigned: Viral triggers (see Keyword Glossary)

13

Scroll Step

After CP is assigned (and Viral is applied), the Scroll Step occurs.

During Scroll Step: Each Emoji in your Feed moves down into the Queue slot directly beneath it.

13.1 Overwrite Rule (Queue Full)

If a Feed Emoji would move into a Queue slot that is already occupied:

  1. 1The Emoji already in that Queue slot is sent to the Trash
  2. 2That Emoji's controller draws 1 card
  3. 3Then the Feed Emoji occupies that Queue slot
14

End of Round Cleanup

14.1 Hand Limit (Keyboard Limit)

At the end of the round:

Maximum Keyboard size is 7 cards

If you have more than 7 cards, you must discard down to 7. Choose cards from your Keyboard and send them to the Trash.

15

Counters

Emoji TCG includes the following counters:

15.1 Boost Counters (+1)

A Boost counter increases that Emoji's Power by +1.

15.2 Nerf Counters (-1)

A Nerf counter decreases that Emoji's Power by -1.

15.3 Counter Duration

Boost/Nerf counters remain on an Emoji until it leaves play.

16

Keyword Glossary

16.1 Delete

Delete: Send an Emoji to the Trash.

16.2 Recycle

Recycle: Take a card from the Trash and put it into your Keyboard.

Recycle Cost: Trash 1 card from your Keyboard for each card Recycled.

16.3 Mute (Status Effect)

A Muted Emoji loses all effects.

16.4 Jammed (Status Effect)

A Jammed Emoji cannot be used for an Upgrade or Glitch.

Jammed is removed at the end of the round.

16.5 Shadowbanned (Status Effect)

A Shadowbanned Emoji's Power is not used during PP calculation.

16.6 Viral (Status Effect)

If you control an Emoji with Viral in your Feed, gain +1 CP at the end of the round's scoring step (after PP/CP).

This applies even if you lost PP calculation.

16.7 Pinned (Status Effect)

A Pinned Emoji:

  • •Cannot be used for an Upgrade or Glitch
  • •Cannot move during the Scroll Step

Pinned Duration: When an Emoji becomes Pinned, place 2 Pin Counters on it. After each Scroll Step, remove 1 Pin Counter. When there are no Pin Counters remaining, the Emoji is no longer Pinned.

17

Infinite Loop Rule (Playtest Safety)

A player may not perform an action loop that can repeat indefinitely. If a loop can continue forever, the active player must choose a number of repetitions and then stop.

18

Notes for Playtesting

Emoji TCG is currently in playtest. If a scenario occurs that is unclear:

  • 1.Pause and agree on a fair ruling
  • 2.Record the situation for future rule updates