Emmerlaus is a game of cards and dice designed in Quebec. In this game, you play a wizard who faces opponents in magical combat. This game appeals to both fans of role-playing and strategy games.

The original game includes cards and special dice: 4 sided (d4), 6 sided (d6), 8 sided (d8), 10 sided (d10 ), 12 sided (d12) and 20 sided (d20). In the online game, the dice are represented by two numbers, the first one being the lowest possible result the dice can produce, the second one being the highest. So 1d4 is 1-4. 1d4 rolled twice (2d4) is 2-8.

Cards are your items and spells in the imaginary relm of the game. Each player draws cards to build his starting hand.

The game is played clockwise in the original version. Online, it runs from top to bottom and the sequence is repeated after the turn of the last player. Each player plays one card at his turn unless game situations allow otherwise. Also, some cards can come into play and at the beginning of your next turn, can be activated in addition to the card that would normally be played. However most cards are played and then thrown to the Talon (the discard pile) once their effect is completed.

Each player starts the game with Hit Points. This number of Hit Points is set to 75 by default for games with Online rules and 50 for other types of games but can be changed by the creator of the game, and applies to all players. A player is eliminated when his Hit Points reach 0 or less. When a player has eliminated all his rivals, or when there is only players from one team (for team games), the game ends.

The cards are divided into different categories that are recognizable by their background color. You can obtain a card's description in two ways: by placing your cursor over the card or clicking on it. The latter will also make the description appear in the newswire (text zone that describes the game action).

	Attack Damage (AD) - orange	These cards reduce the Hit Points of an opponent and may even cause his instant removal in some cases.
	Attribute (A) - blue-green	These cards increase your Hit Points or those of a teammate.
	Mass Attack (MA) - night sky	These cards reduce the Hit Points of all opponents and can even cause their instant removal in some cases.
	Object (O) - brown	These cards are put into play and remain in place until they are stolen or destroyed by an opponent. There are several kinds of objects: Rings, Staffs, Hats, Belts, Robes and Amulets. It is only possible to have (wear) one object of each type at once, except for Rings where it is possible to have two at a time. An object can be replaced by another, the former will be thrown to the Talon.
	Counter Object (CO) - burgundy and white	These cards allow you to steal or destroy objects of an opponent.
	Spécial (S) - silver	These cards have various effects, such as increasing the effectiveness of your attacks or making you temporarily invincible. Some are played and remain in play, others are played and then discarded to the Talon.
	Spell (SP) - black	These cards are used to penalize an opponent, for instance they may lower his defense or reduce his number of cards in hand. Their effect is permanent, unless the opponent plays 2 Cancellations card to get rid of them.
	Allies (AL) - black and white	These cards are special characters you can bring into play. You can control them as you do with your main character. Allies get their own Hit Points and cards. They all have a special skill.
	Strategic (ST) - yellow and gray	These cards once played allow you to play a second card of another class, the second card will be more difficult for the opponent to defend against. The Double Speed card allows you to play two more cards.
	Counterattack (C-A or CA) - purple	These cards are played during the opponent's turn. They increase your chances of evading his attacks. Or, they can cancel a given spell or reflect that spell back at him. Cancellation cards can exceptionally be played during your turn to remove a spell (SP) that affects you or a special card (S) your opponent is using to give himself an advantage.
	Emmerlaüs (E) - gold	These cards have various effects. They are among the most powerful in the game.

A typical turn is played as follow:

1. The player's turn is announced
2. All effects in play with a duration have a counter decrease
3. If the player has objects or spells that can be activated at the beginning of his turn, he can use them at this point
4. He plays his main card
5. All effects expiring at the end of this turn are sent to the Talon
6. The player draws all missing cards

The player is guided through these steps. If he controls other characters in addition to his mage (Allies, Clone), the game then moves to the turn of the next character. Otherwise the game moves to the next player who can be an opponent or teammate.

At any time you can know which card is playable for you: those cards are surrounded by a white box. A single click on a card then shows the valid targets. Just carry that card over a target a click again to confirm your choice.

When a card description mentions a full turn, it means when every player has completed his turn.

The Power Level is the wizard's power represented by an integer. Every wizard has a base Power Level of 1. The Power Level can be used on several occasions. When it serves for a given card, the card description will explain in what manner. It is possible to increase your Powel Level in different ways, the most common being by wearing objects like Rings of Power.

When you are on the receiving end of an attack, you can usually play a counterattack (C-A) card . If you don't have a C-A card or don't wish to use one, you may be entitled to a Saving throw. In the original game, the saving throw is made with a 20 sided die (d20). In the online game, a number between 1 and 20 is randomly determined. A result of 10 or less indicates you dodge the attack / you're not affected by it. A result of 11 or more means you are.

A successful attack can cause damage, resulting in a loss of Hit Points equal to the damage took. Otherwise, the consequence may be the loss of an object, or some other effect depending on the attack card. If the result of the saving throw is 20, it means a critical failure, double damage will be dealt.

Cards that cause damage often contain a description under this form:

• Damage: 1-6 · Power Level

This means damage will range from 1 to 6 (randomly) as many times as the attacker's Power Level. So, if the attacker has a Power Level of 3, damage points will be between 3 and 18.

If the description is rather under this form:

• Damage: 1-6 · Power Level

This means damage will range from 1 to 6 (randomly) multiplied by the attacker's Power Level. So, if the attacker has a Power Level of 3, damage points can either be 3, 6, 8, 12, 15 or 18.

The same applies to Attribute cards (A) that provide Hit Points.

Some cards use the Power Level of an opponent or the total Power Level that is to say all players involved in the game. In these cases, only the base (1) and the bonus provided by the Rings count. Other items (Hats, Belts, etc.) specify that they are only for the mage playing the card.