How to Play Petty Wizards

A complete rules guide for 2–6 players. Games typically last 20–40 minutes.

Objective

Win by achieving either of the following:

  • →Complete 2 Grimoire sets in your Play Area. A set is complete when you hold all Grimoires for a given school of magic.
  • →Be the last wizard standing by eliminating all other players.

Setup

  1. 1.Shuffle the full deck and deal 5 cards to each player.
  2. 2.Each player starts with a Mana Shield of 5.
  3. 3.Place the remaining deck face-down in the center as the draw pile.
  4. 4.Choose a starting player (youngest, most dramatic, or random).

Turn Structure

1. Draw Phase

Draw 2 cards from the deck. If the deck is empty, draw 5 cards instead (the deck resets from the discard pile). If you are Paralyzed, draw only 1 card and take only 1 action this turn.

2. Action Phase

Take up to 3 actions in any order. Each of the following counts as one action:

  • GrimoirePlay a Grimoire card from your hand onto your Play Area. Completing a full school set moves you one step closer to winning.
  • CastPlay a Spell or Action card from your hand. Spells deal Mana Burn to targets; Action cards have unique effects. Discard after use.
  • DefendSacrifice any card from your hand to add its Mana Value to your Mana Shield. Mana cards add their printed value. Other cards add 1.

3. Discard Phase

If you have more than 7 cards in hand at end of turn, discard down to 7. Choose carefully — you may be holding a key defensive instant.

Mana Shield & Elimination

Your Mana Shield is your life total. Spells don't deal temporary damage — they permanently reduce your Mana. There is no natural recovery unless a card specifically says so.

Mana Burn

When you are targeted by a spell, subtract the burn amount from your Mana Shield. Your Mana cannot drop below 0 from a single hit — excess burn carries over as overflow damage.

Overflow & Sacrifice

If burn would reduce your Mana below 0, the overflow damage must be covered by sacrificing Grimoires from your Play Area. Each Grimoire sacrificed absorbs 1 overflow. Grimoires sacrificed this way return to a random position in the deck — not the discard pile.

Elimination

If you cannot cover all overflow damage — because you have no Grimoires left to sacrifice — you are eliminated. All your remaining Grimoires and cards are shuffled back into the deck.

Card Types

Grimoires

Spell books tied to a school of magic. Collect full sets to win. They can be sacrificed to absorb overflow damage, but go back to the deck when they are.

Spells

Offensive cards that deal Mana Burn or other effects to targets. Spells belong to two schools and are discarded after casting. They can be countered during the interrupt window.

Action Cards

Non-spell cards with powerful effects: steal mana, paralyze opponents, force discards, draw extra cards, and more. Some trigger interrupt windows.

Mana Cards

Pure resource cards (values 1–10). Can be sacrificed for their printed Mana Value to boost your Shield, or cast via certain abilities.

Instants: Counterspell & Dispel Magic

When certain cards are played — Spells, Mana Drain, Potion Spill, Paralyze, or Magic Missile — a 5-second interrupt window opens. During this window, any player (including the target) may play an instant from their hand.

Counterspell

Cancel the triggering card entirely and redirect its effect back at the original caster. A well-timed Counterspell can flip the momentum of a game in an instant.

Dispel Magic

Cancel the triggering card without redirecting it. The spell simply fizzles — nobody takes the effect. Cheaper than Counterspell in terms of hand cost.

If the interrupt window passes without a response, the original effect resolves normally.

Notable Action Cards

Mana Drain

Steal Mana directly from a target's Shield and add it to your own.

Potion Spill

Force a target to discard Mana from their Shield (not steal — destroy).

Paralyze

Target player draws only 1 card and takes only 1 action on their next turn.

Counterspell

Interrupt any triggering card and reflect it back at its caster.

Dispel Magic

Cancel any triggering card without reflection.

Mana Storm

Area effect that burns Mana from all opponents simultaneously.

Wish

Search the deck for any card and add it to your hand.

Upcast

Boost the Mana Burn value of the next spell you cast this turn.

Strategy Tips

  • ★Protect your Mana Shield early. At 5 Mana, a single Fire spell can cut you down to 1. Sacrifice a Mana card or two in the first few turns to stay safe.
  • ★Sacrificed Grimoires go back to the deck. Don't assume you've lost a Grimoire forever when it's sacrificed under damage — it cycles back. The real cost is tempo, not the card.
  • ★Hold your instants carefully. A Counterspell in hand is more threatening than one already played. Opponents will hesitate to target you if they suspect you're holding one.
  • ★Watch the Grimoire counts. If an opponent is one Grimoire away from completing their second set, they're a priority target — even if their Mana Shield is healthy.
  • ★The discard pile is public. Track what's been played. If you've seen all Counterspells hit the discard, you can cast freely without fear of interruption.

The Golden Rule

Manage your Mana Shield, protect your Grimoires, burn your rivals' mana, and be ready for high levels of pettiness.

Ready to play? Start a game now or read the About page to learn more about the design.