RULES BOT

Each player is dealt exactly 9 cards face-down at the start of the game. Supports 2 to 6 players.

The youngest player takes the first turn. Play then continues clockwise.

Two modes:

• Standard Mode: Chain an unlimited number of valid cards per turn.
• OAAT Mode: Play exactly one card per turn, unless a Green Wild (VOLT, STASIS, NULL) grants a bonus turn.

You initiate the Draw Protocol (The Dig):

• Draw 1 card. Play it if valid.
• Still stuck? Draw a 2nd card. Play it if valid.
• Still stuck? Draw a 3rd card - this is the maximum.
• If the 3rd card is playable, you MUST play it.
• If you still cannot play after 3 draws, your turn ends.

Yes - Rule 06 enforces this. If the 3rd card you draw during The Dig is playable on any active Dock, you MUST play it. This is a balance mechanic to prevent card hoarding when a legal move is available.

"Playable" means a valid move on the board. If the 3rd card during The Dig can be played on any active Dock, you must make a play. You don't get to "save" it for a better moment.

The Recycling Protocol triggers. You immediately shuffle the face-up Discard Pile to form a new Draw Pile. Active Docks are never shuffled.

The deck contains 59 cards:

• Standard (30): 10 Teal, 10 Purple, 10 Orange (1-10)
• Neutrals (20): 14 Grey (2-9, no 5). 2 sets of 7. Plus 3x [+] and 3x [-] Modifiers
• Wilds (9): 3x VOLT, 3x STASIS, 3x NULL

Plus 3 Dock marker cards.

No. Grey cards run 2 through 9, excluding 5. The STASIS card covers the 5 value role. Greys come in 2 sets of 7 (= 14 cards).

You open an empty Dock (a Cold Boot) with one of two things:

• A coloured number card matching the Dock's marker (Teal, Purple, or Orange), or
• A NULL card, which opens the dock to any colour and any value.

Forbidden: Grey cards, Modifiers, VOLT, and STASIS cannot open a Dock.

Two ways to play on an active stack:

• Step: Play a card exactly +1 or −1 of the top card's value.
• Hijack (Echo): Play a card with the same number as the top card but in a different colour - switches the active colour of the stack.

Grey cards are colour-neutral wilds. You can Step (±1) or Hijack (=) onto any active stack. Greys also play on equality (=) in addition to ±1. Once a Grey sits on top, the dock is "open" - any colour can follow.

Modifiers ([+] and [−]) can only attach to:

• A Grey card, or
• A NULL on top of any card (NULL treated as Grey)

They adjust the value by ±1 and clamp to Min 1, Max 10. They cannot be played on standard coloured cards.

Yes - modifiers are cumulative. A Grey 4 with a [+] and another [+] becomes 6. A Grey 9 with three [+]s stays at 10 (clamps). A Grey 2 with four [−]s stays at 1. You can never push value below 1 or above 10.

The Wash Rule: A [+] and [−] played together cancel each other out. Both discarded. Important: Washing counts as a play action. If you were in The Dig, playing a Wash immediately ends your draw phase.

The modifier remains on the stack permanently - it's part of the stack's history. Modifiers only affect the card they're attached to. If you Hijack on top, the new coloured card takes over the value. The modifier becomes "dormant" - buried until that coloured card is cleared.

A Tripwire (coloured 10) or Defuse (coloured 1) clears the stack, adds +1 damage, and ends your turn. The player who cleared the dock removes its stack and places it in the face-up side Discard Pile, leaving the dock marker. The attacker delivers the total penalty cards at turn end; skip only if the recipient is next in turn order.

VOLT (1/10) plays on values 1, 2, 9, or 10. Deals +1 damage and:

• Locks the dock: only 1, 10, VOLT, or NULL can follow.
• VOLT-locked docks ALWAYS clear at end of turn, even if Defuse/Tripwire ended turn elsewhere.
• Continue on other docks but cannot open a new dock this turn.
• OAAT: Grants a bonus single-card turn.

STASIS (5) plays on 4, 5, or 6. Deals +1 damage and:

• Forces stack value to 5 (midpoint marker).
• Does NOT clear - the dock stays active. Play can continue (step to 4 or 6, hijack with 5).
• Continue on other docks but cannot open a new dock this turn.
• OAAT: Grants a bonus single-card turn.

All four (Tripwire, Defuse, VOLT, STASIS) deal +1 damage. Key difference:

• VOLT or STASIS: Continue on other docks (no new dock).
• Tripwire or Defuse: Turn ends immediately (Hard Stop).

Damage stacks during the attacker's turn and is delivered once at turn end. The attacker takes one penalty card per damage from the Draw Pile and passes them to the recipient, one at a time. The recipient skips only if naturally next in turn order. A target elsewhere in the rotation receives the cards without a skip.

Play NULL on your turn. It makes the card beneath Grey / Open colour without changing its number. Any colour can follow at the same number or ±1. On an empty dock, NULL opens any colour and any value. Receive NULL as a Final Firewall penalty draw and you instantly win.

NULL makes the card beneath Grey / Open colour. Its number stays the same; the next card may be any colour at that number or ±1. NULL can open an empty dock to any colour. Receiving NULL as a Firewall penalty draw wins instantly.

Green Wild Cards are:

• VOLT (3 in deck)
• STASIS (3 in deck)
• NULL (3 in deck)

9 green cards total. In OAAT Mode, playing any green card grants a bonus single-card turn.

OAAT Mode only. When you play any green card (VOLT, STASIS, or NULL) on your turn, you immediately get one extra single-card turn. Standard Mode has no bonus turn - you can already chain freely.

Yes - if your bonus card is also a green wild, you get another bonus turn. Chains of greens are legal in OAAT. A hand of three greens can become a 3-card turn.

No. Rule 05 states: "Your bonus action can be used on any active dock, but you cannot open a new dock within the same turn." This applies to both the original VOLT/STASIS effect and any bonus turn from a green wild.

Use it or enter the draw phase. You cannot pass an extra turn to another player. If you can't play, you must enter The Dig (draw up to 3). After your draws, your turn ends regardless of whether you played.

No. Playing your last card triggers the Final Firewall. You must survive one complete rotation (until play returns to you) without taking damage to secure the win.

Draw the required penalty cards and re-enter the game. If you are the immediate next player in turn order, you also skip your turn. Otherwise, you draw but the actual next player plays as normal (skip voided).

The Aggression System: Once a player is in the Firewall, all damage generated by any other player automatically targets them. If multiple are in Firewall, the attacker chooses who takes the hit.

If multiple players are in the Final Firewall:

• The attacker chooses which Firewall player takes the hit.
• The chosen player draws the penalty cards.
• Positional Skip Logic still applies - only the immediate next player skips.
• If any Firewall player draws a NULL in their penalty, they instantly win (NULL Clause).

Multi-Firewall states are tense and tactical - attackers can target the bigger threat.

Yes - high-level tactic. If in Firewall and a stack is about to detonate on your turn, play a 1 or 10 on a different dock to force a clear and deal damage to your attacker first. Breaks their rhythm and shifts the threat. Same for VOLT/STASIS plays.

In 2-player play, if your opponent plays their last card to attack you while you are in Firewall, you receive the penalty cards and skip because you are next in line. If any of those penalty cards is NULL, you instantly win. Otherwise your opponent wins when play returns to their empty hand.

No. Only matching coloured cards or NULL can open an empty Dock. VOLT cannot open a dock.

No. Only matching coloured cards or NULL can open an empty Dock. STASIS cannot open a dock.

No. Only matching coloured cards or NULL can open an empty Dock. Grey cards cannot open a dock.

No. Modifiers can only attach to Grey cards (or NULL on top). They cannot be played alone, and cannot open a Dock.

No. When VOLT locks the dock, only 1, 10, VOLT, or NULL can follow. Grey cards, modifiers, and STASIS are locked out until the dock clears at end of turn.

NULL does not change the number beneath it. It changes that card to Grey / Open colour. The next card may match that number or step ±1 in any colour. When NULL opens an empty dock, there is no number beneath it, so any colour and value may follow.

Yes - Tripwire is a coloured 10. If it matches the Dock's colour marker, it opens the Dock. The stack immediately detonates (clears, +1 damage, ends turn). Most players save Tripwires for combos.

Yes - Defuse is a coloured 1. If it matches the Dock's colour marker, it opens the Dock. The stack immediately detonates. Useful for a fast aggressive opener.

Yes. If the top card is a 10 in any colour, you can Hijack with a 10 of a different colour. Since 10 is a Tripwire, the stack will detonate immediately. Combo: hijack + clear + damage + turn ends.

Yes. If the top card is a 1 in any colour, Hijack with a 1 of a different colour. Stack detonates immediately. Combo: hijack + clear + damage + turn ends.

Only skip the damage recipient if they are the immediate next player after the attacker. When Firewall redirects damage to someone elsewhere in turn order, they receive the cards without a skip; the actual next player plays normally. No skip is stored for later.

In Firewall, skip is strictly positional:

• If you (Firewall) are the immediate next player - you skip.
• If you are not next in line - you draw the cards, but the actual next player plays as normal. Skip voided.

Play your cards on your turn. NULL opens colour on a dock while keeping the number beneath it. Damage is received as penalty cards; receiving NULL as a Firewall penalty draw wins instantly.

There are 3 of each green card: 3 VOLT, 3 STASIS, 3 NULL - 9 green cards total.

Place the 3 Dock marker cards (Teal, Purple, Orange) in the centre. Place the remaining deck face-down beside them as the Draw Pile. Leave space for the face-up Discard Pile. All Docks begin empty. Each player gets 9 cards. Youngest goes first.

No. Modifiers must attach to a Grey card (or NULL on top, treated as Grey) played in the same action. You cannot play a modifier on its own.

Never. Active Docks are never shuffled, even when the Draw Pile is exhausted. Only the Discard Pile shuffles to refill the Draw Pile.

You may only pass after attempting The Dig (draw up to 3 cards). If after 3 draws you still cannot play, your turn ends. You cannot voluntarily skip without first attempting to draw.

In 2-player play, the damage recipient is naturally next in line, so they receive the penalty cards and skip. If you are in Firewall and receive a NULL as a penalty draw, you instantly win. Otherwise survive until your next turn with an empty hand to win.

Games last 20 to 40 minutes, depending on player count and aggression. Best with 3-4 players (~25 min). 5-6 players run longer.

Wireburn supports 2 to 6 players. Best with 3-4 for balanced chaos. No single-player mode - though the free browser version at wireburnthegame.com/app lets you practice.

Wireburn is $28.99 AUD from the official store: wireburn.myshopify.com. Ships within 48 hours from Gerringong, NSW, Australia.