UPDATE 5/11: Added “HAND” and “DISCARD PILE”. Adjusted Deck Size to 50.

Boss Fights and Review Games offer a great opportunity to both offer rewards and to provide an outlet for rewards from other aspects of the classroom. They also allow for a fun way to add a layer of theme to the classroom. In planning a potential wrestling related theme I’ve created a “game” that will add theme as well as provide a logical structure for the XP system, a card based reward system, and some good ole fashion fun.

The Players

Students will be organized into Tag Teams and/or Stables at the beginning of the year. These will be teacher created based on placement tests to ensure mixed groupings. Stables will take on other stables.

Winning the Match

The stable with the most Attack Points at the end of the Match wins.

Earning Attack Points

Attack points are earned by playing cards. There are 3 types of Attack Cards – Common Moves, Finishers, and Submissions. Each card has a unique play mode which will impact the amount of Attack Points earned.

Starting the Match

Wrestling Matches start one of two ways – “Hot” with the wrestlers running at each other then kicking and punching till one gets an advantage or “Collar and Elbow” with the wrestlers grappling until one gets an advantage. The stables will choose their starting tactic. If there is a disagreement a coin toss will decide.

  • Starting Hot – Players will open the Hot Envelope and inside will be a set of vocabulary terms on slips of paper. Each stable will take turns removing and defining vocabulary terms until one stable is unable to define a term. The stable that “wins” the hot start will earn attack points equal to the number of vocab terms defined correctly and gets the first move. The stables will confirm the opponent definition. If there is a disagreement then the “ref” (teacher) will step in.
  • Starting Collar and Elbow – Each member of both stables secretly and individually writes down 10 unique facts from the current unit of study. A Die will be used to select one member of one stable to be the base list. Then one member of each stable will be selected and the lists will be compared to the base list. Each fact that is on the base list will be removed. The team with the most facts left will earn attack points equal to the number of items left on their list and will get the first move.

BASIC GAMEPLAY

  • Pre-Question – The Stable will select a Card – either Common, Finisher, or Submission – and play it by laying it on the table.
  • Common Moves – If the card is a common move then the Stable is wagering the number of “Attack Points” based on the number of attack symbols under the name of the move. The question will then be revealed and the stable can confer and provide an answer.
    • Correct Answer – If the stable answers correctly they keep their card and earn that number of attack points
    • Incorrect Answers – If the answer incorrectly the other team “Reverses” the move and earns the attack points listed on the card.
  • Finisher Moves – Finisher moves are often the most powerful move in a wrestler’s arsenal. Stables are only allowed 1 finisher in their deck. Finisher will have unique play conditions. For example, stable answers as many questions in a row as they chose. Roll a 6 sided die for each correct question. Total is the attack number. Miss a question and opponent rolls a 10 sided die for a reversal.
  • Submissions – Playing a submission card is a calculated risk. Each group creates a Unit “Cluster” meaning they are provided a big topic idea and must provide 4 examples from the unit. If both teams are able to complete the cluster both teams roll a 10 sided die to determine attack points. If only one side is able to complete the cluster that team alone rolls a 20 sided die for attack. If neither team completes the cluster nothing happens.
  • High Flying Spots – These are the high flying game changers of a wrestling match like when one superstar drops an elbow from the top rope or launches themselves over onto their opponent outside the ring. These cards will be special condition cards that might set a trap or create a unique game play condition.

The Card Deck

Stables create a deck of 50 cards. The deck can only include 1 finisher but they can have whatever mixture of Common Moves, High Spots, and Submissions they choose. Each individual student will put their name or initials in the blank spot on the card. Each individual student will start the year with a pack of 15 cards and can earn more cards through completing storylines, cutting promos, and earning new fans.

Hand

Each Stable will have 5 cards in hand each turn. If the Stable has less than 5 cards in their hand at the beginning of their turn they will draw cards from their deck until they have 5 in hand.

Discard Pile

Once a card has been played it will be put face down in a discard pile.

Card Examples

Table Set Up

Before the Match each table will need to have a Question Card Deck with multiple choice questions on one side and the answers on the other (Trivial Pursuit Style). The table will also need to have an envelope with the Hot Start Vocabulary cards and the Submission “Cluster” topics.

The Ref

My hope is that the game will be self paced and that the stables will settle disputes among themselves. When needed though the teacher (me) can step in and act as referee.

Rewards

My goal is to set up an XP System where the XP is called “FANS”. This will allow a leaderboard to be more easily developed. I can also add special cards or new storylines for the winning and losing stables.