I feel like with a good enough artist I could MAYBE put the available actions on the cards themselves through symbols (i.e. dominion, trickster). Obviously, players could use the quick reference card too (which would translate the symbols to text).

Thanks, it’s just an artist pack from graphicriver. I added symbols to the cards to represent the abilities.

Here is the card anatomy section:

Quite a few revisions today as get closer to a PnP. I finally added more overview theme to the rules:

You are the ruler of Cardia, its many territories have lived together in harmony for centuries. Recently, however, creatures from the Wastelands have assembled an army and are marching toward key locations throughout the land. Your goal: Deploy defenders to these locations to stop the invaders and defeat their army!

I extended the total number of abilities to have one special ability per territory and gave some overview of that too. From the rules:

Card Abilities
Each territory has its own signature ability. Dervishes from the Drylands can conjure sandstorms to clear the battlefield. Clerics from the Highlands can revive fallen allies to fight again. Wizards from the Outlands can teleport allies between locations. Hunters from the Woodlands can scout the surrounding area for threats.

I gave the invaders their own territory.

Over the coming days, I will be tweaking specific numbers (number pf cards, number of defenders, number with ability, etc.) based on playtests.

Card Anatomy update with changes:

Cardians: Hinterlands

The Hinterlands, while technically a territory of Cardia, is unknown to most commonfolk. They forbid outsiders and operate under their own rules. However, worried that the Wastelands army would turn to their lands if the other territories are conquered, they have negotiated an alliance with you to defeat the enemy. News of this alliance has sparked fear and outrage throughout the ranks, compelling some to defect to the Wastelands in retaliation.

This expansion introduces four new defenders and invaders. Hinterlands troops count as two defenders toward a location’s defender cost. Defectors can only be removed by defenders from their former territory.