---
key: mechanic/deck-building--family-effects
type: mechanic
id: deck-building--family-effects
lang: en
title: Effects and combat subsystems
summary: >-
A played card changes combat through damage, defense or status effects.
Combining consequences creates tactical choices.
updatedAt: '2026-10-21'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/deck-building--family-effects/'
jsonUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/deck-building--family-effects.json
markdownUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/deck-building--family-effects.md
aliases:
- Card effects
tags:
- Deck building
- Systems and context
sourceIds:
- source-620455367d668266
- source-7f09c8a736762f4f
sources:
- id: source-620455367d668266
title: Monster Train · developer description
url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1102190/Monster_Train/'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-7f09c8a736762f4f
title: Slay the Spire
url: 'https://www.megacrit.com/press-kits/slay-the-spire/'
verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
- catalogId: deck-building
id: family-effects
title: Deck building
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/deck-building/#family-effects'
categoryIds:
- section-3
supersededBy: []
attributes:
preview:
updatedAt: '2026-10-21'
title: Card effects
description: >-
A played card changes combat through damage, defense or status effects.
Combining consequences creates tactical choices.
image:
src: images/mechanics/slay-the-spire-battle.webp
width: 1440
height: 810
game: Slay the Spire
sourceUrl: 'https://www.megacrit.com/press-kits/slay-the-spire/'
originalUrl: 'https://www.megacrit.com/images/ss8.jpg'
credit: Mega Crit
rights: © Mega Crit. All rights reserved.
caption: An action and its targets
alt: >-
Slay the Spire: effect text on a selected card and several enemies with
health and status indicators.
markers:
- x: 51
'y': 87
label: The consequences of playing the card
- x: 70
'y': 72
label: The target state affected by the card
tips:
- Specify targets and the order of multiple effects.
- Confirm each meaningful result on the affected target.
examples:
- title: Slay the Spire
url: 'https://www.megacrit.com/press-kits/slay-the-spire/'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on
2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are
preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire
classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and
editorial review.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/deck-building
---
# Effects and combat subsystems
id: deck-building--family-effects
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/deck-building--family-effects
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/deck-building--family-effects/
A played card changes combat through damage, defense or status effects. Combining consequences creates tactical choices.
## At a glance
[Slay the Spire](https://www.megacrit.com/press-kits/slay-the-spire/) · © Mega Crit. All rights reserved.
1. The consequences of playing the card
2. The target state affected by the card
- Specify targets and the order of multiple effects.
- Confirm each meaningful result on the affected target.
- [Slay the Spire](https://www.megacrit.com/press-kits/slay-the-spire/)
## How it works
These mechanics are found in card games in general; in deck builder they create tasks for the build.
## Variants
### Variants and applications
- Damage / healing. Rule: Cards change the target's health immediately; Accessible purposes, price and reusability are important.
- Block / prevention. Rule: Cards create block, barriers, dodge, or cancel events; The duration of the protection affects the required rate of recruitment.
- Multi-hit / area effect. Rule: One play affects multiple times or multiple targets, otherwise interacting with buffs and defenses.
- Damage over time. Rule: Poison, burn, bleeding and similar conditions carry over some of the result to future turns; accumulation rules vary.
- Buff / debuff. Rule: Cards change damage, defense, cost, vulnerability, accuracy, or other parameters for future actions.
- Combat scaling. Rule: The player accumulates power, defense, charges or multipliers, increasing the effectiveness of subsequent plays.
- Control / counter. Rule: Stuns, slows, bans and cancel effects change the actions available to the enemy.
- Movement / targeting. Rule: Cards change position, line of attack, target availability, or redirect impact.
- Self-damage / sacrifice. Rule: Health and own objects serve as fuel for a stronger effect.
- Random / push-your-luck. Rule: The player accepts an uncertain result or continues drawing and playing with an increasing risk of losing the benefit.
## Context and limits
Design taxonomy of basic rules and options, including card operations and external systems. The number of entries is not a generally accepted classification of independent mechanics.
## Connected materials
## Sources and provenance
Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review.
- [Monster Train · developer description](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1102190/Monster_Train/) (id: source-620455367d668266)
- [Slay the Spire](https://www.megacrit.com/press-kits/slay-the-spire/) (id: source-7f09c8a736762f4f)
CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors