---
key: mechanic/shared-family-63
type: mechanic
id: shared-family-63
lang: en
title: 'Turns, random tools and action-set management'
summary: >-
  Turns, cards or random tools define available actions; players choose their
  order and use.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/shared-family-63/'
jsonUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/shared-family-63.json'
markdownUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/shared-family-63.md'
aliases:
  - Turns and available actions
tags:
  - Children’s games
  - 'Goals, constraints and progression'
  - Educational games
sourceIds:
  - source-7f09c8a736762f4f
sources:
  - id: source-7f09c8a736762f4f
    title: Slay the Spire
    url: 'https://www.megacrit.com/press-kits/slay-the-spire/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: children
    id: family-63
    title: Children’s games
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/children/#family-63'
    categoryIds:
      - progress
  - catalogId: education
    id: family-63
    title: Educational games
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/education/#family-63'
    categoryIds:
      - progress
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
    title: Turns and available actions
    description: >-
      Turns, cards or random tools define available actions; players choose
      their order and use.
    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: Card cost and available energy
      alt: >-
        Slay the Spire: one energy remains on the left and the selected card
        costs one energy.
      markers:
        - x: 11
          'y': 82
          label: Energy remaining this turn
        - x: 43
          'y': 63
          label: The selected card’s cost
    tips:
      - Show action order and the tools available during the turn.
    examples:
      - title: Slay the Spire
        url: 'https://www.megacrit.com/press-kits/slay-the-spire/'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
  Play-focused selection adapted from the original children-education taxonomy,
  with original editorial additions dated 2026-10-20. Developer sources support
  specific examples, not the entire classification.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/children
---
# Turns, random tools and action-set management

id: shared-family-63
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/shared-family-63
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/shared-family-63/

Turns, cards or random tools define available actions; players choose their order and use.

## At a glance

![Slay the Spire: one energy remains on the left and the selected card costs one energy.](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/slay-the-spire-battle.webp)

[Slay the Spire](https://www.megacrit.com/press-kits/slay-the-spire/) · © Mega Crit. All rights reserved.

1. Energy remaining this turn
2. The selected card’s cost

- Show action order and the tools available during the turn.

- [Slay the Spire](https://www.megacrit.com/press-kits/slay-the-spire/)

## How it works

Take turns

## Variants

### Variants

<a id="family-63-branch-1"></a>

- Take turns <a id="family-63-variant-1"></a>
- Roll dice and move <a id="family-63-variant-2"></a>
- Draw task cards <a id="family-63-variant-3"></a>
- Choose from an open set <a id="family-63-variant-4"></a>
- Collect card sets <a id="family-63-variant-5"></a>
- Build decks <a id="family-63-variant-6"></a>
- Use card combinations <a id="family-63-variant-7"></a>
- Place pieces to select actions <a id="family-63-variant-8"></a>
- Wager tokens on predictions <a id="family-63-variant-9"></a>
- Change available actions <a id="family-63-variant-10"></a>
- Exchange turns for information <a id="family-63-variant-11"></a>
- Make hidden simultaneous choices <a id="family-63-variant-12"></a>

## Design example

Select tool cards to solve a problem with limited turns.

## Context and limits

An action map for children’s digital, board, active and mixed games. An instructional goal is optional: children can invent stories, explore toys, compete or enjoy play itself. Select age suitability, reading demands, controls and pace separately; different implementations can suit different ages. Learning tasks and instructional support have their own reference.

## Context: Educational games

A mechanic map for games with explicit learning goals, from first encounters with a topic to professional practice. It covers children, teenagers and adults; choose subject, difficulty, context and controls for the learner. Player actions, subject content, instructional support and assessment are distinct layers. Scores and game completion alone do not establish mastery or skill transfer.

## Connected materials


## Sources and provenance

Play-focused selection adapted from the original children-education taxonomy, with original editorial additions dated 2026-10-20. Developer sources support specific examples, not the entire classification.

- [Slay the Spire](https://www.megacrit.com/press-kits/slay-the-spire/) (id: source-7f09c8a736762f4f)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors