Suit Boundaries (10 to ∞)

In Phalanx Duel, suit identity is not a label; it is a timing trigger. Mastery of the battlefield requires internalizing the Boundary Resolution Order.

The Canonical Sequence

When damage propagates through a column, the engine evaluates suit effects in this strict order at every target transition:

1. SHIELD (Mitigation): Diamonds and Hearts reduce damage.
2. WEAPON (Amplification): Clubs and Spades multiply damage.
3. CLAMP (Eligibility): Aces and Face Card rules determine if destruction is possible.

1. The Card -> Card Boundary (Inner Column)

This occurs when damage moves from the Front Row card to the Back Row card.

• ♦ DIAMONDS: If the Front Row card was a Diamond, it reduces the carryover damage before any Weapon bonuses apply.
• ♣ CLUBS: If the attacker is a Club, it doubles the carryover damage after any Diamond mitigation.

2. The Card -> Player Boundary (The Killzone)

This occurs when damage moves from the Back Row card to the opponent’s Life Points (LP).

• ♥ HEARTS: If the last card destroyed was a Heart, it reduces the final damage hitting the LP. Hearts do not stack; only the final eligible Heart applies.
• ♠ SPADES: If the attacker is a Spade, it doubles the final damage hitting the LP after any Heart mitigation.

Strategic Mental Models

• Read the Boundary, Not the Card: Do not ask what a card “is.” Ask what happens at the boundary when it falls.
• The Hidden Heart: A Heart in the Back Row is an insurance policy. It only triggers if the opponent breaks your Front Row and your Back Row.
• The Club Setup: Because Clubs double carryover after Diamond mitigation, they are most effective against non-Diamond Front Rows.

Tactical Exercise: Use the Combat Simulator to recreate a “Double Cascade”—using a Club attacker to break a Diamond Front Row and a Heart Back Row. Observe the exact moment the math shifts.