{}}>

e.stopPropagation()} onkeydown={() => {}} >

Wiz-War

{#if tab === "tally"}

How much love the maze is getting

{#if stats}

{stats.gamesCreated}: games chronicled — {stats.gamesStarted} begun, {stats.gamesFinished} fought to a finish
{stats.wizardsSeated}: distinct wizards have taken a seat
{stats.commandsPlayed}: spells, steps, and punches recorded in the ledgers
{hours(Number(stats.minutesAtTable))}: spent at the table, by the clock between moves
{stats.winsByTreasure} / {stats.winsByLastStanding}: victories by treasure-theft / by last wizard standing
{stats.longestGameCommands}: actions in the longest game yet played — every step, spell, and pass in its ledger
{stats.fullestTable}: wizards at the fullest table
{stats.hotseatGames}: of the games were hotseat tables, reporting in anonymously
{stats.automatonGames ?? 0}: games fought against the clockwork

{#if stats.firstGameAt}

The first game was dealt {new Date(String(stats.firstGameAt)).toLocaleDateString(undefined, { year: "numeric", month: "long", day: "numeric" })}. Hotseat tables send only counts — names and moves stay on the device.

{/if} {:else}

Counting the ledgers…

{/if}

{:else if tab === "about"}

What this is

Wiz-War is a game of magical combat in a stone labyrinth: two to six wizards prowl a maze, hurling fireballs, walking through walls, summoning trolls, and stealing each other's treasure. It was created by Tom Jolly in 1983 and first published under his own Jolly Games label; the edition reproduced here is the sixth edition, published by Chessex in 1993, together with its one expansion — monsters and magic wands included.

Why it exists

In the early nineties, a group of friends played this exact edition for countless hours — the slammed doors, the ambushes around corners, the goat charges, the laughter. That box is long out of print, and its cardboard is worn soft at the edges. This digital table was built from that very copy: every card was photographed and transcribed word for word, every board layout verified wall by wall, and the tokens on this screen are the actual hand-inked art from those counter sheets. It is a faithful reproduction of the game as it was played at that table, made so the same friends — and their friends — can keep playing it.

Whose game it is

Wiz-War is Tom Jolly's design, and the rights to it now rest with Steve Jackson Games, who publish the current edition. This project is an unofficial, non-commercial fan work, made with love and admiration for the original — nothing here is endorsed by or affiliated with Tom Jolly, Chessex, or Steve Jackson Games. If this game delights you, honor it the right way: buy the edition currently in print, and deal seven cards to somebody at a real table.

Send word

Feedback, bug reports, and faint praise all welcome — ravens fly to eric@ericwagoner.com, @kestrelsnest.social on Bluesky, or @eric@toots.kestrelsnest.social on Mastodon. The keeper of this table roosts at kestrelsnest.social.

Wiz-War © Tom Jolly. Sixth edition published by Chessex, 1993. Built by Eric and a very enthusiastic AI, 2026.

{:else if tab === "play"} {#each HOW_TO_PLAY as section (section.title)}

{section.title}

{#each section.body as p, i (i)}

{p}

{/each} {/each} {:else if tab === "rules"}

{#each RULES_SECTIONS as section (section.title)}

{section.title}

{#each section.body as p, i (i)}

{p}

{/each} {/each}

The rulebook, verbatim

The full text, word for word, for settling table disputes. {RULEBOOK_COPYRIGHT}

{#each RULEBOOK_BASE as section (section.title)}

{section.title}

{#each section.paragraphs as p, i (i)}

{p}

{/each} {/each}

Expansion Set 1 — verbatim

{#each RULEBOOK_EXPANSION as section (section.title)}

{section.title}

{#each section.paragraphs as p, i (i)}

{p}

{/each} {/each}

Official FAQ — general rulings

Tom Jolly's own answers (wizwar.com, September 2002), verbatim. Rulings occasionally reference other editions. Card-specific rulings sit on the cards themselves — look for the FAQ seal.

{#each FAQ_GENERAL as section (section.title)}

{section.title}

{#each section.body as p, i (i)}

{p}

{/each} {/each} {:else}

{#each filtered as def (def.id)}

(libPeek = def.id)} onfaq={(id) => (faqCardId = id)} /> ×{def.quantity}{def.alsoIn?.length ? ` (+${def.alsoIn[0]!.quantity} exp)` : ""} · {def.set === "basic" ? "base" : "exp 1"}

{/each}

{/if}