1. Relic Class (Top Left) Relic classes are equipment-type categories inspired by classic JRPG and action RPG item groups. This shows what kind of legendary object the Relic is.

Here are some examples of what the Relics could be:
◾Sword: Balanced offense, momentum, and decisive action.
◾Shield: Defense, protection, and survival.
◾Staff: Healing, cleansing, and restoration.
◾Whip: Pursuit, control, and monster pressure.
◾Hammer: Force, judgment, and breaking power.

2. Card Profile Picture (Middle Left) The visual portrait of the legendary object you are wielding.

3. Level Burn (Middle Right) Relic Burns are the strongest one-time effects in the game. Each Relic has a Weak Burn, Hard Burn, and Crit Burn. These effects are earned through Hero growth.

Relics own the levels.
On a full party wipe, your hand is lost: Loot cards, Hostages, and Junk are all recycled. Only Rare Loot survives, bound to your Relic. The levels survive too. This keeps the game moving forward through Hero swaps, loss, or retirement. On a total party wipe, those levels go with you back to Town to empower new Heroes, while the loot is lost to the "retirement celebration".

4. Card Relic Name (Middle Left) Gives the Relic its unique legendary identity. Every Relic is a cursed legendary object, usually tied to heroes, rulers, hunters, or villains of old.

5. Bonus Dice Pool (Middle Right) Shows the Relic’s passive starting contribution to your dice pool.

6. Card Skill Bonus (Bottom Left) Every Relic has a passive Skill Bonus that is always active while the Relic is in play. Like Heroes, these bonuses use one of six types:

◾BANE (monster-focused)
◾WRIT (mystical/rule-bending)
◾HAND (loot/economy)
◾LUCK (rerolls/consistency)
◾WALK (movement/terrain)
◾GRID (co-op support)

7. Card Color Controller (Bottom Right) The Color Controller shows how the Relic’s Color Dice map to controller inputs. This gives each Relic a second layer of identity beyond its class and burns.

THE COLOR CONTROLLER: Asymmetrical Power

Color Dice are the most powerful dice in your pool. Unlike Kombo Dice, which show a single direction per roll, a Color Die can count as one of two directions.

Which two directions depends entirely on your Relic. The Color Controller, printed in the bottom right corner of your Relic card, shows exactly how each color maps to directional inputs. Every Relic assigns all three colors differently, creating a unique set of strengths and blind spots.The Paired Set Rule: Every Relic has one paired direction set, either Up and Down or Left and Right, that shares a single color. That paired color will not appear outside its pair.The Remaining Inputs: The other four non-paired inputs are mapped to the remaining two colors.What this means: When you roll a Color Die, look at your full roll first. Then assign that die to whichever of its two allowed directions help you hit your desired combo.Mathematical Impact: Because Color Dice act as wildcards, a player using a Relic that maps Red to Up and Down will naturally perform better against monsters requiring vertical inputs. You must draft specific Heroes or Loot to cover your Relic’s natural blind spots.

THE BURN SYSTEM: Sacrificing Progression

Cash in your Levels for instant power. We took a hard look at one of the harshest moments in hardcore MMOs: the lag-spike death where you lose everything.Your levels. Your progress. Your pride.We asked, what if that kind of loss could mean something? What if you could choose to burn your levels on purpose, not as punishment, but to achieve something truly heroic?
So we built it.In Tunnel Story, Level Burn is a core mechanic. Your Heroes unlock levels, your Relic holds onto them, and when the moment comes, you can burn them to save yourself, protect your party, or change the course of the game. It’s not about grinding. It’s about knowing when to let go and going out as a legend, not like a roach.A Relic’s passive is simple and always useful, but the burns are where the large power spikes happen.Unlocking Power: As your Heroes unlock Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3, your Relic gains access to its matching burn levels. This means a Relic does not begin the game with all of its power available.The Price of Certainty: When you use a burn, you sacrifice an unlocked Hero level to release that effect. This turns Hero progression into a strategic resource. You are constantly forced to ask yourself: Is this Weak Burn enough to survive, or should I hold out for the Hard or Crit Burn? Which Hero’s passive skill can I afford to lose?

“And by the way, you don't wanted that to do that either, you think you do but you don't.”
— some Co-op roach, probably.

The Burn Tiers

🟢Weak Burn: Strong enough to matter immediately, but not so strong that it overshadows later effects.
🔵Hard Burn: A serious tactical move offering stronger value, wider recovery, or more meaningful control.
🔴Crit Burn: A major turn-changing effect. These are the largest release of Relic power and are intended to be among the strongest actions in the game.

Special Example: The Hymn Blade

To see how a Relic scales, let’s look at the Hymn Blade. This Sword is tied to LUCK (rerolls/consistency logic). A conqueror was bound into this blade by a holy hymn. It remembers ruin, bells, and the mercy it still asks for.🟢Weak Burn (Level 1): Spawn 1 Bell card from the current tier onto the map. A quick way to create safety, warp access, and future setup.🔵Hard Burn (Level 2): Warp to any Bell in any tier. A powerful reposition tool that lets you escape danger or reach key terrain instantly.🔴Crit Burn (Level 3): All players may choose to warp to any Bell. All Co-op players can reposition that could save the run, regroup the team, or set up the final push.

Forever Backer Card: The Tri-Blade Sai

Jake wanted a Ninja Weapon. He likes blades.

MITSUKA SHADOW
A triple-bladed relic tied to the legend of a moonlit kunoichi. Inspired by an old moon-princess tale, it was once wielded by a female ninja who moved like reflected moonlight, silent, graceful, and impossible to deny. Its steel carries the beauty of distance, the silence of shadow, and the sorrow of parting, as if it was never meant to remain in this world for long.Now part of Tunnel Story canon, Mitsuka Shadow ships in the standard game.Thanks, Jake.

BUILDING YOUR PARTY: Relic & Hero Synergy

A Relic does not need to perfectly match every Hero in your party. It only needs to give the party a clear center of strength.Walk Heroes benefit from Relics that improve travel and map control.
Hatred Heroes benefit from Relics that improve monster control and combat pressure.
Grid Heroes benefit from Relics that manipulate placement and co-op positioning.
Special Heroes benefit from Relics that manipulate game timing.You recruit Heroes to support your Relic’s weaknesses, and you use your Relic to amplify your Heroes’ strengths.

The Relic is the one constant in a run that never stops shifting. Heroes fall, maps change, hands empty out. But the Relic carries your progress forward — turning risk into power and choice into survival.

Coming Soon: All THINGS HEROES!

Have a great summer!
Chimney Cat team

(Note: All cards/rules are subject to change before final release)