What are Tags?

What is a Tag?

A Tag is a set of additional properties that can be applied to a Card, allowing you to define behaviors or attributes that extend a Card’s functionality. Tags provide flexibility by enabling shared properties across different Types without requiring new Types.

We’ve seen how we can create variations of a Type. But what if we want to define some kind of behavior or functionality without altering the core structure of the Type itself?

Tags allow you to add multiple additional attributes to a single Card. In our game design example, we can create Tags like Flying and Wizard added to the Character Type, so any Character Card we create could have access to these attributes:

In our next guide, we’ll learn how to create the Tags we just described. Check out Creating Tags to get started!

Tags vs. Types

But wait, couldn’t I just create separate Types for Flying Characters and Wizards?

Yes, you absolutely can! Creating separate Types for each variation is a valid approach. However, the benefit of using Tags is flexibility — you don’t need to create a new Type for every possible combination of behaviors or attributes. Instead, Tags allow you to mix and match properties based on the unique needs of each Card. On the other hand, creating new Types might be more appropriate if the differences between variations are fundamental to the design or behavior of the Card.

Both methods have their pros and cons. It’s up to you, as the system designer, to experiment and choose the approach that best suits your needs.