A Dueling Card Game
Mastery over chance.
Every spell is yours.
What you do with them is everything.
Congratulations on earning your place in The Order of Elite Casters also known as the OEC.
However you arrived here—through formal study, under the guidance of a mentor, or by stealing a casting book and teaching yourself in secret—I do not care. You passed the trials and that is all that matters.
But do not think you are close to being ready for a true fight. I have watched many talented fighters step into this order full of confidence, only to return quietly to their mundane lives. Power alone is not enough to survive here.
Your first challenge is the Greenhorn League. Survive it. Impress the crowd, no matter how small it will be, and show us that you belong.
Remember this:
It is better to give everything you have and lose than to give a little and quit.
Sincerely,
Usutuku
This message was written by Dundle Leviebottom on behalf of Usutuku.
THE ORDER OF ELITE CASTERS
Simple rules. Endless possibilities.
Pronunciation: oo-soo-TOO-koo
Means "strength of skill", specifically the power that comes from mastery, not physical force.
Every spell in your hand is available from the first exchange to the last. When you win, it is because you outplayed your opponent. When you lose it was because you made a mistake, not because you didn’t get the right card.
Nobody gets an advantage because they spent more money.
Every duelist starts with the same spells. When new expansions release, everyone gets access — at the same time, no exceptions. Sit down across from a friend, a stranger, or the reigning champion, and the only thing that separates you is how well you play. Nothing else.
20 spells, chosen from 45. Over 3.1 trillion possible hands.
Play aggressive and burn your opponent down before they find their footing. Play patient and out-manage their Energy until they can't afford their own best spell. There's no "meta deck" that plays itself — there's only the caster who understood the exchange better than the person across the table.
Usutuku is a dueling card game done right. It has common, uncommon, rare, and exotic cards, but none of them give you the upper hand.
What you are collecting is the art.
Every mechanic in Usutuku is built to be learned once and mastered forever. Fast spells always resolve first, Advantage decides who acts first, and Effects are easy to understand. Nothing hides in fine print. Nothing needs a forum post to explain.
Complexity in Usutuku doesn't come from rules you have to memorize — it comes from decisions you have to make.
Every card is painted by real artists — because a duel this precise
deserves to look as sharp as it plays.
Back Usutuku on Kickstarter
I grew up on Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon, and just about every trading card game I could get my hands on. Some of my favorite childhood memories are sitting on a friend's bedroom floor surrounded by cards, or hanging around the comic book shop until closing. I loved every minute of it.
When I became a father, I couldn't wait to share those experiences with my daughter. So I took her to our local comic shop to buy her first pack of Pokémon cards.
There were none left.
Adults were buying up booster boxes, chasing rare cards to resell. And the more I thought about it, the more something else bothered me: building a competitive deck often meant spending serious money just to get the cards you needed.
I kept thinking about chess. Everyone starts with the same pieces, yet it's one of the most strategic games in the world.
Why couldn't a trading card game work the same way?
That's how Usutuku began.
Every player has access to every spell. No powerful cards hidden behind rare pulls. No need to outspend your opponent to compete.
And because collecting is part of the fun, Usutuku still has booster packs, foils, and rare artwork. They're just cosmetic. A rare card might look incredible, but it won't make you stronger.
In Usutuku, your wallet doesn't make you a better caster. Your decisions do.
The Hands Behind the Magic
Every card is illustrated by real artists.
Meet the people who bring this world to life.
Tbilisi, Georgia
What's your favorite card you've illustrated for Usutuku, and why?
My favorite card is between root punch and aqua shot, both were very fun to draw and I think they exemplify the might and fun of this world really well.
What would be your power type of choice to use in hopes of becoming Usutuku?
Arcane because levitating and being able to shield is a really powerful.
What inspires your art style?
my art style came to be from my love of cartoons and comics. I love using bright bold colors and simpler cleaner design elements in the composition and adding a bit of whimsy in the form of a few well placed ornamental details.
What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
Where can people find more of your work?
Ipojuca, Pernambuco, Brazil.
What's your favorite card you've illustrated for Usutuku, and why?
My favorite is Root Punch, because I really enjoyed exploring the atmosphere, magic, and visual effects of the scene. It gave me a lot of freedom to experiment with composition and storytelling.
What would be your power type of choice to use in hopes of becoming Usutuku?
I would choose Conjure. I like the idea of creating something from imagination and turning it into reality, which is also very close to what I do as an artist.
What inspires your art style?
My style is inspired by games, fantasy art, children's books, and cinematic storytelling. I especially enjoy combining expressive characters, strong compositions, and atmospheric lighting.
What's something people might be surprised to learn about you?
I’m a professional illustrator with more than 10 years of experience, but I also have a strong interest in music and play guitar. I enjoy exploring different creative fields outside illustration.
Where can people find more of your work?
Buenos Aires, Argentina
What's your favorite card you've illustrated for Usutuku, and why?
I think right now it's “Slap.” I think it's pretty funny.
What would be your power type of choice to use in hopes of becoming Usutuku?
Definitely Fire.
What inspires your art style?
Mainly, I’m inspired by D&D and fantasy games like Skyrim, Dark souls, etc..
What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
People are usually surprised when I name a dinosaur from every letter of the alphabet.
Where can people find more of your work?
Your Place in the World Awaits