Altered
Altered Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Overview
- Objects
- Zones
- Game Progression
- Playing Cards and Objects
- From Costs and Effects to Events
- Vocabulary
- Symbols
- Pronouns
- Keywords Actions
- Activate
- After You
- Ascend
- Augment
- Create
- Defect
- Discard
- Double (counters)
- Draw
- Enter Play
- Exchange (boosts)
- Exchange (objects or cards)
- Exhaust
- Exhausted Resupply
- Gain (counters)
- Gain (status)
- Give (boost)
- Have (object) do
- Ignore
- Leave Play
- Lose (status)
- Make a Gift
- Move (Terrain Marker)
- Move Backwards
- Move Forward
- Play For Free
- Put
- Ready
- Receive a Gift
- Receive a Token
- Resupply
- Return
- Roll a Die
- Rush
- Sabotage
- Sacrifice
- Send
- Spend (counters)
- Switch Expeditions
- Take Control
- Keyword Abilities
- Keyword Descriptors
- Changes From the Previous Version
- Glossary
Overview
General
This Document
1.1.1.a The Altered Comprehensive Rules is an expert document meant to resolve the thornier cases that can occur when cards interact in unexpected ways. They are not meant to teach the rules of Altered.
1.1.1.b It is not expected that players know the content of this document. However, reading the first section and particularly Subsection 1.4 "Golden Rules" should help solve most questions.
1.1.1.c Each numbered paragraph from Section 2 "Objects" onwards is a rule.
1.1.1.d The first section of this document is an informal summary of the rules. From Section 2 "Objects" onward, each numbered paragraph is a rule.
1.1.1.e Remarks and examples, written in italics, are not rules. They are meant to clarify the meaning of the rules.
Scope
1.1.2.a These rules apply to any two-player game of Altered.
1.1.2.b If other official documents contradict these rules, the other documents take precedence.
Collectible Card Game
1.1.3.a Altered is a collectible card game: players do not play with cards from a common pool, but from their own collection.
1.1.3.b In order to play a game of Altered, each player needs a deck of Altered cards (not to be confused with the Deck zone during play).
1.1.3.c For the purpose of the rules, a player is the owner of the cards in their deck, regardless of legal ownership. Nothing in the game can change the owner of a card.
1.1.3.d In the course of a game of Altered, a player may gain control over cards of their opponents. This does not change the owner of the card.
Constructed Play
1.1.4.a In constructed play, a player uses Altered cards from their collection to build their deck.
1.1.4.b A constructed deck must consist of between 40 and 60 cards, including exactly 1 Hero card.
1.1.4.c A constructed deck can only include cards of the same faction as its Hero.
1.1.4.d A constructed deck can include at most 3 cards with the same name.
Remark. In Altered, contrary to many other collectible card games, cards with the same name may have different characteristics, rarity, and faction. A player in a constructed event should make clear which version of a card they play.
1.1.4.e A constructed deck can include at most 15 rare cards.
1.1.4.f A constructed deck can include at most 3 exalted cards.
1.1.4.g A constructed deck can include at most 3 unique cards.
Limited Play
1.1.5.a In limited play, players must build their deck from a restricted pool of cards provided to them for a specific event, plus any number of Mana Convergence.
1.1.5.b A limited deck must consist of at least 30 cards, including exactly 0 or 1 Hero card.
1.1.5.c A limited deck can include cards from at most 3 factions; if that deck includes a Hero, that Hero's faction counts as one of the three.
Remark. Limited decks have no restrictions in terms of name or rarity.
Numbers and Symbols
1.1.6.a When the game uses a number, it is always an integer.
1.1.6.b If an event requires a division, it will specify whether to round up or down.
1.1.6.c If an event would need to divide a number by 0, that event cannot happen.
1.1.6.d If a calculation uses a missing number (e.g. the statistics of a non-Character card), it uses zero instead.
1.1.6.e The trigger icon for "When I enter play" means the following effect happens when the object enters play (see Section 7.3.10, "Enter Play").
1.1.6.f The trigger icon for "When I am played from Hand" means the following effect happens when the object is played from Hand.
1.1.6.g The trigger icon for "When I am played from Reserve" means the following effect happens when the object is played from Reserve.
1.1.6.h The cost icon "Exhaust me" means the object bearing it must be exhausted as (part of) a cost.
1.1.6.i The cost icon "Discard me from Reserve" means the object bearing it must be discarded from Reserve as (part of) a cost.
1.1.6.j A "support" icon precedes a support ability (an ability that works only in Reserve) which is a Reaction ability or a passive ability.
1.1.6.k A white number in a black or yellow circle in a cost means "Pay [that number] mana".
Material
1.1.7.a Each player starts the game with a deck of Altered cards. They should be officially printed Altered cards with a valid QR code pointing to https://www.altered.gg. For the purpose of the rules, the text of an Altered card is the English text appearing on the Altered website. Note that the text appearing on the physical card may differ, if the card is printed in a different language or without text. It may also have received errata.
1.1.7.b Tokens are used to represent objects that are created by the game, but do not have a corresponding Altered card. Players must have a way to represent the tokens that their deck can create in a way that makes clear their characteristics and status. It is possible, but not mandatory, to use the official tokens published by Equinox. For rules purposes, tokens are cards and the owner of a token is the player who created it.
1.1.7.c Counters are markers put on cards by events in the game. Players should have a way of representing counters which make clear which counters are on which card. Counters with the same name are indistinguishable.
1.1.7.d If a player's deck has cards that ask them to "roll a die", they should have fair six-sided dice numbered from 1 to 6.
1.1.7.e Players should have a way to represent the status of their objects in all visible zones. The exhausted status is usually represented by turning the representation of the object from a vertical to a horizontal direction (a non-exhausted object is ready). Other statuses may be represented by printed or colored markers.
1.1.7.f Between the two of them, players need a Hero Region Card, a Companion Region Card, and three different Tumult cards (one Forest/Mountain, one Mountain/Water, and one Water/Forest) to represent the Adventure.
Game Concepts
Players
1.2.1.a A player is a participant in a game of Altered.
1.2.1.b In a two-player game, each player is the other's opponent.
1.2.1.c Each player in a game of Altered needs to have their own deck.
1.2.1.d Each player has a number of personal zones in the game: Deck, Discard pile, Hand, Hero zone, Mana zone, and Reserve.
Objects
1.2.2.a Objects are the game pieces of Altered.
1.2.2.b Most things in a game of Altered are either objects, properties of objects, or sets of objects.
1.2.2.c Objects have characteristics:
- Type (Character, Emblem, Hero, Permanent, Region, Spell)
- Sub-type
- Name
- Rarity (common, rare, exalted, unique)
- Version
- Hand Cost
- Reserve Cost
- Faction (Axiom, Bravos, Lyra, Muna, Ordis, Yzmir)
- Statistics (one number for each of Forest, Mountain, and Water)
- Abilities
- Reserve limit (only for Heroes)
- Landmark limit (only for Heroes)
- Duration (only for Emblems)
1.2.2.d An object may lack some of these characteristics.
Zones
1.2.3.a Zones are the game board of Altered. They are sets of cards or objects.
1.2.3.b There are ten kinds of zones (Adventure, Deck, Discard pile, Expedition zone, Hand, Hero zone, Landmark zone, Limbo, Mana zone, Reserve).
1.2.3.c The Expedition zone is split into four sub-zones called Expeditions: one Hero Expedition and one Companion Expedition for each player. The two Hero Expeditions (one for each player) face each other, as well as the two Companion Expeditions.
1.2.3.d The Landmark zone is split into two sub-zones: one for each player, called "that player's Landmarks".
Remark. Some old printings of cards refer to a player's Landmarks as "that player's Landmark zone".
1.2.3.e Four zones are shared: Adventure, Expedition zone, Landmark zone and Limbo. There is only one of each in a game of Altered.
1.2.3.f The six other zones are personal. Each player has their own Deck, Discard pile, Hand, Hero zone, Mana zone, and Reserve.
1.2.3.g Eight zones are visible: Adventure, Discard pile, Expedition zone, Hero zone, Landmark zone, Limbo, Mana zone and Reserve. They contain objects; players can know the number and characteristics of all objects in these zones at all time.
1.2.3.h The two other zones are hidden: Deck, and Hand. They contain cards; players can know the number of cards in each of these zones at all time.
Abilities
1.2.4.a Each paragraph in the textbox of an object is a separate ability.
1.2.4.b Some abilities are represented by keywords. Several keywords, representing different abilities, may appear on the same line.
1.2.4.c There are four types of abilities:
- Quick actions are written "Cost: Effect". Players may play any number of quick actions in their turn before playing a card or passing.
- Reactions are written "Trigger — Effect" or "Effect after trigger". When an event activates the trigger, the Effect resolves.
- Passive abilities are written as statements. Passive abilities may modify rules, events, or the characteristics of objects.
- Effects are written as changes to the game state. When an effect resolves, these changes are applied.
1.2.4.d Abilities of non-Hero objects only work when that object is in play (i.e. in the Expedition zone, or the Landmark zone) unless it specifies that it works in another zone. Furthermore:
- Abilities of Heroes only work in the Hero zone;
- Support abilities only work in Reserve, and only when the object is ready;
- Abilities of Emblems only work in Limbo;
- Abilities of an object that say that it can be played from a specific zone work in that zone;
- Abilities of an object that change the way it may be played, e.g. by changing its cost, work in any zone from which that object can be played.
Costs
1.2.5.a A cost is a change to the game state that a player can do in order to do something, e.g. playing a card or a quick action.
1.2.5.b A player is never forced to pay a cost. Not paying a cost may preclude certain game actions, such as playing a card, or have some things happen or not happen.
1.2.5.c Costs must always be paid in full. If a player cannot pay part of a cost, they cannot pay the cost at all.
1.2.5.d All parts in a single cost are always paid simultaneously.
1.2.5.e A mana cost is paid by exhausting that many Mana Orbs.
Effects
1.2.6.a An effect is a change to the game state that happens during the resolution of a spell, a quick action, a Reaction, a daily effect, or a turn effect.
1.2.6.b Effects may have several steps. There is usually one step for each verb in an effect, unless these verbs are said to happen simultaneously.
1.2.6.c Some steps use the word "target". A target is an object, player, Expedition or zone that the controller of the effect chooses as it resolves.
1.2.6.d Steps are usually mandatory. Optional steps use the word "may".
1.2.6.e Some steps are conditional. They are written "If [condition], do [step]". Conditional steps whose condition is not met are ignored.
1.2.6.f If part of an effect cannot happen, that part is ignored, but the rest of the effect happens normally.
Events
1.2.7.a An event is a change from one game state to the next.
1.2.7.b Paying a cost is always a single event.
1.2.7.c There is a different event for each step in the resolution of an effect.
1.2.7.d Some events involve no change in the game state, for example if they act on an empty set of objects or if they only provide information to one or both players.
Game Progress
Starting the Game
1.3.1.a The players build a common Adventure with the Hero Region card on one end, the Companion Region card on the other, and three distinct face-down Tumult cards in random positions and orientations between the Hero Region and the Companion Region.
1.3.1.b Each player's hero Expedition counter is put on the Hero Region, and each player's companion Expedition counter is put on the Companion Region.
1.3.1.c Each player puts their Hero (if they have one) in their Hero zone, shuffles the rest of their cards and puts it in their Deck.
1.3.1.d The first player of the first day is determined at random.
1.3.1.e In the Morning of the first day, instead of the normal daily effects, players draw six cards and put three of them ready in their Mana zone.
Day Progress
1.3.2.a Each day is divided into five phases.
1.3.2.b In the Morning phase, the opponent of the first player becomes the first player (Succeed), players ready their Heroes, Characters, Permanents, Mana Orbs, and cards in Reserve (Prepare), draw two cards (Draw) and may put one card from their Hand in their Mana zone as a ready Mana Orb (Expand).
1.3.2.c In the Noon phase, nothing happens unless one or more Reactions trigger "At Noon".
1.3.2.d In the Afternoon phase, starting with the first player, players alternate taking turns until both have passed; during their turn, a player may play any number of quick actions and then either play a card or pass; once a player has passed, they cannot take more turns this day.
1.3.2.e In the Dusk phase, players sum up the statistics of all the characters in each of their Expeditions. An Expedition moves forward if one of its statistics is:
- one of its terrains;
- (strictly) greater than the corresponding statistic of the Expedition facing it;
- (strictly) greater than zero.
1.3.2.f In the Night phase, Characters in the Expedition zone and Gears that belonged in an Expedition that moved forward this day return to the Reserve (Rest). Extra cards in Reserve are discarded, and extra cards in the Landmark zone are sacrificed (Clean-up). Finally, we check if a player has won the game (Check Victory), as described in the following section.
Ending the Game
1.3.3.a During Check Victory, before starting a new day, check if at least one player's hero Expedition and companion Expedition have met or crossed each other.
1.3.3.b At that point, count the distance between each Expedition and its starting Region. If the total distance of one player's Expeditions is greater than their opponent's, that player wins the game.
1.3.3.c Otherwise, tiebreakers start: all regions in the Adventure are immediately replaced by the Arena (on the back of the Companion card).
1.3.3.d During tiebreakers, all Expeditions are in the Arena, and the statistics of all Characters are summed up during Dusk.
1.3.3.e Players play new days until one of them, during Dusk, wins on more terrains than their opponent. When that happens, they win the game.
1.3.3.f Tiebreakers may last for several days.
Golden Rules
Can't Beats Can
1.4.1.a If a rule or a passive ability says that it is impossible to do something, and a cost or an effect tries to do that thing, then the thing cannot be done.
1.4.1.b An impossible cost cannot be paid.
1.4.1.c An impossible effect cannot be performed. If other parts of the effect can happen, the rest of the effect resolves normally.
1.4.1.d It is impossible to modify an impossible event, even if the modified event would itself be possible.
Specific Beats General
1.4.2.a If a card allows a player to do something that they cannot normally do, or to do it in a different way, the card takes priority.
My Cards, My Zones
1.4.3.a If a card owned by a player would move to a zone belonging to another player, it goes to its owner's corresponding zone instead.
New Zone, New Object
1.4.4.a Objects do not change zones, the items that represent them do. Anything that relates to an object in a zone will not be able to follow it to another zone, except for the event which moves an object.
Initiative Order
1.4.5.a If both players need to take decisions simultaneously, the player with initiative (the player who is currently taking their turn or the first player during non-Afternoon phases) must decide first. If that choice involves an object from a visible zone, their opponent knows which object they have chosen. If the choice involves a card from a hidden zone, they must make their choice explicit, but they do not need to reveal the chosen card.
Example. Ninette plays a game against Lithium. During her turn, Ninette plays Kitsune from her Hand. Kitsune has the Reaction "When played from Hand — Each player may Resupply". She must let Lithium know whether or not she chooses to Resupply before he takes his decision. However, if she chooses to Resupply, Lithium will not see Ninette's top card until after he decides whether to Resupply or not.
In his turn, Lithium plays Anubis, which has the Reaction "When I enter play — Each player sacrifices a Character". Lithium must choose which Character to sacrifice before Ninette, and Ninette knows which Character he chose to sacrifice when she makes her choice. Both Characters are sacrificed simultaneously.
Nothing Is Forever
1.4.6.a The interaction of some cards may lead to seemingly endless loops. In order to resolve these situations, there are limits to the number of times things can happen in a single day.
1.4.6.b A single quick action of any given object may only be played up to a hundred times per day.
1.4.6.c A single Reaction of any given object may only activate up to a hundred times per day.
Who Did That?
1.4.7.a Some triggers and Passive abilities depend on which player did a specific action. When that action happens as part of an event, look at the first matching criteria to determine who did that action:
1.4.7.b Some effects specify which player does the action.
1.4.7.c The controller of the effect is the one who does the action.
1.4.7.d The controller of the affected object is the one who does the action.
1.4.7.e Neither player did the action.
Objects
General
2.1.a Objects exist in every visible zone. Each object belongs to a single zone at any given time.
2.1.b Objects can be represented in different ways: Altered cards, token cards, Adventure cards, halves of Tumult cards, and emblems.
2.1.c Objects never change zones. However, many rules and effects are worded as if they did.
2.1.d When a cost or an effect "moves" an object to a different zone, it moves the item representing that object, which becomes a new object with a new timestamp if it ends up in a visible zone. Nothing relating to the old object applies to the new one, except for the exceptions listed in Rule 2.1.f. The old object is considered to not exist from that point, except for Reactions that may reference it.
Example. Lithium has Haven, Bravos Bastion and plays Kuwat, the Dissenter from Reserve. This triggers the two Reactions of Kuwat, its native "Enter Play — Sacrifice a Character" and the one granted by Haven "Reserve — I gain 1 boost". If Lithium decides to play the Enter Play Reaction first and to sacrifice Kuwat, then the Reserve Reaction will not boost Kuwat in the Discard pile as it is not the same object as Kuwat in the Expedition zone which triggered the Reserve reaction.
2.1.e If a token would leave the Expedition zone and join another zone, it does not join its new zone and simultaneously ceases to exist instead (it still leaves the Expedition zone).
2.1.f If an ability refers to a card or an object moving from any zone to a visible zone (as part of a cost, a trigger, or an effect), that ability can find the new object in its destination zone. This is an exception to Rule 2.1.d.
Example. Moonlight Jellyfish has the Reaction "When I am sacrificed, if I was not Fleeting — Put me in Reserve". If Moonlight Jellyfish is sacrificed, its Reaction triggers and is able to find the Moonlight Jellyfish in the Discard pile even though it is a different object than the one whose Reaction just triggered.
2.1.g Rule 2.1.f can apply through more than one zone change, as long as they all come from the ability itself.
Example. Coppélia has the Reaction "When I go to Reserve from your Hand — You may play me for free and I gain Asleep". Coppélia in Reserve, Coppélia in Limbo, and Coppélia in the Expedition zone are three different objects, but the effect of Coppélia's reaction in Reserve can act on the two other Coppélias as it is that effect that moved the card from Reserve to Limbo and to the Expedition zone.
2.1.h In some cases, an effect may be asking for information about an object that does not exist anymore. Such effects use the information that was true about that object just before it ceased to exist.
Remark. A Character which moved from one Expedition to another did not leave the Expedition zone. If an effect asks for information about such a Character, it uses the current information of that Character in its new Expedition.
2.1.i An object that does not exist anymore cannot move to a new zone or Expeditions.
2.1.j Cards in hidden zones are not objects.
2.1.k Zones are not objects: they are sets of objects or cards.
2.1.l Counters are not objects: they are markers placed on objects.
Characteristics
2.2.a A card object represented by a card has the base characteristics written on the card. Some cards may have received errata since their publication.
2.2.b An object represented by a token has the base characteristics described by the event that created the token.
2.2.c An object may be missing one or more characteristics.
2.2.d If an object does not have a characteristic, this characteristic cannot be modified.
2.2.e If an object does not have a characteristic, this characteristic can be gained.
2.2.f If an event looks for the value of an absent characteristic, it uses zero for numeric characteristics and the empty set for other characteristics.
Type
2.2.1.a A type is one of the following: Character, Emblem, Hero, Mana Orb, Permanent, Region, Spell.
2.2.1.b Each object has a single type.
2.2.1.c The type of an Altered card is written on the type line, just below the name of the card. It is the first word of the type line, before the dash.
2.2.1.d The type of a token card is Character, unless another type is specified in the text of the effect creating it.
Remark. The tokens printed by Equinox have the word "Token" in their type line. This is for clarity and has no rules implications.
2.2.1.e The type of an object represented by an Adventure card or half a Tumult card is Region.
2.2.1.f The type of an object represented by a face-down card in the Mana zone is Mana Orb.
2.2.1.g The type of an emblem is Emblem.
Remark. The type Emblem does not appear on cards. It is reserved for temporary objects in Limbo created by Reactions or effects whose impact on the game lasts longer than their own resolution.
2.2.1.h When a cost or an effect refers to "a [type]", it refers to an object in play with the appropriate type, unless it specifies a specific zone.
Example. Banishing Gate has the effect "Discard target Character or Permanent". When that Spell is played, its controller must choose a Character or Permanent in play. They cannot choose a Character or Permanent from another zone, such as the Reserve.
2.2.1.i When a cost or an effect checks whether a specific card or object is "a [type]", it checks whether that card or that object has the appropriate type, regardless of its location.
Example. Ada Lovelace has the Reaction "Reserve — You may put a card from your hand in Reserve. If it's a Permanent, draw a card". If a player chooses to put a Permanent card in Reserve during the resolution of this Reaction, they draw a card.
Sub-types
2.2.2.a Characters, Spells, Permanents, Regions, and Emblems may have sub-types.
2.2.2.b Heroes have no sub-types.
2.2.2.c An object may have any number of sub-types.
2.2.2.d The list of Character sub-types is: Adventurer, Animal, Apprentice, Artist, Bureaucrat, Citizen, Companion, Deity, Dragon, Druid, Elemental, Engineer, Fairy, Illusion, Leviathan, Mage, Merchant, Messenger, Noble, Plant, Robot, Rogue, Scholar, Scientist, Soldier, Spirit, Titan, Trainer.
2.2.2.e The list of Permanent sub-types is: Construction, Gear, Ore, Sap, Site.
2.2.2.f The list of region sub-types is: Forest, Mountain, Water.
2.2.2.g The list of spell sub-types is: Boon, Conjuration, Disruption, Maneuver, Song.
2.2.2.h The list of emblem sub-types is: Reaction, Ongoing.
2.2.2.i The sub-types of an Altered card are written on the type line, just below the name of the card. They are to the right of the dash; if there is more than one sub-type, they are separated by commas.
2.2.2.j The sub-types of a token are defined by the effect that creates it. They are written after the statistics of the token, separated by commas.
Example. Foundry Armorer has the Reserve ability "Create a Brassbug 2/2/2 Robot token in target Expedition". The sub-type of the token created when this reaction resolves is "Robot".
2.2.2.k The sub-types of the Hero region, Companion region, and the arena are Forest, Mountain, and Water.
Remark. Regions represented by face-down Tumult cards have no sub-types.
2.2.2.l The sub-types of regions represented by face-up Tumult cards are described by symbols on the side of the regions.
2.2.2.m The sub-type of an emblem created as a Reaction triggers is Reaction. The sub-type of an emblem created by an effect that lasts longer than its own resolution is Ongoing.
Example. Aloe Vera has the reaction "At Noon — Resupply". As the Noon phase begins, Aloe Vera's controller creates an Emblem-Reaction in Limbo with the text "Resupply". When that Reaction is played, its effect resolves, then it ceases to exist.
Example. Celebration Day has the effect "Expeditions can't move forward this Day". When that effect resolves, an Emblem-Ongoing is created in Limbo with the passive ability "Expeditions can't move forward" and the duration "this Day".
2.2.2.n When a cost or an effect refers to "a sub-type", it refers to an object in play with the appropriate sub-type.
2.2.2.o When a cost or an effect checks whether a specific card or object is "a [sub-type]", it checks whether that card or that object has the appropriate sub-type, regardless of its location.
Zone Type
2.2.3.a Permanents have a zone type.
2.2.3.b A zone type is either Expedition or Landmark.
2.2.3.c The zone type of a Permanent is written on the type line, just below the name of the card, before the "Permanent" type.
2.2.3.d When an Expedition Permanent card resolves, it joins one of the Expeditions of its controller.
2.2.3.e When a Landmark Permanent card resolves, it joins the Landmark zone of its controller.
Name
2.2.4.a The name of an object is a series of words and symbols.
2.2.4.b An object has only one name, even if it contains several words.
2.2.4.c The name of an object is its English name, even if it is represented by a card printed in a different language.
Example. Fée Clochette is the French version of Tinker Bell. The name of an object represented by that card is Tinker Bell.
2.2.4.d The name of an object represented by a Permanent card is written in the middle of the card, below the rarity gem and above the type line.
2.2.4.e The name of an object represented by a non-Permanent card is written on the top of the card, below the rarity gem.
Remark. Cards with the same name may have different characteristics, if they have different rarities, different factions, or they are unique.
2.2.4.f The name of a token is defined by the effect that creates it. It is composed of the words written before its statistics.
Example. Ordis Cadets has the reaction "Enter Play — Create an Ordis Recruit 1/1/1 Soldier token in my Expedition". The name of the token created when this Reaction resolves is "Ordis Recruit".
2.2.4.g Emblems have no name.
Rarity
2.2.5.a The rarity of an object is one of the following: common, rare, exalted, or unique.
2.2.5.b The rarity of a card is indicated by a gem just above the card's name. A gray gem indicates a common card; a blue gem indicates a rare card (out-of-faction cards are considered rare); an orange gem indicates an exalted card and a yellow gem indicates a unique card. It is also written as a letter (C for common, R for rare, F for out-of-faction rare, E for exalted, or U for unique) on the legal line at the bottom of the card.
2.2.5.c Heroes, regions, tokens, and emblems have no rarity.
Version
2.2.6.a The version of an object is a code of the form: LLL-NNN-L(-NNNNN), where the L's are letters and the N's are numbers.
2.2.6.b The letters before the first dash correspond to the set release.
Example. The three letters BTG stand for the set "Beyond the Gates".
2.2.6.c The next three numbers are the number of the card in the set.
2.2.6.d The single letter is the rarity of the card, which can be C for common, R for rare, F for "out of faction" rare, E for exalted, or U for unique.
2.2.6.e Unique cards have an extra number at the end of their version.
2.2.6.f Each unique card has a different version.
2.2.6.g In the Beyond the Gates set, different cards may share the same number if one comes from the Kickstarter release and the other one from the Retail release. They may be distinguished by a stylized A on the bottom left of the card.
Hand Cost
2.2.7.a The Hand Cost of an object is a number.
2.2.7.b The Hand Cost of an Altered card is written as a number in a circle on the top left of the card, just above and to the left of the Reserve Cost.
2.2.7.c Tokens have a hand cost of 0.
2.2.7.d Emblems have no hand cost.
Reserve Cost
2.2.8.a The Reserve Cost of an object is a number.
2.2.8.b The Reserve Cost of an Altered card is written as a number in a circle on the top left of the card, just below and to the right of the Hand Cost.
2.2.8.c Tokens have a reserve cost of 0.
2.2.8.d Emblems have no reserve cost.
Base Cost
2.2.9.a The Base Cost of an object is a number.
2.2.9.b The Base Cost of an object is:
- its Reserve Cost if at least one of the following is true:
- it is Fleeting,
- it is in Reserve,
- it represents a card in Limbo in the process of playing that card from Reserve;
- its Hand Cost otherwise.
Faction
2.2.10.a A faction is one of the following: Axiom, Bravos, Lyra, Muna, Ordis, Yzmir.
2.2.10.b Some objects have no faction. They are called neutral.
2.2.10.c The faction of an object represented by a card is defined by its faction symbol and its background color.
- Axiom: brown
- Bravos: red
- Lyra: pink
- Muna: green
- Ordis: blue
- Yzmir: purple
2.2.10.d Tokens and Emblems have no faction.
Remark. The token cards printed by Equinox have a background color and a faction symbol. This is purely for aesthetic reasons and has no rules implications.
Statistics
2.2.11.a Statistics are numbers.
2.2.11.b There are three statistics: Forest, Mountain, and Water.
2.2.11.c Only Characters have statistics.
2.2.11.d The statistics of a Character card are represented on the left of the card, with Forest on top and in green, Mountain in the middle and in orange, and Water on the bottom and in blue.
2.2.11.e The statistics of a token are defined by the effect that creates it. They are written between the name and the sub-types of the token, separated by forward slashes, with the Forest statistic first, the Mountain statistic second, and the Water statistic third.
Example. Kojo & Booda has the reaction "At Noon, if you are the first player — Create a Booda 2/2/2 Companion token in your companion Expedition". The statistics of this token are 2, 2, and 2.
Abilities
2.2.12.a Abilities are either quick actions, Reactions, passive abilities, or effects.
2.2.12.b The abilities of an object represented by an Altered card are written in the ability box, below the illustration.
2.2.12.c Text in italics in the ability box has no existence rules-wise.
2.2.12.d Some abilities are written in a box inside the ability box with a colored background and white or yellow text. Such abilities are support abilities.
Example. The textbox of Haven Trainee has the following text: "Reserve — I gain two boosts." "All right, lad, show me what you've learned." "Discard from Reserve: The next Character you play this turn gains 1 boost." Haven Trainee (rare) has two abilities: "Reserve — I gain two boosts." and "Discard from Reserve: The next Character you play this turn gains 1 boost.". The first one is an in-play ability and the second one is a support ability. "All right, lad, show me what you've learned." is flavor text and "(Discard me from Reserve to do this.)" is reminder text.
2.2.12.e Support abilities which are Reactions or passive abilities are preceded by the support icon.
2.2.12.f The abilities of a Character represented by a token are defined by the effect that creates it. They are written between quotation marks and preceded by "with", after the location in which the token is created.
Example. Lindiwe & Maw has the quick action "Exhaust: Create a Maw 0/0/0 Companion token in your companion Expedition with "When you sacrifice a Character — I gain two boosts". This action costs 1 more mana if you are not the first player". The token created by this quick action has the Reaction "When you sacrifice a Character — I gain two boosts".
2.2.12.g Unless otherwise specified, the abilities of an object only work while this object is in play.
2.2.12.h Abilities of Heroes only work in the Hero zone.
2.2.12.i Support abilities only work in Reserve.
2.2.12.j Exhausted objects in Reserve have no support abilities.
2.2.12.k Quick actions are written "Cost: Effect".
Remark. Some quick actions use symbols as part of their costs: the Exhaust icon means "Exhaust me" and the Discard icon means "Discard me from Reserve". See 7.1.4 "Cost symbols".
2.2.12.l Reactions are written "Trigger — Effect".
Remark. Some reactions use symbols as triggers: the Enter Play icon means "When I enter play —" (see Section 7.3.10); the Hand icon means "When I am played from Hand —"; the Reserve icon means "When I am played from Reserve —". See 7.1.1 "Trigger symbols".
2.2.12.m Passive abilities are written as statements. They may create or alter rules, change the characteristics of objects, or modify the way costs and effects affect the game.
2.2.12.n Effects are written as instructions to change the game state.
Reserve Limit
2.2.13.a The reserve limit is a number.
2.2.13.b Only Heroes have a reserve limit.
2.2.13.c The reserve limit of a Hero is represented by a number of rectangles on a line below the illustration and above the ability box, to the left of that Hero's faction symbol.
Remark. If a player does not have a Hero, the default reserve limit is 2 (see Rule 3.2.10.b).
Landmark Limit
2.2.14.a The landmark limit is a number.
2.2.14.b Only Heroes have a landmark limit.
2.2.14.c The landmark limit of a Hero is represented by a number of rectangles on a line below the illustration and above the ability box, to the right of that Hero's faction symbol.
Remark. If a player does not have a Hero, the default landmark limit is 2 (see Rule 3.2.7.c).
Duration
2.2.15.a A duration is either "this turn", "this Afternoon", or "this Day".
2.2.15.b Only Ongoing Emblems have a duration.
2.2.15.c The duration of an Ongoing Emblem is defined by the event that created it.
Example. Twinkle Twinkle has the support ability "Discard from Reserve: The next card you play this turn costs 1 less". When its effect resolves, its controller creates an Ongoing Emblem in Limbo with the passive ability "The next card you play costs 1 less" and the duration "this turn". When the current turn ends, this Ongoing Emblem ceases to exist, whether its controller has played a card or not.
2.2.15.d An Emblem with a duration of "this turn" can only be created during a turn.
2.2.15.e An Emblem with a duration of "this Afternoon" can only be created during Morning, Noon, or Afternoon. If it is created during Morning or Noon, it will expire at the end of that day's Afternoon.
Timestamp
2.2.16.a A timestamp is a number.
2.2.16.b Whenever an object enters a new zone or is created in a zone, it receives a new timestamp.
2.2.16.c Each timestamp is greater than all previous timestamps.
2.2.16.d If multiple objects would receive timestamps at the same time, the first player in initiative order first chooses the relative order of the timestamps for their objects, then their opponent does the same.
Applying Passive Abilities
Effect on Characteristics
2.3.1.a Some passive abilities modify the characteristics of objects.
2.3.1.b These abilities only affect objects in play.
2.3.1.c Passive abilities apply continuously.
2.3.1.d An object's characteristics are its base characteristics, modified by all applicable passive abilities.
2.3.1.e What passive abilities do and what they apply to are re-evaluated after each event.
2.3.1.f When (re-)evaluating what passive abilities do, we consider that none of them apply and (re-)apply the passive abilities one at a time.
Remark. Considering that passive abilities do not apply during re-evaluation is limited to this process. Outside of the re-evaluation process, only the final result, once all passive abilities have been re-evaluated in order, should be considered.
Example. Atlas, which has the passive ability "Gigantic", is in the Hero Expedition of a player. Amarok, which has the reaction ability "When another Character joins my Expedition — Sacrifice it" is in the Companion Expedition of that player. During the re-evaluation of passive abilities, we consider for a moment that "Gigantic" does not apply anymore. However, because at the end of the re-evaluation process "Gigantic" applies again, Atlas has not left nor joined again the companion Expedition and must therefore not be sacrificed.
2.3.1.g In order to determine the order in which passive abilities are applied, Altered uses timestamps and dependency.
Dependency
2.3.2.a Dependency is a relation between two passive abilities.
2.3.2.b Dependency is defined through the notion of direct dependency.
2.3.2.c A passive ability [A] directly depends on another passive ability [B] if either:
2.3.2.d Applying [B] would remove the existence of [A].
Example. Character [B] has "All other characters lose their abilities". Character [A] has "All regions are Forests". Applying [B] removes [A]'s ability. Therefore, [A] directly depends on [B].
2.3.2.e Applying [B] changes what [A] applies to.
Example. Character A has "All Elementals have Gigantic". Character B has "All Characters are Elementals". Character C is not an Elemental. Applying [B] makes [A] apply to [C]. Therefore, [A] directly depends on [B].
2.3.2.f Applying [B] changes what [A] does.
Example. Character [A] has "If I am in Forest, I am Gigantic". Character [B] has "All regions are Forests". Therefore, [A] directly depends on [B].
2.3.2.g Dependency is the transitive closure of direct dependency:
- if [A] depends directly on [B], then [A] depends on [B];
- if [A] depends on [B] and [B] depends on [C], then [A] depends on [C].
Order of Application
2.3.3.a An ability [A] is free from dependency if either:
- there is no unapplied ability [B] such that [A] depends on [B]; or
- for each unapplied ability [B], if [A] depends on [B], then [B] depends on [A].
2.3.3.b The next ability that is applied is the one with the smallest timestamp that is free from dependency.
2.3.3.c Once an altering ability has been applied, dependencies are re-evaluated to determine the next ability to apply.
Statuses
General
2.4.1.a A status is one of the following: Anchored, Ascended, Asleep, Boosted, exhausted, Fleeting.
2.4.1.b Objects in Adventure, Expedition zone, Hero zone, Landmark zone, Limbo, Mana zone, and Reserve, as well as Expeditions, may have one or several statuses.
2.4.1.c Objects in Discard pile and cards in Deck or Hand cannot have or gain statuses.
2.4.1.d An object entering a new zone has no status until specified otherwise.
2.4.1.e An object's statuses do not change unless an effect causes them to change.
2.4.1.f An object that already has a status cannot gain that status.
2.4.1.g Some objects have passive abilities that state that they can gain a status that it already has. This is an exception to Rule 2.4.1.f. If an effect grants a status to an object that already has that status, nothing happens, but that effect can be modified and it can trigger Reactions.
Remark. Ninette has Arcolano Milk ("When a Character joins my Expedition — It gains 1 boost and Fleeting") and Technical Boots ("When my Expedition moves forward — Target Character in my Expedition loses Fleeting") in her Hero Expedition and she plays Gericht, Revered Duelist from her Reserve in her Hero Expedition. Gericht's Reaction activates twice: one from it entering Fleeting, and once from Arcolano Milk's Reaction giving it Fleeting again. If Gericht's Expedition progresses and Ninette uses the Reaction from Technical Boots to have Gericht lose Fleeting, Gericht does not keep an "instance" of Fleeting: it will go to Reserve during Rest.
2.4.1.h An object that does not have a status cannot lose that status.
Anchored
- During Rest, an Anchored Character is not sent to Reserve.
- During Rest, an Anchored object loses Anchored.
Ascended
- During Progress, an Ascended Expedition may move forward if it is tied with the Expedition facing it on a statistic of one of its terrains.
- During Rest, an Ascended Expedition loses Ascended.
Asleep
- During Progress, an Asleep Character's statistics are not counted in their expedition's statistics.
- During Rest, an Asleep Character is not sent to Reserve.
- During Rest, an Asleep object loses Asleep.
Remark. If a Character is both Anchored and Asleep at Rest, it loses both statuses.
Boosted
2.4.5.a An object is Boosted if it has at least one boost on it.
2.4.5.b Objects never directly gain or lose Boosted. This status changes when boosts are added or removed from an object.
Remark. Characters keep their boost when they change zones, except when they leave the Expedition or join the Discard pile, so if a player plays a Boosted Character card from their Reserve, that Character enters the Expedition zone Boosted.
Exhausted
2.4.6.a Some costs and effects make an object exhausted.
Remark. The Exhaust icon in the cost of a quick action means "exhaust me" (see Rule 7.1.4.a). That cost cannot be paid if the object bearing that quick action is already exhausted.
2.4.6.b An object that is not exhausted is ready.
2.4.6.c Exhausted cards in Reserve cannot be played.
2.4.6.d Some passive abilities state that a player may play Exhausted cards in Reserve. This passive ability is an exception to Rule 2.4.6.c. It does not circumvent other restrictions.
2.4.6.e Exhausted cards in Reserve have no support abilities.
Fleeting
2.4.7.a When a card is played from Reserve, it gains Fleeting as it enters Limbo.
2.4.7.b Some spells have Fleeting as a passive ability. When such a spell is played from anywhere, it gains the status Fleeting as it enters Limbo.
Remark. Landmark Permanents cannot have or gain Fleeting in any zone.
2.4.7.c When a Fleeting Character or Expedition Permanent in Limbo resolves, it gains Fleeting as it enters the Expedition zone.
2.4.7.d If a Fleeting Character or Expedition Permanent would go to the Reserve from the Expedition zone, it is discarded instead.
2.4.7.e When a Fleeting Spell in Limbo is done resolving, it is discarded instead of going to Reserve.
Counters
2.5.a Objects in Adventure, Expedition zone, Hero zone, Landmark zone, Limbo, Mana zone, and Reserve may have counters on them.
2.5.b Objects in Discard pile and cards in Deck or Hand cannot have or gain counters.
2.5.c Counters have names.
2.5.d Counters with the same name on the same object are indistinguishable.
2.5.e Some Heroes start the game with counters. Such counters are on the Hero from the moment it is flipped face-up and placed in the Hero zone.
2.5.f Some steps have an object "gain [X] [name] counters". After the resolution of such a step, that object has [X] more [name] counters than before.
2.5.g Some steps "remove [X] [name] counters" from an object. After the resolution of such a step, if that object had [X] or less [name] counters, it has now zero [name] counters; if it had more than [X] [name] counters, that object has now [X] less [name] counters than before.
2.5.h Some objects have quick actions whose costs include "spending [X] of their [name] counters". In order to pay such costs, the object in question must have at least [X] [name] counters. Once the cost is paid, it has [X] less [name] counters.
2.5.i Most counters have no intrinsic impact on the game.
2.5.j When an object leaves play, it loses all its counters.
Remark. Leaving play is defined in Section 7.3.20.
2.5.k When an object moves from the Expedition zone to the Landmark zone or from the Landmark zone to the Expedition zone, it keeps its counters.
2.5.l When an object moves from the Reserve or the Limbo to another visible zone, it keeps its counters (except if it goes to the Discard pile, in which case it loses all its counters).
Boost Counters
2.5.1.a Boost counters, also called +1/+1/+1 counters, are a specific type of counters.
2.5.1.b If a Character has boost counters, each of them adds 1 to each of its statistics.
Zones
Zone Properties
General
3.1.1.a A zone is a set of objects or cards.
3.1.1.b Zones always exist, even if they are empty.
3.1.1.c There are ten kinds of zones: Adventure, Deck, Discard pile, Expedition zone, Hand, Hero zone, Landmark zone, Limbo, Mana zone, and Reserve.
Remark. At the beginning of the game, all zones are empty, except from the Adventure, the Hero zones, and the Decks.
Shared or Personal
3.1.2.a Some zones are shared: there is only one instance of each shared zone in the game.
Remark. Adventure, Expedition zone, Landmark zone and Limbo are shared zones.
3.1.2.b Some zones are personal: each player has one instance of each personal zone.
Remark. Deck, Discard pile, Hand, Hero zone, Mana zone and Reserve are personal zones.
3.1.2.c If a card or an object would go to a personal zone that does not belong to its owner, it goes to the corresponding zone of its owner instead.
Visible or Hidden
3.1.3.a Some zones are visible: they contain objects.
Remark. Adventure, Discard pile, Expedition zone, Hero zone, Landmark zone, Limbo, Mana zone and Reserve are visible zones.
3.1.3.b All players know the number and characteristics of objects in all visible zones.
3.1.3.c Some objects in visible zones are represented by face-down cards. These objects have no base characteristics, except for those in the Mana zone which are of type Mana Orb.
3.1.3.d Some zones are hidden: they contain cards.
Remark. Deck and Hand are hidden zones.
3.1.3.e All players know the number of cards in all hidden zones.
3.1.3.f Players cannot look at cards in hidden zones unless a rule, effect, or passive ability allows them to do so.
Remark. Costs and effects that use the characteristics of a card in a hidden zone reveal that card beforehand.
In Play
3.1.4.a An object is "in play" if it is in the Expedition zone or the Landmark zone.
Zone-specific Rules
Adventure
3.2.1.a The Adventure is a shared, visible zone.
Remark. The Adventure is a visible zone which contains face-down cards. Players may not look at the face of face-down cards in the Adventure.
3.2.1.b During regular play, the Adventure contains eight regions in a row: the Hero region on one side, six regions represented by three Tumult cards, and the Companion region on the other side.
Remark. At the beginning of the game, the three Tumult cards are face-down. The six objects they represent have the type Region due to Rule 2.2.1.e and no other characteristics.
3.2.1.c During tiebreakers, all regions are replaced by a single region called the Arena.
3.2.1.d Visible regions might have one or more Terrain Markers placed on them, each of one or more given terrains. Each Terrain Marker has the passive ability "The region I am placed on gains my terrains and loses its other terrain."
3.2.1.e The passive abilities of Terrain Markers are always resolved before all other passive abilities, using timestamps to decide the order of resolutions among Terrain Markers. This is an exception to Rule 2.3.1.g.
Example. Aran plays Persephone which has the ability "My region is Forest in addition to its other terrains". After that, his opponent, Jimmy, places a Mountain Terrain Marker on the region of Persephone thanks to the ability of his Hero, Nadir & Bubbles. Even if Jimmy's Terrain Marker has a later timestamp, it is still resolved before Persephone's ability when re-evaluating passive abilities. Therefore, that region's terrain is Forest.
Deck
3.2.2.a The Deck is a personal, hidden zone.
3.2.2.b The cards in the Deck are ordered in a pile: the first card is called the top card, the last card is called the bottom card, and other cards are designated by their position relative to one of these cards.
3.2.2.c If a step affects a card or a set of cards in a Deck, it specifies the position of the affected card(s), relative to the top or the bottom of the Deck.
3.2.2.d If an atomic action would affect a card at a specific position and the Deck does not contain enough cards for that position to exist, that atomic action does nothing.
3.2.2.e If an atomic action would affect the N first cards or the N last cards of the Deck and the Deck does not contain enough cards (less than N), resolve the atomic action with all the cards of the Deck and keep resolving the effect as much as possible.
Example. Mind Apotheosis is a spell which has the effect "Reveal the top four cards of your Deck. Choose up to two Characters from these cards and put them in your Expeditions. They gain Fleeting. Discard the other cards." If a player plays Mind Apotheosis while they only have one card in their Deck, they reveal that single card: if it is a Character they may put it in their Expeditions. If they did, they discard nothing. If they didn't (or couldn't), they discard a single card.
Remark. Rules 7.3.9.c (drawing during Morning) and 7.3.31.b (resupplying during Morning) are notable exceptions to this rule.
3.2.2.f If a step moves a card or a set of cards at a specific position and the Deck does not contain enough cards, that card or set of cards is moved to the top or to the bottom, respectively, if they were sent "X cards from the bottom" or "X cards from the top".
Discard Pile
3.2.3.a The Discard pile is a personal, visible zone.
Expedition Zone
3.2.4.a The Expedition zone is a shared, visible zone.
3.2.4.b The Expedition zone is divided into sub-zones called Expeditions: each player has a Hero Expedition and a Companion Expedition.
3.2.4.c Expeditions always exist, even if they are empty.
3.2.4.d An object that moves from one Expedition to another does not change zones.
3.2.4.e Each player knows in which Expedition every object in the Expedition zone is at all time.
Hand
3.2.5.a The Hand is a personal, hidden zone.
3.2.5.b Each player can look at and reorder their own Hand at any time.
3.2.5.c If an effect or a cost acts on a card in a Hand, it either chooses a card at random or it reveals that Hand to the player who chooses which card is affected.
Hero Zone
3.2.6.a The Hero zone is a personal, visible zone.
3.2.6.b Each Hero zone contains up to one Hero.
Landmark Zone
3.2.7.a The Landmark zone is a shared, visible zone.
3.2.7.b The Landmark zone is divided into two sub-zones, one for each player, called "that player's Landmarks".
3.2.7.c The landmark limit of a player is the landmark limit of their Hero. If they have no Hero (which may happen in limited formats), their landmark limit is 2.
Remark. Players may have more objects in their Landmarks than their landmark limit. They only need to sacrifice excess objects during the Night phase.
Limbo
3.2.8.a Limbo is a shared, visible zone.
Remark. Limbo is usually not represented as a specific physical space in a game: it is a transitory zone, which only contains cards when they are played and short-lived Emblems.
Mana Zone
3.2.9.a The Mana zone is a personal, visible zone.
Remark. The Mana zone is a visible zone which contains face-down cards. Players may not look at the face of face-down cards in other players' Mana zone.
3.2.9.b When a player puts a card in the Mana zone, it enters the Mana zone face-down and exhausted unless specified otherwise.
Remark. If that card was in a hidden zone prior to the move, that card is not revealed as it changes zones.
3.2.9.c Objects in the Mana zone have the type Mana Orb.
3.2.9.d Players can look at the cards in their Mana zone at any time.
3.2.9.e Players can exhaust a Mana Orb to ready another exhausted Mana Orb in their Mana zone before any step that asks them to choose one of their Mana Orbs.
3.2.9.f A mana cost X can be paid by exhausting X Mana Orbs.
Reserve
3.2.10.a The Reserve is a personal, visible zone.
3.2.10.b The reserve limit of a player is the reserve limit of their Hero. If they have no Hero (which may happen in limited formats), their reserve limit is 2.
Remark. Players may have more objects in their Reserve than their reserve limit. They only need to discard excess objects during the Night phase.
Game Progression
Beginning of the Game
4.1.a As the game starts, all zones are empty.
4.1.b Place the two Adventure cards representing the Hero region and the Companion region on either end of the Adventure.
4.1.c Shuffle three different Tumult cards (position and orientation) and place them face-down in the Adventure, between the Hero region and the Companion region.
4.1.d Each player puts their hero Expedition counter in the Hero region and their companion Expedition counter in the Companion region.
4.1.e Each player presents their deck, face down, and their Hero (if they have one), face up.
4.1.f Determine the first player at random.
4.1.g Each player shuffles their deck and puts it in their Deck zone.
4.1.h Each player draws six cards.
4.1.i Each player puts three cards in their Mana zone as ready Mana Orbs.
4.1.j Start the first day; the first Morning is skipped.
Day Structure
4.2.a A day contains five phases: Morning, Noon, Afternoon, Dusk, and Night.
4.2.b At the beginning of each phase, an event activates "at [that phase]" Reactions, then Reactions are checked.
Remark. Only Reactions that trigger "at [that phase]" should exist in Limbo at that moment. Also, if a new Reaction ability appears after that activation event (including while resolving the Reactions triggered by that activation event), they are not triggered.
Example. Subhash & Marmo has an "At Noon" Reaction ability that allows their controller to put a card from their Hand in Reserve. If they put Dredger Drone in Reserve, which has an "At Noon" support Reaction ability that allows it to gain one or two boosts, this ability will not trigger this day and Dredger Drone does not gain any boosts.
4.2.c During Morning, Dusk, and Night, some daily effects resolve.
4.2.d After each daily effect, Reactions are checked.
Remark. After a daily effect, Reactions that triggered during this effect and Reactions that trigger "after [that daily effect]" exist in Limbo. They can be played in any order, as described in Section 4.4.
4.2.e Once there are no more Reactions in Limbo, the next daily effect is resolved; if there are no more daily effects in this phase, the next phase starts.
4.2.f During Afternoon, the players take turns in succession, until all players have passed.
4.2.g After each turn effect, Reactions are checked.
Morning
4.2.1.a There are four daily effects during Morning: Succeed, Prepare, Draw and Expand.
4.2.1.b Succeed — The player to the left of the first player becomes the first player.
4.2.1.c Prepare — Each player readies all the exhausted cards and objects in their personal zones and in their Expeditions (Heroes, Characters, Permanents, Mana Orbs and other objects).
4.2.1.d Draw — Each player draws two cards.
4.2.1.e Expand — Each player may put one card from their Hand face-down and ready in their Mana zone.
Remark. The players choose whether to put one or not in turn order.
4.2.1.f Before and after each daily effect of Morning, players with empty Decks may shuffle their Discard pile back into their decks.
Remark. If more than one player has an empty Deck, players decide in turn order. Note that in most cases, because of Rules 7.3.9.c and 7.3.31.b, it is enough for players to make this decision only once: after Expand.
Noon
4.2.2.a There are no daily effects during Noon.
Remark. Nothing happens during Noon unless an "At Noon —" reaction is activated.
Afternoon
4.2.3.a There are no daily effects during the Afternoon.
4.2.3.b During Afternoon, players alternate taking turns until all players have passed.
4.2.3.c The first player takes the first turn.
4.2.3.d When a player takes a turn, they choose one of the three following turn effects: playing a card, playing a quick action, or passing.
4.2.3.e After that turn effect and the resulting Reactions:
- If the player played a quick action, the turn continues; the player must choose a new turn effect (they may choose to play another quick action).
- If the player played a card or passed, the turn ends:
- if at least one player has not yet passed: the next player in turn order who has not yet passed starts a new turn;
- if all players have passed: Afternoon ends and Dusk starts.
Remark. A player may take several turns in a row, if all other players have passed.
Dusk
4.2.4.a There is one daily effect during Dusk: Progress.
4.2.4.b Progress — Determine the statistics of each Expedition by adding, for each terrain, the statistics of each Character in that Expedition. If an Expedition has a greater positive statistic in a terrain of its region than the corresponding statistic of the Expedition facing it, it moves forward.
4.2.4.c If an Expedition cannot move forward due to [terrain], [terrain] is ignored when determining whether it moves forward.
4.2.4.d If an Expedition can only move forward due to [terrain], the other terrains are ignored when determining if it moves forward. Moreover, it cannot move forward for other reasons than Progress.
4.2.4.e A tie is not sufficient to move forward, unless the Expedition is Ascended (if it has the Ascended status).
4.2.4.f A statistic of 0 is not sufficient to move forward, even if the corresponding statistic of the Expedition facing it is negative, or tied at 0 if the Expedition is Ascended.
4.2.4.g An expedition moves forward only once, even if it wins in more than one statistic.
4.2.4.h All successful expeditions move forward simultaneously.
4.2.4.i An Expedition "fails to move forward" if it does not move forward during Progress, unless tiebreakers have started.
Remark. An Expedition never "fails to move forward" outside of Progress. An Expedition that moved forward during a day can still "fail to move forward" if it does not move forward during Progress.
4.2.4.j An Expedition "moves forward due to [terrain]" if the four following conditions are true during the Progress step:
- it moves forward;
- it was in a region with type [terrain];
- no effect prevented it from moving forward due to [terrain];
- one of the following:
- it had a greater [terrain] statistic than the Expedition facing it;
- it was Ascended and had a tied [terrain] statistic with the Expedition facing it.
Remark. An Expedition may move forward due to more than one statistic at the same time.
4.2.4.k An Expedition "moves forward due to Ascension" if it moves forward due to a terrain whose statistic is tied with the Expedition facing it.
Night
4.2.5.a There are three daily effects during Night: Rest, Clean-up and Check Victory.
4.2.5.b Rest — Characters in the Expedition zone and Gears that belonged in an Expedition that moved forward this day are sent to Reserve. Also, Ascended Expeditions lose the "Ascended" status.
Remark. A number of statuses (Asleep, Anchored, Fleeting) and abilities (Eternal) modify the Rest effect.
4.2.5.c Clean-up — Each player chooses as many objects in their Reserve as their Hero's reserve limit and as many objects in their Landmarks as their Hero's landmark limit (if a limit is negative, they choose 0). All non-selected objects in their Reserve are discarded and all non-selected objects in their Landmarks are sacrificed, simultaneously.
Remark. The first player must make their choice known before the second player makes their selection, and so on, in initiative order (see Rule 6.1.h).
4.2.5.d Check Victory — Each player sums the distance of their Expeditions to their starting positions.
- If all players have a sum of 6 or less (their Expeditions have neither met nor crossed), nothing happens, and we move to playing the next day.
- If one player has a sum equal to 7 (their Expeditions are on the same region) or more (their Expeditions have crossed), and that sum is (strictly) greater than the sum of all other opponents, they win the game.
- Otherwise, multiple players are tied with the highest sum (with expeditions that have all met or that have crossed by the same amount of regions). In that case, tiebreakers start (see Section 4.3).
Remark. A player may have excess objects in their Reserve and/or Landmarks at the end of the day, if the Clean-up effect has been modified, the limits have changed, or a Reaction triggered off Clean-up and put some objects in one of these zones.
Tiebreakers
4.3.a When tiebreakers start during Check Victory, turn the Companion region card face-down and put all Expedition markers on it. Remove all other regions from the game.
4.3.b The new region is called the Arena.
4.3.c The Arena has the terrains Forest, Mountain, and Water.
4.3.d Once tiebreakers have started, Expeditions cannot move forward or backward.
4.3.e The "Progress" daily effect of Dusk is modified as follows:
- Determine the statistics of each Expedition by adding, for each terrain, the statistics of all Characters in that Expedition.
- Each player determines a single set of statistics by adding, for each terrain, the statistics of all their Expeditions.
- Compare each statistic individually.
- If a player has more of the Arena's terrains with a greater (positive) statistic than their opponent, they win the game. Otherwise, the game continues.
4.3.f The "Check Victory" daily effect of Night has no effect during tiebreakers.
Remark. Tiebreakers may last for several days.
Checking Reactions
4.4.a At several points during the day, players are instructed to "check Reactions":
- at the beginning of each phase;
- after each daily effect;
- after each turn effect;
- after a player plays a Reaction.
Remark. Some effects allow players to play a card during their resolution. In these cases, Reactions are not checked until the end of the resolution of the whole daily effect, turn effect, or Reaction.
4.4.b When that happens, if there is an Emblem-Reaction in Limbo, the first player in initiative order who controls a Reaction in Limbo chooses one of them and plays it.
4.4.c Once that Reaction has been played, Reactions are checked again.
Remark. If more than one player has Reactions to play in Limbo, the player with initiative plays all their Reactions before the next players play their own. If new Reactions are created during this process, they may be chosen by their controller just like already existing Reactions.
4.4.d Once there are no more playable Emblem-Reactions remaining in Limbo, the game progresses to the next turn, daily effect, phase, or day.
Playing Cards and Objects
General
Timing
5.1.1.a At certain times, players have the possibility to "play" a card, a quick action, or a Reaction.
5.1.1.b During their turn, a player may play a card or a quick action as a turn effect.
5.1.1.c Whenever Reactions are checked, the first player in initiative order who owns a Reaction in Limbo must play a Reaction.
5.1.1.d Some effects instruct a player to play a card.
Playing Process
5.1.2.a The process of playing a card has four parts: declare intent, move to Limbo, pay costs, and resolution.
5.1.2.b The process of playing a quick action or Reaction has three parts: declare intent, pay costs, and resolution.
5.1.2.c In the declaration of intent, a player must:
- Reveal the card or the quick action being played, if it is currently in a hidden zone;
- If it is a Character or Expedition Permanent: choose in which of their Expeditions to play it;
- Choose modes and alternative or optional costs;
- Declare how costs will be paid.
5.1.2.d Playing a card always has a mana cost. It is the Hand Cost when it is played from the Hand and the Reserve Cost when it is played from the Reserve.
5.1.2.e If an effect allows a player to play a card for its Hand Cost (resp. Reserve Cost), this alternative cost may be chosen only if that card has a Hand Cost (resp. Reserve Cost). This is an exception to Rule 2.2.f.
5.1.2.f When a player plays a card and cost alterations apply, to determine the final cost, the player must, in the following order:
- Apply all cost increases in any order;
- Apply all cost decreases in any order;
- Apply all restrictions on the final cost, in order of timestamp.
This is an exception to Rule 2.3.3.b (about ordering passive abilities with timestamps).
Example. Marcus has Robin Hood in one of his Expeditions, which has the passive ability "Cards your opponents play can't cost less than 2". When his opponent plays a card, they apply all cost increases first, in the order of their choice, then all cost decreases, in the order of their choice. Finally, Robin Hood's ability applies, and if the card would cost less than 2, it costs 2 instead.
Remark. Some cards specify restrictions on an increase or decrease in cost. These restrictions only apply to this specific increase or decrease and are not restrictions on the final cost. An example of such a card is Ebenezer Scrooge, which has the ability: "Cards played from Reserve cost 1 less, down to a minimum of 1".
Remark. When playing a card for free, payment of costs is skipped, regardless of the cost alterations.
5.1.2.g The game state should not change during the declaration of intent. Once all these decisions have been taken, check whether the declaration is legal. If it is not, the player must take different decisions (including the decision to play that particular card, quick action, or Reaction).
5.1.2.h Once a player has declared how they intend to play a card, they move it to Limbo unless it was already there.
5.1.2.i In the payment of costs, all costs must be paid simultaneously, as described in 6.4.
5.1.2.j During resolution:
- a Character or an Expedition Permanent joins the Expedition that was chosen during the declaration of intent;
- a Landmark Permanent card joins the player's Landmarks;
- a Spell performs its effect, then joins its owner's Reserve;
- a quick action performs its effect;
- a Reaction performs its effect, then ceases to exist.
5.1.2.k Some effects refer to the number of times cards or objects have been played in a specified part of the game. A card or object counts for these effects if they have started or fully performed their resolution during that part of the game.
Example. Wanax, Reka Hexarch is a Character with a Reserve Cost of 5 with the following two abilities: "Play me for 1 less per other card you played this turn" and "Enter Play — Pass". Mana Flare is a spell with the ability "Immediately play a Character for 5 less". Ebenezer Scrooge is a Character with the ability: "Cards played from Reserve cost 1 more". Nathan and Sarah play a game of Altered. Sarah has Ebenezer Scrooge in her Expeditions. Nathan starts his turn and plays Mana Flare, choosing to immediately play Wanax, Reka Hexarch from Reserve. Because of Ebenezer Scrooge's ability, Wanax, Reka Hexarch costs 1 more, but it costs 1 less thanks to its own ability, as Mana Flare counts as a card played this turn even if it is still resolving (and hence still in Limbo). Therefore, Wanax, Reka Hexarch is played for 0.
5.1.2.l Some Reactions' triggers read "when a card is played". These Reactions are activated by the step where the card leaves Limbo at the end of its resolution:
- to the Expedition zone for Characters and Expedition Permanents;
- to the Landmark zone for Landmark Permanents;
- to the Reserve or the Discard pile for Spells.
Playing a Card
5.2.a When a rule or effect allows a player to play a card, they may play a card from their Hand or their Reserve unless specified otherwise.
5.2.b When resolving an effect stating that a player should play a card, they do it immediately. This is considered part of the resolution of the effect and any step that results from playing that card is considered a step of that effect.
Remark. When playing a card, Reactions might be activated, but they are not resolved until Reactions are checked (see Section 4.4).
5.2.c When an effect allows a player to play multiple cards in the same step, they first declare intent for both cards, and then finish the playing process for each card one by one, in the order of their choice. The resulting events are not considered simultaneous. The player must be able to pay the costs of all the cards.
5.2.d When playing a card other than a Spell, if a passive ability (including an Emblem-Ongoing) states that the card being played should gain or lose a counter (including boosts) or a status, an Emblem-Reaction with that effect is created in Limbo during the resolution of that card.
Example. Nate uses the support ability of Lady of the Lake which states "The next Character you play this turn loses Fleeting". He then plays Bravos Tracer which has the Reaction "Enter Play — I gain Fleeting". When he does, two Emblem-Reactions are created in Limbo: one to make Bravos Tracer gain Fleeting, and one to make it lose Fleeting. Nate can resolve them in the order of his choice, and therefore make it not have Fleeting. This is also the case if it was played from Reserve.
Playing a Character
5.2.1.a During the declaration of intent, the player must choose in which of their Expeditions they play the Character card.
5.2.1.b When a Character card is moved to Limbo, if it was played from Reserve, it gains Fleeting.
5.2.1.c During the resolution of a Character card, that Character enters the chosen Expedition. Then (in another step), if it had Fleeting in Limbo, it gains Fleeting.
Playing an Expedition Permanent
5.2.2.a During the declaration of intent, the player must choose in which of their Expeditions they play the Expedition Permanent card.
5.2.2.b When an Expedition Permanent is moved to Limbo, if it was played from Reserve, it gains Fleeting.
5.2.2.c During the resolution of an Expedition Permanent card, that Permanent enters the chosen Expedition. Then (in another step), if it had Fleeting in Limbo, it gains Fleeting.
Playing a Landmark Permanent
5.2.3.a During the resolution of a Landmark Permanent card, that Permanent enters the Landmarks of the player who played it.
Remark. Landmark Permanents cannot have the status Fleeting, even if they were played from Reserve.
Playing a Spell Card
5.2.4.a When a Spell card is moved to Limbo, in the following order:
- If it was played from Reserve, it gains Fleeting.
- If it has Fleeting as a passive ability in its text box, it gains Fleeting.
- If a passive ability (including an Emblem-Ongoing) states that the Spell card being played should gain or lose Fleeting, it gains or loses it.
5.2.4.b When a non-Fleeting Spell's resolution is done, that Spell moves to its owner's Reserve; if that Spell had Cooldown, it becomes Exhausted. When a Fleeting Spell's resolution is done, that Spell moves to its owner's Discard pile.
Playing a Quick Action
5.3.a Playing a quick action follows the same process as playing a Spell, with the following differences:
5.3.b A player may only play a quick action of a Character or Permanent they control, their Hero, or a support quick action of a card in their Reserve.
5.3.c As quick actions are not objects, they do not change zones.
5.3.d Some quick actions have the Exhaust icon in their cost. That cost is paid by exhausting the object bearing that quick action.
5.3.e A given quick action may not be played more than a hundred times in a single day.
Playing Reactions
5.4.a Playing a Reaction follows the same process as playing a Spell, with the following differences:
5.4.b As Reactions are played from Limbo, they do not change zones.
5.4.c Reactions do not have costs.
5.4.d When a Reaction's resolution is done, that Reaction ceases to exist.
From Costs and Effects to Events
General
6.1.a Costs and effects are sequences of instructions that affect the game state. Paying a cost or resolving an effect consist in following these instructions.
6.1.b An effect may involve multiple steps.
6.1.c There is a separate step for each verb in an effect description, unless these verbs are said to happen "simultaneously".
Example. Spy Craft has the effect "Sabotage, then Resupply". The resolution of Spy Craft involves two steps. In the first step, the controller of Spy Craft performs Sabotage. In the second step, they perform Resupply.
6.1.d Costs always have a single step.
Example. Subhash & Marmo have the Reaction "At Noon — You may pay 1 and put a card from your Hand in Reserve to create a Brassbug 2/2/2 Robot token in target Expedition". Paying 1 and putting a card from Hand to Reserve happen in the same step.
6.1.e A single step may involve multiple objects. In this case, there is a separate atomic action for each affected object.
Example. Open the Gates has the effect "Create two Ordis Recruit 1/1/1 Soldier tokens in each of your Expeditions". There is only one step in the resolution of Open the Gates. It has four atomic actions, one for each token.
6.1.f Atomic actions in a single step happen simultaneously.
6.1.g Some steps require decisions. Unless specified otherwise, these decisions are made by the controller of the effect containing that step. They are made immediately before the step would occur; they do not constitute a step in themselves. If one of the options is impossible, it cannot be chosen. If all the options are impossible, the corresponding atomic actions do not happen.
Remark. A choice that would result in an effect having no consequence on the game state is not considered impossible for this reason alone. For example, Beauty Sleep has the ability "Target Character gains Asleep". Its controller may target a Character which is already Asleep, even if it cannot gain Asleep again.
6.1.h Some steps require decisions by more than one player. Such choices are made in initiative order. If that choice involves an object from a visible zone, other players know which object has been chosen. If the choice involves a card from a hidden zone, they must make their choice explicit, but they do not need to reveal the chosen card.
Example. Ninette plays a game against Lithium. During her turn, Ninette plays Kitsune from her Hand. Kitsune has the Reaction "Hand — Each player may Resupply". She must let Lithium know whether or not she chooses to Resupply before he takes his decision. However, if she chooses to Resupply, Lithium will not see Ninette's top card until after he decides whether to Resupply or not. In his turn, Lithium plays Anubis, which has the Reaction "Enter Play — Each player sacrifices a Character". Lithium must choose which Character to sacrifice before Ninette, and Ninette knows which Character he chose to sacrifice when she makes her choice. Both Characters are sacrificed simultaneously.
Modifiers
6.2.a Some rules and passive abilities are modifiers, which change the way a step affects the game state.
6.2.b Some modifiers change what a step or an atomic action does. These modifiers are called replacing modifiers; they are usually written with the word "instead".
6.2.c Some modifiers add atomic actions to a step. These modifiers are called additive modifiers; they are usually written with the word "also".
6.2.d Some replacing modifiers are optional; they are usually written with the words "you may". When this modifier is about to be applied, the controller of the object with the ability containing it must state whether or not it should be applied.
6.2.e Some optional replacing modifiers also state an alternative if the controller of the effect that contains them decides to not apply them. They are written "If you don't, [effect]". When a player decides to not apply an optional replacing modifier with an alternative, a new step to resolve [effect] of the alternative is added to the effect currently being resolved, right after the current step and the other steps that were added this way during the resolution of the current step.
Example. Ninette plays a game against Lithium. During her turn, Ninette plays Paint Prison from her Hand, targeting Lithium's Mighty Jinn to return it to the top of Lithium's Deck. Mighty Jinn has the ability "If I would leave the Expedition zone, you may put me in my owner's Mana zone instead. If you don't, draw a card." Lithium decides to not put Mighty Jinn in his Mana zone, so a new step is added after the resolution of the current (and only) step of Paint Prison. Mighty Jinn is sent to the top of the Deck, then the added step is resolved, making Lithium draw Mighty Jinn.
6.2.f Modifiers may apply to steps, or atomic actions.
6.2.g When a step is about to happen, check whether a modifier would apply to that step or an atomic action in that step. If one does, the controller of that step chooses one of them and applies it:
- Replacing modifiers that apply to the whole step must be applied first;
- Replacing modifiers that apply to an atomic action must be applied next;
- Additive modifiers must be applied last.
6.2.h If there are multiple applicable modifiers, the controller of the step, or the first player in initiative order if that step has no controller, chooses which one is applied first.
6.2.i Once a modifier has been applied, check whether another modifier applies to the modified step.
6.2.j Once a modifier has been applied to a whole step, it cannot apply again to that step.
6.2.k Once a modifier applies to an atomic action, it cannot apply again to that atomic action.
6.2.l Modifiers have to exist before the step they try to modify, unless they are a passive ability of an object which modifies specifically how that object enters a zone.
6.2.m Once no more modifiers apply to a step, it happens and becomes an event. Reactions are then tested for activation by this event (see Rule 6.3.h).
Reactions
6.3.a Some abilities are Reactions. They are written "Trigger — Effect".
6.3.b A trigger specifies what must happen in an event to activate its Reaction. It may also specify an additional condition for the Reaction to be activated. This condition is written after a comma.
6.3.c Reactions whose trigger mentions the pronoun "I" entering a visible zone (including by "being played", entering a subset of the Expedition zone or moving to a visible zone) are called self-move Reactions.
Remark. The "Enter Play", "Hand", and "Reserve" trigger abilities are self-move Reactions.
6.3.d Reactions which have the trigger "When I go to Reserve from the Expedition zone" are not self-move Reactions. This is an exception to Rule 6.3.c.
Remark. This is because the intent behind this wording is to add a restriction to "When I leave the Expedition zone", not to change the behavior of the effect.
6.3.e A self-move Reaction is activated by an event if:
- it exists in the game state after the event;
- its trigger matches the event.
Example. Régis plays Mind Apotheosis and puts Asmodeus in play while resolving Mind Apotheosis' effect. Because it is a self-move Reaction, the Enter Play Reaction of Asmodeus is activated, even though it did not exist before the event that triggered it.
Remark. Contrary to other Reactions (see Rule 6.3.f), self-move Reactions do not need to "work" (be in play) in order to be activated, only their condition is taken into account. For example, The Machine in the Ice has the following Reaction: "When I go to Reserve from anywhere — Exhaust me". This reaction is activated when The Machine in the Ice arrives in Reserve from any other zone, even if it is not in play.
6.3.f A Reaction other than a self-move Reaction is activated by an event if:
- it exists and works in the game state before the event;
- its trigger matches the event.
Example. Bob plays Mana Reaping on Alice's Armored Jammer. Armored Jammer has the following Reaction: "When I leave your Landmark zone — Sabotage". As Mana Reaping resolves, because Armored Jammer's Reaction is not a self-move Reaction, it is activated, even though it does not exist anymore after the event.
6.3.g A Reaction may be activated multiple times by a single event if its trigger matches distinct atomic actions of that event.
6.3.h After a regular step happens and becomes an event, a single Reaction-activating step is performed. This step contains, for each time a Reaction is activated by that regular step, an atomic action which creates an Emblem-Reaction in Limbo with the effect of that Reaction.
6.3.i The effect of a Reaction might reference objects determined by the trigger. In that case, the effect of the Emblem-Reaction is bound to these objects.
Example. Léa has The Monolith, Ordis Bastion in her Landmark zone, which has the Reaction "When a Character joins your Expeditions — It gains 1 boost". On her turn, she plays Open the Gates which creates two token Characters in each of her Expeditions. The Reaction of The Monolith, Ordis Bastion is activated four times, one for each new token Character, creating each time an Emblem-Reaction in Limbo with the word "it" of the Reaction's effect bound to a distinct token Character.
6.3.j An effect of a Reaction might be bound to an object that does not exist anymore (usually because it has been moved to another zone). Even though such an object cannot be altered (for example, it cannot gain a status or be moved), it is possible to use its characteristics and location to resolve an effect: they are the characteristics and location it had when it stopped existing.
Example. If a Character has a Reaction "When I go to Reserve from the Expedition zone — Create an Ordis Recruit 1/1/1 Soldier token in my Expedition", "my" is a reference to the object of the Expedition zone that was moved to Reserve. Therefore, the token is created in the Expedition it was in before being moved.
6.3.k If a trigger specifies an additional condition, that condition can reference the game state before the event is applied (using the past tense) or the game state after the event is applied (using the present tense).
Example. Haven Seiringar has the following Reaction: "When I leave the Expedition zone, if I was Fleeting — Draw a card". When this card leaves the Expedition zone, the condition checks if Haven Seiringar was fleeting before it left the Expedition zone, as the past tense is used in the trigger.
6.3.l A given Reaction of an object cannot be activated more than 100 times in a single day. If a Reaction would be activated a 101st time, it is not activated and no atomic action is created for that Reaction during the Reaction-activating step.
6.3.m For each object name, a given Reaction cannot be activated more than 1000 times in a single day by objects with that name. If a Reaction of an object would be activated a 1001st time for that object's name, it is not activated and no atomic action is created for that Reaction during the Reaction-activating step.
Remark. The English name of the latest version of the card is always used, even if the card is printed in another language or with an older card text. Cards of different rarities may still have the same name. To determine if the Reactions of two objects are the same, their English text is compared (for that rule only).
Costs
6.4.a Costs always have a single step, even if their description involves multiple verbs.
6.4.b A player may always decline to pay a cost.
6.4.c If a player chooses to pay a cost, they must be able to pay it in full.
6.4.d If a player declines to pay the cost of a card, they may not play that card. The game goes back to the point where the player was offered the possibility of playing that card.
6.4.e If a player declines to pay the cost of a quick action, they may not play that quick action. The game goes back to the point where the player was offered the possibility of playing that quick action.
Effects
6.5.a Effects are usually mandatory.
6.5.b Some effects have steps which require targets. Before resolving such a step, the controller of the effect must choose a suitable object, Expedition, zone, or player for each target in the step. Each object, Expedition, zone, or player may only be chosen once per step as a target. If a subsequent step requires a target, it can be chosen again as a target. If there are no suitable targets, any associated atomic action does nothing.
6.5.c Some effects have optional steps. They are written "You may [do step]". The controller of the effect chooses whether to do [step] or not just before that step would happen. If they choose not to, the step is ignored and the effect continues resolving.
6.5.d Some effects have conditional steps. They are written "If [condition], [do step]" or "[Do step] unless [condition]". The condition is evaluated just before that step would happen. If it is false in the first case, or true in the second, the step is ignored and the effect continues resolving.
6.5.e Some effects have two successive conditional steps written "If [condition], [do step one]. Otherwise [do step two]". While resolving such an effect, the condition is only evaluated once, after which either [step one] or [step two] is performed. In particular, if [step one] changes the condition from true to false, [step two] is not performed.
6.5.f Some conditional effects are written "[Do X]; if you did, [do Y]" or "[You may do X]; if you did, [do Y]". The condition is true if the player started to do [X], even if that event was modified.
6.5.g Some effects are modal: they contain a step that says "Choose [a number X]", followed by a series of lines starting with a bullet, called modes. When resolving the choosing step, the controller of the effect must choose X modes in the order of their choice. The chosen modes are then resolved in that order. The non-chosen modes are ignored. Each mode may be chosen at most once, unless the effect specifies that the same mode may be chosen more than once.
6.5.h If part of an effect cannot be performed, it is ignored; the remainder of the effect happens as normal.
Example. Anubis has the Reaction "Enter Play — Each player sacrifices a Character". If a player controls no Character and thus cannot sacrifice a Character, the other players still have to sacrifice a Character.
6.5.i Some effects have steps that happen multiple times. They are written "[Do step] [X] times", or "[Do step] for each [quantity]". Such steps are performed X times, one after the other. In particular, if performing one of these steps involves a choice, that choice can be different in two successive instances of that step.
Example. Lithium plays The Snow Maiden, whose Hand ability is "Target opponent may Exhausted Resupply twice", and chooses Ninette as target opponent when he resolves its Hand ability. Ninette can perform Exhausted Resupply once, twice, or not at all, and she can choose whether to do it a second time after she resolved it a first time. In a multiplayer game, Lithium could choose two different target opponents.
6.5.j Some steps specify that a choice should be made randomly. In that case, players must use a method that ensures equal probability for all possible outcomes. No player may influence the result of a random selection.
Vocabulary
Symbols
Trigger Symbols
7.1.1.a The Enter Play icon means "When I enter play —" (see Section 7.3.10).
7.1.1.b The Hand icon means "When I am played from Hand —".
7.1.1.c The Reserve icon means "When I am played from Reserve —".
Remark. If an object enters play without being played (either because it is a token or as a result of an effect), its Enter Play abilities are activated, but not its Hand abilities, nor Reserve abilities.
Terrains and Statistics
7.1.2.a A terrain is a sub-type of a region.
Remark. In previous versions of this document, as well as on older printings of some cards, terrains are called "region types".
7.1.2.b A statistic is the influence of a Character in a given terrain.
7.1.2.c The Forest symbol represents the Forest terrain and statistic.
7.1.2.d The Mountain symbol represents the Mountain terrain and statistic.
7.1.2.e The Water symbol represents the Water terrain and statistic.
Faction Symbol
7.1.3.a The Axiom symbol represents the Axiom faction.
7.1.3.b The Bravos symbol represents the Bravos faction.
7.1.3.c The Lyra symbol represents the Lyra faction.
7.1.3.d The Muna symbol represents the Muna faction.
7.1.3.e The Ordis symbol represents the Ordis faction.
7.1.3.f The Yzmir symbol represents the Yzmir faction.
Cost Symbols
7.1.4.a The Exhaust icon means "Exhaust me".
7.1.4.b The Discard icon means "Discard me from the Reserve".
7.1.4.c In a cost, the symbols "1, 2, ..., X" mean "Pay 1, 2, ..., X mana", respectively.
Clarification Symbols
7.1.5.a The support icon is used to clarify that a support ability is not a quick action but either a Reaction ability or a passive ability.
Pronouns
I
7.2.1.a When an ability uses the first person, it refers to the object bearing it.
7.2.1.b When a Spell's effect uses the first person, it usually refers to the Spell in Limbo that is currently resolving. It may also refer to the object that Spell card becomes once it moves to the Reserve or the Discard pile after its resolution.
7.2.1.c When a quick action's effect uses the first person, it refers to the object bearing that quick action. If that object changes zones during that effect, the first person may also refer to the new object represented by the same card through the moves.
7.2.1.d When an emblem uses the first person (e.g. "I" or "my"), it refers to the object which created that emblem.
Example. Ratatoskr has the ability "Reserve — I gain 2 boosts". When that Reaction resolves, Ratatoskr gains 2 boosts.
We
7.2.2.a When an ability refers to the object bearing it ("I") and another object.
You
7.2.3.a When an ability uses the second person, it refers to its controller.
Example. Charge! has the effect "Enter Play — Characters you control gain 1 boost". When Charge! resolves, the Characters controlled by Charge!'s controller gain 1 boost.
They
7.2.4.a Altered uses the singular "they" for players.
It
7.2.5.a Altered uses the neutral third person for objects and cards.
Keywords Actions
Activate
7.3.1.a An "event activates [a reaction]" if this event matches that Reaction's trigger (resulting in the creation of an Emblem-Reaction with that Reaction's effect). A Reaction must exist to be activated (either before or after the event, depending on the kind of Reaction, see Rules 6.3.e and 6.3.f).
7.3.1.b Some steps say "Activate [a reaction]". When that step occurs, the resulting event activates the Reaction, even though it does not (usually) match the trigger of that Reaction. This is an exception to Rules 6.3.e and 6.3.f.
7.3.1.c Some earlier printings have effects that say "Activate [a trigger]" instead of "Activate [a reaction]". This means "activate a Reaction with [that trigger]".
7.3.1.d If an ability of an object activates a Reaction of another object, the Reaction is created by the second object, not the first.
Example. Brassbug Hub has the Reaction "Enter Play — I gain three Kelon counters" and Dr. Frankenstein has the Reaction "Reserve — You may activate the Enter Play abilities of target Permanent you control". If Brassbug Hub is chosen as the target of Dr. Frankenstein's Reaction, Brassbug Hub gains three Kelon counters, not Dr. Frankenstein.
7.3.1.e Some abilities say that [a trigger] "cannot activate". Reactions containing this trigger cannot activate, either naturally or through another effect that would activate them.
Example. The Council has the ability "The Enter Play, Hand, and Reserve triggers of Characters facing me don't activate" and Hua Mulan has the ability "Reserve — I lose Fleeting." If Hua Mulan is played from Reserve in the Expedition facing The Council, it does not lose Fleeting.
After You
7.3.2.a "After you" means "End the turn once there are no Reactions in Limbo".
7.3.2.b "After you" is not passing.
Example. Alice has the support ability "Discard from Reserve: After You". If a player plays this action, the next player in initiative order gets the initiative as soon as there are no Reactions in Limbo. Alice's owner has not passed, and they will be able to play actions and cards in this Afternoon.
Ascend
7.3.3.a If an Expedition "ascends", it means that it gains the "Ascended" status.
Augment
7.3.4.a To "augment" a card or an object means having it gain one more of a (single) counter it already has.
Remark. Boosts are also counters.
Create
7.3.5.a To create a token is to put a new token Character in the Expedition zone.
7.3.5.b Costs and effects that create tokens use the following template: "create a [name] [x/y/z] [sub-types] token with [abilities] in [expedition]".
Example. Open the Gates (common) has the ability "Create two Ordis Recruit 1/1/1 Soldier tokens in each of your Expeditions". When Open the Games resolves, four tokens are created. They all have the name "Ordis Recruit", the type "Character", the sub-type "Soldier", all three statistics equal to 1, and no abilities.
Defect
7.3.6.a When an object in an Expedition "defects", it means that it is moved to the Expedition facing it.
Remark. The interaction between Gigantic and Defect is covered in Rule 7.4.4.i.
Discard
7.3.7.a To "discard" an [object or card] is to move this object or that card from its current zone to the Discard pile.
Double (counters)
7.3.8.a To "double the [name] counters" of an object means having that object gain the same number of that counter it already had.
7.3.8.b It is impossible to double 0 counters.
Draw
7.3.9.a To "draw X cards" is to move the top X cards of one's Deck to their Hand.
7.3.9.b "Draw a card" means "draw 1 card".
7.3.9.c If at any time during Morning a player would draw N cards while they have M cards in their Deck (M < N), they first draw M cards. Then, they decide if they want to shuffle their Discard pile back into their Deck. If they do, they draw the other N − M cards (or all the remaining cards if there are less than N − M cards in the Deck after shuffling). In any case, all the cards are considered to be drawn simultaneously. This is an exception to Rule 3.2.2.e.
Enter Play
7.3.10.a A card or object enters play when it joins the union of the Expedition zone and the Landmark zone.
Remark. This can be understood as the card or object joining the Expedition zone while it did not come from the Landmark zone or it joining the Landmark zone while it did not come from the Expedition zone.
Exchange (boosts)
7.3.11.a To "exchange the boosts" of two characters means having each of them simultaneously gain or lose the difference in their number of boosts (the one with the most boosts loses it, the one with the least boosts gains it).
7.3.11.b If the two characters have the same number of boosts, nothing happens.
Exchange (objects or cards)
7.3.12.a To exchange two objects or cards is to move each of them to the other's zone.
7.3.12.b If one or both of the objects cannot be determined, the exchange cannot happen.
Example. Lithium plays Sleight of Hand, whose effect reads "Exchange target card in your Reserve with a card from your Hand". If Lithium's Hand and/or Reserve is empty, nothing happens as Sleight of Hand resolves.
Exhaust
7.3.13.a To "exhaust" an object means have it gain the status exhausted.
7.3.13.b The Exhaust icon in the cost of a quick action means "exhaust me".
Exhausted Resupply
7.3.14.a When a player performs "Exhausted Resupply", they Resupply, then they exhaust the resupplied card.
Remark. If a modifier affects Resupply, it also affects Exhausted Resupply. Likewise, if a Reaction triggers off Resupply, it also triggers off Exhausted Resupply; however, such a Reaction cannot be played before the resupplied card is exhausted.
Gain (counters)
7.3.15.a When an object "gains X [name] counters", X [name] counters are put on that object.
7.3.15.b Counters with the same name on the same object are fungible: they do not need to be distinguished from one another.
Gain (status)
7.3.16.a When an object "gains a status", it has that status from that point onwards.
7.3.16.b An object with a given status cannot gain that status again. In particular, it is impossible to exhaust an exhausted object.
Give (boost)
7.3.17.a Giving one or more boosts to a Character is equivalent to that Character gaining that many boosts.
Have (object) do
7.3.18.a Some effects state that a player may have an object do something. If the player decides to have the object do that thing, it is equivalent to the object itself doing it.
Example. Lyra Cloth Dancer has the ability "Hand — You may have target Character gain Fleeting". If the player decides to have a Character gain Fleeting that way, then it is equivalent to resolving the effect "Target Character gains Fleeting".
Ignore
7.3.19.a Some passive abilities state that some abilities should be ignored during a given period.
7.3.19.b During that period, these abilities exist, but they have no effect: passive abilities do not modify events, quick actions may not be played, and Reactions do not activate.
Remark. An ability that would ignore itself works normally.
Leave Play
7.3.20.a A card or object leaves play when it leaves the union of the Expedition zone and the Landmark zone.
Remark. This can be understood as the card or object leaving the Expedition zone while not going to the Landmark zone or leaving the Landmark zone while not going to the Expedition zone.
Lose (status)
7.3.21.a When an object "loses a status", it ceases to have that status from that point onward.
7.3.21.b An object without a given status cannot lose that status.
Make a Gift
7.3.22.a A player makes a Gift when, during their turn, another player receives a Gift (see Section 7.3.29).
Move (Terrain Marker)
7.3.23.a When a Terrain Marker is moved, it may be moved to the region it is already in (unless stated otherwise).
7.3.23.b When a Terrain Marker is moved, it becomes a new object (including if it is moved to the region it is already in).
Remark. As it becomes a new object, it also gets a new timestamp. This means that its passive abilities are applied after those of other Terrain Markers already present in its new region.
Move Backwards
7.3.24.a To move [an expedition] backward means "to move the corresponding counter from its current region to the next region in the direction whence it came (toward the Hero region for the hero Expedition and towards the Companion region for the companion Expedition)".
7.3.24.b If an Expedition in its region of origin would move backwards, nothing happens.
7.3.24.c If an Expedition would move backwards farther than its region of origin but is not yet in that region, it moves backwards the number of regions needed to reach it instead.
7.3.24.d If an Expedition in the Arena would move backward, nothing happens.
Move Forward
7.3.25.a To move [an expedition] forward means "to move the corresponding counter from its current region to the next region in the direction it is going (towards the Companion region for the hero Expedition and towards the Hero region for the companion Expedition)".
7.3.25.b If an Expedition would move forward N regions, moving into or passing a region represented by half a face-down Tumult card, instead this Tumult card is flipped face-up and the Expedition moves forward N regions.
7.3.25.c If an Expedition in the region opposite to its region of origin would move forward, nothing happens.
7.3.25.d If an Expedition would move forward farther than the region opposite to its region of origin but is not yet in that region, it moves forward the number of regions needed to reach it instead.
7.3.25.e If an Expedition in the Arena would move forward, nothing happens.
Play For Free
7.3.26.a To "play a card or quick action for free" means to play that card or quick action while skipping:
- the declaration of how costs will be paid during the declaration of intent (Rule 5.1.2.c);
- the payment of costs (Rules 5.1.2.a and 5.1.2.b).
Put
7.3.27.a To put [an object] or [a card] in [a zone] means "to move [that object or that card] to [that zone]".
7.3.27.b "Put", "return", and "send" are synonyms rules-wise.
Ready
7.3.28.a To ready [an object] means that [that object] loses the status Exhausted.
7.3.28.b An object that is not exhausted cannot be readied.
Receive a Gift
7.3.29.a A player receives a Gift when, during another player's turn:
- They draw a card;
- They Resupply (including Exhausted Resupply);
- They receive a token (see Section 7.3.30).
Remark. If a player draws or resupplies multiple cards or receives multiple tokens at once, each card or token constitutes its own Gift.
7.3.29.b When a player A "also receives a Gift" received by another player B, what happens depends on what the Gift consisted of:
- If Player B drew a card, Player A also draws a card.
- If Player B Resupplied (excluding Exhausted Resupplies), Player A also Resupplies.
- If Player B Exhausted Resupplied, Player A also Exhausted Resupplies.
- If Player B received a token, Player A also creates the same token in the same zone on their side of the board.
Remark. Constraints (other than zones for tokens) contained in the effect making Player B receive a Gift do not carry over when Player A also receives that Gift.
Example. Woolly Woolly Field has the ability "Create a Woollyback 1/1/1 Animal token in target opponent's Companion Expedition (...)". Turuun & Benih has the ability "When you make a Gift — You may exhaust me to also receive it". If during her turn Mirjam plays Woolly Woolly Field and activates the ability of Turuun & Benih, she creates the Woollyback token in the Expedition of her choice, not necessarily in the Companion Expedition.
Receive a Token
7.3.30.a A player receives a token when a token joins their Expeditions, Landmarks or Reserve.
Resupply
7.3.31.a To "Resupply" is to put the top card of one's Deck into one's Reserve.
7.3.31.b If at any time during Morning a player would Resupply N cards while they have M cards in their Deck (M < N), they first Resupply M cards. Then, they decide if they want to shuffle their Discard pile back into their Deck. If they do, they Resupply the other N − M cards (or all the remaining cards if there are less than N − M cards in the Deck after shuffling). In any case, all the cards are considered to be resupplied simultaneously. This is an exception to Rule 3.2.2.e.
7.3.31.c If a player with an empty Deck would resupply, they shuffle their Discard pile into their Deck before putting the top card into the Reserve. If the Deck is still empty at that point, Resupply does nothing.
Return
7.3.32.a To return [an object] to [a zone] means "to move [that object] to [that zone]".
7.3.32.b It does not matter whether the object ever was in that zone earlier.
7.3.32.c "Put", "return", and "send" are synonyms rules-wise.
Roll a Die
7.3.33.a To "roll a die" is to roll a fair six-sided die and to note the result.
7.3.33.b Effects that have "roll a die" as one of their steps have a subsequent step that uses the result of that roll.
7.3.33.c Some passive abilities allow a player to roll multiple dice and choose one of them or give them the option to modify a roll. A player who benefits from one of these abilities may look at the result of the rolled dice before deciding which die and which modifiers to use.
Rush
7.3.34.a To "Rush" means to "play a card immediately".
7.3.34.b In effects stating that the player may Rush to do something, they may only do that thing if they actually played a card due to Rush.
Remark. See Rule 5.2.b about playing a card thanks to an effect.
Sabotage
7.3.35.a To "sabotage" means to discard up to one target card in a Reserve.
Remark. A player may Sabotage a card from their own Reserve.
Sacrifice
7.3.36.a When a player has to "sacrifice" [an object], they have to discard an object in play they control.
7.3.36.b Even if the discard atomic action is modified, it is still considered a sacrifice.
Remark. In particular, when sacrificing a token, the discard atomic action is modified by Rule 2.1.e but it is still considered a sacrifice.
Send
7.3.37.a To send [an object] to [a zone] means "to move [that object] to [that zone]".
7.3.37.b "Put", "return", and "send" are synonyms rules-wise.
Spend (counters)
7.3.38.a When an object "spends X of its [name] counters", X [name] counters that were on that object are removed from it.
7.3.38.b An object cannot spend more counters with a given name than it has on it.
Switch Expeditions
7.3.39.a To "switch expeditions" means to send an object from one Expedition to the other of the same player.
7.3.39.b A Character that switches Expeditions leaves its former Expedition and joins its new Expedition. It neither leaves nor joins the Expedition zone.
Take Control
7.3.40.a For a player A to "take control of [another player B's object]" in the Expedition zone means for Player A "to move [that object] to one of their Expeditions" (they choose which one, unless stated otherwise by an effect).
7.3.40.b For a player A to "take control of [another player B's object]" in the Landmark zone means for Player A "to move [that object] to their Landmarks".
Remark. The Enter Play abilities of an object are not activated when a player takes control of that object, as it does not enter play.
7.3.40.c A player may not take control of an object which is not in the Expedition zone or the Landmark zone, unless stated otherwise by an effect.
7.3.40.d A player may not take control of an object they already control.
Keyword Abilities
Cooldown
7.4.1.a Cooldown is a passive ability that appears on Spells.
7.4.1.b A Spell with Cooldown that goes to the Reserve after its resolution becomes exhausted.
7.4.1.c In itself, Cooldown does nothing. Instead, Rule 5.2.4.b has an extra step for Spells with Cooldown.
Defender
7.4.2.a Defender is a passive ability that appears on Characters.
7.4.2.b An expedition containing a Character with Defender cannot move forward during Dusk.
7.4.2.c Defender applies to any reason why an Expedition might move forward during Dusk, not just the Progress daily effect.
Eternal
7.4.3.a Eternal is a passive ability that appears on Characters.
7.4.3.b An Eternal Character is not sent to the Reserve during Rest.
Gigantic
7.4.4.a Gigantic is a passive ability that appears on Characters.
7.4.4.b A Gigantic object is present in both Expeditions of its controller.
7.4.4.c When a player plays a card with Gigantic or creates a token with Gigantic, they play it or create it in a specific Expedition. They do not put two cards or two tokens in play. The card is played or the token created in a single Expedition but joins both Expeditions.
7.4.4.d When a Gigantic object enters the Expedition zone, its Enter Play, Hand, and Reserve triggers only trigger once.
7.4.4.e A Gigantic Character's statistics are counted in each of its controller's Expeditions.
7.4.4.f If an effect refers to a Gigantic Character's Expedition, it refers to both of its controller's Expeditions.
Remark. On a Character that is Gigantic because of an effect, "my Expedition" can be understood as "your Expeditions".
7.4.4.g If an effect refers to the Expedition facing a Gigantic Character, it refers to the Expeditions facing each of its controller's Expeditions.
Remark. On a Character that is Gigantic because of an effect, "the Expedition facing me" can always be understood as "the Expeditions facing me". In a 2-player game only, it can be understood as "your opponent's Expeditions".
7.4.4.h If an effect originally refers to a single Expedition when stating where a Character should be played, a token should be created or an object or card should be moved, but refers to multiple Expeditions due to a Gigantic Character, these Expeditions are not considered separately but as a single subset of the Expedition zone. Therefore, for each object or card, the player performing the action must pick an Expedition where to place it.
Example. During limited play, Anna only has one card in her Hero Expedition: Eat Me Energy Bars, which has the ability "If there is only one Character in my Expedition, it is Gigantic". She then plays Ratatoskr from Reserve, which has the ability "Reserve — Create two Ordis Recruit 1/1/1 Soldier tokens in my Expedition", also in her Hero Expedition. Resolving the effect of Ratatoskr, which is Gigantic because of Eat Me Energy Bars, she creates two token Characters. She may create them both in her Hero Expedition, both in her Companion Expedition, or one in each of them.
7.4.4.i If a Gigantic Character defects, the physical Altered card representing that Character is moved to the Expedition facing the one in which it currently is. This is an exception to Rule 7.4.4.h.
7.4.4.j If a trigger originally refers to a single Expedition that a card must join or leave, but refers to multiple Expeditions due to a Gigantic Character, these Expeditions are not considered separately but as a single subset of the Expedition zone.
Example. A player has Amarok which has the ability "When another Character joins my Expedition — Sacrifice it" in their Hero Expedition. They also have Eat Me Energy Bars, in their Hero Expedition, making Amarok Gigantic. If a Character is moved from their Companion Expedition to their Hero Expedition, it does not get sacrificed. This is not because Amarok loses Gigantic, as the Reaction ability only needs to exist before the event (see Rule 6.3.f), but because the Character did not join the subset of the Expedition zone consisting of "Amarok's Expeditions", as it was already in it.
7.4.4.k If an effect or a trigger originally refers to a single Expedition when stating a condition that must be met by this Expedition for something to happen but refers to multiple Expeditions due to a Gigantic Character, these Expeditions must all satisfy that condition, and the effect is resolved only once.
Example. If Ordis Overseer is Gigantic when resolving her ability "Enter Play — If my Expedition is behind, create an Ordis Recruit 1/1/1 Soldier token in my Expedition.", both Expeditions must be behind and only one token is created.
7.4.4.l If an effect refers to the other Expedition of a Gigantic Character's controller, or the Expedition facing it, this effect refers to no Expeditions. If a step of such an effect would move a card or an object to or create a token in that Expedition, it is impossible and therefore does not happen.
7.4.4.m During tiebreakers, a Gigantic Character's statistics are counted twice for their controller's total statistics.
7.4.4.n If a Gigantic Character would switch Expeditions, the card representing it switches Expeditions. As long as it remains Gigantic, the Character itself does not leave nor join either Expedition.
7.4.4.o If a non-Gigantic Character would gain Gigantic, it remains in the Expedition containing the card that represents it and joins the other Expedition of its controller.
7.4.4.p If a Gigantic Character would lose Gigantic, it remains in the Expedition that contains the card that represents it and leaves the other Expedition of its controller.
Scout X
7.4.5.a Scout is a passive ability that appears on Character or Permanent cards.
7.4.5.b This passive ability works while the card is in Hand.
7.4.5.c When a player plays a card with "Scout X" from Hand, during the declaration of intent (Rule 5.1.2.c) they may decide to pay X mana as an alternative cost instead of the normal Hand cost. If they do, as the card enters the Expedition zone or the Landmark zone, it simultaneously gains the ability: "Hand — Send me to Reserve".
Remark. The ability sending the card to Reserve is a Reaction ability. Hence, as usual, other Reactions might be resolved before the card goes to Reserve. Also, other Reactions created as a result of the card entering play do not disappear when it goes to Reserve.
Example. Max plays Aby, Sap Courier, which is Scout 1. It also has the ability "Enter Play — You may Augment target card in play or in Reserve". Max may either start by augmenting a card or by sending Aby, Sap Courier to Reserve, but both effects will resolve in either case.
7.4.5.d Cost alterations also apply when playing a card with a Scout ability.
Remark. While not a cost alteration, it is also possible to play a card "for free" with Scout. This is a direct consequence of Rule 7.3.26.a, which does not skip the choice of alternative costs in the declaration of intent (Rule 5.1.2.c).
7.4.5.e Reactions of a Character triggered by playing that Character from Hand with Scout can find the Character in Reserve, even if it is not the object from which the Reaction originates. This is an exception to Rule 6.3.j.
Example. Daedalus has "Scout 1" and the reaction ability "Enter Play — Target another Character in play or in Reserve. Then roll a die: On a 4+, we both gain 1 boost / On a 1-3, it gains 1 boost". If Daedalus is played with Scout and its owner decides to first move it to Reserve and then rolls a 4+, then Daedalus will get a boost, even if it is in Reserve and is therefore not the object from which the Reaction originates. However, note that if the player first rolls a 4+ and then moves Daedalus to Reserve, it will lose its boost as it is not Seasoned.
Seasoned
7.4.6.a Seasoned is a passive ability that appears on Characters.
7.4.6.b If an object with Seasoned would move from the Expedition zone to the Reserve, it keeps its boosts as it moves.
Remark. In order to keep its boosts, the former object in the Expedition zone needs to have Seasoned; the new object in Reserve does not need to have it.
7.4.6.c Seasoned applies to any move from the Expedition zone to the Reserve, including but not limited to the Rest daily effect at Dusk.
Tough
7.4.7.a Tough is a passive ability that appears on Characters and Permanents.
7.4.7.b Tough is always followed by a number.
7.4.7.c Tough X means "In order to choose me as a target of an effect they control, your opponent must also pay X".
7.4.7.d A player is never forced to pay a Tough cost, even if all potential targets have Tough.
7.4.7.e The choice to pay X is part of the decisions a player makes before resolving a step.
7.4.7.f The Tough cost is paid only once per effect, regardless of how many times the object is chosen as target.
Remark. Previous versions of the rules stated that if a Spell or quick action was played for free, its controller could choose Tough targets without paying Tough costs while resolving that Spell or quick action. This is no longer the case as of version 2.0.
Keyword Descriptors
Enter Play, Hand, and Reserve Abilities
7.5.1.a An "Enter Play ability" (resp. "Hand ability", "Reserve ability") is a Reaction whose trigger includes the Enter Play icon (resp. Hand icon, Reserve icon).
7.5.1.b Earlier printings refer to "Enter Play, Hand, Reserve triggers" instead of Enter Play, Hand, Reserve abilities.
Ahead, Behind, Tied
7.5.2.a An Expedition is ahead if it is further away from its starting region than the Expedition facing it.
7.5.2.b An Expedition is behind if it is closer to its starting region than the Expedition facing it.
7.5.2.c An Expedition is tied if it is at the same distance from its starting region as the Expedition facing it.
7.5.2.d During tiebreakers, all Expeditions are tied.
Attempt To
7.5.3.a An object "attempts to" do something if an effect, during its resolution, states that that object should do that thing but it cannot be done due to an effect or a rule of the game.
Example. Mandjet has the ability "If one of your Ascended Expeditions would attempt to Ascend again, Resupply instead". If a player controls Mandjet and plays from Hand Gargoyle, which has the ability "Hand — Target Expedition Ascends", targeting an Ascended Expedition, that player resupplies.
Remark. An object does not attempt to do something if the step or atomic action responsible for that thing was modified by a replacing modifier, unless it is still part of the modified step or atomic action.
Become
7.5.4.a An object "becomes" a status if it did not have that status before the event and it has the status after the event.
Remark. If an object moved to a new zone with a status, or was created with a status, it "became" that status.
Control
7.5.5.a A player "controls" their Expeditions, their Landmarks, and their Hero zone (and not the other zones).
7.5.5.b A player "controls" an object if it is in a zone or sub-zone they control.
7.5.5.c A player "controls" the abilities of the objects they control as well as the effects of these abilities.
Do
7.5.6.a Some triggers and passive abilities look at which player did a specific action. When that action happens as part of an event, look at the first matching criteria to determine who did that action:
7.5.6.b Some effects specify which player does the action.
7.5.6.c The controller of the effect is the one who does the action.
7.5.6.d The controller of the affected object is the one who does the action.
7.5.6.e Neither player did the action.
Fails to Move Forward
7.5.7.a An Expedition "fails to move forward" if it does not move forward during Progress, unless tiebreakers have started.
In
7.5.8.a An Expedition is in a region if its Expedition counter is on that region.
7.5.8.b An Expedition is in a [terrain] if it is in a region that has this [terrain].
7.5.8.c A Character or Gear is in a [terrain] if at least one of its Expeditions is in that [terrain].
In Contact
7.5.9.a An Expedition is In Contact if it is in the same region as at least one Expedition of another player.
7.5.9.b A Character or Gear is In Contact if at least one of its Expeditions is In Contact.
Join
7.5.10.a An object "joins" a zone or an Expedition during an event if it was not in that zone or Expedition before the event and is in that zone or Expedition after the event.
7.5.10.b A token created in the Expedition zone joins the Expedition zone and the Expedition in which it was created.
7.5.10.c A Character that switches Expeditions joins its new Expedition, but not the Expedition zone.
Leave
7.5.11.a An object "leaves" a zone or Expedition during an event if it was in that zone or Expedition before the event and is somewhere else after.
7.5.11.b A token in the Expedition zone that ceases to exist because it would move to another zone leaves the Expedition zone.
7.5.11.c A Character that switches Expeditions leaves its former Expedition, but not the Expedition zone.
Play
7.5.12.a A card "is played" when it leaves Limbo during its resolution.
Remark. Characters and Expedition Permanents gain Fleeting right after they are played (in a different step, see Rules 5.2.1.c and 5.2.2.c).
Changes From the Previous Version
In this section are detailed the main changes made to this document between the previous version, 4.0 (October 3, 2025), and the current version, 5.0 (February 27, 2026).
New Rules
- The new exalted rarity was added throughout the document. In particular, Rule 1.1.4.f states that a constructed deck may contain at most 3 exalted cards.
- The number of times a Reaction can be activated per day is now limited to 1000 per day and per card name, in addition to the limit of 100 per day and per object. This is covered in new Rule 6.3.m.
- A Gift is when a player, during another player's turn, draws a card, Resupplies (including Exhausted Resupply) or receives a token. This is covered in new Sections 7.3.22, 7.3.29 and 7.3.30.
- Taking control of an object means to move it from another player's Expeditions or Landmarks to yours. This is defined in Section 7.3.40.
- A player controls their Expeditions, their Landmarks and their Hero zone, in addition to the objects these zones and sub-zones contain. Section 7.5.5 (Control) was rewritten to reflect this change. That section also now makes it explicit that a player controls the abilities and effects of the objects they control.
- An Expedition or an object is In Contact if another player's Expedition is in their region. This is detailed in new Section 7.5.9.
Rule Changes
- The Landmark zone is now a shared zone instead of a personal zone. Each player has their own sub-zone of the Landmark zone called "their Landmarks". Multiple rules have been updated to reflect this change.
- The Enter Play symbol was redefined to mean "When I enter play —". Rules 1.1.6.e and 7.1.1.a were updated to reflect this change and Section 7.3.10 defines entering play. This change has no consequences for already released cards.
- Section 2.5 (Counters) was updated to specify that an object in play loses its counters if it leaves play (defined by new Section 7.3.20), not if it remains in play.
- Players may no longer shuffle back their Discard pile into their Deck whenever there are not enough cards in their Deck to do something. Generally, players may only do so during Morning when their Deck is empty, either before or after a daily effect or while drawing or resupplying. Sections 3.2.2 (Deck), 7.3.9 (Draw) and 7.3.31 (Resupply) were updated and Rule 4.2.1.f was added to reflect these changes.
- A card or an object counts as played as soon as it starts its resolution. Reactions whose triggers read "when a card is played" are still activated when the card leaves Limbo at the end of resolution. Rule 5.1.2.k was added to reflect this change.
Other Changes
- The word "reveal" was replaced in rules that did not use it to mean "show a card temporarily to all players", for the sake of clarity.
- Rule 2.2.1.d previously incorrectly stated that the type of a token card was necessarily Character.
- Some rules of Section 2.3.1 were moved to the beginning of Section 2.2. Section 2.3.1 was also renamed from "Base Characteristics" to "Effect on Characteristics" as it better describes the remaining rules it contains.
- Rule 4.2.4.j previously did not address the case when an Expedition moves forward due to a tied terrain while it is Ascended.
- Rule 5.1.2.e was added to make it explicit that you may not play a card for a cost it does not have.
- Rule 5.2.c was added to clarify the case when an effect allows a player to play multiple cards in a single step.
- Former Rule 6.3.j was removed as a duplicate of Rule 7.2.1.d.
- Rule 6.5.j was added to specify how a random selection should be made.
- Section 7.5.8 (In) was rewritten to be more explicit.
Glossary
Ability — Object properties described in the text box; abilities are either quick actions, Reactions, modifiers, or effects.
Adventure — A visible, shared zone which contains the Hero region, six regions represented by three Tumult cards, and the Companion region.
Adventure card — A card representing one of the extremities of the Adventure, Hero region and the Companion region.
Afternoon — The third phase of the day, in which players alternate turns.
Altered — The best TCG in the world.
Altered card — An official non-token card, printed by Equinox, with a valid QR code pointing to https://www.altered.gg.
Anchored — A status; an Anchored character does not go to the Reserve at Night.
Arena — A special region, on the back of the Companion Expedition card, where expeditions go during tiebreakers.
Ascend — A keyword action which means "to gain the Ascended status".
Ascended — A status (only applies to Expeditions); an Ascended Expedition can move forward during Progress even when a statistic is tied with the Expedition facing it.
Asleep — A status; an asleep character's statistics are not counted at Dusk.
Atomic action — Part of a step; an atomic action does a single thing to a single object or card.
Augment — A keyword action; augmenting a card or an object means giving it one more of a counter it already has.
Axiom — One of the factions.
Base Cost — A numeric characteristic of objects; its Reserve Cost if it is in Reserve, if it is Fleeting or if it is in Limbo while playing a card from Reserve, its Hand Cost otherwise.
Boost — A type of counter which increases each Character's statistic by 1.
Boosted — A status; a Character is boosted if it has at least one boost.
Bravos — One of the factions.
Card — A physical card used to play the game of Altered, including token cards.
Character — A card type.
Characteristic — A property of objects; there are thirteen characteristics: type, sub-type, name, rarity, collector number, Hand Cost, Reserve Cost, faction, statistics, abilities, reserve limit, landmark limit, and duration.
Check Victory — The third and last daily effect of the Night, in which players check if they meet the conditions to win the game.
Clean-up — The second daily effect of the Night, in which players discard excess cards in Reserve and sacrifice excess landmarks in the Landmark zone.
Companion — The hero's companion.
Companion Expedition — A sub-zone of the Expedition zone.
Companion region — A region on one end of the Adventure.
Controller — Each player controls their Expeditions, their Landmarks and their Hero zone as well as the objects in the zones and sub-zones they control, plus their abilities and effects.
Cooldown — A keyword appearing on Spells; if a Spell with Cooldown goes to Reserve after its resolution, its controller exhausts it.
Cost — A sequence of steps to perform in order to play a spell, quick action, or Reaction, or as part of the resolution of a spell, Reaction, or phase.
Counter — A marker that objects can gain or lose; counters with the same name on the same object do not need to be distinguished.
Daily effect — An effect which happens every day. There are eight daily effects: Succeed, Prepare, Draw, Expand during the Morning; Progress during Dusk; Rest, Clean-up and Check Victory during Night.
Day — A cycle of play consisting of five phases: Morning, Noon, Afternoon, Dusk, and Night.
Deck — The set of cards a player uses in a game of Altered; a personal, hidden zone where all cards except hero cards start the game.
Defect — A keyword action which means "move to the Expedition facing it/me".
Defender — A keyword; an Expedition containing a Character with Defender cannot move forward during Dusk.
Discard — A keyword action; discarding a card or an object means sending it to the Discard pile.
Discard pile — A personal, visible zone where Fleeting spells and characters are sent.
Draw — The second step in the Morning, in which each player draws two cards.
Duration — A characteristic of Ongoing Emblems; the period of time an Ongoing Emblem is active.
Dusk — The fourth phase of the day; it contains one daily effect: Progress.
Effect — A sequence of steps to perform during the resolution of a spell, Reaction, or phase.
Emblem — A type of object that exists only in Limbo; there are no cards with the type Emblem.
Eternal — A rules-changing keyword ability; an Eternal Character is not sent to the Reserve during Rest.
Event — A transition between one game state and the next.
Exhaust — A keyword action; exhausting an object means giving it the status exhausted.
Exhausted — A status; exhausted objects are usually turned sideways.
Expand — The fourth and last step of the Morning, in which each player may put a card face-down from their hand into their Mana zone and ready it.
Expedition — A part of the Expedition zone; each player has a Hero Expedition and a Companion Expedition.
Expedition zone — A shared, visible zone where characters are played.
Faction — A characteristic; in constructed play, all cards in a deck must belong to the same faction; in limited play, all cards in a deck must belong to a maximum of three different factions.
First player — The player who acts first during a day; each Morning, during the Succeed step, the player to the left of the first player becomes the new first player.
Fleeting — A status; Fleeting characters and spells go to the Discard pile instead of the Reserve.
Forest — A terrain and a statistic.
Gear — A Permanent sub-type.
Gift — A player receives a gift when, during another player's turn, they draw a card, they Resupply (including Exhausted Resupply) or they receive a token.
Gigantic — A keyword; a Gigantic character is present in both Expeditions.
Hand — A personal, hidden zone; each player can look at their own Hand.
Hand Cost — A numeric characteristic of objects; the amount of mana needed to be paid to play this object from Hand.
Hero — A card type.
Hero Expedition — A sub-zone of the Expedition zone.
Hero region — A region on one end of the Adventure.
Hero zone — A personal, visible zone containing a player's hero.
Hidden — A characteristic of zones; Deck, Hand and Discard pile are hidden zones.
In Contact — An Expedition or an object is In Contact if another player's Expedition is in their region.
In play — An object is in play if it is in the Expedition zone or in the Landmark zone. Objects in the Reserve are not in play.
Initiative — During Afternoon, the player whose turn it is has initiative; during other phases, the first player has initiative.
Initiative order — The game order for whenever multiple players could take actions or make decisions at the same time; the player with initiative is the first in initiative order, then the player to their left, and so on.
Keyword — A noun or verb with a specific meaning in Altered, which might differ from its usual English definition.
Landmark — A permanent type. When used in the plural form following a reference to a player (e.g. "Your Landmarks"), refers to that player's sub-zone of the Landmark zone.
Landmark limit — A numeric characteristic of heroes, represented by a number of rectangles to the right of their faction symbol. During Night, if a player has more landmarks than this number, they must sacrifice the excess.
Landmark zone — A shared, visible zone in which landmarks are played.
Limbo — A shared, visible zone which contains cards during their resolution and emblems.
Lyra — One of the factions.
Mana — The primary resource of the game, represented by a number in a circle: 1, 2, 3 and so on.
Mana Orb — A face-down card in the Mana zone.
Mana zone — A personal, visible zone containing face-down Mana Orbs.
Modifier — A rule or a passive ability which changes the way that a sequence affects the game state.
Morning — The first phase of a day; it contains four daily effects: Prepare, Succeed, Draw, and Expand.
Mountain — A terrain and a statistic.
Muna — One of the factions.
Name — A characteristic of objects. The name of an object is a series of letters and symbols.
Neutral — An object without a faction.
Night — The fifth and last phase of a day; it contains three daily effects: Rest, Clean-up and Check Victory.
Noon — The second phase of a day; when "at noon" reactions trigger.
Object — A game piece in a visible zone; a card, a token, a Reaction, or an emblem.
Ongoing — An Emblem sub-type; Ongoing Emblems have passive abilities and a duration.
Opponent — In a two-player game, each player is the other's opponent.
Ordis — One of the factions.
Owner — The owner of a card is the player who brought it to the game as part of their deck.
Passive ability — An ability that modifies rules, characteristics, or events.
Permanent — An object type.
Personal — A characteristic of zones; Deck, Discard pile, Hand, Hero zone, Mana zone and Reserve are personal zones.
Phase — Part of a day; there are five phases each day: Morning, Noon, Afternoon, Dusk, Night.
Player — A participant in a game of Altered.
Prepare — The second daily effect of the Morning, in which each player readies their characters, Permanents, and Mana Orbs.
Progress — The daily effect of Dusk, in which Expeditions move forward.
Quick action — A kind of ability; players can play any number of quick actions in a turn before playing a card or passing.
Rarity — A characteristic of objects, with four possible values: common, rare, exalted and unique.
Reaction — An ability on an object, written as "Trigger — effect"; the type of an Emblem created by such an ability.
Ready — Adjective: not exhausted; verb: to lose the exhausted status.
Region — A step in the Adventure, represented by the hero region card, the companion region card, half a Tumult card, or the arena.
Reserve — A personal, visible zone in which spells go after their resolution and Characters go during Rest.
Reserve Cost — A numeric characteristic of objects; the amount of mana needed to be paid to play this object from Reserve.
Reserve limit — A numeric characteristic of heroes, represented by a number of rectangles on the left of their faction symbol; during Clean-up, if a player has more cards in Reserve than this number, they must discard the excess.
Rest — The first step of the Night, during which characters are sent to the Reserve.
Resupply — A keyword action which means "put the top card of your Deck in your Reserve".
Rule — A numbered paragraph in this document.
Rush — A keyword action which means "play a card immediately".
Sabotage — A keyword action which means "discard target card from a Reserve".
Sacrifice — A keyword action which means "choose an object you control and discard it".
Scout X — An ability allowing a player to play a card from Hand for an alternative cost X with a Reaction sending it to Reserve.
Seasoned — A keyword; a Seasoned Character keeps its boosts as it moves from the Expedition zone to the Reserve.
Sequence — A series of steps as in the description of an effect or a cost.
Shared — A characteristic of zones; Adventure, Expedition zone, Landmark zone and Limbo are shared zones.
Spell — A card type; when a spell resolves, follow the instructions of its effect.
Statistic — The influence of a character on a specific terrain; each character has a Forest, Mountain, and Water statistic.
Status — The current state of an object; there are six statuses: Anchored, Ascended, Asleep, Boosted, exhausted, and Fleeting.
Step — Part of a sequence; usually one verb in an effect.
Sub-type — A characteristic of objects.
Sub-zone — A subset of a zone.
Succeed — The first step of the Morning, in which the player to the left of the first player becomes the new first player.
Support ability — An ability written in the support box, which works only while the object bearing it is in Reserve.
Target — An object, Expedition, zone or player that is specifically affected by an effect.
Terrain — A sub-type of regions; there are three terrains: Forest, Mountain, and Water.
Terrain marker — A marker of one or more terrains which can be placed on a region. It changes the terrains of that region to its own (before any other passive ability).
Tiebreakers — A state the game gets into when both players' expeditions have met or crossed by the same number of regions during Check Victory.
Timestamp — A unique number assigned to an object when it is created or moves to a new zone; a new timestamp is always greater than all earlier timestamps.
Token — A way of representing objects created by the game which have no associated Altered card.
Tough — A rules-changing keyword ability; an opponent cannot choose a Tough X object as a target of an effect they control unless they pay X.
Trigger — The part of a Reaction that precedes its effect, or an icon standing for a trigger phrase (Enter Play, Hand, Reserve); a description of the events which trigger that Reaction.
Tumult card — A card representing two regions on the path between the Hero region and the Companion region.
Turn — Part of the Afternoon, typically composed of a series of quick actions followed by playing a card.
Turn effect — An effect which happens as part of a turn. There are three turn effects: playing a quick action, playing a card, and passing.
Type — A characteristic of objects; there are seven types: Character, Emblem, Hero, Mana Orb, Permanent, Region, and Spell.
Version — A number distinguishing the different versions of a unique card.
Visible — A characteristic of zones; Adventure, Discard pile, Expedition zone, Hero zone, Landmark zone, Limbo and Reserve are visible zones.
Water — A terrain and a statistic.
Yzmir — One of the factions.
Zone — A set of objects; there are ten types of zones: Adventure, Deck, Discard pile, Expedition zone, Hand, Hero zone, Landmark zone, Limbo, Mana zone, Reserve.
Zone type — A characteristic of Permanents; there are two zone types: Expedition and Landmark.