Hatalom Kártyái Kártyajáték

Hatalom Kártyái Kártyajáték Rulebook

Table of Contents

Quick Guide

Building a Deck

To play, the first step is to assemble a player deck from the cards you have. You do not have to use all the cards in the package, but a deck must contain at least 30 cards. There is one restriction: you may not include more than three copies of the same card.

Players with more cards naturally have more choice, but a single pack of cards is enough to play well.

Beginners are advised to make about half of the deck from creatures (monster and adventurer cards), if possible.

Once the deck is ready, you need an opponent, a flat surface where you will play (e.g., a table), and paper and pencil so that you can count your life points and magic points.

Where Cards Are

During play, cards can be in the deck (you draw from it), in your hand, played cards on the table, and destroyed or discarded cards in the graveyard (gyűjtő). Each player has their own graveyard; cards destroyed during the game always go to the graveyard of their owner, face up. You and your opponent may look at the contents of either graveyard at any time.

The table is divided in two by an imaginary line: the cards on your side are yours, and those on the other side belong to your opponent. If during the game one of the opponent's cards comes to you for some reason, it must be moved to your side. (Be careful not to leave one of your cards on your opponent's side after the game! It is simplest to place cards so that they face their owner, so that after the game it is clear whose card is whose.)

On each side of the table there are two separate places for creatures: the guard post (őrposzt), closer to the opponent's side, and directly in front of you the reserve (tartalék). When you play a creature it always goes into your reserve; if you want to attack with it, you must move it to the guard post.

Card Types

Every card has a type, shown below the picture on the card. A card can be an avatar, monster, adventurer, construction, item, location, follower, rule card, trap spell (bűbáj varázslat), instant spell (azonnali varázslat) or general spell (általános varázslat).

Monsters and adventurers together are called creatures (lények). Trap spells, general spells and instant spells together are called spells (varázslatok).

Card States

On the table, cards can be in one of two states. A passive (laid down, sideways) creature cannot yet attack, and other types of card do not exert their effect while passive. An active (upright) card can be used as written on it.

Game Objective and Sequence of Play

Both players assemble their deck, shuffle it, and place their cards face down in front of them. During the game each player draws only from their own deck.

At the start, both players draw 5 cards from the top of their own deck and take them into their hand. Then it must be decided who begins. If they have played before, the loser of the last game begins; otherwise it is decided randomly (coin toss, dice roll, etc.).

The player whose turn it is first draws a card (except that the starting player does not draw in their first turn). Then they may play cards, attack, and when finished, the other player takes their turn.

Both players begin the game with 20 life points (életpont, ÉP) and 0 magic points (varázspont, VP). Magic points are needed to play most cards.

During the game, at the very beginning of each turn the players continuously gain VP; their ÉP does not change in this way. The goal of the game is to reduce the opponent's ÉP to 0 or below.

If at the end of any turn a player's ÉP is 0 or less, that player has lost and the opponent has won. If at the end of a turn both players' ÉP are 0 or less, the result of the game is a draw. A game may also be conceded at any time, but this should only be done if you are completely certain of defeat, because the game always holds surprises!

It may happen that both players run out of cards in their deck. If in such a case neither player can deal further damage, the game is a draw.

Paper and pencil, 20 coins, glass beads or anything else may be used to record ÉP and VP. The essential point is that both players always know the ÉP and VP of both players.

Neither ÉP nor VP may rise above 20, unless a card says otherwise!

The Turn Phases

A turn consists of the following phases:

I. Preparation phase: you gain magic points. II. Draw phase: the player draws 1 card from their deck. III. Main phase: the player plays from their hand onto the table any number of cards. IV. Exchange phase: the player may exchange creatures between their reserve and their guard post. V. Combat phase: the player attacks. VI. Main phase continued: the player plays from their hand onto the table any number of cards. VII. Healing phase: in this phase players may only use instant spells and effects. After this phase the turn ends, and every creature and construction that was wounded during the turn becomes "healthy" again.

Anatomy of a Card

The summoning cost of the card. The symbol for magic points, the symbol for monster components, the symbol for builders (építő creatures), the symbol for Zan shards (zanszilánk), and the symbol for necron summoning cost.
The name of the card.
The rarity and supplementary mark of the card. Rare cards are marked with a gold icon, uncommon cards with a silver icon, and common cards with a bronze icon.
The artist who drew the card.
The type of the card.
The god of the card. This determines which god the card belongs to and is consistent with the colour of the card. Colourless cards have nothing here.
The subtype of the card. This may be needed for references in certain other cards.
Other icons. These show whether a monster yields a monster component (marked with a * icon); which items must be given to creatures, and which creatures are able to use items (#). The meanings of the other icons here can be found in the chapter "Other concepts and terms in the game text" (page 36).
The text of the card.
If there is a flight icon here, the creature flies.
Flavour text. These are not rules, and do not affect how the card works; they only make the card more interesting.
The damage of a creature card.
The life points (ÉP) of a creature card, or the structure points of a construction.

I have now become familiar with the basics, but probably many things are still unclear. We therefore describe a simple example game; after reading it we suggest that you also try the game. After a game or two you may return to the book and continue with the more complicated parts.

Example Game

Kati and Balázs are playing. Balázs uses paper and pencil to record his ÉP and VP, while Kati uses white stones for her ÉP and red stones for her VP. They shuffle their decks, cut them, and then decide by coin toss that Kati begins. Both of them draw 5 cards and take them into their hands. Now Kati takes her turn.

Kati, turn 1: At the start of the turn Kati gains 1 magic point (VP), so she places one red stone in front of her. This is turn 1, so she does not draw a card. She has no card she could play for 1, so she signals that her turn is over. Balázs takes his turn.

(Kati: 1 VP, 20 ÉP | Balázs: 0 VP, 20 ÉP)

Balázs, turn 1: Balázs notes that he has 1 VP, draws a card, and signals that he may continue.

(Kati: 1 VP, 20 ÉP | Balázs: 1 VP, 20 ÉP)

Kati, turn 2: Kati is up again. Now she gains 2 more, so she has a total of 3 red stones in front of her. She draws, so she now has six cards in her hand, and she may play cards costing at most 3. She has The Lord of the Beasts (A vadak ura) in her hand, a monster with a summoning cost of 2. She subtracts 2 (1 remains) and places The Lord of the Beasts in front of her in her reserve, active (upright). It is active because the Lord of the Beasts has a special ability, flight (indicated by the two wing icons on either side of the text), so it enters play in the active state. Because The Lord of the Beasts is active, it may be moved forward into the guard post (exchange phase), and it may attack with it. Kati announces that The Lord of the Beasts attacks. Balázs has no creature in his guard post, so he could only defend with a spell, but he has none now. The Lord of the Beasts carries out the attack. Because its damage (SB) is 3, Balázs loses 3 ÉP and has 17 left. Then she signals that her turn is over.

(Kati: 1 VP, 20 ÉP | Balázs: 1 VP, 17 ÉP)

Balázs, turn 2: Balázs is up again, and gains 2, so he now has 3. He draws a level 1 creature, a Necromancer Skeleton. He places it immediately in his reserve, turned 90 degrees, i.e., passive. This means that this creature cannot act in this turn. He has 2 left over and passes the turn to Kati.

(Kati: 1 VP, 20 ÉP | Balázs: 2 VP, 17 ÉP)

Kati, turn 3: Kati gains 3 at the start of her turn. The Lord of the Beasts remains in the guard post, and Balázs has no creature in his guard post, so The Lord of the Beasts attacks again, and Balázs loses 3 ÉP more, leaving him with 14. Kati has 4 left over, and does not play any card.

(Kati: 4 VP, 20 ÉP | Balázs: 2 VP, 14 ÉP)

Balázs, turn 3: It is Balázs's turn. He gains 3, so he now has five in total. He activates the Necromancer Skeleton, meaning he turns it upright, so it can now attack. Then he draws. For 2 he places the Young Dragon Serpent in his reserve. Because it flies, it enters play in the active state. The Young Dragon Serpent has an ability that could deal 3 damage to a creature, but The Lord of the Beasts is not affected by monster abilities, so Balázs cannot use this ability now. Because the Young Dragon Serpent is active, it may be moved immediately into the guard post, which Balázs does. The damage of the Necromancer Skeleton is 3, its life points 1. It is a weak monster, but Balázs pushes it into the guard post too. The Lord of the Beasts has 2 ÉP written on it, but during Balázs's turn all of Kati's creatures receive the Defence Bonus (Védekezés bónusz). This means that The Lord of the Beasts, while defending, has +1 damage and +1 ÉP, i.e., it is 4/3 in this case. Balázs now has several choices: he may attack with both of his creatures at The Lord of the Beasts, or attack with one at The Lord of the Beasts and the other at Kati. He cannot attack Kati with both, because all of Kati's creatures in the guard post must be attacked with something, and only monsters left unopposed can attempt to wound the opponent directly.

Balázs announces that the Necromancer Skeleton attacks The Lord of the Beasts, and the Young Dragon Serpent attacks Kati directly. Because the Necromancer Skeleton deals 3, and The Lord of the Beasts has exactly 3 ÉP, The Lord of the Beasts would be destroyed, but monsters cannot damage it, so it is not wounded. Because The Lord of the Beasts has damage (SB) 3, it kills its opponent. The Young Dragon Serpent would deal 3 damage to Kati. This would all be fine, but Kati now announces that she plays a Red Lightning (Vörös villám) spell. Because this spell is instant, it may be played during the opponent's turn. The cost of the spell is @2, so Kati subtracts 2 and keeps 2 remaining, and then Red Lightning goes to the graveyard. The spell deals 4 damage to a target creature, and Kati targets the Young Dragon Serpent. The Young Dragon Serpent has 3 ÉP, so it goes to the graveyard before it can damage Kati. Because the Necromancer Skeleton and the Young Dragon Serpent have both gone to the graveyard, Kati writes down two monster components for herself, which she may later use for a card or ability whose cost is a monster component. Because the Young Dragon Serpent goes to the graveyard, Balázs takes a Young Dragon card (Sárkánykígyó csemete) into his reserve, passive.

(Kati: 2 VP, 20 ÉP | Balázs: 3 VP, 14 ÉP)

What will happen in later turns? Fortunately it can never be known in advance. This example game also shows that anything can happen in HKK. With clever play, good use of cards, and of course a bit of luck, you can turn the course of the game at any time!

The Rules of the Game in Detail

We hope you have understood the example game and may play a trial game or two based on what you have read so far. From here on, the rules concerning the game are described in more detail, explaining exactly what you may do in the different phases of the turn.

Playing Cards, Active and Passive Cards, Summoning Cost

Playing a card means placing it on the table from your hand. Cards are generally played face up and active (upright). Creatures and constructions without a flight icon are played sideways, i.e., passive. Some abilities require passivation, marked with the P symbol: this means turning an active card sideways. A passive card cannot be passivated again, and a passive creature cannot be in the guard post. A creature in the guard post cannot be passivated.

Every card has a summoning cost (idézési költség), one or more numbers in the upper left corner of the card. You must pay this cost to play the card. The symbol ":" stands for magic points (VP), "*" for a monster component, "E" for a builder. The coloured "@:" symbol is a zan shard (zanszilánk): it may be paid with VP, monster components, builders, or by sacrificing one of your permanents in play.

The builder cost (E) is not paid with magic points. Instead you passivate the stated number of your active creatures in your reserve. Monster components are obtained mainly by killing the opponent's creatures.

There is another kind of summoning cost, the necron, marked L. To pay each necron, you must set aside 4 cards from the top of your deck into the Void (Semmi), from which they can no longer be retrieved.

You may play a card only if you have enough VP to pay its cost. If you see a "?" or an "x" in the cost, you must read the card's text, which will reveal the cost.

The Phases of a Turn in Detail

1. Preparation Phase

The first step of the preparation phase is magic point regeneration. In your first turn you gain 1 VP, in your second turn 2, in your third turn 3, in your fourth turn 4, and in your fifth and every later turn 5 VP. In addition, after every second creature in your reserve you gain +1 VP, regardless of whether the creatures are active or passive. This extra VP is part of the magic point regeneration and is not a source. Example: Kati's fourth turn comes, and in her previous three turns she has brought three creatures into play, which are now in her reserve. So at the start of the preparation phase Kati gains 4+1 VP.
The second step of the preparation phase is the resolution of all effects that occur in the preparation phase, such as poisoning or the operation of certain trap spells. The player whose turn it is decides the order. Note: in the preparation phase only abilities that require activation and are explicitly marked as usable in the preparation phase may be used. Constant and automatically operating abilities work in the preparation phase as well. No cards may be played in this phase, nor instant spells. In this step of the preparation phase, no player may gain monster components from creatures that went to the graveyard in this step.
The third step of the preparation phase: the active player turns all their passive cards (cards turned 90 degrees count as passive) active (upright), i.e., they are activated.
The fourth step of the preparation phase: the active player may sacrifice any number of their active monsters in their reserve for monster components. A sacrificed monster goes to the graveyard immediately, and the player may write down as many monster components as there are * icons under the picture on the sacrificed monster's card. Only a monster from which monster components can be obtained may be sacrificed this way.

2. Draw Phase

Unless the effect of a card says otherwise, you must draw one card from your deck; this is mandatory. If a player has no cards left in their deck, they do not draw. In the draw phase no card may be played, and only abilities whose text expressly permits or instructs this may be used.

3. and 6. Main Phase

In this phase the player whose turn it is may play any card. If they do not wish to, they play no card; the only upper limits are the summoning costs of the cards and the number of the player's magic points. The active player has the first right to act, but after each of their actions the opponent may use instant spells or effects if they wish.

4. Exchange Phase

The exchange phase follows when neither player wants to act in the main phase any more. (If you want to start the exchange phase, first ask your opponent whether you may proceed, or whether they still want to continue the main phase.)

In the exchange phase no cards may be played, and only those abilities function or may be used in this phase whose text expressly permits this or expressly instructs it.

You may freely swap your creatures between your reserve and your guard post, and only then (not at other times). During this, neither player may play new cards. You must announce the end of the exchange phase. The creatures in your guard post will fight the opponent's creatures; they are the ones who take the decisive part in reducing the opponent's ÉP, and they will defend you against the opponent's attacks during the opponent's turn. Creatures in your guard post can never, in any way, be passivated.

Creatures in your reserve may build (see constructions), may help collect magic points at the start of your next turn, and may use the abilities marked with the P icon.

If a card does not say otherwise, at most 3 creatures may be in your guard post at the same time. This is the "size" of the guard post. There may be any number of your creatures in the reserve.

5. Combat Phase

After the exchange phase both players may still use instant spells and effects; then the combat phase begins. You may attack your opponent's creatures, constructions, and the opponent player themselves. A more detailed description follows later.

7. Healing Phase

The healing phase follows when neither player wants to act in the main phase any more. (If you want to start the healing phase, first ask your opponent whether you may proceed, or whether they still want to continue the main phase.)

In the healing phase both you and your opponent may use only instant spells and effects, in any number and alternately. If neither of you wants to act any more, the healing phase is over and the end of the turn follows; the end of the turn is divided into three parts.

First come the effects created at the end of the turn that require activation. These cannot be responded to in any way, and during or after them nothing may be played or any other thing used.
Next come the automatic effects created at the end of the turn.
Then comes the real end of the turn: creatures and constructions heal, the turn ends, and the opponent takes their turn. At the start of the end of the turn, the "turn ends" effects are also resolved, so everything that happens at the end of the turn takes place after these.

Creatures

Creatures played during the game go to the reserve. If they have no flight icon (flight icon), they are played passive (sideways). Passive creatures cannot enter the guard post, so they do not take part in combat, and they cannot use any ability requiring passivation (P icon) (though spells may of course be cast on them). These creatures become active at the start of your next turn, and only then can they begin to actually function. Only active creatures can, for example, build (see constructions). Every creature has damage (SB) and life points (ÉP). The SB is shown at the lower left corner of the creature card, and the ÉP at its lower right corner.

Damage shows how many ÉP the creature can deal to an enemy creature, construction or player; life points show how much damage it can withstand. A creature whose ÉP falls to 0 or below dies (though it may be healed before that). The SB and ÉP of creatures may also be modified by the defence bonus (védekezés bónusz) rule, other than the values on the cards themselves: during your turn all creatures of every other player have +1 SB and +1 ÉP.

Most creatures yield one or more monster components (szörnykomponens). The * icons in the middle of the card show how many monster components can be obtained from the creature. If one of the opponent's creatures dies (goes from the table to the graveyard), and this did not happen during the preparation phase, you get as many monster component markers as the number written on the creature. You may use coins, glass beads, stones, or any other marker for counting monster components. If a creature dies during the preparation phase, neither player receives monster component markers (except, of course, if someone deliberately sacrificed one of their own monsters for a monster component).

If you destroy your own creature yourself, the opponent still receives the monster component, unless you sacrificed the creature for the cost or drawback of a spell or effect; in that case nobody receives a monster component.

At the end of the preparation phase the player may sacrifice any number of their own active monsters in their reserve, but only those from which monster components can be obtained. They receive markers for these as well. Sacrificed monsters go to the graveyard. Any time you obtain monster components from a creature, you may waive all or part of them. This must be announced aloud: if you forget to write down the monster components (your opponent: "Ah, you obviously waived them"), they are not lost immediately, only at the very end of the current phase.

Creatures include adventurers, avatars and monsters.

Adventurers have two special characteristics. First, every adventurer may use items, while only some monsters (the relatively humanoid ones) can. Second, they have no monster components. The ability to use items is marked on creatures with the # icon.

Avatars are creatures of special power. They are mostly strong cards, and their advantage is that cards which affect adventurers or monsters based on their text do not affect them. Cards that affect creatures do, however, apply to them.

Spells

Spells come in three categories: trap, general and instant. It is important to note that cards of other types do not count as spells, even if their play costs magic points (e.g., creatures).

Trap Spells

Trap spells may only be played in your main phase, and after being played they remain in the game until some external effect removes them. Trap spells can also be of several kinds. If the card reads "trap on a creature" (bűbáj lényre), its effect applies to a creature of your choice, and the trap must be placed on that creature. If that creature goes to the graveyard, the trap goes with it. Likewise, "trap on an item" applies to an item, "trap on a construction" to a construction, "trap on a card" to any other card, and "trap on a trap" to another trap spell already in play that affects a trap. If the card simply says "trap" (bűbáj), it must be placed on the table when played; the card text then shows exactly whom it affects (usually a certain group of cards). If such a "trap" is passivated, it has no effect while passive. It is important to note that traps placed on cards cannot be passivated at all, only the independent traps can be.

General Spells

The effect of a general spell happens immediately, after which the card must be discarded; it never goes onto the table. You may only play a general spell in your own main phase.

Instant Spells

Instant spells differ from general spells in that they may be played in the opponent's main phase and in any combat or healing phase, unlike all other card types. Within a given phase the active player always has the first right to act. Afterwards, or if they pass, the opponent may play an instant spell or effect.

Within instant spells there are so-called instant reactions. When a player plays a card or effect, the players have the opportunity to react to it with instant reactions. Instant reactions usually prevent a card from taking effect, and more rarely modify its effect. Whenever a player plays a card, one must always wait to see whether anyone wishes to react to it. Reactions are resolved in reverse order.

Example: Kati plays a Destructive Fire (Pusztító tűz). Balázs reacts to this with an Absolute Prevention (Abszolút preventálás). Kati reacts to the Absolute Prevention with an attempt by Zu'lit (Zu'lit kísérlete). There are no more reactions, so the cards take effect in reverse order. Zu'lit's attempt prevents the Absolute Prevention from taking effect, so the Destructive Fire also takes effect successfully.

If, as a result of a spell or effect, a creature would be removed from the game, and no one reacts any more, the effect of the card takes effect immediately, and the creature's ability can no longer be used. If, however, a creature only suffers damage, it is possible to use lifesaving effects (életmentő hatások). Any source that increases a creature's life points, even indirectly, counts as a lifesaving effect.

Constructions

Constructions are usually played for a builder (építő) or zan shards (zanszilánk). A builder means you must passivate one of your active creatures in your reserve (as many as there are E symbols in the cost). You may pay a zan shard with magic points, monster components, by sacrificing one of your permanents in play, or, for constructions only, by building. Creatures cannot be destroyed during construction, so construction cannot be prevented by destroying creatures, because the construction takes place immediately. Constructions enter play passive, i.e., sideways (unless the construction shows the flight icon), and become active at the start of their owner's next preparation phase. A passive construction has no effect, but it cannot be destroyed by creatures either. (However, spells that affect constructions do affect it.)

Constructions may be destroyed as follows: if a creature attacks from the guard post and the attack is not defended (i.e., it "breaks through the guard post"), then when the attackers are declared, the attacking player may decide to destroy one of the opponent's constructions instead of directly wounding the opponent. To destroy a construction, the attackers must destroy it completely within a single turn. This means they must deal in total at least as much damage as the construction's structure points (SP). The SP of a construction is the number in the lower right corner of the card. If a creature's owner has decided that the creature attacks a construction, the creature's full damage is used on the construction; for instance, it cannot deal 3 structure point damage to the construction and 1 damage to the opponent. When damaging a construction, creatures may also use their direct damage abilities (breath, electric discharge, etc.), unless it is specifically written that this damage only works on a creature in the guard post. Any number of creatures may attack one construction at the same time, once they have broken through the guard post. A destroyed construction goes to the graveyard. Constructions that were not completely destroyed lose their damage at the end of the turn, just like creatures.

Items

Items are usually played for monster components or zan shards. There are two groups of items: items placed on a creature (these bear the # icon), and items placed on the table (these have no # icon). Items placed on the table work like traps: they are laid out active on the table. Items placed on a creature must be placed on a creature with the # icon, and their effect applies to that creature.

Unlike constructions, items enter play active, so their abilities work immediately. If, however, an item is passivated in some way, a passive item does not take effect (its abilities do not work, similar to constructions and traps, but unlike creatures). An item placed on a creature cannot be passivated. If a creature with a # ability kills another creature carrying an item during the combat phase, its owner may, if they wish, move the item onto their creature (if they do not wish to, the item goes to the graveyard together with the original creature).

Locations

Locations are a special card type. Like items, they enter play active. Only one location may be in play at a time. If a player plays a new location, the previous one goes to the graveyard. Bringing a location into play does not count as playing a card for the purposes of related effects; it cannot be reacted to, and its summoning cost cannot be modified. The monster component in a location's summoning cost may also be paid by sacrificing 2 ÉP. Locations do not count as cards in play for the purposes of sources and related effects. Only those sources that are specifically written to affect locations affect them. A location cannot be sacrificed, passivated, have its ability switched off, or be shuffled back into the deck or returned to hand from the table, even as a cost. Locations cannot change owners. Reactions cannot be made to a location's abilities that require activation, and these abilities cannot be made more expensive either. In the second step of the preparation phase, any player may, at a price of 2 VP, instead of drawing the card drawn in the draw phase, search their deck for a location.

Rule Cards and Followers

These cards have an orange border. They are not part of the deck; they may only be on the table, and may not be in hand, in the deck, or in the graveyard. If you use a rule card or follower, you must place it on the table at the start of the game (before drawing), in a separate area away from the play area, but clearly visible, face down. After you have both drawn your cards, you both turn over your rule cards/followers, if any.

A rule card may only be affected by another rule card, and a follower may be affected by another follower or a rule card, nothing else. Rule cards and followers are not to be regarded as cards in play. Their abilities that require activation cannot be made more expensive, and no reaction may be made to them. The abilities of rule cards generally affect both players; the beneficial abilities of followers only affect their user, and the disadvantageous abilities of followers only affect the opponent. Rule cards and followers are not counted in the deck size, so your deck must still contain at least 30 cards (in tournament play, 50 cards). You may use both a rule card and a follower in one deck, but only one of each, unless a card says otherwise.

If you use such cards, at the start of the game you draw one card fewer for each rule card and follower you use.

Horde commanders and epic followers are special followers. You do not draw fewer cards because of them: with a horde commander you draw exactly the number written on it. You may not use any other follower or rule card alongside them. If a horde commander modifies your ÉP, it also modifies your maximum ÉP. An epic follower starts you at 18 ÉP, but when you play your first 3 "favourite cards," your ÉP and maximum ÉP increase by 2.

Effects

Although this is not a card type, it is worth writing about effects here, among the playable cards. Cards on the table may have effects, which they exert on the game (in rarer cases, cards in a graveyard, and even more rarely, cards in hand may also have effects). There are constant effects (e.g., a trap that gives +1 damage to all our creatures), automatically operating effects (e.g., a creature that heals 4 ÉP after it is successfully played), and effects that require activation. Effects that require activation are those which we must decide whether we want to use. Some abilities that require activation also have a cost (e.g., spending VP).

For some abilities that require activation, the time of use is specified; for others it is not. Where the time of use is not specified, they may be used at any time when instant spells may be used (i.e., in any main, combat or healing phase). This is significant because it is often written that instant spells and effects may be used at a particular time. Naturally, here we mean the activation-requiring abilities of cards on the table (or possibly in the graveyard or in hand).

Using an effect that requires activation is the same kind of action as playing a card! So if, for example, your opponent plays a card, and then you use an effect, the turn to act passes back to your opponent.

Combat

The combat phase consists of the following sub-phases, marked with Roman numerals.

I. The players may use instant spells and effects alternately.

II. Declaration of attackers: The attacking player declares which of their creatures attacks which target. Only creatures in the guard post may attack. Any creature or construction of the opponent's guard post may be attacked, and the opponent may also be attacked. However, the opponent or a construction may only be attacked if at least one of your creatures attacks every enemy creature in the guard post. So if you have the same number of creatures in your guard post as your opponent, you cannot wound them directly ("break through the guard post"), but if you have at least one more, you can. You are not obliged to attack with every creature; indeed, all your creatures may remain in the guard post without attacking, to defend.

Up to two of your creatures may attack one enemy creature. In this case the owner of the defending creature must, still in this phase, decide which attacker it strikes back at, and it may damage only that one.

III. The players may use instant spells and effects alternately. The player whose turn it is always has the first right to act.

IV. Use of combat abilities: These abilities are marked with the + icon. The players alternately declare direct damage abilities (starting with the attacking player), as long as either player wishes to use one. Then the effects of all such abilities take effect simultaneously. If a combat ability damages the opponent of the creature, we speak of a direct damage combat ability.

A creature's combat ability may be used on only one target; the "remaining" damage cannot be used for anything else, including damaging the opponent.

V. The players may use lifesaving effects to save creatures whose ÉP has been reduced to 0 or below. The special abilities of such creatures cannot be used during this, except one that heals the creature itself. A lifesaving effect is an instant spell or effect which increases a creature's ÉP, even indirectly. Creatures whose ÉP is still 0 or less afterwards go to the graveyard. The other player receives the monster components of creatures that went to the graveyard from the graveyard.

Afterwards the players may again use instant spells and effects alternately.

VI. Strike phase: The creatures strike the opponent they designated in sub-phase II (if this is no longer in the guard post, they may not choose a new target). The ÉP of both players' creatures decreases by the damage of the other creature.

IMPORTANT! Defending creatures, i.e., all creatures of the opponent during your turn, have +1 SB and +1 ÉP. This is called the defence bonus.

VII. The same as phase V, except that in this phase the creatures killed in phase VI go to the graveyard.

Table Cards Text

The text on cards left on the table can be divided into five groups: the explanation attached to playing the card, the playing condition, the drawback, the special ability, and flavour text.

The explanation of a card describes how to calculate the cost of a card with a variable cost, or describes how or in which deck the card may be used, or whether the card can also be played as a counter-spell.

A playing condition is a requirement that must be fulfilled before a card may be brought into play, whether you bring it from your hand or from your graveyard.

Drawbacks are always marked with the keyword "drawback" (hátrány); these are generally properties that are disadvantageous to you. A card can never lose its drawbacks in any way.

Flavour text is in italics, gives the card a background story, and has no significance for the game.

A special ability is, in summary, everything in a card's text that does not belong to any of the above categories. A card's special abilities may be constant abilities (e.g., magic attack), automatically operating abilities (which come into effect when a certain condition is met, e.g., when the card is played; flight, marked with the flight icon, is an example), combat abilities (see above, in the combat phases), and abilities requiring activation (where you have to decide whether to use them, e.g., abilities requiring passivation).

Examples of special abilities:

Constant special abilities:

Immunity to fire, ice, etc. The creature cannot be damaged by that kind of attack. Such a source cannot be used on it either.
Immunity to poison. No poison counter may be placed on the creature in any way. If it had poison counters before it gained the immunity, the counters fall off immediately.
Extra damage or life points given to a group of creatures (usually only those on your side).
Magic attack / magic defence. Creatures with magic defence can, in the strike sub-phase of combat, only be damaged by creatures with a magic attack; other creatures deal no damage to them. Magic attack or defence is marked with a yellowish-red icon instead of the usual white one.
Invisibility / seeing the invisible. A creature with invisibility may break through the guard post, i.e., attack the other player or their construction itself, even if not every enemy creature in the guard post has been attacked. Invisibility has no other effect. This ability does not work if the opponent's guard post contains a creature that sees the invisible.
Cannot be the target of a spell, effect, source, etc. The action cannot be used on this card, so the card cannot be played targeting it, but actions that do not require a target still affect it.
Spells, effects, sources, etc. have no effect on it. The specified action has no effect on this card, and actions of this kind cannot be used on it when they target it. If they do not target it, they may be used, but they will have no effect on the card.

Automatically operating special abilities:

Poison. If the creature strikes another creature (whether or not it deals damage), place on the struck creature as many poison counters as the creature's poison value. At the start of its owner's preparation phase, if a creature has a poison counter on it, place one more poison counter on it. (So if it received poison from several sources, still only one counter is added.) If at that point the number of poison counters equals or exceeds the creature's life points, it goes to the graveyard, and no monster component may be obtained from it. You may not poison the other player. Poison has no other effect: it does not reduce ÉP, and poison counters need only be considered during their owner's preparation phase, or if another card refers to them.
Flight (flight icon). The card enters play active, so, for example, a creature may be moved into the guard post immediately in the exchange phase. Flight has no other effect.
"After successful play..." Many creatures do something automatically after they are successfully played: heal, send a card to the graveyard, etc. Important: for some creatures the ability created on successful play is only created if we wish it. In that case we must decide whether the ability takes effect; it is then no longer an automatically operating ability but an ability requiring activation. If we forget to use such an ability, we cannot make up for it after our next action, unlike with automatic abilities, which are mandatory and must be carried out by the end of the turn if we happen to forget them.

Combat abilities:

These may be used only in step 4 of the combat phase, and are marked with the + icon. Examples are fire breath, acid breath, electric discharge, etc. To use one, unless the text says otherwise, you must spend as many VP as the amount of breath you wish to exhale. For example, a fire breath of 3 means the creature can breathe 0, 1, 2 or 3, and you must spend as many VP as you breathe. Some creatures state that the VP may be replaced by sacrificing ÉP. In such cases you may choose to reduce your ÉP instead of your VP.

Some combat abilities do something else. In such cases, after the icon and the name it is written what the ability does; for example, every creature in the opponent's guard post takes 3 damage, or the opponent returns to the hand of its owner. Such abilities only cost VP if the text marks this separately. See the description of the phases of combat for more detail.

Abilities requiring activation:

Abilities requiring activation do not work by themselves. The creature's owner must "activate" them, i.e., declare that they wish to use the ability, and pay its cost, which may be passivation, VP, sacrifice, or another cost. If an ability can be used without cost but requires a decision whether to use it, it is still an ability requiring activation (in practice a cost of 0 VP). Unless the text of an ability says otherwise, it may be used at any time when instant spells may be used (see there). Such abilities include:

Abilities requiring passivation. The ability is preceded by a P icon, meaning that in addition to any other costs, the creature must be passivated to use the ability. Such abilities may only be used from the reserve, with an active creature.
Abilities marked with a ° (once on your own turn), Ü (once during the opponent's turn) or ¨ (once per turn), where you may decide whether to use the ability, e.g., Solkim the Alchemist, Mumbling Torturer (Motyogó kínzómester).

Timing

During the game it may happen that two players want to play a card or use an ability at the same time, i.e., to act, or the other player may quickly put a card on the table while you are drawing. This is not a reflex game, however: playing has a defined order, which must be observed like the rest of the rules. The player whose turn it is has the first right to play a card, directly after the draw. The other player may only pre-empt this if the card explicitly states that it may be placed directly after the draw phase. If the opponent does not respect this priority and puts a card on the table before giving the player whose turn it is the opportunity to play one, the card can be made to be taken back.

From then on, cards are placed in an auction-like manner: the player whose turn it is may place a card, and the opponent may respond with a card of their own, after which it is the current player's turn again. Naturally, one player may place several cards in succession if the other does not wish to intervene, but the opportunity to react must always be given. It is not necessary to ask aloud after each card is placed, "Well, do you want to do something?" It is enough to wait a little after placing a card (looking at the other player questioningly), and if they do not interrupt ("Wait!"), you place the next card.

If the opponent wants to play as a "reaction" a card that has nothing to do with the card we played, i.e., they do not want to save the creature we just killed, and do not want to bring out an instant reaction card, but we wish to play such a card, as a reaction to our own card, then we have priority (this is one of the exceptions to the rule "one player goes, then the other").

Reactions also deserve a few words, such as Absolute Prevention (Abszolút preventálás). These may be instant spells of the "reaction" subtype, permanent cards with a neutralising ability, or the reaction abilities of cards. A reaction may only be used directly against a specified action, before that action has taken place. A reaction may prevent or modify the action. Several reactions may be played against one card, and it is even possible to react to a reaction. If no one wishes to react to an action any more, the reactions take effect in reverse order, possibly preventing each other or the original action.

If the player whose turn it is wants to begin the exchange phase, they must announce this, and the other player may still play a card then, even if the current player has not yet placed anything.

Example: Miklós draws, then announces that he wants to continue straight away with the exchange phase, i.e., to move his creature into the guard post immediately. Erika says "Wait!" and plays a Neuroblast. Miklós decides that in this case he will not begin the exchange yet (there would be nothing to exchange anyway), but places a flying creature, a Siren Palace Guard. Since Erika nods, the exchange phase can now begin, and the Siren Palace Guard enters Miklós's guard post.

Some cards have special abilities that can be used at any time. For timing purposes these are treated just like instant spells: if one player uses such an ability, the other player must always be given the opportunity to react with a special ability or by playing a card.

Example: Miklós has no monster component, so he uses the first ability of Solkim the Alchemist. Then he wishes to use Solkim's second ability, but first he must give Erika the opportunity to react. Erika responds with an instant spell, Neuroblast, which sends Solkim to the graveyard before Miklós can use the ability.

Before the combat phase, and after the attackers are declared, instant spells and special abilities may also be used. Here too the usual bidding system applies: the player whose turn it is starts, and such cards are played or abilities used as long as anyone wishes to use one. If you do not wish to enter the exchange phase or the combat phase, you must announce this aloud: these phases still take place in that case, but nothing happens in them. This is important, because some spells may only be played before or after the exchange phase. Important: between the exchange phase and the combat phase no trap or general spell may be played!

When a player finishes their turn, they must announce it aloud. It may happen that the opponent has held back a card until this moment; in that case they may say "Wait," and play it. Of course the player whose turn it is may respond to this, and cards may be played as long as they wish, after which the turn really ends (see the healing phase, page 20).

Remember that no spell or special ability may be used before the draw phase!

Other Concepts and Terms in Card Texts

Anti-blocking. If a card has the ability Anti-blocking: X, this means that when it is successfully played from hand, the maximum VP of its player increases by X.

Anti-magic. If you see on a card: Anti-magic: X, this means the following. First, no reaction spell may be used against the card (it may be neutralised by a spell or effect). Furthermore, when the card is successfully played, every player must discard X spells of their choice. You must discard yours into the Void (see below for the concept of the Void); the other players discard theirs into the graveyard. If someone has fewer than X spells in hand (or none), they discard only as many spells as they have, but in that case they must show the cards in their hand.

Flow (Áramlás). A player may, on their own turn, from their second turn onwards, during their own main phase, once per turn, for 1 VP shuffle a card with Flow from their hand back into their deck; the effect written after Flow then takes effect. Flow is an effect of a card in hand. Like Treasure (Kincs) it counts as an action, but it does not count as playing a card.

Passing through the guard post (átüt az őrposzton). A creature is said to break through the guard post if it attacks the enemy player or one of their constructions; regardless of how much damage (possibly 0) it deals.

Blocking (Blokkolás). If you have successfully played a card with Blocking X from your hand, the opponent's maximum possible VP decreases by X (it cannot go below 0). It is only created by playing from hand, but the card's summoning cost may be 0. For permanent cards, blocking is an automatic ability on play; for instant or general spells it is one of the effects of the spell. Blocking also takes effect for passive non-creature permanent cards entering play passive, and it takes effect even if the card's on-play abilities do not take effect for any reason. Copying cards do not copy the blocking ability.

Target (célpont). Some cards require the choice of a target. In such cases the player who plays the card must choose one or more appropriate targets. If there is no appropriate target, the card cannot be played at all! All "trap [on something]" cards need a target of the [something] type. Passive and reserve cards may also be targets. If a card requires at most X targets, at least one of X must be present, so such a card cannot be played without a target. Cards that require no target (e.g., Advantage from the Void) may be played at any time.

Seduction (Csábítás). If a card reads "Seduction: X", then when the card is played, if you wish, one target creature of cost at most X is placed in your reserve; from then on you, not its owner, control it. Cards attached to it do not change owner. If Seduction is a creature's ability, and you did not choose a target for the seduction when you played it, place a +1/+1 marker on the creature after you played it.

Freeze marker (Dermesztésjelző). While a card has a freeze marker on it, none of its special abilities work, but creatures can still strike (although their poison, magic attack and combat abilities do not work). Remove one freeze marker from the creature in each of your preparation phases.

Source that discards (Dobató forrás). A source that would make a player discard at least one card from their hand (regardless of whether the player has any cards in hand, or whether it would discard only a card with a certain property, which may not be in the player's hand at all).

Stealing (Ellopod, ellophatsz). When you use such an ability, you become the owner of the target permanent; if it was a creature, it goes to your reserve. Active cards are transferred as active, passive cards as passive. You may also use it on your own card; then nothing happens, except that if it was a creature in your guard post, it goes to your reserve.

Life (Élet X). If a card reads "Life X", this means the card has that many "life" markers. So when you play this card from your hand, paying its summoning cost, place X life markers on it. Other sources cannot modify the number of these life markers (unless the card specifically says so). Each time this card would be removed from the game or change owners while it still has a life marker, remove one life marker from it, and nothing happens to the card, except that if it would go to the graveyard through loss of ÉP, it instead heals to its maximum ÉP; if it would go to the graveyard through markers (e.g., poison), remove those markers as well at the same time. However, if, for example, a creature would die from poison and markers reduce its ÉP to zero simultaneously, this costs it 2 lives. Markers save a card from forced sacrifice as well, but if you must sacrifice the card because of a summoning cost or a card's drawback, they do not save it, and you may still sacrifice a monster for a monster component. There is only one other case in which life markers do not help: if a creature is killed by a combat ability or in the strike sub-phase of combat, the life markers do not protect it. Life markers also work in the preparation phase.

Undead (Élőholt). Undead are marked with the H icon. There are no special rules for them; only some cards refer to undead.

Sacrificing ÉP (ÉP feláldozása). Certain effects require you to sacrifice one or more of your ÉP. You may not sacrifice life points in such a way that your life points would fall below 0 because of the sacrifice. This is not damage, so it cannot be prevented by an effect that prevents damage. Naturally, the ÉP lost in this way can still be regained with healing cards.

Sacrifice (Feláldozás). Some cards require, as a condition for playing them or using an ability, that you sacrifice a card. In that case this card must be put into the graveyard even if the spell is prevented from taking effect, and it cannot be saved in any way. No monster component is received for a creature sacrificed in this way. If the card in question cannot go to the graveyard, it cannot be sacrificed.

Source (Forrás). Spells and effects are collectively called sources.

Death Cry (Halálsikoly). If a permanent with this ability is removed from the game through the effect of a source, or leaves its owner's control, the effect written after Death Cry takes effect.

Net (Háló, marked with the ; symbol). If you see the ; symbol on a card, it symbolises a constant special ability of the card, meaning: if any player has already successfully played two cards from their hand in a turn, they may not play any more cards from their hand. If a card with the net ability came into play this turn, the restriction applies for the rest of the turn.

Cold (Hideg, marked with the ß symbol). Denotes cards of the cold subtype. All damage dealt by such cards is cold damage.

Anchor (Horgony, marked with the G symbol). If a card bears the G icon, it cannot in any way be made to return from the table to its owner's hand. The G ability works even while the card is passive (even for constructions).

Summoning (Idézés, marked with the † symbol). If the opponent began the game, then from your 2nd turn onwards the base summoning cost of this card is 1 lower (it may be reduced to 0). For simplicity, every card with a fixed number in its upper left corner is now treated as having a fixed summoning cost, even if its text or an ability (e.g., summoning) modifies the base summoning cost.

Summoning cost, in short: cost (Idézési költség, röviden költség). The number of VP, monster components, builders, zan shards and necrons needed to bring the card from your hand onto the table. A cost can never be reduced below 0 by any modifier (so you do not gain VP just because you play a spell). It is useful to distinguish the base summoning cost from the modified summoning cost. The base summoning cost is what was described above, i.e., the number in the upper left corner of the card. If there is an X or a "?" here, it is replaced by the value given in the card's text. The modified summoning cost is the base summoning cost as modified by the cards in play (e.g., Hunchbacked Varkaudar). In most cases, when a card refers to the summoning cost, the base summoning cost is taken into account, except for those cards where this is specifically mentioned, and reaction cards, for which the modified summoning cost must be checked.

Temporary and delayed effect X (Időleges és késleltetett hatás X). When played, place X markers on the card, and then remove one in each preparation phase. The temporary effect lasts as long as the markers are on the card; the delayed effect takes place when the markers have run out. A marker need only be removed if the card would in any case exert its effect; so, for example, markers do not need to be removed from passive cards (except creatures). The number of markers may be freely increased or decreased by other cards.

Divine (Isteni, marked with the Š symbol). In a deck you may only use cards marked with the Š icon from a colour that you would use anyway. Your deck may contain at most 13 divine cards.

Muscle (Izom). If a creature card reads "Muscle: X", this means that after the creature is successfully played, you may discard up to X cards of your choice from your hand into the Void, and then the creature receives X muscle markers, each of which means +1 damage and +1 ÉP. Muscle markers may also be placed on the card in other ways (e.g., place 1 muscle marker on it when it is played), in which case you do not need to discard any card. If a creature with muscle markers goes out of the game (except through a forced sacrifice), or leaves its owner's control, its owner decides for each muscle marker whether to draw a card or gain 1 VP. If a creature with muscle markers changes owner, the markers do not fall off. If there are several muscle markers on one creature, you must decide at once (even before the first draw) how many you draw for and how many you want as VP. Muscle markers keep working even if the creature loses its abilities. The ability of muscle markers also works in the preparation and healing phases. The number of muscle markers may be changed freely by other cards. Cards that modify or disable card draws or VP gain also affect the ability of muscle markers. Placing a muscle marker on a creature is a life-saving effect, since it increases its ÉP.

Entering play (Játékba kerül). When a card goes onto the table, whether from hand, directly from the graveyard or from the deck, or, in the case of markers, from "the Void", we say that it enters play.

Appearance (Jelenés). Move this card from your graveyard into the Void, and if it has a cost, pay it: the stated effect takes place. You may use only one appearance ability per turn. Appearance is an activation-requiring special ability of the card that works only while it is in the graveyard.

Marker (Jelző). There are two types. The first are markers placed on cards. When an effect reads "you may place a marker" or "place a marker", something must be put on the card (a coin, a pebble, a match, or a prepared card of a certain type, etc.) that can be used as a marker. If you see that you may remove X markers, where X is a number, this means that if at least that many markers are on the card, then by removing X, something happens. If you see that you may remove any number of markers, this may be 0. When a creature goes to the graveyard, all markers fall off it. Markers placed by different effects or cards cannot be substituted for one another.

The other type of marker denotes a creature. Bringing such markers into play does not count as playing a card, but does count as summoning a creature. Unlike ordinary creatures they never go to the graveyard: when they die they are removed from the game, so they cannot be revived or returned to hand. (However, if an effect is triggered when a creature goes to the graveyard, it does take effect even if a marker creature dies.) The summoning cost of markers is 0. Markers are not counted as cards, unless a card says otherwise.

Searching or drawing source (Kereső, húzó forrás). A source that would draw or search for at least 1 card from the deck (see the definition of search and draw in the HKK Code), even with a delay, e.g., "at the end of the turn, draw 1 card". It does not matter if the card cannot be drawn because of some effect; the source still counts as such.

Forced sacrifice (Kényszerített áldozás). The effect of certain cards forces one or more players to sacrifice one of their creatures, e.g., "the target opponent must sacrifice one of their creatures". This is the so-called forced sacrifice. A monster component is obtained for the destroyed creature just as if it had gone to the graveyard in another way, but it is not considered a targeted effect, so it may be used on a creature that cannot be targeted. In addition the other rules concerning sacrifice apply, so if the creature cannot be sacrificed for some reason, it also cannot be sacrificed this way.

Removed from the game (Kikerül a játékból). Some cards say this instead of going to the graveyard. When a card goes to the graveyard or to the Void, and is returned to its owner's hand or deck, we say collectively that it is removed from the game.

Treasure (Kincs, marked with the n symbol). If you see the n symbol on a card, this means the card may be used as Treasure too. From your second turn onwards, in the main phase of your own turn, once per turn, you may spend 1 VP and discard a Treasure card from your hand into the Void, and then you gain 2 monster components. Like Flow, this is an ability of a card in hand, and its use counts as an action. The amount of monster components produced by Treasure cannot be modified by any other card (not even a rule card, follower or location).

Compensation (Kompenzáció). Compensation is always the automatic effect of a card in hand, which takes effect when the opponent's reaction prevents that card from taking effect. Compensation cannot be reacted to.

Fog (Köd, marked with the symbol). If you see the icon on a card, this means that such cards, regardless of their type or text, have an extra way of being played: you may play them for 1 VP as an instant spell (a so-called fog-seeking spell, ködkereső varázslat), whose summoning cost cannot be modified or substituted in any way, and whose effect allows you to search your deck for a card bearing the icon. The card still counts as bearing the icon in this case, and if it was a vision, it still counts as a vision. If you have already successfully played a fog-seeking spell in a turn, you may not play another fog-seeking spell in that turn. Important: if at any time during a game you have successfully used a fog-seeking spell, then for the rest of that game you may not search for cards in any way other than through fog, except as the drawback of a source.

Once per turn, once per your turn, once per opponent's turn, once per game (Körönként egyszer, Saját körödben egyszer, Ellenfél körében egyszer, Játékonként egyszer). If the ¨ icon appears before an ability, this means the ability may be used once every turn. The ° icon before an ability means that it may only be used on your own turn, once per turn. The Ü icon means once per turn, only during the opponent's turn. It is worth marking these somehow; it is recommended that you turn the card 45 degrees. The © marks a limit of twice per turn, and ± marks a limit of twice on your own turn. If you see the • mark in the description of an ability, this ability may be used only once, after which the card loses this ability. The • may be an automatic or an activation-requiring ability.

Bond (Kötelék ¤). If you see the ¤ icon before an ability, this means the ability works only if you have another card of the same subtype as this card in play, in your graveyard, or in your hand. (You must show it!) This may be a condition for using an ability, or the summoning cost of a card may be reduced if the condition is met. If a card bearing the ¤ icon has several subtypes, any other card with any one of those subtypes satisfies the condition. Similarly, if the shown card has several subtypes, it is enough that one of them matches a subtype of your card. If you see two ¤ icons in a row, this means you must show 2 cards of the specified subtype from your hand, from your graveyard or from the table (they may be mixed). If the card has several subtypes, it may also be satisfied by one of one kind and one of another. The reaction subtype does not count as a bond subtype.

Owner and controller of cards (Lapok gazdája, tulajdonosa). If someone places a trap or item on one of the opponent's cards, its controller remains that player. The controller of all other cards is the player on whose side (half of the table) the card is. If a card changes control while a card is placed on it, the controller of the attached card also becomes the new player. The owner of a card is the player whose deck contained the card at the start of the game. If a card changes control during the game, do not forget to return it to its original owner at the end of the game!

Scope of cards (Lapok hatásköre). If an effect on a card contains a possessive (your turn, your phase, your card), it applies only to the card's controller. If there is none, and the text does not say otherwise (e.g., the opponent's turn or turns), it applies to everyone. If the word "target" appears in an effect, it means something you choose.

Playing cards, playing from hand (Lapok kijátszása, kézből kijátszás). Cards in play are those on the table (and not in any player's deck, graveyard or hand). Playing a card is when a card is brought into play by any means (even as the result of an effect). Playing from hand is when a card is played from your hand (even as the result of an effect). What are the differences and similarities between the two? 1.) Cards played from hand may be reacted to with reactions; cards played in other ways may not (except visions and resurrection). 2.) Some effects say "if you play a card from your hand". These effects, naturally, only take effect in the second case. 3.) In both cases the abilities that take effect on playing take effect, unless the card says otherwise. Some cards say to treat a card as if it had been played from your hand (even though it was actually played from the graveyard, or brought into play by some other means, as the result of an effect); then the card so played must be treated as played from hand in every respect. Every card that you play as a spell from your graveyard belongs to this category, even if it does not say so on the card.

Discarding cards (Lapok eldobása). Discarding a card is when you place a card into your graveyard. If it is not specified where from, the card must be discarded from your hand, naturally only if there is a card in your hand. If the method of discarding is not specified (e.g., it must be discarded at random), you may choose what you discard.

Creature (Lény). Creatures collectively means avatars, adventurers and monsters.

Creature subtype (Lény altípus). A creature subtype is one that appears mainly on creature cards and denotes, in meaning, some kind of creature. Not creature subtypes are, e.g., reaction, focus crystal and vision, even if they appear once on a creature.

Healing or regeneration of a creature (Lény gyógyulása, regenerálódása). An effect in which only the creature's current ÉP increases. In that case the creature's current ÉP may not rise above its possible maximum (the sum of the ÉP on the card and the effects that modify it).

Prevents a card (Megakadályoz egy lapot). If a card has this text, it means you may play the card, or use the ability, directly after someone has played a card from their hand. The card does not take effect; it only goes to the graveyard. This counts as a reaction spell or ability. "Prevents a spell", "prevents an instant spell", "prevents a creature card", etc. work similarly, only referring to a spell, an instant spell, a creature, etc. The "prevents" ability is always a reaction.

Kills a creature (Megöl egy lényt). A creature is said to kill another creature if, by its ability, it sends it to the graveyard (the Void), or in any way damages it, and the damaged creature goes to the graveyard (the Void) immediately after, despite any lifesaving actions.

Dismissal (Megszüntetés). This is only an abbreviation, which you may find on followers. "Dismissal: X ÉP" means "Any player may dismiss the follower in their main phase by sacrificing X maximum ÉP and X ÉP."

Morph (Morf). A morph is a special subtype. When you play a morph from your hand, you may name a colour and a creature subtype. The creature then also has this colour and subtype alongside the morph's own. If any card, or rule, in a deck, graveyard or hand refers to the colour or subtype of creatures, you may likewise decide which second subtype or colour the morphs have.

Primordial Magic N (Ősmágia N). If you see the N icon on a card, this means that if you do not reduce this card's summoning cost when it is played (not counting the determination of its base summoning cost), your opponent may not increase this card's summoning cost in any way.

Passivation (Passzivizálás). Creatures in the guard post and cards placed on top of other cards cannot be passivated in any way. Although creatures in the guard post and attached cards may be targets of passivating actions, the passivating effect of those actions does not take effect. Passive cards may also be targets, even if they are in the reserve. A passive item, trap or construction does not take effect. If a card placed on another is passivated together with its carrier, the attached card does not become passive. Unless a card says otherwise, these, too, are activated along with other cards at the start of their owner's next preparation phase.

Permanent (Permanens). A permanent is an abbreviation used in place of "card or independent marker". So every card and independent marker is a permanent. If a source sends a target permanent to the graveyard, resistance protects against it in the same way as if the source sent a target card to the graveyard.

Reaction surcharge Ú (Reakció-drágítás Ú). If you see the Ú icon on a card, this means that reacting to playing this card costs as many more VP as the number shown in the icon. This is not an ability of the card but a rule attached to its playing and cost calculation. It also applies to older cards where, instead of an icon, the text stated that reacting to it is more expensive.

Resistance z (Rezisztencia z). If you see the resistance z symbol on a card, it means the following special ability: this card cannot be the target of a source that affects one, and only one, specific target card. Resistance does not protect the card if:

the source does not require a target, or if it affects two or more targets.
according to the card's text, it does not affect a card, but a creature, a construction, an item, etc. For example, if a spell sends at most two target cards to the graveyard, it can be played on a resistant card if two targets are chosen, but cannot be played if the only target would be a single resistant card.

Damages a target (Sebez célponton). This is said when the target suffers at least 1 ÉP of damage caused by this creature. (Target: a creature, a construction or a player.)

Damage, life points – base, current (Sebzés, Életpont – alap, aktuális). A creature's damage and life points are the two numbers written at the bottom of the card, which the effects of other cards may change. A distinction is made between base, maximum and current ÉP and damage. The base ÉP or damage of a creature is always the number originally written on the card. The ÉP or damage of a creature is always the number on the card, less or plus the effects of other cards. For example, a creature with 2 damage bearing a Demon Slayer (which gives +1 damage) has 3 damage. For clarity the ÉP of a creature is often called maximum ÉP or maximum possible ÉP. For example, the ÉP of your Protective Morph is 4 on your turn, and 5 on the opponent's turn because of the defence bonus. If the morph takes 2 damage, its ÉP does not change, only its current ÉP does. A creature's current ÉP, calculated together with the damage it has suffered this turn, is called its current ÉP. So for example a creature with 3 ÉP that has been dealt 2 damage this turn has a current ÉP of 1. If a creature's ÉP decreases, its current ÉP also decreases. Example: If Clad in Iron from Head to Toe (Talpig vasban, +3 ÉP to all my creatures, on which a card of mine has been placed) helped, a creature of mine with a base 3 ÉP takes 3 damage, and then the Clad in Iron is removed, my creature dies.

Remember that surviving creatures' current ÉP rises back to the maximum at the end of the turn.

Damaging or healing source (Sebző ill. gyógyító forrás). This term denotes a source that would damage or heal a creature, player or construction by at least 1. It does not matter if, for some reason, the damage or healing does not in fact take place (e.g., a player may not be damaged in that turn); the source is still a damaging or healing source.

Neutralisation (Semlegesítés). If a card reads "Neutralisation (scope)", you may play that card from your hand as a reaction, which prevents the cards/effects specified in the scope. In this case the card keeps its original type; for example, a creature is played as a reaction creature, and it is not a spell or effect. Neutralisation is not an ability but a way of playing the card. You can only react to the card itself or make it more expensive; neutralisation itself cannot be taken away, copied, made more expensive, or reacted to.

The Void (Semmi). The Void is a new pile next to the graveyard. Certain cards refer to cards going to the Void. It is essentially like the graveyard, so cards that go to the Void are also removed from the game, but cards in the Void do not count as being in the graveyard. No card can ever come out of the Void, by any means: not into play, not into the graveyard, not into the deck, not into hand, nowhere at all (once the game is over, of course, you may put them away). If a creature goes from the table to the Void instead of the graveyard, monster components are obtained for it just as if it had gone to the graveyard. If the fulfilment of an effect's condition is "if the card goes to the graveyard", that condition is also satisfied if the card goes to the Void instead of the graveyard.

Voiding: X (Semmizés: X). This is an abbreviation for the expression "You may place up to X cards from a graveyard into the Void."

Voiding source (Semmizős forrás). A source that would cause one or more cards to go from a graveyard to the Void.

On successful play / On play, immediately (Sikeres kijátszáskor / Kijátszáskor azonnal). On successful play always happens after the reactions have been used and have taken effect; "immediately on play" always happens before reactions are used.

Attacking creatures (Támadó lények). Attacking creatures are your creatures (on your turn) that you have designated for attack in the combat phase.

Token card (Tóken lap). Tokens are cards marked with an illustration larger than usual. Token cards are often used in such a way that they are not in your deck, and come into play as the result of a source.

Fire (Tűz T). Denotes cards of the fire subtype (marked with the T icon). All damage dealt by such cards is fire damage.

Defence (Á) (Védekezés Á). If you see the Á icon on a card, it means that if your opponent began the game, you may play this card for free during the opponent's first turn. A player may play at most as many cards from defence as the number of cards their opponent played in the opponent's first turn, but a player may always play one card from defence, even if the opponent has not (yet) played any card. If a card bears the icon, it may be played as a defence during the opponent's turn even if it is not specifically marked on the card that it may be played during the opponent's turn.

Defence bonus (Védekezés bónusz). During the opponent's turn every creature has +1 SB and +1 ÉP (including passive creatures in the reserve), unless the effect of a card says otherwise.

Lightning (Villám ç). Denotes cards of the lightning subtype (marked with the ç icon). All damage dealt by such cards is lightning damage.

Vision (Vízió). If a card shows the subtype "vision", it is a vision card. Cards of this subtype have the following properties:

You may play them from your graveyard too, exactly as if playing them from your hand. So you must pay the summoning cost (or whatever modifies it), fulfil the playing condition if there is one, and the event counts in every respect as playing from hand (e.g., it may be reacted to).
From one vision card (of the same name) you may play only one per turn, whether from hand or from the graveyard, regardless of whether you played it successfully or unsuccessfully.
If a vision card is in play at the end of a turn, you must sacrifice it. The vision subtype is not a special ability, so the vision property cannot be removed or passed on in any way.

Zan shard summoning cost (Zanszilánk idézési költség). This is marked in the upper left corner in orange, instead of the usual white VP icon. A card with a zan shard cost must be treated in every respect as a card that comes for VP, but you may pay each VP with a monster component, or by sacrificing a permanent of yours in play, but not with a necron. (This is not a substitution.) When playing a construction, each zan shard may also be paid by spending 1 builder. A zan shard summoning cost may not be reduced below 1 in any way. I may not sacrifice the same creature for a zan shard summoning cost if I have already passivated it as a builder. The zan shard is not a subtype, but some cards may refer to zan shards.

The HKK contains further concepts which you will not encounter on the base edition's cards, but which do appear in some expansions. Their descriptions can be found in the mini-rulebook of the given expansion, in the HKK Codex available online (kodex.hkk.hu), or on the official HKK website (www.hkk.hu).

Alternative Rules

Colour restriction. You may put at most 3 colours of cards in your deck, plus colourless ones (only this many gods fit together). This rule is strongly recommended if you have more than one pack of cards. In tournaments we apply this rule. The Bufa cards count as colourless for the purposes of deck construction.
Deck size. A deck must consist of at least 50 cards. This rule is applied in tournaments, but in home play, especially if you only have 1–2 decks, you may happily play with fewer cards.

If Someone Forgets Something

It may happen that someone forgets something, e.g., accidentally writes down one VP fewer, or forgets to collect a monster component. In such cases the following rules apply:

If a player does not want to do something that is not mandatory, and which could only be carried out at a certain point in the turn (e.g., collecting a monster component after a monster dies), they must announce this aloud. If they do not do so (i.e., they simply forgot), we may allow them to make up the omission up to the start of the next phase. E.g., a monster component obtained at the start of the combat phase may be written down until the end of the combat phase.
If a player forgets or makes a mistake in a mandatory action, the omission must be corrected retroactively as soon as the error is discovered. E.g., if a player forgot to draw, or did not regenerate for the creatures in their reserve, the game is rewound to the point of the omission and continued from there. If someone forgets to sacrifice ÉP for a card for which it is mandatory, or does not record their damage, this must also be recorded retroactively. If in combat you did not count the defence bonus or some other modifier, you go back to the combat and replay it from there. Neither player may blame the other for the resulting disadvantage, since both must pay attention to observing the rules. If a player finishes their turn, and the other player agrees and begins their own turn, there is no longer any possibility of retroactively modifying the earlier move.

Tips for Building a Deck

It is important to always have enough magic points to play your cards. Cards costing 0 and 1 are useful right at the start of the game, but it is worth including some cards costing 2 or more, so that you can use them when you have more magic points. It is also not good if your cards run out and magic points just accumulate, nor if you cannot play your cards. Experiment, and if you are not satisfied, swap cards!
Some cards are designed to work with each other. Look for combinations (combos) that work well, and combos whose cards form further combos with each other. The game is not won with a single card; a combination of several well-cooperating cards may be much more effective.
Use a mix of cards that let you prevent your opponent's cards (neutralisation, reaction), cards that send cards from the table to the graveyard, resources (drawing, VP generation), and of course the creatures that secure victory. The point is that you can react to anything the opponent may deploy.

Tips for Trading

There is, of course, no rule about how to trade your cards with other players, but it is worth paying attention to a few things.

Try the game right after you open the first decks, and play a few games before you start trading. Until you know the game, you cannot judge the value of the cards, and so you will probably make bad trades.
Cards carry a rarity icon, which helps in trading. Of course, the difference in value between two rare cards may also be huge.
At first, trade mostly with friends who started the game with you. If you want to trade with a veteran who knows the rarity and in-play value of every card excellently (e.g., one of the game's testers), ask another player who knows the game better than you for their opinion on the trade before you make it.
At first, the safest strategy is to trade only cards of which you have several copies, so that you certainly do not give away a real rarity.
If you do not trade, you will certainly not make bad trades, but you also deprive yourself of one of the most enjoyable parts of the game. So, once you know the game well, trade boldly, because this is how you can develop your deck.

Multiplayer Rules

Many multiplayer variants exist; we describe the most important ones.

I. Paired Play

The game is played by four people, in two pairs. Each player sits opposite their partner.

The pairs share their ÉP: each pair has 40 ÉP in common (this is also the maximum). If someone in a pair takes damage, the shared ÉP decreases. If one pair's shared ÉP falls to zero, that pair has lost. Play goes around, so that a player from one pair takes a turn, then a player from the other pair. You may attack the guard post of one of the opponents, or the other, but you may not have one creature attack one guard post and another creature attack the other. Naturally the original rules apply here too: you may only break through a guard post once you attack every creature in it. A common strategy is to destroy the creatures of one guard post, and then drain the pair's ÉP through it.

If a card affects "your opponent", then when you place it you must decide which of the two opponents you wish to use it on. If a card affects every player, it affects all four of you.

Pairs may not look at each other's cards. They may talk about anything, but may not use pre-agreed codes. If they talk about a card, they must name it; they may not describe it (e.g., "you know, the one I first played in the previous game"), so that the opposing pair does not understand which card they are talking about. Pairs do not use each other's cards: their positive cards that apply to the player (to you) do not help each other.

In paired play, although the players do not see into their partner's hand, they can work together very well, especially if they know each other's deck. They can help each other very well with spells.

II. The Final War for Power

This variant may be played by any number of players. The players sit in a circle, and each player may attack only with their own creatures against the guard post of the player seated to their left. If someone wishes to play a card that affects "one opponent", they must decide whether the card will always affect the player to their left or to their right. If a card affects "all players, everyone", it takes effect on the two people to the left and the two to the right of the player who played it, so together with the player who played it, it affects five people. Similarly, you may choose a target player or target card only from among these five people. This matters only if the game is played by more than five people.

If a player seated to your left falls to 0 ÉP and is eliminated, you receive 1 victory point, regardless of which player was directly responsible for knocking out your left-hand neighbour. The player who stays in the game last receives, in addition to the 1 victory point for knocking out the penultimate player, another one and a half victory points. The game is won by the player who has collected the most victory points.

During the game, everyone who is not currently on turn enjoys the defence bonus.

If there is a dispute over who is entitled to monster components, they always go to the player whose card was responsible for destroying the creature that went to the graveyard. If a player's left-hand neighbour is eliminated during a phase, that player may not continue to attack the new left-hand neighbour directly, and does not receive the victory point for that new left-hand neighbour's elimination in the same turn.

If the game is played by more than five people, to speed up play you may introduce that every third player has a turn at the same time, acting in parallel with each other. The turn then passes on to the next players once everyone whose turn it is has finished their actions. In this case two things must be kept in mind. A card may only be played if its playing condition does not harm any player it affects. For example, if an instant spell which affects every player may only be played before the exchange phase, you may not play this card if one of the five players has already carried out their exchange phase. The other delicate point is that if the number of players decreases, sooner or later the number of turns must also be reduced, since there can be at most a third as many turns as there are players. When the turns are cancelled, care must be taken that as few players as possible are left out for this reason.

III. War of the Gods

The game should preferably be played by at least five players (but may be played by at most nine). An important rule is that each player may only use cards belonging to one god, apart from colourless cards, and each player must play with a different god. Every player's opponents are those players whose god's colour is at war with theirs; so with nine players, each player has three opponents. The game is won by the player whose opponents are the first to all fall out.

Optional rule: players may not use cards designed directly against one or more specific gods, nor cards on which one or more god names appear.