Hubworld: Aidalon Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Card Types
• Card States
• Symbols
• The Grid and Play Area
• Terminology on Cards
• Setup
• Winning and Losing
• Round Structure
  • 1. Main Phase
  • 2. Refresh Phase
• Instants
• Reactions
• Delving
  • Encountering a Grid Slot
  • Breaching a District
• Confronting Cards
• Discovering Cards
• Securing Agents
• Extra Reminders (Reference Card)
  • Ability Icons
  • Instant Windows
• Print & Play Deck
  • Seekers
  • Agents
  • Obstacles
  • Sources
  • Moments
  • Deck Reference Cards

Card Types

Each card shows: 1. Shard cost; 2. Card name; 3. Ability box; 4. Collection icons; 5. Barrier value; 6. Card type and subtype; 7. Presence value; 8. Cipher; 9. Limit values (for the Refresh Phase).

• Source: Economy and efficiency.
• Obstacle: Defenses and traps.
• Agent: Powerful but vulnerable.
• Moment: Bursty one-time effects. Single use cards that cannot be staged in your grid. Exiled after being played.
• Seeker: Characters who guide playstyle. Placed in your seeker area during setup.

Sources, obstacles, and agents can be staged in your grid. To help you remember this, their art windows are below their ability boxes, unlike moments and seekers.

Card States

• Unforged: Cards are staged in your grid unforged (facedown). Later, you can forge the card by flipping it faceup and paying its shard cost (see Instants).
• Forged: Cards in your grid that have been flipped faceup.
• Unexhausted: Cards are staged in your grid unexhausted (upright). Later, you may be able to exhaust the card by turning it sideways, showing it has been used for the round.
• Exhausted: A card turned sideways.

Symbols

• Action (a token in your pool)
• Shard (a token in your pool)
• Heat (a token in your pool)
• Draw
• Instant
• Reaction
• Barrier
• Confront
• Presence
• Discover

The Grid and Play Area

Secretly expand your network by staging cards facedown into the grid slots of your 3x3 play area. Each path (column) of your grid leads to one of your districts.

• Council (district): your hand.
• Commons (district): your deck.
• Archives (district): your facedown discard pile for secretly discarded ("archived") cards.
• Exile: your faceup discard pile for publicly discarded ("exiled") cards.
• Score Area: agents you secure go here.
• Token Pool: your action, shard and heat tokens.
• Seeker Area: holds your seeker card.

Terminology on Cards

• Adjacent: If the edges of two cards are touching (vertically or horizontally), those cards are adjacent. Cards in positions diagonal to one another are not adjacent.
• Cipher: To exile a card or secure an agent with a Cipher ability, you must fulfill that Cipher's requirement. Cipher abilities are active in all game zones, including Archives.
• District: Each player has 3 districts: Council (hand), Commons (deck), and Archives (face-down discard).
• Engaged: Confronting and discovering are the two types of engagement. When you confront or discover a card, you become the engaged player.
• Path: The vertical column of grid slots leading to each of the three districts.
• Rival: The other player (or the player to your left in games with 3+ players).
• Row: A horizontal row of grid slots: back (closest to you), middle, and front (farthest from you).
• Shift: To shift a card, move it from its current grid slot to an adjacent (non-diagonal) grid slot. If there is already a card there, swap the two.
• Unexhaust: The process of turning a card from an exhausted state to an unexhausted state.

Setup

Each player does the following:

1. Place your seeker card in your seeker area.
2. From the neutral bank, move 3 action tokens and 5 shard tokens to your token pool.
3. Shuffle your deck and place it in your Commons area. This is your Commons.
4. Draw 5 cards into your hand. This is your Council.
5. You may mulligan by setting aside (facedown) cards you don't want from your Council, drawing back up to 5, and shuffling the set-aside cards into your Commons.
6. Decide who takes the first player token. Whoever has this token is known as "the first player."

Then proceed to the main phase.

Winning and Losing

You win if you secure 3 enemy agents in your score area (each from a different player in games with 3+ players) or if your rival tries to draw from their Commons while it is empty during the refresh phase.

Round Structure

1. Main Phase

Starting with the first player and going clockwise, take turns performing 1 action from the list below (spend an action in your pool to do so). Repeat until all players have no actions remaining.

• Action: Gain 1 shard from the bank into your pool.
• Action: Draw 1 card from your Commons into your Council.
• Action: Stage an agent, obstacle, or source from your Council into a slot of your grid unforged and unexhausted (do not pay its shard cost at this time). If there is already a card in that grid slot, archive it if it's unforged or exile it if it's forged.
• Action: Shift a card in your grid to an adjacent (non-diagonal) grid slot. If there is already a card there, swap the two.
• Action: Play a moment with an action ability (pay its shard cost).
• Action: Use an action ability on one of your forged cards.
• Action: Delve. (See Delving below. Cannot delve as your first action of the game.)

2. Refresh Phase

Once all players have spent all of their actions, each player simultaneously does the following:

1. Reset to 3 actions in your pool (your seeker's action limit).
2. Gain 1 shard. If you have more than 10 shards in your pool (your seeker's shard limit), remove shards from your pool until you match the limit.
3. Draw 1 card (if you can't because your Commons is empty, you lose). If you have more than 5 cards in your Council (your seeker's council limit), archive cards from your Council until you match the limit.
4. Unexhaust each of your exhausted cards. (Don't forget your seeker!)
5. Pass the first player token to the player on your left. They are now "the first player."
6. The round ends. Start a new one.

Instants

At multiple points of the main phase, opportunities called "instant windows" become available where players can perform instants. As a rule of thumb, if an action or ability is not resolving, an instant window is open. The four types of instants are:

• Instant: Forge an unforged card in your grid by flipping it faceup and paying its shard cost.
• Instant: Collect with your seeker or with a forged agent/source in your grid by exhausting it, then gaining a shard or drawing a card for its corresponding collection icon.
• Instant: Play a moment with an instant ability by paying its shard cost.
• Instant: Use an instant ability on your seeker or on a forged card in your grid.

If multiple players want to perform instants at the same time, proceed as follows:

1. If the instant window is during a delve, start with the defending player (the player whom the delve is targeting), otherwise start with the first player.
2. That player performs as many instants as they'd like (including none). When they're done, the next player in clockwise order gets a turn to perform their instants.

This process continues indefinitely, with each player given a turn to perform as many instants as they'd like again and again. However, once all players consecutively pass their turn to perform instants, the instant window closes.

Reactions

Some cards have reaction abilities that you can choose to use when the ability tells you. Just like instants, you can do as many reactions as you'd like. And if multiple players wish to use reactions at the same time, start with the first player outside of a delve or the defending player during a delve, then go clockwise.

Delving

You cannot delve as your first action of the game (for each player). Delving is the main way you'll interact with your opponents' cards and secure their agents. When you delve, choose a path (column) in an enemy's grid that leads to one of their districts: Commons, Council, or Archives. Then, encounter each grid slot along that path (one at a time, starting with the front row) by following the steps below.

Encountering a Grid Slot

1. Approach. Certain abilities may trigger (e.g. "As you approach a grid slot...").
2. Instant Window. (See Instants.) The defender of the delve goes first in this instant window.
3. What is in the slot determines which choices you have for step 4:
   • 3a. Forged, unexhausted card: you must confront it (step 4a).
   • 3b. Forged, exhausted card: choose to bypass or confront.
   • 3c. Empty grid slot: bypass (nothing to do).
   • 3d. Unforged card: choose to bypass or discover.
4. Choose:
   • 4a. Confront the card (see Confronting Cards).
   • 4b. Bypass the card (ignore it).
   • 4c. Discover the card (see Discovering Cards).
5. Complete the Encounter. You may retreat and end the delve. If you do not, continue.

After you encounter each grid slot (front, middle, and back) along your chosen district path, breach the district at the end.

Breaching a District

1. Approach. Certain abilities may trigger (e.g. "As you approach a district...").
2. Instant Window. (See Instants.) The defender of the delve goes first in this instant window.
3. Generate Heat. Once per breach, you may pay 1 shard, plus an additional 1 shard for each heat already in the defender's pool. If you do, the defender gains 1 heat.
4. Discover Cards. Discover cards (one at a time) from the district equal to the defender's heat (random from Council or Archives; top of Commons).
5. Complete the Breach. You "complete the breach" (even if you didn't generate heat or discover cards) and the delve ends. Certain abilities may trigger.

Confronting Cards

During a delve, you might confront forged cards in the defending player's grid. When you do, first resolve the card's confront abilities, then either break its barrier or end the delve. Finally, you may either break the card's presence to secure/exile it or leave it be. The steps for confronting are:

1. Defender may trigger the card's confront ability (if any).
2. If the card has a barrier, you may pay shards equal to the value to break it. If you don't, immediately end the delve.
3. You may pay shards equal to the card's presence to break it. If it has a cipher ability, you must also fulfill that.
   • If you do, secure the card if it's an agent, or exile it if it's an obstacle or source.
   • If you don't, leave the card alone (return it to its previous place and state).

Discovering Cards

During a delve, you might discover cards either unforged in the defending player's grid or from inside one of their districts. When you do, first work your way down through the card's discover abilities, then either break the card's presence to secure/exile it or return it to its previous place. In games with 3+ players, only you and the defending player look at the discovered card. The steps for discovering are:

1. Defender may trigger the card's discover ability (if any).
2. You may pay shards equal to the card's presence to break it. If it has a cipher ability, you must also fulfill that.
   • If you do, secure the card if it's an agent, or exile it if it's an obstacle or source.
   • If you don't, leave the card alone (return it to its previous place and state).

NOTE: When discovering a card in an Archives, you don't need to pay shards to secure it or exile it, but you do need to fulfill its Cipher keyword ability (if any).

Securing Agents

Agents cannot go to the Exile. If you confront or discover an agent and break its presence, secure that agent to your score area (instead of exiling it). Additionally, if one of your agents would be exiled for any reason other than having its presence broken, add it to your rival's score area (the player to your left).

Extra Reminders (Reference Card)

Ability Icons

• Action: Spends your action token.
• Reaction: Resolve when the ability tells you (in bold).
• Instant: Resolve during an instant window.
• Discover: Resolve when a player discovers this card.
• Confront: Resolve when a player confronts this card.

Instant Windows

During an instant window, you can: Forge cards (by paying their cost); Collect with cards; Play a moment with an instant ability; Use an instant ability on your forged card.

Print & Play Deck

This print and play version of the demo deck for Hubworld: Aidalon is made with updated graphics closer to the final product. The following icons are different from the preview decks: Presence, Barrier and Encounter (Confront) have new icons.

Ciphers: Cipher is no longer a keyword. Instead, if a cipher appears on a card, it will be in a box at the bottom of the card, e.g. "Engaging player exhausts a card in their Archives path."

Card values below are given as shard cost / barrier / presence where applicable. Cards marked x2 appear twice in the deck. Every seeker has an action limit of 3, a council limit of 5 and a shard limit of 10.

Seekers

• Abnus Orzo (Tireless Investigator) - Seeker, Enforcer. Reaction: After you complete a breach on a player's Archives, exhaust this card and archive the top card of your Commons: Archive 1 card at random from that player's Council.
• Chairman Bo Pax (Heir to Pax Industries) - Seeker, Visionary. Action: If you have more cards in your front row than your rival, exhaust this card: They gain 1 heat.
• Goldie Xin (Junk Collector) - Seeker, Renegade. Action: If you have fewer heat in your pool than your rival, exhaust this card: Gain 3 shards.
• Jayko & Ace (Boisterous Troublemakers) - Seeker, Renegade. Reaction: As you approach a district, exhaust this card and gain 1 heat: Gain 2 shards and draw 1 card.

Agents

• Doctor Twilight (Dream Surgeon) - Agent, Visionary. Cost 3 / barrier 3 / presence 3. Instant: Exhaust this card and exile 1 card from your Archives: Gain 3 shards.
• Sergeant Cole (Precinct 204, 3rd Level) - Agent, Renegade. Cost 1 / barrier 3 / presence 1. Reaction: After you complete a breach on a player's Archives, exhaust this card: Archive the top 2 cards of their Commons. Cipher: Engaging player exhausts a card in their Archives path.
• Gargala Larga (Imperator of Growth) - Agent, Enforcer. Cost 3 / barrier 4 / presence 1. Instant: Exhaust this card: Unexhaust your seeker. Cipher: Engaging player exhausts their seeker.
• Auntie Ruth (Proprietor of the Hidden Tea House) - Agent, Paragon. Cost 4 / barrier 3 / presence 2. Reaction: After this card is forged, choose a player: They draw 3 cards. Cipher: Engaging player loses an action.
• Rory & Bug ("We Fetch It, You Catch It!") - Agent, Renegade. Cost 0 / barrier 3 / presence 2. Instant: Exhaust this card and lose 2 shards: Shift this card.
• Kryzar the Rat (Navigator of the Cortex Maze) - Agent, Enforcer. Cost 2 / barrier 3 / presence 3. Reaction: As you approach a district, exhaust this card: Stage 1 card (you can stage agents, obstacles, and sources).

Obstacles

• Barbican Gate (x2) - Obstacle, Location. Cost 1 / barrier 1 / presence 4. Confront: Engaging player may exhaust a forged card in their grid. If they do not, gain 2 shards. Discover: Gain 1 shard.
• Eye Enforcers (x2) - Obstacle, Persona. Cost 4 / barrier 3 / presence 5. Confront: Lose 1 heat: Archive 1 card at random from engaging player's Council. Discover: If this card is in your grid, archive it: Archive 2 cards at random from engaging player's Council.
• Transit Station (x2) - Obstacle, Location. Cost 1 / barrier 1 / presence 1. While this card is in your front row: It gets +4 presence. While this card is in your middle row: It gets +2 barrier.
• Waterway Ferry (x2) - Obstacle, Contraption. Cost 1 / barrier 2 / presence 3. Reaction: After this card is forged: Shift it.
• Canal Network (x2) - Obstacle, Location. Cost 3 / barrier 2 / presence 5. Confront: Shift an unforged card in engaging player's grid. Discover: Exhaust your seeker: Shift a card in engaging player's grid (forged or unforged).

Sources

• Capricious Informant (x2) - Source, Persona. Cost 3 / presence 4. Instant: Exhaust this card and look at the top 2 cards of your Commons: Add 1 of those to your Council and archive the other.
• Disagreeable Inspector (x2) - Source, Persona. Cost 1 / presence 2. Reaction: As you confront a card, exhaust this card: That card gets -2 barrier until the confrontation ends.
• Shardwinner (x2) - Source, Persona. Cost 3 / presence 2. While this card is in your Council path: It gets +1 shard collection icon. While this card is in your Commons path: It gets +4 presence.
• Tele-Mail Cluster (x2) - Source, Contraption. Cost 2 / presence 4. Reaction: After this card is forged: Stage 1 card (you can stage agents, obstacles, and sources).
• The Dragon's Hoard (x2) - Source, Location. Cost 2 / presence 3. While this card is forged: Each adjacent card gets +1 presence (forged or unforged).

Moments

• Likely a Trap (x2) - Moment, Subterfuge - Tactic. Cost 0. Reaction: After a player completes an encounter with an unforged card in your grid: They may discover that card. If they do not, archive the top 2 cards of their Commons.
• Calling in Favors (x2) - Moment, Commerce - Influence. Cost 0. Action: Gain 4 shards and draw 1 card.
• Infiltrate (x2) - Moment, Subterfuge. Cost 1. Reaction: As you begin discovering cards in a Council during a breach: Discover +2 cards.
• Fun Run (x2) - Moment, Subterfuge - Tactic. Cost 0. Reaction: After you complete a breach on a Commons: Gain 3 shards.
• Smooth Handoff (x2) - Moment, Subterfuge - Tactic. Cost 0. Action: Choose a player: They lose 1 heat and draw 1 card.

Deck Reference Cards

Round Structure card: Main Phase actions - Gain 1 shard; Draw 1 card; Stage an agent, obstacle, or source; Shift a card in your grid; Play a moment with an action ability; Use an action ability on your forged card; Delve (not as your first game action). Refresh Phase - 1. Reset to 3 actions in your pool. 2. Gain 1 shard. Discard down to 10 shards. 3. Draw 1 card. Discard down to 5 cards (archive the discarded cards). 4. Unexhaust your cards (don't forget your seeker!). 5. Pass the first player token.