Megapulse Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• About This Rulebook
• Using the Track Booklet
• Single Race
• Game Overview
  • Nitro
  • Superbombs
  • Speed
  • Pilot
  • Hull / Damage Reports
  • Hovercar
  • Cards
  • Upgrades
  • Driving
• Game Setup
• Player Setup
• How to Play
  • Selection Phase
  • Instant Phase
  • Turn Order
  • Execution Phase (Playing Your Turn)
    • Losing Hull & Repairing
  • Ready-Up Phase
• Driving
  • Driving Forward
  • Driving Sideways
  • Losing Traction
  • Collisions
  • Zones
  • Boost Pads
  • Driving Styles
  • What Happens First?
  • Gaining and Losing Nitro and Speed
• Superbombs & Multibombs
• Resolving a Card
• Getting Destroyed
• Using Frenzy Tokens
• Hovercars & Pilots
  • Hovercar
  • Pilot
  • Catching-Up
    • Leading Racer
• Checkpoints & START Flags
• Upgrading
  • Add a Module
  • Level Up
• End of the Game
• FAQ
• Round Example

Components

These components come in 4 colors (one set per player):

• 1 Dashboard
• 1 Hovercar
• 3 Superbombs
• 7 Base cards
• 1 Lap marker
• 2 cubes
• 5 Hull tokens
• 3 Rival tokens

Other components:

• 1 Track booklet
• 4 Pilot tiles
• 1 Lap tile
• 31 Upgrade cards
• 24 Track tiles
• 8 Special tiles
• 4 CHECKPOINT flags
• 1 START flag
• 25 Frenzy tokens
• 12 Upgrade tokens
• 1 Sonicspeed tile
• 3 Multibombs
• 3 Shield tokens
• 1 Grapple token
• 4 reference tiles

About This Rulebook

Megapulse can be played in many different ways, called Racetypes. Each racetype has its own set of rules and victory condition.

This book contains the rules for the Single Race Racetype, a racing experience in its purest form. To learn how these rules change in other Racetypes, consult the Track booklet.

Using the Track Booklet

Before setting up a game of Megapulse, choose and create any track from the Track booklet that is compatible with the chosen Racetype. You may also create your own track!

If you feel you've trained enough to put your experience to test and try other Racetypes, you will find them in the Track booklet as well.

Single Race

• Racers: 2-4. This Racetype can be played by 2 to 4 players.
• Game mode: Race. During setup, place your Pilot tile on the Race Mode side.
• Setup: Any track, any laps. Choose any Race track from the Track booklet. Choose any number of laps to play.
• Victory condition: Complete all laps. The first player to complete their final lap triggers the end of the game. Keep playing until the round ends. Then, whoever is further past the START flag wins. If tied, the first player in turn order amongst tied players wins.

Game Overview

Nitro

Nitro is a special fuel that acts as a resource used to activate powerful cards. You can gain Nitro on Nitro Boost pads and playing various cards, such as Nitrospeed.

Superbombs

You can leave Superbombs behind you to blow up your opponents! They can be avoided or shot, but if not dealt with, they deal damage in a huge radius.

Speed

Your Speed is your main way of driving forward each turn. Try to gain as much Speed as possible to outrun your rivals, and choose the best moment to lose it in order to Repair.

Pilot

Each pilot has a unique ability called Catalyst, that gets stronger and stronger as you drag behind in the race. Use it to catch-up before it's too late!

Hull / Damage Reports

Your Hull represents the state of your Hovercar, and can be damaged by grinding on walls or being attacked by your rivals. Your Damage Reports section on your Dashboard keeps track of the damage your opponents dealt to you: The more damage they deal, the more they will be rewarded when your Hovercar will finally need repairs.

Hovercar

Each Hovercar comes in a different color, but also has a Specialty card: a Base card variant that is more powerful or versatile than the one your opponents have.

Cards

Each turn, you'll be able to resolve 2 cards you have selected. Cards are special maneuvers that will help you navigate the track and attack other players.

• RAPIDSHIFT: Gain speed or deal safely with curves.
• SIDETHRUST: Move sideways.
• SUPERBOMB: Leave a Superbomb behind you.
• ULTRAFIRE: Shoot opponents and Superbombs.
• NITROSPEED: Gain Nitro or consume it to gain a burst.
• ALPHAGRID: Become first or last in turn order.
• SUBFOCUS: Activate your pilot's Catalyst.

Upgrades

Completing a lap and passing a Checkpoint will grant you the opportunity to buy Upgrade cards! These cards are added to your hand and have a powerful impact on your playstyle. Some will replace your Base cards, some will break your Hovercar apart by making you lose cards from your hand, and other are simply new additions to your arsenal of maneuvers.

Passive Upgrade cards have a sideways design and are permanent abilities that always take effect. They are placed on the sides of your Dashboard!

Driving

Driving is at the core of the Megapulse experience, and understanding its basic concepts is crucial to become the next Champion. Using your Speed, resolving cards, and spending Frenzy from destroying another player will help you get closer to the finish line.

• Boost pads: Boost pads are scattered around the track and will help you drive faster, gain Nitro, and repair your damaged Hull.
• Loss of traction: In curves, your hovercar will lose traction and move dangerously closer and closer to the outer wall.
• Modular track: The track is modular: Create your own track using the tiles, or consult the Track booklet to race on Megapulse's deadliest ones. The track can have shortcuts, split in two, get narrowed down, and be of the length you desire.
• Collisions: You push and damage anyone you collide with, without suffering any consequences yourself.

Game Setup

1. Choose a Racetype compatible with the player count.
2. Choose any track from the Track booklet that is compatible with the chosen Racetype, then create it using the Track tiles, the START flag, and the CHECKPOINT flags.
   • If you are playing with 2 players, flip all the tiles face down (B side) to reveal a narrower version of that same track. Otherwise, use the A side.
3. Place the Lap tile within reach of all players, on the side showing "Laps remaining".
4. Shuffle the Upgrade cards to form the Upgrade deck, then place it besides the Lap tile.
   • NOTE: Upgrade cards have a (upgrade) icon at the top. Base cards, on the other hand, have an hovercar icon (one per color).
5. Reveal the first 4 cards of the Upgrade deck and place them aside, forming the Upgrade market.
   • There cannot be any Burst Upgrade cards in the market at the beginning of the game. If there are any, replace them and shuffle them back into the deck until the market is composed of 4 non-Burst Upgrade cards.
   • NOTE: Burst Upgrade cards can be recognized by their fully multicolored design, as shown on the card illustration (e.g. Omegarush).
6. Place the Sonicspeed tile, the 3 Multibombs, the 3 Shield tokens, the 25 Frenzy tokens and the 12 Upgrade tokens within reach of all players, forming the Stockpile.

Player Setup

Repeat the steps 7-13 for each player.

7. Choose any available color, and take the Dashboard, the 7 Base cards (place them in your hand), the Hovercar, the 3 Superbombs, the 2 cubes, the 5 Hull tokens, and the Lap marker of that color. Take a reference tile as well.
8. Place your 3 Superbombs on their dedicated spot on your Dashboard.
9. Place one of your cubes on the 1st space of your Nitro gauge (no Nitro), and the other cube on the 2nd space of your Speed gauge (1 Speed).
10. On your Dashboard, cover the damaged areas of the illustrated hovercar with your Hull tokens.
11. Give 1 of your Rival tokens to each opponent, then place the ones you receive on their dedicated spots on your Dashboard (1 in each diamond-shaped slot).
12. Choose and take any Pilot tile. Place it in front of you on the mode (side) of the chosen Racetype.
    • NOTE: If you choose the Trickster, take the Grapple token.
13. Once all players have completed the steps above, choose a number of laps compatible with the chosen Racetype. Randomly place each player's Lap marker on the corresponding row of the Lap tile, from left to right.
14. Place each player's Hovercar behind the START flag in the same order as the previous step, and starting with the most interior lane.
15. You're now ready to play. Let's race!

How to Play

A game of Megapulse is divided into rounds. Each round is made up of 4 phases.

• SELECTION PHASE: Players select 2 cards, then reveal when ready.
• INSTANT PHASE: Cards and effects with an Instant icon are resolved.
• EXECUTION PHASE: One at a time, players resolve their cards, and RACE or REPAIR.
• READY-UP PHASE: Cards are retrieved, and Upgrade cards can be bought.

At the end of the 4th phase, a new round begins.

Selection Phase

All players simultaneously select 2 cards from their hand, then place those cards face down in front of them. Once all players have made their selection, reveal the cards by flipping them face up.

NOTE: You may still select cards if you are destroyed.

Instant Phase

In turn order, each player must resolve their selected cards and passive abilities with an Instant icon. If a player owns multiple cards and abilities with an Instant icon, they may resolve them in any order.

After resolving a card, flip it face down to mark it as already resolved. To learn more about resolving cards, see page 14.

NOTE: You must still resolve Instant cards if you are destroyed.

Turn Order

Some phases and action must be resolved in turn order. The turn order is shown by the horizontal position of the Lap markers on the Lap tile, and may change throughout the game. This means that the player with the left-most marker on the tile is the first player, and the player with the right-most marker is the last player.

If a card or ability instructs you to change the turn order, move and push the Lap markers to make place for that change.

Execution Phase (Playing Your Turn)

In turn order, each player must resolve their remaining cards and either RACE or REPAIR. These actions can be taken in any order (cards can be resolved before and/or after RACING or REPAIRING), but an action must be fully resolved before moving to the next one.

NOTE: While destroyed, you must choose to REPAIR before resolving cards.

After resolving a card, flip it face down to mark it as already resolved.

CARDS: Cards are special maneuvers that can help you move faster and more easily, or even attack other players. To learn more about resolving cards, see page 12.

RACE: Drive forward a number of spaces equal to the movement value of your current Speed.

OR

REPAIR: Lose all Speed and repair all Hull.

Losing Hull & Repairing

Upon losing Hull (usually by taking damage), move that many Hull tokens to your damage reports. If another player inflicted that loss, place those tokens in the slot next to that player's rival token. Otherwise, place them in the first slot. When repairing Hull, move tokens from your damage reports back onto their dedicated spot on the Dashboard. You may only repair Hull from a slot next to a Rival token if the first slot is empty.

(Illustrated on the Damage Reports: damage from yourself goes in the first slot; damage from each rival goes in the slot next to that rival's token. When repairing: repair from the first slot first; repair from any of the other slots only if the left-most slot is already empty.)

Ready-Up Phase

All players retrieve their cards, putting them back into their hands.

Then, in turn order, each player may spend Upgrade tokens to purchase Upgrade cards from the market, or level up their passive Upgrade cards. Resolve any On-Purchase effects on the cards gained this way.

NOTE: For more information on purchasing Upgrade cards, see page 17.

After all players had the opportunity to do so, refill the market with cards from the top of the Upgrade deck until 4 cards are revealed.

A new round then begins.

Driving

The main way of driving in Megapulse is by choosing to RACE during the Execution phase.

Cards you resolve can often help you drive even more!

When a card or ability instructs you to drive a certain amount of spaces, move your Hovercar one space at a time until you have moved exactly that amount of spaces (you can't choose to move less).

For each space you enter while driving, resolve collisions with Hovercars and Superbombs, and apply any Boost pad effects. Be careful not to lose traction in curves!

Resolve any collisions and effects in each space you move into before moving to the next one.

Gain Speed and resolve cards to drive! Some cards will even help you drive sideways!

Driving Forward

While driving forward, you must move in spaces directly in front of your hovercar (no diagonals).

Driving Sideways

While driving sideways, you must move in spaces either to the left OR right of your hovercar, but not both.

If your movement leads you into a wall, you crash into it: Receive 1 damage. Then, end your sideways movement.

Losing Traction

When you move forward in a curve, you lose traction: Follow the arrow on the space you're leaving, making you move diagonally towards the outer edge.

If the arrow leads you into a wall, you crash into it: Receive 1 damage. Then, move forward instead.

Example: the SS-Ultra drives 3 spaces forward, crashing into the wall twice, on their last 2 movement. The Equinox drives 5 spaces forward, and crashes into the wall once, on their last movement.

Collisions

Each time you move into a space occupied by another hovercar, you collide with it. You deal 1 damage to it, then push it 1 space sideways into an unoccupied (no hovercar), existing space (not into a wall).

If there are no spaces to push the Hovercar into, push it forward instead (potentially triggering more collisions).

Zones

Some effects and ranges may mention zones. A zone is a group of spaces that forms a segment of the race.

Boost Pads

Some spaces on the track contain a boost pad. When entering a boost pad (either by moving forward or sideways), resolve its effects, then continue your movement normally (if any remaining). There are 4 types of boost pads:

• PULSE: Drive 1 space forward. NOTE: In curves, loss of traction still applies.
• DASH: Drive 1 space sideways in the shown direction.
• REPAIR: Repair 3 Hull.
• NITRO: Gain 1 Nitro.

Driving Styles

Some cards and abilities will give you access to 2 different driving styles (GRIP and ZAP) for either a specific movement, or for the rest of the round.

NOTE: For each space moved forward, you may choose to apply it or not.

• GRIP: When you apply GRIP, ignore loss of traction.
• ZAP: When you apply ZAP, move diagonally (instead of forward) while ignoring loss of traction.

What Happens First?

When entering a zone, many things can happen. Use this priority chart when things seem too complex:

1. Move into the space (lose traction if applicable)
2. Receive damage if crashing into a wall
3. Resolve Hovercar and Superbomb collisions, if any
4. Apply any boost pad effects in that space

Gaining and Losing Nitro and Speed

Upon gaining Nitro or Speed, move your cube that many spaces to the right on that gauge. When losing Speed or Nitro, move the cube to the left instead.

Superbombs & Multibombs

Some cards and effects will allow you to place Superbombs.

You may only place a Superbomb in empty spaces, and it covers 2 spaces in the zone. Superbombs can be targeted by cards and abilities.

A Superbomb detonates upon taking damage. This includes:

• When a Hovercar collides with them
• When they take damage from being targeted by a card or ability
• When another bomb detonates near them

When Superbombs detonate, the player who owns it deals 2 damage to all hovercars and bombs in that zone, and 1 damage in adjacent zones, then retrieves the Superbomb and places it back onto their Dashboard.

(Diagram: 1 damage in the zone before, 2 damage in the Superbomb's zone, 1 damage in the zone after.)

Multibombs are similar to Superbombs, but cover a wider area (3 spaces instead of 2) and deal 3 damage in their zone (instead of 2) when they detonate. They still deal 1 damage in adjacent zones.

Resolving a Card

(Card anatomy diagram: an Upgrade card; a Basic card for the Falcon; a card has a cost; a card has a range and targets; an Instant card; Option A; Option B; Description.)

When resolving a card, you must resolve all of its effects, and in the order in which they appear. If the effect includes an OR, you may only choose one option.

If a card allows you to select targets within a range, you may select any Hovercar, Superbomb or Multibomb within that range as the targets.

NOTE: Range is usually expressed in zones.

Some cards includes a cost. If you choose not to pay the cost, you do not receive the effects. On the other hand, cards that require you to lose something can still be resolved if you have nothing to lose.

Getting Destroyed

When you lose your last Hull token, you are destroyed. Immediately resolve the following:

• If you were moving, that movement is interrupted (you still resolve collisions and boost pads).
• Lose all your Speed.
• Your opponents receive a Frenzy token for each Hull token next to their Rival token on your Dashboard.
• Move all your Hull tokens to the first slot of your damage reports.

(Example: The X-350 loses their Speed. There is 1 Hull token next to the Falcon's Rival token (they gain 1 Frenzy token), and 2 next to the SS-Ultra's (they gain 2). All Hull tokens are placed back on the first slot.)

Then, for as long as you're destroyed, 2 conditions apply to you:

• You can't gain Speed.
• You cannot resolve cards during the Execution phase. You can still select cards and resolve Instant cards.

If you wish to continue racing normally, you'll simply have to choose to REPAIR during the Execution phase, or use an Instant card that can repair Hull.

NOTE: While destroyed, no damage can be dealt to you and you may not pay Hull.

As soon as you repair any amount of Hull, you're no longer destroyed.

Using Frenzy Tokens

When an opponent you damaged gets destroyed, you may receive Frenzy tokens. During your turn in the Execution phase, you may spend a Frenzy token to drive 1 space forward. However, you may not interrupt the resolution of a card or your RACE action to do so.

NOTE: While destroyed, you may still use Frenzy tokens.

Hovercars & Pilots

Hovercar

Your Hovercar determines your player color, but also determines your Specialty card: An enhanced version of a Base card, recognizable by its fully colored design.

• X-350 | SPECIALTY - NITROSPEED: Your movement gains GRIP when charging Nitro.
• FALCON | SPECIALTY - SUPERBOMB: The range is increased by 1 in both directions.
• SS-ULTRA | SPECIALTY - SIDETHRUST: You may move 1 space sideways.
• EQUINOX | SPECIALTY - ULTRAFIRE: You may choose an extra target.

Pilot

Your Pilot provides you its Catalyst: A unique ability that can save you even from the most hopeless situations, and that can be triggered by various cards and abilities.

Your Pilot tile has 2 sides: One for the Race mode and one for the Derby mode. In each mode, your Catalyst is different. During setup, flip your Pilot tile to match its mode with the chosen Racetype's mode.

Catching-Up

In Race mode, your Catalyst has 3 tiers. The first tier is available to you at any time. The second and third tiers become available as the leading racer outdistances you. Use it to help you catch-up!

• Tier I - Available at anytime.
• Tier II - Available when the leading racer is 5 or 6 zones in front of you.
• Tier III - Available when the leading racer is 7 or more zones in front of you.

NOTE: If the leading player is a whole lap ahead of you, your third tier is available, even if they appear close to you.

Leading Racer

The leading racer is the player most advanced in the progression of the race (least amount of zones remaining until the end). If two players are equally advanced, the player highest in turn order is the leading racer.

Checkpoints & START Flags

When crossing a flag (CHECKPOINT or START), you immediately gain an Upgrade token.

NOTE: If an effect moves you behind a flag you've already crossed this lap, do not gain an Upgrade token from crossing it again.

When crossing the START flag, you also complete a lap: Move your Lap marker down one space on the Lap tile.

The first time you cross the START flag at the beginning of the game, do not resolve any of the above.

Upgrading

For each Upgrade token you spend during the Ready-Up phase, you may either ADD A MODULE or LEVEL UP.

Add a Module

Gain any card from the Upgrade market OR gain the first card of the deck, then add it into your hand.

NOTE: You must reveal any card you gain from the top of the deck.

If an Upgrade card you just gained has an On-Purchase effect (grey bar at the top of the card), apply it immediately. (Example: a player spends an Upgrade token to gain Sonicspeed. They then apply the On-Purchase effect of Sonicspeed: lose Nitrospeed, gain Sonicspeed tile.)

If the card is a Passive Upgrade (sideways design), do not add it to your hand. Instead, place it in one of your Level I Passive slots, located on the right of your Dashboard. The right half of that card continuously applies from now on. (Passive Upgrades must be placed in Passive Upgrade slots on the sides of your Dashboard.)

Level Up

Move any Passive Upgrade you own from its Level I slot to the Level II slot, located on the left of your Dashboard. The left half of that card now continuously applies (instead of the right half).

End of the Game

Each Racetype has a unique victory condition that tells you when to end the game, and which player wins at that moment.

In a Single Race, the game ends when a player completes their final lap. Keep playing until the round ends. Then, whoever has gone the furthest past the START flag wins.

If multiple players are tied, the player highest in turn order wins.

FAQ

If you have a question and can't seem to find the answer in this rulebook, you might find it here!

Q: What do I do if I gain a Passive Upgrade, but already have all my slots of that level filled? A: You may replace a Passive Upgrade you already own with it. If you don't, lose it.

Q: If I have access to ZAP, can I move in the zone directly in front of me in a curve? A: No. ZAP allows you to move diagonally (not in front of you). If you wish not to use ZAP, you must still suffer loss of traction.

Q: As the Trickster, which Hovercars am I allowed to grapple to? A: Any Hovercar can be grappled, even if they are behind you.

Q: Does the Antigrav card affect all players? A: Yes. For the rest of the round after resolving Antigrav, all players must lose traction in the opposite direction (going diagonally to the right instead of diagonally to the left, and vice-versa).

Q: Solarsink tells me to gain lost cards. What does that mean? A: Lost cards are the cards discarded when gaining Upgrades and Burst cards already used. Solarsink allows you to bring 2 of those cards back into the game.

Q: I can't find a way to stay ahead of others, they always catch up. What should I do? A: Instead of only focusing on speed, leave as many Superbombs behind you as you can. They will slow those behind more than you might think, even if they don't detonate.

Q: If my opponent receives damage while under my control with Datahack, does it count as me dealing damage? A: No. The source of damage remains unchanged when a player is under someone else's control with Datahack.

Q: There are 2 arrows on each space of a curve: One pointing forward, while the other one points backwards. Why? A: It allows the tile to be placed in any orientation when creating a track. Only use the arrow pointing forward.

Round Example

Note: the "Round Example" and "Turn Example" pages (printed pages 19-20) are blank in this preview rulebook and contain no text.