Vs System 2PCG: Monsters Unleashed!

Vs System 2PCG: Monsters Unleashed! Rulebook

Table of Contents

Gameplay Overview
The Card Types
Basic Game Concepts
Setting Up the Game
Turn Sequence
Ending the Game
Powers
- Keywords
- Super Powers
Modifiers
Deck Building Rules
- Transform Pile (Optional)
Additional Rules
Game Terms
Keyword Glossary
Ability Glossary
Team Glossary
Alternative Formats
Version History
Appendix
- Rule Books

Gameplay Overview

Each player starts with a Main Character in play such as Spider-Man or Green Goblin. During the game you'll play resources and recruit supporting characters, like Medusa, Ant Man, and Rhino. You'll organize your formation between your front and back rows, and you'll make solo and team attacks against your enemies in order to stun and KO them. You'll play Plot Twists to enhance your team or hurt your opponent's. You'll use your Locations to activate your team's Super Powers. Your Main Character will earn experience points (XP) and Level Up to dominate the battlefield. Finally, you'll KO your opponent's Main Character (or they'll KO yours).

The Card Types

Main Characters

You start the game with a Level 1 Main Character card in play. When certain conditions are met, most Main Characters will level up, and you'll replace it with a Level 2 Version. Some Level 2 Main Characters are able to level up to higher levels. As they level up again, they will be replaced with the subsequent version. Some Main Characters have no level up power.

When leveling up, a Main Character can progress to the next highest level of a character based on Name, Link, and Team.

NAME: The two cards must have the same name (including AKA).
LINK: The two cards must be linked either by:
- Being in the same set OR
- By having the same art OR
- By one of them having the same art as a character the other one is already linked to.
Example: Thanos Level 1 from the MCU Villains set can level up into the Thanos Level 2 from the Space and Time set.
TEAM: If the cards have any team affiliations, they must share at least one of them (unless otherwise stated on a card).

"TEAM" above to avoid situations where two characters share a name (sometimes including AKA) but are not meant to level up into each other.

Example: There are two different Spider-Man Main Characters in the Civil War Battles Issue: one on the Pro-Registration team and one on the Anti-Registration team. A Level 1 Spider-Man from one of those teams cannot level up into a Level 2 Spider-Man from the other team.

As always, cards can have game text that supersede the rules and allow a card to level up into another card even if the above criteria aren't met. Here are some examples:

Example 1: Logan (Level 4) explicitly says that Wolverine (Level 3) can level up into him, even though they don't share a name.
Example 2: Bucky Barnes (MCU Heroes, Level 1) says as he levels up he transforms into Winter Soldier (MCU Villains, Level 2).
Example 3: Emma Frost (X-Men, Level 1) says she levels up into either Emma Frost (H.A.M.M.E.R., Level 2) or Emma Frost (Mutant Resistance, Level 2).

If a modifier says you start the game with an additional Main Character or you gain an additional Main Character during play, then for the rest of the game you're allowed to have those additional Main Characters. If a Main Character card is put into a KO pile it gets removed from the game.

This includes when a Main Character gets KO'd as well as any situation where a Main Character card goes from your hand, deck, or some other zone into the KO pile. It also includes cases where a non-Main Character card that has somehow been made into a Main Character gets KO'd.

Example 1: You have some extra Main Characters on your side that started the game in an out-of-game pile because of Professor X's Graduation. When one is KO'd, it gets removed from the game.
Example 2: An effect puts several cards from your deck into your KO pile. Some of these cards are Main Characters with Spider-Verse. They are removed from the game.
Example 3: Kingpin (Supporting Character) has used Underworld Boss to become your Main Character. When he gets KO'd, he's removed from the game.

As always, card effects can override these rules.

Example: When Spider-Ham gets KO'd, his Cartoonish Immortality will let you shuffle him into your deck.

Supporting Characters

During your turn you can recruit Supporting Characters into your front or back row.

Main Characters and Supporting Characters work the same way. They can attack, defend, get stunned, and take wounds. The only exception is some cards specifically refer to Main Characters or Supporting Characters.

Plot Twists

During your turn you can play Plot Twists from your hand to help yourself, or hurt your opponent. Plot Twists always say when during the turn you can play them. Most Plot Twists will indicate a phase or step in which they can be played. Reaction Plot Twists are an exception. They will indicate an event in which you can play the Plot Twist in response.

There are two types of Plot Twists: affiliated and generic. Affiliated Plot Twist will have a team/brand affiliation symbol in the top right corner. You may play an affiliated Plot Twist if you have a face-up character with the matching team/brand affiliation on your side. Some affiliated Plot Twists have three team/brand symbols. They require the player to have three face-up characters with that team/brand symbol in order to play the card. See Playing Plot Twists for more information.

Equipment

Equipment is a type of card that is attached to a character and can apply modifiers to the character. During your turn, you can put Equipment cards onto your characters by paying the cost just like a character. Just like an affiliated Plot Twist, you can only play an affiliated Equipment if you have a face-up character with the matching team/brand affiliation; however, that Equipment can go on any character you control. See Playing Equipment for more information.

Equipment can have no subtype or they can have the Infinity Gem, Machine, or Vehicle (X) subtype.
If there's a super power on the Equipment, the equipped character must be the one to pay for it.
The player who controls the equipped character controls the Equipment attached to it.

Infinity Gem

The Infinity Gems are very special Equipment. They can be 'inset' (turned face up) in your resource row once a character on your side has equipped the Infinity Gauntlet. While the Infinity Gems are 'inset', they function like other Equipment on your side: they have costs, they can be KO'd, etc, and they remain face-up.

Machine

If a Machine has a team affiliation, you still need to have a face-up character with that team affiliation symbol on your side to play it. Machines are not equipped to characters. Instead put the Machine into one of your rows (the same way you would put a character into a row). Machines can't be rearranged during your Formation Step.

If there are no face-up characters in a Machine's row, the Machine can be attacked. A Machine can only be attacked by an enemy character that could normally attack a character in that row.

Example: if a Machine is in your back row, and you have a face-up character in your front row, the Machine can only be attacked by an enemy character that is using an effect like [Flight], Stealth, or Sniper to avoid your front-row character.

Machines don't protect characters (or other Machines) and never count as being protected. When a Machine gets attacked, KO it.

Note: This happens right away. Players won't be able to play Plot Twists and the attacker doesn't "strike" the machine.

If an Equipment-Machine stops being an Equipment for any reason, it also is no longer a Machine.

Vehicle (X)

When you play a Vehicle, equip it to one character like normal. Whenever you rearrange your Formation, you may have characters on your side get on or off the Vehicle. The Passenger Limit for a vehicle will be listed as a whole number in parenthesis after the Vehicle subtype. Choose any number up to the Vehicle's Passenger Limit. Put them next to each other in the same row, and equip the Vehicle to all of them. Here are more details:

All passengers must legally be able to have the Vehicle equipped.
If any already had an Equipment, KO that Equipment (because a character can only have one Equipment at a time).
If an Equipment gets equipped to a passenger, it stops being equipped by the Vehicle, but the Vehicle is not KO'd as long as it has any other passengers.
When you rearrange your Formation, you CAN remove passengers from the Vehicle. (They stop having it equipped to them.)
When you're done rearranging, there must be at least one passenger.
Put the Vehicle card close to each of its passengers and announce who is "on board."

While a Vehicle has only one passenger, it works just like any other Equipment. If its passenger gets turned face down or leaves play, the Vehicle will get KO'd. If an effect moves the passenger to a different row, the Vehicle will move with them.

While a Vehicle has more than one passenger, it works a little differently. If a passenger gets turned face down or leaves play, it becomes unequipped from the Vehicle, but the Vehicle remains equipped to the other passenger(s). If all passengers get turned face down or leave play at the same time, they all become unequipped from the Vehicle and the Vehicle gets KO'd. If an effect moves all passengers to a different row, the Vehicle goes with them.

If a modifier causes one or more passengers to be in one row and the others to be in a different row, the controller of the Vehicle chooses which group of passengers stays equipped to the Vehicle.

Locations

Each turn you can play any card face down as a resource. If it's a Location you may play it face up instead. Most Locations have one or more power symbols. During the game you can turn a Location face-down in order to activate a Super Power that requires that symbol. Alternatively, Locations can be discarded from your hand to generate that symbol.

There are six power symbols: Energy, Intellect, Might, Skill, Alien, and Humanity.

Each team also has a Special Location which grants any listed power symbol that team uses. The symbol can be used for anything related to a character on that team in play, in your hand, or in your KO pile (a Super Power will tell you if it can be activated in a non-play zone).

Basic Game Concepts

Eight Zones: There are eight zones in the game: Deck, Hand, KO Pile, Play, Resolving, Level-up, Out of Game, and Removed From Game. Players share the Resolving, Play and Removed From Game zone, while they each have their own Level-up, Out of Game, KO Pile, Deck and Hand zones. If a character would go to the Level-up, Out of Game, KO Pile, Deck, or Hand, it will always go to the owner's instance of that zone regardless of who controlled it while it was in play. When a character enters play, it comes into play on the side of its owner, unless an effect says otherwise.
- Deck: Your deck must include exactly 60 cards, not including your Main Character, tokens, or any out of game piles.
- Hand: You start the game with seven cards and draw two cards each turn. There is no limit to the number of cards you can have in your hand at one time. If an effect tells you to discard a card, that means from your hand.
- KO Pile: When a card gets KO'd or discarded it goes into your KO pile which is next to your deck. The KO Pile is face-up, and any player can look through it at any time.
- Play: Each player has three rows within the Play zone: front, back, and resource.
  - When you recruit a character it can go into your front or back row. Characters in front are your main line of attack. They also protect characters in your back row. Characters in your back row are safer but they can only attack if they have the [Ranged] symbol.
  - Each turn you may place a card from your hand to your resource row. If it is a location, you may play it face-up, otherwise, it is placed face-down. Your resources give you recruit points each turn which you'll use to play your Supporting Characters.
  - If a card would come into play as a resource, it always comes into play in its owner's resource row.
  - Only Locations can be face-up in your resource row. If a non-Location is face-up in your resource row, turn it face-down unless there is an active modifier keeping it face-up.

Setting Up the Game

Step 1: Decks and Counters

Each player will have a deck that has one Main Character and exactly 60 game cards. (This does not include any cards that start in your Level Up Zone or out-of-game piles, or any additional starting Main Characters an effect may give a player.)

Put the wound, vitality, XP, +1/+1, and -1/-1 counters nearby.

Step 2: Reveal Starting Main Characters

Players reveal their starting Main Character simultaneously. Then they announce any out-of-game piles that are supposed to be announced at this time. (See the Out-of-Game Piles section below.)

Step 3: Determine Who Goes First

Randomly choose a player. That player then chooses who will be the first player this game. If a player draws their hand before explicitly choosing a player to go first, they are choosing themself to go first.

Turns will proceed clockwise from the first player.

Step 4: Put Main Characters Into Play

Starting with the first player, then continuing clockwise, each player puts their Level 1 Main Character into either their front or back row. Then they place all the Level 2 and higher (if used) versions in their Level Up zone where all players can see them. Then the player announces any out-of-game piles that are supposed to be announced at this time. (See the Level Up Zone and Out-of-Game Piles sections below.)

Step 5: Draw Opening Hand and Optional Mulligan

Each player shuffles their deck and draws seven cards. Starting with the first player, each player may mulligan one time if they don't like their hand. To mulligan, shuffle your hand into your deck and draw seven new cards. You must keep this second hand.

After step 5, the game starts. (Any effects that say "This game..." take effect now. Then any effects that trigger "At the start of the game" trigger now.)

The first player takes the first turn of the game.

Here are several examples of how certain effects that take place during setup or at the start of the game fit into the above procedure:

Your Main Character Changes Your Deckbuilding Rules

If your Main Character affects how you build your deck, this takes place during Step 1 above.

Example: If your Main Character has Spider-Verse you may include up to four other Spider-Verse Main Characters in your deck.

You Have Multiple Starting Main Characters

If your Main Character says you start the game with additional Main Characters, reveal them during Step 2 and put them onto your side all at the same time during Step 4.

Example: Moon Girl says "You start the game with an additional main character named Devil Dinosaur on your side."

Your Main Character Requires an Out-of-Game Pile that Matters at the Start of the Game

If your Main Character requires any out-of-game piles during Step 2 and/or Step 4 above (as noted on its card or rulebook entry) do the following at that time: announce those piles, reveal the contents of any that are "Public", then make any required decisions about them. (See below under Out-of-Game Piles.)

Example: With Mimic as your Main Character, during Step 2 when you reveal Mimic as your Main Character, announce that you have his Absorption History Pile and reveal the Level 1 Main Character whose powers Mimic has.

With Scarlet Spider as your Main Character, during Step 2 you'll reveal Scarlet Spider as your Main Character. Then during Step 4 you'll announce that you have his Spider-Web pile and follow his game text instructions to put a different Main Character onto your side.

With a Sinister Six Main Character, during Step 2 when you reveal that the Sinister Six are your Main Characters, reveal which six characters you're using. Then during Step 4 when it's your time to put your Main Character onto your side, choose which Sinister Six character you're going to start with.

Your Main Character Affects Who Goes First

If your Main Character changes who goes first, this power takes effect during Step 3 above.

Example: If your Main Character is The First Evil, when it's time to determine which player is the first player, The First will make you the first player.

Your Main Character Has a Power That Triggers or "turns on" at the Start of the Game

If your Main Character has a power that triggers at the start of the game, it occurs during the first player's turn before anything else happens in the game. (If two or more players have a start-of-game trigger on their side, the active player chooses what order to resolve them like normal.)

Example: Ghost-Spider's You Can Borrow This For A While triggers at the start of the game before anything else happens.

If your Main Character has a power that reads "This game…", that effect turns on as the first player's turn starts and will last the whole game even if that character leaves play, levels up, turns face down, etc.

Example: Kang's Immeasurable Identities reads "This game, Kang supporting characters you own are main characters instead." This effect is "turned on" the whole game including if your starting Kang Main Character gets KO'd, levels up, gets stunned, etc.

Turn Sequence

Each turn, you'll go through the following four phases in order. Then the next player takes a turn. (With more than 2 players, the next player is the player to your left.) Draw Phase, Recovery Phase, Build Phase, and Main Phase. When the rules say a player gains priority, it means they have the option to take a game action. Once they are done taking game actions, or choose to take none, move on to the next step.

Draw Phase

During this phase, any "At the start of your turn" effects take place. Active player gains priority. Then you draw two cards. (If you're the first player and this is the first turn of the game, you don't draw any cards.) Active player gains priority.

Recovery Phase

During this phase, recover all your stunned characters. Turn face up any remaining face-down characters and Equipment. Then ready all of your characters and Locations. Active player gains priority.

Build Phase

Powers that trigger at the beginning of the Build Phase will trigger and resolve in the order chosen by the turn player. Then perform the Resource, Recruit, and Formation steps in order.

Resource Step (Optional)

Active player gains priority. You may choose any one card in your hand and place it face down into your resource row. (It is now a "resource".) If you play a Location as a resource, you may place it face up instead. (It's still a resource.) Locations are not unique; you can have more than one with the same name. Active player gains priority.

Recruit Step

You now gain 1 recruit point for each ready resource you have, regardless of whether the resource is face-up or face-down. Active player gains priority. You can spend any or all of your recruit points to play Supporting Characters and Equipment from your hand or for any abilities that require resource points to be spent. When you play a character, put it into your front or back row. When you play an Equipment, put it onto one of your characters. We suggest you place the Equipment card partially beneath the character card. If you have any recruit points leftover, they go away after this step. Please see Playing and Recruiting for more information.

Example: During Ellen's Resource Step she plays the Nostromo Location face up as a resource. She now has four resources so during her Recruit Step she gains four (4) Recruit Points. She spends them to play Newt (who costs 1) into her front row and Kane (who costs 2) into her back row. She then decides to play the M41A Pulse Rifle (which costs 1). She can put it on any of her characters and decides to put it on her Main Character.

Formation Step

Active player gains priority. Then you can now rearrange any number or all of your characters by moving them between your front and back rows. Any character (including your Main Character), can go into either row.

It doesn't matter if a character is to the left or right of another character. All that matters is who's in the front and who's in the back. Once all characters have been finalized, active player gains priority.

Main Phase

This is the longest phase of the turn. During this phase, you can make any number of attacks, one at a time, until you choose to stop attacking or all of your characters are exhausted. Main Phase plot twist and Super Powers can also be used at this time.

Abilities that trigger at the beginning of the Main Phase will trigger and resolve now. If a character has a Super Power that can only be played at the beginning of the Main Phase, now is the time it can be activated and resolved. Once a player is done with their Main Phase, they announce their intention to end the turn. "At end of Main Phase" AND "At the end of the turn" triggers trigger and resolve. Non-Active player has a window to play allowable effects and then "This turn" durations wear off. If this causes any more triggers they trigger and resolve. The turn is now officially over.

Combat Step

Combat Step Overview

Combat Declaration a. Declare a legal attack b. Resolve any triggers
During Combat a. Play Plot Twist and/or Super Powers
Combat Resolution a. Ferocious Resolution i. Any un-stunned attacker/defender has now "survived" ii. Resolve any triggers b. Normal Resolution i. Any un-stunned attacker/defender has now "survived" ii. Resolve any triggers
Combat Clean Up a. "This combat" modifiers expire/"At end of combat" triggers b. Resolve any triggers c. Lose attacker or defender status and Combat Step ends

Combat Declaration

There are six types of attacks. Solo, Team, Melee, Ranged, Multi-Defender, and Alternate. Attacks can be more than one type. Some characters have a Keyword Power that allows them to attack hidden or stunned characters. Treat this like a normal combat with the exception of: if the stunned character would get stunned, it is wounded instead. Both stunned and hidden characters remain face-down and their powers are turned off, but they will strike. Hidden characters given the ability to attack regain Range and Flight for the purposes of declaring a legal attack.

Solo Attack

This is the default style attack. Any attack involving only one character as an attacker is a solo attack. If the number of team attackers gets reduced to one before combat resolution, it changes from a team attack to a solo attack.

Team Attack

Any attack involving two or more attackers is a team attack. In order for multiple characters to team attack, they must individually be able to legally attack the intended defender, be in the same row as other potential attackers, and share at least one team affiliation among all possible team attackers. An attack changes from team to solo if the number of attackers is reduced to one before combat resolution.

Melee Attack

Exhaust one or more of your ready front row characters to become the attacker(s) and choose a face-up front row enemy to be the defender. If an opponent has no face-up front row characters, you can attack his back row characters. As long as there are two or more attackers it is considered a team attack.

If your character has [Flight] it may fly over your opponent's front row to attack a back row character unless your opponent has their own [Flight] character in their Front Row.

If your character has Stealth, it can melee attack any back row character.

Ranged Attack

Exhaust one or more of your ready back row characters with [Range] to become the attacker(s) and choose a face-up front row enemy to be the defender. If an opponent has no face-up front row characters, you can attack his back row characters.

If your character has [Flight] it may fly over your opponent's front row to attack a back row character unless your opponent has their own [Flight] character in their Front Row.

If your character has Sniper, it can range attack any back row character.

Multi-Defender

Some characters have powers that allow them to attack multiple defenders at once. In order for an attack declaration to be legal, the attacker must be allowed to legally attack each character within the scope of its power.

Example: When attacking a row, Fin Fang Foom is attacking each character in that row. This means Fin Fang Foom must be legally allowed to attack each character in that row in order for his attack combat declaration to be legal. This means Fin Fang Foom could not attack a back row that included Xenomorph Ambusher which has Camouflage. (This character can't be attacked while it's in your back row.)

Alternate (Location, Deck or Hand Attack)

Some characters have a Keyword Power that allows them to attack an alternate place like Location, resource row, hand or deck. These attacks will follow all the same rules as a melee or ranged attack with whatever additional restrictions or conditions outlined in the Keyword Power.

After a legal combat declaration, all proposed attackers become attackers and all proposed defenders become defenders. At this point they are considered to be in combat, and then any "at the start of combat" triggers will happen. Resolve all triggers, then proceed to the next sub-step.

During Combat

Once combat has begun, you can either play one Combat Plot Twist, use one Combat Super Power, permitted game action like Powering Up, or you can "pass." Your opponent can then do the same. Alternate back and forth until you both pass in succession without performing a game action. (If a player passes, but then the other player plays something, the aforementioned player can still play something.) Then resolve the combat.

If you're playing with more than two players, everyone will have chance to play plot twists or use Combat Super Powers each Combat. The attacking player has the first opportunity, then play proceeds to the left. Only after all players pass in succession, Combat resolves.

When a player plays a Plot Twist or uses a Super Power, it resolves immediately before the next player has a chance to play their own Plot Twist or Super Power. Reaction Powers are able to be played immediately after something happens, and is an exception to this.

Combat Resolution

Once in Combat Resolution, no further actions may be taken by any player which includes activating a non-Reaction Super Power or playing a Plot Twist. A Reaction Super Power can still be used if the proper condition is met.

Ferocious Resolution

In order to strike, a character must have at least 1 ATK. When attacking rows, the full ATK of the attacker is applied to each defender. If there are no Ferocious characters skip to Normal Resolution.

Solo Attack

If both the attackers and defender(s) are Ferocious, it works the same as the Normal Resolution Solo Attack sub-step.

If only some of the characters are Ferocious, only they will strike. Compare each character's ATK to the opposing character(s)'s DEF. If the ATK is greater than or equal to the DEF, that character gets stunned. If there are multiple defenders with Ferocious, add up their ATK before comparing it to the attacker's DEF. See Stunned Characters for details on what happens to stunned characters.

Team Attack

During a team attack with one or more Ferocious characters, all of the Ferocious characters will strike simultaneously before the non-Ferocious characters. If all characters are Ferocious, it works the same as the Normal Resolution Team Attack sub-step.

If at least one attacker is Ferocious and at least one attacker is non-Ferocious, only the Ferocious attacker(s) strikes. Compare the total ATK of the Ferocious attacker(s) to the defender's DEF. If the ATK is greater than or equal to the DEF, the defender will be stunned.

If the defender is Ferocious, it strikes the attacker of the defending player's choice. Compare the defender's ATK to the chosen attacker's DEF. If the ATK is greater than or equal to the DEF, that attacker will be stunned. If any characters were stunned, see the section Stunned Characters for details on what happens to stunned characters.

Alternate Attack Targets.

If a character strikes a Location, it is immediately KO'd. Locations do not strike back. If a character strikes a hand, deck, or Resource Row, discard cards equal to the attack of the attacking character from the defending source.

Any un-stunned attacker(s)/defender(s) has now "Survived" and resolve any triggers that may have happened. Proceed to the next sub-step.

Normal Resolution

If there is at least one Attacker and one Defender, process this sub-step, otherwise skip to Combat Clean Up. Only those characters that did NOT strike during the Ferocious Resolution sub-step will strike during the Normal Combat Substep. In order to strike, a character must have at least 1 ATK. If this is a ranged attacked, the defender must have range in order to also strike.

Solo Attack

The attacker "strikes" the defender and the defender simultaneously "strikes" the attacker. Compare the attacker's ATK to the defender's DEF. If the ATK is greater than or equal to the DEF, the defender will be stunned. Simultaneously compare the total defender(s)' ATK to the attacker's DEF. Include the ATK of any defenders that struck during Ferocious Resolution sub-step. If the ATK is greater than or equal to the DEF, the attacker will be stunned. See the section Stunned Characters for details on what happens to stunned characters.

Team Attack

The attackers "strike" the defender and the defender simultaneously "strikes" an attacker. Add up the ATK of all your attackers and compare them to the defender's DEF to see if the defender will get stunned. When adding, include the ATK of any team attacker that struck during Ferocious Resolution sub-step. The defender then chooses an attacker to strike. It compares the defender's ATK to that character's DEF to see if it will get stunned. See the section Stunned Characters for details on what happens to stunned characters.

Example: Three different 2/2 characters attack a 6/6 defender. When the combat resolves, the total ATK of the attackers is 6 which is enough to stun the defender. The defender picks one of the 2/2s to strike back at, compares its 6 ATK to the attacker's 2 DEF and stuns it. The other two 2/2s survive.

Example: Black Panther (3/2 Ferocious) and Nick Fury (1/5) team attack Major Victory (2/4). When the combat resolves, Black Panther strikes first, but his 3 ATK isn't enough to stun Major Victory. However that 3 ATK will get added to Nick Fury's ATK when Nick Fury strikes in a moment. After Black Panther strikes, then Nick Fury and Major Victory strike. So the attackers have 4 total ATK (enough to stun Major Victory) and Major Victory has 2 ATK which is enough to stun Black Panther.

Alternate Attack Targets.

If a character strikes a Location, it is immediately KO'd. Locations do not strike back. If a character strikes a hand, deck, or Resource Row, follow the directions within the Keyword Power that enabled the attack.

Any un-stunned attacker/defender has now "Survived" and resolve any triggers that may have happened. Proceed to the next sub-step.

Combat Clean Up

This is when "this combat" modifiers expire and "At end of combat" triggers will happen. Resolve any triggers and then any remaining characters in the combat lose attacker or defender status. The Combat Step ends. Proceed back to the Main Phase.

Ending the Game

The game ends when all of your opponent's owned Main Character(s) are KO'd or your owned Main Character(s) are KO'd. Additionally, if at the beginning of your turn, all your Main Characters are KO'd, in your deck, on an enemy side, or a combination of the previous, you lose. If you're playing 3 or 4 players, then it ends when only one Main Character is left. If the final two Main Characters would get KO'd at the same time (either because they're in combat with each other or through some card effect), the player whose turn it is wins the game.

Some modifiers will state that you win the game, if that happens, each other player in the game loses. If a player has a modifier that states they can not lose the game, this also means other players can not win.

When a player's last Main Character gets KO'd in a 3 or 4 player game, remove all cards that player owns from the game. If that player controlled a non-owned character previously controlled by another player, it is returned to that player's side. Otherwise, it goes into its owner's KO Pile.

Powers

Characters, Locations, and Equipment have to be in play for their powers to work unless their text says differently or the power could only work from another zone. Plot Twist Powers only work while in the Resolving Zone. If a power can only function while a character is stunned/hidden, then that power remains on while the character is stunned/hidden. There are three types of powers: Keywords, Super Powers, and Level Up Powers.

Keywords

Keywords Powers often show up on more than one card. When a card has a Keyword Power, just follow the instructions in its text. (Some common or older Keywords might not have their text displayed. Some Keyword Powers may have the same name, but different Keyword text. In that case, you can Reference the Official Card Wording document.)

Flight and Ranged are the two most common Keyword Powers. They are represented by these icons instead of the actual words: [Flight icon] and [Range icon].

Keyword Powers can be further broken into three categories: triggers, continuous, conditional.

Triggers

Some powers will include triggers. A trigger can be identified because the sentence or clause will start with "When," "Whenever" or "At." A sentence or clause that does not begin with one of those three words can not be a trigger. In order for a trigger to occur, the power must be active and in play when the triggering event occurs. An exception to this is triggers based on getting stunned, getting KO'd, or leaving play. In those cases, the game will look at the game state right before the event that caused the stun, leave play, or KO to see if anything would trigger.

Intervening "if" Clause

Some triggers, like Daredevil's Protector of Hell's Kitchen (When Daredevil gets attacked, if he's protecting a character, he gains an XP.), has an intervening "if" clause. This means the condition must be true for the power to trigger and must also be true when it resolves. If the "if" clause is no longer true when the effect tries to resolve, it is canceled.

For example, if you attack the Main Character Daredevil with Mary Walker. Both characters have powers that will trigger. Being the turn player, you choose to resolve your trigger first and put a -1/-1 counter on Daredevil and one on the character he's protecting with 1 defense, Black Widow. Assuming Black Widow was the only character in the back row, when the trigger from Daredevil resolves, he is no longer protecting any characters. Since that condition is no longer true, he does not get an XP.

Intervening "while" Clause

Some triggers have an intervening "while" clause. This means the condition only needs to be true at the time of trigger. It does not matter if it is still true at resolution.

When this Character Stuns/KO triggers

A character is the source of a stun when:

A character directly stuns another character.
A character is the source of a -1/-1 counters put on another character such that that character gets immediately stunned due to 0 DEF.
A character that is the source of a modifier that lowers the DEF of a character such that it gets immediately stunned due to 0 DEF.
A character is in combat against another character when that other character gets stunned via the combat rules.
A character is equipped with equipment that is the source of the stun.

A character is the Source of a KO when:

A character is the source of a stun and that stun leads to the stunned character now having fatal wounds, or the stun leads to a Lethal wound, causing that character to become KO'd.
A character directly KOs another character.
A character is the source of the fatal wound causing that character to become KO'd.

Equipment is the source of the stun when:

Equipment directly stuns another character.
Equipment is the source of a -1/-1 counters put on another character such that that character gets immediately stunned due to 0 DEF.
Equipment that is the source of a modifier that lowers the DEF of a character such that it gets immediately stunned due to 0 DEF.

When you Recruit Triggers

Normally when effects resolve, they resolve in timestamp order. Recruit triggers are an exception to this and will resolve before the recruit effect that triggered it.

Example: Onslaught has the Keyword Joint Consciousness - "When you recruit Onslaught, each player reveals cards from the top of their deck until they reveal a character other than Onslaught. Remove those characters from the game and shuffle the remaining cards into those decks. Onslaught has the printed powers of the removed cards, and base stats equal to their total printed ATK, total printed DEF, and total printed [Health icon]." Onslaught's power triggers when you pay to recruit him, but will resolve before Onslaught appears. This means if any of the powers he copied were "appear" powers, they will trigger.

Continuous

A continuous power is one that always generating a continuous modifier that applies to the game state while the power is active. If it needs information from the game state, it will always use the most current information.

Example: Groot Supporting Character has I am Groot. (Groot has +1/+1 for each resource on your side.) Every time a new resource comes into play, the continuous modifier generated by I am Groot will be updated. One resource means he is getting +1/+1 and as soon as there are two resources, Groot will get +2/+2.

Conditional

A conditional power is one that generates a continuous modifier, but only if a certain condition is true. Other than that, it works the same as a continuous power. Conditional powers will begin or include the word "while."

Example: Daredevil has Fearless (While attacking a Main Character, this character strikes with double his ATK.) If Daredevil is attacking a Main Character, the above power is generating a continuous modifier, but if he is not, then no modifier is being generated and there is nothing affecting the game state.

Super Powers

Most Main Characters and some Supporting Characters have Super Powers.

Some Super Powers may have the same name, but are treated as different Super Powers. The word "Build" or "Main" or "Combat" tells you when you can use the Super Power (just like how Plot Twists work).

Example 1: Bullseye has Infallible Aim (Main [Intellect, Intellect]: Wound a face-up Supporting Character.) It can only be used during your Main Phase while there isn't a combat going on.

Example 2: Luke Cage has Impervious Skin ([Anytime] Combat [Might]: If Luke Cage gets stunned during this combat, he doesn't receive a wound.) can only be used while he is in combat. The [Anytime icon] next to "Combat" means you can use it on your turn or another player's.

You can only use a character's Combat Super Power if that character is in the combat. If the power says "Any Combat" then you can use it during a combat even if that character isn't part of it.

Each Super Power has at least one power symbol or the name of a Location. To activate a Super Power first announce it and then the character must pay for it by turning one of your Locations with that symbol face down OR by discarding a Location with that symbol from your hand. If the Super Power can be paid with different power symbols, also announce which power symbol the character is using. If it names a Location, you can turn that Location face down or discard it. In that scenario, it is not generating a power symbol.

Example 1: It's your Main Phase. You decide to use Bullseye's "Infallible Aim" power so you turn two Academies face down to pay the double [Intellect] cost. Then you get the power's effect.

Example 2: Luke Cage gets attacked. You decide to use its Combat Super Power, "Impervious Skin" It costs a [Might] so you discard a Fortress from your hand to get the power's effect.

You can use any number of different Super Powers each turn, as long as you can pay for them. However, you can't use the same Super Power from the same character more than once each turn. Characters can have multiple powers with the same name, but they are not the same power. Each one can be used once per turn.

Some Super Powers have more than one power symbol. You have to pay for all of them at the same time by turning matching Locations face down, discarding them from hand, or a combination of both.

Modifiers or powers may refer to Super Powers being of a specific power symbol like [Intellect] or [Energy] Super Powers. This counts any Super Power with the appropriate power symbol in its cost (even if it also has other symbols in its cost).

Once Per Game Restrictions

Some Super Powers have a once per game restriction. This is something that functions in all zones, no matter who controls the character or what zone it is in. This means even if a character with a power with a once per game restriction leaves play and comes back, you still can not use it again if it was used before leaving play. Also, if an opponent takes control of one of your characters with a once per game restriction and they use the Super Power, when you get it back you will not be able to use that power. If multiple players are using the same Main Character with a once per game restriction, that restriction is tracked separately for each iteration of the Main Character.

Reaction Powers

Reaction Powers are a subset of Super Powers. Reaction Powers trigger when a certain condition is met. When that happens, the character can pay the cost and resolve the effect. You can use a Reaction Power at any time, as long as its trigger condition is met. However, like other Super Powers, you can only use it once per turn. If used in response to a Super Power, Reaction powers will resolve before the power they are reacting to resolve.

For example, She-Hulk has the power, "Reaction [Intellect]: When an enemy player uses a Super Power, you may say "Objection!" If you do, cancel that super power." When an opponent uses a Super Power, you can say, "Objection!" and then pay [Intellect]. If you do, then your opponent's Super Power is canceled and never resolves.

Copying Powers

Some characters have the ability to gain the Keyword and Super Powers of other characters. When they do this, if that character's power refers to its own name or some form of self-reference, use the copier's name instead. Additionally, a copied power can't copy a power with the same name as itself.

If a character is copying powers, it is possible to end up with duplicate powers. If a character has two copies of the exact same Super Power, each copy can be used once per turn, but they have to be paid for separately.

Duplicate triggered powers will trigger once for each instance, and then resolve in succession. It is possible that after one trigger resolves, the remaining triggers no longer matter.

Example: If a character had two copies of Shrink (When this character gets attacked the first time each turn, you may cancel the combat.) both will trigger when the character is attacked, but if you chose to cancel the combat with the first trigger, the second one will resolve and do nothing since there is no combat to cancel. Having two copies of Shrink does NOT mean you can cancel two different attacks.

Some powers generate modifiers that change the rules of the game. Having multiple copies of those powers has no benefit.

Example: Having multiple copies of Mobile (Once per turn during your Main Phase but not during combat, you may move this character to your front or back row.) will not allow a player to move their character more than once per turn. The normal rules of the game do not allow move your character during the Main Phase and Mobile changes those rules to allow you to do it once. Having a second copy of Mobile is just like stating the new rule again.

Level Up Powers

Every Level 1 Main character and some higher level Main Characters have a Level Up Power.

Most Level Up Powers have two parts: the Level Up trigger and the XP trigger. All will have the Level Up trigger, most will have the XP trigger. Some Level Up Powers get their XP through an alternate method. The format for the power if it has an XP trigger will be:

Level Up (N) - When/At/Whenever...

The "Level Up (N)" portion is shorthand for a trigger which states:

When this character has N XP, Level Up this character.

To "Level Up" a character is to take it through the "Level Up" process. If the XP trigger for a given Level Up trigger is based on a character getting stunned/KO'd, then the Level Up trigger will follow the same rules of "looking back" like the XP trigger. See the Triggers section for more details.

When you meet the XP (experience) condition, choose one Level 2 version to put XP counters on. Once you have XP equal to or greater to the number next to "Level Up", remove all the XP counters from the Level 2 version of your Main Character and replace the Level 1 version of your character with any of its Level 2 versions.

The Level 2 version retains the same orientation as the Level 1 version (ready/exhausted and face-up/stunned). Each wound, +1/+1 or -1/-1 counter, and Equipment that was on the Level 1 version will also be on the Level 2 version. All modifiers that were affecting the Level 1 version continue to affect the Level 2 version. Follow the same steps when a Main Character Levels up to Level 3 or Level 4.

Level 2, Level 3, and Level 4 characters work just like Level 1 characters except they're more powerful and they might have an additional Super Power. Note: While your Main Character is stunned, any Level Up Power is turned off.

Level Down Powers

A Level Down Power works just like a Level Up Power, except instead of gaining XP which advances it to a higher level, it gains XP which regresses it back to a lower level. When a character gains Level Down XP, put an XP counter on its Main Character card that is one level lower than its current level. If a character has both a Level Up and a Level Down Power, it's possible for it to gain and have both kinds of XP. However, once it levels up or levels down, all of both types of XP will be removed.

Modifiers

Modifiers are created by resolving effects, continuous powers, and conditional powers. The source of a resolving effect can be a triggered power, delayed triggered modifier, Super Power, or Plot Twist. There are four types of modifiers: one-shot modifiers, continuous modifiers, delayed triggered modifiers, and replacement modifiers.

Modifiers that affect the Main Character choose which Main Character they affect when that modifier is created at resolution of an effect or when the continuous power appears and that choice is locked in at that time.

Example: You control Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur and a character appears with the Keyword Power that reads "Your main character has [Flight]" When this power resolves, you would choose either Moon Girl or Devil Dinosaur to gain [Flight].

If a modifier needs information about your Main Character, you'll choose which Main Character when the effect creating the modifier resolves.

Example: You control both Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur and play a Plot Twist that reads, "Draw cards equal to your main character's ATK." You'll choose whether to use Moon Girl or Devil Dinosaur's ATK upon resolution.

One-Shot Modifiers

A one-shot modifier is a modifier that will make an immediate change to the game state and is done. One-shot modifiers will never have duration and can only be generated by resolving effects. Examples include, but are not limited to drawing cards, adding counters, and stunning a character.

Continuous Modifiers

Continuous modifiers can be generated by resolving effects, continuous powers, and conditional powers. Rules governing continuous modifiers from continuous and conditional powers work the same, whereas continuous modifiers generated by resolving effects have their own rules.

Continuous/Conditional Power

Continuous modifiers from continuous/conditional powers have the following special rules.

Variables

If the modifier needs any information about the game state it uses the most current information.

Duration

If the source of the continuous modifiers leaves play or becomes inactive, the continuous modifier is no longer generated.

Dependency

If a continuous modifier "A" from continuous/conditional power could change which characters are affected by a continuous modifier "B" from continuous/conditional power, then continuous modifier "B" is dependent upon continuous modifier "A" and modifier "A" has a dependency of modifier "B".

Application

Modifiers are applied in dependency order first. After which all other modifiers are applied simultaneously. At any point if the application of modifiers would cause a loop of a binary state, the active player chooses which state applies for the remainder of the turn.

Resolving Effects

The timestamp of a continuous modifier from a resolving effect is the moment the effect resolved. When a continuous modifier from a resolving effect needs information about the game state, it uses the information at the time the effect resolves and is locked in at that time. Changes to the game state later do not change the modifier that was created.

Example: Mystique is attacking the Supporting Character Venom. She then uses Masquerade, choosing Venom and gets +3 ATK. The opponent then plays Savage Surprise choosing Venom and he gets +4 ATK. Mystique's bonus of +3 ATK stays the same and does not change even though Venom now has a higher ATK.

Once an effect has resolved and created a modifier, the modifier is independent from the source that created it. Removing the power or character that is the source of the modifier does not affect the modifier.

Example: On your turn you play Iceman and choose your opponent's Main Character. On your opponent's turn he plays Cosmo and chooses your Iceman. Even though Iceman now has no powers, your opponent's Main Character remains frozen. Once the trigger from Iceman resolves, it exists independent of Iceman.

Continuous modifiers from resolving effects only affect characters that were in play when the effect resolved. Characters that come into play after the modifier is created, but before it expires, will not be affected.

Most continuous modifiers from resolving effects will have duration. Once the limit of the duration is reached, the continuous modifiers stop. If there is no duration on the continuous modifier, then it can last until the end of the game.

Example: Genetic Manipulation (Main [Energy]: Choose another supporting character to gain one: [Flight], [Range], Berserker, Dodge, Ferocious, Lethal.) This Super Power creates a continuous modifier that grants a Keyword to a character. Unlike most modifiers, which only last for a limited time, this modifier lasts until the character it affects leaves play or the game ends.

If a modifier's duration would cause it to expire before it is created, then the modifier is never created.

Delayed Trigger Modifiers

Delayed trigger modifiers are created by a resolving effect. When that event occurs, they behave like any other trigger. Delayed trigger modifiers will have duration and will stop once the event it is looking for occurs, or it reaches the end of its duration. Delayed trigger modifiers will contain the words "when," "whenever," or "at" but not necessarily at the beginning of a sentence.

Replacement Modifiers

Replacement modifiers will change an existing modifier or event in order to produce a different result. This does NOT change the source of the original modifier or event. It just changes how it behaves. If two replacement modifiers are trying to change the same modifier or event, then the controller of the character being affected by the original modifier or event chooses the order. In some cases, once the first replacement modifier applies, the second one is no longer relevant. Replacement modifiers will usually begin with "If" and always contain the word, "instead."

Example: Flatman has the Keyword power Two-Dimensional (Flatman can't have any counters. If he would get wounded, KO him instead.). He is attacked by Lilith who has a +1/+1 counter. During combat resolution Flatman is stunned, but instead of receiving a wound, he is KO'd. Even though Two-Dimensional changed the wound into a KO, Lilith is still the source of the KO so Vampirism (When Lilith KOs an enemy character in combat and survives, remove that character from the game. If you do, Lilith has +1 Health.) will still trigger.

Deck Building Rules

You must have a Main Character and a deck of exactly 60 cards.
Your Main Character must also follow any Loyalty restrictions.
You can only have up to four copies of any one card in your deck. The number of cards and kind of cards in your deck can be modified by One of a Kind, Legion, and Loyalty Keywords.
You can put any Supporting Characters, Plot Twists, Equipment, and Locations in your deck. Tokens, Main Characters, and Piles are never part of your deck. Just remember the following:
- Some Main Characters have a Keyword Power that allows you to start the game with a specific Supporting Character in play. This Supporting Character still counts against the limit of four for a given card and against the sixty cards required for a deck.
- You are restricted to four of a neutral location of a given power symbol. All neutral locations of a given power symbol must have the same name.

Transform Pile (Optional)

Only used when a Main Character has the Transform ability.
In a tournament, players are limited to three Level 2 Main Character options. (In Casual play, any Main Character you own is in your Transform Pile.)
The Transform Pile is private information.
For each Level 2 Main Character chosen, the associated Level 1 Main Character must be included. This does not count against the limit of three.
Optionally, any associated Main Character or alternate Level 2 Main Character can also be included. This does not count against the limit of three.

Additional Rules

+1/+1 and -1/-1 counters

Many effects put +1/+1 or -1/-1 counters on characters. These numbers alter a character's ATK and DEF until something removes the counters.

If a character ever has +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters at the same time, they cancel out. Remove one of each until the character only has one type.

When a character gets stunned, remove all +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters from it unless a power indicates otherwise.

If a character's DEF is ever reduced to 0 (whether from -1/-1 counters or some other effect), it's immediately stunned.

Alternate Names

Some cards for flavor reasons use abbreviations, nicknames, or non-standard spellings to increase immersion in the world. These should be intuitive, but for clarity here is a complete list.

Captain America: Cap
Spider: SP//dr
Spider-Man: Spidey
Doctor Strange: Dr. Strange
Characters named Loki: Lokis

Base ATK and DEF

Some effects refer to a character's base ATK and DEF. This means a character's stats before any modifiers or counters change them. A character's base ATK and DEF is usually the same as their printed ATK and DEF. The only difference is that some modifiers might temporarily change or establish a character's base stats.

Calculating ATK/DEF

In order to calculate the current ATK/DEF of a character you first apply any modifiers that set or change base stats (modifiers from supporting character Mystique's Impersonate Super Power or progressing of a Main Character), then apply counters, and lastly apply all modifiers that change ATK/DEF in timestamp order.

For example, Loki Level 1 is in combat with three XP counters. Loki's controller plays Find Cover, his opponent passes, then Loki's controller plays Trickster God, his opponent passes, and finally, Loki's controller plays Savage Surprise. We have four things going on here. We have the progressing of Loki because he Leveled Up, and three modifiers from resolving effects.

Base - Loki Level 1: 1/6
Find Cover - Loki Level 1: 1/9
Trickster God - Loki Level 1: 9/1
Progress - Now we have new base stats, so we have to start over again with the modifiers in play.
Base - Loki Level 2: 4/8
Find Cover - Loki Level 2: 4/11
Trickster God - Loki Level 2: 11/4
Savage Surprise - Loki Level 2: 15/4

Note: Modifiers with a timestamp AFTER Trickster God will not be swapped.

ATK values that are below zero are treated as 0 except when trying to raise or lower them. In the latter case, always use the real value.

Changing Card Types

Some modifiers will change a card type. When it does, it ceases to be the original card type and becomes the new card type for the duration of the modifier. Some card type changes have specific names and rules associated with it. See below for more detail.

Demoting/Promoting a Character

Some modifiers may promote a Supporting Character to Main Character or demote a Main Character to a Supporting Character. Unlike most modifiers, these modifiers can apply to a Main Character in any zone (or side) and continue to apply to the character even if it changes zones. All other modifiers continue to affect the characters after the promotion/demotion per the normal rule and they retain all counters. Unless the effect says otherwise, a promoted Supporting Character becomes a Level 1 Main Character. When a Main Character is demoted to a Supporting Character, the following additional rules apply:

If it is Level 1 and hasn't Leveled Up yet, it remains a Level 1 when it becomes a Supporting Character. It does, however, retain all of the XP it has gained so far, and it will still Level Up as normal once you fulfill the Level Up condition (or Level Down). However, it does not return to being your Main Character again; it is still a Supporting Character even after it levels.
If your original Main Character (now a Supporting Character) ever leaves play (it gets KO'd or returned to your hand, for example), it gets removed from the game. Removing a character from the game means you set it aside and it does not count as being in your KO pile, deck or anywhere else.
If a card effect (such as Yondu's Yaka Arrow) needs to know how much your original Main Character costs, treat it as having a cost of zero.

Can't Appear

If a card tries to appear but can't, remove it from the game.

Copying Cards

Some modifiers will tell you to copy a card. The copy will have all the stats of the original and only the stats from the original unless otherwise indicated.

Example: Mysterio has Hallucinogenic Gas (Once per turn, you may play a plot twist from your hand as a copy of any [Sinister Syndicate] plot twist). When you play a Plot Twist as a copy of a Plot Twist, ignore everything that's printed on it, and pretend you just played the chosen [Sinister Syndicate] Plot Twist. You can use any Plot Twist this way, regardless of its printed team affiliation or timing restriction. However, you must meet any restrictions of the chosen Plot Twist.

Drawing Cards

If the player is instructed to draw multiple cards, the cards are drawn one at a time.

Example: If a player would draw two or more cards at a time (including during their Draw Phase), Destiny's Precognition (You may look at the top card of any deck at any time) will let you look at the top card of their deck before and after each individual draw. In other words, you'll get to see each card they draw.

End the Turn

A modifier that instructs you to "End the Turn" acts as though the player whose turn it is just said, "Okay, I'm done with my turn." and then, anything that triggers "At the end of the turn" will trigger, and the rest of the end-of-turn steps will happen normally.

Hidden Characters

Hidden characters act like stunned characters with the exception of being ready and not exhausted. When a character becomes hidden, remove all counters from it except wound or vitality, KO any Equipment on it, turn it face down and ready.

A hidden character can't attack or defend, doesn't protect anyone behind it, loses its powers, can't be protected, and can't gain or have counters (except wound or vitality). It still keeps its other information like name and team affiliation.

Main Characters vs Supporting Characters

Main characters work like Supporting Characters with the following exceptions:

Main Characters start in play and don't have a cost.
Main Characters can Level Up or Down.
If all your Main Characters get KO'd, you're out of the game.
Some effects say they only work on Main Characters or on Supporting Characters.
If a Main Character is put into a KO pile it gets removed from the game.

Other than that, treat Main Characters exactly the same as Supporting Characters. They attack, defend, team attack, get +1/+1 or -1/-1 counters, have Equipment, get stunned, use powers, etc.

Mantles

Some characters share the same title or mantle as other characters in the same Intellectual Property (IP). In cases like this, the newer character will have one or more stars before and after its name to differentiate it. The card's full name includes the star treatment so it will count as a different character in all circumstances. Since the names are different, they can't be used to power-up each other. Mantles are specifically for use within their own IP. Characters will never share a mantle with a character from another IP. Please see Appendix for a list of the IPs and the sets they include.

Example: Hawkeye, Kate Bishop is in the Legacy set and Hawkeye, Clint Barton was released in the original Marvel Battles set. The card name for Hawkeye, Kate Bishop is "Hawkeye" and Hawkeye, Clint Barton is just "Hawkeye" therefore they are different characters.

Characters will only share a mantle with their name as a direct corresponding name with "*", never through inference.

Example: We have Scorpion, Venom, and Venom AKA Scorpion. Venom and Venom AKA Scorpion share a mantle. Because they both are going by the Venom persona. Scorpion and Venom do NOT share a mantle. Scorpion in this case is NOT taking on the persona of Venom in this version of the card, so they are NOT sharing a mantle.

Example: Captain Marvel AKA Ms. Marvel and Ms. Marvel share a Mantle. Even though the "Ms. Marvel" is part of an AKA, it is still considered her name, and does qualify as sharing a mantle with Ms. Marvel.

Playing Equipment

You can play Equipment cards during your Recruit Step by paying recruit points equal to the Equipment's cost and put it onto a face-up character on your side. (It doesn't matter if the character is main or supporting, ready or exhausted. You can't put equipment on a face-down character.)

The Equipment will stay with that character until the character becomes stunned, hidden, or otherwise leaves play. At that point, the Equipment gets KO'd.

A character can only have one Equipment at a time. If you play a new Equipment on a character that already has one, the older Equipment gets KO'd.

If an Equipment has a team symbol, you may only play it if you have a face-up character with that team symbol on your side (including your Main Character). However, you can play it on any character on your side.

Example: if a character with the [Company] is on your side, you can play a Power Loader on any character on your side even if they don't have the [Company].

Equipment is not unique unless it says otherwise. (More than one character on your side can have the same Equipment.)

Powers on an Equipment belong to that Equipment. If the Equipment grants an effect to the equipped character it will say so. (This is already the way Equipment cards are written. For example: "Equipped character has +2/+2.")
If an Equipment has a Super Power, only the equipped character can pay to use that Super Power.

If an Equipment refers to "you" or "your" it means the player with the equipped character on their side. Similarly, if an Equipment refers to "enemy characters" or "enemy players", this refers to enemy sides from the equipped character's perspective.

Playing Plot Twists

Each Plot Twist will say when you're allowed to play it. If it says "Build" then you can only play it during your Build Phase.

If it says "Main" then you can only play it during your Main Phase while not in combat.

If it says "Combat" then you can only play it during a combat on your turn. And if the word "Combat" has the Any Turn symbol [Any Turn symbol] next to it, then you can play it during a Combat on any player's turn. (Most "Combat" Plot Twists can be used on any player's turn.)

Unless it says otherwise, you can only use a "Combat" Plot Twist to affect a character in the combat.

When you play a Plot Twist, follow its instructions, then put it into your KO pile.

Some Plot Twists have a team/brand symbol on the top right of the card. That means you may only play it if you have a face-up character with that team/brand symbol on your side (including your Main Character). However, you can use it to affect any character regardless of team/brand symbol.

Some Plot Twist have three team/brand symbols on the top right of the card. That means you may only play it if you have three face-up characters with that team/brand symbol on your side).

Playing and Recruiting

When cards are played or recruited, they go through specific steps depending on the type of card it is. The following events are considered playing a card: Playing a Plot Twist, placing a resource or Location, and recruiting a character or Equipment. Modifiers can put Equipment and characters into the Play Zone without playing or recruiting them. In those cases, some of the steps will be bypassed.

Plot Twist

Here are the steps for playing a Plot Twist.

Announce the name of the Plot Twist.
Plot Twist moves to the Resolving Zone. At this point it is considered played.
If any power would trigger off a Plot Twist being played, resolve that effect, then continue.
Make any choices required by the Plot Twist.
Resolve the Plot Twist effect.
Apply the generated modifiers.
Plot Twist moves to the KO Pile.

If at any point it is discovered the Plot Twist was illegally played, the game state is reverted to the point right before the announcement is made.

Equipment

Here are the steps for playing Equipment.

Announce the name of the Equipment.
Equipment moves to the Resolving Zone. At this point it is considered played.
If any power would trigger off an Equipment being played, resolve that effect, then continue.
Choose a legal character for the Equipment to attach to.
Attach the Equipment to the chosen character.
Equipment powers are now active.
At this point, the Equipment is considered to have appeared and has been equipped.

If at any point it is discovered the Equipment was illegally played, the game state is reverted to the point right before the announcement is made. If a piece of Equipment is put directly into play by a modifier, follow the instructions given by the modifier, then follow step 4-6.

Characters

Here are the steps for recruiting a character.

Announce the name of the character.
The character moves from whatever zone that it is in to the Resolving Zone. At this point it is considered "recruited" and "played".
If any power would trigger off a character being recruited/played, resolve that effect, then continue.
The character moves from the Resolving Zone to the Play Zone.
Any powers are now active.
Process any "appears with" text.
At this point the character has now appeared.
Powers/modifiers that trigger when the character appears happen now.
Check for uniqueness.
Resolve triggers.

If at any point it is discovered the character was illegally played, the game state is reverted to the point right before the announcement is made. If a character is put directly into play by a modifier, follow the instructions given by the modifier, then follow step 5-7.

Resource

Here are the steps for playing a Resource.

Announce you are playing a resource. If the resource is a Location intended to be played face up, announce the name of the Location.
The resource moves to the resource row.
At this point it is considered played and resolve any triggers.
Any applicable powers on a face-up resource are now active.
At this point it has appeared. Resolve Triggers.

If at any point it is discovered the location was illegally played, the game state is reverted to the point right before the announcement is made.

Power Ups

If you have a card in hand with the same name as a face-up Main or Supporting Character on your side, you may discard it to Power-Up that character. Put a +1/+1 counter on the Powered-Up character. You can Power-Up a character either as a Main action or as an [Anytime] Combat action.

Example: You attack with your Main Character, Luke Cage. During combat you decide to Power-Up Luke Cage, so you discard a Luke Cage Supporting Character from your hand and put a +1/+1 counter on your Main Character.

Characters with the same mantle are different characters and cannot Power-Up one another. This is denoted by the later character having one or more stars after and before their name.

Characters with different mantles, but are the same person can Power Up one another. This is denoted by having AKA [NAME] in their text box.

Recovering Characters

Your stunned characters automatically recover during your Recovery Phase.

Some card effects can also recover a character. When a character recovers, turn it face up but leave it exhausted.

Regressing/Progressing Main Characters

Whether through leveling up or via a modifier, when a Main Character becomes a higher level it is progressing. Progressing a Main Character for any reason follows the same steps as Leveling Up. All XP counters for the new level are removed, the orientation remains the same, all +1/+1 or -1/-1 counters are moved, all wound counters are moved, any Equipment is moved, and any modifiers affecting it previously continue to affect the progressed version.

Example: Joii controls Baron Mordo and uses Hypnotize on Tanei's Sister Grimm causing her to regress to Level 1. Joii then attacks and stuns Tanei's Sister Grimm. While Sister Grimm would get an XP counter, she does not level up at this time due to Hex. When she progresses back to Level 2 when Hypnotize expires, the XP counter will be removed.

Some modifiers will regress a Main Character to a lower level. If this happens, any XP counters are set aside, the orientation remains the same, all +1/+1 or -1/-1 counters and Equipment are moved, and any modifiers affecting it previously continue to affect the regressed version. If a modifier regresses a Main Character to Level 1, it will become a Level 1 version of the Main Character it currently is.

Example: Jorge uses Sister Ripley's Sacrifice and Resurrection ([Anyturn] Combat [Humanity]: If Sister Ripley is your main character, KO her and put Ripley #8 Level 2 from outside the game onto your side stunned as your new main character.) to become Ripley #8. Anh then uses Baron Mordo's Hypnotize (Main [Intellect]: Choose an enemy main character. It becomes Level 1 until the start of the next turn.) on Ripley #8. Jorge's Main Character is now Ripley #8 level 1.

Example: Danielle uses Mystique's Identity Theft (Main [Intellect]: Choose a level 2 [Marvel] main character from outside the game. Mystique transforms into that character.) and chooses to transform into Sister Grimm. She then uses Muzzle (Main [Might]: Characters on your side can't be attacked until after your next turn.) and because of ...Let the Staff of One Emerge (You may use each of these powers only once during the game. When you use one, Sister Grimm becomes Level 1.) The Main Character becomes Sister Grimm Level 1.

Resolving Effects

As you resolve an effect, it is processed in the order it appears on the card. If at any time while resolving the effect you are asked to do an impossible action, that action is skipped and the rest of the effect is resolved normally. Once an effect successfully resolves, one or more modifiers will be created.

Resources and Locations

Cards in your resource row count as resources whether they're face-up or face-down. Once a Location turns face down it will stay face-down unless an effect turns it face up. You can look at your own face-down resources at any time. You can't look at enemy face-down resources.

You can rearrange your resource row if you like as long as your opponent can see how many you have and which Locations you have.

Exhausted resources produce no recruit points.

There are six types of Basic Locations, one for each of the six power symbols. Also, most teams have one or more special location that has a team symbol on the top right of the card. Some Special Locations grant one of the listed Power Symbols and can be used for anything related to a character on that team in play, in your hand, or in your KO Pile.

You can use a Location (by turning it face down or discarding it) to pay for a Super Power. You can't use the same Location card to pay for multiple Super Powers. Each Super Power must be paid for fully and separately.

Requirements

Some cards may require certain actions from the player. In the event there are conflicting requirements, the player must make a choice that satisfies the most requirements. In the event there are multiple choices that satisfy the same number of requirements, the player may make any choices that is tied for meeting the most requirements.

Example: If a player has multiple characters with Angry (This character must be in your first attack each turn if able.) in play, they must team attack if able. If they are in different rows, or different team affiliations, the player must choose an attack that includes the most number of characters with Angry. If there are multiple attacks that include the same number of characters with Angry, the player may choose whichever one of those they want. After the first attack no further requirements on what the player has to attack with.

Running Out Of Cards

If a player needs to draw a card, but their deck is empty, they skip those draws. Play continues as normal. If all players are out of cards and no one is willing or able to attack to put wounds onto Main Characters, the player with the fewest wounds on their Main Character wins the game. If two or more players are tied for the fewest wounds, the game ends in a tie between those players.

Searching, Looking at, Shuffling, and Manipulating the Deck Zone

Whenever you need to search through your deck, shuffle it once you're finished. If a player is instructed to search for a specific card, or a subset of cards, the player can choose to fail to find. You may fail to find a card even if a card would meet those criteria is in the deck. If instructed to search for any card, they must choose one.

If ever instructed to put cards on the top or bottom of your deck, those cards can be put in any order. If ever instructed to look at a deck, shuffle it afterward.

Stunned Characters

When a character becomes stunned, remove counters from it except wound and vitality counters, KO any equipment on it, turn it face down exhausted, and put a wound counter on it. If it now has wounds greater than or equal to its Health, or has a Lethal wound, it's KO'd. Put it into its owner's KO pile. At this point any modifiers with a duration of "until stunned" will expire. Waking Nightmare and Symbiosis allow -1/-1 and +1/+1 counters respectively to remain on stunned characters.

If a character gets stunned by an effect in the middle of a combat, it is removed from Combat.

A stunned character can't attack or defend, doesn't protect anyone behind it, loses its powers, can't be protected, and can't gain or have counters (except wound or vitality). It still keeps its other information like name and team affiliation.

Any player can look at any stunned character at any time.

Some effects say to "Daze" a character. This stuns the character except it doesn't gain a wound.

Some effects say to "Wound" a character. This puts a wound on the character but does not stun it. (If the character has wounds greater than or equal to its Health, or has a Lethal wound, it is KO'd as normal.)

Timestamps

The timestamp of a modifier from a resolving effect is when the effect resolved. The timestamp of a modifier from a continuous or conditional power (like Blackheart's Created From Evil) is when the character came into play.

Timing

When you play a Plot Twist or use a Super Power it resolves before anyone can play another Plot Twist or use a Super Power. Reaction Powers are an exception to this. If a power "triggers" due to something, resolve that effect before any player can play a Plot Twist or use a Super Power. If multiple triggers happen at the same time, the turn player decides the order. If something triggers while resolving an effect, finish resolving the effect, then resolve the trigger. Recruit triggers are an exception to this.

Tokens

Tokens are created by certain powers and can only exist in the Play zone. Some expansions may include token cards as part of a set, but they are not game cards used in deckbuilding. Token cards are only used to represent tokens created by powers. A token works just like a regular card except that if a modifier puts the token anywhere other than the Play zone, it ceases to exist. If a token came from a pile, return it to the pile instead.

Uniqueness

You can only have one character with a specific name on your side at one time. If you already have a character on your side, and you play another one with that name, you must KO the first one. If they both enter play simultaneously then you must pick one to KO. If the second one ends up on your side through some special effect (e.g. Mind Controlling an enemy character) you still must KO the first character.

Normally you may not control a character with the same name as your Main Character. You can't play a Supporting Character with the same name as your Main Character. A character can't appear on your side if it has the same name as your Main Character. A character can't be moved to your side if it has the same name as your Main Character. A character with Swarm can change this.

The Golden Rules

Whenever a card directly contradicts a rule in this rulebook, the card is correct. If one modifier says you can do something and another says you can't do something, can't beats can.

Game Terms

Any Turn Symbol [Any Turn]: If a Plot Twist or Super Power has this symbol you can use it on another player's turn.
Any Combat: If a Super Power has these words it can be used during any combat, not just when that character is in the combat.
Any Combination: If an effect asks a player to choose any combination of a given total, those numbers must consist of whole numbers.
Any Number: Any whole number.
Appears: When a card enters play it "appears." Whether you played it from hand or some modifier put it into play. If a card changes sides or is turned face-up, that does not count as "appearing." When a character, Location, or Equipment appears, it is a new character, Location, or Equipment.
ATK/DEF: The numbers on characters above the [Lightning Bolt] and [Shield]. During combat you compare your character's ATK to its enemy's DEF to see if you stun it.
Becomes (State): When a modifier says an object becomes something for a duration, it only changes it for that duration and then it reverts back to its original state when the duration expires. It does not prevent another modifier from changing it again during the duration.
Becomes (X): When a modifier says an attribute becomes a specific number, it applies a -Y or +Y to the number to make it equal to X. This modifier lasts for the stated duration but does not prevent further changes to the attribute.
Cancel (the combat): If an effect cancels the current combat, the combat ends but no characters get stunned. Leave all the attackers and defender(s) as is. They don't ready and are not considered to have "survived" the combat.

Keyword Glossary

Most Keyword Powers in this set have their game text explained on the cards. Keywords that are used without text, or need further rules are listed here.

Acrobatic: While in combat, this character gets struck as though it had double its DEF.
Agent: When this character appears, look at cards from the top of your deck equal to the number of Agents on your side. Put any of them on the bottom of your deck.
Air Superiority: Characters with [Flight] can't strike this character.
Alien Physiology: This character can't have -1/-1 counters.
Alpha Combat Unit:
- Self-Replicating: When this character appears, put a +1/+1 counter on it for each Alpha Combat Unit (character with this Keyword) in your KO pile.
- Learning Program: This character has a specific Keyword and the Keyword Powers from each Alpha Combat Unit (character with this Keyword) in your KO pile.
  - Berserker (FUT-014)
  - Dodge (FUT-015)
  - Fearless (FUT-016)
  - Ferocious (FUT-017)
  - Leader (FUT-018)
  - Lethal (FUT-019)
  - Mobile (FUT-020)
  - Violent (FUT-021)
Angry: This character must be in your first attack each turn if able. (It can be a team attack.)

Ability Glossary

Abilities are words or phrases that represent more complicated underlying rules. Abilities can be written stand-alone within the text box of a card, or can be within a power.

Absorption History: Mimic's Absorption History, from his Checkered Past Keyword, represents three characters that he's copied powers from. In game terms it's a pile that includes exactly three Main Character cards, one Level 1, one Level 2, and one Level 3. They can only be from the Illustrated Universe, they must be Marvel and they must have three different card titles from the following list:
- Angel
- Beast
- Cyclops
- Iceman
- Jean Grey
- Professor X
"Card title" refers to the name at the top of the card. It does not include additional names granted via AKA.

During setup when you reveal Mimic as your Main Character, you'll also reveal the Level 1 character in your Absorption History. Mimic gains its Keyword and Super Powers only when the game begins. When Mimic becomes Level 2, you'll reveal the Level 2 character in your Absorption History. Mimic now gains its Keyword and Super Powers and loses the powers of the Level 1 character he was previously copying. When Mimic becomes Level 3, you'll reveal the Level 3 character in your Absorption History. Mimic now gains its Keyword and Super Powers and loses the powers of the Level 2 character he was previously copying.
AKA (Name): Some characters have AKA and another name in their text box. AKA is always stand-alone within the text box of a card. It is NOT a power. If a character has AKA, both names are its name, and if comparing, it can match to either one. This character is considered to have both names and share uniqueness with the (named) character.

Example: Captain Marvel says "AKA Ms. Marvel" in her text box. This means that she counts as having both names, which means you can use a Ms. Marvel supporting character to power up Captain Marvel, and they both count as the same person for the purposes of the Uniqueness rules.

Example: The name called out must match a name on the card, either the primary or the AKA. Just because Ms. Marvel appears as an AKA on Captain Marvel does not infer an AKA to Ms. Marvel of Captain Marvel. Ms. Marvel from Avengers does not have the AKA of Captain Marvel. If she is in your hand and the opponent names "Captain Marvel" it will not match Ms. Marvel.

Team Glossary

Each team is printed in the source with its affiliation symbol; the symbols are not reproduced here, so each team is listed by name, with the set that introduced it.

Good Teams

A-Force: introduced in A-Force.
Anti-Registration: introduced in The Civil War Battles (V4I4).
Avengers: introduced in The Marvel Battles.
Bureau: introduced in The X-Files Battles (V2I10).
Champions: introduced in Monster Unleashed. [sic: the source reads "Monster Unleashed"]
The Company: introduced in The Alien Battles.
Defenders: introduced in The Defenders.
Fantastic: introduced in The Fantastic Battles (V3I4).
Guardians of the Galaxy: introduced in The Marvel Battles.
Inhumans: introduced in Monsters Unleashed.
MCU Heroes: introduced in The MCU Battles (V1I4).
Monsters Unleashed: introduced in Monsters Unleashed.
Prey: introduced in The Predator Battles.
Pro-Registration: introduced in The Civil War Battles (V4I4).

Evil Teams

Brotherhood of Mutants: introduced in Brotherhood of Mutants (V1I1).
Femme Fatales: introduced in A-Force.
Frightful: introduced in The Fantastic Battles (V3I4).
H.A.M.M.E.R.: introduced in The Utopia Battles (V2I4).
Hydra: introduced in S.H.I.E.L.D. vs HYDRA.
Leviathons: introduced in Monsters Unleashed.
Masters of Evil: introduced in Masters of Evil (V4I1).
MCU Villains: introduced in The MCU Battles (V1I4).
Monsters of the Week: introduced in The X-Files Battles (V2I10).
Predators: introduced in The Predator Battles.
Sentinels: introduced in Futures Past (V3I7).
Supervillains: introduced in The Marvel Battles.
Sinister Syndicate: introduced in Spider-Friends (V1I7).
Symbiotes: introduced in Lethal Protectpr (V4??).

Neutral Teams

Omega Level Mutants: introduced in The Fantastic Battles (V3I4).

Alternative Formats

Free for All - 3 or 4 players

When you play with three or four players, all of the usual rules apply with a few exceptions:

You win when all other Main Characters are KO'd.
The player who goes first draws no cards on their first turn. The player who goes second only draws one card on their first turn.
Each player has a front, back, and resource row.
During your Main Phase you can have your characters attack any other player's characters using the normal combat rules. You can make all of your attacks against one player, or spread them out against multiple if you want.
During combat, each player (including players who don't have an attacker or defender) can play Plot Twists to influence the combat.
When a Main Character is KO'd, all of that player's cards are immediately removed from the game. (This doesn't count as those cards getting KO'd.)

2 vs 2

You can also play 2 vs 2. In this case, you win when both enemy Main Characters are KO'd.

Teammates should sit across from each other so the turn order goes Team A, Team B, Team A, Team B.
The player who goes first draws no cards on their first turn. The player who goes second only draws one card on their first turn.
You can't attack your teammate's characters.
When a Main Character is KO'd, all of that player's cards are removed from the game.

Optional Rule: When you recruit a character, you may put it into your teammate's front or back row (they control it now).

2-Headed Teammates

This is a variation of 2 vs 2.

Teammates sit next to each other and they share one giant front row and one giant back row.
They don't share a resource row.
Each team takes one shared turn. Both players Recruit separately during their Recruit Step. (You can't share Recruit Points.)
Then they arrange their single Formation Together.
Then they do their attacks together.
They both count as controlling all characters on their side.
Each player on the team that takes the first turn does not draw cards on that turn.
The game ends when both Main Characters on a team are KO'd. When your Main Character is KO'd, you continue to play on.
If a card needs to know who to reference by "you" it is the player that paid the cost of the Super Power. In the event no one did (as would be the case of a trigger) it is the owner of the character, or the player who controlled the effect that last took control of the character.

The Leviathon Invasion

(2 vs 1)

In this game mode two players must work together to defend Earth against the Evil Leviathon invasion. Use the Free-for-all rules from the base set with the following changes:

One player's Main Character must be the Leviathon Mother.
The Leviathon Mother wins by KO'ing each enemy Main Character.
The other players win by KO'ing the Leviathon Mother.
The Leviathon Mother goes first. No players skip drawing cards during their first Draw Phase.
When the Leviathon Mother plays a location she gets one of the following effects depending on which power symbol it has:
- [Alien] Defend Your Mother: You may put a character from your hand onto your side as long as its cost is less than or equal to the number of resources you have.
- [Intellect] The Time of Nesting is Here: Draw a card. Then draw a card for each One of a Kind character on your side.
- [Might] Face Me and Die: Put three +1/+1 counters on the Leviathon Mother.
- [Skill] This Planet Angers Me: Each enemy player chooses one of their face-up Supporting Character and stuns it.
- The Desecrated Nest: When you play this Location, choose any one of the four above effects.

We recommend using the suggested deck lists to try out the Leviathon Invasion mode. However, the Leviathon Mother will be heavily favored until the defending players tune up their decks. (Note that the Leviathon Boss Battle [below] is an update to this game mode.)

Boss Battles

Number of players: 3

Previously, in the Monsters Unleashed Issue, we introduced the 2 vs. 1 "Leviathon Invasion" mode. We have expanded this way to play with five Boss Battles: the Leviathon Mother (updated), as well as Death, Fin Fang Foom, Thanos, Ultron, and Carnage.

Setup: One player will play as the Boss. They choose one of the five Bosses as their Main Character. (They can play any Main Character with that name, from either the Photographic or Illustrated Universe.) They take the associated Boss Battle card as a reference and build their deck as normal. The other two players choose any Main Characters as normal (except they can't choose the Boss player's Main Character) and build their decks as normal.

Rules: Boss Battles use the Free For All game rules with the following changes:

The Boss goes first, then play proceeds clockwise. No players skip drawing cards during their first Draw Phase. When a Basic Location appears on the Boss player's side, they get the related effect from its power symbol, as instructed on their Boss Battle card.
When a Special Location named on the Boss Battle card appears on the Boss player's side, they get the related effect.
The Boss player only wins by KO'ing the other two players' Main Characters.
The other two players only win by KO'ing the Boss.
Boss Battles can be mixed with Terrain.
Option: For a truly gargantuan fight, two players can each choose a Boss and throw down in a Boss vs. Boss Battle! All other rules from Boss Battle remain the same, except you will need to randomize the first player, who will skip drawing cards during their first Draw Phase. Two Bosses with the same name may face each other for a multiversal showdown.

Terrain

Number of players: 2-4

Setup: Shuffle a set of 10 Terrain and place them face down in a pile. (As of this Issue, there is only one Terrain set: "City".) After players reveal their Main Characters during setup, but before they draw their hands, each player draws a Terrain card and looks at it. Then the first player places their Terrain, with the rest of the players following in turn order. (Each Terrain will tell you which row it can be placed in. We suggest you turn it sideways in its row.) Then each player draws their hand and mulligans as normal.

Rules: Terrain either affects each character in a row or one or two characters in a row.

If a Terrain affects an entire row, its modifiers apply to each character in that row this game.
A character can be affected by more than one Terrain of this type.
If a Terrain affects a specific amount of characters, during each player's Formation Steps they can move the proper number of characters into or out of that Terrain. While a character is in that Terrain, its modifiers apply to those characters.
Characters in this type of Terrain should be physically touching the Terrain card.
You can leave this type of Terrain empty or partially full: you aren't required to put characters in it.
A character can't be in more than one Terrain of this type. (But it could be affected by a Terrain that affects an entire row and in one that affects only one character.)
Some Forest Terrain are Secret. This means they get placed face down instead of face up. When you want to put characters in a Secret Terrain during your Formation Step, turn it face up and use it as normal.
Forest Terrain are destructible (they have a [Health] number). A character can attack a destructible Terrain if it would normally be able to attack into that row. For example, it can attack an enemy player's back row Terrain if there are no characters in that player's front row.

A character can also attack a destructible Terrain that is in its own row.
When a character attacks a destructible Terrain, exhaust the attacker. Then immediately put a wound on the Terrain. That action is now concluded (players can't play Plot Twists, and the attacker doesn't "strike" the Terrain, etc.). If the destructible Terrain now has wounds equal to its [text missing in source], put it in its pile's discard pile. If a Terrain pile ever runs out, shuffle the discard pile, and make a new pile. [The source text is missing the word or symbol after "equal to its".]

Story Mode

Number of players: 2

Setup: Choose a Story Mode card, either randomly or by consulting the "Story Complexity" list below, then choose a player to be Player A.

Story Complexity:

Death of a Loved One
Epic Quest
Time Traveler
Galactic Game
Assassination Plot.

Rules: Player A always goes first in Part 1, then the winner of each Part goes first in the next Part. After each Part is over, simply follow the directions on the Story Mode card for whichever player wins.

Version History

6/10/2016 - Version 1.0 Initial release
8/03/2016 - Version 2.0 Added Alien Rules, Rules on Source, Triggers, and Coping Powers.
5/24/2017 - Version 2.1 Added Legacy Rules, Rules on categories of Keyword powers, Rules on types of modifiers, added more Copy rules, added more Keywords
8/1/2017 - Version 2.2 Added Monster Unleashed rules. Reword the Combat Step section, created a new type "Ability" and recognized the rules. Added support for Multi-Defender and Location attacks. Added new multi-player variant.
8/30/2017 - Version 3.0 Added Predator Battles Rules
9/05/2017 - Version 3.0.1 Minor correction to PB rules.
3/15/2018 - Version 3.2.1 Added rules from Shield Vs. Hydra and Deadpool & Friends.
3/30/2018 - Version 3.2.2 Added rules from Brotherhood of Mutants. Cleaned up some older rules. Added detailed steps for playing and recruiting.
4/18/2018 - Version 3.2.3 Added rules for New Mutants. Added new dependency rules.
10/07/2021 - Version 4.0 Added Glossaries and updated to match current rules.
5/23/2022 - Version 5.1 Added rules through Disney Plus.

Appendix

Rule Books

(2016):

Vs System 2PCG Rules - The Marvel Battles
Vs System 2PCG Rules - The Defenders
Vs System 2PCG Rules - A-Force
Vs System 2PCG Rules - The Alien Battles

(2017):

Vs System 2PCG Rules - Legacy
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Monsters Unleashed
Vs System 2PCG Rules - The Predator Battles
Vs System 2PCG Rules - SHIELD vs Hydra

(2018): Volume 1.

Vs System 2PCG Rules - Deadpool & Friends
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Brotherhood of Mutants
Vs System 2PCG Rules - New Mutants
Vs System 2PCG Rules - MCU Battles
Vs System 2PCG Rules - MCU Heroes
Vs System 2PCG Rules - MCU Villains
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Spider Friends
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Sinister Syndicate
Vs System 2PCG Rules - The New Defenders
Vs System 2PCG Rules - The Buffy Battles
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Crossover

(2019): Volume 2.

Vs System 2PCG Rules - Cosmic Avengers
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Galactic Guardians
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Black Order
Vs System 2PCG Rules - The Utopia Battles
Vs System 2PCG Rules - The Resistance
Vs System 2PCG Rules - H.A.M.M.E.R.
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Power & Reality
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Space & Time
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Mind & Soul
Vs System 2PCG Rules - The X-Files Battles
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Crossover Vol 2

(2020): Volume 3.

Vs System 2PCG Rules - Friendly Neighborhood
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Spidey-Foes
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Webheads
Vs System 2PCG Rules - The Fantastic Battles
Vs System 2PCG Rules - The Herald
Vs System 2PCG Rules - The Frightful
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Futures Past
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Freedom Force
Vs System 2PCG Rules - The Omegas
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Crossover Vol 3

(2021): Volume 4.

Vs System 2PCG Rules - Masters of Evil
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Mystic Arts
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Into The Darkness
Vs System 2PCG Rules - The Civil War Battles
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Secret Avengers
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Thunderbolts
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Lethal Protector
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Maximum Carnage
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Spider-Verse
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Crossover Vol 4

(2022): Volume 5.

Vs System 2PCG Rules - Wanda Vision
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Falcon and Winter Soldier
Vs System 2PCG Rules - Loki