Two-Sided Mirror the Card Game Rules v1.6
Two Sided Mirror is ™ & © 2015 Lomber Games, LLC
Players: 2+, Ages 13+
+ Introduction
Two-Sided Mirror is a battle trading card game, set in a world where monsters run rampant in the wild,
technology has evolved beyond human control, dangers wait around every corner and battles between
powerful beings, called Directors, are fought on the special battlefield called the Two-Sided Mirror.
Many beings join the Two-Sided Mirror in hopes of reaching their hopes, goals, dreams, revenge, or just
exploration but whatever their reason for joining, battle awaits in the Two-Sided Mirror! This where
YOU step in!
You are a Director and as a Director, you command your team of 3 heroes. You will battle other
Directors in battles called "Debates". Provide your team with precious energy, powerful equipment,
devastating skills and summon wild creatures to aid your team to victory! Fight your way to the top and
claim your spot as the strongest Director of Two-Sided Mirror!
Good luck on your debates, Directors!
+ Winning the Debate
You lose if any of the following conditions are met:
- All of your heroes are destroyed.
- If you draw from an empty deck. If a card’s ability makes you draw multiple cards and the deck runs
out before you draw the full amount won’t cause you to lose but any further drawing will make you
lose.
- If all 15 spaces of your grid is filled with blockage.
- If a card’s ability says you win/lose.
+ Deck Info
Your deck must have 50 or more cards. Heroes are set aside and not in the deck. You can have only 1
copy of each hero.
You can’t have more than 4 copies of a card with the same name in your deck. Basic energy and basic
movement cards don’t have a limit.
The number of cards in your hand, deck, junkyard (discard pile), face-up cards in your isolate zone, and
character’s stats (HP, ATK, DEF, etc) are all public knowledge and any player can verify these things at
any time. You are allowed to pick up and verify the cards in your opponent’s junkyard/isolate zone but
ask for permission first. You may not change the order of the cards while verifying.
+ Setting Up the Game
The game is played on the battlefield (the table) and a grid. Each player has their own 5x3 grid where
the active cards will go. All cards on your grid and your side of the battlefield are considered under
your control except your deck, junkyard, isolate zone and hand. Some card abilities say “ally”. Ally
covers you and any Directors on your team in team debates.
After you establish the grid:
1) You set (place the card face-down) 1 hero anywhere on your grid and set the other 2 heroes
off the grid, on the battlefield. These heroes are your reserve heroes. Each space on the grid
can have only 1 object (card, token, anything) at a time.
2) Players decide who goes first then flips all set hero cards face-up.
3) You shuffle your deck and draw 7 cards. If you get a hand you don’t like, you can mulligan
your hand. To mulligan, shuffle your hand back into your deck and draw a new hand with 1
less card than last time. Only 2 mulligans per Debate.
Some cards require a die to be rolled, make sure you have one available. All die rolls use 1 standard
six-sided die. When a card ability goes against the rules in this book, always follow the rules on the
card.
+ Summary of a Turn
Turns are made of 6 steps (or phases) that you must follow in order: Fill Step, Setup Step, Main Step
One, Combat Step, Main Step Two, End Step. If you are forced to skip your turn, you can’t do any
actions that turn. The following actions can be done at any time during any player’s turn:
- Use an equipped item’s activate ability.
- Activate any set equip item cards by flipping them face-up. The hero equipped with the set item
card must be active to activate it. You can’t activate set cards the turn they are set.
- Use your monsters’ activate ability.
- Activate any cards with a “Sudden” effect from your hand or your side of the battlefield.
+ Steps in a Turn
Fill Step:
- Draw 1 card from the top of your deck. Player going first skips this step on their first turn.
Setup Step:
During this step do the following in order (if able):
- Get rid of any remaining floating energy you control.
- Cure Roll (optional).
- Resolve all effects that happens during your setup step in any order you choose.
- Charge (turn card upright) 2 drained energy, charge 1 if you don’t have 2 drained (card is
horizontal) energy.
- Charge all drained non-energy cards you control.
Main Step One:
Do any of the following actions in any order (* = once per turn actions):
- Attempt to Manual Charge your energy (see “Energy Cards” section). *
- Play 1 energy card from your hand. *
- Summon 1 monster card from your hand. *
- Switch your charged active hero with a charged reserve hero. *
- Transform any heroes you control.
- Play any number of non-monster and non-energy cards. Item/event cards can be set in a
hero’s item space.
- Abandon (destroy) any number of monsters you control. Doing this doesn’t trigger their
“Upon Death” abilities.
- Pass this Step.
Combat Step:
During this step you can do any of the following actions:
- Basic attack with your charged active characters.
- Use any charged skill cards equipped to your active characters.
- Use your hero’s Mirror Break, if they are charged.
- Pass this Step.
You can’t play any cards from your hand during this step except –Sudden- cards and cards with a –
Sudden- effect. See “Combat” section below for details.
Main Step Two:
Same as Main Step One. You can play an energy card or summon a monster from your hand if you
didn’t do so during Main Step One.
End Step:
In this step you resolve any effects that happens during your end step. If your hand has more than
7 cards, discard cards in your hand until you have 7 left. It now becomes the next player's turn.
+ Card Types
+ Character Cards
“Character” refers to the three types of character cards: Hero, Transformation, and Monster. Card
effects specify which type of character you can target. If the card doesn’t specify which character, it
applies to all 3 types of characters. Read the card for specifics.
The following actions will drain (turned horizontal on its side) your cards:
- Using a card’s activate ability, including Mirror Break;
- Basic attacking & counter attacking;
- Transforming a character will drain the character after the transformation;
- Energy used to pay an energy cost with be drained;
- Any other effect that says it drains a card.
You can’t use drained cards activate abilities and drained characters can’t basic attack, counter attack,
or switch. Passive and trigger abilities can still be activated. Drained energy cards can’t be used to pay
an energy cost.
- Hero
Heroes are the main fighting force in Two-Sided Mirror. Heroes can equip up to 3 skill cards and 3 item
cards. Each character has:
1) Name of the character.
2) The character’s maximum Health Points (MaxHP). Some card effects can alter MaxHP.
Follow these rules for dealing with changes in MaxHP:
- Gaining MaxHP: When MaxHP is raised, HP is raised by the same amount.
- Losing MaxHP: When MaxHP is lowered, if that puts HP above MaxHP, then HP becomes
equal to MaxHP.
- Regaining MaxHP: When MaxHP is raised by an effect ending, HP doesn’t change.
- Relosing MaxHP: When MaxHP is lowered by an effect ending, if that puts HP above
MaxHP, then HP becomes equal to MaxHP.
In other words:
A character can't have more HP than its MaxHP.
An ability that raises MaxHP also raises HP.
HP stays the same in all other cases.
When a character’s HP reaches 0, the character is destroyed and is placed in the junkyard.
Destroyed heroes are placed face-down off the grid.
3) This is the card’s type and class. The type tells you what type of card it is (Skill, Item,
Hero, etc) followed by a colon (:) then the class tells you which class or classes the card belongs to
(Anthro, Human, Alter, Beast, etc). A card can have more than 1 class, additional classes are separated
by a dash (-).
4) This is the card’s textbox. The textbox also includes the hero’s Mirror Break, their
signature ability. Mirror breaks have the energy cost followed by the name of the attack. If the attack hits a
target, follow what the text says. If the attack misses, don’t follow the card’s text but some Mirror
Breaks have effects even if the attack misses so read the card.
5) This is the character’s passive and trigger ability. Reserve hero abilities have no effect.
Some characters provide some kind of benefit for the team but when they are no longer active, they
take that benefit with them. Keywords are short form for common abilities. Keywords are always in
bold. Reminder text sometime accompany a keyword, reminder text will be in parentheses and
italicized. Some cards have flavor text which will always be in quotation marks and italicized. If a card’s
ability refers to a specific card other than itself, it will be in quotation marks.
6) This is the range indicator for the card’s ability. The red is the area that will be hit by the
attack. See “Grid cards” section for details.
7) All characters have an attack range, which is where the character must be at on their
grid in order to basic attack or counter attack an enemy. This is identified with “S” for Short range, “M”
for Middle range or “L” Long range. The number next to the character’s attack range is their attack
(ATK) which is how much damage their basic/counter attacks deal. The next number is their defense
(DEF) which is how much basic/counter attack and team attack damage they can withstand before
losing HP. Range, ATK, and DEF can be altered by card abilities but ATK and DEF can’t go below 0. When
cards refer to ATK and DEF it will be displayed as X/Y with “X” being the ATK and “Y” being the DEF.
8) This is information for collectors. Lists the set, card number in the set, and rarity with
stars. The more stars a card has, the higher the rarity (* = common to **** = Ultra rare.) Example:
PWD-SET 23/100 ** means that the card is part of the PWD-SET card set, card number 23 out of 100
cards in that set, and is uncommon rarity.
- Transform
1) The transformation requirement is located in the textbox. It will list the card(s) needed
before you can play the transformation. Some transformations have alternate methods to transform,
which will be in parentheses. Pyrogilian Adult requires the hero “Pyrogilian Egg” and 3 spirit energy.
When transforming a hero, stack the transformation on top of the required hero card(s) and discard
the required non-hero card(s) from your side of the battlefield and/or hand. The hero on top of the
stack is the hero you control and only their abilities can be used. You can only transform charged
heroes. If a transformation requires more than 1 hero, only 1 of the required heroes has to be
charged.
All damage, ailments, effects that the previous hero or heroes was afflicted with, and all equipped
cards are transferred to the transformed hero. If the transformed hero has too many equipped
skill/item cards, pick which ones will remain and discard the rest. If the transformed hero is immune to
an ailment the previous hero was afflicted with, the ailment is removed. If more than 1 ailment is
transferred to the transformed hero (after applying any immunity from the transformed hero), your
opponent picks which ailment will be transferred and removes the rest. Transformations can’t be
reversed and transformed heroes are drained after transforming. A transformed hero is considered a
hero after the transformation.
- Monster
Monsters are summoned (played) anywhere on the owner's grid in charge position. Monsters can’t
switch and remain on the grid until it’s removed. The monster limit is 3 which means each player can
have a max of 3 monsters on their grid at any time. Monsters can’t basic attack the turn they are
summoned.
Some monsters have activate abilities, trigger abilities, and passive abilities just like heroes. Monster
activate abilities can be used on any player’s turn as long you have the energy to pay the cost and the
monster is in the charge position.
Monsters can’t equip cards but some card abilities allow monsters to equip cards. There is no limit on
the number of cards monsters can equip. Cards equipped by monsters are considered equipped items
while equipped. When the monster leaves the grid, all cards equipped to that monster are sent to the
junkyard. “Upon Death” trigger abilities activate when the character is destroyed. Being discarded or
sent away without being destroyed does not trigger the “Upon Death” ability.
+ Movement
You can use a movement card during your Main Step One, Main Step Two, and when you are dodging
an enemy’s ability or attack that has a grid indicator on it. When dodging an attack, you can use any
number of movement cards you have in your hand. When you use 1 or more movement cards at once,
they go in the chain as a single chain link, regardless of the number of movement cards were used.
When resolving the chain reaction, the movement cards used in that chain link all resolve at the same
time (see “Chains & Sudden Effects” section).
Movement cards are sent to the junkyard after they resolve.
There are 2 types of movement cards:
- Basic movement (Horizontal & Vertical): Moves 1 active character you control 1 space either vertical or
horizontal.
- Non-basic movement: Any other movement that doesn’t say “basic”.
+ Event
Event cards are events and phenomena that you, the powerful Director, cause to happen during
the Debate. Event cards are placed in the junkyard after the effect resolves. Event cards can be set
in a hero’s item space. All equipped, set cards are considered equip item cards until activated.
+ Item
There are 2 types of item cards: Normal Items and Equip Items.
- Normal Item Cards:
These cards are placed in the junkyard after the effect resolves and can only be played on your turn, like
event cards. You can also set normal item cards in a character’s item space. All equipped, set cards are
considered equip item card until activated.
- Equip Item Cards:
Heroes can equip 3 items at a time. If all slots are filled, that character can’t equip any more until space
is made. You can’t remove an equipped card unless a card’s ability allows you to. Equipped item cards
remain with the character even when they are switched and can’t be passed around. You can equip
items to active, reserve, and enemy active heroes. You can only equip face-up equip items to the enemy
hero. When you equip a card to an enemy, the card goes to them but doesn’t take up any of their item
spaces. It takes up one of your active hero’s item spaces instead, so your active hero must have a space
available. Any cards you equip to an enemy is considered under their control and they can use any
activate abilities it may have.
When your character is destroyed, all cards equipped to that character is sent to the junkyard, including
all cards the enemy equipped to it. If your hero that equipped a card to an enemy is destroyed, the
equipped card is sent to the junkyard. If your character is destroyed while equipped with a set item, you
can’t activate it and it’s sent to the junkyard, so make sure you use them before it’s too late.
Some equip items have activated abilities. These abilities can be used on any player’s turn if the
equipping character is active, you can pay the cost, and the item is in the charge position.
A quick note about set cards. ALL set cards are considered items while they are set. Set cards can’t be
activated the turn they are set. Set cards can be activated on any player’s turn but that does NOT make
them “sudden” speed. Even though you can give reserve heroes set cards, set cards on reserved heroes
can NOT be activated at all, the hero must be active to use their set cards.
+ Energy
Energy is used to power your activate abilities. Energy played is placed on your side of the battlefield
and creates the team's energy pool. Ally players in team debates do not share energy pools. Energy cost
is shown on a card as color dots that represent the energy color needed. Each dot is 1 energy. Energy is
played charged and drained when used. You can’t drain energy unless you’re paying a cost or a card’s
ability makes you. During your setup step, charge 2 drained energy, charge 1 if you can’t charge 2. You
can attempt to manual charge energy once during your Main Step One or Main Step Two but be careful
of overcharging them!
To Manual Charge energy;
1) Declare you're attempting to manual charge and roll a die.
2) If the result is less than or equal to the number of your drained energy, the result number of
energy is charged and ready to be used again.
3) If the result is greater than the number of drained energy, the energy is overcharged and
you destroy 2 drained energy. Any remaining energy is charged.
These are the 5 basic energy. Energy other than these 5 are non-basic energy and follows the deck
building rule of no more than 4 copies of the same card can be in the deck.
- Core
Core energy is indicated on the card as grey dots. Core energy is the main power source of powerful
creations of man and metal, winning battle through specialize pieces of tech and machinery. You
value the pure power and directness of machines.
- Spirit
Spirit energy is indicated on the card as blue dots. Things of natural magic, nature, and life are
powered by spirit. You use the power of nature and its elements to punish those that stand against
you.
- Plasma
Plasma energy is indicated on the card as green dots. Plasma feeds the unnatural beings that originate
from the isolate zone. You care only for power at any cost, using plasma to corrupt and rot your
enemies.
- Shadow
Shadow energy is indicated on the card as red dots. Shadow breeds uncertainty and trickery, putting
friends against each other and nations against nations. You like to sit in the background and pull the
strings to get your victory rather than beat your enemies over their head.
- Flux
Flux energy is indicated on the card as yellow/orange dots. Forbidden energy tapped into by
Symbologists and beings of magic. The result of spirit and technology fusing together. Very unstable
power source that has yet to be fully realized. You want to rule both magic and technology, being a
master of one is not enough for you.
- Pure
Pure energy is indicated on the card as a white dot with a number in it. The number is how much
energy you need to pay in addition to any other colored energy to use that card or ability. Pure
energy cost can be paid with any color of energy. You can’t use pure energy to pay for a colored
energy cost.
Some cards tell you to “Float” energy. Floating energy means that you get that energy to use but at the
start of your setup step, it all goes (floats) away. No actual energy card is played when you float
energy, so keep track of how much you have to use.
+ Grid
Grid cards affect the battlefield. Grid card effects applies only to its controller unless stated otherwise
on the card. All players may have 1 grid card active on their own side and if another grid card is played, the new
one replaces the previous card. The old grid card is not considered destroyed. Grid cards remain in
effect for the remainder of the Debate unless removed by a card effect or another grid being played.
Below is a reference image of the layout of the battlefield. Notice the grid itself is the 5x3 spaces that
make up the Short, Middle, Long ranges and everything else is considered the battlefield.
- insert picture of grid matNot final mat image
+ Grid and the Battlefield
The grid is the 5x3 square section of the battlefield where the characters fight. Isolate zone is a
special discard pile that cards can be sent to by card effects. Cards sent to the junkyard and isolate
are face-up. The energy pool is where you keep your energy. Reserve 1 & 2 are where the other 2
heroes and any cards they have equipped go when they are not active. Active equips is where the
active hero’s equips go and leaves with the hero when it leaves the grid.
Each player uses separate grids. The 3 rows represent the 3 ranges; short (the row furthest from
you), middle, long (the row closest to you). Only one card or token can occupy each space and
characters can’t cross or enter other grids.
Destroyed parts of the grid are represented as blockage tokens. Blockage can’t be moved through. If
your grid space is destroyed with a card on it, you move the card it to any empty space on your grid.
If there isn’t an empty space available, the card is destroyed instead. If all 15 spaces of your grid
becomes filled with blockage (basically full destroyed), you lose the Debate.
Blockage can be destroyed by any of the following methods:
- If you or any player deals 2 or more basic attack damage to the same blockage token in 1
turn, that blockage is destroyed. You can destroy blockage on any grid with this method. Destroying
blockage this way counts as a basic attack and must follow basic attack rules (the character must be in
the proper range, in charge position, etc).
- Play a card or ability that destroys or removes blockage.
Destroyed blockage is removed from the grid and the space becomes open for use again.
Some cards are considered blockage when played and are vulnerable to card effects that target
blockage or that card’s type (a blockage item card is vulnerable to effects that target items and
blockage). Some even have stats like a character, usually HP and DEF but some have ATK too. These are
treated as a character when targeted. They can’t move with movement cards, can’t basic/counter
attack, and are immune to all ailments. When their HP reaches 0, they are destroyed.
Card effects will specify if you can target active, reserve, or all characters. If it doesn’t specify, you pick
the target, active or reserve. Example “Target and deal 2 damage to 1 enemy character” means an
active or reserve enemy character can be the target. “Target and deal 2 damage to all enemy
characters.” Will apply to all enemy active and reserve characters.
All ranged attacks have a range indicator on the bottom of the card. The indicator is a mini grid that
shows the range of the attack with red squares. All characters in the red spaces are hit by the attack and
the effects of the attack applies to all characters hit. Some have small icons on the grid indicator:
- “X”: the attack is oriented around a targeted active enemy character with the “X” being the
targeted character. The “X” on the grid indicator implies that you must target the character so
characters that can’t be targeted, can’t be target by skills with the “X”.
- “O”: the user selects which grid space the attack will be oriented around. The attack can be
aimed on any space on the target enemy player’s grid, regardless if the space is empty or occupied. The
“O” is the targeted space. If the space is occupied by a character, the character is not the target, so untargetable characters are not safe.
- An arrow (“>” “<” “^” “v”): the attack range is extended to the edge of the grid in the arrow’s
direction, damaging the entire row or column.
- Red with No icon (but not full red): the attack hits in a fixed area and isn’t affected by the
target’s position and cannot be aimed. This attacks doesn’t target.
- Fully red: the attack hits the entire grid and isn't affected by the enemy's position. Or this
attack has some other effect. Read the card for specifics.
When figuring out where the attack will hit on the targeted grid, use the card's indicator read upright
from the controller’s view. The controller should outline the attack’s range when attacking to clarify to
the targeted player the attack’s range. Un-targetable characters can be damaged by ranged attacks if
they are in the range, even if they are not the target.
- Insert example of attack range icons -
+ Skill Cards
There are two types of skill cards: Skills and Team Attacks.
Each hero can have up to 3 equipped skill cards. If all spaces are filled, playing another skill card
will send one of the other skill cards to the junkyard. Skill cards can be equipped to both active and
reserve heroes. When a skill card’s activate ability is used, it is drained and can’t be used again
until charged.
Some skill cards can only be equipped by a specific character and any transformation that requires the
specified character. Example: The skill card “Cherry Bomb” can be used by the hero “Powder Labrador”
and any transformation that requires her, like “Cherry Pompom” and “Dark Plasma Powder”.
Skills can be used regardless of the hero’s position on the grid. Skills can’t be blocked (with DEF) and
can’t critical hit but can be dodged using movement cards and abilities that moves your character to get
out of the attack’s range. Skills that hit multiple spaces will still deal damage to anyone in the range
even if the target moved or is not available.
Some abilities are paid with HP, you can’t use more HP than your character has but you can destroy
your character if the HP cost equals the character’s remaining HP! The character’s destruction happens
after the effect resolves.
Effects applied from the same skill to the same target does not stack but only reapplies the effect. The
same effect applied by different skills or abilities do stack. Example: multiple “Cherry Blade” (+2/+0 for
your next basic/counter attack) will only reapply the effect but “Cherry Blade” plus the Mirror Break
“Hyper Cherry Blade” (+3/+0 for your next basic/counter attack) stacks for a total of +5/+0.
+ Team Attack Cards
The other type of skill card are team attacks. Team Attacks can’t be dodged but can be blocked with
DEF, reducing the damage the target receives. Unlike normal skill cards, team attack cards are played on
the battlefield (off the grid) and are not equipped to a character. Once played, it remains on the
battlefield for the rest of the Debate or until removed by a card’s effect. Team Attacks require all
specified characters to be alive and 1 of the required characters must be currently active. You can any
number of team attack cards on the battlefield.
Abilities
There are 3 types of abilities: Passive, Trigger and Activate.
- Passive abilities remain active as long the character with the passive is active and it does not matter if
the card is charged or drained. Passives do not start a chain and can’t be chained to. Passive abilities
can’t be ignored and are mandatory.
- Trigger ability text start with “If”, “When”, “As long”, “While” or “Upon Death”. Trigger abilities
automatically activate when the condition is met and starts a chain and, like passive abilities, does not
matter if the card is charged or drained and are mandatory and can’t be ignored. Trigger abilities can
activate in the middle of a chain reaction but those triggers can’t be chained to and becomes the next
thing to resolve in the chain reaction. If a trigger activates and the source of the trigger is removed,
the effect still resolves. If a trigger activates and there is not a legal target for it, the effect resolves but
does nothing. If a trigger activates but it’s negated, the trigger does not get to resolve at all and is
removed from the chain reaction as if it never happened. Upon death abilities happens when the card
is destroyed but before it is removed from the grid.
- Activate abilities have a cost, usually energy, followed by a colon (:) and then the ability’s text. Any
text before the colon is part of the cost to activate that ability. Mirror Breaks have the cost followed by the name of
the Mirror Break and then the ability’s text. Activate abilities are optional. All card effects with an energy
cost are considered an “Activate ability” including Mirror Breaks and skills. When an activate ability is
used, the card is drained and can’t be used again until charged.
Trigger and activate abilities can be in the same effect. The first ability is the main and the other is the
sub. Example, “If (something) happens, you can pay X: (effect).” In the example, first is the trigger,
then the activate ability. Since the trigger is the first ability, it’s the main. Even though this ability has a
cost, this would not drain the card because the main is a trigger.
Chains & Sudden Effects
When cards are played, monsters are summoned, and effects are activated they start a chain. That
player’s opponent then has a chance to play a card or activate an effect, creating a chain link, and it
goes back and forth until all players decline to play or activate any cards or effects. Some cards and
abilities are faster than others. Fast cards have the word “Sudden” with its class while fast abilities have
“SUDDEN“ in all caps before the ability text. When a sudden effect is in the chain, only other Sudden
effects can be played afterwards. Sudden effects can be played/activated at any time during any
player’s turn from the hand and grid.
When all players are done making chain links, the chain reaction resolves backwards with the last
card/effect resolving first until all cards have resolved. Once a chain reaction starts resolving, players
cannot play or activate anything else until after the chain reaction is done, including sudden effects.
Trigger abilities can activate in the middle of a chain reaction, making their effect the next effect to
resolve in the chain reaction but players cannot chain to the trigger effect if the trigger effect happened
in the middle of a chain reaction.
When resolving a chain reaction the card’s effect resolves even if the source of the effect is no longer
active. Example: Monster A’s trigger ability activates and targets Monster B, the enemy plays a card
that destroys Monster A. Chain reaction starts and Monster A is destroyed by the enemy’s card,
Monster A’s trigger still happens even though it is no longer active.
Once in the chain, cards do not have to remain active for their effect to resolve, as long the original
target of the effect is still valid when it is the card’s turn to resolve in the chain reaction. If the target
for an effect is no longer valid, the effect fizzles out and has no effect. Example: Monster A’s trigger
ability activates and targets Monster B, the enemy plays a card that destroys Monster B. Chain reaction
starts and Monster B is destroyed by the enemy’s card, Monster A’s trigger has no effect because the
original target (Monster B) is no longer a valid target.
Example: Player 1 uses an item on Character A. Player 2 uses an event card that forces Character A to
switch. Player 1’s Item card has no effect since the original target was removed.
Cards and effects that are negated do not resolve regardless if the target is valid or not. Negated cards
are skipped on the chain as if it was never there. Passives do not cause a chain and cannot be chained to
but they still have an effect during the chain reaction. Example: Monster A’s trigger ability activates and
targets Monster B, enemy plays a card that destroys Monster B, Monster B activates their ability to
negate the enemy player’s card. Chain reaction starts and Monster B’s activate ability negates the
enemy’s card, the enemy’s card is removed from the chain reaction all together and is discarded saving
Monster B from being destroyed, Monster A’s effect resolves as normal.
+ Combat: Basic/Counter Attack
You can basic/counter attack as long the attacking character is in the proper attack range row and is in
the charge position. Does not matter where the defending character is at on their grid. You can’t target
a reserve character with a basic attack. If during a basic attack, the original target is no longer active, the
attacking player may cancel the basic attack or select a new target. If during a counter attack, the
original attacker is no longer available, the counter attack is canceled and the character is not drained. If
the target is moved to another location on the grid, they are still the target of the basic/counter attack.
There are 2 types of damage, HP damage and Chip damage. All card effect damage dealt is HP damage
unless the card says otherwise. Example: An effect that activates when damage is dealt, activates when
HP damage is dealt (not chip damage). An effect that deals 2 chip damage, only deals 2 chip damage.
Chip damage is the damage that reduces a character’s DEF during a basic/counter attack. Chip damage
is only dealt during a basic/counter attack. Chip damage is removed at the end of the turn. When a
character’s DEF reaches 0, all further basic/counter attack damage to that character will be dealt as HP
damage. HP damage can only be removed by a card’s effect. Chip damage by a card effect does not
become HP damage if the chip damage exceeds the character’s DEF.
When a character’s HP reaches 0, they are destroyed. Destroyed heroes are flipped face-down and
placed off the grid while another hero replaces them. Non-heroes are sent to the junkyard when
destroyed. Any Upon Death passives activate before the character is removed from the grid. Example:
Hero A has “Explosive Coat” equipped and is destroyed. “Explosive Coat” activates and deals damage
before Hero B comes in to replace Hero A.
When you declare a basic attack, drain the attacking character and declare the target. After your basic
attack resolves, the defending character must counter attack the attacking character, if able. The
defending character is drained if it counter attacks. Counter attacks, like basic attacks, must follow basic
attack rules (must be in proper range, charge positions, etc). The basic attack does not have to deal
damage, just being basic attacked causes the defending character to counter attack including basic
attacks that miss or are parried.
- Example: Player 1’s Character A basic attacks Character Z. Player 2 uses a monster’s activate
ability to switch out Character Z with the reserve Character X. Player 1 may choose to continue the
attack against Character X or select a new target or cancel the attack.
- Example: Player 1 uses Character B to basic attack enemy Character A dealing 3 damage.
Enemy Character A counter attacks dealing 5 damage to Character B. Player 1 then uses Monster C to
basic attack the now drained Enemy Character A dealing 2 damage. Character A cannot counter attack
because it is drained from its first counter attack.
When basic/counter attacking a character, the attacker deals chip damage (attacker’s ATK temporarily
reduces the defender’s DEF by the attacker’s ATK, making it easier to damage them with other
characters). Any damage beyond the defender’s current DEF is dealt as HP damage and is subtracted
from the defender’s HP. Chip damage last until the end of the turn and the DEF is restored at the end of
the turn.
Example: Character A (3 ATK) basic attacks Character B (5 DEF). The attack misses but Character B now
has 2 DEF and counter attacks. Monster A and Monster B both attack with 1 ATK each reducing
Character B’s DEF to 0. Monster C attacks with 2 ATK dealing 2 HP damage to Character B. Character B
cannot counter attack any of the monster attacks because it is drained from counter attacking
Character A. Character B’s DEF goes back to 5 at the end of the turn.
How to attack with a basic attack:
1) You make sure your character is in the proper attack range row.
2) Drain the attacking character and select the target of the basic attack.
3) The defending player may activate a monster’s activate ability they control or play a card
with a “Sudden” effect. Then you can do the same until all players decline to play/activate anything.
4) The basic attack resolves. Here is when chip damage, HP damage, critical hits, deaths, etc
happens.
5) After the basic attack resolves, the defending character now counter attacks the attacker,
if able (repeat steps 2-4 for the counter attack except the target is the character that attacked).
6) After the counter attack resolves, the turn player resumes their turn.
+ Resolving Basic/Counter Attacks
If ATK > DEF: deal the difference as HP damage to the defending character.
If ATK = defender's HP AFTER taking damage: Critical Hit (Deal 1 HP damage). Example: Player 1 attacks
with 5 ATK. The defending character’s HP is 10. Defender takes 5 damage reducing HP to 5. Since it’s a
Critical Hit (5 ATK = 5HP remaining after combat), defender receives an additional 1 damage for a total
of 6 damage. Critical hits will “Shatter” targets afflicted with the Freeze ailment. Shattered targets are
destroyed regardless of remaining HP. The bonus damage from critical hits is always HP damage.
If ATK = DEF: the basic/counter attack is Parried (defender takes 0 damage but the attack’s effects still
activate). Example: Character A attacks with 2 ATK. The defending Character B’s DEF is 2. The attack is
parried and deals 0 damage but Character A has the passive “Poison Touch”. Character B is poisoned
even though the attack dealt 0 HP damage. The chip damage also reduces Character B’s DEF to 0.
If DEF > ATK: the attack Misses (the defender takes 0 damage and any effects the attack has does not
apply. The defender still counter attacks). Example: Character A attacks with 2 ATK and has the
“Poison Touch” passive. The defending Character B’s DEF is 3. The attack misses, deals 0 damage and
avoids the poison. Character B still takes 2 chip damage reducing its DEF to 1.
Basic attacks can’t be dodged with movement cards.
Combat: Basic Attack recap:
- ATK > DEF, HP damage to the defender.
- DEF > ATK, the attack Miss and any effects from basic attacks do not activate. Chip damage
is still dealt to the defender.
- ATK = defender's HP after taking damage, Critical Hit; deals 1 extra HP damage.
- ATK = DEF, the attack is Parried; defender takes 0 damage but still takes any effects from the
attack. Chip damage is still dealt to the defender.
- Being attacked by a basic attack (regardless how the attack resolves) causes the defender to
counter attack the attacker.
- Basic/counter attacking drains the character. Drained characters can’t basic/counter attack.
- All basic/counter attacks deal chip damage (reduce the target’s DEF) equal to the attacker’s
ATK regardless it the attack hits, misses, critical hits or is parried. Any damage above the defender’s
current DEF is turned into HP damage.
+ Combat: Skill Cards
When using a ranged attack you must: pay for the attack, drain the card your using, select a target, and
outline the range for the defending player. The defending player can respond to any of these steps.
All movement cards used to dodge all are lumped together in the same chain (using 3 movement cards
to dodge only count as 1 chain, not 3). When resolving a group of Movement cards that was used to
dodge, they can be resolved in any order but they must all resolve before going to the next chain in the
chain reaction.
Combat recap:
+ Can dodge with movement cards: Skills & Mirror Breaks (ranged attacks)
- Can’t dodge: Basic/counter attacks, Team attacks, card effect damage
+ Can block with DEF: Basic/counter attacks & Team attacks
- Can’t block with DEF: Skill cards, Mirror Breaks, card effect damage
+ Ailments
Some cards apply various ailments to characters and some can reduce the ATK or DEF but never below
0. Only one ailment can be on a character at a time and multiple applications of the same ailment
reapplies the ailment. If an ailment is applied to a character that already has one, the new one is
applied and the old one is removed. In cases where two or more ailments are applied at the same time,
the applier picks which will be applied. Ailments remain with the hero even when switched. To remove
an ailment you must either Cure Roll or use a card effect to remove the ailment.
Cure Rolling is optional and can only be done during your setup step with the active characters you
control. If you fail the Cure Roll or choose to not Cure Roll, ailments that activate during the setup
activates.
To Cure Roll:
- During your setup step, select an active character you control afflicted by an ailment;
- Roll a die. 4 or higher removes the ailment from the selected character.
- Repeat for each active character you wish to Cure Roll for.
Each active character you control affected by an ailment can Cure Roll once per turn.
Only the active character's ailment take effect regardless of reserve character's ailments. Example:
Your active hero is poisoned and reserved hero is burned. Only the poison takes effect since the burned
hero is reserved.
Monster ailments takes effect with the active hero's ailment. Example: monster and active hero is
burned. Player burn 2 cards, 1 for each. If the monster is poisoned and hero is burned, monster would
receive 1 damage and player would burn 1 card.
Effects that activate during your setup step do not activate if your turn is skipped. You can’t Cure Roll
if your turn is skipped. Some ailments prevents the character from taking action. That character
can’t: move or dodge with movement cards, switch with a reserve, use normal items, use any attacks
(including counter attacks), use any activate abilities, activate or use any equipped cards, and equip
any cards. Also stunned and frozen characters are NOT charged your setup step but they can be
charged through other methods.
List of Status Ailments:
Poison: During your setup step, the character receives 1 HP damage. The damage can’t be
reduce by any ability or card effect. Poison can reduce the HP to 0 and destroy the character.
Stun: Character can’t take action. Taking damage removes the stun.
Burn: During your setup step, burn (discard) the top card from your deck.
Freeze: Character can’t take action. Reduce the character’s DEF to 0 and it stays at 0 until the
ailment is removed. A Critical Hit will shatter and destroy the character.
Exhaust: Reduce the character’s current ATK and DEF by 3. Removing the ailment restores
the character’s ATK and DEF. Exhaust is reapplied during your setup step if not removed.
Silence: Character can’t equip cards and can’t use any activate abilities.
Decay: During your setup step, an enemy player randomly discards 1 card from your hand.
+ Glossary
Add: adding cards to your hand without drawing them. Cards added must be revealed to the other
players first.
Burn (action): to discard the top card on your deck. Not to be confused with the ailment Burn.
Draw: The act of placing card(s) from the top of your deck into your hand.
Discard: The act of sending card(s) from your hand or deck into the Junkyard or isolation.
Enemy: Your opponent(s).
Hand: The group of cards you play from during most of the game.
Junkyard: Where your cards are placed face-up when they are destroyed/discarded. You may look at the
cards in any player’s Junkyard. MCs are never placed here.
Keyword: Some passive abilities are summarized in a few words. “Teleport”, “X Touch”, “X Immune”
are examples of keywords. Some keywords will have a description of what the keyword does in
parentheses and italic.
Overcharge: When energy is destroyed because the Manual Charge roll was higher than the number of
drained energy.
Peek: A card(s) that is turned face-up from the top of your deck. All players may look at cards that are
“Peeked”.
Shatter: When a character afflicted with Freeze is hit by a Critical Hit, they are destroyed regardless of
remaining HP. Only Critical Hit Immunity or Shatter Immunity can save the character.
Tie: When all remaining players lose at the same exact time. Tie games are counted as a lose for all
players.
Untargetable: Untargetable means the character cannot be the target of the specified thing. If it’s not
specified, it means nothing (ally or enemy) can target the character. Use attacks that hit in a large area
to deal with untargetable characters.
Undodgeable: Attacks with undodgeable means the attack will always hit and cannot be dodged with
Movement cards or abilities. Item and Event card damage is undodgeable.
Isolate: The act of placing cards in a discard pile separate from the Junkyard by a card’s effect. Cards in
isolation are face-up and all players share isolation zones.
Keywords:
Absorb: when this character deals damage, remove damage from this card equal to the damage dealt.
Absorb X: when this character damages X, then remove damage equal to the damage dealt.
Agile: character can’t be targeted by abilities. Agile vs X: character can’t be targeted by X.
Bait X: when this character basic attacks, X must counter attack. X being the number of charged, active
characters on the target player’s grid.
Bypass: when this character basic attacks, you can choose to deal 1 damage to target active hero
instead but any effects from the basic attack don’t activate and doesn’t deal chip damage.
Blight: character gets +1/+0 for each doom counter on it instead of -1/+0.
Burrow: during any player’s turn, character can move to any space adjacent to an adjacent blockage
without a movement card. Destroy the blockage. Can move through multiple blockage at the same
time.
Brave: if this character is the only character to basic attack during the combat step, it gets +2/+2 until
your setup step.
Chant X: when this card is activated, put X chant counters on it. This card can’t be charged while it has
chant counters on it. Remove 1 counter during each player’s setup step. When the last counter is
removed, resolve the card and charge it. Targeting abilities must have a target when it’s activated. This
card does not have to be active to resolve.
Clan X: this character is the leader of a clan of X including itself. Cost 1 pure: add target ally character to
this character’s clan. The clan is disbanded when the leader is not active. Leaders can’t join another
character’s clan.
Distracted: while the character has an item card equipped, it gets +1/+1 for each item equipped and
can’t basic attack.
Devour: when this card is played, it can eat any number of monsters you control and in your hand.
Everything eaten is considered a “card”. Place eaten cards aside in its “Belly”. Discard all eaten cards
when the devourer leaves the grid. Devour X: this card can eat monsters and X you control and in your
hand.
Oracle: this character is summoned with X gaze counters. It gazes by removing 1 gaze counter from
itself.
Explorer: after the combat step when this character basic/counter attacks, give this character 1 XP
counter, max. 3.
Energize: charge this card during each player’s end step.
Gloom: when this character deals basic/counter attack damage, place 1 doom counter on the targeted
character. Characters with doom counters get -1/+0 for each doom counter on it. Doom counters are
removed from cards when they leave the grid, reserve characters can’t have doom counters.
Hack: 2 pure: target character’s controller must pay 2 pure energy when it basic/counter attacks until
that player’s setup step. If target character’s controller can’t pay, that character can’t basic/counter
attack. Example: hero “Powder” is hacked. Powder’s controller must pay 2 pure to basic/counter attack
with her until their setup step.
Hyper: the first time this character activates its activated ability this turn, it is not drained.
Intimidate: character can’t be counter attacked. Intimidates X: character can’t be counter attacked by
X.
Immortal: Card can’t be destroyed. A character with Immortal can go to 0 HP but isn’t destroyed. If
that character loses its Immortality, it is destroyed immediately.
Morph: this character’s classes changes to an active class of your choice.
Multi-strike X: character can basic attack up to the number of X. The character is drained after its last
attack regardless if it used all of its attacks. Example: multi-strike 3 means the character can basic
attack up to 3 times per turn.
Quick Strike: This character basic/counter attacks before characters without quick strike.
Resilient X: Upon Death, if this monster didn't have a resilient counter on it when it was destroyed, it
stays on the grid, remove all damage from it, its MaxHP becomes X, and put a resilient counter on it.
Example: character A MaxHP is 10. When character A’s resilient 5 activates, character A will have
MaxHP 5.
Recover X: remove X damage from character during your setup step.
Rebel: while the character has an item card equipped, it gets +1/+1 for each item equipped and can’t
counter attack.
Reflex: Movement cards are doubled when used on this character.
Ruthless: character isn’t drained when basic/counter attacking but can’t basic attack drained targets.
Rooted: character can’t move or be moved by movement cards or card abilities. Can still be moved by
the blockage rule.
Revive: Flip target destroyed hero face-up. Revive X: flip target destroyed hero face-up with X HP
remaining.
Speedy: this monster can basic attack the turn it’s summoned.
Second Chance: If the character is destroyed while having more than 1 HP, they are reduced to 1 HP
instead.
Taunt: enemy players can only target and basic attack Taunt characters you control.
Teleport: This character can move to any openspace on the grid using 1 movement card.
Tracker: this monster can’t be abandoned.
Tough: the first time this character would be destroyed during the combat step this turn, it stays on the
grid with its current HP.
Warp X: the card is played in the Isolation zone with X counters on it. During the owner’s setup step,
remove 1 counter. When it has no counters on it, the card is played.
X Touch: this character’s basic/counter attacks apply X to the target. X is applied as long the attack hits
or is parried.
X Immune: Character is unaffected and can’t be targeted by X. this character is unaffected by all
abilities and damage from X. “X Immune vs Y” means character is immune to X if it comes from Y
(example, Damage Immune vs Insects mean character is immune to all damage that comes from insect
cards).