Rules Reference

Card abilities only interact with, and can only target, cards that are in play, unless the ability specifically refers to an out-of-play area or element. Card abilities on characters, attachments, holdings, strongholds, and provinces can only be initiated or affect the game while they are in play unless the ability specifically refers to being used from an out-of-play area, or require that the card be out of play for the ability to resolve. Event cards and role cards implicitly interact with the game from an out-of-play area, as established by the rules of their card types.

The application or initiation of the following types of abilities is mandatory: constant abilities, forced interrupt abilities, and forced reaction abilities.

The initiation of any keyword which uses the word "may" in its keyword description is optional. The application of all other keywords is mandatory.

The initiation of action, interrupt, and reaction abilities is optional. The word "may" also incorporates a player option into the resolution of an ability. The player who controls the card on which an optional ability exists determines whether or not he or she wishes to use that ability at the appropriate time.

An ability prefaced by a bold-face timing trigger followed by a colon is referred to as a "triggered ability."

The controller of the card from which an ability is resolving makes all decisions required by that ability’s resolution unless another player is specified by the ability’s text.

Unless otherwise noted by the ability, each action ability may be initiated only once each round.

An action that has been initiated must be resolved before the next action can be initiated.

During the dynasty phase, the active player is the player who is permitted to play character cards from his or her provinces or initiate an action ability. The status of active player alternates between players in this phase until all players have passed.

During the conflict phase, the active player is the player with the opportunity to initiate a conflict, or the player who is resolving a conflict he or she has initiated.

All costs are paid simultaneously, including additional ones.

An attachment cannot enter play if there is no eligible card or game element to which it can attach. A card or game element becomes ineligible for a player’s attachment if a copy of that attachment controlled by the same player is already attached to it.
Example: Otomo Courtier is the only character in play and has Karolina’s Ornate Fan attached to it. Karolina has another copy of Ornate Fan in hand, but she is not allowed to play it, as there are no eligible targets for it. She cannot choose to play Ornate Fan on the Otomo Courtier and discard the other copy. Karolina’s opponent Martin, however, can play his copy of Ornate Fan on the Otomo Courtier, as the two copies of Ornate Fan would be controlled by different players.

An attachment can only attach to a character in play, unless otherwise specified by the attachment’s text.

There is no limit on the number of attachments that may be attached to a card or game element. However, only one copy of an attachment (by name) per player can be attached to a card or game element at the same time.

If a situation arises where a card or game element has multiple copies of an attachment controlled by the same player attached to it, its controller (or the First Player, if there is no controller) must immediately discard copies of that attachment until there is only one copy attached.

If the card to which an attachment is attached leaves play, simultaneously discard the attachment.

If a situation arises in which an attachment is not legally attached, discard the attachment.

An attachment a player controls remains under his or her control even if the card or game element to which it is attached is under an opponent’s control.

An attachment card bows and readies independently of the card to which it is attached.

If an attachment has skill modifiers, those modifiers apply to the skill of the attached character. Such modifiers apply to the character even while the attachment is bowed.

Attachments on a province are not considered to be in that province.

If a character card is in play as an attachment, the skill values on that character-as-attachment are not treated as skill modifiers (as they lack the "+" or "-" symbol before the value) for the character to which the card is attached.

If an attachment has a limit (for example "Limit 1 Battlefield attachment per province"), that indicates that only one instance of a particular subset of cards can be attached to the same card or game element. If a second card of that subset becomes attached to the card or game element, the previously attached card is discarded as the limit has been surpassed.

When the value of an honor bid is modified, the setting on the dial is not itself adjusted.

If a card ability references a player’s honor bid, the ability is referencing the current setting on the player’s honor dial.

Rotate a province card 180 degrees or discard a province token to indicate the province is broken.

When a province is broken, the attacking player has the option of discarding any dynasty cards in that province. If this option is taken, the province is refilled facedown.

Ability text on a broken province card is not active.

Dynasty cards may still be played from broken provinces, and broken provinces still refill following the standard game rules.

If three of a player’s non-stronghold provinces are broken, that player’s stronghold becomes an eligible province against which attacks may be made. If a player’s stronghold province is broken, that player loses the game.

If a province breaks for any reason other than through standard conflict resolution, the opponent of the player who controls that province is considered to have broken the province.

A bowed card cannot bow again until it is ready. Cards are typically readied by a game step or card ability.

During conflicts, bowed characters do not contribute their skill.

A bowed attachment with skill modifiers still modifies the skill of the attached character.

A card ability on a bowed card is active and can still engage with the game state. However, if a bowed card must bow as part of its cost to trigger an ability, it cannot bow again until it is readied, so the ability could not be triggered.

If an effect is canceled, that effect is no longer imminent, and further interrupts (including cancels) cannot be initiated in reference to the canceled effect.

If the effects of an ability are canceled, the ability is still considered to have been used, and any costs have still been paid.

If the effects of an event card are canceled, the card is still considered to have been played, and it is still placed in its owner’s discard pile.

If a ring effect that is resolving for winning a conflict is canceled, the ring is still claimed.

If a card leaves play, any cards that have been put under it this way are removed from the game, unless otherwise specified by the effect that put them there.

This does not apply to attachments, only to cards that are explicitly placed under/underneath a card by a card effect.

If an ability causes a card to change its card type, the card loses all other card types it might possess, and functions as would any card of the new card type.

Character cards generally enter play ready and in a player’s home area, and remain in play unless removed by an ability or game step.

When a player plays a character from his or her hand during a conflict, the player has the option to play it directly into the conflict, ready and participating on his or her side.

When a player plays a character in a team conquest format game, that player chooses to either play it under their own control or under the control of a teammate. Once played, control cannot be exchanged except by card effects. Fate is placed on the character from the fate pool of the player playing the character, regardless of which player controls it.

An "in-clan" card bears a clan symbol that matches the clan symbol on its controller’s stronghold card.

An "out-of-clan" card bears one or more clan symbols that do not match the clan symbol on its controller’s stronghold card, and does not bear a clan symbol that matches the clan symbol on its controller’s stronghold card.

Most uses of the composure keyword grant a constant ability that modifies a character’s skills or glory. Some may grant triggered abilities that can only be used while a player has composure.

"You have composure" is the phrase indicating that a player’s composure keyword is active. It is used in reminder text to indicate that a player’s card has the ability granted by composure while their honor bid is lower than an opponent’s.

On events, strongholds and holdings "Conflict X:" replaces "X: During a conflict, …​"

On provinces "Conflict X:" replaces "X: During a conflict at this province, …​"

On characters "Conflict X:" replaces "X: During a conflict in which this character is participating, …​"

On attachments "Conflict X:" replaces "X: During a conflict in which attached character is participating, …​"

If a Triggered Conflict Ability can only be triggered in a conflict of a specific type, the boldface timing command is preceded by the  or  symbols, respectively.
Example: A character has the ability "Conflict Action: Pay 1 fate - ready this character." This is equivalent to "Action: During a  conflict in which this character is participating, pay 1 fate - ready this character."

If a card’s remaining triggering conditions directly contradict parts of this replacement, the card’s text takes precedence.
Example: The attachment Stinger (Through the Mists 34) has the ability "Conflict Action: While this card is in your hand, choose an attacking character and lose 1 honor - …​". Because Stinger has to be in your hand in order to trigger its ability, it does not have an attached character. In this case, the "Conflict Action:" is interpreted as "Action: During a  conflict, …​" instead of "Action: During a  conflict in which attached character is participating, …​"

If a player is instructed to resolve a Triggered Conflict Ability on a character, the triggering conditions above must still be met. This means that the character must be participating in a conflict of the right type (if specified).

Some constant abilities continuously seek a specific condition (denoted by words such as "during," "if," or "while"). The effects of such abilities are active any time the specified condition is met.

If multiple instances of the same constant ability are in play, each instance affects the game state independently.

If a constant ability would cause a card to leave play, interrupt abilities cannot be used to replace or prevent that constant ability.

By default, cards enter play under their owner’s control. Some abilities may cause cards to change control during a game.

A player controls the cards in his or her out-of-play game areas (such as the hand, the dynasty and conflict decks, and the dynasty and conflict discard piles).

When a card would enter an out-of-play area of a player who does not own the card, the card is placed in its owner’s equivalent out-of-play area instead. (For all associated card ability and framework effect purposes, the card is considered to have entered that opponent’s out-of-play area, and only the physical placement of the card is adjusted.)

If a participating character changes control during a conflict, it is considered participating in the same conflict on the side of its new controller.

When a character changes control while it is in play, it remains in the same state as it was before (i.e., bowed or ready, participating or at home, etc.), and is now under the new player’s control.

Attachments on a card that changes control do not themselves change control.

Unless a duration is specified, a control change persists as long as the card remains in play.

A card is considered to be a copy of itself, as it shares its own title.

Cards that refer to a character’s printed text (skills, traits, abilities, etc.) still refer to the text physically printed on the card.

When a character becomes a copy of another character, only the base skills and printed characteristics are copied. If the character that is changing gains characteristics (such as traits or ability text) from another non-copy card ability (such as an event or attachment) then those characteristics are not lost.

A character can only become a copy of a unique character if its owner and/or controller does not also own or control a copy (by title) of that unique character.

Becoming a copy of another character replaces the character’s base skills and glory. This is not applying a modifier (dashes can be replaced).

A character cannot become a copy of another character if both characters have the same title.

Unless otherwise specified, a card effect that modifies a cost only modifies the fate cost.

If a card has a dash as its printed fate cost, the card cannot be played. Its printed fate cost is considered to be 0 for the purposes of card abilities which require a numerical value.

When a player is paying a cost, the payment must be made with cards and/or game elements that player controls. The word "friendly" is used as a reminder of this in some costs.

If a cost requires a game element that is not in play, the player paying the cost may only use game elements that are in his or her out-of-play areas or token pools to pay the cost.

If multiple costs for a single card or ability require payment, those costs must be paid simultaneously.

If any part of a cost payment is prevented, once all costs that can be paid are paid, the process of initiating the ability or playing the card immediately ends without further resolution. (If this occurs while playing a card, the card remains unplayed in its owner’s hand or province.)

An ability cannot initiate (and therefore its costs cannot be paid) if its effect on its own does not have the potential to change the game state.

If multiple characters with the covert keyword are declared as attackers, the evaded character is considered to be chosen and evaded by each of those characters' covert abilities.

When a conflict is initiated against a facedown province, resolve the covert keyword before revealing that province.

Card abilities may be used to move characters that have been evaded by covert into a conflict as defenders.

Covert may only be used when characters are declared as attackers. If a character with covert is moved into or played into a conflict after the point at which the conflict was declared, that character’s covert ability does not resolve.

When resolving an ability that references a "current" skill or glory count during a conflict, count the skill or glory values that would be used if the conflict were currently resolving.

Should a character with a dash skill value somehow end up participating in a conflict of the corresponding type, that character is immediately removed from the conflict, and placed in its controller’s home area in a bowed state.

If a character has a dash for a skill value, that skill value cannot be modified by card abilities.

If a character has a dash for a skill value and a card ability requires a numerical value for that skill, treat the card as if it had an unmodifiable skill value of 0.

A character with a dash skill value cannot be involved in a duel of that skill type.

A player must choose exactly 1 stronghold.

A player may use 1 role card.

A player’s dynasty deck must contain a minimum of 40 and a maximum of 45 cards. Each of these cards must be in-clan or be neutral.

A player’s conflict deck must contain a minimum of 40 and a maximum of 45 cards. Each of these cards must be in-clan, be neutral, or be purchased from a single other clan by using influence.

No more than 3 copies of a single card by title can be included in any combination in a player’s dynasty and conflict decks.

A player cannot include more than 1 card (by card title) from the Restricted List in their decks and set of provinces. Up to a full legal playset (usually 3 copies) of that card may be included in the appropriate deck or provinces.

A player’s set of provinces must include exactly 5 provinces. For each element, that player must choose one province associated with that element, such that all five elements are represented among their set of provinces. (Each province has a ring symbol in the lower right corner of the card to indicate its association.) Each of these provinces must be in-clan or be neutral.

Any additional deckbuilding restrictions contained in the separate Emerald Edict document, based on the format being played, must be followed.

The skirmish format follows different deckbuilding rules than each other format. When building decks for the skirmish format, use the following rules instead:

If X is less than the standard number of allowed copies, this phrase acts as a deckbuilding restriction.

If X is greater than the standard number of allowed copies, this phrase acts as a permission that enables a player to include more than the standard number of copies.

Delayed effects resolve automatically and immediately after their specified timing point or future condition occurs or becomes true, before reactions to that moment may be triggered.

When a delayed effect resolves, it is not treated as a new triggered ability, even if the delayed effect was originally created by a triggered ability.

When a delayed effect resolves, it is still considered to be an ability originating from the card type of the card that created the delayed effect.

Most uses of the dire keyword grant a constant ability that is active while the character has no fate on it. Some may instead grant triggered abilities that can only be used while the character has no fate on it.

Any time a card is discarded (from play, or from an out-of-play area such as a hand or deck), it is placed faceup on top of its owner’s appropriate discard pile: dynasty cards are discarded to the dynasty discard pile, and conflict cards are discarded to the conflict discard pile.

Each player’s discard pile is open information and may be looked at by any player at any time.

The order of cards in a player’s discard pile may be changed by that player.

When playing a character using the disguised keyword, you may play that character during the conflict phase, following all timing rules which apply to playing characters from hand.

To play a character using the disguised keyword, you must choose a non-unique character you control of the appropriate Trait or clan affiliation as an additional cost to play the character. Reduce the cost to play the disguised character by the printed cost of the chosen character, pay that cost, the disguised character enters play, then move all attachments and tokens (fate, status, etc.) from the chosen character to the disguised character. Finally, discard the chosen character from play. Interrupts cannot be used to replace or prevent this discard.

When playing a character using the disguised keyword you cannot put additional fate from your fate pool on it.

A character played using this keyword enters play ready and in the same location as the non-unique character it is replacing.

When a player draws 2 or more cards as the result of a single ability or game step, those cards are drawn simultaneously.

Drawn cards are added to a player’s hand.

There is no limit to the number of cards a player may draw each round.

There is no maximum hand size.

Most card abilities that initiate a duel use the phrase "initiate a [type] duel." The characters chosen during duel initiation are considered to be chosen as targets of the ability that initiates the duel.

After discarding a duplicate from a province, the province refills face down.

A different version of a unique card (that shares the same title) may be discarded from a player’s hand or provinces as a duplicate.

Card effects might be preceded by costs, triggering conditions, play restrictions or permissions, and/or targeting requirements. Such elements are not considered effects.

Once an ability is initiated, players must resolve as much of each aspect of its effect as they are able, unless the effect uses the word "may."

When a non-targeting effect attempts to engage a number of entities (such as "search the top 10 cards of your conflict deck") that exceeds the number of entities that currently exist in the specified game area, the effect engages as many entities as possible.

The expiration of a lasting effect (or the cessation of a constant ability) is not considered to be generating a game state change by a card effect.

If an ability instructs a player to pick among multiple effects, an effect that has the potential to change the game state must be picked.

Unless an effect uses the word "then" or the phrase "if you do," all effects of a card ability are resolved simultaneously. The decision whether to resolve any optional effects (usually indicated by the word "may") is made before applying the results of the ability’s effects.

Event cards are triggered from a player’s hand or provinces. An event card’s ability type, triggering condition (if any), and play permissions/restrictions (if any), and originating location define when and how the card may be played.

Event cards with action abilities may be played from a player’s hand during any action window.

Event cards played from a player’s provinces cannot be played outside of the dynasty phase.

When an event card is played, its costs are paid, its effects are resolved (or canceled), and it is placed in its owner’s appropriate discard pile prior to opening the reaction window which follows the ability’s resolution.

Lasting effects, including those created by event cards engage the game state at the time they resolve. If an event card creates a lasting effect on a set of cards, only cards that are in play (or in the affected game area or game state) at the time the event is played are eligible to be affected. Cards that enter play (or the affected game area or game state) after the resolution of the event are not affected by its lasting effect.

If the effects of an event card are canceled, the card is still considered to have been played, and its costs remain paid, and the card is still discarded. Only the effects have been canceled.

Unless the ability that puts it into play also changes its card type to a card type that is permitted in play, an event card cannot enter play.

A facedown province is turned faceup when an attack is declared against it.

A player may look at the facedown provinces under his or her control at any time. Note: this rule refers to the facedown province card itself. A player is not permitted to look at facedown dynasty cards in his or her provinces.

If a facedown province becomes the attacked province in a manner other than the declaration of an attack, immediately turn the province faceup.

A facedown province is considered to be a different entity than its faceup side. While a province is facedown, its faceup side is considered to be out of play. When a province is turned faceup, the "faceup province" and "facedown province" simultaneously exchange positions, such that the facedown province is now out of play and the faceup province is now in play. The opposite is true when a province is turned facedown.

Province tokens in the skirmish format are never considered to be facedown and are never revealed.

Fate begins the game in the general token pool. When a player gains fate, that player takes that much fate from the general token pool and adds it to his or her fate pool.

When a player is instructed to place fate on a card, that fate comes from the general token pool unless otherwise specified.

When fate is spent or lost, it is usually returned to the general token pool. If fate is spent to a ring, it is placed on that ring.

Whenever a player plays a character from his or her hand or provinces, after that character enters play, that player has the option of placing any number of fate from his or her fate pool onto that character.

During the fate phase, each character with no fate on it is discarded. Subsequently, 1 fate is removed from each character in play. Finally, 1 fate from the general token pool is placed on each unclaimed ring.

A player can fill a province even if that province already has 1 or more dynasty cards in it.

If a player is instructed to fill a province faceup, the dynasty card is placed in the province faceup rather than facedown.

The first player becomes the active player first during the dynasty phase and the conflict phase.

The first player has the first opportunity to initiate actions or act first during all non-conflict resolution action windows. While a conflict is resolving, the defending player has the first opportunity to initiate actions during each conflict resolution action window.

The first player has the first opportunity to initiate interrupt or reaction abilities at each appropriate game moment.

For any question as to who should perform an act or make a decision first, in the absence of any other direction by card or rules text, the first player does so first, followed by the player to the first player’s left and continuing in clockwise order.

In the team conquest format, the first player token is given to a team rather than a player. Each player on that team is considered to be the first player. During action windows, each team has an action opportunity (rather than each player). When a team wishes to take an action, one of the players on that team takes the action, then a player on the opposing team has an opportunity to take an action. This continues until both teams pass in sequence, and the action window closes.

If an existing card has the Gaijin trait, it is also considered to have the Foreign trait.

If a card interacts with the Gaijin trait, it interacts with the Foreign trait in the exact same way.
Example: When you play a card with the Foreign trait, you can use the reaction on Worldly Shiotome (Atonement, 126) as if you had played a card with the Gaijin trait.

If a player gains fate or honor, that player takes the specified amount of fate or honor and adds it to their fate pool or honor pool. Unless that player is gaining the fate or honor from a specific source, the token is taken from the general token pool.

If a card gains a characteristic (such as a Trait, a keyword, or ability text), the card functions as if it possesses the gained characteristic. Gained characteristics are not considered to be printed on the card.

While a character is honored or dishonored, that character’s glory will modify its military and political skill.

A player counts the glory value of each ready character he or she controls whenever a glory count is required.

Step 3.4.1 of the conflict phase consists of a framework glory count. The winner of this count claims the Imperial Favor and may set it to either side if appropriate.

Some card abilities may require the players to perform a glory count. Glory counts required by card abilities are made in the same manner, and the ability will detail how to process the result. Such counts do not affect the status of the Imperial Favor, unless the ability text causes the Imperial Favor status to change.

Other card abilities may require players to count current glory among their characters, or a subset of their characters. This is different from a glory count, and rings in a player’s claimed ring pool are not added. For such card abilities, players count current glory among their specified characters in the same way they would count current  or  skill.

Many holdings have a statistical value that modifies the defense strength of the province at which the holding is located.

During the regroup phase, when discarding faceup cards from his or her provinces, a player may choose to discard a faceup holding. When this occurs, the province is refilled, facedown, with the top card of that player’s Dynasty deck, as normal.

While a holding remains on a province, that province is not refilled.

A player’s stronghold indicates that player’s starting honor total. In the skirmish format, each player starts with 6 honor.

Each time a player gains honor, that honor is taken from the general token pool and added to the player’s honor pool. Each time a player loses honor, that honor is taken from the player’s honor pool and returned to the general token pool.

If a card ability references a player who is more or less honorable than another player, the players compare the amount of honor in each of their honor pools to determine if the ability is applicable, or to whom the ability refers.

If a card ability references a player’s honor bid, the ability is referencing the current setting on the player’s honor dial.

Immunity only protects the immune card itself. Peripheral entities associated with an immune card (such as attachments, tokens on the card, and abilities that originate from the immune card) are not themselves immune.

If a card gains immunity to an effect, pre-existing lasting effects that have been applied to the card are not removed.

Immunity only protects a card from effects. It does not prevent a card from being used to pay costs.

The +1 skill modifier granted by the Imperial Favor applies to any conflict of the specified type in which its bearer controls at least one participating character. This modifier applies to the player’s total skill that is counted for the conflict, but does not modify the skill value of any of the characters participating in the conflict.

Once the Imperial Favor is set to its military or political side, it must remain on that side until it is claimed again or changed by a card ability.

If a player in possession of the Imperial Favor wins the framework glory count in the conflict phase, that player claims the Imperial Favor again and may set it to either side.

If players have the same total, the Imperial Favor remains in its current state (either unclaimed or under the possession of the player who currently has it, remaining set on its current side).

The game begins with the Imperial Favor unclaimed.

If a card ability causes the Imperial Favor to be claimed, it may be claimed from its unclaimed status, or claimed from a player. Each time the Imperial Favor is claimed, it may be set to either side.

If a player is instructed to discard the Imperial Favor, that player returns the Imperial Favor to its unclaimed state in the token bank.

In the skirmish format, the Imperial Favor is not set to a side as described above. Instead, the +1 skill modifier granted by the Imperial Favor applies to each conflict in which its bearer controls at least one participating character, regardless of conflict type.

A card enters play when it transitions from an out-of-play origin to an in-play state.

A card leaves play when it transitions from an in-play state to an out-of-play destination.

A player’s stronghold cannot leave play.

If a card enters or leaves play, any lasting effects, delayed effects, or pending effects that are currently or about to interact with that card no longer do so. This is also true if a card transitions from one out-of-play area to another (such as going from hand to discard pile).

If a card would enter a deck of the incorrect deck type (conflict or dynasty), it is put into the discard pile of its owner corresponding to its correct deck type instead.

If a dynasty card would enter a player’s hand of conflict cards, it is put into its owner’s discard pile instead.

If a conflict card would enter a player’s provinces, it is put into its owner’s conflict discard pile instead.

A player may spend influence up to the amount indicated by his or her stronghold to include out-of-clan cards from a single additional clan in his or her conflict deck.

Each copy of a card that is chosen reduces the amount of influence a player has at his or her disposal to use in selecting other cards for the deck.

A clan-affiliated card that has no influence cost cannot be selected using influence for inclusion in a deck.

Unless otherwise noted by the ability, each interrupt ability may be initiated once each round. (This includes forced interrupts.)

An interrupt with specified limit that enables it to be triggered more than once per round may only be initiated once each time its specified triggering condition occurs.

Sometimes a keyword is followed by reminder text, which is presented in italics. Reminder text is a shorthand explanation of how a keyword works, but it is not rules text and does not replace the rules for that keyword in this glossary.

Keywords that resolve based on the occurrence of a triggering condition (such as a character leaving play) resolve immediately after the triggering condition occurs, before triggering any reaction abilities.

A card can have multiple instances of the same keyword. However, a card that does so functions as if it has one instance of that keyword, and the keyword will only resolve once per triggering condition. Variable keywords (see below) are an exception: if a card has multiple instances of a variable keyword, each of those instances acts on the card independently.

Some keywords, such as Composure, are variable keywords. Variable keywords operate in the same way as other keywords, but their effects are unique on a card-by-card basis. Each variable keyword has the same condition in which they become active, but different effects based on the individual card’s text.

A lasting effect persists beyond the resolution of the ability that created it, for the duration specified by the effect. The effect continues to affect the game state for the specified duration regardless of whether the card that created the lasting effect is or remains in play.

If a lasting effect affects in-play cards (or a specified set of cards), it is only applied to cards that are in play (or that meet the specifications of the set) at the time the lasting effect is established. Cards that enter play (or change status to meet the criteria of the specified set) after a lasting effect’s establishment are not affected by that lasting effect.

A lasting effect expires as soon as the timing point specified by its duration is reached. This means that an "until the end of the phase" lasting effect expires before an "at the end of the phase" ability or delayed effect may initiate.

A lasting effect that expires at the end of a specified time period can only be initiated during that time period.

Limited cards that are "put into play" via card abilities ignore and are ignored by this restriction.

Each copy of an ability with a specified limit may be used the specified number of times during the specified period.

If a card leaves play and re-enters play during the same period, or if a card transitions from one out-of-play area to another (such as going from hand to discard pile), it is considered a new instance of the card. There is no memory of having used the ability during the specified period for any new instance of a card.

All limits are player specific.

If the effects of an ability with a limit are canceled, the use of the ability is still counted against the limit.

If a card leaves play and re-enters play during the same period, or if a card transitions from one out-of-play area to another (such as going from hand to discard pile), it is considered a new instance of the card. There is no memory of having used the ability for any new instance of a card for the purposes of this general restriction.

If a card triggers its ability from a hidden out-of-play area (such as a hand or deck) but does not leave that hidden area, that ability may be triggered again because it is considered a new instance of the card.

All limits are player specific.

If the effects of an ability are canceled, the use of the ability is still counted against the general restriction of only once per game round.

When tokens are removed from a card, that card is considered to lose those tokens. If the tokens are not moved to a specific destination, return them to the general token pool.

Each maximum is player specific.

If the effects of a card or ability with a maximum are canceled, the use of the card or ability is still counted against the maximum.

An ability’s maximum value cannot be modified.

The calculation of a value treats all modifiers as being applied simultaneously. However, while performing the calculation, all additive and subtractive modifiers should be calculated before doubling and/or halving modifiers are calculated.

Fractional values are rounded up after all modifiers have been applied.

When a value is "set" to a specific number, the set modifier overrides all non-set modifiers (including any new non-set modifiers that are added during the duration of the set value). If multiple set modifiers are in conflict, the most recently applied set modifier takes precedence.

A quantity cannot be reduced so that it functions with a value below zero: a card cannot have negative icons, political or military skill, glory, traits, cost, or keywords. Negative modifiers that would take a value below zero can be applied, but, after all active modifiers have been applied, any resultant value below zero is treated as zero.

If a value "cannot be increased/decreased," any modifiers to that value that would increase/decrease it are ignored for the duration of the "cannot be increased/decreased" effect, even if those modifiers were applied before applying the "cannot be increased/decreased" effect.

When an entity moves, it cannot move to its same (current) placement. If there is no valid destination for a move, the move attempt cannot be made.

When a character is moved into a conflict, that character is considered participating in the conflict on its controller’s side.

Players mulligan (or pass the opportunity to do so) in player order. If the first player passes an opportunity to mulligan, that player cannot change his or her mind and then decide to mulligan during that step after seeing the opponent’s decision.

After a player mulligans the cards in their provinces, they may look at the new cards before drawing their conflict hand.

Neutral cards are not considered to be in-clan or out-of-clan.

If one or more traits precedes the word "attachments" (for example, "No Weapon or Armor attachments"), the card cannot have an attachment that possess one or more of the specified traits, but it can have attachments possessing none of those traits.

If the word "attachments" is followed by the word "except" and one or more traits (for example, "No attachments except Weapon"), the card can have attachments that possess one or more of the specified traits, but it cannot have attachments possessing none of those traits.

If a card has multiple variants of the "No attachments" keyword, any variant that would prevent a card from having a given attachment prevails.

Each character that is in play is either participating or not participating in each conflict.

If an ability removes a character from a conflict or moves a character home, that character is no longer participating in the conflict and is returned to its controller’s home area.

If a non-participating character is moved into a conflict, it is considered participating on its controller’s side.

If a participating character is bowed, it is still considered participating, but will not contribute its skill toward the resolution of the conflict while in a bowed state.

If a participating character leaves play for any reason, it is no longer participating in the conflict.

A character played directly into a conflict from a player’s hand is participating in the conflict. The controller of the character must indicate that this is the case when the character is played.

If a character "cannot participate" in a conflict, that character cannot be declared as an attacker or defender for, move into, be played into, or put into play in that conflict. If an already participating character gains "cannot participate" status during a conflict, move it home bowed.

In the enlightenment format, only two players can control participating characters: one attacking player and one defending player. The third player in the game may take actions to influence the outcome of the conflict, but they cannot play or move characters to the conflict on either side (except as indicated by card effects).

In the team conquest format, all four players can control participating characters. Characters controlled by players on the same team participate on the same side of the conflict and contribute their skill towards the same total.

If a conflict does not have two participating players, it cannot resolve. Therefore, if a player is eliminated from the game in the middle of a conflict and the game does not end, the conflict immediately ends with no winner. Return the ring to the attacker’s unclaimed ring pool (or the common unclaimed ring pool, as appropriate) and each participating character controlled by the remaining player returns home bowed.

The first player to pass the opportunity to use an action or play a card during the dynasty phase forfeits the opportunity to do so for the remainder of the phase.

Other game sequences in which players have the option to pass continue until both players pass consecutively. If the first player passes, and the second player does not, the opportunity returns to the first player in the sequence. The sequence only ends when both players have passed in succession. (In other words, passing in such a sequence does not prevent a player from re-entering the sequence should the opponent not also pass in succession.)

When passing an opportunity to declare a conflict, a player is not required to specify which type of conflict he or she is passing.

Honored

Ordinary

Dishonored

When a character is honored, it receives an honored status token to indicate its honored status. An honored character adds its glory value to both its military and political skill so long as it possesses that token. When an honored character leaves play its controller gains 1 honor.

When a character is dishonored, it receives a dishonored status token to indicate its dishonored status. A dishonored character subtracts its glory value from both its military and political skill so long as it possesses that token. When a dishonored character leaves play its controller loses 1 honor.

When an honored character is dishonored, it loses its honored status, discards the status token, and returns to ordinary status. Likewise, when a dishonored character is honored, it loses its dishonored status, discards the status token, and returns to ordinary status.

A character with an honored status token cannot become honored. A character with a dishonored status token cannot become dishonored.

Should a character have both an honored status token and a dishonored status token at the same time, discard both tokens. The character returns to the ordinary state.

If a character enters play honored or dishonored, abilities cannot be triggered from that character becoming honored or dishonored, as it enters play already with that status.

A card that has been put into play is not considered to have been "played."

In order to play a card, its fate cost (after modifiers) must be paid.

When a card is put into play, its fate cost is ignored.

Unless otherwise instructed by the put into play effect, characters that enter play in this manner do so ready and at home. Non-character cards that enter play in this manner must do so in a play area or state that matches the rules of playing the card.

When an event card is played, place it on the table, then pay its cost, resolve its ability, and place the card in its owner’s discard pile. The event is not in your hand (or province) while paying its cost. If the cost of an event is (partially) prevented, it is still placed in its owners corresponding discard pile.

No card in a player’s conflict or dynasty deck can be played from that deck unless by a card effect that specifically references playing the card from that deck.

If a player is eliminated from an enlightenment format game, perform the following steps:

Players are not eliminated from a team conquest format game until their entire team loses. If a player’s stronghold province is broken, they continue to play, with the following penalties:

Pride is a keyword ability. After a character with the pride keyword wins a conflict, honor that character. After a character with the pride keyword loses a conflict, dishonor that character.

The pride keyword resolves after the character wins or loses a conflict, before reactions to that conflict being won or loss can be triggered.

The word printed refers to the text, characteristic, icon, or value that is physically printed on the card.

If a single effect affects multiple players simultaneously, but the players must individually make choices to resolve the effect, the first player chooses first, followed by his or her opponent. Once all necessary choices have been made, the effect resolves simultaneously upon all affected entities.

If the resolution of two or more delayed effects or forced abilities would resolve at the same time, the first player decides the order in which the abilities resolve, regardless of who controls the cards bearing the conflicting abilities.

If two or more constant abilities and/or lasting effects can be applied simultaneously, they are.

If two or more constant abilities and/or lasting effects cannot be applied simultaneously, the first player determines the order in which they are applied.

A face-down province card is considered to be in play only as a face down province, and its faceup side is unable to engage with the game state until the province is revealed.

A non-broken, faceup province card is considered to be in play, and is engaged with the game state.

A broken province is considered to have a blank text box, and its abilities cannot be used.

If a province has more than one card in it, those cards are considered to all be in the same province. Characters and events can be played, and holdings provide their bonuses. Do not refill a province until it is empty.

Each player’s non-stronghold provinces are placed in a linear row in front of that player. Each of those provinces is adjacent to the province immediately to its left and right. A player’s stronghold province is not adjacent to any other province.

Each province card has one or more elements associated with it. A province with more than one element counts as a province of each of its elements at all times and can be selected during deck construction to fulfill the province slot of any of those elements.

A fivefold tomoe symbol used in place of a single element, such as on Toshi Ranbo (Inheritance Cycle, 1), indicates that all five elements are associated with that province.

During a conflict, a province is only considered to be an "eligible" province to be attacked if it is controlled by the defending player. The provinces of any non-defending players are not eligible to be attacked. A player cannot attack their own province.

When a province is filled or refilled faceup, or when a card is added to a province faceup, that card is not revealed and the rally keyword on it does not trigger.

A card with the Rally keyword does not count towards your minimum deck size but still counts towards your maximum deck size during deckbuilding. This means a player cannot include more than 5 cards with the Rally keyword in their deck, because a deck must contain at least 40 (or 30 in the Skirmish format) non-Rally cards.

Always resolve a triggering condition before initiating any reactions to that triggering condition.

Unlike actions, which are resolved during action windows, a reaction may be initiated only if its specified triggering condition occurs, as described in the reaction ability’s text.

After a triggering condition resolves, a reaction window for that triggering condition opens.

Unless otherwise noted by the ability, each reaction ability may be initiated once each round. (This includes forced reactions.)

A reaction with a specified limit that enables it to be triggered more than once per round may only be initiated once each time its specified triggering condition occurs.

If multiple players can trigger a reaction ability, each may do so to the same triggering condition.

The default state in which cards enter play is ready.

A ready card is bowed by rotating it 90 degrees to the side.

If a player is instructed to refill a province, that player takes the top card of his or her dynasty deck and places it facedown (without looking at it) on the province.

After a card is removed from a province for any reason (and after all reaction opportunities to that card leaving the province are passed), a player automatically refills the province from which the card was removed if that province is still empty (i.e., if there is no dynasty card there).

If a player is instructed to refill a province faceup, the dynasty card is placed in the province faceup rather than facedown.

The word "instead" is frequently indicative of such an effect. After all interrupts to the triggering condition have resolved and it is time to resolve the triggering condition itself, the replacement effect resolves instead.

If multiple replacement effects are initiated against the same triggering condition, the most recently initiated replacement effect is the one used for the resolution of the triggering condition.

If the new resolution of a triggering condition caused by a replacement effect would not change the game state, that replacement effect cannot be initiated.

If at any time a character has three or more restricted attachments, that character’s controller must immediately choose and discard one of the restricted attachments on the character as soon as the illegal game state occurs.

A player may choose to play a third restricted attachment onto a character, but that character’s controller must immediately choose and discard one of its restricted attachments when the new attachment enters play.

If there is no specified duration for the reveal, the cards remain revealed until they reach a new destination (as specified by the ability), or through the ability’s resolution.

While a card is revealed, it is still considered to be located in the game area (such as a player’s hand or deck) from which it is revealed.

When a province card is revealed by a card effect, it remains faceup until a card or game effect turns it facedown.

Unclaimed - Each ring in the unclaimed ring pool is an unclaimed ring, and is eligible to be selected by a player as a part of the process of declaring a conflict.

Contested - While a conflict is resolving, the ring that has been selected by the attacker when the conflict was declared is placed on the attacked province. This ring is known as the contested ring.

Claimed - Each ring in a player’s claimed ring pool is a claimed ring.

While performing a glory count, each player adds 1 to his or her total for each ring in his or her claimed ring pool. During the fate phase, place 1 fate on each unclaimed ring.

When a ring becomes the contested ring in a conflict, move all fate on that ring to the attacking player’s fate pool. When a ring is claimed, it is still considered to be contested until all reactions to its claiming have resolved.

A card effect that refers to "the [ELEMENT] ring" refers to any ring that has that element.

When a player claims a ring in the enlightenment format, that ring is placed on one of that player’s provinces. The ring is considered to be "claimed on that province."

When a card effect would cause a ring to move from a player’s claimed ring pool to an unclaimed ring pool or vice- versa, both pools must belong to the same player.

During a conflict, card effects can only switch the contested ring with rings in the claimed or unclaimed ring pools of the attacking player.

Each time a player wins a conflict as the attacking player, he or she may resolve the ring effect associated with the contested ring’s element. The ring effects are as follows:

Whenever a player resolves a ring effect for a ring that has multiple elements, that player may choose among those elements when the conflict’s ring effect resolves.

When a player is instructed to resolve multiple ring effects, they resolve each effect (or pass on that effect) in its entirety before resolving the next ring effect.

When playing the skirmish format, the following three rings have the following effects instead:

Role cards are not used in the skirmish format.

Role cards are not considered in play. Their text affects the game state from the out-of-play area while they are active beside a player’s stronghold.

Cards that are printed as the role card type cannot be removed from the game by other card abilities.

Some cards have the text, "_ role only." This is a deckbuilding restriction, and is not active during gameplay.

If the selected card does not leave play, the sacrifice is considered to have been prevented.

Sacrificing a card does not satisfy other means (such as "discard") of a card leaving play.

If an effect searches an entire deck, the deck must be shuffled to the satisfaction of the opponent upon completion of the search.

A player is not obliged to find the object of a search effect, even if the searched cards contain a card that meets the eligibility requirements of the search.

If a search effect would add a card with specified characteristics to a hidden game area, the player fulfilling the search must reveal the card to his or her opponent to verify that the card is eligible to be found by the search.

While a game area (or a part of a game area) is being searched, the cards being searched are considered to still be in that game area.

If a selection is required before the effect of the ability resolves (i.e., before the dash), the selection is made during the same timing step in which targets are chosen.

If a selection is indicated after the dash of an ability’s text, that selection is made during the resolution of the effect.

Unless otherwise indicated by the ability, the controller of the ability is the player who makes the selection.

For all selections, an option that has the potential to change the game state must be chosen, if able.

Military skill () is used to determine the victor during military conflicts.

Political skill () is used to determine the victor during political conflicts.

Total attacking skill is the sum of each ready participating character’s skill (for the appropriate conflict type) on the attacking player’s side, plus any relevant modifiers.

Total defending skill is the sum of each ready participating character’s skill (for the appropriate conflict type) on the defending player’s side, plus any relevant modifiers.

A player is not able to win a conflict if that player has a total attacking or defending skill of zero.

Honored status tokens are used to indicate a character’s honored status. A character with an honored status token adds its glory to each of its skills. That character’s controller gains 1 honor when that character leaves play.

Dishonored status tokens are used to indicate a character’s dishonored status. A character with a dishonored status token subtracts its glory from each of its skills. That character’s controller loses 1 honor when that character leaves play.

Tainted status tokens are used to indicate that a character or province has been tainted by the Shadowlands. A character with a tainted status token gets +2 and +2 , but its controller must lose 1 honor when it is declared as an attacker or defender in a conflict.

A status token cannot be removed from a card unless it is a character whose personal honor is changed (see Personal Honor, Personal Dishonor on page 15) or a card effect specifically moves or removes that status token.

If a card effect "moves" or "discards" an honored or dishonored status token from a character, that character has not been honored or dishonored for the purposes of card abilities, even though it loses its honored/dishonored status.

When a player is playing a card with the support keyword, they may solicit the other players in the game to see if any player wishes to contribute to paying the card’s fate cost. Alternatively, another player may offer to contribute fate. The player who helps pay the cost of a card with the support keyword is considered to be supporting the player who is playing the card.

No other player is ever obligated to pay for a card with the support keyword. The player playing a card with the support keyword is never obligated to accept fate from another player who wishes to support them.

If a player attempts to play a card with the support keyword that they cannot fully pay for and no other player supports them to help pay for the card, it remains unplayed in that player’s hand. They pay none of the card’s costs.

When a card ability or ring effect would taint a character, place a tainted status token on it.A tainted character cannot be tainted again.

Each character that is tainted gets +2 and +2 . As an additional cost to declare a tainted character as an attacker or defender in a conflict, its controller must lose 1 honor.

Each province that is tainted gets +2 strength.As an additional cost to declare any number of defenders in a conflict against a tainted province, its controller must lose 1 honor.

Once a card is tainted, that tainted status cannot be removed unless a card ability discards (or moves) its status token. If a tainted province is turned faceup or facedown, do not discard its tainted status token.

A character’s tainted status has no bearing on its personal honor, and a tainted character can be honored or dishonored the same as an untainted character.

The controller of a targeting ability chooses all targets for the effect unless otherwise specified by the card.

If an ability requires the choosing of one or more targets, and there are not enough valid targets to meet all of its targeting requirements, the ability cannot be initiated. This initiation check is made at the same time the ability’s play restrictions are checked.

At the time targets are chosen, any currently valid targets are eligible to be chosen. (This choice is not restricted only to targets that were present during the initiation check.)

If multiple targets are required to be chosen by the same player, these are chosen simultaneously.

Most card abilities that initiate a duel (see Duel Timing) use the phrase "initiate a [type] duel." The characters chosen during duel initiation are considered to be chosen as targets of the ability that initiates the duel.

An ability that can choose "any number" of targets, or "up to X" targets, can successfully resolve if zero such targets are chosen, unless choosing zero such targets would cause the resolution of the ability’s effect to not change the game state in any way.

Some abilities require the choice of a target that is not directly affected by the ability — the target is instead chosen as a reference point for the resolution of the ability. This is referred to as a "referential target."

A card is not an eligible target for an ability if the resolution of that ability’s effect could not affect the target at all, unless it is a referential target. (For example, a bowed character cannot be chosen as the target for an ability that reads "Action: Choose a character - bow that character.")

A card is only eligible to be chosen as a referential target for an ability if that ability’s effect (using the referential target) would result in a change of game state. (For example, a character with no attachments cannot be chosen as the target for an ability that reads "Action: Choose a character — discard each attachment on that character.")

The resolution of some effects (such as post-then effects, or delayed effects) requires that targets are chosen after the initiation of the effect. Such targets need not be verified when checking play restrictions and determining whether or not the entire ability may initiate. If there are no valid targets at the time such targets would be chosen, that aspect of the effect fails to resolve.

If the pre-to aspect of an effect successfully resolves in full, the post-to aspect of that effect resolves simultaneously with all other effects of that card ability.

If the pre-to aspect of an effect does not successfully resolve in full, the post-to aspect’s resolution is canceled.

When a player gains fate or honor, that fate or honor is taken from the token pool and added to that player’s fate or honor pool. When a player spends or loses fate or honor, those tokens are returned to the token pool.

When a card with any tokens or counters on it leaves play, those tokens and counters are returned to the token pool. Tokens, Running Out of

There is no limit to the number of fate, honor, and personal status tokens which can be in the game area at a given time. If players run out of the provided tokens, other tokens, counters, or coins may be used to track the game state.

When two players are setting up a treaty, each of the following parameters must be specified. Those players may discuss and determine these parameters in any order, but each parameter must be agreed upon by both involved players before a treaty can be finalized. The parameters are as follows:

After a treaty has been broken, the players are no longer bound by the promises they made when establishing the treaty. Each player can form a treaty with any number of other players, but each pair of players may only have one treaty active between them at any given time. If a treaty between two players has dissolved, or been broken, a new treaty may be formed between those players.

Unless the timing command is prefaced by the word "Forced," all triggered abilities are optional. They can be triggered (or not) by their controller at the ability’s appropriate timing point. Forced triggered abilities are triggered automatically by the game at the ability’s appropriate timing point.

Any targets that must be chosen in the resolution of a card’s "Forced" ability are chosen by the controller of that card.

Unless otherwise specified by the ability itself, each triggered ability may be triggered once per round. This limit is player specific.

Triggered abilities are written in a "triggering condition (and/or) cost (and/or) targeting requirements - effect" template. Ability text before the dash consists of triggering conditions (and/or) costs (and/or) targeting requirements. Ability text after the dash consists of effects. and may sometimes include targeting requirements that come into play as the effect is being resolved.

If a triggered ability has no dash, the ability has no pre-dash content, and the entirety of the ability is considered an effect.

A triggered ability can only be initiated if its effect has the potential to change the game state on its own. This potential is assessed without taking into account the consequences of the cost payment or the consequences of any other ability interactions.

A triggered ability can only be initiated if its cost (after modifiers) has the potential to be paid in full.
Related: Ability, Action, Action Ability, Cost, Effects, Interrupts, Limits of Triggered Abilities, Reactions, Target

A triggering condition is a condition which dictates when an ability can be triggered. On card abilities, the triggering condition is the element of the ability that references such a condition, which most often comes in the form of a specific occurrence that takes place during the game. This indicates the timing point at which the ability may be used. The description of an ability’s triggering condition often follows the word "when" (for interrupt abilities) or the word "after" (for reaction abilities), or the word "if" (for action abilities.

If a single occurrence creates multiple triggering conditions for reactions or interrupts (such as a single Earth ring effect causing a player to draw a card and another player to discard a card), those triggering conditions are handled in shared interrupt/reaction windows, in which abilities that refer to any of the triggering conditions created by that occurrence may be used in any order.

The following is a sequence of possible interrupt and reaction opportunities that exists around each triggering condition that may arise in a game:

A player cannot take control of or bring into play a unique card if he or she already controls or owns another in-play card with the same title or printed title.

A player cannot bring into play a unique card owned by his or her opponent if that opponent controls an in-play card with the same title or printed title.

As a player action during the dynasty phase, a player may discard a copy (by title) of a unique character from his or her hand or provinces to place 1 fate on an in-play copy of that unique character he or she controls.

In team games, the rules listed above apply to a team instead of a player (players on the same team may only have a maximum of one instance of each unique card, by title, in play at any time).

While two or more players on a team control more than one copy of a unique stronghold, province card, or holding, treat each copy of that card as if its printed text box were blank and as if it had a strength or bonus strength of 0.

A player’s total skill is the sum of the skill matching the conflict type of each ready participating character on his or her side of the conflict, along with any other modifiers that are affecting the amount of skill the player counts for the conflict.

A player must count at least 1 total skill and there must be at least one participating character on his or her side in order to win a conflict.

If the total skill counted on each side is tied at a value of 1 or greater (and the attacking player controls at least one participating character), the attacking player wins the conflict.

If neither player can meet the requirements of winning a conflict, neither player wins (or loses) that conflict. When this occurs, return the contested ring to the unclaimed ring pool. Some card abilities reference a character "winning" a conflict.

In order for a character to be considered to have "won" a conflict, that character must be participating in the conflict on the winning side at the time the ability resolves.

Some card abilities reference a character "losing" a conflict. In order for a character to be considered to have "lost" a conflict, that character must be participating in the conflict on the losing side at the time the ability resolves.

In the team conquest format, players on a team win or lose the conflict as a team, regardless of who controls participating characters. Any card abilities that trigger when a player wins (or loses) a conflict can be triggered if that player wins (or loses) a conflict.

If all but a single player has been eliminated from the game, that player is the game’s winner. Some card abilities can introduce additional victory conditions to the game. Such a condition immediately ends the game if it is met.

If two or more players would reach a victory condition simultaneously, the first player wins the game if they have reached a victory condition. If they have not, the player closes to the first player’s left who has reached a victory condition wins the game.

If a player’s stronghold province is broken, that player is eliminated from the game.

The first player to meet the condition of having 25 or more honor in their honor pool wins the game.

The first player to have 0 honor in their honor pool is eliminated from the game.

If all three of a player’s province are broken, that player is eliminated from the game.

The first player to meet the condition of having 12 or more honor in their honor pool wins the game.

When a player has 0 honor in their honor pool, they are eliminated from the game.

The first player to collect all five elemental rings on their provinces wins the game.

The first player to meet the condition of having 25 or more honor in their honor pool wins the game.

If a player’s stronghold province is broken, or if a player has 0 honor in their honor pool, that player is eliminated from the game.

If the stronghold province of each member of a single team is broken, that team loses the game and the opposing team wins the game.

The first team to meet the condition of having 50 or more honor in their honor pool wins the game.

All "would be X" interrupts are eligible to be used before any "is X" interrupts. This means that an interrupt with the word "would" (such as "when a character would leave play") has timing priority over an interrupt without the word "would" that references that same occurrence (such as "when a character leaves play").

If an interrupt to a triggering condition that would occur changes the nature of that which is about to occur, no further interrupts to the original triggering condition may be used, as that triggering condition is no longer imminent.

For costs involving the letter X, the value of X is defined by card ability or player choice, after which the amount paid may be modified by effects without altering the value of X.