Hyperlinked Vs. System Comprehensive Rules
Last updated February 5, 2007
104. Negative and Undefined Values
211. Attack, Defense, and Willpower Values
217. Putting into Play in the Resource Row
5. Powers, Effects, and Modifiers
700. Changing Control of Objects
1. Game Basics
100. General
100.1. These game rules are used for games involving two or more players.
100.2. Tournament players must follow these rules in addition to tournament policy outlined on the official UDE website at ude.com/policy.
100.3. Players must ensure that they are playing using the most up-to-date text on cards. The most current text can be found in the Official Card Reference document located at ude.com/rules.
101. Starting the Game
101.1. Each player will need a way to track endurance totals, some small items to represent counters in the game, an item to represent an initiative tracker, and a deck of at least 60 cards. There is no maximum deck size.
101.2. A player's deck at the start of the game may only contain four copies of any card with the same name. This is called the "four per deck rule." There are two exceptions to this rule.
101.2a. A deck may include up to four copies of each different version of a card. (But also see rule 513.3c.)
101.2b. A deck may include any number of each Army card.
101.3. Tournaments follow a set of specific deck construction rules. Deck construction rules are outlined in the Tournament Policy: Vs. System TCG (Appendix B) document at ude.com/policy. These deck construction rules may be different than the ones provided in the Comprehensive Rules. If so, those tournament rules take precedence during the tournament, except for cards that have a restriction on the number of copies of it that may be included printed on the card. (See rule 513.3c.)
101.4. Players should use a random method to determine who chooses what player will start the game with the initiative. Tournaments may follow different rules for determining who chooses what player will start the game with the initiative.
101.5. Each player starts the game with 50 endurance. A player's endurance represents the overall wellbeing of his or her team of characters. As the game starts, each player draws four cards.
101.6. Once per game, after each player has drawn a four-card opening hand but before beginning the first turn, each player may mulligan. To mulligan, a player puts his or her hand on the bottom of his or her deck in any order and draws four new cards. This is called the mulligan rule. The player who will start the game with the initiative decides whether or not to mulligan first, and then the decision passes clockwise to each player in turn.
102. Winning and Losing
102.1. If only one player remains in the game, that player wins.
102.2. If a player wins the game, any other players remaining in the game lose the game.
Example: Xavier's Dream reads, "Ongoing: At the start of the recovery phase, if there are no stunned characters in play, you may discard an X-Men character card. If you do, put a dream counter on Xavier's Dream. Then, if there are three or more dream counters on Xavier's Dream, you win the game." If you control Xavier's Dream with three dream counters on it as its effect resolves, you win the game, and all other players thus lose the game.
102.3. A player that loses the game is removed from the game. All cards that player owns are removed from the game. Any effects that player controls on the chain are negated by the game rules. Objects that player controls but doesn't own revert to the control of the last controller they had that is still in the game; if there is no such player, the objects are removed from the game. Continuous modifiers from objects and effects that player controlled are no longer applicable. This rule is an exception to rule 505.4 and to rule 513.2b.
102.4. A player with 0 or less endurance can lose the game--and, as a result, be removed from the game--during the recovery phase endurance check. (See rule 408.2a.)
102.5. A player may concede the game at any time. The conceding player is voluntarily removed from the current game, and afterwards, he or she loses the game.
102.6. A player does not lose the game if he or she is unable to draw cards.
103. Contradictions Rule
103.1. If card text contradicts rules outlined in the comprehensive rules, the card text supersedes the comprehensive rules. Card text only overrides rules when it directly states so.
Example: Nightcrawler, Kurt Wagner reads, "Nightcrawler can't be stunned while attacking." You attack an opponent's Nightcrawler with your own. Normally, this would result in both of them being stunned. In this case, however, the card's text supersedes the rules of combat, and your Nightcrawler is not stunned.
Example: Sewer System reads, "Activate >>> Target character you control can attack hidden characters and protected characters this turn." The rules read, "The proposed attacking character must have the front row characteristic. The range characteristic may modify this. (See rule 701.8)" You want to attack a hidden character with a character targeted by Sewer System this turn. If the character is in the support row, the character still needs range to attack, because the rules state that characters must be in the front row in order to attack, and Sewer System does not directly state it supersedes this rule.
103.2. If a modifier or rule instructs that <something> can't (or cannot) happen, and another modifier or rule attempts to make that same <something> happen, the "can't" modifier or rule will always overwrite the "can" modifier or rule, regardless of timestamps or dependencies. "Can't" modifiers and rules are not replacement modifiers. An event that can't happen can't be replaced.
Example: Burn Rubber reads, "Target character you control has reinforcement this turn." Blind Sided reads, "Target character loses reinforcement and can't have reinforcement this turn." A character affected by Blind Sided first, and then by Burn Rubber, will not have reinforcement this turn.
Example: Mystique, Raven Darkholme reads, "If Mystique would cause breakthrough to an opponent, instead, that opponent loses 5 endurance." Paralyzing Kiss reads, "Attackers can't cause breakthrough while attacking an Arkham Inmates character this turn." Mystique is attacking an Arkham Inmates character. Any breakthrough she would cause while Paralyzing Kiss is in effect does not happen because she can't cause breakthrough. Mystique's replacement will not have an opportunity to replace the breakthrough before Paralyzing Kiss's modifier prevents it.
Example: The rules read, "701.12a A stunned character can't be readied." Cosmic Radiation reads, "Ready any number of Fantastic Four characters you control." Cosmic Radiation can't ready a stunned character because the rules state that stunned characters can't be readied.
104. Negative and Undefined Values
104.1. Negative numbers in the Vs. System are used only for purposes of raising or lowering values. Otherwise, those numbers are treated as 0. Negative endurance totals are an exception in two ways:
104.1a. While comparing endurance totals, negative totals are not treated as 0.
104.1b. If a player's endurance total "becomes equal to" or "switches with" another player's negative endurance total, that other player's total is not treated as 0.
Example: You control Savage Land, which reads, "Activate >>> Target Brotherhood attacker you control gets +1 ATK / -1 DEF this attack for each resource you control." You use Savage Land's payment power on Toad while you control three resources. Toad was 3 ATK/2 DEF and now is 6 ATK/0 DEF, except for the purposes of further changing his DEF. For the purposes of further changing his DEF, Toad's DEF is -1.
Example: Plastic Man reads, "At the start of the combat phase, Plastic Man gets +X ATK this turn, where X is the tens digit of your endurance, and +Y DEF this turn, where Y is the ones digit of your endurance." At the start of the combat phase, you control Plastic Man and have -29 endurance. Plastic Man gets +0 ATK / +0 DEF this turn, because his power does not compare, equate, or switch his controller's endurance total with another.
104.2. "Totaling" or "combining" values together does not change any of the individual values involved; thus, if a team attacker's ATK is less than 0, it is treated as 0 for the purpose of combining its ATK with the ATK of other team attackers. Similarly, if a character's willpower is less than 0, it is treated as 0 for the purpose of combining its willpower with the willpower of other characters.
104.3. Undefined values that would be numeric are 0.
2. Parts of the Game
200. General
200.1. This section sets out the rules for card parts and game zones.
201.1. A card's name appears across the top of the card.
201.2. If an effect or modifier refers to the name of the card that produced it, it is only referring to the card that put the effect on the chain or whose text produced the modifier, and not to any other instance of that card.
201.2a. If an effect or modifier refers to the name of an object, but the object in play with that name is no longer the same object that was in play when the effect or modifier was played, then the effect or modifier can use the last known information of the object as it was when the effect or modifier resolved. The effect or modifier can't affect or modify the new object.
Example: Reign of Terror reads, "Return any number of target characters with combined cost 3 or less to their owners' hands." Beetle, Abner Jenkins reads, "Boost 4: When Beetle enters play, he gets +1 ATK / +1 DEF this turn for each resource you control." You recruit Beetle, paying the boost cost. Your opponent plays Reign of Terror on Beetle. You recruit Beetle again, this time without paying the boost cost. Beetle is not affected by the boost cost paid earlier, because he is not the same object.
201.2b. If an effect or modifier refers to a <keyword> card, it is referring to a card with the <keyword> keyword. A stunned character has inactive text and no powers (see rule 701.12,) and so can't be a <keyword> card.
Example: Sub-Mariner, Namor has the leader keyword. Sinister Citadel reads, "Put a +1 ATK / +1 DEF counter on target leader character you control." If you control Sub-Mariner, you can target him with Sinister Citadel unless he is stunned.
201.2c. If an effect or modifier refers to a <version> card, it is referring to a card with the <version> version. Trait, affiliation, keyword, and class are handled in similar fashion.
Example: Trok has the Deep Six version. A card that refers to a Deep Six card can refer to Trok. Avalanche, Freedom Force has the Energy trait. A card that refers to an Energy card can refer to Avalanche. Omen has the Teen Titans affiliation. A card that refers to a Teen Titans card can refer to Omen. Artie has the Mutant class. A card that refers to a Mutant can refer to Artie.
201.3. If a cost refers to the name of the card that is its source, it is only referring to the card that is the source of that cost, and not to any other instance of that card.
201.4. If an effect or modifier checks whether or not a player controls a card named <card name>, it is referring to an object with that card name.
201.5. If an effect or modifier checks whether or not a player "controls <card name>" or "doesn't control <card name>," it is referring to either control of an object with that card name or control of an object with a modifier that states "you are considered to control <card name>." (See "Considered To" in the Glossary.)
201.6. After some character card names, there is a diamond (<>) symbol followed by text. That text is the printed identity of the character. The naming format for these characters is "Name <> Identity." If a character's name isn't followed by a diamond, its printed name is also its identity. This identity is also referred to as its "secret identity." A character's identity is ignored when determining the uniqueness of that character.
201.7. Some modifiers can change the name of a card. When this happens, all references to that specific card by name in its powers are changed to use the new name. This does not change the name in wordings like "cards named <name>," as these are referring to any card named <name>, not to this specific card.
Example: Multiple Man <> Jamie Madrox, Army reads, "Whenever Multiple Man becomes stunned, you may remove him from the game. If you do, you may put up to two character cards named Multiple Man from your hand into your front row." Decoy Program reads, "Equip only to an Army Doom character you control. <p> Equipped character loses all names and versions and has the name Dr. Doom." Equipping Decoy Program to Multiple Man, assuming a modifier is giving Multiple Man the Doom affiliation, causes him to become "Dr. Doom <> Jamie Madrox" and causes his power to read, "Whenever Dr. Doom becomes stunned, you may remove him from the game. If you do, you may put up to two cards named Multiple Man from your hand into your front row."
201.7a. Some modifiers indicate that a character gains some of the powers found on a second character. All references to the second character by name in the gained powers are changed to the name of the first character. This does not change the names in wordings like "cards named <name>," as these are referring to any card named <name>, not to a specific character card.
Example: Rogue, Power Absorption reads, "At the start of the combat phase, Rogue gains target character's activated powers this turn. If any of the powers use that character's name, instead, use this character's name." Kang, Ultimate Kang reads, "Activate, stun another character named Kang you control >>> Remove all attackers from this attack. Use only if Kang is defending." If Rogue gains Kang's activated power, it will read "Activate, stun another character named Kang you control >>> Remove all attackers from this attack. Use only if Rogue is defending." Rogue's controller will need to stun a character "named Kang" he controls to help pay the cost, not a character "named Rogue," but the power will check whether Rogue herself--the character the power is on--is defending, not whether the original Kang is defending.
202.1. The text appearing immediately below the name of a card is the version of that card.
202.1a. Some cards may have more than one printed version. Modifiers may add versions to or change versions of a card.
202.2. The version can uniquely identify a card; can be the Army, Non-Unique or Unique keyword; or can be a tag version.
Example: Even though they have the same name, the cards Luke Cage, Power Man and Luke Cage, Hero for Hire can be uniquely identified because they have different versions.
Example: Assassin Initiate has the version "Army." This version is a keyword that means that this character card is not limited by the "four per deck rule." (See rule 101.2b.) It also means this character does not have the unique characteristic. (See rule 202.4a.)
Example: Moonglow reads, " You may search your deck for a Team-Up card, reveal it, and put it into your hand." This modifier can find any card with version Team-Up, such as Stormfront-1, Justice for All, or Faces of Evil. It can't find cards that are colloquially referred to as "team-up cards" by players but do not have the version Team-Up.
202.3. If an effect or modifier refers to a card name other than the name of the card that produced it, unless it refers to a card's version, the effect or modifier can refer to any versions of that card.
Example: Doom-Bot reads, "Activate, KO Doom-Bot >>> Ready target Dr. Doom." This payment power may target Dr. Doom, Diabolic Genius; Dr. Doom, Victor Von Doom; or Dr. Doom, Lord of Latveria, as Doom-Bot does not specify a version. This can't ready Doomstadt or Kristoff von Doom, because neither of them is named "Dr. Doom."
202.4. "Army" is both a version and a keyword with a specific meaning. Character cards with version "Army" are not subject to the "four per deck rule." (See rule 101.2b.)
202.4a. Character cards with version "Army" do not have the unique characteristic. Rules for resolving recruit effects that check uniqueness (see rules 508.3b and 704.1) do not apply to resolving Army recruit effects.
202.5. An effect or modifier that refers to a version without referring to a card's name can refer to any card or cards with that version.
202.6. Two or more cards have the "same version" if they have the same number of versions and all of them match up. Two cards have "different versions," if they have different numbers of versions, or one has a version the other one does not. Two cards "share" a version if there is at least one that is the same between them.
Example: A card with two versions (A and B) has the "same version" as another card with versions A and B, but a "different version" than a card with versions A and C or a card with only version A. However, all four cards "share" version A.
202.7. Some modifiers look for a "different version" of a card. This is a card with the same name as that card, but with a different version.
202.8. "Unique" is a version that equipment may have. Equipment cards with version "unique" have the unique characteristic (see rule 701.15) and are subject to checking for the uniqueness rule as they are attached to a character.
202.9. "Non-Unique" is a version that a character or location may have. Cards with version "non-unique" don't have the unique characteristic. (See rule 701.15.)
203.1. Game costs expressed in numbers in the Vs. System are always positive integers or 0. Costs can never be negative. A cost of 0 still needs to be paid--a cost of 0 does not cause a card or an effect to be played automatically. A player can't pay, lose, or gain a negative amount of endurance. (See rule 104.1.)
203.1a. Some payment powers have the cost "free." This is the same has having a cost of "pay 0 endurance."
203.2. If an effect or modifier looks for a card's cost, it will use the value printed in the upper left-hand corner of the card.
203.3. A player can't pay or satisfy a cost unless that player has the means to do so.
Example: You control Storm, Ororo Munroe, who reads, "Pay 2 endurance >>> Characters your opponents control lose flight this turn." If you have 1 or less endurance, you can't pay this cost, as you don't have the endurance available to pay with.
Example: You control Pyro, St. John Allerdyce, who reads, "Activate >>> Target player loses 3 endurance." If Pyro is exhausted, you can't pay his activated power's cost.
Example: Cadmus Labs reads, "Replace Cadmus Labs >>> Target character named Superman gets +1 ATK / +1 DEF this attack." You control Cadmus Labs and have no cards in your deck. You can't pay the cost of replacing Cadmus Labs because you have no card on top of your deck to put face down into your resource row.
203.4a. Recruit costs appear in the upper left-hand corner of character and equipment cards. Recruit costs have gold coloring.
203.4b. Recruit costs require payment from the total number of resource points in a player's resource pool for that turn.
203.4c. Cards with recruit costs may only be played during the recruit step. (See rule 404.)
203.5a. Threshold costs appear in the upper left-hand corner of location and plot twist cards. Threshold costs have silver coloring.
203.5b. Threshold costs are compared to a player's total resources in his or her resource row. If the total number of resources is equal to or greater than the threshold cost, then the cost can be met. Meeting a threshold cost does not remove resource points from a player's resource pool.
203.5c. Threshold costs are still costs and must be satisfied in order to play effects that have them. (See rule 505.)
203.6a. Payment power costs appear on the left side of a payment power, before the arrow. In the Official Card Reference and these rules, this arrow is symbolized by ">>>". Payment powers are colored in normal text color. Some payment power costs include the word "Activate." The powers that have such a cost are called activated powers. (See rule 500.3a.) All payment power costs are actions, sequences of actions, resource point costs, and/or endurance costs.
203.6b. If a payment power cost requires actions to be taken, they can be done in any order that allows all the actions to be taken. If not all of the stated actions can be done, the cost can't be paid, and the power can't be legally played.
203.6c. A face-up resource may not be revealed to pay a payment power cost that requires revealing a card. (See rule 708.9b.)
203.6d. Some payment powers have a cost of "Pay X ATK this turn" or "Pay X DEF this turn," where X is a numeric value. These costs can't be paid unless the character with this power has at least that amount of ATK or DEF. (See rule 203.3.) Paying an ATK or DEF cost creates a continuous modifier that gives the character "-X ATK this turn" or "-X DEF this turn." This modifier is timestamped at the time the cost is paid and interacts normally with other continuous modifiers.
203.7a. Some replacement modifiers are optional and produce replacement costs. These will be written as "If <event would occur>, instead, <a player> may <pay cost>."
203.7b. These costs are optional to pay. If you choose not to pay or can't pay them, the replacement does not occur, and subsequent "if you do" clauses won't be satisfied.
Example: Tim Drake <> Robin, Young Detective reads, "If a team attacker you control would become stunned, instead, you may choose another team attacker you control. If you do, stun the chosen character." The cost for Tim Drake's replacement modifier is "choose another team attacker you control." If there are no other team attackers to choose, you can't pay this cost. It does not matter if the character chosen can't be stunned for some reason; the cost for the replacement has still been met. You may choose not to pay the cost even if you have means to do so. If you choose not to pay the cost, the replacement does not happen.
Example: Sabretooth, Victor Creed reads, "If Sabretooth is in your front row and would become stunned, instead, you may pay 10 endurance. If you do, exhaust Sabretooth and move him to your support row." The cost for this replacement modifier is "pay 10 endurance." If you choose not to pay or can't pay, then Sabretooth will be stunned. If you do pay, then he will be moved to your support row and will be exhausted.
Example: Spider-Man, Alien Symbiote reads, "If Spider-Man would become powered-up, instead, you may put a +1 ATK / +1 DEF counter on him." The cost for Spider-Man's replacement modifiers is "put a +1 ATK / +1 DEF counter on him." This is a cost because it appears in the format listed in 203.7a. Other cards have powers that put a +1 ATK / +1 DEF counters on a character but do not use the format listed in 203.7a. Those cards do not have replacement costs.
203.8a. A power may say to "pay" endurance or resource points as part of its effect, during resolution. These are also costs.
203.8b. Losing endurance is never a cost. Paying endurance leads to losing endurance, but not vice versa.
203.9a. Additional costs are extra costs required to put an effect on the chain or to flip a location. These costs are written after one of the following phrases: "to play," "to flip," or "to recruit." These are paid at the same time as recruit, threshold, or payment costs. (See rule 505.)
203.9b. Additional costs are continuous powers that function in the zone that the cards they apply to are played from.
203.10. Actions taken to pay costs can't be replaced. If a replacement modifier attempts to replace part or all of a cost, none of that cost is replaced. Putting an object into a KO'd pile is an exception to this rule and uses rule 203.10b.
Example: Tim Drake <> Robin, Young Detective reads, "If a team attacker you control would become stunned, instead, you may stun another team attacker you control." A team attacker you control with evasion can't have the cost of evasion, "Stun this character," replaced by Tim Drake's power's replacement modifier. To use the character's evasion, you must stun that particular character, and you can't "redirect" the stunning to another team attacker you control.
203.10a. Some effects have an alternate cost. These are not replacement modifiers on the original cost, but an alternate cost that can be paid rather than paying the original cost. Alternate costs can be identified by the words "rather than."
203.10b. Putting an object into a KO'd pile to pay all or part of a cost can be replaced by replacement modifiers in the usual way. This still satisfies paying the cost.
Example: Attend or Die! reads, "If a character card would enter your KO'd pile from play during the build phase this turn, instead, remove it from the game." Devil's Due reads, "Ongoing: KO a character you control >>> Put a +1 ATK / +1 DEF counter on target Doom character you control." If Attend or Die!'s modifier is affecting you and you use Devil's Due, KO'ing a character you own and control, that character will be removed from the game instead of entering your KO'd pile, and this will still satisfy the cost.
204. Illustration
204.1. The illustration is part of the card flavor and has no effect on gameplay. An illustration depicting a game characteristic such as flight does not grant that characteristic to a character.
204.2. Each card has an illustration credit below the art. The illustration credit has no effect on gameplay.
205.1. A card's type determines its color. Red or black cards are character cards, blue cards are plot twist cards, green cards are location cards, and gray cards are equipment cards.
205.2. Card color is a visual reminder of card type. The color of a card has no effect on gameplay.
205.2a. Some cards have foil versions with a different color. This difference has no effect on gameplay.
206.1. A card's type is printed vertically on the left side of the card. Each card, with the exception of character cards, has its card type displayed in the card type line. Character cards have their team affiliations displayed in the card type line. These are referred to simply as "affiliations." Some character cards do not have an affiliation and do not have anything written in the card type line. (See also section 3.)
206.1a. Affiliations are used in determining whether a character can team attack with and reinforce other characters. (See rules 601.5 and 708.7b.)
206.1b. Some character cards have two printed affiliations. Double-affiliated characters may have their second printed affiliation in a vertical text box on the right side of the card, opposite to the regular affiliation, or may have both printed affiliations in the usual place on the left side of the card, separated by a dot symbol. In the Official Card Reference, these characters have their first printed affiliation separated from their second printed affiliation by a "/".
207.1. Character cards may have a tab below the illustration called the "class tab." Classes and traits are written there as "<class> - <trait>."
207.1a. The Vs. System includes the Mutant class.
207.1b. The Vs. System includes the Energy, Mental, and Physical traits.
207.2. The class tab is not part of the text box. Stunned characters and face-down character cards in the resource row retain their classes and traits.
207.3. A class or trait indicates that a card is part of a group of cards.
Example: Emma Frost, Friend or Foe reads, "Discard a Mental card >>> Turn target face-up resource you control face down. Use only once per turn." Any card with the Mental trait may be discarded to fulfill Emma Frost's cost.
208. Expansion Code
208.1. The expansion code is a three-letter abbreviation for the name of the set that a card is from. The three-letter abbreviation is followed by the set number of the card. Neither the expansion abbreviation nor the set number has any effect on gameplay.
208.2. A card may have the first edition symbol if it is from the first print run of a set. The first edition symbol has no effect on gameplay.
208.3. The color of the expansion code denotes the rarity of the card in its set. This color has no effect on gameplay.
209. Legal Text
209.1. Each official Vs. System card has the legal copyright text located on the bottom of the card next to the expansion text. Legal copyright text has no effect on gameplay.
210. Text Box
210.1. The card text box is where the card text is written. Card text includes (but is not limited to) powers, keywords, and some characteristics, such as unique and ongoing. A paragraph break in the text--symbolized as "<p>" in these rules--denotes a new power and a new modifier; however, some powers represented by one keyword each may be grouped together to save space. (See rules 500.4 and 511.1a.)
210.2. Reminder text is italicized text in parentheses, and it is usually found after a keyword or a particularly difficult section of game text. The reminder text serves to further clarify the card text and does not have any effect on gameplay other than to remind players of how the text before it works.
210.3. Flavor text is text in italics below the game text and has no effect on gameplay.
210.4. One card, Bizarro World, has "mystery text" in its text box. This text changes with each new expansion's release (on the day the new expansion becomes tournament-legal), and it can be found at www.bizarroworld.com or in the most recent version of the Official Card Reference. (See rule 100.3.)
210.5. Revealed cards have active text in all zones, even though the powers described by their text may not function in all zones. (See rule 500.2.) The only cards that have inactive text while revealed are stunned characters (see rule 701.12b) and equipment attached to stunned characters. (See rule 302.5.)
211. Attack, Defense, and Willpower Values
211.1. Each character card in Vs. System has an attack value (ATK), defense value (DEF), and willpower value.
211.2. If there are numbers in the lower left-hand corner of a card, they represent a character's or character card's ATK and DEF. The number next to the lightning bolt symbol is the printed ATK. The number next to the shield symbol is the printed DEF.
211.3. A character or character card with the keyword "Willpower" followed by a number has a printed willpower value equal to that number. A character or character card without this keyword has willpower 0.
211.3a. While a character is stunned, its willpower becomes 0. Stunned characters can't gain or lose willpower.
212. Icons
212.1. Cards may have a number of icons on the lower left side. Icons are graphical reminders of the "ongoing" keyword and the characteristics flight and range. Flight and range do not appear in the text box of a character that has one or both of them as printed characteristics--they only appear on the card as the appropriate icon.
212.2. Each card has a brand icon in the upper right-hand corner. This gives the card the Marvel or DC characteristic, allowing it to be referred to as a "Marvel card" or "DC card."
212.3. A security foil icon in the shape of the letter "e" is found in the lower right-hand corner of all official cards. It has no effect on gameplay.
212.4. As a modifier removes or adds a characteristic, it does not remove or add icons associated with that characteristic, if any. The icons printed on a card are never added or removed, though whether the card currently has the characteristic associated with those icons may be changed by modifiers.
212.5. The existing icons include those for flight, range, ongoing, and the Marvel or DC brand of a card, as well as the security foil icon. All cards have a brand icon and a security foil icon; not all cards will have each of the first three.
213.1. General
213.1a. There are six zones in the game. Each game zone exists even if there are no cards or objects in that zone. Each can also be referred to without the word "zone." For example, a player's deck zone is also called the player's deck.
213.1b. There are three ordered zones: deck, in-play, and chain. The ordering in the in-play zone is positional (i.e., cards are each in a different position). (See rule 705.) The ordering in the other two ordered zones is top-to-bottom in each one. Players may not alter the ordering of cards in an ordered zone. Players may not alter the ordering of effects on the chain. There are three unordered zones: removed-from-game, KO'd pile, and hand. Players may alter the ordering of cards in their unordered zones.
213.1c. If a card changes zones, it is no longer the same card. Any modifiers affecting it in the previous zone do not continue to affect it in the new zone unless they specify that they do, or unless they also apply to cards in the new zone. An object that changes controllers within the same zone is the same object. (See rule 700.3.)
213.1d. If a card changes zones and goes to a hand, KO'd pile, deck, or removed-from-game zone, it goes to its owner's version of that zone.
213.1e. Zones are either "public" or "non-public." All players may look at the cards in a public zone. The public zones are: KO'd pile, removed-from-game, and chain. Not all players may look at the cards in a non-public zone. No player may look at the cards in a deck. Only a hand's owner may look at the cards in it. Any player may look at cards in play that are in a front or support row and face-up cards in a resource row. However, face-down cards in a resource row may only be looked at by their controller.
213.2a. The deck zone represents the area of the game where players place their decks. Each player has a deck zone.
213.2b. The deck is a non-public zone. No player may look through his or her own deck or any of his or her opponents' decks. The number of cards in a player's deck is public information. Players may not alter the order of cards in any deck.
213.2c. If two or more cards are simultaneously put on the top or bottom of a deck, the owner of those cards may arrange them in any order. That player doesn't reveal the order of those cards.
213.2d. If a modifier instructs a player to search a deck, the deck's owner will shuffle it after the searching player is done searching and possibly retrieving cards from it, even if the card does not mention shuffling that deck.
213.2e. Cards that are drawn from a deck are drawn from the top of that deck.
213.3a. The hand zone represents cards in a player's hand. Each player has a hand zone.
213.3b. The hand is a non-public zone, but a player may look at the cards in his or her hand at any time. The number of cards in any player's hand is public information.
213.3c. If a player is instructed to draw two or more cards simultaneously, those cards are drawn one at a time. If a modifier is revealing the top card of that player's deck while this happens, all the drawn cards are revealed, not just the first drawn and the one still on top after all the draws.
213.4a. The KO'd pile zone represents the area of the game where players place cards that have been KO'd or discarded, plot twist cards that have resolved or been negated from the chain zone, and cards otherwise instructed by game rules or modifiers to go there. Each player has a KO'd pile zone.
213.4b. The KO'd pile is a public zone.
213.4c. If a player is instructed to discard two or more cards simultaneously, those cards are discarded one at a time.
213.5a. The in-play zone represents the part of the game where players may place objects. Each player has his or her own visible area and hidden area in the in-play zone. Moving an object between areas in this zone does not cause it to change zones, leave play, or enter play. Moving an object between rows in this zone does not cause it to change zones. Moving a character between the front and support rows does not cause it to leave play or enter play. Moving a character card from a resource row to a front or support row causes it to enter play as a character. Moving a character into a resource row causes it to leave play as a character and enter play as a resource. (See rule 708.4.) This zone can also be called just "play," as in "put it into play," "when it leaves play," and so on. This should not be confused with the verb "play" as used for announcing a plot twist.
213.5b. There are five types of object that may be in play: characters, plot twists, locations, equipment, and resources. Any object with type "plot twist" or "location" also has type "resource"; any face-up resource object also has type "plot twist" or type "location," but never both. Face-down resources do not have any of the other types listed here. Each type of object has its own specific rules, outlined below and elsewhere in these rules.
213.5c. Each player controls two areas in play: visible and hidden. These two areas are separated by an empty column, with a visible area on the right of this empty column and a hidden area on the left of this empty column. Objects can't occupy the empty column, and each player must clearly mark this column in his or her playing area. A character in a visible area is "visible." (See rule 701.18.) A character in a hidden area is "hidden." (See rule 701.17.)
213.5d. Each player controls three rows in play: front, support, and resource. Hidden areas of the in-play zone do not have resource rows. The front and support rows are where a player places characters. Equipment does not occupy a row, but it is attached to a character, equipping it. (See rule 404.) The resource row is where a player places resources. (See rule 403.) A player's resource row is the row closest to him or her. A player's front row is the row furthest from that player on his or her side of the in-play zone. A player's support row is between his or her front row and resource row.
213.5e. A card becomes an object as part of it being put into play. A player puts a character card or equipment card into play through a series of steps. (See section 214.) A player builds a resource through a different method. (See rule 403.1.) Characters are put into play only in an empty position in a player's front or support row. Equipment are only put into play attached to a character. Resources are built only in the resource row.
213.5f. If a player is instructed to move an object into one of his or her rows from a row that another player controls, the first player gains control of that object as part of moving that object and also gains control of any equipment attached to it. If a player is instructed to transfer an equipment onto a character he or she controls from a character another player controls, the first player gains control of that equipment as part of transferring it.
213.5g. Characters in the front and support rows and equipment attached to those characters are public information.
213.5h. Any player may look at any face-up resource. A player may only look at face-down resources that are in his or her resource row but may do so at any time.
213.5i. If a player is instructed to put two or more cards into the in-play zone simultaneously, those cards all enter play simultaneously. (See rule 702.)
213.6a. The chain zone, or "the chain" for short, represents the area of the game where players place character or equipment cards being recruited, plot twist cards being played from the hand, and/or effects, as instructed by the game rules. All players share the chain zone. There is only one chain; playing an effect does not create a "new" chain.
213.6b. The chain is a public zone. Players may not alter the order of effects or cards on the chain.
213.6c. Effects that are placed onto the chain go on top of the chain, on top of any effects already on the chain.
213.7a. The removed-from-game zone represents the area of the game where players place cards that have been removed from the game by modifiers or costs. Each player has his or her own removed-from-game zone.
213.7b. The removed-from-game zone is a public zone. Cards in this zone are face-up unless otherwise stated on the modifier that placed those cards in this zone. Face-down cards in this zone may not be looked at by any player unless otherwise specified.
213.7c. Placing a card in the removed-from-game zone is also called "removing <card> from the game."
214.1. A character "enters play" as part of it being put into a front or support row in the in-play zone as a character. An equipment "enters play" as part of it being put into the in-play zone as an equipment attached to a character. A character card moving out of a resource row into a front or support row also causes an "enters play" event. (See rule 708.4.) A player puts a character or equipment into play by following the instructions listed below in order. No player receives priority while following these instructions.
214.2. The player makes any choices not already made, such as, "Will this enter play in a visible or hidden area?" for characters with concealed--optional.
214.3. The player physically places the card into play, making it an object, and processes any "enters play exhausted," "enters play stunned" (see rule 214.4), and/or "enters play with counters" modifiers.
214.3a. All characters, except characters with the concealed keyword, enter play in a visible area. Characters with the concealed keyword enter play in a hidden area, even if they enter play stunned. Characters with concealed--optional enter play in the area chosen in rule 214.2, even if they enter play stunned.
214.3b. All equipment, except concealed--optional equipment, enters play attached to a visible character. Concealed--Optional equipment enters play attached to either a visible character or a hidden character.
214.4. The game applies continuous modifiers.
214.5. The game checks to see if any powers trigger (including any on the object itself).
214.6. Some modifiers cause a character to enter play stunned. This alters some aspects of rules 214.3–5.
214.6a. A character that enters play stunned was never non-stunned, and so powers that trigger off a character becoming stunned do not trigger.
214.6b. A character that enters play stunned was never non-stunned, and so its controller does not take stun endurance loss.
214.6c. A character that enters play stunned does not enter play with a cosmic counter.
214.6d. The text box of a character that enters play stunned is inactive, so any of its powers that trigger off it entering play do not trigger
214.6e. A character that enters play stunned still processes the concealed or concealed--optional keyword. (See rule 214.3a.)
215. Counters
215.1. A counter is a physical reminder placed on an object. Each counter is associated with a function that is usually specified by the modifier that created it.
215.1a. Some counters add to and/or subtract from ATK and/or DEF. Counters that alter these values by the same amount are distinguishable from each other only by the timestamps of their modifiers. (See rule 515.2.)
Example: The +1 ATK / +1 DEF counters that Venom, Alien Symbiote puts onto himself can't be distinguished from one that Tinkerer has put onto Venom, but they are both different from the -1 ATK counter that Spider-Man, New Fantastic Four can put on a character.
215.1b. Some counters are named. Named counters with the same name are indistinguishable from each other. Usually, named counters will be referred to by some other modifier and serve either as a simple marker or to keep track of some quantity.
Example: The plague counters placed by Clench Virus and those placed by Wheel of Plagues are both counted by Clench Virus's last triggered power's effect. However, both are different from the micro counters placed by Micro-Sentinels.
215.1c. Counters that modify ATK and/or DEF values have a continuous modifier associated with them. These continuous modifiers, like all continuous modifiers, have a timestamp. (See rule 515.2.) If the counter is removed, the continuous modifier ends.
215.2. Counters on an object remain on that object until that object leaves play or is moved to or from a resource row, or a rule or modifier removes the counters. Stunning or turning an object face down does not remove any counters already on that object. Cosmic counters are an exception to this rule. (See rule 706.7c.)
215.3. As a character, equipment, or resource leaves play, remove all counters from it.
216.1. A player's option to take a new action is called priority. If a player has priority, he or she may play an effect, perform another action that requires priority, or pass priority clockwise to the next player.
216.2. Any time all players in the game pass priority on an empty chain in succession, the game progresses to the next phase, step, or substep. This is called the "all players passing in succession" rule. Taking any action, regardless of whether or not it uses the chain, is different from passing priority, and thus is not "passing in succession." To progress to the next phase, step, or substep, follow the appropriate rules below. (See rule 213.6 for information on the chain.)
216.2a. If progressing into a new phase, all current phases, steps, and/or substeps end. The next phase begins.
216.2b. If progressing into a new step, all current steps and/or substeps end. The next step begins, and the current phase continues.
216.2c. If progressing into a new substep, all current substeps end. The next substep begins, and the current phase and step continue.
216.2d. During the recovery phase, after all players pass on an empty chain in succession, the game processes the "wrap-up" actions before the phase ends. After this set of actions is completed, the recovery phase ends. (See rule 408.2.) This is an exception to rule 216.2.
216.2e. During an attack substep, after all players pass on an empty chain in succession, first process the "attack conclusion" actions. After this set of actions is completed, the current attack substep ends, and the attack step continues. (See rule 602.5.) This is an exception to rule 216.2.
216.2f. Illegal actions that are "rewound"--such as flipping a location incorrectly or playing a power incorrectly--are treated as though they were not performed and do not interrupt "passing in succession."
216.2g. Revealing a face-down resource does not interrupt "passing in succession." Taking an action while the resource is revealed, such as using one of the resource's powers, does interrupt "passing in succession."
217. Putting into Play in the Resource Row
217.1. Cards can be put into play in the resource row by being built there (see rule 403.1), as part of a cost or modifier that puts them there (such as replacing a card--see rule 708.8a), or through a modifier that moves a character into a player's resource row. All of these cause the card to be put into play face-down.
217.1a. "Move" or "exchange" actions may cause a resource, plot twist, or location to move from one resource row to another; this doesn't cause the object to be put into play or leave play, and does not change whether it is face-up unless otherwise specified.
217.2. A card that is put into play in the resource row does not process any continuous modifiers it may have that say to put it into play exhausted or with counters. The text of those modifiers will not be active at the time it would be processed. It also does not process the concealed or concealed--optional keyword, since the resource row has no hidden area, nor does it process "enters play stunned" text, since resources aren't characters and so can't have the stunned characteristic. The card is put into play ready and face-down as a resource object.
300. General
300.1. There are four types of cards in the game: character cards, equipment cards, location cards, and plot twist cards. Each card type follows its own specific rules outlined in the sections below.
300.2. A card may have characteristics or qualities dependent upon its position, icons printed on the card, or its version. Modifiers can change which characteristics or qualities a card has. (See rule 701.)
301. Characters
301.1. Character cards can be identified by the red or black card background and the affiliations in the type line, and/or the ATK/DEF symbols and numbers. A character card with a blank type line has no affiliation.
301.2. A player may recruit a character card only during his or her recruit step (see rule 404) and only when the chain is empty. This is also called "recruiting a character."
301.3. A player recruits a character by following the applicable steps for playing effects. (See section 505.)
301.4. A character card on the chain has the affiliation or affiliations it had in the zone from which it was recruited.
Example: Goblin Glider reads, "Goblin Glider costs 1 less to recruit for each Sinister Syndicate character you recruited this turn." Marvel Team-Up reads, "Characters you control, as well as cards in your deck, hand, and KO'd pile, with either of those affiliations have both of them." You have a Marvel Team-Up in play and have chosen Crime Lords and Sinister Syndicate. You recruit a Crime Lords character from your hand. Because Marvel Team-Up applies in the hand zone, the game will see the character as having both the Crime Lords and Sinister Syndicate affiliations. Goblin Glider costs you 1 less to recruit.
301.5. The character card represents the recruit effect on the chain. Resolving a character's recruit effect follows the rules for resolving recruit effects. (See rule 508.3.) As the recruit effect resolves, the character card is put from the chain into play in the player's front or support row. It is then an object with type "character." (See section 214.)
301.5a. Character cards without concealed are put into play in the player's visible area. Character cards with the concealed keyword are put into play in the player's hidden area. Before character cards with concealed--optional enter play, the player chooses into which of these two areas to put the character into play. This applies whether or not the character is entering play stunned.
301.6. Characters without the version "Army" have the unique characteristic. (See rule 701.15.) As part of resolving a recruit or substitute effect for a unique character, the effect's controller checks the uniqueness rule. (See rule 704.1.)
301.7. Character cards, and only character cards, have the ATK, DEF, willpower, and identity qualities. Only character cards can have affiliations.
302. Equipment
302.1. Equipment cards can be identified by the gray card background and the card type printed in the type line.
302.2. A player may recruit an equipment card only during his or her recruit step (see rule 404) and only when the chain is empty. This is also called "recruiting an equipment."
302.3. A player recruits an equipment by following the applicable steps for playing effects. (See rule 505.) The player must also follow additional rules outlined below.
302.3a. For an object to be legal to attach equipment to (see rule 708.12b), it must have type character; it must be visible, unless the equipment has concealed--optional (see rule 706.10b); it can't have the stunned characteristic; and it can't already have its maximum allowed number of equipment equipped to it. Any existing restrictions on attaching equipment to it must be satisfied, and it must be controlled by the player controlling the effect whose modifier will attach the equipment.
302.3b. The default maximum allowed number of equipment a character can have equipped is one.
302.3c. A recruit effect is targeted if and only if it recruits an equipment card. The target is the character the equipment will get attached to. The effect can't target a character that the equipment could not legally be attached to.
302.4. The equipment card itself represents the recruit effect on the chain. Resolving an equipment's recruit effect follows the rules for resolving recruit effects. (See rule 508.3.) As the recruit effect resolves, the equipment card is put from the chain into play equipping the targeted character. It is then an object with the equipment type. (See section 214.)
302.5. The text of an equipment that is equipped to a stunned character is inactive; that text is treated as though it does not exist.
302.6. If an equipped character leaves play or is moved to a resource row, the equipment attached to that character is put into its owner's KO'd pile as part of that character leaving play.
302.7. If an equipped character moves from a visible area to a hidden area (or vice versa), the equipment attached to that character is put into its owner's KO'd pile as part of moving that character. Concealed--Optional equipment ignores this rule. (See rule 706.10b.)
302.8. Equipment, by default, is not unique but is allowed to have the unique characteristic. As part of attaching a unique equipment to a character, that character's controller checks the uniqueness rule. (See rule 704.3.)
302.8a. Equipment whose text states that it is unique has that text remain active even while the equipment is attached to a stunned character. This is an exception to rule 302.5.
302.9. A player instructed to put an equipment into play attached to a character must follow all applicable rules about what equipment is legal to attach to that character, just as in the cases where the player would be recruiting the equipment to that character or transferring it there. In this case, if the equipment can't legally be attached to that character, the equipment does not enter play attached to that character; it will remain in the zone it was in before the player was instructed to put it into play.
303. Locations
303.1. Location cards can be identified by the green card background and the card type printed in the type line.
303.2. Location cards may only be flipped face up from the resource row. This is also called "flipping a location," and it causes the resource to acquire the type "location" in addition to the "resource" type it had before.
303.3. Flipping a location does not use the chain, but it is still an action. (See rule 510.)
303.4. Locations are unique. As part of flipping a unique location, its controller checks the uniqueness rule. (See rule 704.2.)
304. Plot Twists
304.1. Plot twist cards can be identified by the blue card background and the card type printed on the type line.
304.2. A player may play a plot twist card from either his or her hand or resource row any time he or she has priority. This is also called "playing a plot twist."
304.3. A player plays a plot twist by following the steps for playing effects. (See rule 505.) The player must also follow the additional rules outlined below.
304.4. As the first part of playing a plot twist from the resource row, that player must turn that plot twist face up. This is done as part of rule 505.1a, after revealing the plot twist but before putting the effect on the chain. This causes the resource to acquire the type "plot twist" in addition to the "resource" type it had before.
304.5. If a player plays a plot twist from his or her hand, the plot twist card itself represents the effect on the chain. If a player plays a plot twist from the resource row, the plot twist card stays in that row, and the effect on the chain does not have a card on the chain representing it.
304.6. If a player played a plot twist from his or her hand, then as the effect is resolved, is negated, or otherwise leaves the chain, the player puts the plot twist card from the chain into his or her KO'd pile. If a player played a plot twist from the resource row, then as the effect is resolved, negated, or otherwise leaves the chain, the plot twist object stays in the resource row.
304.7. Some plot twists have additional costs or play restrictions. These are continuous powers that function in the zone the card is played from. (See rule 203.9b.)
304.8. Some plot twists have the ongoing characteristic. Ongoing plot twists can be recognized by the ongoing icon and the keyword "ongoing" in the text box. This makes no difference in how the plot twist is played or resolved, other than as specified below.
304.9. The text in an ongoing plot twist's text box before the word "ongoing" may contain additional costs or play restrictions. Any other text before the word "ongoing" follows the rules of playing effects. (See rule 505.) Some ongoing plot twists have no text before the word "ongoing." Their effects are still played, even though they contain no text. Such a "blank" effect resolves normally but creates no modifier while resolving.
304.10. The text after the word "ongoing" describes the plot twist's ongoing powers. These powers do not follow the rules of playing effects. If the plot twist was played from hand, these powers do not produce any modifiers; if the plot twist was played from the resource row, these powers become active as the plot twist becomes "played" (after all the steps of playing it are done, but before a player receives priority). (See 505.1e.)
Example: Concrete Jungle reads, "Each of your opponents turns all locations he controls face down. <p> Ongoing: Whenever an opponent flips a location, that opponent discards a card." The ongoing triggered power is active once the plot twist is played, while the effect is still on the chain; the effect's modifier that turns the locations face down doesn't happen until the effect resolves. If your opponent flips a location in response to this plot twist, the ongoing triggered power will trigger off that.
304.11. Plot twists are not unique.
400. General
400.1. Each turn is composed of four phases: draw, build, combat, and recovery.
400.2. Players share the phases of each turn.
400.3. Some phases have steps associated with them.
400.4. Each player has his or her own step or steps within any phase that has steps. Players do not share steps. Each player has his or her own substeps within any phase that has substeps.
400.5. Starting with the primary player, players perform all their steps in a phase in order, and then continue clockwise until all players have performed all steps in that phase. Inside of a step or substep, the primary player is the player whose step it is. Outside of a step, the player who has initiative this turn is the primary player.
400.6. Each step and certain phases have instructions that players must carry out in the order given.
400.7. Any time all players in the game pass priority on an empty chain in succession, the game progresses to the next phase, step, or substep. To progress to the next phase, step, or substep, follow the appropriate rules below.
400.7a. If progressing into a new phase, all current phases, steps, and/or substeps end. The next phase begins.
400.7b. If progressing into a new step, all current steps and/or substeps end. The next step begins and the current phase continues.
400.7c. If progressing into a new substep, all current substeps end. The next substep begins and the current phase and step continue.
400.7d. During the recovery phase, after all players pass on an empty chain in succession, the game processes the "wrap-up" actions before the phase ends. After this set of actions is completed, the recovery phase ends. (See rule 408.2.) This is an exception to rule 400.7.
400.7e. During an attack substep, after all players pass on an empty chain in succession, the game processes the "attack conclusion" actions before the substep ends. After this set of actions is completed, the current attack substep ends, and the attack step continues. (See rule 602.5.) This is an exception to rule 400.7.
400.8. As a phase, step, or substep begins, any powers or modifiers that trigger "at the start of" that phase, step, or substep trigger and then have their effects added to the chain. (See rule 506.3.) The primary player then gets priority.
400.9. Skipping Phases or Steps
400.9a. Some modifiers instruct players to skip a phase or step. These modifiers are replacement modifiers. (See rule 513.5.) If a step is to be skipped and the game would begin a player's step, instead, the game begins the following phase or step. If a phase is to be skipped and the game would begin that phase, instead, the game begins the following phase. Skipping a phase automatically skips all steps inside that phase.
Example: Silver Surfer, Harbinger of Oblivion reads, "Loyalty--Reveal <p> Cosmic: Remove three cosmic counters from characters you control >>> Remove Silver Surfer from the game. If you do, players skip the combat phase this turn. Use only during the build phase." If his power is used and resolves, then later this turn as the build phase ends, the game goes directly to recovery phase instead of starting a combat phase. The attack steps of all players (and all attack substeps) inside that combat phase are skipped, since the entire phase is being skipped.
400.9b. If two or more modifiers instruct a player to skip the same step, that player chooses which replacement modifier to apply. (See rule 513.5c.) The remaining modifiers then can no longer apply, since that step has been skipped, and so those modifiers will wait for the next applicable step to skip.
400.9c. If two or more modifiers instruct all players to skip the same phase, the initiative player chooses which replacement modifier to apply. The remaining modifiers then can no longer apply, since that phase has been skipped, and so those modifiers will wait for the next applicable phase to skip.
400.10. Adding Phases or Steps
400.10a. Some modifiers create an additional phase or step of a certain description after the current one.
400.10b. This is a continuous modifier that lasts until it creates the phase or step--that is, until the end of the current one. The new phase or step begins after the current one ends, and after the new one ends, the one originally scheduled to come immediately after the current one begins. In other words, the new phase or step is tucked in between the current one and the one that would normally have been next.
Example: Dr. Doom, Latverian Monarch reads, "Cosmic: KO a character you control >>> You get an additional attack step after this one. At the start of your next attack step this turn, ready all characters you control. Use only during your attack step and only once per turn." Using and resolving this power means that as this attack step ends, a new one begins, but it is a new attack step for you, not one for an opponent. If an opponent was going to have the attack step after yours, that opponent will now get his or her attack step after this new one ends; if your attack step was originally the last one scheduled for this combat phase, then the combat phase will not end until your new attack step ends.
400.10c. The new phase or step follows the usual rules for a phase or step of its kind. If it is a phase that normally has steps and/or substeps, the new phase has the usual steps and/or substeps inside it. If it is a step that normally has substeps inside it, the new step has the usual substeps inside it.
401.1. As the draw phase starts, a game-based effect that says, "Each player draws two cards," is added to the chain. This effect has no controller. Then, any powers or modifiers that trigger at the start of the draw phase trigger and then have their effects added to the chain, along with any that triggered during the previous turn's wrap-up. Then, the primary player gets priority.
402.1. The build phase contains three steps: resource, recruit, and formation. Steps are performed as outlined in rule 400. (See rules 400.5–400.8.)
402.2. As the build phase starts, any powers or modifiers that trigger at the start of the build phase trigger and then have their effects added to the chain. Then, the primary player gets priority.
403.1. As a player's