Marvel Champions

An ability is game text on a card that explains what the card does (or can do). Several examples can be seen in Appendix III of this Rules Reference.

• Card abilities only interact with cards that are in play, unless the ability specifically refers to an out-of-play area or element.
• Abilities on hero, alter-ego, ally, upgrade, and support cards may only be used if the card is in play, unless specified otherwise.
• If an ability specifies one or more targets, that ability can only be initiated if it has at least one valid target.
• Resolve each sentence of an ability one at a time, after reading the entire ability.
• Triggered abilities have a bold timing trigger and colon; constant abilities do not.
• Constant abilities, Setup, Forced, Boost, and keyword abilities are mandatory unless they contain ”may”. Others (like Action, Interrupt) are optional.
• Only the controller of certain cards (like attachments or obligations) may trigger those abilities.
• Simultaneous Timing Priority (when multiple things happen at once): constant > status cards > forced interrupt > interrupt > boost/when revealed > forced response > response > consequential damage.

An acceleration icon adds additional threat to the main scheme during step one of the villain phase. Place X additional threat, where X = number of acceleration icons.

• They can be removed by defeating the encounter card they’re printed on.
• They are not the same as acceleration tokens.

Acceleration tokens act like acceleration icons but are tracked differently.

• They are placed next to the main scheme when the encounter deck is empty or by card effects.
• They can’t be removed from the main scheme once in play.
• Tokens on other cards are removed if that card leaves play.
• Tokens ≠ icons (though they function similarly).

“Action” is a type of triggered ability that players can use during their turn or on request during others’ turns.

• Can only be triggered from cards you control or from encounter cards.
• Cannot be used on obligations in other players’ areas.

An activation occurs when an enemy attacks or schemes. The villain and each minion activate once per round.

• Villains attack if you’re in hero form; scheme if you’re in alter-ego form.
• Minions activate in the same way based on your form.
• Each villain activation gets a boost card.
• If a minion leaves play during its activation, that activation ends.
• Activations that are nested resolve in order, one at a time.

The active player is the one currently taking their turn during the player phase.

See: Alteration Effect

“After” indicates a game occurrence that has just concluded. Common in response abilities.

Used to track various custom game states like “arrow counters” or “web counters.”

With the alliance keyword, any player(s) may help pay the cost of the card being played.

Allies are player cards that help attack, thwart, or defend. Max 3 per player in play at once.

• Exhaust to attack/thwart.
• Take consequential damage after attacking or thwarting.
• Can defend for any player.
• Abilities from allies are not considered to come from your identity.

Max 3 allies per player. Exceeding this requires immediate discard down to 3, before enter-play effects.

See: Alteration Effect

These modify the resolution of a preceding ability, including:

• “Additional”: modifier resolved at same time.
• “Already”: alternate resolution if condition is already true.
• “Each time”: interrupt to temporarily resolve something mid-effect.
• “This/That Activation/Attack/Thwart”: modifies the specific activation or attack.

See: Form, Identity

Each amplify icon adds 1 additional boost icon when a boost card is revealed during enemy activation.

Indicates simultaneous resolution of multiple effects. Each can be canceled or prevented separately.

See: Cost Arrow Icon

Cards belonging to one of the aspects (Aggression, Justice, Leadership, Protection). Only one aspect per deck.

Keyword that causes a character to use ATK instead of THW when thwarting that scheme.

See: Attack (Player Ability Type), Basic Power

Attachment is an encounter card type. When an attachment enters play, it attaches to another card or game element.

• If an attachment attaches to a character, it may modify that character’s ATK, SCH, and/or THW values, as indicated by the values in the associated fields on the attachment card.
• If an attachment has a “SCH/THW” modifier, it modifies the attached character’s SCH if that character is a villain or minion, and modifies the attached character’s THW if that character is a hero or ally.
• If an attachment modifies a value the attached character does not have or for which that character has a dash (–) as a value, that modifier is ignored.
• When an attachment attached to a player card uses the word “you” or “your,” it refers to the attached player card’s controller.
• Only the player who controls the card to which that attachment is attached can trigger abilities or pay costs on that attachment.

See also: Attach To, Dash (Value), Encounter Card, Enters Play, Game Element

If a card uses the phrase “attach to”, it must be attached to (placed beneath and slightly overlapped by) the specified game element as it enters play.

• Once a card is attached, it remains in play until either the element it is attached to leaves play, in which case the attached card is discarded, or an ability or game effect causes the attached card to leave play.
• An attached card exhausts and readies independently of the game element it is attached to.
• The “attach to” phrase is checked for legality when the card would be attached to a game element, but it is not checked again after it is attached. If the initial “attach to” check does not pass, the card is not able to be attached, so it remains in its prior state or game area. If such a card cannot remain in its prior state or game area, discard it.

See also: Attachment, Game Element, Upgrade

An attack is a type of enemy activation. When an enemy initiates an attack, it targets a specific player, then resolves that attack against that player.

• Enemy attacks are always initiated against both a player and a character.
• Normally the attacked character is the player’s hero, but abilities can instead cause an enemy to attack a player’s alter-ego or an ally that player controls. In all of these cases, the player is still considered attacked.
• If a player other than the attacked player defends the attack with a character they control, that player becomes the new target of that attack.
• Abilities that trigger “When/After [enemy] attacks you” are resolved when/after a player is attacked, regardless of which character they control was attacked.

To resolve an enemy attack, follow these steps:

1. If a villain, or a minion with the villainous keyword, is attacking, give it one facedown boost card from the encounter deck. (If a minion without the villainous keyword is attacking, skip this step.)
2. If a player wishes to defend, that player exhausts a hero or ally as the defender. If a player other than the target player defends, the defending player becomes the target player for this attack.
3. Resolve each of the attacking enemy’s boost cards, one at a time and in the order in which they were dealt.
4. Deal damage from the attack equal to the attacking enemy’s modified ATK value based on the defense.
5. Trigger post-attack effects: Retaliate, Forced effects, Response effects, etc.

Other notes:

• Interrupts that trigger “when [villain name] attacks” have the same timing as “when the villain initiates an attack.”
• If an attack ends before dealing damage, only some abilities trigger (e.g., defense-related, not attack-related).

See also: Activation, Ally, Attacks Against Allies, Boost, Damage, Defend, Enemy, Identity, Minion, Modifiers, Retaliate X, Target, Villain, Villainous

Some game effects and card abilities reference an attack. There are several types of attacks:

• A hero or ally can use their basic attack power to attack an enemy. This exhausts the character and deals damage equal to ATK.
• If a triggered ability is labeled “Hero Action (attack)”, resolving that ability is considered an attack without exhausting unless specified.
• Abilities with “make the following X attacks in order” create multiple distinct attacks.
• Retaliate X applies to each attacked enemy that survives.

Trigger order for post-attack effects:

1. Retaliate X
2. Forced abilities with triggers like “after [character] attacks or is attacked”
3. Non-forced abilities with similar triggers
4. Consequential damage (for allies)

See also: Ally, Basic Power, Damage, Defend, Enemy, Identity, Labeled Ability, Minion, Modifiers, Retaliate X, Target, Villain

Some effects cause a villain or minion to attack an ally directly. When this happens:

• Undefended damage is placed on the ally that was attacked.
• The player who controls the ally is considered the attacked player.
• Any abilities referring to “you” refer to the ally’s controller.
• Other players may defend with their own heroes or allies.
• If the attack has overkill and defeats the ally, excess damage goes to the controlling player’s identity.

See also: Ally, Attack (Enemy Activation), Defend, Target

A defined value before modifiers are applied. In most cases, it is also the printed value.

See also: Modifiers, Printed

Cards in the “Basic” classification are cards that are not associated with a specific identity or aspect.

• When building a deck, a player may customize the remainder of their deck (the portion not allocated to their identity-specific cards) using basic cards.
• A card is designated as basic if it has the word “Basic” printed at the bottom of the card in its deckbuilding classification area.
• Basic cards are not aspect cards.

See also: Aspect Card, Classifications, Identity-Specific Card, Appendix I: Deck Customization

A basic power is a statistic that allows a character to perform a certain game function. There are five different basic powers:

• Attack power (ATK): Used to perform a basic attack and deal damage to another character. Generally used by heroes, allies, villains, and minions.
• Thwart power (THW): Used to remove threat from a scheme. Generally used by heroes and allies.
• Defense power (DEF): Used to prevent damage from an attack. Generally only heroes have this.
• Recovery power (REC): Used to heal damage from oneself. Generally only alter-egos have this.
• Scheme power (SCH): Used to place threat on the main scheme. Generally used by villains and minions.

See also: Ally, Attack (Enemy Activation), Attack (Player Ability Type), Defend, Identity, Minion, Recover, Scheme (Enemy Activation), Thwart

Each time the villain attacks or schemes, the villain is given one facedown card from the encounter deck, as a boost card. Minions with the villainous keyword are also given a boost card when they activate.

During the activation (and after any defenders are declared if the villain is attacking), each boost card on the enemy is turned face up one at a time. Add the number of boost icons on each card to the enemy’s ATK value (if it is attacking) or SCH value (if it is scheming) for that activation.

• Boost icons are located at the bottom-right of the card.
• If the boost field has a star icon, it indicates that the card has a “Boost” ability, which must be resolved.
• The star icon is not considered a boost icon and does not contribute to ATK/SCH values.
• Only the ability text beneath the divider line is active on a card that is resolving as a boost card.
• Damage dealt by a boost ability is not considered damage from the activation itself.
• All boost cards for an activation are cumulative in icons and abilities.
• After applying a boost card to an activation, discard it.
• If a boost card is dealt outside of activation, it remains facedown until that enemy activates.
• Villains and villainous minions still get a new boost card at the start of their activation, even if one is already facedown on them.

See also: Attack (Enemy Activation), Scheme (Enemy Activation), Star Icon, Villainous

See: Modes of Play

Cards in the “campaign-specific” classification are cards that belong to a campaign’s set of accompanying cards.

• Campaign-specific cards can only be used during a campaign from the same product (determined by that product’s set icon).
• A campaign’s rules determine how players utilize campaign-specific cards within that campaign.
• A campaign-specific card is designated by the word “Campaign” printed at the bottom of the card in its encounter set name area.

See also: Classifications, Modes of Play

Some card abilities can cancel card or game effects.

• Cancel abilities interrupt the initiation of effects and prevent them from resolving.
• The ability is still regarded as initiated, and any costs are still paid. Only the effects are prevented.
• Event cards whose effects are canceled are still considered played and are discarded.
• Treachery cards whose effects are canceled are still revealed and discarded to the encounter discard pile.
• Cancel effects are replacement effects with no replacement effect occurring.
• Abilities dependent on the canceled effect do not trigger.

See also: Ability, Replacement Effect

The word “cannot” is absolute and cannot be countermanded by other abilities or effects.

If two effects conflict, the one with “cannot” takes precedence.

See also: Target

See: Ability

A card’s card type denotes various rules and game functions associated with that card.

• Player cards: ally, event, identity, player side scheme, resource, support, upgrade
• Encounter cards: attachment, environment, main scheme, minion, obligation, side scheme, treachery, villain
• If a card changes type, it loses all previous types and functions as the new type.
• Attachments stay attached, but only those referencing the new type remain active.
• Allies that become minions no longer take consequential damage when attacking/scheming.

See also: Appendix III: Card Anatomy, and many card type entries.

Identities (heroes and alter-egos), allies, villains, and minions are all characters.

See also: Ally, Identity, Minion, Villain

The phrase “choose a [game element]” (e.g., ally, minion, scheme) means a player must select a valid target.

• The player resolving the ability chooses.
• If no valid targets exist, the ability cannot be initiated.
• If multiple targets are required, choose as many as possible up to the required number.
• Effects that allow “any number” of choices require at least one to resolve.

See also: Ability, Game Element, Player, Target

When choosing between options (e.g., “take 1 damage or discard a card”):

• If required by an encounter card, a player must choose the option they can most fully resolve.
• For player card effects, players cannot choose an option they cannot at least partially resolve.

See also: Ability, Player, Target

A card’s classification is based on its attributes and determines deckbuilding and usage rules:

• Identity-specific: tied to a specific hero
• Aspect: Aggression, Justice, Leadership, Protection
• Basic: not tied to any aspect or identity
• Scenario-specific: part of a scenario
• Modular (encounter) set
• Campaign-specific
• Standard / Expert: difficulty modifiers

See also: all related card classification entries

Confused is a status effect that cancels the next scheme or thwart.

• Give a confused status card when a character becomes confused.
• Steady characters need 2 confused status cards to be considered confused.
• Characters that “cannot be confused” ignore the status card.
• Confused characters discard the status card instead of thwarting or scheming.
• The character is not considered to have thwarted/schemed after discarding the card.

See also: Status Cards, Identity, Villain, Target

After an ally attacks or thwarts, it takes damage equal to the number of consequential damage icons below ATK or THW.

• Damage is taken after resolving triggered abilities.
• If the target leaves play before damage/threat is resolved, no consequential damage is dealt.
• The ally is not considered to have attacked/thwarted in this case.

See also: Ally, Basic Power, Damage, Thwart

See: Ability

See: Ownership and Control

A copy of a card is defined by title (and subtitle if present), regardless of card text, artwork, etc.

See also: Card Types, Subtitle

A card’s resource cost must be paid to play it. Abilities may also have separate costs.

• Costs are indicated by the cost arrow (→) in ability text.
• Costs must be paid in full to resolve the effect.
• Per-player cost icons () are multiplied by starting players, then reduced as a whole.
• Resources may be generated via discarding cards or using resource abilities.
• Excess resources are lost after payment.
• All multiple costs must be paid simultaneously or not at all.
• If dealing damage is a cost, it’s paid even if prevented; if taking damage is a cost, it must be fully taken.

See also: Ability, Cost Arrow Icon, Game Element

A cost arrow (→) in ability text separates cost from effect. Costs before the arrow must be resolved fully before resolving the effect.

See also: Cost, Icons

See: All-Purpose Counter

While at least one crisis icon is in play, threat cannot be removed from the main scheme by any player.

See also: Main Scheme, Threat

Damage reduces a character’s hit points. If a character has zero or fewer remaining hit points, it is defeated.

• Identities and villains use a hit point dial to track damage taken.
• Allies and minions use damage tokens placed directly on the card.
• When damage is dealt to a character, that character takes damage.
• Modifying the amount of damage dealt affects the damage taken, and vice versa.

Resolution order for damage effects:

1. “When [character] would deal/be dealt damage…”
2. Tough status cards
3. “When [character] would take damage…”
4. “When [character] takes damage…”
5. Damage placement
6. “When [character] would be defeated…”
7. “When [character] is defeated…”
8. “When Defeated” abilities
9. Discarding defeated characters
10. “After [character] deals/takes/defeats/is defeated…”

See also: Component Limitations, Defeat, Hit Points, Indirect Damage, Move, Prevent, Tough

A dash (–) indicates a value cannot be used.

• A card with dash as cost cannot be played normally.
• A character with dash as a power value (e.g., ATK, THW) cannot exhaust to use that power.
• Dash is treated as an unmodifiable 0 if referenced by a game step or ability.

See also: Basic Power, Non-Numerical Variable

During step three of the villain phase, each player is dealt one facedown encounter card.

• If a card effect instructs a player to be dealt a card, place the top card of the encounter deck facedown in front of them (not revealed yet).
• If this happens during step 3 or 4 of the villain phase, it’s added to the queue of cards to be revealed in that phase.

See also: Ability, Encounter Card, Encounter Deck, Player, Villain Phase

There are four main deck types: player deck, encounter deck, villain deck, and main scheme deck. Some scenarios may introduce more.

The order of cards in a deck cannot be changed unless a game effect allows it.

See also: Encounter Deck, Main Scheme, Player Deck, Villain

See: Appendix I: Deck Customization

See: Basic Power, Defend

If a character has 0 or fewer hit points, or a side scheme has 0 threat, it is defeated.

• Allies, minions, and side schemes: discard them.
• Identities and villain stages: remove them from the game.

See also: Ally, Hit Points, Minion, Player, Player Elimination, Removed from the Game, Side Scheme, Villain, Villain Defeat

During an enemy attack, a player may defend using a hero or ally they control.

• Only one character may defend each attack.
• Basic defense: hero exhausts, reduces damage by DEF value.
• Ally defense: exhaust ally, all damage goes to ally.
• Defense-labeled abilities (e.g., “Hero Interrupt (defense)”) count as defending even without exhausting.
• Only one player may resolve defense abilities per attack.
• If a defending ally is defeated before damage resolves, the attack is considered undefended.
• “You” refers to the target of the attack or defender depending on context.

See also: Ability, Ally, Attack (Enemy Activation), Damage, Identity, Labeled Ability

Abilities that specify a future time or condition and resolve automatically when that moment comes.

• Resolve immediately before responses to that condition can be used.
• Not considered new triggered abilities when they resolve.

See also: Ability

Moving a card to its owner’s discard pile.

• Player cards: faceup on the owning player’s discard pile.
• Encounter cards: faceup in the encounter discard pile.
• Multiple discards from hand or play: place in any order.
• Deck discards: place one at a time, order unchanged, effects resolved after all discards.
• Discarded from top of deck: still counts as discarded from the top.

See also: Discard Pile, In Play and Out of Play, Ownership and Control

Out-of-play area for discarded cards.

• Each player has a discard pile; encounter deck has its own.
• Piles are open information.
• Order of cards cannot be changed unless an effect says so.
• Shuffling zero cards does not shuffle the deck.

See also: Discard, In Play and Out of Play, Ownership and Control

A card is double-sided if neither side has a card back.

• If it would enter an out-of-play area other than victory or set-aside, remove it from the game.
• If it has “Standard Mode Only” and “Expert Mode Only” sides, use the appropriate one based on the mode.

See also: Encounter Card, Player Card, Victory X, Villain

To draw a card, take it from the top of your deck and add it to your hand.

• Draw cards one at a time.
• Hand size is checked at the end of the player phase. Discard to hand size if needed.

See also: Discard, In Play and Out of Play, Ownership and Control, Player Deck

When each player is instructed to resolve an effect, each player resolves that effect one at a time.

• If the effect does not specify order, the first player decides.
• If a player cannot fully resolve, they do as much as possible (e.g. discarding until deck empties).

See also: Choose (Game Element), Player

See: Alteration Effect

See: Ability, Cost

See: Encounter Deck, Player Deck

There are eight encounter card types: attachment, environment, minion, main scheme, obligation, side scheme, treachery, and villain.

• Encounter cards may be scenario-specific or modular.
• Most encounter cards have orange backs.

See also: Attachment, Classifications, Environment, Main Scheme, Minion, Obligation, Side Scheme, Treachery, Villain

The encounter deck holds the encounter cards faced in a scenario.

• Order cannot be changed except by rules/effects.
• If empty, shuffle discard pile to form new deck and place an acceleration token.
• If a discard instruction empties the deck, that effect is considered resolved without continuing.
• If both deck and discard are empty, infinite acceleration tokens = instant loss.

See also: Acceleration Token, Attachment, Discard, Environment, Minion, Side Scheme, Treachery

See: Discard Pile

An encounter set is a grouping of encounter cards.

• Types: scenario-specific, modular, Standard set, Expert set.

See also: Classifications, Expert Set, Modular Encounter Set, Scenario-Specific Card, Standard Set

Steps to end the player phase:

1. Each player may discard cards and must discard down to hand size.
2. Draw up to hand size.
3. Ready all cards simultaneously.
4. End “until end of phase” effects.
5. Resolve “when/after phase ends” effects.

See also: Discard, Draw, Hand Size, Player Phase

An enemy is a minion or villain. As a descriptor, “enemy” refers to scenario-owned elements (enemy cards, abilities, etc.).

See also: Game Element, Minion, Villain

See: Activation, Attack (Enemy Activation), Scheme (Enemy Activation)

See: Activation, Attack (Enemy Activation)

See: Activation, Scheme (Enemy Activation)

One of the four resource types.

• Can be spent for costs.
• Some effects require specifically energy resources.

See also: Ability, Cost, Icons, Mental Resource, Physical Resource, Resource, Wild Resource

A minion engages a player when entering play in their area.

• Normally engages the player resolving its card.
• Remains engaged until defeated, removed, or moved by effect.
• “Engage a minion” effects count as that minion engaging.
• Cannot re-engage the same player.

See also: Ability, Defeat, Minion, Player

Any transition from out-of-play to in play (e.g., played from hand, put into play by effect, revealed from deck).

See also: In Play and Out of Play, Leaves Play, Play, Reveal

An encounter card type that creates ongoing rules.

• Enters villain’s play area, remains until removed.

See also: Card Types, Encounter Card, Enters Play, Leaves Play, Villain

A player card type, usually for instantaneous effects.

• Played from hand, pay costs, resolve effect, then discard.
• If canceled, still considered played (costs paid).
• Optional unless “must” specified.
• Cannot play without a valid target if required.
• Event actions are considered performed by the identity.
• If modified damage/threat, applies to all instances in that event.

See also: Card Types, Discard, Identity, Player, Ownership and Control

Damage beyond a character’s remaining hit points.

See also: Ally, Damage, Hit Points, Identity, Minion, Villain

A card turned 90 degrees.

• Cannot exhaust again until readied.
• Abilities still function unless exhausting is part of cost.

See also: Ready

See: Modes of Play

Encounter set added in Expert Mode.

• Not a modular set, cannot be chosen as one.
• Cards marked “Expert” at bottom are part of it.

See also: Classifications, Modes of Play, Modular Encounter Set

When instructed to find a card, a player searches each game area where that card could be found (play area, set-aside area, player deck, discard pile, encounter deck, etc.).

• Players should not unnecessarily search game areas if they know where the card they are looking for can be found.
• All game areas are subject to search when resolving a “find” instruction, with the following exceptions:
  • Facedown encounter cards.
  • The victory display.
  • Cards that have been removed from the game.
• If a player is instructed to “find and reveal” a minion that is already in play, that player engages that minion and resolves any keywords and/or triggered abilities that resolve as a result of that minion being revealed (such as that minion’s “When Revealed” ability).
  • That minion retains all attachments and tokens on it.
  • That minion is not considered to be entering play.
  • That minion is considered to engage that player unless it was already engaged with that player.

See also: Search, Removed from the Game, Victory Display

A first player is determined by the players at the beginning of the game.

The first player token is used to indicate which player is the first player. At the end of the round (during step five of the villain phase) the first player token passes to the next clockwise player, who becomes first player for the next round.

If the first player is eliminated, the first player token immediately passes clockwise to the next player.

The players as a group are encouraged to work together, but the first player decides the following:

• If an encounter card targets a specific player or card, and there are multiple eligible targets, the first player selects among the eligible options.
• If an encounter card requires a card ability to be resolved, a game function to be performed, or a choice to be made but does not specify which player should act, the first player does so.
• If two or more effects would resolve simultaneously, the first player decides the order in which to resolve them.

The first player has timing priority in the following situations:

• The first player has the first opportunity to use an interrupt at each appropriate game moment. Interrupt opportunities then proceed among the remaining players in player order.
• The first player has the first opportunity to use a response at each appropriate game moment. Response opportunities then proceed among the remaining players in player order.

See also: In Player Order, Player, Player Elimination, Player Phase

When instructed to flip a card, turn that card upside down so that the face that was faceup is now facedown.

• A foldable, “three-sided” card is considered to have flipped any time the faceup side of the card changes.
• When a card flips, if the new faceup side of that card has:
  • The same card type as the previous face, the card retains all attachments, status cards, and tokens.
  • A different card type from the previous face, all attachments, status cards, and tokens are discarded from the card.

See also: Double-Sided Card

“For each” indicates an effect is repeated based on the number of a countable game element.

• If an effect with “for each” requires a target, that effect applies to a single target unless the “for each” clause includes a “choose” instruction.
• If a “for each” effect without a “choose” instruction deals damage or removes threat, it is considered a single instance of damage dealt or threat removed, respectively.
• If a “for each” effect with a “choose” instruction deals damage or removes threat, each iteration is a separate instance, even if the same target is chosen multiple times.
• If another ability modifies a “for each” effect, that modifier is applied to each instance of the “for each” effect.

See also: Ability, Target

Forced is a bold trigger word. If the word “Forced” precedes a triggered ability, the ability’s initiation is mandatory.

• If a forced ability requires one or more targets to resolve and it has no valid targets, it does not initiate (costs are not paid).
• For any given triggering condition, forced interrupts initiate before non-forced interrupts, and forced responses before non-forced responses.
• If two or more forced abilities would initiate at the same moment, the first player determines the order.
• Each forced ability must resolve as completely as possible before the next forced ability from the same trigger may initiate.

See also: Ability, Target

A player can be in either hero or alter-ego form at a given time, as indicated by their identity card.

• Once each round during their turn, a player may change form by flipping their identity card.
• When changing form, only the form changes; sustained damage, status cards, lasting effects, attachments, tokens, and ready/exhausted state remain.
• If a card ability causes a player to change forms, it does not count against the one voluntary form change per turn.
• While in hero form, abilities that interact with alter-ego do not interact with the identity (and vice versa).
• Cards with the “[type] form” keyword grant unique forms (in addition to hero/alter-ego) with their own conditions for changing into them.
  • Changing these additional forms does not count against the hero↔alter-ego flip limit, but it does count as changing form for triggering effects.
• Cards with “[type] form only” can only be played/put into play while in that specified form.

See also: Flip, Identity, Keywords

Friendly is a blanket term that refers to cards the players control.

If a card gains a characteristic (such as a trait, 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.

See also: Keywords, Printed, Traits

A game element is a component or person involved in playing a game of Marvel Champions. All of the following are game elements:

• Cards
• Decks
• Discard Piles
• Hands (of cards)
• Hit Point Dials
• Players
• Tokens

See also: Card Types, Deck, Discard Pile, Player, Target

See: Resource

If a card ability causes a character to “get” a statistic (such as +1 ATK or 4 hit points), the ability modifies the character’s statistic while it is active.

• If such an ability expires or otherwise becomes inactive, the modified statistic reverts to the value it would have without the modifier.
• If such an ability causes a character to get hit points, it modifies the character’s remaining hit points while the ability remains active, and also modifies the character’s maximum hit points while the ability remains active.

See also: Ally, Hit Points, Identity, Minion, Villain

While a minion with the guard keyword is engaged with a player, that player cannot use cards they control to attack a villain without this keyword.

See also: Attack (Player Ability Type), Engage, Keywords, Minion, Reminder Text, Villain

Each player checks their hand size at the end of the player phase, either discarding down to or drawing up to the number of cards indicated by their hand size value.

• When drawing up to their hand size, a player draws cards one at a time, checking after each card is drawn whether they are at their hand size.

See also: End of Player Phase

During step three of the villain phase, for each hazard icon on cards in play, deal one player one additional card (not one card per player). Additional cards are dealt in player order (first additional card to the first player, the second to the second player, etc.).

See also: Deal, In Player Order, Villain Phase

If an ability heals a character, damage the character has sustained can be removed from the character.

• A heal effect can only bring a character to its maximum hit points, unless the effect explicitly states it can bring the character above its maximum.
• Effects that move damage off of a character are considered to heal that character.

See also: Ally, “Gets”, Hit Points, Identity, Minion, Villain

See: Form, Identity

See: Modes of Play

When a card with the hinder X keyword enters play, place X threat on that card. (X is the value next to the hinder keyword.)

See also: Enters Play, Keywords, Reminder Text, Reveal, Threat

Each character (identity, ally, minion, and villain) has a hit point value. Hit points represent the durability of that character. When damage is dealt to a character, it reduces the character’s remaining hit points.

• The phrase “starting hit points” refers to an identity’s printed hit point value.
• An identity’s or villain’s hit point dial represents their remaining hit points. If an identity or villain is damaged, apply the damage by reducing that character’s hit point dial by the specified amount.
• If a player’s hit point dial is reduced to zero, that player is defeated and eliminated from the game.
• If a villain’s hit point dial is reduced to zero, that stage of the villain is defeated.
• If an ally or minion is damaged, track the damage by placing damage tokens on that character. Zero or fewer remaining hit points defeats them.
• Some characters may have infinite hit points, meaning they cannot be defeated by taking damage, but can still be dealt damage.

See also: Ally, Damage, Defeat, “Gets”, Heal, Identity, Maximum Hit Points, Minion, Player Elimination, Remaining Hit Points, Sustained Damage, Villain, Villain Defeat

Icons are graphical elements that represent various functions within the game.

• Energy Icon (): Generates one energy resource when spent. (See: Energy Resource)
• Mental Icon (): Generates one mental resource when spent. (See: Mental Resource)
• Physical Icon (): Generates one physical resource when spent. (See: Physical Resource)
• Wild Icon (): Can generate one energy, mental, physical, or wild resource when spent. (See: Wild Resource)
• Acceleration Icon (): Places additional threat on the main scheme during the villain phase. (See: Acceleration Icon)
• Amplify Icon (): Increases the number of boost icons on boost cards during enemy activations by one. (See: Amplify Icon)
• Crisis Icon (): Prevents players from removing threat from the main scheme. (See: Crisis Icon)
• Hazard Icon (): Increases the number of encounter cards dealt to players during the villain phase. (See: Hazard Icon)
• Boost Icon (): Increases the activating enemy’s ATK or SCH during activations. (See: Boost)
• Star Icon (): Indicates a mandatory ability in the text box that corresponds to a stat or boost field. (See: Star Icon)
• Consequential Damage Icon (): After an ally attacks or thwarts, it takes consequential damage equal to icons in that field. (See: Consequential Damage)
• Per Player Icon (): Multiplies a value by the number of players who started the scenario. (See: Per Player Icon)
• Unique Icon (): Indicates a card is unique. (See: Unique Icon)

Identity is a player card type that represents which character a player is playing in the game. A player’s identity card is double-sided (hero / alter-ego).

• Each player begins the game in alter-ego form.
• If a card refers to a hero or alter-ego by title, it refers only to that side.
• Identity cards cannot be discarded.
• Faceup side is in play; facedown side is out of play.

See also: Form, In Play and Out of Play, Player, Player Card

Cards in the “identity-specific” classification belong to an identity’s set of cards.

• A player’s deck must include each identity-specific card of their identity.
• They may only be used alongside an identity with the same set icon.
• An identity-specific card is designated by the identity icon in the bottom right corner.
• Identity cards themselves are identity-specific cards.

See also: Aspect Card, Basic Card, Classifications, Identity, Nemesis Encounter Set, Appendix I: Deck Customization

A card is either in play or out of play depending on its state.

• In Play: Identity (faceup), allies, supports, upgrades; villain & main scheme top cards; faceup attachments, environments, minions, obligations, side schemes.
• Out of Play: Hand, deck, discard pile; encounter deck/discard; unrevealed villain & scheme cards; set aside/removed from the game; facedown attachments.
• Event & treachery cards resolve from out of play.
• A card leaves play when moving from in-play to an out-of-play area.

See also: Ability, Enters Play, Leaves Play, Play, Play Restrictions and Permissions, Set Aside, Target, Victory Display

If players are instructed to perform a sequence “in player order,” the first player acts first, followed clockwise.

• If sequence does not conclude, continue clockwise until complete.
• “Next player” means the next clockwise player.

See also: Find, Player, Player Phase, Player Turn

When revealed, place X threat on the main scheme. (X is the value of Incite.)

See also: Keywords, Main Scheme, Reminder Text, Reveal, Threat

Some effects deal indirect damage, which can be divided among characters as chosen.

• Indirect damage to a player can be split among their characters.
• Group indirect damage can be split among friendly characters.
• Assign all indirect damage first, then resolve simultaneously.
• A character cannot be assigned more indirect damage than would defeat it (ignoring abilities).
• Tough absorbs all indirect damage assigned to that character.
• Characters that cannot take damage cannot be assigned it.
• If none available, damage is ignored.
• If from an enemy attack, damage is assigned after defense step.

See also: Ally, Attack (Enemy Activation), Damage, Defeat, Player

See: Hit Points

Steps to initiate an ability or play a card:

1. Check restrictions and valid targets.
2. Determine costs and ability to pay.
3. Place card faceup (if playing).
4. Apply cost modifiers.
5. Pay costs (abort if cannot).
6. Ability/card attempts to initiate.
7. Card resolves (enters play or event resolves & discards).

• Interrupts may trigger just before a condition occurs.
• Responses may trigger immediately after.
• If card leaves play mid-sequence, resolution continues unless required cost fails.

See also: Ability, Cost, Play Restrictions and Permissions, Target

See: Replacement Effect

Interrupts are triggered abilities that resolve immediately before their triggering condition resolves.

• Triggered by “Interrupt” timing word.
• Players may only trigger interrupts on their cards or encounter cards (not obligations in others’ areas).
• Multiple interrupts can respond to one condition, but each only once per occurrence.
• “Would” interrupts resolve before condition initiates (when imminent).
• Opportunities cycle in player order until all pass consecutively.
• If replaced or canceled, no further interrupts to original condition may trigger.

See also: Cancel, Replacement Effect, Triggered Ability, “Would”

A keyword is an attribute that conveys specific rules to its card.

• If a card gains multiple instances of a keyword, any additional instances have no effect unless that keyword is followed by a number (e.g. Hinder X, Retaliate X). In such cases, the values are cumulative.

The following keywords are used in the game:

• Alliance: Other players may help pay the costs for an alliance card. (See: Alliance)
• Assault: A character thwarts using ATK instead of THW against a scheme with Assault. (See: Assault)
• Form: Grants an identity a unique form. (See: Form)
• Guard: While engaged, a player cannot attack the villain. (See: Guard)
• Hinder X: When entering play, place X threat on the card. (See: Hinder X)
• Incite X: When revealed, place X threat on the main scheme. (See: Incite X)
• Linked (Card Title): Linked cards are set aside until the specified card brings them into play. (See: Linked)
• Overkill: Excess damage from attacks is dealt to the identity or villain. (See: Overkill)
• Patrol: While engaged, the player cannot thwart the main scheme. (See: Patrol)
• Peril: While resolving a card with peril, other players cannot assist. (See: Peril)
• Permanent: These cards cannot leave play. (See: Permanent)
• Piercing: Discards tough status before damage is dealt. (See: Piercing)
• Quickstrike: After engaging, the enemy immediately attacks if the player is in hero form. (See: Quickstrike)
• Ranged: Attacks ignore retaliate. (See: Ranged)
• Requirement (Resources): A card cannot be played unless the specified resources are spent. (See: Requirement)
• Restricted: A player cannot control more than two restricted cards. (See: Restricted)
• Retaliate X: After being attacked, deal X damage to the attacker. (See: Retaliate X)
• Setup: These cards start the game in play. (See: Setup)
• Stalwart: Cannot be stunned or confused. (See: Stalwart)
• Steady: Requires two stunned/confused cards to be affected. (See: Steady)
• Surge: After revealing, reveal an additional encounter card. (See: Surge)
• Team-Up: Requires both listed characters in play to be used. (See: Team-Up)
• Teamwork (Trait): When a minion with teamwork engages and another with the same trait is in play, all with that trait activate. (See: Teamwork)
• Temporary: Must be discarded at the end of the round. (See: Temporary)
• Toughness: When entering play, place a tough status card. (See: Tough/Toughness)
• Uses (X “type”): Enter play with X counters. Discard after last counter removed. (See: Uses)
• Victory X: When defeated, add to victory display. (See: Victory X)
• Villainous: When a minion with villainous activates, it gets a boost card. (See: Villainous)

A labeled ability is a triggered ability with a parenthetical following its bold trigger text that designates that ability as an attack, defense, and/or thwart.

• When resolving an ability labeled “(attack),” it is considered an attack made by that player’s identity.
• When resolving an ability labeled “(defense),” it is considered a defense made by that player’s identity.
  • If initiated during an attack, that identity becomes the defender.
• When resolving an ability labeled “(thwart),” it is considered a thwart made by that player’s identity.
• If an ability has multiple labels, it is considered all of those types simultaneously.
• If a labeled ability is triggered while the identity has status cards canceling any of those labels, the entire ability (except costs) is canceled.
  • The identity is not considered to have attacked, defended, or thwarted.
  • Status cards canceling any label are removed. For example, an “(attack/thwart)” ability removes both stunned and confused from that identity.

See also: Attack (Player Ability Type), Defend, Thwart

Some abilities create effects that persist for a specified duration (e.g. “until the end of the phase”). These are lasting effects.

• A lasting effect acts as a constant ability for its duration.
• It persists beyond the ability that created it, regardless of whether the source card remains in play.
• Lasting effects share timing priority with constant effects.
• New cards entering play that meet the criteria are also affected.
• They expire as soon as the timing point is reached (e.g. “until end of the round” ends before “at the end of the round” triggers).
• An effect that expires at the end of a time period can only be initiated during that period.

See also: Ability, Enters Play

“Leaves play” refers to any time a card moves from in play to out of play (e.g. defeat, discard, remove from game, victory display).

• When a card leaves play, it loses memory of its previous state and is treated as a new copy.
• Attachments on a card that leaves play are discarded.

See also: Defeat, Discard, Discard Pile, Enters Play, In Play and Out of Play, Removed from the Game, Victory Display

“Limit X per [period]” appears on some player cards. These limits apply per card copy.

• Each copy of an ability may be used X times per specified period, per instance of that ability.
• If the effect is canceled, it still counts toward the limit.

See also: Player Card

Cards with the linked keyword are set aside at the start of the game if a deck includes the card that brings them into play.

• They cannot be included directly in a player’s deck.
• Linked cards do not count toward minimum or maximum deck size.

See also: Keywords, Set Aside

When a player is instructed to look at hidden cards, only that player may do so, but they may share information freely.

• Cards looked at from a deck remain part of the deck until returned in the same order.

If a card loses a characteristic (trait, keyword, or text), it functions as if it does not possess it.

• Lost characteristics are still considered printed on the card.
• A lost characteristic cannot be regained while the effect causing it persists.

See also: Keywords, Printed, Traits

Main scheme is an encounter card type that represents the villain’s primary objective.

• During step one of the villain phase, place threat equal to the acceleration field value (bottom-right corner) plus modifiers from acceleration tokens and icons.
• If threat equals or exceeds the target threat value, the scheme completes and the main scheme deck advances.
• If the villain completes the final stage, the villain wins the game.
• If advanced by another effect, it is not considered completed.
• When advancing:
  1. Remove the top scheme from the game, return tokens (except acceleration) to pool, discard attachments.
  2. Resolve “When Revealed” on the A-side of the new top card.
  3. Flip to the B-side, place starting threat, resolve “When Revealed.”
• Excess threat does not carry over.
• Acceleration tokens do carry over.
• Main scheme cards cannot be discarded from play.

See also: Acceleration Icon, Acceleration Token, Card Types, Encounter Card, Removed from the Game, Target Threat, Threat, Villain, Villain Phase

“Max” and “Maximum” impose global restrictions across all copies of a card.

• “Max X per [period]” applies across all copies during that time.
• “Max X per deck” limits how many copies may be included in a deck.
• “Max 1 per player” restricts each player to one copy in play.
• “Max 1 per [game element]” restricts how many can attach to that element.
• “Max 1 per [instance]” limits triggers per occurrence of an effect.
• Parenthetical maximums apply within the ability:
  • “(to a maximum of +X)” applies only to that ability.
  • “(to a maximum [element] of X)” applies across all abilities affecting that element.

See also: Cancel, Limit, Appendix I: Deck Customization

A character’s maximum hit points = base hit points ± all “gets” modifiers currently active.

See also: Ally, Base Value, “Gets”, Hit Points, Identity, Minion, Modifiers, Villain

“May” indicates an optional action. If no player is specified, the controller of the card decides.

See also: Player

A mental resource () is one of the four resource types.

• They may be spent to pay costs of cards and abilities.
• Some abilities specifically require mental resources.

See also: Ability, Cost, Energy Resource, Icons, Physical Resource, Resource, Wild Resource

Minion is an encounter card type representing villain supporters or enemies.

• When entering play, a minion engages the player revealing or resolving it, unless otherwise specified.
• Remains in play until defeated or removed.
• At 0 HP, defeated and discarded.
• Engaged minions activate during step two of the villain phase, after the villain.
• If a new minion engages during a group activation, it activates immediately as well.

See also: Card Types, Encounter Card, Engage, Enters Play, Form, Hit Points, Identity, Leaves Play, Player, Player’s Play Area, Villain, Villain Phase

Marvel Champions can be played in different modes:

• Standard Mode: Default play mode, follow scenario instructions.
• Expert Mode: Harder difficulty; adds Expert encounter set and tougher villain stages.
• Heroic Mode: Scales difficulty by dealing X extra encounter cards per villain phase (X = chosen heroic level).
• Skirmish Mode (Rookie Mode): Shortens games by using only one villain stage.
• Campaign Mode: Chains scenarios with persistent effects via campaign log. Includes “Expert Campaign Mode” for higher challenge.

Modes can be combined (e.g. Expert + Heroic + Campaign).

See also: Campaign-Specific Card, Expert Set, Standard Set

Modifiers change game values dynamically.

• Values are recalculated from the base whenever modifiers are added/removed.
• Additive/subtractive apply before doubling/halving.
• “Set” modifiers override others; latest set takes precedence.
• Values cannot be negative; minimum is 0.
• Fractions round up after modifiers are applied.

See also: Base Value, Printed

Modular encounter sets are classified encounter cards that can be added to scenarios.

• Scenarios specify how many sets to include.
• Sets must be included in full, not partially.
• Identified by the set name printed at the bottom.

See also: Classifications, Appendix I: Deck Customization

Abilities may move cards, damage, or threat.

• An element cannot move to its same placement.
• If no valid source/destination, move cannot occur.
• Damage may move between dials and cards:
  • Dial → Card: Increase dial HP, place damage tokens on card.
  • Card → Dial: Remove tokens, reduce dial HP.
• Moved damage is considered dealt; moved threat is considered placed.

See also: Game Element

Each identity in the game comes with an associated nemesis encounter set. At the start of the game, each player sets aside their nemesis set, out of play. Certain encounter cards may instruct players to bring the nemesis set into play.

• A nemesis encounter set is a subset of an identity-specific set.
• Nemesis cards may only be used with an identity if they share the same set icon.

See also: Identity, Identity-Specific Card, In Play and Out of Play, Player

If a non-numerical variable (e.g. a letter or symbol) appears in place of a number, treat it as 0 unless defined otherwise.

• If an ability defines the variable (e.g. assigns a value to X), treat it as that value.
• For costs with “X,” the value is defined by ability or player choice. Once set, modifiers may change the amount paid without altering the value of X.

See also: Base Value, Dash (Value), Printed, Star Icon

Obligation is an encounter card type that represents a commitment or obstacle that an identity’s alter-ego might have to face or overcome.

• Abilities on obligations that use the words “you” or “your” apply only to the player whose play area the obligation is in.
• Each identity is associated with one or more obligation cards. These are shuffled into the encounter deck during setup.
• Identity-specific obligation cards are part of their identity-specific set and may only be used with matching set icons.

If an obligation is revealed and must be given to a specific player, place it in that player’s play area. If it cannot be given, remove it from the game and reveal another encounter card.

If revealed without a specific player requirement, the revealing player places it in their play area and must resolve it.

If drawn from a player deck, the obligation is placed into that player’s play area. A replacement card is not drawn unless refilling to hand size.

See also: Card Types, Encounter Card, Encounter Deck, Enters Play, Form, Identity, Leaves Play, Player, Player Elimination, Removed from the Game

Effects beginning with “otherwise” resolve only if the preceding effect could not be resolved.

• If the preceding effect cannot be at least partially resolved, the “otherwise” effect resolves.

See also: Replacement Effect

If an ally or minion is dealt excess damage by an attack with the overkill keyword, the excess damage is simultaneously dealt elsewhere:

• Excess damage to an ally is dealt to that ally’s controller’s identity.
• Excess damage to a minion is dealt to the villain.
• Damage dealt this way is considered damage from an attack but is not itself an attack.
• If a card ability counts excess damage, it uses the same value calculated during overkill resolution.
• If the target has a tough status card, no overkill damage is dealt to the identity or villain.

See also: Ally, Attack (Enemy Activation), Attack (Player Ability Type), Damage, Hit Points, Identity, Keywords, Minion, Reminder Text, Villain

See: Cost

A card’s owner is the player whose deck contained it at the start of setup. The scenario is the owner of the encounter deck and encounter cards.

• Cards enter play under their owner’s control, but encounter cards are controlled by the scenario.
• Upgrades on another player’s card are controlled by that player.
• Campaign-specific or scenario-specific cards taken control of become owned by that player for the game.
• Control only changes if explicitly caused by an ability, and it persists until specified otherwise.
• A player also controls their cards in out-of-play areas (hand, deck, discard pile).
• If a card that changed control leaves play, it goes back to its owner’s out-of-play area after resolution.
• If a character changes control, it keeps its state (ready, exhausted, damaged, etc.) and moves to the new controller’s play area with its upgrades.

See also: Classifications, Encounter Card, Encounter Deck, In Play and Out of Play, Player, Player Card, Player Deck, Player’s Play Area, Villain’s Play Area

While a minion with the patrol keyword is engaged with a player, that player cannot use cards they control to thwart the main scheme.

See also: Engage, Keywords, Main Scheme, Minion, Reminder Text, Thwart

See: Cost

The  icon next to a value multiplies that value by the number of players who started the scenario.

• If a player is eliminated, this value does not change.

See also: Icons, Player Elimination

While a player is resolving a card with the peril keyword:

• That player cannot consult other players.
• Other players cannot play cards or trigger abilities.

See also: Ability, Keywords, Player, Reminder Text, Table Talk, Triggered Ability

A card with the permanent keyword cannot be defeated, leave play, or have any part of its text box blanked, except by card abilities in the same set (hero, scenario, or modular).

• Permanents are set aside at the start of setup.
• They do not count toward deck size limits.
• They cannot be targeted by effects that would make them leave play.
• If such an effect would target them, it instead targets a non-permanent card that fits the criteria.
• If a player is eliminated while controlling another player’s permanent, that card goes to its owner’s discard pile.

See also: In Play and Out of Play, Keywords, Leaves Play, Ownership and Control, Reminder Text

A physical resource () is one of the four types of resources.

• It can be spent to pay card and ability costs.
• Some abilities specifically require it to resolve their effects.

See also: Ability, Cost, Energy Resource, Icons, Mental Resource, Resource, Wild Resource

An attack with the piercing keyword discards any tough status cards from the attacked character before dealing damage.

See also: Attack (Enemy Activation), Attack (Player Ability Type), Damage, Keywords, Reminder Text, Status Cards, Target, Tough

Playing a card means paying its cost and placing it in the play area (or resolving its ability, for events). Cards are played from hand.

Put into play means placing a card into play without paying its cost or restrictions.

• Cards with “[type] form only” can only be played/put into play in that form.
• Events: place, resolve, then discard.
• Put into play ≠ played.
• Costs are ignored when put into play.
• The card must still enter a legal play area or state.

See also: Enters Play, In Play and Out of Play, Initiating Abilities, Leaves Play, Play Restrictions and Permissions

There are two play areas:

• Player’s play area: their identity, deck, hand, discard pile, cards under their control, and engaged encounter cards.
• Villain’s play area: villain deck, main scheme deck, encounter deck & discard, and encounter cards not in a player’s play area.

A card cannot be in more than one play area at once.

See also: In Play and Out of Play, Player’s Play Area, Villain’s Play Area

Some cards/abilities have restrictions or conditions for play.

• Restrictions must always be followed.
• A permission allows play outside normal rules (e.g. playing an ally from discard).

See also: Ability, Play, Player

A player is a person playing the game. Each has:

• Identity card & hit point dial
• Deck, hand, discard pile
• Allies, upgrades, supports in play
• Attachments, minions, obligations engaged with them

Players take turns during the player phase, own their decks, and follow the first player token rules.

See also: Discard, Discard Pile, Find, Identity, In Play and Out of Play, Player Deck, Player Elimination, Player Phase, Player Turn, Player’s Play Area, You

There are seven types of player cards: ally, event, identity, player side scheme, resource, support, and upgrade.

They may belong to classifications such as identity-specific or aspect. Most have blue backs.

See also: Ally, Classifications, Event, Identity, Player Side Scheme, Resource Card, Support, Upgrade, Appendix I: Deck Customization

A player’s deck contains their owned player cards. Order cannot change unless instructed.

• If empty: reshuffle discard into new deck and deal 1 facedown encounter card to that player.
• Deck continues drawing if emptied mid-draw.
• No extra discards if emptied mid-discard.
• If both deck and discard empty, wait until a card exists in discard before resetting.

See also: Discard, Discard Pile, Draw, Encounter Deck, Shuffle

See: Discard Pile

A player is eliminated if their identity is defeated (HP = 0).

1. Pass first player token if they had it.
2. Engaged minions move to next player.
3. Non-owned cards return to their owner’s discard pile.
4. Their owned cards go to their discard pile.
5. Their entire play area and elements are removed from the game.

Remaining players continue. Eliminated players do not act but win/lose with group.

If all players are eliminated → players lose.

See also: Ability, Deal, Engage, Game Element, Hit Points, Identity, Minion, Per Player Icon, Player, Player Card, Player Deck, Player’s Play Area, Winning the Game

During the player phase, each player (in order) takes a turn. After all turns:

• Players discard down/draw up to hand size.
• All cards they control ready.

Effects lasting “until end of player phase” expire at this point, before “after phase ends” abilities resolve.

See also: End of Player Phase, In Player Order, Player, Player Turn

Player side schemes are missions aiding heroes, like encounter side schemes but as player cards.

• Placed in villain play area next to main scheme.
• Enter with threat equal to starting value.
• Number limited by side scheme limit.
• Defeated if threat = 0 (discarded or added to victory display).
• Any reference to “schemes” or “side schemes” includes these.

See also: Card Types, Player Card, Player Side Scheme Limit, Scheme (Card Type), Side Scheme, Victory X

Limit of player side schemes in play:

• 1 if 1–2 players.
• 2 if 3–4 players.
• If over limit: first player chooses and discards until within limit.

See also: Player Side Scheme

During their turn, a player may:

• Change form (once per turn).
• Play ally/upgrade/support/side scheme cards.
• Use recovery (alter-ego) or basic attack/thwart (hero).
• Use allies to attack/thwart.
• Trigger action abilities on cards (their own, encounter cards, or others with permission).
• Ask another player to trigger their action ability (that player chooses).

See also: Ally, Basic Power, Encounter Card, Event, Form, Ownership and Control, Play, Player, Player Phase, Support, Triggered Ability, Upgrade

A player’s play area includes identity, deck, hand, discard pile, and HP dial. Allies, supports, upgrades enter here.

• Minions engaged with them and obligations given are in their play area.
• Attachments in villain area are not.
• Eliminated players’ play areas are removed from the game.

See also: Ally, Discard Pile, Identity, In Play and Out of Play, Minion, Obligation, Player Deck, Player Elimination, Support, Upgrade

See: Initiating Abilities

Prevention effects reduce damage or threat before it is applied.

• Damage prevention: reduces damage taken, not dealt.
• If all damage prevented → attacker dealt damage but did not “attack and damage.”
• If damage = cost: dealt counts as paid; taken must all be taken to count.
• Threat prevention: reduces amount placed.

See also: Ability, Cost, Damage, Scheme (Card Type), Target, Threat

“Printed” refers to text, characteristic, or value physically on the card.

• Printed resources include icons in text boxes, even if generated by ability.
• Wild () cannot substitute in printed-resource costs.

See also: Base Value, Modifiers

If ability text includes a qualifier followed by multiple terms, the qualifier applies to each item in the list, if applicable.

Example: In the phrase “each ready character and attachment,” the word “ready” applies to both “character” and “attachment.”

After a minion with the quickstrike keyword engages a player whose identity is in hero form, that minion immediately attacks that player.

See also: Attack (Enemy Activation), Engage, Form, Keywords, Minion, Player, Reminder Text

An attack with the ranged keyword ignores the retaliate keyword.

See also: Attack (Enemy Activation), Attack (Player Ability Type), Keywords, Reminder Text, Retaliate X

Cards enter play in a ready state, positioned so that their controller can read their text from left to right.

• If a player is instructed to ready an exhausted card, the card is returned to its ready state.

See also: Enters Play, Exhausted

See: Basic Power, Recover

Recover is a basic power a player can use in alter-ego form. To recover, the player exhausts their alter-ego and heals a number of hit points equal to their REC value.

• An identity that has no damage to heal cannot perform a basic recovery.

See also: Basic Power, Form, Heal, Hit Points, Identity

Some abilities refer to specific cards by name. These are called referential abilities. If an ability refers to a title shared by multiple cards in the game, that ability refers only to the card(s) that match the criteria highest in this list:

1. The card on which the referential ability is printed.
   • Such an ability is a self-referential ability.
   • Example: The basic ally Spider-Man’s ability reads: “Response: After Spider-Man attacks or thwarts, choose another Web-Warrior character → ready that character.” This ability refers to the card on which it is printed and does not trigger when another card called “Spider-Man” attacks or thwarts.
2. Cards that belong to the same identity or encounter set.
3. All other cards.

See also: Ability, Character, Classifications, Identity, Identity-Specific Card

A character’s remaining hit points is the amount of damage that character can take before reaching zero hit points.

• An identity’s or villain’s hit point dial represents their remaining hit points.
• To calculate remaining hit points for an ally or minion, start with the character’s maximum hit points (as indicated by its printed value modified by any card abilities or game effects), and subtract their sustained damage (the number of damage counters on them).

See also: Hit Points, Identity, Sustained Damage, Villain

Some card abilities may include reminder text. Reminder text is italicized and in parentheses (like this). Reminder text has no effect on the game and is only intended to remind a player of a specific game function or rule.

A card that has been removed from the game is set aside and does not interact with the game in any manner for the duration of its removal. If there is no specified duration, a card that has been removed from the game is considered removed until the end of the game.

• “Removed from the game” is an out-of-play state.

See also: In Play and Out of Play, Leaves Play

A replacement effect replaces a specified effect with a different effect. Most replacement effects are interrupt abilities in the format of “when [triggering condition] would happen, do [replacement effect] instead.”

• When an effect is replaced, it is no longer considered imminent and no further interrupts or responses to that effect can be triggered.

See also: Ability, Alteration Effect, Cancel, Interrupt, “Otherwise”, Triggered Ability, “Would”

A card with the requirement keyword cannot be played unless each resource of the specified type is spent while paying for that card’s cost.

• A card with the requirement keyword cannot be played “ignoring its resource cost” because the required resources cannot be paid for it.

See also: Cost, Initiating Abilities, Keywords, Resource

Resources are used to pay the cost to play cards and to pay certain ability costs.

• A player can generate resources by discarding cards from their hand (bottom-left icon) or using card abilities that generate resources.
• There are four types of resources: energy, mental, physical, and wild. Wild can be used as any type.
• To pay a cost, the required number (and types, if specified) of resources must be generated.
• Excess resources are lost and do not carry over.

See also: Cost, Energy Resource, Icons, Mental Resource, Physical Resource, Wild Resource

A resource ability is a type of triggered ability, indicated by the bold “Resource” timing trigger.

• It can be triggered anytime the player is generating resources to pay a cost.
• If a resource ability generates a resource only for a specific type of cost, it cannot be triggered for other costs.

See also: Cost, Resource, Triggered Ability

Resource cards are a player card type. Their primary function is to be discarded from a player’s hand to generate resources. They often provide more efficient resources than other card types.

• Some resource cards have card text that is active while using the card to generate resources.
• They are considered an extension of an identity—if a player spends a resource, it is considered spent by their identity.

See also: Card Types, Energy Resource, Enters Play, Icons, Identity, Leaves Play, Mental Resource, Physical Resource, Player, Player Card, Resource, Wild Resource

See: Resource

A response ability is a triggered ability, indicated by the bold “Response” timing trigger. They may be executed after their triggering condition occurs.

• Players can only trigger responses on cards they control or on encounter cards.
• Multiple responses can be executed from the same condition, but each only once per occurrence.
• Response opportunities occur in player order until all pass consecutively.

See also: Ability, Triggered Ability, Triggering Condition

A player cannot have more than two cards with the restricted keyword in play under their control.

• If a player ever controls more than two restricted cards, they must immediately discard down to two.

See also: Discard, Keywords, Ownership and Control, Player, Reminder Text

After a character with the retaliate X keyword is attacked, deal X damage to the attacker (X is the value next to the keyword).

• The retaliating character must survive the attack.
• Resolution order:
  1. Abilities triggering “after [character] takes damage…”
  2. Retaliate X
  3. Abilities triggering “after [character] is attacked…”

See also: Ally, Attack (Enemy Activation), Attack (Player Ability Type), Damage, Identity, Keywords, Minion, Reminder Text, Villain

During step four of the villain phase, each player reveals and resolves all facedown encounter cards dealt to them, in order.

• Attachment: enters play attached to specified element.
• Minion: enters play engaged with the player.
• Treachery: resolve effect, then discard.
• Environment: enters play next to the villain.
• Side Scheme: enters play next to the main scheme.
• Obligation: given to specified player, otherwise the revealing player resolves it.

See also: Attachment, Deal, Encounter Card, Enters Play, Environment, In Player Order, Minion, Obligation, Player, Side Scheme, Treachery, Villain Phase

See: Modes of Play

See: Overview – Round Overview, End of the Player Phase, Player Phase, Player Turn, Villain Phase

See: Encounter Deck, Player Deck

Cards in the “scenario-specific” classification belong to a scenario’s set of cards.

• A scenario must include all of its scenario-specific cards, in the specified quantity.
• Most scenarios separate these into: villain deck, main scheme deck, and encounter deck.
• Designated by the scenario’s name printed in the encounter set name area.

See also: Classifications, Main Scheme Deck, Villain Deck, Appendix I: Deck Customization

See: Basic Power, Scheme (Enemy Activation)

The word “scheme” denotes three card types: main schemes, player side schemes, and side schemes.

• If an ability places or removes threat from “a scheme,” the player chooses which scheme it affects.

See also: Main Scheme, Player Side Scheme, Side Scheme

If an enemy schemes:

1. If villain or minion with villainous, give one facedown boost card (otherwise skip).
2. Resolve boost cards:
   • Flip faceup, resolve “Boost” abilities (star icon), add +1 SCH per boost icon, discard card.
3. Place threat on main scheme equal to modified SCH.

See also: Activation, Boost, Minion, Modifiers, Villain, Villain Phase, Villainous

When instructed to search, a player may look at each card in the area.

• If multiple cards qualify, choose one.
• Searched cards never leave the area unless specified.
• If any portion of a deck is searched, shuffle it afterward.
• “Search your collection” lets you fetch cards outside the game (becoming their owner until game ends).

See also: Encounter Deck, Find, Player Deck, Shuffle

See: Referential Ability

Set-aside cards are out of play until referenced by setup or card abilities.

See also: Ability, In Play and Out of Play, Appendix II: Setup

A card with the setup keyword begins the game in play.

• They are put into play during the “Put Setup Cards Into Play” step of setup.

See also: Keywords, Reminder Text, Appendix II: Setup

“Setup” as a triggered ability resolves during setup.

• Setup abilities are mandatory.
• On encounter cards: resolved during scenario setup.
• On player cards: resolved during character setup.

See also: Triggered Ability, Appendix II: Setup

Shuffling randomizes a deck so no player can know the order.

• Any deck searched must be shuffled afterward.

See also: Encounter Deck, Player Deck, Search

A side scheme is an encounter card type that adds obstacles.

• Revealed side schemes enter play next to the main scheme.
• They enter play with threat equal to starting value.
• Defeated when threat = 0 or removed by effects.

See also: Card Types, Defeat, Encounter Card, Enters Play, Leaves Play, Main Scheme, Threat, Thwart, Villain’s Play Area

If two or more effects with the same timing trigger would resolve, the first player decides the order.

See also: “Each Player”, Triggered Ability

See: Modes of Play

A special ability is a triggered ability, indicated by “Special.” They may only be executed if instructed by another card ability.

See also: Triggered Ability

A character with stalwart cannot be stunned or confused.

• If gaining stalwart while already stunned/confused, remove those status cards.

See also: Ally, Confuse, “Gains”, Identity, Keywords, Minion, Reminder Text, Status Cards, Stun, Villain

See: Modes of Play

The standard set is an encounter set added to most scenarios.

• It is not modular and cannot be chosen like modular sets.
• Cards marked “Standard” in set name are part of it.

See also: Classifications, Appendix I: Deck Customization

A star icon indicates a mandatory ability tied to a stat or boost field. By itself, it has no effect.

• If beside ATK/SCH → check enemy’s text box when using that stat.
• If beside ally or hero values → check text box when using that value.
• If value is ★, treat it as 0.
• If in boost field → check text box when revealed as boost.

See also: Activation, Ally, Attachment, Basic Power, Boost, Identity, Minion, Non-Numerical Variable, Villain

Status cards represent temporary character states.

• Only one of each type unless keyword allows otherwise.
• Status abilities take priority over conflicting triggers.

Types:

• Confused — Cancels next scheme/thwart.
• Stunned — Cancels next attack.
• Tough — Prevents next damage.

See also: Ally, Attack, Basic Power, Damage, Form, Identity, Minion, Replacement Effect, Triggered Ability, Villain

A steady character can have one extra stunned and confused status card. Only considered stunned/confused when holding two of each.

See also: Confuse, Keywords, Status Cards, Stun

Stun cancels a character’s next attack.

• Apply a stunned card when stunned.
• “Cannot be stunned” → stunned cards cannot be placed.
• When attack is canceled, costs are still paid, but attack not considered made.

See also: Ally, Cancel, Identity, Minion, Status Cards, Target, Villain

Some allies have a subtitle beneath the title, representing an alternate alias. Subtitles do not affect uniqueness.

See also: Unique Icon

Support is a player card type (locations, helpers, resources).

• Enter play in the back row of play area.
• Remain until removed by ability.
• Their actions are not considered to be from a player’s identity.

See also: Card Types, Enters Play, In Play and Out of Play, Leaves Play, Player Card, Player’s Play Area

After revealing a card with surge, reveal an additional encounter card.

• Fully resolve the original card (and responses) before revealing the extra card.

See also: Encounter Card, Encounter Deck, Keywords, Reminder Text, Reveal

Sustained damage = Maximum HP − Remaining HP.

• On identities/villains, calculate via HP dial.
• On allies/minions, equal to damage tokens on them.

See also: Ally, Damage, Hit Points, Identity, Maximum Hit Points, Remaining Hit Points, Villain

“Swap” = exchange locations of two components.

• Both locations must have a component.
• Swap ≠ draw.
• If titles match: tokens/attachments/status transfer, card keeps state.
• If titles differ: one leaves play, the other enters ready (tokens etc. not transferred).

See also: Ability, Target

Players may freely discuss cards, strategies, and plans during play.

• Players are not required to disclose their hand.
• Exception: While resolving an encounter card with peril, no discussion is allowed.

See also: Keywords, Peril, Player

A target is any game element affected by an ability or function (e.g., “deal 3 damage to a minion”).

• Valid targets are required to initiate effects.
• Examples: villain, minion, scheme, ally, hero, identity, player, card.
• “Choose a [game element]” = selecting a target.
• Basic powers always require a valid target.
• Targets are valid if at least one effect can apply.
• Prevention still counts as affecting the target.
• Cannot target elements that “cannot” perform the effect (e.g., cannot ready).
• Multiple targets (e.g., “each enemy”) → must resolve for valid targets only.

See also: Ability, Choose (Game Element), Cost, Game Element, Labeled Ability

The target threat is the threshold for the main scheme to advance, shown in the top left corner.

See also: Main Scheme, Threat

The team-up keyword names two characters.

• Deck inclusion requires identity matches one named character.
• Can only be played if both named characters (identity or ally) are in play.

See also: Ally, Identity, In Play and Out of Play, Keywords, Play, Reminder Text, Appendix I: Deck Customization

After a minion with teamwork engages a player, if another minion with the specified trait is in play, the new minion immediately activates against that player.

See also: Activation, Engage, Keywords

A card with temporary must be discarded at the end of the round.

See also: Keywords

The text box contains printed abilities, traits, and flavor text.

• References to “text box” only include printed abilities.
• Icons in the text box are considered abilities.

See also: Ability, Printed, Traits, Appendix III: Card Anatomy

See: Alteration Effect, Target

Text after “then” only resolves if text before “then” fully resolves.

• If pre-then resolves, post-then must attempt to resolve.
• If pre-then fails, post-then does not resolve.

See: Alteration Effect

Threat tokens track the amount of threat on schemes.

See also: Component Limitations, Scheme (Card Type), Scheme (Enemy Activation), Main Scheme, Side Scheme, Prevent, Thwart

See: Basic Power, Thwart

A thwart attempt can occur in two ways:

• Basic thwart — Character exhausts, remove threat equal to THW.
• Ability labeled (thwart) — Considered a thwart without exhausting (unless stated).

Rules:

• Must target a scheme with threat or be confused.
• “Thwart” labeled abilities count as one thwart, regardless of amount removed.
• Increases apply to all non-“additional” instances.

See also: Ally, Basic Power, Consequential Damage, Exhausted, Labeled Ability, Main Scheme, Modifiers, Side Scheme, Threat

See: Ability, Interrupt, Response, “Would”

Tough status prevents damage once.

• When damage would be taken, prevent all, discard tough card.
• DEF reduction applies first; if reduced to 0, tough is not lost.
• Overkill excess damage not applied if tough absorbs attack.
• A prevented damage does not count as taking damage.

See also: Damage, Overkill, Status Cards, Toughness

When a character with toughness enters play, give it a tough status card.

See also: Ally, Enters Play, Identity, Keywords, Minion, Reminder Text, Status Cards, Villain

Traits are listed in bold italics at the top of the text box.

• No inherent effect, but referenced by card abilities.
• Not considered part of the printed text box for abilities.

See also: Printed, Appendix III: Card Anatomy

Treachery cards are encounter cards representing tactics or disasters.

• When revealed, resolve its effects, then discard.
• If canceled, still discarded.
• If it causes activations, discard after they resolve.

See also: Card Types, Discard, Encounter Card, Encounter Deck, Reveal, Villain

A triggered ability has a bold timing word followed by text.

Examples: Action, Response, Interrupt, Forced, Setup, Special, Resource.

See also: Ability, Action, Forced, Interrupt, Resource Ability, Response, Setup (Triggered Ability), Simultaneous Resolution, Special, Triggering Condition, When Defeated, When Revealed

The occurrence that allows a triggered ability to be used (usually “when” or “after”).

• Each interrupt/response can trigger once per occurrence.
• Multiple copies of same card can each trigger.
• If one occurrence creates multiple conditions (e.g., damage + defeat), one interrupt/response window is created, covering all.

See also: Interrupt, Response

See: Attack (Enemy Activation)

A card with the  icon before its title is unique.

• Only one copy (by title) may be in play across all players.
• A player’s deck may not include more than one copy (by title), including the identity card.

Exceptions (due to alter-egos or subtitles):

• Two identities with the same title but different alter-egos may coexist.
• Unique allies with the same title but different subtitles may coexist in decks and in play.
• An ally without a subtitle cannot coexist with a version that has one if titles match.
• A hero and a unique ally may coexist if alter-ego/subtitle differ.

Unique Minions:

• If revealed while a same-title unique is in play → discard it and reveal another encounter card.
• If “put into play” effect tries while duplicate exists → cannot enter play, remainder of ability resolves.

See also: Ally, Enters Play, Identity, Minion, Player, Subtitle, Villain, Appendix I: Deck Customization

Upgrade is a player card type representing powers, gear, attacks, or other assets.

• Active while in play, until it leaves play.
• Most are placed near the identity card to modify hero/alter-ego.
• Some attach to other cards, modifying the attached card instead.
• Players control upgrades attached to their characters (even if owned by others).
• If not attached to another friendly character, upgrades are considered extensions of the identity — their abilities count as that identity’s actions.

See also: Attach To, Card Types, Enters Play, Identity, In Play and Out of Play, Leaves Play, Ownership and Control, Player Card, Player’s Play Area

Cards with uses (X type) enter play with X all-purpose counters of the specified type.

• The keyword defines the type of use (e.g., ammo, charges).
• Abilities on the card reference that use as a cost.
• When the last counter is removed and the effect resolves, discard the card.

See also: All-Purpose Counter, Discard, Enters Play, Keywords, Leaves Play, Reminder Text

See: Target

The victory display is an out-of-play area shared by all players. Cards there follow normal out-of-play rules.

See also: In Play and Out of Play, Player, Victory X

When a card with the Victory X keyword leaves play under specific conditions, it goes to the victory display instead of the discard pile:

• Allies, minions, or side schemes → when defeated.
• Attachments → when the attached card is defeated (attachment goes to display, host is discarded normally).
• Cards with both Victory X and Uses → when last counter is removed.

While in victory display, X = number of victory points the card is worth.

Some scenarios/campaigns count total victory points in the display.

See also: Defeat, Discard Pile, Keywords, Reminder Text, Uses (X “Type”), Victory Display

Villain is an encounter card type representing the main enemy of the scenario.

• The villain is a deck of one or more sequential stages.
• Players win by reducing all villain stages to 0 HP.
• Villain cards cannot be discarded from play.

See also: Activation, Attack (Enemy Activation), Scheme (Enemy Activation), Villain Defeat

When villain’s HP is reduced to 0 → that stage is defeated:

• Remove it from the game, reveal next stage, set HP dial accordingly.
• If final stage is defeated → players win!
• Excess damage does not carry over.
• Attachments, upgrades, statuses, counters, and tokens carry over unless new stage has a different title.
• If defeated mid-activation → villain continues with new stage (or ends if new stage has different title).

See also: All-Purpose Counter, Attachment, Damage, Defeat, Excess Damage, Hit Points, Status Cards, Villain

The villain phase proceeds as follows:

1. Add threat to the main scheme (base + acceleration icons/tokens).
2. In player order, each player:
   • Villain activates against them.
   • Each engaged minion activates (in order of choice).
3. Deal each player 1 encounter card + 1 extra per hazard icon in play.
4. Each player reveals and resolves their encounter cards in player order.
5. Pass first player token clockwise.
6. End “until end of villain phase/round” effects.
7. Resolve any “after villain phase/round ends” effects.

See also: Acceleration Icon, Activation, Attack (Enemy Activation), Deal, Engage, Hazard Icon, In Player Order, Main Scheme, Minion, Player, Reveal, Scheme (Enemy Activation), Threat, Villain

The villain’s play area includes:

• Villain deck, main scheme deck, encounter deck, encounter discard pile, villain HP dial.
• Environment and side schemes go here when revealed.
• Attachments attached to villain’s cards are here; attachments on players’ cards are not.
• Minions engaged with players are in players’ areas, not villain’s.
• Obligations given to players are in players’ areas, not villain’s.

See also: Attachment, Discard Pile, Encounter Deck, Environment, In Play and Out of Play, Main Scheme, Minion, Obligation, Villain

When a minion with villainous activates:

• Give it a facedown boost card.
• During activation, flip boost card faceup, resolve any boost ability, and apply boost icons to minion’s stats.
• Discard boost card after activation.
• If boost ability refers to “the villain,” it still applies to the villain, even though minion is resolving it.

See also: Activation, Attack (Enemy Activation), Boost, Discard, Keywords, Minion, Reminder Text, Scheme (Enemy Activation)

A When Completed ability is a triggered ability with the bold timing trigger “When Completed.”

• When a main scheme is completed, all “When Completed” abilities on that card resolve.

See also: Main Scheme

A When Defeated ability is a triggered ability with the bold timing trigger “When Defeated.”

• When a villain stage, side scheme, main scheme stage, ally, or minion is defeated, all “When Defeated” abilities on the card resolve.
• A defeated card leaves play only after its “When Defeated” ability (if any) has resolved.

See also: Ally, Defeat, Main Scheme, Minion, Side Scheme, Triggered Ability, Villain

A When Revealed ability is a triggered ability with the bold timing trigger “When Revealed.”

• When a player reveals a card from the encounter deck, a new scheme stage, or a new villain stage → resolve all “When Revealed” abilities.
• If such a card enters play during setup → resolve its ability during “Resolve Scenario Setup and When Revealed Abilities.”
• If a card is put into play without being revealed → its “When Revealed” ability does not trigger.

See also: Choose (Game Element), Encounter Card, Main Scheme, Triggered Ability, Villain, Appendix II: Setup

A wild resource () is one of the four resource types.

• When generated, it may be specified as energy, mental, physical, or wild.
• If doubled by a card effect, each wild can be declared as a different type.
• Some abilities specifically require wild resources to be spent.
• Outside of paying costs, a wild resource has no characteristic other than “wild.”

See also: Ability, Cost, Energy Resource, Icons, Mental Resource, Physical Resource, Resource

Players win the game if the final villain stage is defeated. Villain wins if the final stage of the main scheme deck is completed.

• Some scenarios have alternate win/loss conditions.
• Alternate conditions cannot be blanked or canceled.

The word would in an ability defines its triggering condition and gives higher timing priority than interrupts without “would.”

• If an interrupt changes what was about to occur (replacement effect), no other interrupts to the original trigger may resolve.
• Example: “When a character would be defeated” triggers before “When a character is defeated.”

See also: Interrupt, Replacement Effect, Triggered Ability

If a card ability or cost uses the variable “X”, it follows the rules for non-numerical variables.

See also: Non-Numerical Variable

While resolving card abilities, if the word “you” can be resolved as referring to the player’s identity, it must be resolved as such. This includes but is not limited to:

• If a card deals damage to “you,” or “you” take damage, the damage is applied to the hit point dial of the player’s identity.
• If a card ability deals indirect damage to “you,” the player can assign that damage to characters in play under their control.
• If a card ability exhausts “you,” the player exhausts their identity.
• If a card ability places a status card on “you,” that status is placed on the player’s identity.
• If a card ability triggers from a game function that “you” perform, it resolves as though the identity performed that function (not allies).
• Exception: For abilities that trigger “after [enemy] attacks you,” “you” refers to the attacked player, even if an ally defended.

If “you” cannot be resolved as the identity, it must be resolved as the player. Examples include:

• Discarding cards from “your” hand = the player discards cards from their own hand.
• Searching “your” deck = the player searches their own deck.
• If a function targets non-identity cards “you” control, it affects cards in that player’s play area.
• If a card ability triggers from a game function “you” perform and it cannot be tied to identity, then the player performs it personally (e.g., “after you discard cards from your hand”).

Cards considered an extension of a player’s identity:

• Events — Actions and triggered abilities on events are considered to be performed by the identity.
• Resources — Spending a resource is also considered to be spent by the identity.
• Upgrades — Unless attached to another friendly character, upgrades are considered extensions of the identity. Abilities on them are also performed by the identity.

Cards not considered an extension of a player’s identity:

• Allies — Abilities resolved from allies are not considered performed by the identity.
• Supports — Abilities resolved from supports are not considered performed by the identity.

See also: Ability, Ally, Event, Identity, Player, Player Card, Player Deck, Player’s Play Area, Resource, Support, Upgrade