Comprehensive Rules

1.1. A game of Kravestorm may be played as a two-player game (one player versus one player) or as a multiplayer game involving three to four players.

1.2. Each player uses a Capital Kit consisting of four Capital cards, a main deck, and D20 dice to track Health Points (HP) and resolve random outcomes.

1.3. The size and composition requirements of a player’s main deck are determined by the game format being played.

1.4 Kravestorm is designed to be played using only cards and D20 dice.

1.5. Each player begins the game with their own Capital Kit and main deck. A player's Deck, Hand, Discard Pile, and Buried Zone may contain only cards they own. Cards owned by another player may only be controlled while in play.

1.6. Cards and effects use the terms defined in this rulebook. If a term is not specifically defined, its normal meaning applies unless a card effect states otherwise.

1.7. When a rule or card effect requires information that cannot be determined, the instruction is ignored unless otherwise specified.

2.1. If a card’s text contradicts the rules in this rulebook, the card’s text takes precedence.

2.2. If an instruction cannot be performed, it is ignored.

2.2.1. If one effect states that something can happen and another states that it cannot happen, the “cannot” effect takes precedence unless the effect allowing it specifically states that it overrides that restriction.

2.3. Simultaneous Effects

2.3.1. If two or more effects would resolve simultaneously, resolve them in the following order:

1. Replacement Effects: Apply any effect that uses the word "instead" first.
2. Negative Constraints: Effects stating that something cannot happen take precedence over effects stating that it can.
3. Remaining Effects: If further ordering is required, the active player chooses their relative order according to Section 28.6.

2.4. Status Resolution

2.4.1. If multiple statuses would be applied to the same Kraver simultaneously, apply them in the following order:

1. Overdosed
2. Wasted
3. Exhausted

2.5. Removal Resolution

2.5.1. If a card would be removed from play by multiple effects simultaneously, resolve those effects in the following order:

1. Buried
2. Destroyed

3.1. Players

Player: A person participating in the game. Opponent: Any player who is not a specific player. When a rule or card effect refers to an opponent, it refers to a player opposing the specified player. Active Player: The player currently taking their turn.

3.2. Target

Target: A card, player, roll, pending event, or other game object chosen by an effect.

3.2.1. Committed Action

Committed Action: A card play, attack, ability activation, Gamma activation, or other voluntary action whose required choices have been made and whose costs have been paid. A committed action cannot be withdrawn, and its costs are not refunded because a response changes, prevents, or invalidates its resolution.

3.2.2. Pending Event

Pending Event: A committed card play, committed attack, pending effect, pending response, roll result, or other game event that is waiting to resolve. A pending event remains pending until it resolves, is cancelled, or otherwise leaves the resolution sequence. Being pending does not by itself open a Reaction Window. A Reaction Window opens only when specifically provided by Section 27.2.

3.2.3. Response

Response: A Whisper, Gamma, or activated ability played or activated during a Reaction Window. Responses resolve before the pending event beneath them according to Last In, First Out.

3.2.4. Response Chain

Response Chain: The ordered sequence of pending responses declared during a Reaction Window. Each new response is placed above the previous responses and resolves according to Last In, First Out. A response chain becomes locked when all players pass consecutively without adding another response. Once locked, no player may voluntarily add another response to that chain. The pending responses then resolve completely according to Last In, First Out.

3.2.5. Pending Effect

A pending effect is an effect that has been created, activated, or triggered and is waiting to resolve. Action effects, Whisper effects, Gamma effects, activated ability effects, and triggered effects may become pending effects. Producing Nekthar, paying a cost, and performing an action solely as part of paying a cost are not pending effects.

3.3. Card Roles

Owner: The player who began the game with that card as part of their main deck or Capital Kit. Ownership never changes. Controller: The player who currently controls a card in play. A card’s controller may change during the game without changing its owner. A card owned by another player can only be controlled while it is in play.

3.4. Game Zones

Deck: A player’s main deck of cards. Cards are drawn from this zone. Hand: The zone containing cards currently held by a player. Discard Pile: A zone where cards are placed after being discarded, destroyed, or otherwise sent there by game effects. Garrison: A zone associated with a player’s Capital where Kraver cards and their associated Upgrade cards are placed while in play. Buried Zone: A public zone located beneath a player's Capital where cards are placed when they are buried. Cards in the Buried Zone remain there for the rest

of the game and cannot leave it for any reason. Effects may still refer to or count cards in the Buried Zone.

3.5. Actions

Actions are terms used in card text that instruct players to perform a specific game action.

3.5.1. Activate

Declare the use of an ability or effect that specifically requires activation. To activate an ability or effect, make all required choices and pay all activation costs. After those requirements are completed, the resulting effect becomes a pending effect or pending response, as applicable. Exhausting a Nekthery to produce Nekthar under Section 12.2 is a resource action and is not the activation of an ability or effect.

3.5.2. Attach

Place a card next to or beneath another card while keeping it visible. Attached cards remain associated with that card unless otherwise specified.

3.5.3. Bury

Move a card to the Buried Zone.

3.5.4. Burn

Move one or more cards from the top of a player’s Deck to that player’s Discard Pile.

3.5.5. Control

Change the player who controls a card in play. A card’s owner does not change when control changes. A card cannot change control outside of play.

3.5.6. Copy

Create a copy of a card, effect, or value as instructed by the effect. A copy follows the rules defined by the effect that created it.

3.5.7. Deal Damage

Reduce a card or Capital’s HP by the specified amount of damage.

3.5.8. Deploy

Play a card or move a card into play without paying its normal Cost to Play.

3.5.9. Destroy

Move a card to the Discard Pile as a result of it being destroyed.

3.5.10. Discard

Move a card from a player’s Hand to their Discard Pile.

3.5.11. Draw

Move the top card of a player’s Deck to their Hand.

3.5.12. Exhaust

Change a Ready card to its Exhausted position.

3.5.13. Flip

Turn a card to its opposite side.

3.5.14. Heal

Increase a card or Capital’s current HP by the specified amount. A card or Capital cannot have more HP than its maximum HP.

3.5.15. Increase

Increase a specified value by the stated amount.

3.5.16. Look

View cards in a specified hidden zone without revealing them to other players.

3.5.17. Lose HP

Reduce a card or Capital's current HP by the specified amount. Losing HP is not damage and does not trigger, prevent, redirect, increase, or reduce effects that specifically refer to damage unless an effect states otherwise.

3.5.18. Move

Change a card’s zone or position as instructed by the effect.

3.5.19. Negate

Prevent a card, attack, Ethos, ability, or effect from resolving or taking effect. A negated effect has no effect. Negate cannot undo anything that has already resolved. If a duration is specified, the negated game element remains negated for that duration. Costs already paid remain paid.

3.5.20. Pay

Perform the required action or resource payment specified by an effect.

3.5.21. Play

Declare and commit a card from a zone from which it may legally be played by making all required choices and paying all required costs. A played card does not change zones merely because it is played; it enters play or moves to its prescribed destination when it resolves according to its card type.

3.5.22. Reduce

Decrease a specified value by the stated amount.

3.5.23. Ready

Change a card from any non-Ready position to its Ready position.

3.5.24. Relocate

Move a Kraver card from one position in a player’s Garrison to another position within the same Garrison.

3.5.25. Remove

Move a card or effect out of the game state as instructed by an effect.

3.5.26. Reveal

Show one or more cards to all players.

3.5.27. Return

Move a card from one zone to another specified zone. Unless otherwise stated, "Return" refers to moving a card from the Garrison to its owner's Hand.

3.5.28. Search

Look through a specified zone for a card that meets the stated requirements.

3.5.29. Shuffle

Randomize the order of cards in a Deck or other specified zone.

3.5.30. Trigger

When the stated triggering condition of a triggered effect is met, that effect becomes pending according to Section 28.3.

3.6. Action Symbols

Some actions are represented by symbols rather than written text on cards.

3.6.1. Exhaust — ↶ The Exhaust action is represented by the ↶ symbol, a curved left-pointing arrow. When ↶ appears, the card is Exhausted according to the rules for the Exhaust action.

3.6.2. Roll d20 — ⬡ The Roll d20 action is represented by the ⬡ symbol, a hexagon. When ⬡ appears, the player rolls a d20 and resolves the result according to the effect or rule that required the roll.

3.6.2.1. Unspecified Results

If a D20 result is not included in any result specified by the effect that caused the roll, nothing happens for that result unless otherwise specified.

3.6.3. Pay Nekthar

Each Nekthar symbol appearing as part of a cost represents a payment of 1 Nekthar of that type. Multiple Nekthar symbols require 1 Nekthar to be paid for each symbol.

When a Nekthar payment appears as part of an activation cost, all listed costs must be paid to activate that effect. For example, ↶, [Brone][Brone]: means the card must be exhausted and 2 Brone must be paid to activate that effect.

4.1. A player loses the game if their Capital reaches 0 HP.

4.1.1. If a player's Capital reaches 0 HP at any point during the resolution of an attack, Ethos, effect, or other game action, that player immediately loses the game. Any pending actions or effects controlled by that player cease to resolve unless otherwise specified.

4.2. If a player is required to draw a card from an empty Deck, that player immediately loses the game.

4.3. In multiplayer games, a player wins when all opponents have lost the game, unless the format being played specifies different victory conditions.

4.4. Conceding

4.4.1. A player may concede the game at any time. A player who concedes immediately loses the game.

4.4.2. In a multiplayer game, if a player concedes, that player is eliminated from the game. The game continues until a winner is determined according to the victory conditions of the format being played.

4.4.3. When a player leaves the game, whether by conceding or losing, all cards they own immediately leave the game, regardless of who currently controls them. Any cards owned by other players that the eliminated player controlled return to their owners' control unless an effect states otherwise.

4.5. Tiebreakers

Kravestorm games cannot end in a draw. If a format requires determining a winner between tied players, resolve the tie using the following tiebreakers in order:

4.5.1. Capital HP: The player with the highest remaining Capital HP wins.

4.5.2. Total Remaining HP: If the players remain tied, compare the combined HP total of each player’s Capital and Kravers in their Garrison. The player with the highest total wins.

4.5.3. Total Remaining HP Excluding Overdosed Kravers: If the players remain tied, compare the combined HP total of each player’s Capital and Kravers in their Garrison, excluding the HP of Overdosed Kravers. The player with the highest total wins.

4.5.4. Total Remaining HP Excluding Wasted Kravers: If the players remain tied, compare the combined HP total of each player’s Capital and Kravers in their Garrison, excluding the HP of Wasted Kravers. The player with the highest total wins.

4.5.5. Total Remaining HP Excluding Exhausted Kravers: If the players remain tied, compare the combined HP total of each player’s Capital and Kravers in their Garrison, excluding the HP of Exhausted Kravers. The player with the highest total wins.

4.5.6. Cards in Deck: If the players remain tied, the player with the greater number of cards in their Deck wins.

4.5.7. Cards in Hand: If the players remain tied, the player with the greater number of cards in their Hand wins.

4.5.8. d20 Roll: If the players remain tied after all previous tiebreakers, each tied player rolls a D20. The player with the highest result wins. If two or more players tie for the highest result, only those players roll again until one player has the highest result.

5.1. Constructed Play

5.1.1. In Constructed Play, players bring a deck created before the game.

5.1.2. The default Constructed format for Kravestorm uses a 50-card main deck, excluding the Capital Kit. Alternative Constructed formats may specify different deck requirements.

5.1.3. Sideboard

In Constructed Play, a player may include a sideboard of up to 10 additional cards. Between games of a match, a player may exchange cards between their main deck and sideboard. After making any exchanges, the main deck and sideboard must continue to meet all deck construction requirements for the format.

5.1.3.1. The sideboard is separate from the main deck and does not count toward the deck size requirement.

5.1.3.2. Each card added to the main deck from the sideboard must be exchanged for a card removed from the main deck.

5.2. Limited Play

5.2.1. In Limited Play, players build decks during the event using a provided pool of cards.

5.2.2. Deck size and composition requirements for Limited Play are determined by the specific format being played.

6.1. The Capital

6.1.1. A player builds their deck around a set of four Capital cards, which are placed face-up on the table separately from the main deck at the start of the game.

6.1.2. A Capital Kit consists of:

• 1 Capital card (placed horizontally)
• 2 Capital–Nekthery cards
• 1 Capital–Alpha Nekthery card All four cards must represent the same location, identified by sharing the same illustration.

6.1.3. Capital cards are separate from the main deck and do not count toward deck size or deck construction requirements.

6.1.4. A player's Capital Kit may be chosen before the game in both Constructed and Limited Play, or selected randomly in Limited Play if specified by the format.

6.2. Deck Requirements

6.2.1. Deck Size: In Standard, a player's main deck consists of exactly 50 cards. The four cards of the player's Capital Kit are separate and do not count toward this 50-card deck size. Other formats may specify different deck sizes.

6.2.2. Copy Limits: Players may include up to 2 copies of any card with the same name, except for Whisper cards and Upgrade–Nekthery cards.

6.2.3. Whisper Cards: A deck may contain a maximum of 3 Whisper cards. No duplicate Whisper cards are allowed.

6.2.4. Upgrade–Nekthery Cards: A deck may contain up to 18 Upgrade–Nekthery cards.

6.2.5. Nekthar Types: Any Capital may produce and use any type of Nekthar. A player's choice of Capital does not restrict the types of Upgrade–Nekthery cards that may be included in their deck. Subject to the normal deck construction limits, Upgrade–Nekthery cards of any Nekthar type may be included with any Capital.

6.2.6. Unless a format states otherwise, card-copy limits apply to the player's registered main deck and sideboard combined.

7.1 Card Fields

Each card contains a number of fields that define its identity, type, and gameplay function. Unless otherwise specified, all fields are considered part of that card’s rules information.

7.2. Core Identity

7.2.1. Name: The name of the card. Used for copy limits and targeting rules.

7.2.2. Type: Defines what kind of card it is (e.g., Kraver, Whisper, Upgrade).

7.2.3. Subtype / Species: Defines the subtype of the card or, for Kravers, their species (e.g., Nekthery, Hominid, Avian).

7.3. Costs

7.3.1. Cost to Play: The amount of Nekthar required to play the card.

7.3.2. Cost to Attack (Kraver cards only): The amount of Nekthar required for a Kraver to declare an attack.

7.4. Stats

7.4.1. Health Points (HP): The amount of damage a Kraver, Upgrade with HP, or Capital can sustain. A card's printed HP is its maximum HP unless an effect modifies that maximum.

7.4.2. Maximum HP: A card's maximum HP is its printed HP as modified by effects that specifically increase or reduce its maximum HP. A card's current HP cannot exceed its maximum HP.

7.4.3. If a card's maximum HP becomes lower than its current HP, reduce its current HP to its new maximum HP.

7.4.4. If a Kraver, Upgrade with HP, or Capital would have less than 0 HP, its current HP becomes 0 instead.

7.4.5. Attack Damage (Kraver cards only): The amount of damage this card deals when it attacks.

7.4.6. Attack Side Effects (Kraver cards only): Additional effects that occur when this card attacks.

7.5. Game Text

7.5.1. Effects (Non-Kraver cards): Rules text describing the effects of Whisper, Action, and Upgrade cards.

7.5.2. Soma (Kraver cards only): Keywords defining a Kraver’s physical traits, positioning, and interaction with the Garrison system.

7.5.3. Ethos (Kraver cards only): Inherent abilities of Kravers that may trigger in one or more of the following moments: when the Kraver is deployed, when the Kraver attacks, when the Kraver defends, or continuously while the Kraver remains in play.

7.6. Illustration

7.6.1. Artwork: The illustration representing the card.

7.7. Technical Information

7.7.1. Includes copyright information, authorship, and the card’s unique identifier.

8.1. General

8.1.1. The horizontal Capital card represents the Capital a player must defend. Although it shares several fields with other cards, it also contains unique fields specific to its role in the game.

8.2. Capital Card Fields

8.2.1. Starting Hand Size: Indicates the number of cards the Capital’s controller draws as their starting hand at the beginning of the game. This value only applies during game setup and does not determine the player’s maximum hand size.

8.2.2. Garrison: Indicates the maximum Garrison occupancy that Capital's controller may normally have. This value may be modified by active effects, Upgrade cards, or other modifiers.

8.2.3. Health Points (HP): Indicates the amount of damage the Capital can sustain. If its current HP reaches 0, its controller loses the game.

8.2.4. Gamma: A one-time ability that may be activated during either of its controller's Play Phases or during a legal Reaction Window.

9.1. General Rules

9.1.1. A zone is a location where cards exist during the game.

9.1.2. A card can exist in only one zone at a time unless otherwise specified by a card effect.

9.1.3. When a card moves from one zone to another, it leaves its previous zone and enters the new zone.

9.1.4. Unless otherwise specified, a card that changes zones is considered a new object and does not retain previous effects, damage, or statuses.

9.1.5. If a card effect refers to a card in a specific zone, it only affects cards currently in that zone.

9.1.6. Cards that move between zones simultaneously are each new objects in their destination zones. An Upgrade moving with the card it was attached to does not remain attached in the destination zone unless a rule or effect specifically states otherwise.

9.1.7. A player's Deck, Hand, Discard Pile, and Buried Zone may contain only cards owned by that player. If a card owned by another player would move to one of those zones, it moves to its owner's corresponding zone instead.

9.2. Public and Hidden Information

9.2.1. Public zones are zones where cards can be viewed by all players.

9.2.2. Hidden zones are zones where cards cannot be viewed by players other than their owner unless an effect allows otherwise.

9.2.3. The following zones are public information:

• Capital
• Garrison
• Discard Pile
• Buried Zone

9.2.4. The following zones are hidden information:

• Deck
• Hand

9.3. Deck

9.3.1. The Deck is a hidden zone containing the cards a player may draw during the game.

9.3.2. Cards in a Deck remain face down and their order may not be changed except by a card effect.

9.3.3. A player draws cards from the top of their Deck unless otherwise specified.

9.3.4. If a player is required to draw a card from an empty Deck, that player loses the game.

9.3.5. If an effect instructs a player to draw multiple cards, those cards are drawn one at a time. If that player is required to draw while their Deck is empty, they lose immediately before any remaining draws are performed.

9.4. Hand

9.4.1. The Hand is a hidden zone containing cards currently held by a player.

9.4.2. A player may view the cards in their own Hand at any time.

9.4.3. Other players cannot view cards in a player's Hand unless an effect allows it.

9.4.4. Unless otherwise specified, there is no maximum number of cards a player may have in their Hand.

9.5. Capital Zone

9.5.1. The Capital Zone contains a player's Capital Kit.

9.5.2. Capital cards remain face-up and separate from the player's main deck.

9.5.3. Capital cards are not considered part of the player's deck and cannot be drawn, discarded, or placed into the Discard Pile unless a card effect specifically allows it.

9.5.4. The Capital Zone is public information.

9.6. Garrison

9.6.1. The Garrison is the zone where Kraver cards are deployed and remain while they are in play.

9.6.2. Only Kraver cards and Upgrade cards attached to Kravers may normally exist in the Garrison unless a card effect allows otherwise.

9.6.3. The number of Kraver cards a player may have in their Garrison is determined by their Capital’s Garrison value. This limit may be modified by active effects, Upgrade cards, or other game rules.

9.6.4. A player cannot control more than one Kraver with the same card name in their Garrison at the same time unless one or more of those Kravers has the Doppelganger Soma.

9.6.5. Cards in the Garrison are controlled by the player who deployed them unless control is changed by a card effect.

9.6.6. A Garrison may contain Kravers owned by other players if control of those Kravers has changed. Ownership does not change.

9.6.7. The Garrison is a public zone.

9.7. Discard Pile

9.7.1. The Discard Pile is a public zone where cards are placed after being discarded, destroyed, or otherwise sent there by game effects.

9.7.2. Cards in a Discard Pile remain face-up unless otherwise specified.

9.7.3. Players may inspect any Discard Pile at any time.

9.7.4. The order of cards in a Discard Pile matters only if a card effect specifically refers to it.

9.8. Buried Zone

9.8.1. The Buried Zone is a zone located beneath a player's Capital.

9.8.2. When a card is buried, it is placed into its owner's Buried Zone.

9.8.3. Cards in the Buried Zone remain there for the rest of the game and cannot leave the Buried Zone for any reason.

9.8.4. Effects may refer to or count cards in the Buried Zone, but cards in the Buried Zone cannot be targeted unless an effect specifically states otherwise.

9.8.5. The Buried Zone is a public zone.

9.8.6. An effect may target or otherwise affect a card in the Buried Zone if specifically permitted, but no effect can cause that card to leave the Buried Zone.

9.9. Zone Changes

9.9.1. When a card changes zones, all effects affecting that card end unless they specifically apply to the new zone.

9.9.2. If multiple effects would move a card to different zones simultaneously, resolve them using the rules for simultaneous effects.

9.9.3. If a card cannot be moved to a specified zone, that instruction is ignored unless the effect states otherwise.

10.1. Preparing the Play Area

10.1.1. Each player places their Capital Kit face-up in their play area. The horizontal Capital card is placed at the front of the Capital area. The three Capital–Nekthery cards are placed behind the Capital card in a designated resource area where Upgrade–Nekthery cards are placed.

10.1.2. Each player places their main Deck face-down beside their Capital Kit.

10.1.3. A player's Discard Pile is kept face-up beside their Deck. The Discard Pile is created when the first card is placed into it.

10.1.4. The Buried Zone is located beneath the horizontal Capital card.

10.1.5. The Garrison is the area directly in front of the Capital where Kraver cards are deployed.

10.1.6. Upgrade cards attached to Kravers are placed beside or partially beneath the attached Kraver while remaining visible.

10.1.7. Upgrade–Nekthery cards are placed in the resource area below the horizontal Capital card, beside the Capital–Nektheries. Other Upgrade cards attached to the Capital are placed beside the horizontal Capital card while remaining visible.

10.1.8. Players may place a D20 on their Capital showing its printed starting HP. This die is used to track the Capital's current HP throughout the game.

10.1.9. One or more D20 dice may be used to track an HP value that cannot be represented on a single D20.

10.1.10. Changing or placing a D20 to track HP is not a roll and does not trigger or interact with effects that refer to rolling a D20.

10.2. Preparing the Deck

10.2.1. Each player shuffles their main Deck thoroughly.

10.2.2. Players may present their shuffled Deck to an opponent for an additional shuffle or cut, if required by the format or tournament rules.

10.3. Drawing Starting Hands

10.3.1. Each player draws a number of cards equal to their Capital's Starting Hand Size.

10.4. Determining the Starting Player

10.4.1. Determine the starting player using a random method. Unless otherwise specified, each player rolls a D20, and the player with the highest result takes the first turn. If tied, tied players roll again until a starting player is determined.

10.5. Beginning the Game

10.5.1. Once all setup steps have been completed, the game begins with the first player's first turn.

11.1. General

11.1.1. Each turn consists of the following steps and phases, resolved in order:

1. Start of Turn Step
2. Ready Step
3. Draw Step
4. First Play Phase
5. Attack Phase
6. Second Play Phase
7. End of Turn Step

11.1.2. The player whose turn it is is referred to as the active player.

11.2. Start of Turn Step

11.2.1. Effects that trigger at the start or beginning of a player's turn trigger during the Start of Turn Step.

11.2.2. Resolve all effects that trigger during the Start of Turn Step before proceeding to the Ready Step.

11.3. Ready Step

11.3.1. During the ready step, each non-Ready card controlled by the active player progresses one position toward Ready by rotating 90° clockwise.

11.3.2. Cards progress toward Ready in the following order: Overdosed position → Wasted position → Exhausted position → Ready position

11.3.3. When a Kraver changes position this way, its status changes to the status represented by its new position.

11.3.4. An Upgrade in the Wasted or Overdosed position does not gain the Wasted or Overdosed status. Those positions track how many Ready Steps remain before that Upgrade becomes Ready.

11.3.5. A card affected by an effect that prevents it from progressing toward Ready remains in its current position.

11.4. Draw Step

11.4.1. The active player draws one card from their Deck.

11.4.2. If a player is required to draw a card from an empty Deck, that player immediately loses the game.

11.5. First Play Phase

11.5.1. During the First Play Phase, the active player may play cards, activate abilities, and perform any other legal actions allowed by card effects.

11.6. Attack Phase

11.6.1. During the Attack Phase, the active player may declare attacks using Kraver cards according to the rules of attacking.

11.6.2. The rules for declaring attacks, defending against attacks, resolving damage, and applying attack effects are described in the Attack section.

11.7. Second Play Phase

11.7.1. During the Second Play Phase, the active player may play cards, activate abilities, and perform any other legal actions allowed by card effects.

11.7.2. After the Second Play Phase ends, proceed to the End of Turn Step.

11.8. End of Turn Step

11.8.1. Effects that last until the end of the turn expire during the End of Turn Step.

11.8.2. Effects that trigger at the end of the turn trigger during the End of Turn Step.

11.8.3. After all End of Turn effects and triggered effects have resolved, all unspent Nekthar is lost.

11.8.4. After the End of Turn Step is complete, the active player's turn ends and the next player's turn begins.

12.1. Nekthar

12.1.1. Nekthar is the main resource used to pay costs in Kravestorm.

12.1.2. Players produce Nekthar using Nekthery cards. Each Nekthery produces Nekthar according to its rules.

12.1.3. Nekthar produced by a player remains available to that player for the remainder of the turn in which it was produced, regardless of whose turn it is.

12.1.4. All unspent Nekthar is lost during the End of Turn Step.

12.2. Producing Nekthar

12.2.1. To produce Nekthar, a player exhausts a Ready Nekthery card they control.

12.2.2. A Ready Nekthery may be exhausted to produce Nekthar whenever a player is allowed to pay a cost, including outside of their own turn.

12.2.3. When a Nekthery is exhausted to produce Nekthar, it produces the amount and type of Nekthar indicated by that card.

12.2.4. A Nekthery cannot be Exhausted to produce Nekthar unless it is Ready. A Nekthery also cannot be Exhausted if an effect prevents it from being Exhausted.

12.2.5. Producing Nekthar is a resource action. It is not the activation of an ability or effect, does not become pending, and does not by itself open a Reaction Window. Any effect triggered by producing Nekthar or Exhausting the Nekthery is processed separately according to the Triggered Effects rules.

12.3. Paying Costs

12.3.1. Costs are requirements that must be fulfilled before a card can be played, an ability can be activated, or an action can be performed.

12.3.2. To pay a Nekthar cost, a player spends the required amount and type of available Nekthar.

12.3.3. If a player cannot fully pay a cost, the action requiring that cost cannot be performed.

12.3.4. Costs are paid before the card, ability, or action resolves.

12.3.5. Costs are paid as part of committing a card play, attack, activation, or other action. Players cannot respond while choices are being made or costs are being paid.

12.3.6. Producing or paying Nekthar, Exhausting a card as a cost, discarding, burying, losing HP, or performing any other action as a cost does not become pending and does not open a Reaction Window. After all costs have been paid, the resulting card play, attack, or effect continues according to its normal timing rules.

12.3.7. Once paid, a cost is not refunded if the corresponding card, attack, ability, or effect is later changed, prevented, negated, or otherwise unable to resolve, unless a card effect specifically states otherwise.

12.4. Cost Modifications

12.4.1. Some effects may increase or reduce costs.

12.4.2. Cost increases and reductions are applied before the final cost is paid.

12.4.3. A cost cannot be reduced below 0.

12.5. Cost Symbols

12.5.1. Nekthar requirements and Nekthery production values may be represented by symbols instead of written text.

12.5.2. A circle containing a Nekthar symbol represents a Nekthar value.

12.5.3. When used as a cost in card text, each Nekthar symbol represents a requirement to pay 1 Nekthar of that type. Multiple symbols require 1 Nekthar to be paid for each symbol.

12.5.4. When displayed on a Nekthery card, a Nekthar symbol indicates the type and amount of Nekthar that card produces once it’s exhausted.

12.5.5. A generic Nekthar symbol represents Nekthar of any type unless otherwise specified.

12.5.6. Players must satisfy all Nekthar requirements shown before playing a card, activating an ability, attacking, or performing an action that requires a cost. Example: A cost showing three Brone Nekthar symbols requires 3 Brone to be paid. A Nekthery displaying a Brone Nekthar symbol produces Brone Nekthar when exhausted.

13.1. General

13.1.1. To play a card means to announce and commit that card by paying its printed Cost and meeting all requirements. A played card does not enter play until it resolves unless a rule or effect states otherwise.

13.1.2. A player may play a card only when the rules for that card type permit it. Unless otherwise specified, Kravers, Upgrades, and Actions may be played only during their controller's Play Phases. Whispers may be played only during legal Reaction Windows.

13.1.3. If a player cannot pay the required Cost or meet all requirements, the card cannot be played.

13.2. Unique Card Name Rule

13.2.1. A player cannot play or deploy a permanent card if they already control another permanent card with the same name, unless a rule or effect states otherwise. Permanent Card: A card that remains in play after resolving, including Kravers and Upgrades.

13.2.2. This restriction applies to all cards that remain in play, including Kravers and Upgrades.

13.2.3. This restriction does not apply to Upgrade–Nekthery cards, Upgrade–Garrison cards, or Kravers with the Doppelganger Soma, unless otherwise specified by an effect.

13.2.4. If a player comes to control multiple permanents with the same name in violation of the Unique Card Name Rule, that player immediately chooses one to keep. Each other conflicting permanent is moved to its owner's Discard Pile unless an effect states otherwise.

13.3. Playing a Card

13.3.1. To play a card, perform the following steps in order:

1. Announce the card being played.
2. Choose all modes, targets, divisions, and other required choices.
3. Determine and pay all costs.
4. The card play becomes committed.
5. Physically place the card face-up while it is pending. It remains

associated with the zone from which it was played for rules purposes.

6. Process any triggered effects caused by that card being played or becoming committed according to Section 28.3. Those triggered effects are processed before the played card resolves.
7. Recheck the card's legality.
8. Resolve the card according to its card type. A permanent enters play in its appropriate zone and becomes attached as required by its type or text. An Action or Whisper follows its specific timing rules in Sections 24 and 25. Playing or committing a card does not by itself open a Reaction Window.

13.3.2. Choices made when a card is played cannot be changed after the card becomes committed unless an effect specifically allows them to be changed.

13.3.3. If the card is prevented from resolving or all of its required targets become illegal, its costs remain paid and it is moved to the destination prescribed by the rules for its card type.

13.3.4. Players cannot respond while a card is being announced, choices are being made, or costs are being paid. After the card becomes committed, a Reaction Window opens only if an event listed in Section 27.2 occurs. The card play itself does not open a Reaction Window.

13.3.5. A card that has been played and is pending remains associated with the zone from which it was played for rules purposes until it resolves or fails to resolve. Physically placing it face-up on the table does not constitute a zone change.

13.4. Deploying Cards

13.4.1. To deploy a card means to move a card into play without paying its printed Cost.

13.4.2. A deployed card enters play through the effect or rule that allows it to be deployed.

13.4.3. Any additional requirements stated by the effect that deploys the card must still be fulfilled.

13.4.4. Deploying a card ignores only its printed Cost to Play. All other requirements and restrictions for that card entering play must still be satisfied unless the effect deploying it states otherwise.

14.1. General

14.1.1. Kravers are Unit cards that represent creatures, beings, or entities controlled by a player.

14.1.2. Kravers normally exist in the Garrison. Unless an effect allows otherwise, only Kraver cards may exist in the Garrison.

14.1.3. The number of Kraver cards a player may have in their Garrison is determined by their Capital’s Garrison value. This value may be modified by active effects or Upgrades.

14.1.4. A Kraver cannot normally enter a Garrison if doing so would cause that Garrison to exceed its capacity. If a resolving effect requires a Kraver to enter a Garrison that does not have sufficient capacity for it, resolve that entry according to Section 21.3.8.

14.2. Playing and Deploying Kravers

14.2.1. When a player plays a Kraver, it enters their Garrison after paying its Cost and meeting all requirements.

14.2.2. When a Kraver is deployed, it enters its controller’s Garrison without paying its printed Cost unless the effect states otherwise.

14.2.3. Unless a rule, Soma, or effect states otherwise, a Kraver entering a Garrison is placed in the rightmost position of that Garrison.

14.2.4. A Kraver entering play enters in the Ready position unless an effect states otherwise.

14.2.5. When an attack is declared, the attacking Kraver moves to the leftmost legal position of its controller's Garrison before the attack becomes committed, unless Steady, another Soma, a rule, or an effect states otherwise.

14.2.6. When a Kraver enters the Garrison, any effects that trigger when a Kraver is deployed or enters play resolve according to the rules for resolving effects.

14.3. Kraver Stats

14.3.1. Each Kraver has the following core gameplay values:

• Cost to Play
• Health Points (HP)
• Cost to Attack
• Attack Damage
• Ethos

14.3.2. Some Kravers may additionally have the following fields:

• Soma
• Attack Side Effects

14.3.3. Cost to Play represents the amount of Nekthar required to play the Kraver.

14.3.4. Health Points (HP) represent the amount of damage a Kraver can sustain. A D20 is used to track the Kraver's current remaining HP. When a Kraver's current HP reaches 0, it is destroyed unless a rule or effect states otherwise.

14.3.5. Attack Damage represents the amount of damage a Kraver deals when it attacks.

14.3.6. Cost to Attack represents the amount of Nekthar required to declare an attack with that Kraver.

14.3.7. Ethos represents inherent abilities of a Kraver that may trigger when the Kraver is deployed, attacks, defends, or continuously while the Kraver remains in play. A Kraver’s Ethos is only active while that Kraver is in the Ready position.

14.3.8. Attack Side Effects are additional effects that occur when a Kraver attacks, if applicable. These effects apply to the attacking Kraver unless otherwise specified and may include consequences such as dealing damage to itself or applying negative statuses.

14.3.9. Soma represents keywords that define a Kraver’s physical traits, positioning, and interaction with the Garrison system, if applicable.

14.4. Kraver Position and Status

14.4.1. A Kraver's current status is represented by its orientation.

14.4.2. The possible statuses of a Kraver are represented as follows:

• Ready: The card is upright.
• Exhausted: The card is rotated 90° to the left.
• Wasted: The card is upside down.
• Overdosed: The card is rotated 90° to the right.

14.4.3. Kravers follow the general rules for card orientation and ready-step progression. Unlike other card types, the Wasted and Overdosed positions represent the Wasted and Overdosed statuses for Kravers.

14.5. Soma

14.5.1. Soma represents keywords that define a Kraver’s physical traits, positioning, and interaction with the Garrison system.

14.5.2. Soma abilities modify the normal rules of Kravers according to the text of the ability.

14.6. Ethos

14.6.1. Ethos represents inherent abilities that define a Kraver’s behavior and characteristics.

14.6.2. Ethos abilities may trigger during one or more of the following moments:

• When the Kraver is deployed.
• When the Kraver attacks.
• When the Kraver defends.
• Continuously while the Kraver remains in play (while Ready).

14.6.3. Unless otherwise specified, Ethos abilities are part of the Kraver’s rules text and resolve according to the general rules for effects.

14.7. Upgrades Attached to Kravers

14.7.1. Upgrade cards attached to Kravers are placed beside or partially beneath the attached Kraver while remaining visible.

14.7.2. An Upgrade remains attached to the Kraver it modifies unless an effect removes it, moves it, or the attached Kraver leaves play.

14.7.3. If the attached Kraver leaves play, attached Upgrades are moved to the appropriate zone according to the rules of the Upgrade or the effect that caused the Kraver to leave play.

15.1. General

15.1.1. Soma represents a Kraver's physical traits and interaction with the Garrison.

15.1.2. Not all Kravers have Soma.

15.1.3. Kravers may have one or more Soma.

15.1.4. Soma modifies the normal rules for positioning, movement, Garrison occupancy, or deployment according to the specific Soma keyword.

15.1.5. Unless otherwise specified, a Kraver's Soma is active while that Kraver remains in the Garrison, regardless of its current status.

15.1.6. The following Soma keywords exist:

• Slender
• Robust
• Solitary
• Mobile
• Steady
• Doppelganger
• Kinswap
• Hardened
• Withdraw
• Frontliner
• Stubborn

15.2. Slender

15.2.1. A Kraver with Slender occupies no Garrison slots.

15.2.2. A Slender Kraver does not count toward its controller's Garrison limit.

15.3. Robust

15.3.1. A Kraver with Robust occupies two Garrison slots.

15.3.2. When determining whether a player has reached their Garrison limit, each Robust Kraver counts as two Kravers.

15.4. Solitary

15.4.1. A Kraver with Solitary can only enter an empty Garrison.

15.4.2. While a Kraver with Solitary is in a Garrison, no other Kraver can enter that Garrison.

15.4.3. A Kraver with Solitary cannot have another Soma.

15.5. Mobile

15.5.1. During its controller's Play Phases, a Kraver with Mobile may be relocated to any legal position within its controller's Garrison.

15.5.2. Relocating a Kraver using Mobile does not cost Nekthar unless otherwise specified.

15.5.3. Mobile may be used any number of times during each of its controller's Play Phases.

15.6. Steady

15.6.1. When a Kraver with Steady declares an attack, it does not move to the leftmost position of its Garrison.

15.6.2. Instead, it remains in its current Garrison position unless moved by another effect.

15.7. Doppelganger

15.7.1. A Kraver with Doppelganger ignores the normal Garrison restriction preventing a player from controlling more than one Kraver with the same card name.

15.7.2. A player may control multiple copies of a Kraver with Doppelganger in their Garrison.

15.8. Kinswap

15.8.1. During one of its controller's Play Phases, a player may deploy a Kraver with Kinswap from their Hand by returning another Kraver they control that shares at least one Species with it to its owner's Hand as a cost.

15.8.2. The returned Kraver must share at least one Species with the Kraver being deployed.

15.8.3. Only the Kraver being deployed is required to have Kinswap. The returned Kraver does not require Kinswap unless otherwise specified.

15.8.4. A Kraver deployed using Kinswap enters the Garrison without paying its printed Cost and is placed in the same Garrison position previously occupied by the Kraver returned to pay the Kinswap cost, instead of the rightmost position. If another rule or Soma requires that Kraver to occupy a different legal position, follow that rule or Soma.

15.8.5. Kinswap may be used any number of times during each of its controller's Play Phases.

15.8.6. Kinswap does not override the Unique Card Name Rule. A Kraver cannot be deployed using Kinswap if its controller already controls another permanent with the same name when the Kinswap action is declared, even if that permanent would be returned to its owner's Hand as the Kinswap cost.

15.9. Hardened

15.9.1. Attack Damage dealt to a Kraver with Hardened is not increased because of that Kraver's status.

15.9.2. Hardened does not prevent or reduce Attack Damage and does not ignore modifiers from other effects.

15.10. Withdraw

15.10.1. During its controller's Play Phases, a Kraver with Withdraw may be returned from its controller's Garrison to its owner's Hand.

15.10.2. Withdrawing a Kraver does not cost Nekthar unless otherwise specified.

15.10.3. Withdraw may be used any number of times during each of its controller's Play Phases.

15.11. Frontliner

15.11.1. A Kraver with Frontliner always remains in the leftmost position of its Garrison.

15.11.2. If multiple Kravers with Frontliner are in the same Garrison, they remain in the leftmost positions of that Garrison.

15.11.3. The controller of multiple Kravers with Frontliner chooses their order among those positions.

15.11.4. Whenever a Kraver with Frontliner enters a Garrison or another Kraver enters or is relocated within that Garrison, the Frontliner Kraver remains in a legal leftmost position.

15.12. Stubborn

15.12.1. A Kraver with Stubborn can't be destroyed, buried, returned to Hand, or otherwise leave its Garrison except as a result of lethal Attack Damage.

15.12.2. Effect Damage can't reduce a Kraver with Stubborn below 1 HP.

15.12.3. If an effect would cause a Kraver with Stubborn to leave its Garrison for any reason other than lethal Attack Damage, it remains in its Garrison instead.

15.12.4. Stubborn does not prevent a Kraver from receiving damage, being targeted, changing status, or being relocated within its current Garrison.

16.1. General

16.1.1. Ethos represents the inherent abilities of a Kraver.

16.1.2. Every Kraver has exactly one Ethos.

16.1.3. A Kraver's Ethos is active only while that Kraver is in the Ready position.

16.1.4. If a Kraver is not in the Ready position, its Ethos has no effect.

16.1.5. Every Ethos belongs to one of the following categories:

• Deployment Ethos
• Permanent Ethos
• Attack Ethos
• Defense Ethos

16.1.6. Each Ethos category is identified by a unique symbol displayed before the Ethos text:

• Deployment Ethos: A green rectangle containing an upward-pointing arrow.
• Permanent Ethos: A yellow rectangle containing an infinity symbol.
• Attack Ethos: A red rectangle containing a sword.
• Defense Ethos: A blue rectangle containing a shield.

16.1.7. The Ethos category determines when the Ethos is applied or triggered.

16.1.8. Ethos follows the general rules for resolving effects unless otherwise specified.

16.2. Deployment Ethos

16.2.1. A Deployment Ethos triggers whenever its Kraver enters a Garrison in the Ready position, unless specified otherwise.

16.2.2. Once triggered, a Deployment Ethos becomes pending and opens a Reaction Window according to Section 27.2. After that Reaction Window resolves, resolve the Deployment Ethos if its requirements remain satisfied.

16.2.3. A Deployment Ethos triggers each time its Kraver legally enters a Garrison, even if that Kraver previously left a Garrison and later returned.

16.3. Permanent Ethos

16.3.1. A Permanent Ethos is active while its Kraver remains in the Ready position.

16.3.2. A Permanent Ethos may be either continuous or activated, as indicated by its text.

16.3.3. A continuous Permanent Ethos applies continuously while its Kraver remains in the Ready position.

16.3.4. An activated Permanent Ethos is identified by the Exhaust symbol at the beginning of its text. To activate that Ethos, its controller exhausts the Kraver as part of the activation cost. The Kraver becomes Exhausted after the Ethos is activated.

16.3.5. An activated Permanent Ethos may be activated during either of its controller's Play Phases or during a legal Reaction Window, unless otherwise specified.

16.3.6. If a Kraver leaves the Ready position, its Permanent Ethos immediately stops applying and cannot be activated.

16.3.7. If a Kraver returns to the Ready position, its Permanent Ethos becomes active again.

16.3.8. Activating a Permanent Ethos does not itself open a Reaction Window. After all activation choices and costs have been completed, its effect becomes pending. If activated outside a Reaction Window, that pending effect opens a Reaction Window according to Section 27.2. If activated during an existing Reaction Window, it becomes the most recent pending response and does not open a separate Reaction Window.

16.3.9. An activated Permanent Ethos may be added as a response only before the current response chain becomes locked.

16.4. Attack Ethos

16.4.1. An Attack Ethos triggers when its Kraver's attack becomes committed and pending, even though the attacking Kraver becomes Exhausted as part of declaring that attack.

16.4.2. This exception applies only to Attack Ethos. It does not cause any other Ethos to remain active while its Kraver is Exhausted.

16.4.3. An Attack Ethos triggered by the commitment of an attack resolves before the Reaction Window for that attack opens.

16.4.4. Resolving an Attack Ethos does not open a Reaction Window.

16.4.5. Any changes created by the Attack Ethos are applied to the pending attack before players receive priority to respond to that attack.

16.4.6. After the attacking Kraver's Attack Ethos resolves, continue the Attack Preparation Sequence according to Section 17.2.7. Once no unresolved triggered effects remain that became pending during that sequence, determine the current state of the pending attack and open that attack's Reaction Window.

16.4.7. Players respond to the pending attack as it exists after those effects have resolved. An Attack Ethos that has already resolved cannot itself be changed or negated by a response unless an effect specifically refers to a resolved effect.

16.4.8. An Attack Ethos resolves independently of the Kraver's Attack Side Effects unless a card effect states otherwise.

16.4.9. An Attack Ethos may create an effect that applies later during that attack. If its text refers to “this attack” or to an event that occurs later during that attack, that effect remains active until the attack is complete and is applied at the timing specified by its text.

16.5. Defense Ethos

16.5.1. A Defense Ethos triggers whenever its Ready Kraver is about to receive Attack Damage from another Kraver.

16.5.2. A Defense Ethos triggered during the resolution of an attack resolves immediately before Attack Damage is assigned to that Kraver. It does not open a separate Reaction Window unless a card or rule specifically states otherwise.

16.5.3. If a Defense Ethos refers to incoming Attack Damage, use the amount that would be assigned before applying that Defense Ethos.

16.5.4. A Defense Ethos resolves even if the incoming attack would deal enough damage to reduce the Kraver's HP to 0.

16.5.5. If a Defense Ethos changes or prevents the outcome of the attack, apply those changes before Attack Damage is resolved.

16.6. Resolving Ethos

16.6.1. If multiple Ethos trigger simultaneously, they are resolved according to the rules for simultaneous effects.

16.6.2. If multiple Ethos trigger simultaneously and their relative order must be determined, the active player chooses the order in which they resolve, regardless of which player controls those Ethos.

16.6.3. If an Ethos cannot be fully resolved, resolve as much of its effect as possible unless otherwise specified.

16.6.4. If an Ethos directly contradicts a general game rule, the Ethos takes precedence.

16.6.5. Once an Ethos has triggered, removing its source or causing that source's Ethos to become inactive does not remove the triggered effect from the resolution sequence unless that effect requires information or a target that can no longer legally be determined.

17.1. General

17.1.1. During their Attack Phase, the active player may declare attacks using Ready Kravers they control.

17.1.2. Attacks are declared and resolved one at a time.

17.1.3. A Kraver may attack only if it is in the Ready position, its controller can pay its Cost to Attack, and no effect prevents it from attacking.

17.1.4. Each attack is declared against a specific opponent.

17.1.5. A player may only declare an attack against an opponent. Attacks cannot be declared against themselves or a Kraver they control.

17.1.6. Damage assigned during the normal resolution of an attack is Attack Damage. Attack Damage is modified by the defending Kraver's current status and follows the Damage Assignment rules in Section 17.3 and the Status rules in Chapter 19.

17.2. Declaring and Resolving an Attack

17.2.1. To declare and resolve an attack, perform the following steps in order:

1. Choose a Ready Kraver you control as the attacking Kraver.
2. Choose the opponent being attacked.
3. Determine and pay that Kraver's Cost to Attack.
4. Move the attacking Kraver to the leftmost legal position of your Garrison unless Steady, another Soma, a rule, or an effect states otherwise.
5. The attack becomes committed and is considered a pending attack. As part of committing the attack, Exhaust the attacking Kraver before checking any triggered effects caused by that commitment.
6. Begin the Attack Preparation Sequence.
7. Trigger the attacking Kraver's Attack Ethos, if applicable, and any other triggered effects caused by committing the attack. The attacking Kraver's Attack Ethos triggers despite that Kraver becoming Exhausted as part of the attack declaration.
8. Determine the order of those triggered effects according to the applicable ordering rules and resolve them. They do not open separate Reaction Windows unless a card or rule specifically states otherwise.
9. If resolving an effect during the Attack Preparation Sequence causes one or more additional triggered effects to become pending, determine

their order according to the applicable ordering rules and resolve them as part of the Attack Preparation Sequence. They do not open separate Reaction Windows unless a card or rule specifically states otherwise. 10.Repeat step 9 until no unresolved triggered effects remain that were caused during the Attack Preparation Sequence. 11.Apply all resulting changes and modifiers, determine the current state of the pending attack, end the Attack Preparation Sequence, and open the attack's single normal Reaction Window. 12.After all players pass consecutively, lock the response chain and resolve all pending responses according to Last In, First Out. 13.Resolve the attacking Kraver's Attack Side Effect, if applicable. 14.Begin Attack Damage assignment using the current game state. 15.Unless an effect states otherwise, the leftmost Kraver in the defending Garrison is the next Kraver that would receive Attack Damage. 16.Immediately before Attack Damage would be assigned to that Kraver, trigger and resolve its applicable Defense Ethos. A Defense Ethos resolved this way does not open a separate Reaction Window unless a card or rule specifically states otherwise. 17.Apply all resulting effects and modifiers affecting the Attack Damage that would be dealt to that Kraver, including modifiers from its current status. 18.Assign only the amount of remaining Attack Damage required, after applying all modifiers, to reduce that Kraver to 0 HP. A minimum of 1 Attack Damage must be assigned. Attack Damage dealt to a Kraver cannot exceed its current HP. If the remaining Attack Damage is insufficient, assign all remaining Attack Damage to it. 19.Repeat steps 15–18 for each subsequent Kraver reached by the remaining Attack Damage. 20.If no defending Kravers remain and Attack Damage remains, deal the remaining Attack Damage to the defending opponent's Capital unless an effect states otherwise. 21.The attack is complete.

17.2.2. Once an attack becomes committed, its controller cannot withdraw the attack, change the attacking Kraver, change the defending opponent, or recover any paid cost because of a response.

17.2.3. Responses may change how a committed attack resolves, including its damage, targets, statuses, or other consequences, but do not undo its declaration.

17.2.4. Once an attack becomes committed, it continues to resolve even if the attacking Kraver leaves the Garrison, unless an effect specifically cancels the attack. Costs paid for the attack are not refunded.

17.2.5. Once an attack becomes committed, a later change to the attacking Kraver's status does not stop that attack unless an effect specifically cancels it.

17.2.6. Single Attack Reaction Window - Unless a card or rule specifically states otherwise, each committed attack creates only one normal Reaction Window. Before that Reaction Window opens, resolve the Attack Preparation Sequence described in Section 17.2.7. Triggered effects that become pending during the Attack Preparation Sequence do not create separate normal Reaction Windows. They are resolved as part of that sequence until no unresolved triggered effects that became pending during that sequence remain. Players then respond to the pending attack as it exists after the Attack Preparation Sequence is complete. Defense Ethos does not create a separate Reaction Window during that attack. An initial D20 result may still open a Reaction Window according to Section 27.6.

17.2.7. The Attack Preparation Sequence begins when an attack becomes committed and ends immediately before that attack’s normal Reaction Window opens. During the Attack Preparation Sequence, resolve the attacking Kraver's Attack Ethos and all triggered effects that become pending while the Attack Preparation Sequence is active. Triggered effects that become pending during the Attack Preparation Sequence do not open separate Reaction Windows unless a card or rule specifically states otherwise. If resolving one such effect causes another triggered effect to become pending, that new triggered effect is added to the Attack Preparation Sequence and is resolved before the attack’s normal Reaction Window opens. Continue this process until no unresolved triggered effects remain that became pending during the Attack Preparation Sequence. After all such effects have resolved and all resulting changes have been applied, determine the current state of the pending attack and open that attack’s single normal Reaction Window. An initial D20 result remains an exception and may open its Reaction Window according to Section 27.6.

17.3. Damage Assignment

17.3.1. Unless an effect specifically states otherwise, attack damage is assigned using the game state that exists when damage assignment begins.

17.3.2. Attack damage is assigned beginning with the leftmost Kraver in the defending player’s Garrison.

17.3.3. The defending player does not choose how attack damage is assigned. Damage proceeds automatically from left to right through the defending Garrison unless an effect states otherwise.

17.3.4. If the defending player has no Kravers in their Garrison, the attack damage is dealt directly to their Capital.

17.3.5. Kravers absorb attack damage regardless of their current status.

17.3.6. Before damage is dealt to a Kraver, resolve any applicable Defense Ethos and account for any effects, Upgrades, Soma, or other modifiers affecting that Kraver or the incoming damage.

17.3.7. Attack Damage dealt to a Kraver is modified by that Kraver's current status as follows: Ready: no modification. Exhausted: increase that Attack Damage by 1. Wasted: increase that Attack Damage by 2. Overdosed: increase that Attack Damage by 3.

17.3.8. Attack Damage dealt to a Kraver cannot exceed that Kraver's current HP. A Kraver with Hardened ignores the Attack Damage increase caused by its current status.

17.3.9. When assigning Attack Damage to a Kraver, account for all effects and modifiers that affect the amount of Attack Damage that will be dealt to that Kraver. Assign only the amount of the attacking Kraver's remaining Attack Damage required for the resulting Attack Damage to reduce that Kraver to 0 HP. A minimum of 1 Attack Damage must be assigned. If the remaining Attack Damage is insufficient to deal lethal Attack Damage, assign all remaining Attack Damage to that Kraver.

17.3.10. Attack Damage added by a defending Kraver's status is dealt only to that Kraver. It is not subtracted from the attacking Kraver's remaining Attack Damage.

17.3.11. Attack Damage dealt to a Kraver reduces its current HP by the amount actually dealt. If that Attack Damage reduces the Kraver to 0 HP, it is lethal Attack Damage and that Kraver is destroyed unless an effect states otherwise.

17.3.12. Before remaining damage is assigned to each subsequent Kraver, resolve that Kraver’s applicable Defense Ethos and account for any other effects or modifiers affecting it or the incoming damage.

17.3.13. Repeat the damage-assignment procedure from left to right until no attack damage remains or no Kravers remain in the defending Garrison.

17.3.14. If no defending Kravers remain, any remaining attack damage is dealt to the defending player’s Capital.

17.3.15. Damage dealt to a Capital reduces its current HP by the full amount of remaining attack damage. Example 1: A Kraver with 4 Attack Damage attacks a Wasted Kraver with 3 HP. Attack Damage dealt to the defending Kraver is increased by 2 because it is Wasted. Only 1 of the attacking Kraver's Attack Damage must be assigned to deal 3

Attack Damage to the defending Kraver. The defending Kraver is reduced to 0 HP and destroyed. The remaining 3 Attack Damage continues to the next Kraver or the defending Capital. Example 2: A Kraver with 6 Attack Damage attacks an Overdosed Kraver with 1 HP. A minimum of 1 Attack Damage must be assigned to the defending Kraver. Although Attack Damage dealt to an Overdosed Kraver is normally increased by 3, Attack Damage dealt to a Kraver cannot exceed its current HP. The defending Kraver is therefore dealt 1 Attack Damage and destroyed. The remaining 5 Attack Damage continues to the next Kraver or the defending Capital. Example 3: A Kraver with 1 Attack Damage attacks an Exhausted Kraver with 9 HP. The attacking Kraver assigns its 1 Attack Damage to the defending Kraver. Because the defending Kraver is Exhausted, that damage is increased by 1, so it is dealt 2 Attack Damage and its current HP is reduced from 9 to 7. No Attack Damage remains.

17.3.16. Lethal Attack Damage causes a Kraver with Stubborn to leave its Garrison normally.

17.4. Defense Ethos

17.4.1. A Defense Ethos triggers only when its Kraver is about to receive attack damage from another Kraver.

17.4.2. A Defense Ethos resolves before Attack Damage is assigned to that Kraver. It does not open a separate Reaction Window unless a card or rule specifically states otherwise.

17.4.3. A Defense Ethos resolves even if the incoming Attack Damage would otherwise be lethal to that Kraver.

17.4.4. A Defense Ethos is resolved according to its own text. Its effect may apply before, during, or after damage assignment as specified.

17.4.5. If attack damage spills over to another Kraver, that Kraver’s Defense Ethos is checked and resolved separately before it receives damage.

17.5. Attacking Kraver Status

17.5.1. When an attack becomes committed, the attacking Kraver becomes Exhausted.

17.5.2. The attack continues to resolve even though the attacking Kraver is Exhausted.

17.5.3. If an Attack Side Effect or another effect causes the attacking Kraver to become Wasted or Overdosed during that attack, apply that status normally.

17.5.4. If an effect prevents the attacking Kraver from becoming Exhausted, apply that effect as instructed.

17.6. Multiple Attacks

17.6.1. During their Attack Phase, the active player may declare attacks with any number of eligible Kravers they control.

17.6.2. Each attack must be completely declared and resolved before another attack may be declared.

17.6.3. The active player chooses the order in which their eligible Kravers attack.

17.6.4. A Kraver that is no longer Ready after attacking cannot normally attack again during the same Attack Phase unless an effect allows otherwise.

18.1. General

18.1.1. Some Kravers have an Attack Side Effect.

18.1.2. An Attack Side Effect is resolved each time that Kraver attacks.

18.1.3. Unless otherwise specified, an Attack Side Effect resolves after the attacking Kraver's Attack Ethos and before Attack Damage assignment begins.

18.1.4. Unless otherwise specified, an Attack Side Effect affects the attacking Kraver.

18.1.5. An Attack Side Effect is resolved even if it would negatively affect the attacking Kraver.

18.1.6. Unless otherwise specified, an attacking Kraver's Attack Damage and Attack Ethos resolve regardless of the outcome of its Attack Side Effect.

18.2. Recoil Damage

18.2.1. Some Attack Side Effects instruct the attacking Kraver to deal damage to itself. This is referred to as Recoil Damage.

18.2.2. Recoil Damage reduces the attacking Kraver's current HP.

18.2.3. If Recoil Damage reduces the attacking Kraver's HP to 0 or less, that Kraver is destroyed unless an effect states otherwise.

18.2.4. If Recoil Damage exceeds the attacking Kraver's remaining HP, the excess damage is ignored and has no further effect.

18.3. Status Roll Side Effects

18.3.1. Some Attack Side Effects instruct a player to roll a D20 to determine the status applied to the attacking Kraver.

18.3.2. A Status Roll is represented by the Roll D20 symbol followed by one or more result ranges indicating the status to be applied.

18.3.3. Any D20 result not included in one of the listed ranges causes the attacking Kraver to become Exhausted.

18.3.4. Example:

• 1–6: Overdosed
• 7–16: Wasted A result of 17–20 causes the attacking Kraver to become Exhausted.

18.3.5. If multiple statuses would be applied to the attacking Kraver simultaneously, resolve them according to the Status Resolution rules.

18.4. Resolving Attack Side Effects

18.4.1. Attack Side Effects are resolved before attack damage is assigned.

18.4.2. If an Attack Side Effect removes the attacking Kraver from the Garrison, its attack still resolves unless an effect specifically states otherwise.

18.4.3. If an Attack Side Effect changes the attacking Kraver's Attack Damage or any other attack value, apply those changes before attack damage is assigned.

18.4.4. Unless otherwise specified, all instructions of an Attack Side Effect are resolved completely before attack damage is assigned.

19.1. General

19.1.1. A card's position represents its current state of readiness. Kravers additionally have statuses represented by their position.

19.1.2. Ready and Exhausted may apply to any card that can occupy those positions.

19.1.3. Wasted and Overdosed are Kraver statuses.

19.1.4. A Kraver's status is represented by its orientation:

• Ready: Upright.
• Exhausted: Rotated 90° to the left.
• Wasted: Upside down.
• Overdosed: Rotated 90° to the right.

19.1.5. A Kraver can have only one status at a time.

19.1.6. If multiple statuses would be applied to the same Kraver simultaneously, resolve them according to the Status Resolution rules.

19.1.7. Unless otherwise specified, a Kraver's status remains until it changes through the ready step or by an effect.

19.1.8. Upgrades may be placed in the Wasted or Overdosed position by effects. An Upgrade in either position is not Wasted or Overdosed.

19.1.9. Kravers and Upgrades in the Wasted or Overdosed position progress toward Ready according to the normal ready-step rules.

19.1.10. A Kraver's Soma functions regardless of that Kraver's current status unless the Soma itself or another effect states otherwise.

19.1.11. A Kraver's status does not prevent it from using or benefiting from its Soma. For example, a Kraver with Mobile may still be relocated, a Kraver with Withdraw may still be returned to its owner's Hand, a Kraver with Frontliner remains in the leftmost position of its Garrison, and a Kraver with Stubborn retains its restrictions regardless of its current status.

19.1.12. Unless otherwise specified, a Kraver's status does not prevent it from receiving damage, being targeted by attacks or effects, being relocated, being returned to Hand, being destroyed, being buried, or otherwise leaving the Garrison.

19.1.13. A Kraver retains all of its printed values regardless of its current status unless modified by an effect.

19.2. Ready

19.2.1. A card in the Ready position is upright.

19.2.2. A Ready card may perform or pay costs that require it to be Ready, subject to the rules applicable to that card.

19.2.3. A Ready Kraver may attack.

19.2.4. A Ready Kraver's Ethos is active.

19.2.5. Attack Damage dealt to a Ready Kraver is not increased because of its status.

19.3. Exhausted

19.3.1. An Exhausted card is represented by a card rotated 90° to the left.

19.3.2. An Exhausted Upgrade is inactive.

19.3.3. An Exhausted Kraver cannot attack.

19.3.4. An Exhausted Kraver's Ethos is inactive.

19.3.5. Attack Damage dealt to an Exhausted Kraver is increased by 1. A Kraver with Hardened ignores this increase.

19.4. Wasted

19.4.1. A Wasted Kraver is represented by an upside-down orientation.

19.4.2. A Wasted Kraver cannot attack.

19.4.3. A Wasted Kraver's Ethos is inactive.

19.4.4. Attack Damage dealt to a Wasted Kraver is increased by 2. A Kraver with Hardened ignores this increase.

19.5. Overdosed

19.5.1. An Overdosed Kraver is represented by a card rotated 90° to the right.

19.5.2. An Overdosed Kraver cannot attack.

19.5.3. An Overdosed Kraver's Ethos is inactive.

19.5.4. Attack Damage dealt to an Overdosed Kraver is increased by 3. A Kraver with Hardened ignores this increase.

20.1. General

20.1.1. Damage may be dealt by attacks, effects, and other game rules.

20.1.2. Damage assigned during the normal resolution of an attack is Attack Damage and is resolved according to the Attack rules.

20.1.3. Damage dealt by the resolution of an effect is Effect Damage and is resolved according to the instructions of that effect.

20.1.4. Effect Damage is not modified by a target's current status.

20.1.5. Unless an effect specifically states otherwise, excess Effect Damage is lost and is not assigned to another Kraver or Capital.

20.1.6. Damage that has already been dealt cannot be reduced, redirected, or prevented unless an effect specifically states that it reverses damage already dealt.

20.1.7. An effect that reduces, redirects, or prevents Attack Damage during the Reaction Window opened by an attack modifies the damage that committed attack will deal when it resolves.

20.1.8. If an effect refers to “the next damage” a source would deal, that modifier remains active for its stated duration and applies when that damage would occur.

20.1.9. Damage cannot reduce a card or Capital below 0 HP.

20.2. Damage to Kravers

20.2.1. Effect Damage dealt to a Kraver reduces its current HP by the amount dealt. A Kraver's status does not modify Effect Damage.

20.2.2. A Kraver reduced to 0 HP by Effect Damage is destroyed unless an effect states otherwise.

20.2.3. If an Ethos or effect targets or otherwise deals damage specifically to one or more Kravers, that damage cannot be assigned to a Capital unless the Ethos or effect specifically states otherwise.

20.2.4. Defense Ethos is triggered only when a Kraver is receiving damage as part of an attack by another Kraver.

20.2.5. Damage dealt by an Ethos, card effect, or any other source outside the normal resolution of an attack does not trigger Defense Ethos.

20.2.6. Effect Damage cannot reduce a Kraver with Stubborn below 1 HP.

20.3. Excess Damage

20.3.1. Excess Damage is damage remaining after the amount required by the applicable damage rules has been assigned or dealt to the affected card.

20.3.2. Unless an effect specifically states otherwise, excess Effect Damage is lost.

20.3.3. If an effect allows excess Effect Damage to continue through a Garrison, excess damage is assigned from left to right to the next Kraver in that Garrison.

20.3.4. Effect Damage is not modified by the status of any Kraver receiving that damage.

20.3.5. If an effect targets or otherwise deals damage specifically to a Kraver or group of Kravers, excess Effect Damage does not continue to a Capital unless the effect specifically states otherwise.

20.3.6. The absence of Kravers that can receive remaining excess Effect Damage does not cause that damage to be dealt to a Capital unless the effect specifically states otherwise.

20.3.7. If an effect requires one or more targets, it cannot be activated unless all required targets can be legally chosen. An effect cannot assign its damage to a different type of target unless it specifically states otherwise.

20.4. Damage to Multiple Kravers

20.4.1. If an Ethos or effect deals a specified amount of damage to multiple Kravers, that amount is dealt separately to each affected Kraver unless the effect states otherwise.

20.4.2. Excess damage dealt to one affected Kraver is not transferred to another affected Kraver unless the Ethos or effect specifically allows that damage to continue.

20.4.3. Damage dealt to multiple Kravers does not continue to a Capital unless the Ethos or effect specifically states otherwise.

20.5. Capital Damage

20.5.1. Damage dealt directly to a Capital reduces that Capital's HP by the amount of damage dealt.

20.5.2. Kraver status damage modifiers do not apply to damage dealt to a Capital.

20.5.3. An Ethos or effect that specifically deals damage to a Capital does not interact with the defending player's Garrison unless the Ethos or effect states otherwise.

20.5.4. Damage intended for one or more Kravers cannot be assigned to a Capital solely because those Kravers have been destroyed or because no legal Kraver remains to receive the damage.

20.6. Ethos Damage and Attack Damage

20.6.1. Damage dealt by an Ethos is effect damage and is separate from the Attack Damage dealt by a Kraver during an attack.

20.6.2. If an Ethos deals damage during the resolution of an attack, that damage is resolved separately according to the instructions of the Ethos.

20.6.3. Damage dealt by an Ethos during an attack does not trigger Defense Ethos unless the Ethos specifically states otherwise.

20.6.4. Any excess damage created by an Ethos is resolved according to that Ethos and does not automatically follow the normal spillover rules for Attack Damage.

20.7. Damage to Upgrades

20.7.1. An Upgrade without an HP value cannot be dealt damage unless an effect specifically states otherwise.

20.7.2. Damage dealt to an Upgrade with HP reduces its current HP by the amount dealt.

20.7.3. If an Upgrade with HP reaches 0 HP, it is destroyed unless an effect states otherwise.

20.7.4. Kraver status modifiers do not apply to Upgrades.

21.1. General

21.1.1. The Garrison is the area where a player's Kravers remain while in play.

21.1.2. Every player has their own Garrison associated with their Capital.

21.1.3. Unless otherwise specified, only Kravers and Upgrades attached to Kravers may exist in the Garrison.

21.1.4. A player's Garrison has a capacity determined by their Capital's Garrison value, modified by any applicable effects. Kravers occupy that capacity according to the Garrison Capacity rules.

21.1.5. A player cannot control more than one Kraver with the same name in their Garrison unless one or more of those Kravers has Doppelganger. Restrictions on Upgrade names are governed by the Unique Card Name Rule and the Upgrade rules.

21.2. Garrison Order

21.2.1. Every Kraver occupies a position within its controller's Garrison.

21.2.2. Kravers in a Garrison are arranged in a single line from left to right.

21.2.3. The leftmost Kraver is always the first Kraver to receive attack damage unless an effect states otherwise.

21.2.4. Newly played or deployed Kravers enter the rightmost position of the Garrison unless a rule, Soma, or effect states otherwise.

21.2.5. When an attack is declared, the attacking Kraver moves to the leftmost legal position of its controller's Garrison before the attack becomes committed, unless Steady, another Soma, a rule, or an effect states otherwise.

21.2.6. A Kraver changes position within the Garrison only when instructed by a rule, Soma, or effect.

21.2.7. Relocating a Kraver does not change its status, HP, Ethos, Soma, attached Upgrades, or any effects affecting it unless otherwise specified.

21.2.8. Soma may modify the normal rules for Garrison order. A Kraver with Frontliner always occupies a leftmost position of its Garrison.

21.2.9. If multiple Kravers with Frontliner are in the same Garrison, they occupy the leftmost positions of that Garrison. Their controller chooses their order among those positions.

21.3. Garrison Capacity

21.3.1. A Kraver cannot enter a Garrison if doing so would cause that Garrison's occupancy to exceed its capacity unless an effect states otherwise.

21.3.2. A Kraver with the Robust Soma occupies 2 Garrison slots.

21.3.3. A Kraver with the Slender Soma occupies 0 Garrison slots.

21.3.4. Garrison occupancy is determined after applying all applicable Soma, Upgrades, and other modifiers.

21.3.5. If a player's Garrison capacity is reduced and their Garrison exceeds its new capacity, that player must immediately return Kravers they control from that Garrison to their owners' Hands until the Garrison no longer exceeds its capacity.

21.3.6. Unless otherwise specified, the controller of the Garrison chooses which Kraver or Kravers are returned to Hand.

21.3.7. When resolving excess Garrison occupancy, a Kraver that cannot legally leave the Garrison cannot be chosen to satisfy the excess. If no legal choice can reduce the Garrison to its capacity, the Garrison remains over capacity until a legal game state can be reached. While it remains over capacity, its controller cannot play or deploy additional Kravers.

21.3.8. If a resolving effect requires a Kraver to enter a Garrison and that Kraver cannot legally enter that Garrison because doing so would cause its occupancy to exceed its capacity, return that Kraver to its owner's Hand instead. The Kraver does not enter that Garrison and is not considered to have been deployed there. Effects that trigger when that Kraver enters a Garrison or is deployed do not trigger.

21.4. Leaving the Garrison

21.4.1. A Kraver leaves the Garrison whenever it is destroyed, returned to Hand, buried, moved to another zone, or otherwise removed from play.

21.4.2. If a Kraver leaves the Garrison, the remaining Kravers retain their left-to-right order.

21.4.3. Unless otherwise specified, when a Kraver leaves the Garrison, all Upgrades attached to that Kraver leave the Garrison with it.

21.4.4. When an attached Kraver leaves the Garrison, each attached Upgrade moves to its owner's corresponding destination zone unless an effect specifically states otherwise. If the Kraver is returned to Hand, each attached Upgrade returns to its owner's Hand. If the Kraver is moved to a Discard Pile, each attached Upgrade is moved to its owner's Discard Pile. If the Kraver is buried, each attached Upgrade is moved to its owner's Buried Zone.

21.4.5. If an effect specifically instructs one or more attached Upgrades to remain in play, become attached elsewhere, or move to another zone, follow that instruction instead.

21.4.6. Soma may restrict a Kraver from leaving its Garrison. A Kraver with Stubborn can't be destroyed, buried, returned to Hand, or otherwise leave its Garrison except as a result of lethal Attack Damage.

21.5. Entering the Garrison

21.5.1. A Kraver enters the Garrison whenever it is played or deployed.

21.5.2. Unless otherwise specified, a Kraver enters the Garrison in the Ready position.

21.5.3. A Kraver entering the Garrison is placed in the rightmost position of its controller's Garrison unless a rule, Soma, or effect states otherwise.

21.5.4. A Deployment Ethos triggers whenever a Kraver enters the Garrison in the Ready position.

21.5.5. If a Kraver enters the Garrison in any status other than Ready, its Deployment Ethos does not trigger.

21.5.6. If control of a Kraver changes and it enters a different player's Garrison, that Kraver is considered to have been deployed into that Garrison. A Kraver changing control leaves its previous controller's Garrison and enters its new controller's Garrison. A Kraver may be in a Garrison belonging to a player other than its owner only while that player controls it.

21.5.7. If a Kraver returns to its owner's Garrison after another player controlled it, it is also considered to have been deployed.

21.5.8. If multiple effects trigger when a Kraver enters the Garrison, resolve them according to the rules for simultaneous effects.

21.5.9. When control of a Kraver changes and that Kraver moves to another player's Garrison, its attached Upgrades remain attached unless an effect states otherwise. Control of those Upgrades does not change unless the effect changing control states otherwise.

21.5.10. A Kraver cannot enter a Garrison if doing so would violate a requirement for entering it. If the only violated requirement is Garrison capacity and that entry is required by a resolving effect, apply Section 21.3.8. Otherwise, the action cannot be performed and the effect does not cause the Kraver to enter.

21.5.11. A Kraver with Solitary cannot enter a Garrison that contains another Kraver. While a Kraver with Solitary is in a Garrison, no other Kraver can enter that Garrison.

22.1. Nekthery Terminology

22.1.1. Unless otherwise specified, the term Nekthery refers collectively to Capital–Nektheries, the Capital–Alpha Nekthery, and Upgrade–Nektheries.

22.1.2. If a rule, effect, Ethos, Soma, or other game text specifically refers to a Capital–Alpha Nekthery, it refers only to the Capital–Alpha Nekthery.

22.1.3. If a rule, effect, Ethos, Soma, or other game text specifically refers to an Upgrade–Nekthery, it refers only to Upgrade–Nektheries.

22.1.4. If a rule, effect, Ethos, Soma, or other game text specifically refers to a Capital–Nekthery, it refers only to Capital–Nektheries and does not include the Capital–Alpha Nekthery unless otherwise specified.

22.2. General

22.2.1. Nektheries are cards that produce Nekthar for their controller.

22.2.2. Every player begins the game with 2 Capital–Nektheries and 1 Capital–Alpha Nekthery as part of their Capital Kit.

22.2.3. Capital–Nektheries and the Capital–Alpha Nekthery are not Upgrade cards.

22.2.4. During the game, players may increase their Nekthar production by playing Upgrade–Nekthery cards.

22.2.5. During each of their turns, a player may play no more than one Upgrade–Nekthery card across both Play Phases unless an effect specifically allows otherwise.

22.2.6. All Nektheries are placed in the resource area behind their controller's Capital.

22.2.7. Capital–Nektheries and the Capital–Alpha Nekthery cannot be destroyed, buried, discarded, returned to Hand, or otherwise removed from the resource area.

22.2.8. Upgrade–Nektheries are exempt from the Unique Card Name Rule.

22.2.9. In the Standard format and most official formats, a deck may contain a maximum of 18 Upgrade–Nekthery cards. Other formats may specify different limits.

22.3. Producing Nekthar

22.3.1. A Ready Nekthery may be Exhausted to produce the type and amount of Nekthar indicated on that card. That Nekthar may be spent during the current turn and is lost if unspent at the end of the turn.

22.3.2. A Ready Nekthery may be Exhausted whenever its controller is permitted to pay a Nekthar cost, including during another player's turn.

22.4. Upgrade–Nektheries

22.4.1. Upgrade–Nektheries are Upgrade cards attached to a player's Capital.

22.4.2. Upgrade–Nektheries are played in the same resource area as the Capital–Nektheries.

22.4.3. Upgrade–Nektheries follow the general rules for Upgrade cards and the Nekthery rules for producing Nekthar. Rules that specifically refer to Capital–Nektheries or the Capital–Alpha Nekthery do not apply to Upgrade–Nektheries.

22.4.4. Upgrade–Nektheries have a printed Cost to Play and must be played according to the normal rules for playing cards.

22.4.5. Unless otherwise specified, an Upgrade–Nekthery enters play in the Ready position.

22.4.6. Upgrade–Nektheries are exempt from the Unique Card Name Rule.

22.4.7. Upgrade–Nektheries are subject to the per-turn play limit in rule 22.2.5.

22.5. Capital–Alpha Nekthery

22.5.1. The Capital–Alpha Nekthery follows all rules for a Capital–Nekthery unless otherwise specified.

22.5.2. When producing Nekthar with a Ready Capital–Alpha Nekthery, its controller may pay an additional cost of burying one card from their Hand. If they do, that Capital–Alpha Nekthery produces 1 additional Nekthar of its printed type.

22.5.3. Before Exhausting a Ready Capital–Alpha Nekthery to produce Nekthar, its controller may announce that they are using its burial effect. If they do, burying one card from their Hand is an additional cost of producing Nekthar with that Capital–Alpha Nekthery. The burial and Exhaustion are performed as part of the same cost payment and do not create a Reaction Window.

22.5.4. If the card buried as this additional cost is a Nekthery, the player who paid that cost draws 1.

22.5.5. If the card buried as this additional cost is a Whisper, that player instead draws 2.

22.5.6. Any card drawn because of the card buried as this additional cost is drawn immediately after the cost has been paid and before the resulting Nekthar is spent. This draw does not create a separate Reaction Window.

22.5.7. The additional Nekthar is produced at the same time as the Capital–Alpha Nekthery is Exhausted, regardless of whether all or part of that Nekthar is ultimately spent.

22.5.8. If a Capital–Alpha Nekthery becomes Ready again during the same turn, its additional production effect may be used again the next time it is Exhausted.

22.5.9. The Capital–Alpha Nekthery's additional production effect may be used whenever it may legally produce Nekthar, including during another player's turn.

22.5.10. Hijack and Similar Effects If a player Exhausts another player's Capital–Alpha Nekthery through an effect that allows them to produce or use that Nekthery's Nekthar (such as Hijack), that player may use the Capital–Alpha Nekthery's burial effect. To do so, they must declare the burial effect before Exhausting the Capital–Alpha Nekthery, then bury one card from their own Hand into their own Buried Zone. Any additional Nekthar produced and any cards drawn belong to the player resolving that effect.

22.5.11. Sabotage Effects If a player Exhausts another player's Capital–Alpha Nekthery through an effect that does not allow them to produce or use that Nekthery's Nekthar, the Capital–Alpha Nekthery simply becomes Exhausted. Its burial effect cannot be used, no additional Nekthar is produced, and no cards are drawn.

23.1. General

23.1.1. Upgrade cards are permanent cards that remain in play after being played.

23.1.2. Every Upgrade specifies what it may be attached to.

23.1.3. A player may only play an Upgrade if there is a legal card for it to be attached to.

23.1.4. Unless otherwise specified, an Upgrade enters play attached to its chosen target.

23.1.5. An attached Upgrade remains attached until it leaves play or an effect moves or removes it.

23.2. Upgrade–Garrison

23.2.1. An Upgrade–Garrison is an Upgrade subtype that attaches to a Capital.

23.2.2. An Upgrade–Garrison affects the Garrison of the Capital it is attached to.

23.2.3. Unless otherwise specified, an Upgrade–Garrison follows all normal rules for Upgrade cards.

23.2.4. Upgrade–Garrison cards are exempt from the Unique Card Name Rule.

23.2.5. Multiple Upgrade–Garrison cards with the same name may be attached to the same Capital unless an effect states otherwise.

23.3. Attached Upgrades

23.3.1. An Upgrade affects only the card to which it is attached unless its text states otherwise.

23.3.2. An Upgrade remains attached while the attached card remains in play.

23.3.3. If the card an Upgrade is attached to leaves play, that Upgrade also leaves play unless an effect states otherwise. The Upgrade moves to its owner's corresponding destination zone, independently of the owner of the card it was attached to.

23.3.4. If an Upgrade becomes unattached and no effect instructs where it should go, it is moved to its owner's Discard Pile.

23.3.5. Attaching, detaching, or moving an Upgrade from one legal attachment to another does not change that Upgrade's controller unless an effect specifically changes its control.

23.4. Playing Upgrades

23.4.1. Upgrade cards are played according to the normal rules for playing cards.

23.4.2. Unless otherwise specified, Upgrades enter play in the Ready position.

23.4.3. An Upgrade that is not Ready is inactive and cannot activate an effect or pay a cost that requires it to be Ready.

23.4.4. An Upgrade may be placed in the Wasted or Overdosed position by an effect. This does not cause that Upgrade to become Wasted or Overdosed.

23.4.5. An Upgrade in the Wasted or Overdosed position progresses toward Ready according to the normal ready-step rules.

23.5. Activated Effects

23.5.1. Some Upgrades instruct their controller to Exhaust them to resolve an effect.

23.5.2. Only a Ready Upgrade may be Exhausted to pay such a cost.

23.5.3. While an Upgrade is in any non-Ready position, its activated effects cannot be activated, its triggered effects do not trigger, and its continuous effects do not apply.

23.5.4. Unless otherwise specified, an activated effect of a Ready Upgrade may be activated during either of its controller’s Play Phases or during a legal Reaction Window.

23.5.5. Activating an Upgrade effect does not itself open a Reaction Window. After all activation choices and costs have been completed, its effect becomes pending. If activated outside a Reaction Window, that pending effect opens a Reaction Window according to Section 27.2. If activated during an existing Reaction Window, it becomes the most recent pending response and does not open a separate Reaction Window.

23.5.6. An activated Upgrade effect may be added as a response only before the current response chain becomes locked.

23.6. Restrictions

23.6.1. Unless otherwise specified, a player cannot control more than one Upgrade with the same card name.

23.6.2. This restriction does not apply to Upgrade–Nektheries or Upgrade–Garrison cards.

23.6.3. If an Upgrade cannot legally remain attached to its current card, it is moved to its owner's Discard Pile unless an effect states otherwise.

23.6.4. Barrier – An Upgrade subtype. A player cannot control more than one Barrier at a time.

23.7. Barrier

23.7.1. Barrier is an Upgrade subtype.

23.7.2. A player cannot control more than one Barrier at a time.

23.7.3. If a player comes to control more than one Barrier, that player chooses one to keep and moves each other Barrier they control to its owner's Discard Pile.

24.1. General

24.1.1. Action cards represent one-time effects that are resolved when played.

24.1.2. Action cards are played from a player's Hand by paying their printed Cost and following the normal rules for playing cards.

24.1.3. Action cards are not attached to other cards and do not remain in play unless an effect specifically states otherwise.

24.1.4. There is no limit to the number of Action cards a player may play during a turn unless a rule or effect states otherwise.

24.1.5. The Unique Card Name Rule does not apply to Action cards.

24.1.6. After the card-play procedure in Section 13.3 is complete, the Action's effect becomes pending and opens a Reaction Window according to Section 27.2. After that Reaction Window is complete, the Action resolves if it remains legal.

24.2. Resolving Action Cards

24.2.1. After the Reaction Window for a pending Action effect is complete, resolve the Action's instructions in the order written unless otherwise specified.

24.2.2. If part of an Action card's effect cannot be performed, perform as much of the effect as possible unless the card states otherwise.

24.2.3. All costs are paid before an Action card's effects resolve.

24.3. Leaving Play

24.3.1. After an Action card has finished resolving, it is placed into its owner's Discard Pile unless an effect states otherwise.

24.3.2. If an Action card is negated or otherwise fails to resolve after being played, it is placed into its owner's Discard Pile unless an effect states otherwise.

25.1. General

25.1.1. Whisper cards represent one-time effects that are resolved when played.

25.1.2. Whisper cards are played from a player's Hand by paying their printed Cost and following the normal rules for playing cards.

25.1.3. Whisper cards are not attached to other cards and do not remain in play unless an effect specifically states otherwise.

25.1.4. Whisper cards follow the same general rules as Action cards except where specifically stated otherwise in this chapter.

25.1.5. After a Whisper card has finished resolving, it is buried.

25.1.6. A Whisper card buried after resolving is not considered to have been buried by a Capital–Alpha Nekthery's burial effect.

25.2. Playing Whisper Cards

25.2.1. A player may play any number of Whisper cards during a turn unless a rule or effect states otherwise.

25.2.2. Whisper cards may be played only during a legal Reaction Window.

25.2.3. Whisper cards may be played during any player's turn if a legal Reaction Window exists.

25.2.4. After the card-play procedure in Section 13.3 is complete, the Whisper's chosen effect becomes the most recent pending response in the current Reaction Window and does not open a separate Reaction Window.

25.2.5. Whisper Modes – When playing a Whisper, choose one of its two effect boxes as a mode. Only the chosen effect resolves. The mode is chosen before costs are paid and cannot be changed after the Whisper becomes committed unless an effect specifically allows it.

25.2.6. A Whisper may be added as a response only before the current response chain becomes locked.

25.3. Resolving Whisper Cards

25.3.1. A Whisper played during a Reaction Window resolves as a pending response according to Last In, First Out.

25.3.2. A Whisper resolves completely before the next pending response or original pending event resolves, except when its resolution creates a new Reaction Window.

25.3.3. If part of a Whisper’s effect cannot be performed, resolve the remaining legal instructions unless the card states otherwise.

25.3.4. All choices and targets required to play a Whisper are made before its cost is paid. Those choices cannot be changed after the Whisper becomes committed unless an effect specifically allows it.

25.3.5. Playing a Whisper in response to an attack, roll, card, ability, or effect does not undo the event that created the Reaction Window. The Whisper may only change how that pending event resolves, as permitted by its text.

25.4. Leaving Play

25.4.1. After a Whisper card has finished resolving, it is placed into its owner's Buried Zone.

25.4.2. If a Whisper is negated or otherwise does not resolve after being played, it is placed into its owner's Discard Pile unless an effect states otherwise. It is not buried.

25.5. Deck Construction

25.5.1. In the Standard format and most official formats, a deck may contain a maximum of 3 Whisper cards. Other formats may specify different limits.

25.5.2. In the Standard format and most official formats, a deck cannot contain more than one copy of a Whisper card with the same name. Other formats may specify different limits.

25.6. Interaction with the Capital–Alpha Nekthery

25.6.1. A Whisper card may be buried to use the Capital–Alpha Nekthery's burial effect.

25.6.2. If a Whisper card is buried using the Capital–Alpha Nekthery's burial effect, its controller draws 2 cards according to the rules for the Capital–Alpha Nekthery.

25.7. Whisper Timing

25.7.1. A Whisper played during a Reaction Window becomes the most recent pending response.

25.7.2. Pending responses resolve in reverse order of declaration according to Last In, First Out.

25.7.3. A Whisper therefore resolves before any earlier response and before the original pending event beneath it.

25.7.4. “Before” in this context refers to resolution order. It does not mean that the declaration, choices, or costs of the original event did not occur.

25.7.5. After a Whisper response resolves, resolve the next pending response according to Last In, First Out. If no pending responses remain, resolve the original pending event. Priority does not restart between responses after the response chain has been locked.

26.1. General

26.1.1. A Gamma is a one-time effect printed on a player's horizontal Capital card.

26.1.2. Each Capital has one Gamma.

26.1.3. A Gamma may be activated during either of its controller's Play Phases or during a legal Reaction Window.

26.1.4. A Gamma follows the same response-chain and resolution rules as a Whisper when activated during a Reaction Window, unless otherwise specified.

26.1.5. A player may activate their Gamma only once per game.

26.2. Activating a Gamma

26.2.1. To activate a Gamma, its controller announces the activation, chooses all required targets and other choices, and pays any required costs. The activation and payment of its costs do not open a Reaction Window. After those requirements are completed, the Gamma's effect becomes pending. If the Gamma was activated outside a Reaction Window, its pending effect opens a Reaction Window according to Section 27.2. If activated during an existing Reaction Window, its effect becomes the most recent pending response and does not open a separate Reaction Window.

26.2.2. After the Gamma's effect has finished resolving, the horizontal Capital card is immediately flipped to its reverse side.

26.2.3. The reverse side of the Capital card does not contain the Gamma, indicating that it has already been used.

26.2.4. A flipped Capital cannot activate its Gamma again during that game, unless an effect states otherwise.

26.2.5. Flipping the Capital is part of resolving the Gamma and does not create a Reaction Window.

26.2.6. Activating a Gamma is committed once all required choices have been made and costs have been paid. Its controller cannot withdraw the Gamma because of a later response.

26.2.7. If the Gamma is prevented from resolving, it is still considered used and the Capital is flipped after that failed resolution unless an effect specifically states otherwise.

26.3. Gamma Timing

26.3.1. A Gamma may be activated during its controller’s turn when that player may legally activate it, or during a Reaction Window.

26.3.2. A Gamma activated during a Reaction Window becomes the most recent pending response. Its activation does not open a separate Reaction Window.

26.3.3. Gamma has no inherent timing priority over or below Whispers or activated abilities. All responses resolve solely according to Last In, First Out.

26.3.4. A later Whisper, Gamma, or activated ability resolves before an earlier Gamma.

26.3.5. A Gamma may be added as a response only before the current response chain becomes locked. After the chain is locked, a Gamma cannot be activated as a response unless a card or rule specifically permits it.

27.1. General

27.1.1. A Reaction Window is a resolution sequence during which players first receive priority to declare legal responses and, after all players pass consecutively, those responses resolve before the original pending event.

27.1.2. Unless otherwise specified, only Whispers, Gamma, and activated abilities may be played or activated during a Reaction Window.

27.1.3. A Reaction Window does not undo the event that created it. Any declaration, legal choices, and paid costs already made remain committed.

27.1.4. An event that has already fully resolved cannot be changed by a response unless an effect specifically refers to that completed event.

27.1.5. A pending event does not automatically create a Reaction Window. Reaction Windows open only at the specific times listed in Section 27.2 or when a card or rule explicitly creates one.

27.2. Opening a Reaction Window

27.2.1. A Reaction Window opens only when one of the following occurs:

1. A committed attack reaches its Reaction Window.
2. An Action effect becomes pending.
3. A Gamma or activated ability effect becomes pending.
4. A Deployment Ethos becomes pending.
5. An initial D20 result becomes known.
6. A card or rule specifically states that a Reaction Window opens.

27.2.2. Playing or committing a permanent card, producing Nekthar, paying a cost, Exhausting a card as a cost, declaring an activation, dealing damage, applying a status, moving or attaching a card, resolving a response, completing an attack, or completing an effect does not by itself open a Reaction Window.

27.2.3. A Whisper, Gamma, or activated ability used during an existing Reaction Window becomes the most recent pending response. It does not open a separate Reaction Window.

27.2.4. Triggered effects created during resolution are processed according to Section 28.3 after the current effect or indivisible game instruction finishes. They do not open a Reaction Window unless they are a Deployment Ethos or a card or rule specifically states otherwise.

27.2.5. Attack Reaction Windows — A committed attack normally receives only one normal Reaction Window. Before that Reaction Window opens, resolve the Attack Preparation Sequence described in Section 17.2.7. During that sequence, the attacking Kraver's Attack Ethos and all triggered effects caused directly or indirectly during the preparation of that attack resolve. Once no unresolved triggered effects caused during the Attack Preparation Sequence remain, determine the current state of the pending attack. Players then respond to that attack as it exists after the Attack Preparation Sequence is complete. Defense Ethos follows the specific timing rules in Sections 16.5 and 17.2. An initial D20 result and an effect that specifically states that a Reaction Window opens remain exceptions.

27.3. Declaring Responses

27.3.1. When a Reaction Window first opens, priority begins with the next player clockwise from the active player and proceeds clockwise.

27.3.2. A player with priority may declare one legal response or pass.

27.3.3. After a player declares a response, that response becomes the most recent pending response, and priority passes clockwise to the next player.

27.3.4. Passing does not prevent a player from responding later in the same Reaction Window if another player adds a response.

27.3.5. When all players pass consecutively without adding another response, the response chain is locked. No player may voluntarily add another response to that Reaction Window unless a card or rule specifically states otherwise.

27.3.6. After the response chain is locked, resolve all pending responses according to Last In, First Out.

27.3.7. When the response chain becomes locked, the response-declaration portion of that Reaction Window ends. The locked response chain then resolves according to Section 27.4.

27.4. Resolving Responses

27.4.1. After the response chain is locked, pending responses resolve one at a time according to Last In, First Out. The most recently declared pending response resolves first.

27.4.2. Resolve each pending response completely before resolving the next response beneath it.

27.4.3. Priority does not restart between the resolution of pending responses. Players may not voluntarily add new responses after the response chain has been locked.

27.4.4. After all pending responses have resolved, resolve the original pending event if it remains legal.

27.4.5. A response may change or prevent the resolution of a committed action but cannot allow its controller to withdraw that action or recover its costs.

27.4.6. If a pending response is negated, remove it from the resolution sequence. It does not resolve. Any choices made and costs paid for it remain committed.

27.4.7. If the resolution of a response creates an event that specifically opens a Reaction Window, resolve that new Reaction Window according to its applicable rules before continuing the locked response chain.

27.5. Invalid Responses and Events

27.5.1. If all required targets of a pending response become illegal, that response resolves without effect unless the card states otherwise.

27.5.2. If only some targets become illegal, the response affects its remaining legal targets and ignores the illegal targets unless the card states otherwise.

27.5.3. A pending event whose requirements are no longer satisfied resolves as far as legally possible unless a specific rule cancels it.

27.6. D20 Rolls and Rerolls

27.6.1. When a player rolls a D20, the number shown is that roll’s result.

27.6.2. Each time a D20 is physically rolled for a game effect, a roll occurs. This includes both an initial roll and every reroll.

27.6.3. Effects that trigger whenever a player rolls trigger once for each initial roll and once for each reroll.

27.6.4. After an initial roll's result becomes known, a Reaction Window opens before the effect that required that roll continues resolving. This is a specific exception to rule 27.2.4 and may occur while that effect is resolving.

27.6.5. During that Reaction Window, legal effects may reroll or otherwise modify the result used by the effect that required the original roll.

27.6.6. To reroll a roll, roll the D20 again. The reroll is a new roll occurrence, but its result replaces the previous result for resolving the effect that required the original roll.

27.6.7. Unless an effect states otherwise, only the latest result is used to resolve the effect that required the original roll.

27.6.8. If an effect instructs a player to reroll multiple times and choose which result to use, each reroll counts as a separate roll. After completing all instructed rerolls, the player chooses from the results allowed by that effect.

27.6.9. Effects triggered by a reroll do not interrupt the effect currently instructing that reroll. They become pending after that effect finishes resolving.

27.6.10. No new Reaction Window opens for a reroll while another effect or response is resolving. Any effects triggered by that reroll become pending and are processed after the current effect finishes resolving.

27.6.11. Once the Reaction Window for the initial D20 result has been locked and all pending responses have resolved, the current or chosen result becomes final for the effect that required the original roll.

27.6.12. An effect stating that a roll cannot be rerolled prevents any effect from causing another roll to replace its result.

27.6.13. If multiple effects trigger from one or more rerolls performed during the resolution of the same effect, those triggered effects become pending after the current effect finishes resolving and are ordered according to the simultaneous-trigger rules.

27.6.14. A modified D20 result may be lower than 1 or higher than 20 unless the effect modifying it states otherwise.

28.1. General

28.1.1. An effect is any instruction created by a card, Ethos, Soma, Gamma, or game rule.

28.1.2. Effects resolve only after all costs and requirements have been fulfilled.

28.1.3. Unless otherwise specified, effects resolve in the order written.

28.1.4. Once an effect begins resolving, resolve all of its instructions in order without allowing voluntary responses between them. If its resolution creates an event that specifically opens a Reaction Window under Section 27.2, pause the effect, resolve that Reaction Window completely, then continue the effect.

28.1.5. A pending event is a committed card play, committed attack, pending effect, pending response, roll result, or other game event waiting to resolve. A pending effect is an effect that has been created, activated, or triggered and is waiting to resolve. Costs and resource actions are not pending effects. Being pending does not itself create a Reaction Window.

28.1.6. An effect that refers to “the next” event creates a continuing modifier and does not require that event to be pending when the effect resolves.

28.1.7. An effect that refers to “target attack,” “that roll,” or another specified pending event can affect only an event that currently exists and has not finished resolving.

28.2. Invalid Resolution

28.2.1. Legality is checked when an action is declared and again immediately before it resolves.

28.2.2. If every required target of an effect is illegal when that effect would resolve, the effect resolves without affecting those targets.

28.2.3. If one or more, but not all, required targets are illegal, resolve the effect against the remaining legal targets unless the effect states otherwise.

28.2.4. If a non-targeted instruction cannot be performed, ignore that instruction and continue resolving the remaining instructions in order.

28.2.5. If no instruction of an effect can be performed, the effect resolves without changing the game state.

28.2.6. If an instruction requires a number of cards or objects greater than the number legally available, perform that instruction using as many as legally possible unless the instruction requires an exact number or states otherwise.

28.2.7. A committed action is not withdrawn because it becomes partially or completely ineffective.

28.2.8. Costs are not refunded because an effect resolves without changing the game state.

28.2.9. Rules specific to attacks determine whether a pending attack continues or is cancelled if its attacking Kraver leaves the Garrison.

28.3. Triggered Effects

28.3.1. When a triggered effect's triggering condition is met, that effect becomes pending. It does not resolve immediately.

28.3.2. A triggered effect never interrupts an effect, indivisible game instruction, or locked response chain that is currently resolving. It remains pending until the applicable resolution sequence finishes unless another rule specifies different timing. If that triggered effect becomes pending during an Attack Preparation Sequence, process it according to Section 17.2.7 before that attack's normal Reaction Window opens.

28.3.3. If an effect triggers from the declaration or commitment of a card play, activation, response, or other pending event before that event has begun resolving, the triggered effect is processed before the underlying pending event resolves. Triggered effects that become pending during an Attack Preparation Sequence instead follow Section 17.2.7.

28.3.4. When a pending triggered effect becomes eligible to be processed, resolve it without opening a Reaction Window unless it is a Deployment Ethos or a card or rule specifically states otherwise.

28.3.5. If a triggered effect becomes pending while a locked response chain is resolving, it does not interrupt that chain. After the current response chain and its original pending event have finished resolving, process that triggered effect according to the Triggered Effects rules unless another rule specifies different timing.

If a triggered effect becomes pending during an Attack Preparation Sequence, it instead follows Section 17.2.7 and must be processed before that attack's normal Reaction Window opens.

28.3.6. If multiple triggered effects become pending simultaneously, determine their order according to the simultaneous-effects rules and process them one at a time in that order. Each triggered effect resolves without opening a Reaction Window unless it is a Deployment Ethos or a card or rule specifically states otherwise.

28.3.7. If a triggered effect has additional requirements, those requirements must remain satisfied for it to resolve.

28.3.8. If a pending triggered effect requires information about its source after that source has left play or otherwise become a new object, use that source's last known information immediately before it left its previous game state, unless the effect specifically requires the source to remain in play.

28.4. Continuous Effects

28.4.1. A continuous effect remains active for the duration stated by the effect that created it.

28.4.2. If no duration is specified, the continuous effect remains active while its source remains active or in play, whichever is applicable.

28.4.3. A continuous effect immediately ends if its stated duration expires or if its source no longer satisfies the conditions required for that effect.

28.5. Replacement Effects

28.5.1. Replacement effects modify how another event would occur.

28.5.2. Replacement effects are identified by wording such as "instead."

28.5.3. Replacement effects are applied before the event they modify would occur.

28.5.4. If multiple replacement effects could modify the same event, the active player chooses which applicable replacement effect to apply first, regardless of which player controls those effects or which player or card is affected.

28.5.5. After applying one replacement effect, reevaluate the modified event and determine which replacement effects are still applicable.

28.5.6. The same replacement effect cannot apply more than once to the same event unless it specifically states otherwise.

28.6. Simultaneous Effects

28.6.1. If multiple effects would resolve simultaneously, apply replacement effects first.

28.6.2. If multiple effects still conflict, negative instructions take precedence over positive instructions. An instruction stating that something cannot happen overrides one stating that it can.

28.6.3. If multiple cards would leave play simultaneously, resolve their removal in the following order:

• Buried
• Destroyed

28.6.4. If multiple statuses would be applied to the same Kraver simultaneously, resolve them in the following order:

• Overdosed
• Wasted
• Exhausted

28.6.5. If multiple effects would place the same Upgrade in different non-Ready positions simultaneously, place it in the position farthest from Ready.

28.6.6. If multiple effects still need to be ordered after applying Sections 28.6.1–28.6.5, the active player chooses their relative order, regardless of which player controls those effects.

28.6.7. If effects controlled by different players are among the effects being ordered, the active player chooses their complete relative order. Control of an effect does not by itself give that effect's controller the right to determine its position in that order.

28.7. Duration of Effects

28.7.1. Effects last only for the duration stated in their text.

28.7.2. A resolving one-time effect with no stated duration ends after it finishes resolving. Continuous effects follow the rules in Section 28.4.

28.7.3. Effects lasting until the end of the turn expire during the End of Turn step.

28.7.4. Delayed Instructions — An effect may create an instruction that occurs at a specified later point, such as “after that damage is dealt,” “when that event resolves,” or “after that attack resolves.” That instruction remains active until the specified event occurs or can no longer occur. When the specified event occurs, the delayed instruction becomes a pending triggered effect and is processed according to Section 28.3. It does not open a Reaction Window unless a card or rule specifically states otherwise. It does not require its original source to remain in play unless the effect states otherwise.

28.7.5. Attack-Scoped Effects – A modifier created by an Attack Ethos or Defense Ethos that refers to “this attack,” “that Attack Damage,” “the incoming Attack Damage,” or another later event during the same attack remains active until the referenced event occurs or the attack ends.

28.8. Resolving Effects

28.8.1. Effects resolve according to the rules for Reaction Windows whenever applicable.

28.8.2. Responses resolve using the Last In, First Out (LIFO) rule.

28.8.3. If resolving an effect creates a new Reaction Window, that Reaction Window is resolved completely before the previous pending resolution continues.

28.8.4. After an effect finishes resolving, check for any newly triggered effects.

28.8.5. Newly triggered effects are processed according to Section 28.3 before play continues. They do not open Reaction Windows unless they are a Deployment Ethos or a card or rule specifically states otherwise.

28.8.6. Once no further effects remain to resolve, play resumes from the point at which it was interrupted.

28.8.7. Players cannot respond to producing Nekthar or paying costs. Producing Nekthar, paying Nekthar, Exhausting permanents as costs, performing Burials as costs, discarding as costs, and similar payments occur immediately and do not become pending. After all required costs have been paid, any resulting card play, attack, or effect proceeds according to its normal timing rules and opens a Reaction Window only if Section 27.2 specifically provides one.

28.9. Game State Checks

28.9.1. After each indivisible game instruction or effect finishes resolving, and before a new Reaction Window opens or play resumes, perform all applicable game-state checks.

28.9.2. Game-state checks include the following: a player whose Capital is at 0 HP loses the game; a Kraver at 0 HP is destroyed unless a rule or effect states otherwise; an Upgrade with HP at 0 HP is destroyed unless a rule or effect states otherwise; an Upgrade that cannot legally remain attached is moved to its owner's Discard Pile; violations of the Unique Card Name Rule are resolved; excess Garrison occupancy is resolved.

28.9.3. Apply all applicable game-state checks, then repeat them until no game-state check causes another game-state change.

28.9.4. After game-state checks are complete, process any triggered effects created by those changes before normal play resumes.

28.10. D20 Roll Results

28.10.1. A D20 normally produces a result from 1 to 20.

28.10.2. Effects may increase or reduce a D20 result.

28.10.3. A modified D20 result may be lower than 1 or higher than 20 unless the effect modifying it states otherwise.

28.10.4. D20 results are not subject to the normal minimum-value rule. A D20 result may therefore be reduced below 0.

28.10.5. When an effect specifies one or more D20 result ranges, resolve the instruction corresponding to the final result. If the final result is not included in any specified range, nothing happens for that result unless otherwise stated.

29.1. Soma Keywords

Doppelganger – This Kraver is exempt from the Unique Card Name Rule while in the Garrison. A player may control multiple copies of this Kraver with the same card name. Frontliner – This Kraver always occupies a leftmost position of its Garrison. If multiple Kravers with Frontliner are in the same Garrison, they occupy the leftmost positions, and their controller chooses their order among them. Hardened – Attack Damage dealt to this Kraver is not increased because of its status. Kinswap – During one of your Play Phases, you may deploy this Kraver from your Hand without paying its printed Cost by returning a Kraver you control with at least one matching Species to your Hand. This Kraver enters the Garrison in that Kraver's former position instead of the rightmost position. Mobile – During one of your Play Phases, you may relocate this Kraver to any position in your Garrison. Robust – This Kraver occupies 2 Garrison slots. Slender – This Kraver occupies 0 Garrison slots. Solitary – This Kraver can only enter an empty Garrison. No other Kraver can enter its Garrison while it is there. Steady – When this Kraver declares an attack, it does not move to the leftmost position of its Garrison. Stubborn – This Kraver can't be destroyed, buried, returned to Hand, or otherwise leave its Garrison except as a result of lethal Attack Damage. Effect Damage can't reduce this Kraver below 1 HP. Withdraw – During one of your Play Phases, you may return this Kraver from your Garrison to its owner's Hand.

29.2. Ethos Keywords

Burn X – Move the top X cards of the chosen Deck into its owner's Discard Pile.

Bury – Move the specified card into its owner's Buried Zone beneath their Capital. Cards in the Buried Zone remain there for the rest of the game and cannot leave it for any reason. Forecast X – Look at the top X cards of the chosen Deck, then return them to that Deck in any order. Heal X – Restore X HP to the chosen Kraver, Upgrade with HP, or Capital. Healing cannot increase current HP above maximum HP. Excess healing is lost. Hijack X – Exhaust up to X Ready target Nektheries controlled by any number of opponents. You may spend their Nekthar as any type until end of turn. Lifesteal – Whenever this Kraver deals Attack Damage, heal its controller's Capital by the amount of Attack Damage actually dealt. If it deals Attack Damage to multiple cards or players, add together all Attack Damage actually dealt and heal its controller's Capital by that total. After resolving Lifesteal, this Kraver becomes Wasted. Martyr – If this Kraver would be destroyed by lethal Attack Damage dealt by another Kraver, bury it instead. Then, destroy the attacking Kraver. Overwhelm – Whenever this Kraver destroys the opponent's leftmost Kraver through Attack Damage, any remaining Attack Damage is dealt directly to that opponent's Capital. Persistent – The first time a Kraver with Persistent attacks each turn, it does not become Exhausted as a result of completing that attack. Persistent prevents only the normal post-attack Exhausted status. It does not prevent Exhausted, Wasted, or Overdosed from other effects. Pierce – This Kraver's Attack Damage is dealt directly to the defending opponent's Capital, bypassing all defending Kravers. After resolving Pierce, this Kraver becomes Wasted. Precision – While attacking, this Kraver's Attack Damage may be assigned and distributed among any Kravers in the defending player's Garrison, ignoring their positions. Remaining Attack Damage is dealt to the defending Capital only after all Kravers have been destroyed. Ready – Return a card from any non-Ready position to its Ready position. Relocate – Move a Kraver to another position within its current Garrison. Second Sight – Reroll target roll. The reroll counts as another roll, and its result replaces the previous result.

29.3. Effect Definitions

29.3.1. Targets

Target – A card, player, roll, pending event, or other game object chosen by an effect. Target Kraver – A Kraver chosen by an effect. Target Capital – A Capital chosen by an effect. Target Player – A player chosen by an effect. Target Roll – A roll chosen by an effect that has occurred and whose result has not yet become final. Target Pending Event – A pending event chosen by an effect that has not yet finished resolving. If an effect requires one or more targets, all required targets must be chosen legally when that effect is played or activated. For a triggered effect, required targets are chosen when that effect becomes pending. For a replacement effect, required targets are chosen immediately before that replacement effect is applied. If no legal target exists for a required target, the effect cannot be played or activated. A triggered effect with no legal target does not become pending. A replacement effect requiring a target cannot be applied if no legal target exists. An effect cannot affect a different target than the one specified by its text unless it specifically states otherwise.

29.3.2 Damage

Attack Damage – Damage assigned during the normal resolution of an attack. Attack Damage follows the Attack rules. Effect Damage – Damage dealt by the resolution of an effect. Effect Damage follows the Other Damage rules. Excess Damage – Damage remaining after the amount required by the applicable damage-assignment rules has been assigned or dealt to the affected card. Lethal Attack Damage – Attack Damage that reduces a Kraver to 0 HP.

Incoming Attack Damage – The amount of attack damage that would be assigned to a Kraver before applying that Kraver's Defense Ethos. Printed Attack Damage – The Attack Damage value printed on a Kraver before modifiers.

29.3.3. Common Effect Terms

Another – Refers to a different card or player than the one currently being referred to. Other – Excludes the card or player currently being referred to. Any – Any legal choice matching the stated criteria. The number of choices is determined by the surrounding instruction. Each – Every legal card or player matching the stated criteria individually. Affects qualifying cards or players individually. All – Every legal card or player matching the stated criteria collectively. Affects all qualifying cards or players simultaneously unless the effect states otherwise. Up to – Any number from zero to the stated amount. Exactly – The precise stated amount. Limited to X–Y – If a numerical result is lower than X, treat it as X. If it is higher than Y, treat it as Y. Otherwise, use that result unchanged. May – An optional instruction. Must – A mandatory instruction. Negate – Prevent a card, attack, Ethos, ability, or effect from resolving or taking effect. A negated effect has no effect. Negate cannot undo anything that has already resolved. If a duration is specified, anything negated by that effect remains negated for that duration. Choices made and costs already paid remain committed. If a negated card would normally move to a destination after failing to resolve, it moves there unless the negating effect states otherwise. Rounding – If a calculation produces a fraction, round down to the nearest whole number unless an effect states otherwise. X – A variable numerical value determined by the effect or cost that uses it. If an effect allows a player to choose X, that player must choose a value they can legally satisfy unless the effect states otherwise.

Minimum Value – Unless a rule or effect states otherwise, a cost, damage value, Garrison capacity, or other non-HP numerical game value cannot be reduced below 0. D20 results are governed separately by the D20 rules.

29.3.4. Duration

This Turn – Lasts until the End of Turn step of the current turn. Until End of Turn – Expires during the End of Turn step. While – Remains active only while the stated condition is true. Permanently – Lasts until changed by another effect or until the affected card leaves play.

29.3.5. Ownership and Control

Owner – The player who began the game with that card as part of their deck or Capital Kit. Ownership never changes. Controller – The player currently controlling a card in play. Control may change without changing ownership. A player may control a card owned by another player only while that card is in play. A player's Deck, Hand, Discard Pile, and Buried Zone may contain only cards they own. If a card would move to another player's Deck, Hand, Discard Pile, or Buried Zone, it moves to its owner's corresponding zone instead.

29.3.6. Card References

This Kraver – The Kraver containing the effect. Another Kraver – A Kraver other than the one containing the effect. Friendly – Controlled by the same player. Opponent – Another player in the game.

29.3.7. Costs

Pay – Spend all required costs before resolving an effect. Produce – Generate Nekthar according to the effect producing it. Additional Cost – A cost paid in addition to all other required costs.

Instead – Indicates a replacement effect. Total Nekthar Cost – The total number of Nekthar in a card’s printed Cost to Play, including Generic Nekthar symbols.

29.3.8. Information

Look – View one or more cards without revealing them unless instructed otherwise. Reveal – Show the specified card or cards to all players. Unless a duration is stated, they remain revealed only while the instruction requiring them to be revealed is resolving. Search – Look through the specified zone for cards matching the stated criteria. When searching a hidden zone for a card with stated characteristics, a player is not required to find such a card even if one exists, unless the effect requires finding a specific uniquely identifiable card. After a Deck is searched, shuffle it unless the effect states otherwise. Random – Chosen without influence from any player.

30.1. General

30.1.1. Multiplayer games are played with three or more players unless the format specifies otherwise.

30.1.2. Unless otherwise specified, all normal game rules apply during multiplayer games.

30.2. Opponents

30.2.1. Every player other than yourself is considered an opponent.

30.2.2. Whenever an effect refers to "target opponent," its controller chooses one legal opponent.

30.2.3. Whenever an effect refers to "each opponent," it affects every opponent currently in the game.

30.3. Attacking

30.3.1. When declaring an attack, the attacking player chooses one opponent.

30.3.2. The attack is resolved only against that opponent's Garrison and Capital.

30.3.3. Attack Damage, Ethos, and effects created during that attack affect only the chosen opponent unless an effect specifically states otherwise.

30.4. Player Elimination

30.4.1. A player is eliminated immediately when they lose the game.

30.4.2. When a player is eliminated, all cards they own immediately leave the game, regardless of who currently controls them.

30.4.3. Any pending attacks, effects, or abilities controlled by the eliminated player that have not yet resolved immediately cease to exist unless an effect specifically states otherwise.

30.4.4. If a player's elimination causes another pending effect or instruction to become impossible to resolve, resolve as much of that effect as possible.

30.5. Winning the Game

30.5.1. The game continues until only one player remains unless the format specifies another victory condition.

30.5.2. The last remaining player wins the game.

30.6. Team Games

30.6.1. Some multiplayer formats are played in teams.

30.6.2. Team-specific rules are determined by the format being played.

30.6.3. Unless specified by the format, teammates remain separate players and control only their own cards, resources, Garrison, and Capital.

31.1. Card Text

31.1.1. If a card's text directly contradicts these rules, the card's text takes precedence.

31.1.2. If part of a card's instructions cannot be performed, resolve as much of that card's effect as possible unless otherwise specified.

31.2. Illegal Game States

31.2.1. If an illegal game state is created accidentally, players must restore the game to the most recent legal game state whenever possible.

31.2.2. If the exact previous game state cannot reasonably be restored, the players should resolve the issue using the available information while preserving as much of the legal game state as possible.

31.2.3. During Organized Play, once a judge has been called for an illegal game state, players must not independently alter the game state to correct it unless instructed by that judge. The judge determines the appropriate remedy according to Tournament Policy.

31.3. Simultaneous Defeat

31.3.1. If two or more players lose the game simultaneously, they are eliminated simultaneously.

31.3.2. If no player would remain after simultaneous eliminations, determine the winner using the Tie-Breaker rules using each tied player's game state immediately before those simultaneous eliminations were applied.

31.4. Infinite Loops

31.4.1. If a sequence of mandatory effects would repeat indefinitely without changing the game state, the game ends immediately and the winner is determined using the Tie-Breaker rules.

31.4.2. If a sequence of optional effects could repeat indefinitely, the controlling player must choose a finite number of repetitions before continuing the game.

31.5. Self-References

31.5.1. Whenever a card refers to "this", "this Kraver", "this Upgrade", "this Capital", or "this card," it refers only to the card containing that text.

31.5.2. Unless otherwise specified, a card never refers to another card with the same name.

31.6. Random Outcomes

31.6.1. Whenever a game rule or effect requires a random choice, every legal outcome must have an equal chance of being selected unless otherwise specified.

31.6.2. If a random selection cannot reasonably be made, players must agree upon a fair random method before continuing the game.

31.7. Fair Play

31.7.1. Players must follow all game rules and accurately maintain the game state at all times.

31.7.2. Players must not intentionally misrepresent public information, manipulate hidden information illegally, or perform actions prohibited by these rules.

31.7.3. If an illegal action is discovered, players should restore the game to the most recent legal game state whenever reasonably possible. If this cannot be done, they should resolve the issue according to the Illegal Game States rules.

31.7.4. In organized play, intentional violations of the rules, cheating, or unsporting conduct are handled according to the tournament policy for the event.

32.1. General

32.1.1. Tournament and Organized Play events use the rules contained in this rulebook unless the event format specifies otherwise.

32.1.2. Event organizers may establish additional format-specific rules before the start of an event. Such rules take precedence over the default format rules where applicable.

32.2. Match Structure

32.2.1. In Standard one-on-one play, a match is played as a best-of-three unless the event format specifies otherwise.

32.2.2. The first player to win two games wins the match.

32.2.3. Multiplayer matches normally consist of a single game unless the event format specifies otherwise.

32.2.4. If a match reaches the official time limit, the winner is determined according to the event's time procedure.

32.3. Deck Registration

32.3.1. Players must use a legal deck that satisfies all deck construction requirements for the chosen format.

32.3.2. A player's registered main deck, Capital Kit, and sideboard may not be changed during a tournament except through legal sideboarding between games of the same match.

32.4. Sideboarding

32.4.1. Between games of a match, a player may exchange any number of cards between their main deck and sideboard.

32.4.2. After sideboarding, the main deck, Capital Kit, and sideboard must continue to satisfy all deck construction requirements for the format.

32.4.3. Before the start of each new match, a player's main deck, Capital Kit, and sideboard must be returned to their original registered configuration.

32.4.4. The Capital Kit cannot be changed through sideboarding unless the event format specifically allows it.

32.5. Determining the Starting Player

32.5.1. Before the first game of a match, determine the starting player by a D20 roll unless the event specifies another random method.

32.5.2. In each subsequent game of the same match, the loser of the previous game chooses which player takes the first turn.

32.5.3. In multiplayer games, the starting player is determined using a mutually agreed random method unless the format specifies otherwise.

32.6. Slow Play

32.6.1. Players are expected to make decisions and perform game actions within a reasonable amount of time.

32.6.2. Players must not intentionally delay the game or use excessive time to gain an advantage.

32.7. Conceding

32.7.1. A player may concede a game at any time.

32.7.2. A player who concedes immediately loses that game.

32.7.3. Conceding a game does not affect the remaining games of the match.

32.8. Judges

32.8.1. Players may request a judge at any time during a tournament match.

32.8.2. A judge's ruling is final unless the event specifically allows an appeal.

32.8.3. If an appeal is permitted, only the Head Judge may overturn another judge's ruling.

32.9. Sportsmanship

32.9.1. Players are expected to compete honestly, respectfully, and in accordance with these rules.

32.9.2. Unsporting conduct, intentional rules violations, cheating, or other behavior that compromises the integrity of the event may result in penalties, game

losses, match losses, disqualification, or other actions determined by the Head Judge or Tournament Organizer.

32.9.3. Tournament penalties, investigations, and disciplinary procedures are governed by the official Tournament Policy.

Action Card – A one-time effect card that is placed into its owner's Discard Pile after resolving unless an effect states otherwise. Active Player – The player whose turn it currently is. Alpha Nekthery – The Capital–Alpha Nekthery included in a player's Capital Kit. Attack Damage – Damage assigned during the Attack Damage step of an attack. Attack Damage is modified by the defending Kraver's status and follows the Attack rules. Attack Side Effect – An effect printed in a Kraver's attack box that resolves after the attacking Kraver's Attack Ethos and before Attack Damage assignment begins. Buried Zone – The public zone beneath a player's Capital where buried cards are placed face-up. Cards in the Buried Zone remain there for the rest of the game and cannot leave it for any reason. Effects may still refer to or count cards in the Buried Zone. Capital – The player's primary card. A player loses the game when their Capital reaches 0 HP. Capital Kit – One Capital, two Capital–Nektheries, and one Capital–Alpha Nekthery. Card Effect – An effect created by the text of a card. Controller – The player currently controlling a card in play. Control may differ from ownership. Cost – The Nekthar or other requirements that must be paid before playing a card or activating an effect. Deck – A player's main deck. Deploy – Move a card into play without paying its printed Cost. Discard Pile – A face-up zone containing discarded and destroyed cards. Effect – Instructions created by card text or game rules. Action, Whisper, Gamma, Ethos, and activated or triggered ability instructions are effects. An attack itself is not an effect, although effects may modify an attack. Effect Damage – Damage dealt by resolving an effect. Effect Damage is not modified by Kraver status. Unless an effect specifically states otherwise, excess Effect Damage is lost and does not spill to another Kraver or Capital.

Ethos – An inherent ability printed on a Kraver that functions according to its Ethos type and the Ethos rules. Exhausted – A card position represented by rotating a card 90° to the left. For a Kraver, this position represents the Exhausted status. Forecast – Look at the top cards of a Deck and return them in any order. Gamma – A one-time effect printed on a Capital card. Garrison – The ordered line of Kravers protecting a Capital. Hand – Cards currently held by a player. HP – Health Points. Kraver – A permanent card type that normally exists in a Garrison. Nekthar – The resource used to pay Costs. Nekthery – Any Capital–Nekthery, Capital–Alpha Nekthery, or Upgrade–Nekthery. Opponent – Any player other than yourself. Overdosed – A Kraver status represented by rotating that Kraver 90° to the right. Owner – The player who began the game with that card as part of their deck or Capital Kit. Ownership never changes. Play – Declare and commit a card from a zone from which it may legally be played by making all required choices and paying all required costs. A played card does not change zones merely because it is played; it enters play or moves to its prescribed destination when it resolves according to its card type. Play Phase – A phase during which players may normally play cards and activate legal effects. Ready – The upright position of a card. A Ready card may perform actions and use effects that require it to be Ready. Reaction Window – A resolution sequence opened only at the times specified in Section 27.2. Players first receive priority to declare legal responses. After all players pass consecutively, the response chain becomes locked and resolves according to Last In, First Out before the original pending event resolves. Response Chain: The ordered sequence of pending responses declared during a Reaction Window. Each new response is placed above previous responses. When all players pass consecutively, the response chain becomes locked and resolves according to Last In, First Out.

Solitary — A Soma. This Kraver can only enter an empty Garrison. No other Kraver can enter its Garrison while it is there. See Section 15.4. Soma – An inherent keyword printed on a Kraver. Status – The current condition of a Kraver. Kraver statuses are Ready, Exhausted, Wasted, and Overdosed. Other cards may be Ready or Exhausted. Upgrades may also be placed in the Wasted or Overdosed position, but do not gain the corresponding Kraver status. Target – A card, player, roll, pending event, or other game object chosen by an effect. Upgrade – A permanent card type that specifies what it may be attached to. An Upgrade must be attached to a legal card as specified by its subtype or card text. Upgrade–Garrison – An Upgrade subtype that attaches to a Capital and affects that Capital's Garrison. Whisper – A one-time effect card that may be played only during a legal Reaction Window and is buried after resolving. Wasted – A Kraver status represented by rotating that Kraver 180°.

34.1. Card Position and Kraver Status Reference

Ready

• Upright.
• A Ready Upgrade is active.
• Attack Damage dealt to a Ready Kraver is not increased because of its status. Exhausted
• Rotated 90° to the left.
• Progresses to Ready during the next Ready Step.
• Exhausted Upgrades are inactive.
• Attack Damage dealt to an Exhausted Kraver is increased by 1.

Wasted position

• Rotated 180°.
• Progresses to the Exhausted position during the next Ready Step.
• An Upgrade in this position is inactive but is not Wasted.
• Attack Damage dealt to a Wasted Kraver is increased by 2.

Overdosed position

• Rotated 90° to the right.
• Progresses to the Wasted position during the next Ready Step.
• An Upgrade in this position is inactive but is not Overdosed.
• Attack Damage dealt to an Overdosed Kraver is increased by 3. Hardened: Attack Damage dealt to a Kraver with Hardened is not increased because of that Kraver's status.

Progression toward Ready:

Overdosed position → Wasted position → Exhausted position → Ready position

34.2. Attack Sequence

1. Choose a Ready attacking Kraver.
2. Choose the defending opponent.
3. Determine and pay the Cost to Attack.
4. Move the attacker to the leftmost legal Garrison position unless Steady or another effect prevents it.
5. The attack becomes committed and pending. Exhaust the attacking Kraver.
6. Begin the Attack Preparation Sequence.
7. Trigger and resolve the applicable Attack Ethos and other attack-preparation effects.
8. Resolve any additional triggered effects caused during the Attack Preparation Sequence.
9. Continue until no unresolved attack-preparation triggers remain. 10.Apply all resulting changes to the pending attack. 11.Determine the current state of the pending attack. 12.End the Attack Preparation Sequence. 13.Resolve the attack’s single normal Reaction Window. 14.Resolve the Attack Side Effect. 15.Begin Attack Damage assignment. 16.Before each Kraver receives Attack Damage, trigger and resolve its applicable Defense Ethos without opening a separate Reaction Window. 17.Apply Attack Damage modifiers and assign damage. 18.Continue remaining Attack Damage through the Garrison. 19.Deal remaining Attack Damage to the Capital once no defending Kravers remain. 20.Complete the attack.

34.3. Effect Resolution Sequence

1. Announce the card or ability.
2. Choose modes, targets, divisions, and other required choices.
3. Determine and pay costs.
4. The card play or activation becomes committed.
5. Process any triggered effects caused by that commitment according to Section 28.3. Those triggered effects resolve without opening Reaction Windows unless they are a Deployment Ethos or a card or rule specifically states otherwise. Attack declarations and attack-triggered effects follow the attack-specific sequence in Sections

17.2 and 34.2.

6. If the event creates a pending effect that opens a Reaction Window under Section 27.2, resolve that Reaction Window. Otherwise, no Reaction Window occurs.
7. Recheck legality.
8. Resolve the card or effect as far as legally possible.
9. Move the card to its prescribed destination, if applicable.

34.4. Reaction Resolution

A Reaction-eligible pending event exists.

↓

Reaction Window opens.

↓

Priority begins with the next player clockwise from the active player.

↓

Players declare legal responses or pass in priority order.

↓

All players pass consecutively.

↓

Response chain becomes locked.

↓

Resolve all pending responses Last In, First Out.

↓

No priority occurs between responses.

↓

When no responses remain, resolve the original pending event.

↓

Process any newly pending triggered effects according to Section 28.3. They resolve without opening Reaction Windows unless they are a Deployment Ethos or a card or rule specifically states otherwise.

34.5. Roll Resolution

Roll D20.

↓

Current result becomes known.

↓

Reaction Window opens.

↓

Players may declare legal reroll or result-modification responses.

↓

All players pass consecutively.

↓

Response chain becomes locked.

↓

Resolve all pending responses Last In, First Out.

↓

Current or chosen result becomes final.

↓

Continue resolving the effect that required the roll.

↓

Process any newly pending triggered effects according to Section 28.3. They resolve without opening Reaction Windows unless they are a Deployment Ethos or a card or rule specifically states otherwise.

34.6. Capital Kit

Each player begins the game with:

• 1 Capital
• 2 Capital–Nektheries
• 1 Capital–Alpha Nekthery These cards are separate from the main deck.

34.7. Standard Deck Construction

• Main Deck: Exactly 50 cards.
• Capital Kit: 4 cards (not part of the main deck).
• Sideboard: Up to 10 cards.
• Whisper Cards: Maximum 3 (no duplicate card names).
• Upgrade–Nektheries: Maximum 18 in total.
• All other cards: Maximum 2 copies with the same name.

34.8. Card Orientation

• Upright: Ready position.
• Rotated 90° to the left: Exhausted position.
• Rotated 180°: Wasted position.
• Rotated 90° to the right: Overdosed position. Only Kravers and Upgrades may occupy the Wasted or Overdosed position. For Kravers, these positions represent the corresponding statuses. Upgrades in these positions do not become Wasted or Overdosed.

34.9. Damage Reference

Attack Damage

• Is increased by 1 when dealt to an Exhausted Kraver.
• Is increased by 2 when dealt to a Wasted Kraver.
• Is increased by 3 when dealt to an Overdosed Kraver.
• Is not increased by status when dealt to a Kraver with Hardened.
• Cannot exceed the current HP of the Kraver receiving it.
• Damage added by a Kraver's status does not reduce the attacking Kraver's remaining Attack Damage.
• May spill through the Garrison.
• May continue to the defending Capital according to the Attack rules.
• May trigger Defense Ethos.

Effect Damage

• Ignores Status.
• Excess damage is lost unless the effect specifically states otherwise.
• Does not follow Attack Damage spillover rules.
• Does not trigger Defense Ethos.

34.10. Rule Priority

Card text overrides the Comprehensive Rules when the two directly conflict. Tournament Policy governs tournament procedure, penalties, event operations, and other Organized Play matters not determined by card text. Format-specific event rules override default format rules where explicitly permitted.

34.11. Turn Sequence

1. Start of Turn Step
2. Ready Step
3. Draw Step
4. First Play Phase
5. Attack Phase
6. Second Play Phase
7. End of Turn Step

34.12. Garrison Summary

• Kravers are arranged from left to right.
• Any Ready Kraver may attack during its controller's Attack Phase if its Cost to Attack can be paid and no effect prevents it from attacking.
• When an attack is declared, the attacking Kraver moves to the leftmost legal position before the attack becomes committed unless Steady or another effect prevents that movement.
• Mobile allows a Kraver to relocate during its controller's Play Phases.
• Garrison occupancy and entry may be modified by Soma keywords such as Robust, Slender, and Solitary.
• No two cards with the same name may occupy the same Garrison unless permitted by Doppelganger.

34.13. Win and Loss Conditions

A player wins when all opponents have been eliminated. A player immediately loses if:

• Their Capital reaches 0 HP.
• They are required to draw a card from an empty Deck. If all remaining players are eliminated simultaneously, determine the winner using the Tie-Breaker rules.

Turn Sequence

1. Start of Turn Step
2. Ready Step
3. Draw Step
4. First Play Phase
5. Attack Phase
6. Second Play Phase
7. End of Turn Step

Attack Summary

1. Choose a Ready attacking Kraver.
2. Choose the defending opponent.
3. Determine and pay the Cost to Attack.
4. Move the attacker to the leftmost legal Garrison position unless Steady or another effect prevents it.
5. The attack becomes committed and pending. Exhaust the attacking Kraver.
6. Begin the Attack Preparation Sequence.
7. Trigger and resolve the applicable Attack Ethos and other attack-preparation effects.
8. Resolve any additional triggered effects caused during the Attack Preparation Sequence.
9. Continue until no unresolved attack-preparation triggers remain. 10.Apply all resulting changes to the pending attack. 11.Determine the current state of the pending attack. 12.End the Attack Preparation Sequence. 13.Resolve the attack’s single normal Reaction Window. 14.Resolve the Attack Side Effect. 15.Begin Attack Damage assignment. 16.Before each Kraver receives Attack Damage, trigger and resolve its applicable Defense Ethos without opening a separate Reaction Window. 17.Apply Attack Damage modifiers and assign damage. 18.Continue remaining Attack Damage through the Garrison. 19.Deal remaining Attack Damage to the Capital once no defending Kravers remain. 20.Complete the attack.

Card Position and Kraver Status

Ready position

• Upright.
• Upgrade: active.
• Kraver: Ready; Attack Damage dealt to it is not increased because of its status.

Exhausted position

• 90° left.
• Next position: Ready.
• Upgrade: inactive.
• Kraver: Exhausted; Attack Damage dealt to it is increased by 1.

Wasted position

• 180°.
• Next position: Exhausted.
• Upgrade: inactive; does not become Wasted.
• Kraver: Wasted; Attack Damage dealt to it is increased by 2.

Overdosed position

• 90° right.
• Next position: Wasted.
• Upgrade: inactive; does not become Overdosed.
• Kraver: Overdosed; Attack Damage dealt to it is increased by 3. Hardened: Attack Damage dealt to a Kraver with Hardened is not increased because of that Kraver's status.

Progression toward Ready:

Overdosed → Wasted → Exhausted → Ready

Garrison Summary

• Kravers are arranged from left to right.
• Any eligible Ready Kraver may attack; its controller chooses the order of attacks.
• When an attack is declared, the attacking Kraver moves to the leftmost legal position unless Steady or another effect prevents it.
• Mobile may relocate a Kraver during your Play Phases.
• Garrison occupancy is determined by Soma keywords such as Robust and Slender.
• No two cards with the same name may occupy the same Garrison unless permitted by Doppelganger.
• A Kraver deployed using Kinswap enters the position previously occupied by the Kraver returned to pay its Kinswap cost.

Damage Summary

Attack Damage

• Ready Kraver: no status-based increase.
• Exhausted Kraver: +1 damage.
• Wasted Kraver: +2 damage.
• Overdosed Kraver: +3 damage.
• Hardened ignores these status-based increases.
• Cannot exceed the current HP of the Kraver receiving it.
• Status-based increases do not reduce the attacking Kraver's remaining Attack Damage.
• May spill through the Garrison.
• May reach the Capital.
• Can trigger Defense Ethos.

Effect Damage

• Ignores Status.
• Excess damage is lost unless stated otherwise.
• Does not spill.
• Does not trigger Defense Ethos.

Reaction Windows

A Reaction Window opens only when:

• A committed attack reaches its Reaction Window according to Section 17.2.
• An Action effect becomes pending outside an existing Reaction Window.
• A Gamma or activated ability effect becomes pending outside an existing Reaction Window.
• A Deployment Ethos becomes pending.
• An initial D20 result becomes known before the effect requiring that roll continues resolving.
• A card or rule specifically states that a Reaction Window opens. Other triggered effects do not normally open Reaction Windows. They resolve according to Section 28.3 unless a card or rule specifically states otherwise. Attacks normally receive only one normal Reaction Window. Before that window opens, resolve the entire Attack Preparation Sequence. Any triggered effects that become pending while the Attack Preparation Sequence is active are resolved as part of that sequence without separate normal Reaction Windows unless a card or rule specifically states otherwise. Once the attack is fully prepared, players respond to the attack as it currently exists.

Playing a permanent card, producing Nekthar, paying costs, resolving a response, and completing an attack do not by themselves open a Reaction Window. During a Reaction Window:

• Priority begins with the next player clockwise from the active player.
• Players may use legal Whispers, Gamma, and activated abilities.
• Responses resolve using Last In, First Out.
• Players may add responses until all players pass consecutively.
• Once all players pass consecutively, the response chain is locked.
• Locked responses resolve using Last In, First Out.
• Players do not receive priority between resolving responses.
• When all responses have resolved, the original pending event resolves.
• A specifically defined event, such as an initial D20 result, may still create a new Reaction Window.
• Declarations, choices, and paid costs cannot be withdrawn. The response chain must finish resolving before the original pending event resolves.

Standard Deck Summary

• Main Deck: Exactly 50 cards.
• Capital Kit: 4 cards (not part of the main deck).
• Sideboard: Up to 10 cards.
• Whisper Cards: Maximum 3 (no duplicate card names).
• Upgrade–Nektheries: Maximum 18 in total.
• All other cards: Maximum 2 copies with the same name.

Win Conditions

You win immediately if:

• All opponents have been eliminated. You lose immediately if:
• Your Capital reaches 0 HP.
• You must draw from an empty Deck. If all remaining players are eliminated simultaneously, determine the winner using the Tie-Breaker rules.

Kravestorm would not be possible without the ongoing support of a core group of people.

A special thank you to Ricardo Neves and Tiago David, the game's "house playtesters." Since the beginning of the project, they have taken part in hundreds of games, often on a weekly basis, helping Kravestorm evolve through suggestions, discussion and honest feedback.

A big thank you to Ricardo Gonçalves for always being ready to break the game, uncovering problematic loops and combinations like no one else, and pointing out what needed urgent attention.

Thank you as well to Rodolfo Ribeiro, Gonçalo Monteiro, João Gil, André Penha and Pedro Corte Real, who have regularly shared feedback, brainstormed ideas and playtested Kravestorm from its early stages through to its most recent versions.

Dozens of people across Reddit and the Kravestorm Discord server also deserve recognition. At some of the project's most important decision points, their experience, criticism, encouragement and ideas helped steer Kravestorm in better directions. They challenged weak assumptions, pushed against settling for mediocre solutions, and repeatedly pointed toward ways to make the game stronger than it would have been without their input.

Last but certainly not least, thank you to Sylwia and Leonardo for their patience, understanding and support throughout the thousands of hours I've spent working on Kravestorm.

And of course, a huge thank you to every Patreon supporter across all tiers, with special recognition for the Super Kravers listed below.

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