WOWTCGame.com - WOW TCG Comprehensive In-Depth Rulebook

100.1 Each player needs a deck of cards and a way to represent counters and tokens. The minimum deck size for Constructed play is 60 cards. The minimum deck size for Sealed Pack play is 30 cards. There is no maximum deck size. Deck sizes don’t include hero cards.

100.2 Some tournaments allow players to have an optional side deck. Players must start each match with their main deck, but may swap cards between side deck and main deck between games in a match. For Constructed play, a side deck is exactly 10 cards and can include any cards that could be included in the main deck. For Sealed Pack play, a side deck is all cards in a player’s card pool that are not being played in the main deck.

100.3 As a game of Constructed play starts, each deck (including the side deck, if applicable) can include a total of only four copies of any card with the same name. Decks for Sealed Pack play can include any number of cards with the same name.

100.3a Decks can include any number of cards with the unlimited tag. This is an exception to 100.3.

100.4 Each player starts the game with a hero in play. Players then use a random method to determine who will be the first player to take a turn. Before starting the first turn, each player shuffles his or her deck and then presents it to an opponent, who cuts and/or shuffles it. Each player then draws an opening hand of seven cards.

100.5 Once per game, after drawing an opening hand but before starting the first turn, each player may mulligan. To mulligan, a player shuffles his or her hand back into his or her deck and draws seven new cards. The first player decides whether or not to mulligan, and then the next player clockwise, and so on. After all players have decided whether to mulligan, the first turn starts.

101. Winning and losing

101.1 Players win the game if no opposing players remain in the game.

101.1a A player loses the game if his or her hero is destroyed. A player also loses the game if he or she is required to draw a card from an empty deck. These are both pre-priority checks (407.5). If all remaining players lose the game simultaneously, the game is a draw.

101.1b A player may concede at any time to remove him or herself from the current game.

101.2 A player that loses the game is removed from the game, and vice versa. All cards that player owns are removed from the game. Any links that player controlled are interrupted. Cards that player controlled but doesn’t own revert to the last controller they had that is still in the game; if no such player exists, those cards are removed from the game. Continuous modifiers that player controlled no longer apply.

102. Contradictions

102.1 If the text of a card specifically contradicts these rules, that card takes precedence (but see 102.3).

102.2 If a modifier says that [something] can’t happen, and another modifier or rule tries to make [something] happen, that “can’t” modifier takes precedence. If an action can’t be performed, any cost involving that action can’t be paid. “Can’t” modifiers are not replacement modifiers (716). Events that can’t happen can’t be replaced.

102.3 If a card can’t be destroyed, but destruction of that card can’t be stopped due to the rules of uniqueness (410.2), the rules of uniqueness take precedence.

103. Numeric values

103.1 Players asked to choose “any number” can choose zero or any positive integer. Players can never choose an infinite numeric value.

103.2 Negative values are treated as zero for all purposes except raising or lowering them. Undefined values that would be numeric are treated as zero.

104. Simultaneity

104.1 If simultaneous events require simultaneous choices from one or more players, the turn player makes all of his or her choices first, then the next player clockwise, and so on. After all choices have been made, those events happen simultaneously. If multiple triggered effects are waiting to be added to the chain, see 708.1. If multiple modifiers apply simultaneously, see 718.

105. Ready and exhausted

105.1 Unless otherwise specified, cards enter play ready (upright) and stay ready until exhausted. To exhaust a ready card, turn it sideways. To ready an exhausted card, turn it upright. As a ready step starts, the turn player readies all cards in play that he or she controls.

2. Card parts

200. Name

200.1 A card’s name is found above its art. If a link, modifier, or cost refers to the name of its source, it’s referring only to that source and not to any other card with that name.

Example: You have two allies in your party, both Tracker Gallen. Each has +2 ATK, not +4 ATK, because each effectively reads, “This card has +1 ATK for each ally in your party.”

Tracker Gallen, Alliance, 2, Ally—Night Elf Hunter, 0 ATK, 2 Health
Tracker Gallen has +1 ATK for each ally in your party.

Example: You have two allies in your party, both Kena Shadowbrand. One is exhausted with 1 damage on it, and the other is ready with 2 damage on it. You can’t use the power of the ready Kena by activating her and putting 1 damage on the exhausted Kena, because each effectively reads, “[Activate], Put 1 damage on this card.”

Kena Shadowbrand, Alliance, 3, Ally—Gnome Warlock, 1 ATK, 3 Health
[Activate], Put 1 damage on Kena Shadowbrand >>> Draw a card.

200.2 If a link or modifier checks whether a player controls a card named [name], or has a card named [name] in his or her party, it’s referring to a card in play with that name.

Example: You have two allies in your party, both Orgrimmar Grunts. Each has +1 ATK. When calculating the ATK bonus, you count only the cards named Orgrimmar Grunts in your ally row.

Orgrimmar Grunts, Horde, 2, Ally—Orc Warrior, Unlimited, 1 ATK, 1 Health
Orgrimmar Grunts has +1 ATK for each other ally named Orgrimmar Grunts in your party.

201. Cost

201.1 A card’s cost is the value in its upper left corner. That value is the number of resources a player must exhaust to play that card. If a link or modifier looks for a card’s cost, it uses the value printed in the upper left corner of that card.

201.2 A quest has an exclamation point instead of a cost. Quests can’t be played; they can only be placed as resources (408.1). The cost of a quest is 0 (103.2).

202. Type line

202.1 A card’s type line is below its art and contains that card’s type and any number of tags. A tag is either a keyword that has associated rules (like “Instant”) or an expression that has no associated rules but can be referenced by other cards (like “Fire Totem”). For example, a “Horde ally” is an ally with the “Horde” tag in its type line.

202.2 The right side of a card’s type line may contain one of the following:

· The unlimited keyword (100.3a)

· The unique keyword or a tag followed by a number in parentheses (410)

203. Text box

203.1 A card’s text box is below its type line. A card’s text may include game text (powers and keywords), reminder text, and/or flavor text. Reminder text is italicized text in parentheses that clarifies the preceding game text. Flavor text is italicized text below the game text that has no effect on game play.

203.2 A paragraph break in the text—represented by “<p>” in these rules—denotes a new power. However, some powers represented by keywords may be grouped together to save space.

204. Collector number

204.1 A card’s collector number is printed below its text box and consists of a set abbreviation (for example, “Azeroth” for Heroes of Azeroth) followed by that card’s number within that set. The color of a card’s collector number represents that card’s rarity: white for common, green for uncommon, blue for rare, purple for epic, and orange for legendary. Neither the collector number nor its color has any effect on game play.

205. ATK

205.1 Each ally and weapon card has an attack value (ATK) in its lower left corner. The icon around that value illustrates that card’s damage type:

Arcane Fire Frost Holy Melee Nature Ranged Shadow

205.1a As a combat concludes between an attacker and a defender, each deals combat damage to the other in an amount equal to its ATK and of the type specified by its damage type (603.1).

205.1b Striking with a weapon adds both its ATK and damage type to its controller’s hero this combat (303.2).

206. Health

206.1 Each character card has a health value in its lower right corner. If a card accumulates damage greater than or equal to its health (fatal damage), it’s destroyed during pre-priority processing (407.5).

207. Traits

207.1 Each hero has five kinds of trait: class, faction, profession, race, and talent spec. A hero’s race is on the upper left of its type line. A hero’s talent spec is on the lower left of its type line. Each hero has two professions on the right of its type line.

207.1a A hero’s class is represented by one of the following icons in its upper right corner:

Druid Hunter Mage

Paladin Priest Rogue

Shaman Warlock Warrior

207.1b A hero’s faction is represented by one of the following icons in its upper left corner:

Alliance Horde

207.1c If a card has one or more trait icons, a player can include that card in his or her deck only if it shares at least one trait icon with his or her hero. Cards with no trait icon can be included in any deck.

207.1d If a card has a trait icon next to a power in its text box, that card has that power only if its controller’s hero has that trait icon.

Example: If its controller’s hero belongs to the Alliance, Thunderhead Hippogryph has elusive. If its controller’s hero belongs to the Horde, Thunderhead Hippogryph has ferocity.

Thunderhead Hippogryph, 4, Ally—Hippogryph, 3 ATK, 3 Health
: Thunderhead Hippogryph has elusive.
: Thunderhead Hippogryph has ferocity.

207.1e Some cards have bold text that reads, “[trait] hero required.” A player can include such a card in his or her deck only if his or her hero has that [trait].

3. Card Types

300. Overview

300.1 A card’s type is printed on its type line. There are seven card types: ability, ally, armor, hero, item, quest, and weapon. Allies, heroes, and totems are collectively called characters. Armor, items, and weapons are collectively called equipment.

300.2 If card text refers to a “[card type],” it’s referring to a card of that type in play. If card text is referring to a card in some zone other than play, it will refer to a “[card type] card” in that zone.

Example: You control Kryton Barleybeard, who reads, “(2), Destroy Kryton Barleybeard >>> Put target ability into its owner's hand.” His power must target an ability in play.

301. Heroes

301.1 Each player starts the game with a ready hero in play. Each hero has a health value (206) but no printed ATK. Each hero has two trait icons and a type line with several printed traits (207).

301.2 Each hero is double-sided and starts the game face up with its smaller art visible. Each hero has a payment power (701), the cost of which involves flipping the hero face down. A face-down hero is identical to a face-up hero, except it loses its printed payment power.

302. Allies

302.1 As an ally card resolves, it enters play in its controller’s ally row. Each ally has both an ATK (205) and a health value (206).

302.2 A player can propose an ally as an attacker or use its activated () powers only if it has been in his or her party continuously since the start of his or her most recent turn. Only allies have this restriction. Protecting with a character (602.2) is not using an activated () power. A player can protect with an ally regardless of how long it has been under his or her control.

303. Weapons

303.1 As a weapon card resolves, it enters play in its controller’s hero row. Each weapon has an ATK (205) in its lower left corner and a strike cost in its lower right corner.

303.2 To pay the cost of striking with a weapon, a player must both exhaust that weapon and exhaust resources equal to its strike cost. A player may strike with a weapon only while he or she has priority during the defender window of a combat step while his or her hero is in combat. A player can strike with a weapon whether that hero is ready or exhausted.

303.2a Striking with a weapon follows the applicable rules for adding links (706) and adds a strike effect to the chain. As a strike effect resolves, it creates a strike modifier that gives its controller’s hero both of the following for the duration of the combat step:

· +X ATK, where X is the ATK of that weapon as that effect resolves.

· The damage type of that weapon.

303.2b Once created, strike effects and strike modifiers exist independently of their source weapon. Strike effects resolve normally and strike modifiers continue to apply for their duration even if their source weapon leaves play or changes controllers.

303.2c A player can strike with only one weapon per combat, but he or she can strike with that weapon multiple times if it can be readied somehow during that combat. If a player strikes with a weapon multiple times, his or her hero gains an additional +X ATK this combat from each strike modifier, where X is the ATK of that weapon as that modifier was created.

303.3 A player can strike with a weapon or use its activated () powers regardless of how long it has been under his or her control.

304. Armor

304.1 As an armor card resolves, it enters play in its controller’s hero row. Each armor has a defense value (DEF) in its lower left corner.

304.2 If a preventable damage packet (403.3) would be dealt to a hero, that hero’s controller may exhaust any number of his or her ready armor. Each armor exhausted prevents damage from that packet equal to its DEF (717.5). This doesn’t use the chain.

304.3 A player can use an armor’s activated () powers or exhaust it to prevent damage to his or her hero regardless of how long that armor has been under his or her control.

305. Items

305.1 As an item card resolves, it enters play in its controller’s hero row.

305.2 A player can use an item’s activated () powers regardless of how long it has been under his or her control.

306. Abilities

306.1 An ability is either ongoing (306.2) or non-ongoing. As a non-ongoing ability card resolves, it creates one or more modifiers. Then, if it’s still on the chain, it’s put into its owner’s graveyard.

306.2 Ongoing abilities

306.2a An ongoing ability can be identified by the ongoing keyword in its text box. The text before the ongoing keyword may contain additional costs or play restrictions. Any other text before that keyword follows the applicable rules for adding links (707). The text after the ongoing keyword describes the ability’s ongoing powers. These powers function only while the ability is in play. They don’t follow the rules for adding links.

306.2b A player can use an ability’s activated () powers regardless of how long it has been under his or her control.

306.2c An ongoing ability is either attaching (306.3) or non-attaching. As a non-attaching ability card resolves, it enters play in its controller’s hero row.

306.3 Attaching abilities

306.3a An attaching ability can be identified by a sentence starting with “attach to,” followed by an attach description.

306.3b If an ability’s attach description is targeted, its target must be chosen as it’s played as normal (707.1d). As that ability card resolves, it enters play attached to its target.

306.3c If an ability card’s attach description is not targeted, its controller must choose a card with that description as it resolves. That ability enters play attached to the chosen card. If no such card can be chosen at that time, that ability card is put into its owner’s graveyard.

306.3d An attached ability is positioned underneath the card to which it’s attached. Any number of abilities can be attached to a card, including multiple abilities with the same name.

306.3e The card to which an ability is attached is illegal if it’s no longer in play or is a totem (306.4). An illegally-attached ability card is detached and put into its owner’s graveyard during pre-priority processing (407.5).

306.3f If a modifier says to attach an ability to another card, it must be attached to another card with one of the card types specified in that ability’s attach description. If it can’t be, that ability stays where it is.

Example: You control Inventor’s Focal Sword and an ally with Polymorph attached. You use the Sword’s power, targeting Polymorph. As that effect resolves, you must choose a different ally to attach Polymorph to. You can’t choose a hero or totem because the only card type specified in Polymorph’s attach description is an ally. If a different ally can’t be chosen at that time, Polymorph stays where it is.

Inventor’s Focal Sword, 3, Weapon—Sword, Melee (1), 1 ATK, 2 Strike
(2), [Activate] >>> If target ability is attached to a hero or ally, attach it to another hero or ally.

Polymorph, Mage, 2, Ability—Arcane
Attach to target ally.
Ongoing: Attached ally can't attack or protect, loses all powers, and is a Sheep.

306.4 Totem abilities

306.4a A totem ability can be identified by the totem keyword in its type line. Each totem has a health value (206) but no printed ATK. Totems can’t gain ATK or be proposed as attackers. Totems can be proposed as defenders (601). Totems aren’t allies, but can be targeted (706) as though they were allies while they are in play. An ability attached to a totem is detached and put into its owner’s graveyard during pre-priority processing (407.5).

Example: Your opponent controls a hero, an ally, and a totem. You play Chain Lightning. You can target the totem, because totems can be targeted as though they were allies while they are in play. However, if you target the hero or the ally, you can’t choose to do 2 or 1 damage to the totem as the link resolves because totems aren’t allies.

Chain Lightning, Shaman, 5, Ability—Elemental
Your hero deals 3 nature damage to target hero or ally. Your hero may deal 2 nature damage to another hero or ally. Your hero may deal 1 nature damage to another hero or ally.

307. Quests

307.1 Quests can’t be played. They can only be placed as resources (408.1).

307.2 Each quest has a completion power (702) that can be completed only while that quest is face up in play. A quest can be exhausted to pay its own completion cost. A player can complete a quest regardless of how long it has been under his or her control.

Example: During your first turn, you place A Donation of Wool face up in your resource row. Later that turn, you can exhaust it and flip it face down to pay the cost of its own power. It continues to be a resource that you can exhaust to pay resource costs.

A Donation of Wool, Quest
Pay (1) to complete this quest.
Reward: Draw a card, then discard a card.

4. Game Concepts

400. Control and ownership

400.1 A player controls his or her hero, each card or token he or she puts into play, and each link he or she adds to the chain. A triggered effect is controlled by the player who controlled its source as it triggered. No more than one player can control the same thing at the same time. Cards in zones other than play or the chain have no controller. For control of damage packets, see 403.4c. For control of modifiers, see 712.5.

400.2 Cards in all zones are owned by the player in whose deck they started the game. If text refers to a card belonging to a player (for example, “one of your weapons”), that text is referring to the controller of that card, who may or may not be the owner.

400.3 Some modifiers change the controller of a card in play. A card that changes controllers is still the same card. The new controller moves the card to his or her ally, hero, or resource row, if applicable. Modifiers to that card still apply within their durations, unless such a modifier is dependent on who controls the card. Similarly, restrictions on the number of times a payment power can be used still apply to that card. Any attached cards stay attached but don't change controllers. As such a modifier ends, control of that card reverts to the last controller it had that is still in the game; if no such player exists, that card is removed from the game.

401. Costs

401.1 A cost is anything a player must pay to add a link to the chain or perform any other game action. A player can’t pay a cost unless he or she has the means to pay all of that cost. If a cost requires multiple actions to be taken, they can be taken in any order. If an action can’t be taken, any costs involving that action can’t be paid.

401.2 Numeric costs are always positive integers or 0. Costs can never be negative. A cost of 0 still needs to be paid—it does not cause a link to be added to the chain automatically.

401.3 Some links have an alternate cost. Alternate costs can be identified by the words “rather than.” These are not replacement modifiers on the original cost.

401.4 Resource costs

401.4a A card’s resource cost is the number in its upper left corner. This is the number of resources a player must exhaust to play that card. If a link or modifier looks for a card’s cost, it will use that card’s printed resource cost.

401.4b A resource cost can also appear in a card’s text box. Such a resource cost is represented by a number in a circle (and by a number between parentheses in these rules).

Example: You must exhaust two resources to play a card with a 2 in its upper left corner or to use a payment power with a cost of (represented by (2) in these rules).

402. Counters and tokens

402.1 A counter is a small object placed on a card in play. A counter either represents damage or is associated with the modifier that created it. Counters remain on a card until they are removed by a modifier or by pre-priority processing (407.5) after that card leaves play. Named counters with the same name are indistinguishable from each other. Named counters will usually be referenced by a modifier and serve either as a marker or a way to keep track of some quantity.

402.2 An ally token is an object that represents an ally that was put into play by a modifier. A token has ATK, health, and a tag as specified by that modifier. If a token has a name and/or powers, they are also specified by that modifier. If no name is specified, a token’s tag is its name. A token’s cost is always 0. A player puts a token into play in his or her ally row, and that token behaves like any other ally. However, if a token leaves play, it ceases to exist as part of pre-priority processing (407.5) after triggering powers or modifiers that trigger off it leaving play (703.3a).

403. Damage

403.1 Damage on a character is represented by damage counters and is permanent unless it’s healed (404) or that character leaves play. A character can accumulate damage greater than its health. Damage greater than or equal to a character’s health is called fatal damage. A character with fatal damage on it is destroyed during pre-priority processing (407.5).

403.2 Damage can be either dealt to or put on a character. Damage that would be dealt to a character can be replaced or prevented. Damage that would be put on a character can’t be replaced or prevented.

403.3 Damage is dealt in packets that are created either during combat conclusion or by modifiers. Each modifier that would deal damage to one or more characters creates a separate packet for each such character.

Example: You have one opponent, and he or she controls two allies and a hero. You play Frost Nova, which reads, “Your hero deals 1 frost damage to each opposing hero and ally.” As it resolves, its modifier creates three packets of 1 frost damage each.

Example: You have attached two Fireballs to an opposing hero. Both powers trigger at the start of your turn, and each modifier creates a packet of 1 fire damage.

Fireball, Mage, 4, Ability—Fire
Attach to target hero or ally, and your hero deals 4 fire damage to it.
Ongoing: At the start of your turn, your hero deals 1 fire damage to attached character.

403.4 Each packet of damage has the following attributes:

403.4a An amount of damage that the packet will deal. This is a positive integer that can be raised by replacement modifiers and/or lowered by prevention modifiers. If it’s lowered below 1, the packet ceases to exist and deals no damage.

403.4b A destination character, to which the damage will be dealt unless it’s completely prevented.

403.4c A source character and controller, which are determined as follows:

· For combat damage, the source character is the attacker or defender that dealt the damage. The controller of a packet of combat damage is the player who controlled the source character as the packet was created.

· For non-combat damage, the source character is the character specified by the modifier that created the damage. The controller of a packet of non-combat damage is the player who controlled that modifier.

Example: You have one opponent, and he controls two allies and a hero. You play Frost Nova, which reads, “Your hero deals 1 frost damage to each opposing hero and ally.” As it resolves, its modifier creates three packets of 1 frost damage each. Each of those packets is dealt by your hero (source character) and is controlled by you (controller).

403.4d A damage type, which is one of:

· For combat damage, the damage type of the source character. If none is specified, combat damage has type melee.

Arcane Fire Frost Holy Melee Nature Ranged Shadow

· For non-combat damage, the damage type is specified by the modifier that created the damage. If none is specified, non-combat damage is typeless.

403.4e In addition, a packet may have one or more of the following optional attributes:

· A combat damage flag, if the damage was dealt during combat conclusion.

· An unpreventable flag, if the damage can’t be prevented. If any amount of a packet can’t be prevented, the entire packet can’t be. Unless otherwise specified, a packet can be prevented.

Example: You control Mason’s Fraternity Ring, which reads, “Your hero has +1 ATK while attacking.” You attack with your hero and strike with Annihilator, increasing your hero's ATK to 4. As combat concludes, your hero deals a packet of 4 unpreventable combat damage.

Annihilator, 2, Weapon—Axe, Melee (1), 3 ATK, 2 Strike
Combat damage dealt by your hero with Annihilator can't be prevented.

· An association with an ability or equipment. Combat damage is dealt with a weapon if it was dealt by a hero after striking with that weapon that combat, even if the packet size is not equal to that weapon’s ATK. Non-combat damage is dealt with a card if that card was the source of the modifier that created it.

Example: Your hero has a +2 ATK modifier. You attack an ally with your hero, then strike with Thrash Blade, increasing your hero's ATK to 4. Before combat concludes, your opponent flips Graccus to prevent the next 3 damage that would be dealt to the defender. Your hero still deals 1 combat damage to that ally and deals that combat damage with Thrash Blade, so Thrash Blade's power triggers. Your opponent can't specify that he wants to prevent "both points of Thrash Blade damage."

Thrash Blade, 4, Weapon—Sword, Melee (1), 2 ATK, 2 Strike
When your hero deals combat damage with Thrash Blade for the first time on each of your turns, ready Thrash Blade and your hero.

403.4f A modifier that replaces a packet specifies what attributes of that packet it modifies. Any attributes not specifically modified remain unchanged in the modified packet (716.2).

404. Destroy

404.1 To destroy a card or token is to put into its owner’s graveyard from play. A character with fatal damage on it is destroyed during pre-priority processing (407.5). Not all events that put a card into a graveyard from play are destroy events. If a cost involves putting a card into a graveyard from play, and that action is replaced, that part of the cost is still satisfied. Similarly, if a card says, “destroy [a card]. If you do,” and the action of putting that [card] into a graveyard from play is replaced, the “if you do” is still satisfied. This is an exception to 709.2f.

405. Healing

405.1 To heal an amount of damage from a character is to remove that many damage counters from it. If a modifier heals N damage from a character with less than N damage on it, it removes all damage from that character, and the excess healing is wasted.

Example: An ally in your party has 5 health and 1 damage on it. An opponent targets it with Lightning Bolt, which reads, “Your hero deals 4 nature damage to target hero or ally.” In response, you target it with Flash Heal, which reads, “Your hero heals 4 damage from target hero or ally.” Your link resolves first and removes the damage counter, and then your opponent’s link resolves and adds 4 damage counters. Your ally is not destroyed.

405.2 If a modifier heals damage from a character with no damage on it, nothing happens. Doing so doesn’t trigger powers or modifiers that trigger off damage being healed.

Example: An ally in your party has 4 health and no damage on it. Again, your opponent targets it with Lightning Bolt, and you respond with Flash Heal. Your link resolves first but does nothing, because your ally has no damage on it. As your opponent’s link resolves, it adds 4 damage counters to your ally, which destroys it before the next player gets priority.

406. Playing cards

406.1 To play a card is to choose a card from hand and add it to the chain. Playing a card follows the applicable rules for adding links (707). Cards can be played only from hand unless otherwise specified. A player can play an instant card any time he or she has priority. A player can play a non-instant card only during his or her non-combat action phase (502.1) while he or she has priority and the chain is empty.

406.2 Playing a card is different from placing a resource (408.1), although both add a card to the chain. Quests (307) can’t be played—they can only be placed as resources.

407. Priority

407.1 A player’s option to add a link to the chain is called priority. Only one player can have priority at a time. That player may add a link or pass priority clockwise to the next player. If that player chooses to add a link, he or she gets priority again after adding that link. Adding a new link while a link is already on the chain is also called responding to that link.

407.2 A player with priority can choose to do any of the following:

· Play an instant card

· Use a power

· Complete a quest

407.2a During a defender window, while his or her hero is in combat, that player can also:

· Strike with a weapon

407.2b During his or her non-combat action phase, while the chain is empty, that player can also:

· Play a non-instant card

· Place a resource

· Propose a combat

407.3 Playing a card or placing a resource adds that card to the chain. Using a power, completing a quest, striking with a weapon, or proposing a combat adds an effect to the chain.

407.4 A priority window is a game interval during which players get priority. As a priority window opens, the turn player is the first to get priority. Any time all players pass priority in succession:

407.4a If the chain is not empty, the topmost link of the chain tries to resolve (709), and then the turn player gets priority.

407.4b If the chain is empty, the current priority window closes, and the game advances. It doesn’t close as the chain empties, but only after successive passes while the chain is empty.

407.5 Any time a player would get priority, pre-priority processing takes place first. This first involves a series of pre-priority checks (407.6). Next, any waiting triggered effects (708.1) are added to the chain. Then, that player gets priority

407.6 The following checks are all made simultaneously. If one or more checks result in actions taking place, those actions take place simultaneously (104.1), and then all checks are rechecked repeatedly until no actions take place. None of this uses the chain.

407.6a All characters with fatal damage on them or 0 health are destroyed. If a hero is destroyed, its controller loses the game.

407.6b All players who have been required to draw a card from an empty deck lose the game.

407.6c All players are checked for uniqueness violations (410).

407.6d All illegally-attached ability cards are detached and put into their owners’ graveyards. The card to which an ability is attached is illegal if it’s a totem or is no longer in play.

407.6e All counters on cards in non-play zones are removed, and all tokens in non-play zones cease to exist (402).

408. Resources

408.1 On each of a player’s turns, that player may choose one card from his or her hand and place it as a resource. Placing a resource is optional.

408.1a A player can place a resource only during his or her non-combat action phase while he or she has priority and the chain is empty. Placing a resource follows the applicable rules for adding links (707) and puts a resource card on the chain. As a resource card resolves, it enters play in its controller’s resource row.

408.1b Only quests may be placed face up or face down. Other card types can be placed only face down. A face-down resource card is effectively blank—it has no name, type, tags, or text—both while on the chain and in play.

408.2 Players must exhaust resources they control to pay resource costs. Resources can be exhausted to pay resource costs whether those resources are face up or face down. Resources can’t be exhausted to pay future resource costs.

Example: Your opponent plays Lobotomize, targeting your resource. In response, you may exhaust that resource to pay a resource cost (for example, the resource cost of an instant card or a payment effect). However, you can’t exhaust that resource to “spend later.”

Lobotomize, Rogue, 5, Ability—Combat
Destroy target resource. If your hero is stealthed, put the top card of your deck into your resource row face down and exhausted.

409. Searching

409.1 To search a zone is to look through all of the cards in that zone. If a modifier tells a player to search a deck, the owner of that deck shuffles it after that player has finished searching. If a modifier tells a player to search a deck and another zone for a card, and that player finds that card in that other zone, that player has the option of looking through that deck (after which it’s shuffled by its owner) or not (in which case it’s not shuffled).

409.2 A player searching a non-public zone can fail to find any cards that he or she is told to find by a modifier. The player doesn’t have to say whether the failure to find was by choice or by absence.

410. Uniqueness

410.1 A uniqueness violation occurs if a player controls cards in play that can’t all be legally controlled by the same player simultaneously. Uniqueness is checked during pre-priority processing (407.5).

410.2 If a uniqueness violation occurs, the violating player must choose a violating card and destroy it. Such destruction can’t be stopped, even if that card can’t be destroyed. If the violation persists, that player must destroy another violating card, and so on, until the violation is repaired. If multiple uniqueness violations occur simultaneously, the turn player repairs all of his or her violations first, then the next player clockwise, and so on.

410.3 There are three different types of uniqueness violation:

410.3a Some cards have the unique keyword to the right of their type line. If a player controls two or more unique cards in play with the same name, those cards violate uniqueness.

410.3b Some cards have a tag followed by a number in parentheses on their type line. If a player controls more than that number of cards in play with that tag, those cards violate uniqueness.

Example: Searing Totem has the Fire Totem (1) tag. This means you can control only one Fire Totem in play at a time. Any time you control two or more Fire Totems in play, you must destroy all but one of them. You choose which one to keep.

410.3c Some cards have the two-handed tag. Other cards have the off-hand tag. If a player controls both a two-handed card in play and an off-hand card in play, those cards violate uniqueness.

411. Zones

411.1 Cards can be in any one of six game zones: chain, deck, graveyard, hand, play, and removed-from-game. Each zone exists even if there are no cards in that zone. All players share the chain and play zones. Each player has his or her own deck, graveyard, hand, and removed-from-game zone. If a card is put into a deck, graveyard, hand, or removed-from-game zone, it’s put into its owner’s instance of that zone

411.1a The chain and deck zones are ordered top-to-bottom. Players can’t alter the order of cards (or effects) in these zones but can rearrange cards in all other zones.

411.1b If a card changes zones, it’s no longer the same card. Any modifiers affecting it in the previous zone do not continue to affect it in the new zone unless they specify that they do. A card that changes controllers while in play is still the same card.

411.2 Deck zone

411.2a The deck zone is where each player puts his or her deck. Cards are drawn from the top of each deck. Cards in decks are face down and so are not public information. Unless a card says otherwise, players can’t look through decks or rearrange their order. The number of cards in each deck is public information.

411.2b Any time a player shuffles a deck, he or she must then offer it to an opponent to cut and/or shuffle. Any time a player searches a deck, that deck's owner shuffles it after that search.

411.2c If multiple cards are simultaneously put on the top or bottom of a deck, the owner of those cards may arrange them in any order. That player doesn’t reveal the order of those cards.

411.3 Hand zone

411.3a The hand zone is where players hold the cards they draw. Hands are not public information, but each player may look at his or her hand at any time. The number of cards in each hand is public information.

411.3b The default maximum hand size is seven cards. During a wrap-up step (503.2), if the turn player has more cards in hand than his or her maximum hand size, that player must discard down to that maximum hand size.

411.4 Graveyard zone

411.4a The graveyard zone is where players put cards that have been destroyed, discarded, or interrupted, as well as non-ongoing ability cards that have resolved. Cards in graveyards are face up and so are public information.

411.5 Chain zone

411.5a The chain zone is where players put cards being played, resources being placed, and effects they control. A link is any card or effect on the chain. Putting a card or effect on the chain adds a link to the chain (707). Links are always added to the top of the chain, on top of any links already on the chain. Players can’t rearrange the order of links. All links are public information, except resource cards being placed face down.

411.6 Removed-from-game zone

411.6a The removed-from-game zone is where players put cards that have been removed from the game. Putting a card in the removed-from-game zone is also called "removing [it] from the game." Cards in removed-from-game zones are face up, and so are public information.

411.7 Play zone

411.7a The play zone is where allies, equipment, resources, and ongoing abilities enter play (710). Each player controls three rows in play: a resource row for resources; an ally row for allies; and a hero row for equipment, non-attaching ongoing abilities, and his or her hero. Attaching abilities don’t occupy rows but are attached to other cards in play. A player’s hero, allies, and totems are collectively called his or her party. Any player may look at any face-up card in play. A player may only look at face-down resources that are in his or her resource row.

5. Turn sequence

500. Overview

500.1 Players take turns, going clockwise from the first player. Each player’s turn has three phases. In order, they are start, action, and end. Each start phase has two steps. In order, they are ready and draw. Each action phase may have any number of combat steps. Each end phase concludes with a wrap-up step. There are no priority windows (407.4) between phases or between turns.

500.2 As a turn, phase, or step starts, any powers or modifiers that trigger at the start of that turn, phase, or step trigger. Triggered effects are added to the chain during pre-priority processing (407.5). Powers or modifiers that trigger at end of turn trigger at the start of that turn’s end phase.

500.3 Some modifiers give a player an extra turn. That turn is added immediately after the current turn. If multiple extra turns are created during a single turn, each is added individually, and the one most recently created is taken first.

501. Start phase

501.1 Ready step

501.1a As a ready step starts, the turn player readies all cards in play he or she controls. This doesn’t use the chain. Next, a priority window opens. Any effects that triggered during the previous turn’s wrap-up step or at the start of the current turn are added to the chain as part of pre-priority processing, and then the turn player gets priority. As that window closes, the ready step ends.

501.1b There are no priority windows before the ready step, or between the ready and draw steps.

501.2 Draw step

501.2a As a draw step starts, the turn player draws a card. This doesn’t use the chain. Next, a priority window opens, and the turn player gets priority. As that window closes, both the draw step and start phase end.

501.2b The first player skips the start phase of the first turn, so he or she doesn’t draw a card.

502. Action phase

502.1 As an action phase starts, a priority window opens, and the turn player gets priority. During a player’s action phase, outside of a combat step, that player is said to be in his or her non-combat action phase. A player can do the following only during his or her non-combat action phase while the chain is empty:

· Play a non-instant card (406).

· Place a resource (408).

· Propose a combat (601). As a proposal effect resolves, the current priority window closes and a combat step starts.

502.2 Any time all players pass in succession during a player’s non-combat action phase while the chain is empty, the current priority window closes, and the action phase ends.

503. End phase

503.1 As an end phase starts, a priority window opens. Any effects that triggered at the end of the current turn are added to the chain, and then the turn player gets priority. As that window closes, the wrap-up step starts.

503.2 Wrap-up step

503.2a There are no priority windows during a wrap-up step, so nothing can be added to the chain. Any effects that trigger during a wrap-up step are added to the chain at the start of the next turn’s ready step (501.1). During a wrap-up step, the following things happen in order:

· If the turn player has more cards in hand than his or her maximum hand size, that player must discard down to that maximum hand size. The default maximum hand size is seven cards.

· Modifiers that last until end of turn expire.

· The wrap-up step, end phase, and turn end, and then the next player clockwise starts his or her turn.

6. Combat</