How to play · Chapter 6 of 7

Common keywords

Keywords are short words or phrases on a card that stand in for a longer rule. Many cards print a short reminder of what a keyword means, but once you know the common ones, you can read a card at a glance. These are the keywords you’ll meet most often, grouped by when they matter.

Before you play a card

Some text on a card only works if your champion matches it. When it doesn’t match, that text is simply ignored.

Class Bonus

Works only if your champion shares a class with the card, such as Mage or Warrior. Fireball is a Mage card, so it costs 2 less if your champion is a Mage. It’s the most common keyword in the game.

Champion bonus[Lorraine Bonus]

Works only if your champion has that name. A Lorraine Bonus works with any Lorraine, at any level.

Level restrictionLevel 2+

Works only if your champion is at least that level.

Abilities that trigger

These happen on their own when something happens to the card. They go on the effects stack like anything else, so players can respond before they resolve.

On Enter

When this enters the field. For a champion, that’s when it’s placed on top of your lineage.

On Attack

When this unit attacks. On an attack card or a weapon, when it’s used in an attack.

On Hit

When this deals combat damage. On an attack card or a weapon, when an attack using it does.

On Death

When this unit dies and goes to the graveyard. It doesn’t trigger if the unit is banished instead.

Paying costs

Floating Memory

While you pay a memory cost, you may banish this card from your graveyard to pay for 1 of that cost.

Efficiency

This card costs less to play, by as much as your champion’s level. With a Level 2 champion, it costs 2 less.

EmpowerEmpower N

The next Spell card you play this turn, meaning a card with Spell in its typeline, acts as if your champion were N levels higher.

ImbueImbue N

As you pay this card’s reserve cost, you may reveal the cards you put into your memory. If at least N of them are the same element as this card, it becomes imbued, which turns on text that says “if imbued”. Windmill Engineer is a Wind card, so revealing two Wind cards imbues it. The cost stays the same either way.

Advanced ImbueAdvanced Imbue N

The same, but the revealed cards only need to be advanced elements, such as Arcane or Umbra. They don’t have to match this card or each other.

Try it: the Imbue scenario lets you pay for Windmill Engineer, Shangxiang, and Benediction Angel and see when each one is imbued, including how imbue works on a norm card.

Your deck and your champion

GlimpseGlimpse N

Look at the top N cards of your deck. Put any of them back on top in any order, and the rest on the bottom in any order.

RecoverRecover N

Remove N damage counters from your champion. You can’t remove more than it has.

Units in combat

These change who can attack what, and when your units are ready.

Stealth

This can’t be targeted by attacks, unless the attacker has True Sight.

True Sight

This unit’s attacks can target units with Stealth.

Taunt

While this is awake, your opponents have to attack it before anything else you control, if they can.

Intercept

Whenever your champion is attacked while this ally is awake, you may redirect the attack to this ally.

RangedRanged N

While this unit is distant, its attacks get +N power. Some effects make a unit distant, and it stays distant until the end of that player’s turn.

Vigor

This unit wakes up at the start of your end phase, so it’s ready to retaliate or intercept on your opponent’s turn.

PridePride N

This ally won’t obey you until your champion is level N or higher. An ally that doesn’t obey you can’t attack, intercept, or use its abilities, but it can still retaliate.

Spellshroud

This can’t be targeted by Spells, whether they’re cards or abilities.

Try it: the Taunt or intercept? scenario shows the difference between the two by letting you attack into each.

For every other keyword, check the official Keywords and Abilities list.