Altered Glossary

4.2.2 Noon

4.2.2.a There are no daily effect during Noon.

Remark. Nothing happens during Noon unless an "At Noon" reaction triggers.

4.2.3 Afternoon

4.2.3.a During Afternoon, players alternate taking turns until all players have passed.

4.2.3.b The first player takes the first turn.

4.2.3.c Turn structure
1. The player whose turn it is plays a quick action from an object they control, plays a card from their Hand or Reserve, or passes;
2. Check Reactions;
3. If a quick action was played, the turn continues and goes back to 1;
4. If the player played a card or passed, the turn ends:

• if at least one player has not yet passed: the next player in turn order who has not yet passed starts a new turn;
• if all players have passed: Afternoon ends and Dusk starts.

1.3.2 Day progress

1.3.2.a Each day is divided in five phases.

1.3.2.b In the Morning phase, the opponent of the first player becomes the first player (Succeed), players ready their Characters, Permanents, and Mana Orbs (Prepare), draw two cards (Draw) and may put one card from their Hand in their Mana zone.

1.3.2.c In the Noon phase, nothing happens unless one or more reactions trigger "At Noon".

1.3.2.d In the Afternoon phase, starting with the first player, players alternate taking turns until both have passed; during their turn, a player may play any number of quick actions and then either play a card or pass; once a player has passed, they cannot take more turns this day.

1.3.2.e In the Dusk phase, players sum up the statistics of all the characters in each of their expeditions. An expedition moves forward if one of its statistics is:

• one of its Region's types;
• (strictly) greater than the opposing expedition's corresponding statistic;
• (strictly) greater than zero.

• Rest: All Characters in Expeditions are sent to the Reserve. Characters with the Fleeting status are discarded instead of going to the Reserve. The Anchored and Asleep statuses are removed from Characters during this phase.
• Cleanup: Players must discard excess cards from their Reserve and Landmark Zone, keeping only two cards in each of these zones.

1.4 Golden rules

1.4.1 Can't beats can
1.4.1.a If a rule or a passive ability says that it is impossible to do something, and a cost or an effect tries to do that thing, then the thing cannot be done.
1.4.1.b An impossible cost cannot be paid.
1.4.1.c An impossible effect cannot be performed. If other parts of the effect can happen, the rest of the effect resolves normally.
1.4.1.d If it impossible to modify an impossible event, even if the modified event would itself be possible.

1.4.2 Specific beats general
1.4.2.a If a card allows a player to do something that they cannot normally do, or to do it in a different way, the card takes priority.

1.4.3 My cards, my zones
1.4.3.a If a card ownered by a player would move to a zone belonging to another player, it goes to its owner's corresponding zone instead.

1.4.4 New zone, new object
1.4.4.a Objects do not change Zones, the items that represent them does. Most effects that relate to an object in a zone will not be able to follow it to another zone, a common exception being the event which moves an object.

1.4.5 Initiative order
1.4.5.a If both players need to take decisions simultaneously, the player with initiative (the player who is currently taking their turn, or the first player during non-Afternoon phases) must decide first. If that choice involves an object from a visible zone, their opponent knows which object they have chosen. If the choice involves a card from a hidden zone, they must make their choice explicit, but they do not need to reveal the chosen card.

++Example. Ninette plays a game against Lithium. During her turn, Ninette plays Kitsune from her Hand. Kitsune has the reaction " Each player may Resupply". She must let Lithium know whether or not she chooses to Resupply before he takes his decision. However, if she chooses to Resupply, Lithium will not see Ninette's top card until after he decides whether to Resupply or not.
In his turn, Lithium plays Anubis , which has the reaction " Each player sacrifices a Character". Lithium must choose which Character to sacrifice before Ninette, and Ninette knows which Character he chose to sacrifice when she makes her choice. Both Characters are sacrificed simultaneously.++

1.4.6 Nothing is forever
1.4.6.a The interaction of some cards may lead to seemingly endless loops. In order to resolve these situations, there are limits to the number of times things can happen in a single day.
1.4.6.b A given quick action may only be played a hundred times per day.
1.4.6.c A given reaction may only activate a hundred times per day.

2.2.2 Subtypes

2.2.2.a Characters, Spells, Permanents, Regions, and Emblems may have sub-types.

2.2.2.b Heroes have no sub-types.

2.2.2.c An object may have any number of sub-types.

2.2.2.d The list of character sub-types is: Adventurer, Animal, Apprentice, Artist, Bureaucrat, Citizen, Companion, Deity, Dragon, Druid, Elemental, Engineer, Fairy, Leviathan, Mage, Messenger, Noble, Plant, Robot, Soldier, Scholar, Spirit, Titan, Trainer.

2.2.2.e The list of permanent sub-types is: Landmark.

2.2.2.f The list of region sub-types is: Forest (), Mountain (), Water ().

2.2.2.g The list of spell sub-types is: Boon, Conjuration, Disruption, Maneuver, Song.

2.2.2.h The list of emblem sub-types is: Reaction, Ongoing.

2.2.2.i The sub-types of a card are written on the type line, just below the name of the card. They are to the right of the dash; if there is more than one sub-type, they are separated by commas.

2.2.2.j The sub-types of a token are defined by the effect that creates it. They are written after the statistics of the token, separated by commas.

Example. Foundry Armorer has the reaction " Create a Brassbug 2/2/2 Robot token in target Expedition". The sub-type of the token created when this reaction resolves is "Robot".

2.2.2.k The sub-types of the hero region, companion region, and the arena are Forest (), Mountain (), and Water ().

Remark. Regions represented by face-down Tumult cards have no sub-types.

2.2.2.l The sub-types of regions represented face-up Tumult cards are described by symbols on the side of the regions.

2.2.2.m The sub-type of an emblem created as a reaction triggers is Reaction. The sub-type of an emblem created by an effect that lasts longer than its own resolution is Ongoing.

Example. Aloe Vera has the reaction "At Noonl Resupply". As the Noon phase begins, Aloe Vera's controller creates an Emblem-Reaction in Limbo with the text "Resupply". When that Reaction is played, its effect resolves, then it ceases to exist.

Example. Celebration Day has the effect "Expeditions can´t move forward this Day". When that effect resolves, an Emblem-Ongoing is created in Limbo with the passive ability "Expeditions can't move forward" and the duration "this Day".

2.2.2.n When a cost or an effect refers to "a sub-type", it refers to an object in play with the appropriate sub-type.

Example. Three Little Pigs has the reaction " If you control two or more Landmarks, I gain 1 boost". When that Reaction resolves, it only counts the Landmarks in the Landmark zone, not those in Reserve or in the Discard pile.

2.2.2.o When a cost or an effect checks whether a specific card or object is "a [sub-type]", it checks whether that card or that object has the appropriate sub-type, regardless of its location.

2.2.2.p Some effects have objects gain or lose types. These effects actually mean gaining or losing sub-types.

Example. The Kraken has the ability "All regions are and lose their other types". When the Kraken is in play, regions keep the type Region and lose the and sub-types.

2.2.9 Statistics

2.2.9.a Statistics are numbers.

2.2.9.b There are three statistics: Forest (), Mountain (), and Water ().

2.2.9.c Only Characters have statistics.

2.2.9.d The statistics of a Character card are represented on the left of the card, with on top and in green, in the middle and in orange, and on the bottom and in blue.

2.2.9.e The statistics of a token are defined by the effect that creates it. They are written between the name and the sub-types of the token, separated by forward slashes, with the statistic first, the statistic second, and the statistic third.

Example. Kojo & Booda has the reaction "At Noon, if you are the first player-Create a Booda 2/2/2 Companion token in your companion Expedition". The statistics of this token are 2, 2, and 2.

2.2.13 Duration

2.2.13.a A duration is either "this Turn", "this Afternoon", or "this Day".

2.2.13.b Only Ongoing Emblems have a duration.

2.2.13.c The duration of an Ongoing Emblem is defined by the event that created it.

Example. Twinkle Twinkle has the support ability ": The next card you play this turn costs less". When its effect resolves, its controller creates an Ongoing Emblem in Limbo with the passive ability "The next card you play costs less" and the duration "this turn". When the current turn ends, this Ongoing Emblem ceases to exist, whether its controller has played a card or not.

4.1 Beginning of the game

4.1.a As the game starts, all zones are empty.

4.1.b Place the two Adventure cards representing the Hero Region and the Companion Region on either end of the Adventure.

4.1.c Shuffle three different Tumult cards (position and orientation) and place them face-down in the Adventure, between the Hero Region and the Companion Region.

4.1.d Each player put their hero expedition counter in the hero region and their companion expedition counter in the companion region.

4.1.e Each player present their deck and their Hero, face-down.

4.1.f If a player has no Hero, they may present a face-down card from outside the game (not from their deck) to disguise this fact until 4.1.h .

4.1.g Determine the first player at random.

4.1.h Each player reveals their Hero and place it in their Hero zone. If a player had a non-Hero card face-down, it is removed from the game.

4.1.i Each player shuffles their deck and puts it in their Deck zone.

4.1.j Start the first day at Noon, replacing the first Morning with the following setup:

• each player draws six cards
• each player must put three cards in their Mana zone.

4.2 Day structure

4.2.a A day contains five phases: Morning, Noon, Afternoon, Dusk, and Night.

4.2.b At the beginning of each phase, Reactions are checked.

Remark. Only reactions that trigger "at [that phase]" should exist in Limbo at that moment.

4.2.c During Morning, Dusk, and Night, some daily effects resolve.

4.2.d After each daily effect, Reactions are checked.

Remark. After a daily effect, both reactions that triggered during this effect and reactions that trigger "after [that daily effect]" exist in Limbo. They can be played in any order, as described in Section 4.4.

4.2.e Once there are no more Reactions in Limbo, the next daily effect is resolved; if there are no more daily effects in this phase, the next phase starts.

4.2.f During Afternoon, the players take turns in succession, until all players have passed.

6.1 Costs and Events

6.1.a Costs and effect are sequences of instructions that affect the game state. Paying a cost or resolving an effect consist in following these instructions.

6.1.b An effect may involve multiple steps.

6.1.c There is a separate step for each verb in an effect description, unless these verbs are said to happen "simultaneously"

Example. Spy Craft has the effect "Sabotage, then Resupply". The resolution of Spy Craft involves two steps. In the first step, the controller of Spy Craft performs Sabotage. In the second step, they perform Resupply.

6.1.d Costs always have a single step.

Example. Subhash & Marmo have the Reaction "At Noon l You may pay and put a card from your Hand in Reserve to create a Brassbug 2/2/2 Robot token in target Expedition". Paying and putting a card from Hand to to Reserve happen in the same step.

6.1.e A single step may involve multiple objects. In this case, there is a separate atomic action for each affected object.

Example. Open the Gates has the effect "Create two Ordis Recruit 1/1/1 Soldier tokens in each of you Expeditions". There is only one step in the resolution of Open the Gates. It has four atomic actions, one for each token.

6.1.f Atomic actions in a single Step happen simultaneously.

6.1.g Some steps require decisions by more than one player. Such choices are made in initiative order. If that choice involves an object from a visible zone, other players know which object has been chosen. If the choice involves a card from a hidden zone, they must make their choice explicit, but they do not need to reveal the chosen card.

++Example. Ninette plays a game against Lithium. During her turn, Ninette plays Kitsune from her Hand. Kitsune has the reaction " Each player may Resupply". She must let Lithium know whether or not she chooses to Resupply before he takes his decision. However, if she chooses to Resupply, Lithium will not see Ninette's top card until after he decides whether to Resupply or not.
In his turn, Lithium plays Anubis , which has the reaction " Each player sacrifices a Character". Lithium must choose which Character to sacrifice before Ninette, and Ninette knows which Character he chose to sacrifice when she makes her choice. Both Characters are sacrificed simultaneously.++

7.3.2 After you

7.3.2.a "After you" means "End the turn once there are no Reactions in Limbo".

7.3.2.b "After you" is not passing.

Example. [ Alice] have the support ability ": After You". If a player plays this action, the next player in initiative order gets the initiative as soon as there are no reactions in Limbo. Alice's owner has not passed, and they will be able to play actions and cards in this afternoon.

Clarification of the phases of a day

Morning Phase

• First Player Marker Transfer: If it's not the first day, the First Player Marker is passed to the other player.
• Straightening of Mana Orbs and Exhausted Cards: Players straighten all Mana Orbs and all exhausted cards on the board.
• Card Drawing: Each player draws two cards from their deck.
• Placement of Cards in Mana Zone: Starting with the player who has the First Player Marker, each player can choose to place a card from their hand in their Mana Zone, face down. This card becomes a Mana Orb.

• Activation of "At Noon" Abilities: All effects or abilities of cards with an "At Noon" trigger are activated. The player with the First Player Marker activates and resolves their abilities first, followed by their opponent.

• Turn by Turn: Starting with the player who holds the First Player Marker, each player plays a card on their turn or chooses to pass.
• Quick Actions: Before playing a card, a player can perform as many quick actions as they wish, such as activating exhaustion or support abilities.
• Playing a Card: To play a card, the player must exhaust a number of Mana Orbs equivalent to its hand cost (if played from the hand) or its reserve cost (if played from the Reserve).
• Passing: A player can choose to pass their turn if they cannot or do not wish to play a card. Once a player has passed, they can no longer play cards for this phase.
• End of Phase: The Afternoon phase ends once both players have passed their turn.

• Activation of "At Dusk" Abilities: All effects or abilities of cards with an "At Dusk" trigger are activated and resolved before the advancement of Expeditions.
• Comparison of Statistics: Players compare the statistics of Characters in play for each region type (Forest, Mountain, Water).
• Advancement of Expeditions: If a player's statistics in a region are higher than their opponent's, their Expedition marker advances one space for that region. Each Expedition can only advance once per Dusk phase.
• Revelation of Tumult Cards: When an Expedition marker moves onto a face-down Tumult card, it is turned face up, and its effect is resolved.

• Rest: All Characters in Expeditions are sent to Reserve. Characters with the Fleeting status are discarded instead of going to Reserve. The Anchored and Asleep statuses are removed from Characters during this phase.
• Cleanup: Players must discard excess cards in their Reserve and Landmark zone to keep only two cards in each of these zones.

Instants / Atomic Actions

"Atomic Instants" in Altered are precise moments at the beginning of certain game phases where specific abilities are triggered simultaneously. These instants occur at the very beginning of the "At Noon", "At Dusk", or "At Night" phases. During an Atomic Instant, only cards that are already in play at that moment can have their corresponding abilities triggered. This means that a card played after the start of the Atomic Instant will not be able to trigger an ability related to that instant, even if it would normally enter play during this phase. Atomic Instants are crucial for determining what content is added to the pool of effects to be resolved, thus ensuring an orderly and precise resolution of abilities.