1.1.7.a Each player start the game with a deck of Altered cards. They should be officially printed Altered cards with a valid QR code pointing to https://www.altered.gg. For the purpose of the rules, the text of a card is the English text appearing on the Altered website. Note that the text appearing on the physical card may differ, if the card is printed in a different language or without text. It may also have received errata since it first printing.
1.1.7.b Tokens are used to represent Characters which are created by the game rather than represented by Cards. Players must have a way of representing the tokens that their deck can create in a way that makes clear their characteristics and status. It is possible, but not mandatory, to use the official tokens published by Equinox.
1.1.7.c Counters are markers put on cards by events in the game. Players should have a way of representing counters which make clear which counters are on which objects. Counters with the same name are indistinguishable.
1.1.7.d If a player's deck has cards that ask them to "roll a die", they should have fair six-sided dice numbered from 1 to 6.
1.1.7.e Players should have a way to represent the status of their objects in all visible zones. The Exhausted status is usually represented by laying the object in a vertical or horizontal direction. Other statuses may be represented by printed or coloured markers.
1.1.7.f Between the two of them, players need a Hero Region Card, a Companion Region Card, and three different Tumult cards (one |
, one
|
, and one
|
) to represent the Adventure.
2.1.a Objects exist in every visible zone. Each object belongs to a single zone at any given time.
2.1.b Objects can be represented in different ways: Altered cards, tokens, Adventure cards, halves of Tumult cards, and emblems.
2.1.c Objects never change zones. When a cost or an effect "moves" an object, it moves the item representing that object, which becomes a new object with a new timestamp if it ends up in a visible zone. Effects relating to the old object do not apply to the new one (see Rule 2.1.e).
Example. Lithium has Haven, Bravos Bastion and plays Kuwat, the Dissenter from Reserve. This triggers the two reactions of Kuwat, its native " Sacrifice a Character" and the one granted by Haven "
I gain 1 boost". If Lithium decide to play the
reaction first and to sacrifice Kuwat, then the
reaction will not boost Kuwat in the Discard pile as it is not the same object as Kuwat in the Expedition zone which triggered the
reaction.
2.1.d If a token would leave the Expedition zone, it ceases to exist immediately after joining its new zone. This is an additive event-modifying rule.
2.1.e If an ability refers to a card or an object moving from any zone to a visible zone (as part of a cost, a trigger, or an effect), that ability can find the new object in its destination zone. This is an exception to Rule 2.1.c .
++Example. Moonlight Jellyfish has the reaction "When I'm sacrificed, if I'm not Fleeting — Put me in Reserve".
2.2.1.a A type is one of the following: Character, Emblem, Hero, Permanent, Region, Spell.
2.2.1.b Each object has a single type.
2.2.1.c The type of a card is written on the type line, just below the name of the card. It is the first word of the type line, before the dash.
2.2.1.d The type of a token is Character.
Remark. The tokens printed by Equinox have the word "Token" in their type line. This is for clarity and has no rules implications.
2.2.1.e The type of an object represented by an Adventure card or half a Tumult card is Region.
2.2.1.f The type of an object represented by a face-down card in the Mana zone is Mana Orb.
2.2.1.g The type of an emblem is Emblem.
Remark. The type Emblem does not appear on cards. It is reserved for temporary objects in Limbo created by reactions or effects whose impact on the game lasts longer than their own resolution.
2.2.1.h When a cost or an effect refers to "a [type]", it refers to an object in play with the appropriate type, unless it specifies a specific zone.
Example. Banishing Gate has the effect "Discard target Character or Permanent". When that Spell is played, its controller must choose a Character or Permanent in play. They cannot choose a Character or Permanent from another zone, such as the Reserve.
2.2.1.i When a cost or an effect checks whether a specific card or object is "a [type]", it checks whether that card or that object has the appropriate type, regardless of its location.
Example. Ada Lovelace has the reaction " You may put a card from your hand in Reserve. If it's a Permanent, draw a card". If a player choses to put a Permanent card in Reserve during the resolution of this reaction, they draw a card.
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.
2.2.3.a The name of an object is a series of words and symbols.
2.2.3.b An object has only one name, even if it contains several words.
2.2.3.c The name of an object is its English name, even if it is represented by a card printed in a different language.
Example. Fée Clochette is the French version of Tinker Bell. The name of an object represented by that card is Tinker Bell.
2.2.3.d The name of an object represented by a Permanent card is written in the middle of the card, below the rarity gem and above the type line.
2.2.3.e The name of an object represented by a non-Permanent card is written on the top of the card, below the rarity gem.
Remark. Cards with the same name may have different characteristics, if they have different raritys, different factions, or they are unique.
2.2.3.f The name of a token is defined by the effect that creates it. It is composed of the words written before its statistics.
Example. Ordis Cadets has the reaction " Create an Ordis Recruit 1/1/1 Soldier token in my Expedition". The name of the token created when this Reaction resolves is "Ordis Recruit".
2.2.3.g Emblems have no name.
2.2.4.a The rarity of an object is one of the following: common, rare, or unique.
2.2.4.b The rarity of a card is indicated by a gem just above the card's name. A gray gem $cmomon indicates a common card; a blue gem indicates a rare card; an orange gem
indicates a unique card. It is also written as a letter (C, R, or U) on the legal line at the bottom of the card.
2.2.4.c Heroes, regions, tokens, and emblems have no rarity.
2.2.6.a The Hand Cost of an object is a number.
2.2.6.b The Hand Cost of a card is written as a number in a circle on the top left of the card, just above and to the left of the Reserve cost.
2.2.6.c Tokens have a hand cost of 0.
2.2.6.d Emblems have no hand cost.
2.2.7.a The Reserve cost of an object is a number.
2.2.7.b The Reserve cost of a card is written as a number in a circle on the top left of the card, just below and to the right of the Hand cost.
2.2.7.c Tokens have a reserve cost of 0.
2.2.7.d Emblems have no reserve cost.
2.2.8.a A faction is one of the following: Axiom, Bravos, Lyra, Muna, Ordis, Yzmir.
2.2.8.b Some objects have no faction. They are called neutral.
2.2.8.c The faction of an object represented by a card is defined by its faction symbol and its background color.
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.
2.2.10.a Abilitys are either quick actions, reactions, passive abilitys, or effects.
2.2.10.b The abilitys of an object represented by a card are written in the ability box, below the illustration.
2.2.10.c Text in italics in the ability box has no existence rules-wise.
2.2.10.d Some abilitys are written in a box inside the ability box with a coloured background and white or yellow text. Such abilitys are support abilitys.
++Example. The textbox of Haven Trainee has the following text:
I gain two boosts.
"All right, lad, show me what you've learned."
: The next Character you play this turn gains 1 boost. (Discard me from Reserve to do this.)
Haven Trainee (rare) has a two abilitys: " I gain two boosts." and "
: The next Character you play this turn gains 1 boost.". The first one is an in play ability and the second one is a support ability. "All right, lad, show me what you've learned." is flavour text and "(Discard me from Reserve to do this.)" is reminder text.++
2.2.10.e The abilitys of a Character represented by a token are defined by the effect that creates it. They are written between quotation marks and preceded by "with", after the location in which the token is created.
Example. Lindiwe & Maw has the quick action ": Create a Maw 0/0/0 Companion token in your companion Expedition with "When you sacrifice a Character l I gain two boosts". This action costs 1 more if you are not the first player". The token created by this quick action has the reaction "When you sacrifice a Character l I gain two boosts".
2.2.10.f Unless otherwise specified, the abilitys of an object only work while this object is in play.
2.2.10.g Support abilitys only work while the object is in the Reserve.
2.2.10.h Quick actions are written "Cost: Effect".
Remark. Some quick actions use symbols as part of their costs: means "Exhaust me" and
means "Discard me from Reserve". See 7.1.4 "Cost symbols".
2.2.10.i Reactions are written "Triggerl Effect".
Remark. Some reactions use symbols as triggers: means "When I enter play from anywhere l";
means "When I am played from Handl";
means "When I am played from Reservel". See 7.1.1 "Trigger symbols"
2.2.10.j Passive abilitys are written as statements. They may create or alter rules, change the characteristics of objects, or modify the way costs and effects affect the game.
2.2.10.k Effects are written as instructions to change to the game state.
2.3.1.a A card object represented by a card has the base characteristics written on the card. Some cards may have received errata since their publication.
2.3.1.b An object represented by a token has the base characteristics described by the event that created the token.
2.3.1.c An object may be missing one or more characteristics.
2.3.1.d If an object does not have a characteristic, this characteristic cannot be modified.
2.3.1.e If an object does not have a characteristic, this characteristic can be gained.
2.3.1.f If an event looks for the value of an absent characteristic, it uses zero for numeric characteristics and the empty set for other characteristics.
2.3.1.g Some passive abilitys modify the characteristics of objects.
2.3.1.h These abilitys only affect objects in play.
2.3.1.i Passive abilitys apply continuously.
2.3.1.j An object's characteristics are its base characteristics, modified by all applicable passive abilitys.
2.3.1.k What a passive ability does and what it applies to is re-evaluated after each event.
2.3.1.l Passive abilitys are applied one at a time.
2.3.1.m In order to determine the order in which passive abilitys are applied, Altered uses timestamps and dependency.
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.++
7.1.1.a The symbol means "When I enter play".
7.1.1.b The symbol means "When I am played from Hand".
7.1.1.c The symbol means "When I am played from Reserve".
Remark. If an object enters play without being played (either because it is a token or as the result of an effect), its reaction triggers, but not its
or
.
7.3.3.a To create a token is to put a new character token in the Expedition zone.
7.3.3.b Costs and effects that create tokens use the following template: "create a [name] [x/y/z] [sub-types] token with [abilitys] in [expedition]".
Example. Open the Gates (common) has the effect "Create two Ordis Recruit 1/1/1 Soldier token in each of your Expeditions". When Open the Games resolves, four tokens are created. They all have the name "Ordis Recruit", the type "Character", the sub-type "Soldier", all three statistics equal to 1, and no abilitys.
7.4.3.a Gigantic is a passive ability that appears on Characters.
7.4.3.b A Gigantic object is present in both expeditions of its controller.
7.4.3.c When a player plays a card with Gigantic or creates a token with Gigantic, they play it or create it in a specific Expedition. They do not put two cards or two tokens in play.
7.4.3.d When a Gigantic object enters the Expedition zone, its ,
, and
trigger only once.
7.4.3.e A gigantic character's statistics are counted in each of its controller's expeditions.
7.4.3.f If an effect refers to a gigantic character's expedition, it refers to each of its controller's expeditions.
7.4.3.g If an effect refers to the other expedition of a gigantic character's controller, it refers to no expeditions.
7.4.3.h If an effect refers to the expedition facing a gigantic character, it refers to the expeditions facing each of its controller's expeditions.
7.4.3.i During tiebreakers, a gigantic character's statistics are counted twice for their controllers total statistics.
7.4.3.j If a Gigantic Character would switch Expeditions, the card or token representing it switches Expeditions. The Character itself does not leave nor join either Expedition.
7.4.3.k If a Gigantic Character would lose Gigantic, it remains in the Expedition containing the card or token that represents it and leaves the other Expedition of its controller.
7.5.4.a An object "joins" a zone or an expedition during an event if it was not in that zone or expedition before the event and is in that zone or expedition after the event.
7.5.4.b A token created in the Expedition zone joins the Expedition zone and the expedition in which it was created.
7.5.4.c A Character that switches expeditions joins its new expedition, but not the Expedition zone.
7.5.4.d A token that moves from the Expedition zone to another zone joins the new zone before it ceases to exist.
7.5.5.a An object "leaves" a zone or expedition during an event if it was in that zone or expedition before the event and is somewhere else after.
7.5.5.b A token that ceases to exist because it moved to a zone other than the Expedition zone does not leave the new zone (it does leave the Expedition zone).
7.5.5.c A Character that switches expeditions leaves its former expedition, but not the Expedition zone.
Booster Draft is played 1 vs 1, and the recommended number of players is 8. Each player receives 4 Altered boosters. Players open their first booster, remove the Token/Foil card, choose one card and pass the rest of the booster to the person on their left. The process is repeated until all cards are selected. The same steps are followed for the other boosters, alternating passing directions (left-right-left-right). Decks must contain at least 30 cards following the deck construction rules.
Deck construction:
Decks built from the Booster Draft must follow these guidelines:
The Free for All mode is a four-player mode, where each player faces the others.
Setting up an Altered Multiplayer Free for All game
The setup for an Altered Multiplayer Free for All game is the same as for a Multiplayer 2v2 game, except that the placement of players around the table doesn't matter.
Victory conditions
The first player whose Hero and Companion Expeditions meet in the same Region wins the game.
If multiple players fulfill the victory conditions at the same time, first check if a player has advanced further than necessary. If so, that player wins the game. Otherwise, play a tiebreaker day in the Arena with only the players who have advanced the furthest.
Tiebreaker
Play an additional day with the following rule modifications:
Multiplayer mode is a fun and more social way to play Altered, where you can play with more than 2 players. It is a constructed format, which means you need to build a deck in advance and bring it to the game.
Multiplayer mode can be played in several ways:
In 2v2, you and your teammate face another team, and the team whose Hero and Companion meet first wins the game.
Free for All, you face all other players, but you can only race with two of them: the player on your right and the player on your left.
You win when you are the first to make your Hero and Companion meet.
Deck building rules in multiplayer mode
Multiplayer decks in Altered follow the standard deck building rules. Players can play with any Hero of their choice, which means that two players can choose the same Hero.
The Standard format is a game mode in which players build a deck in advance and bring it to the game. Players choose their favorite Hero or faction and build a deck following the strategies they like best. Standard is the classic Altered experience, recommended for new players and tournaments. This format requires players to bring their own deck to any event.
Standard format is played 1 vs 1. A Standard event can accommodate any number of players. Both players must have a deck that respects the deck construction rules specific to this format.
Standard decks in Altered must follow these guidelines: