Altered Glossary

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.

1.3.2.f During the Night Phase

• 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.

2.2.9 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.

2.2.10 Abilities

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.

2.2.14 Timestamp

2.2.14.a A timestamp is a number.

2.2.14.b Whenever an object enters a new zone or is created in a zone, it receives a new timestamp.

2.2.14.c Each timestamp is greater than all previous timestamps.

2.2.14.d If multiple objects would receive timestamps at the same time, the first player in initiative order first chooses the relative order of the timestamps for their objects, then their opponent does the same.

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.

4.2.1 Morning

4.2.1.a There are four daily effects during Morning.

4.2.1.b Succeed The player to the left of the first player becomes the first player.

4.2.1.c Prepare Each player readies all their Characters and Permanents.

4.2.1.d Draw Each player draws two cards.

4.2.1.e Expand Each player may put one card from their Hand face-down and ready in the Mana zone.

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.

Remark. A player may take several turns in a row, if all other players have passed.

4.2.5 Night

4.2.5.a There are two daily effects during night.

4.2.5.b Rest Characters in the Expedition zone are sent to Reserve.

Remark. A number of statuses (Asleep , Anchored , Fleeting ) and abilitys (Eternal) modify the Rest effect.

4.2.5.c Clean-up Each player chooses as many objects in their Reserve as their Hero's reserve limit and as many objects in their Landmark zone as their Hero's landmark limit. All non-selected objects are discarded simultaneously.

Remark. The first player must make their choice known before the second player chooses which objects to discard, and so on, in initiative order (see Rule 6.1.g ).

4.2.5.d If a player has no Hero, their reserve limit and landmark limit are equal to 2.

Remark. A player may have excess objects in their Reserve and or Landmark zone at the end of the day, if the clean-up effect has been modified, the limits have changed, or a reaction triggered off clean-up and put some objects in one of these zones.

4.4 Checking reactions

4.4.a At several points during the day, players are instructed to "check reactions":
1. at the beginning of each phase;
2. after each step;
3. after a player plays a card, a quick action, or passes.
4. after a player plays a Reaction.

Remark. Reactions are not checked after an internal action is played. Reactions created by an internal action will only be played after the end of the effect containing that internal action.

4.4.b When that happens, if there is an Emblem-Reaction in Limbo, the first player in initiative order who controls a reaction in Limbo chooses one of them and plays it.

4.4.c Once that Reaction has been played, Reactions are checked again.

Remark. If more than one player has Reactions to play in Limbo, the player with initiative plays all their Reaction before the next players play their own. If new Reactions are created during this process, they may be chosen by their controller just like already existing Reactions.

5.1.1 Timing

5.1.1.a At certain times during the day, players have the possibility to "play" cards, quick actions, internal actions, or reactions.

5.1.1.b During their turn, a player may play a card or a quick action.

5.1.1.c When a player resolves an effect containing a internal action, they can play that internal action.

5.1.1.d When Reactions are checked, the first player in initiative order who owns a Reaction in Limbo must play a Reaction.

6.2 Modifiers

6.2.a Some rules and passive abilitys are modifiers, which change the way a step affects the game state.

6.2.b Some modifiers change what a step or an atomic action does. These modifiers are called replacing modifiers and use the word "instead".

6.2.c Some modifiers add atomic actions to a step. This modifiers are called additive modifiers and use the word "also".

6.2.d Modifiers may apply to steps, or atomic actions:

6.2.e When a step is about to happen, check whether a modifier would apply to that step or an atomic action in that step. If one does, the controller of that step chooses one of them and applies it:
1. Replacing modifiers that apply to the whole step must be applied first;
2. Replacing modifiers that apply to an atomic action must be applied next;
3. Additive modifiers are applied last.

6.2.f If there are multiple applicable modifiers, the controller of the step, or the first player in initiative order if that step has no controller, chooses which one is applied first.

6.2.g Once a modifier has been applied, check whether another modifier applies to the modified step.

6.2.h Once a modifier has been applied to a whole step, it cannot apply again to that step.

6.2.i Once a modifier applies to a atomic action, it cannot apply again to that atomic action.

6.2.j Modifiers have to exist before the step they try to modify, unless they are a passive ability of an object which modifies specifically how that object enters a zone.

6.2.k Once no more modifiers apply to a step, it happens and becomes an event.

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.

Noon Phase

• 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.

Afternoon Phase

• 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.

Dusk Phase

• 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.

Night Phase

• 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.

Free for All

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:

• Players who didn't qualify for the tiebreaker leave the game. All other players keep their Hero and Companion Expeditions at their current position.
• From a rules perspective, Expeditions that were facing one of these players now face the other (you can then have a Companion Expedition facing a Hero Expedition).
• During Dusk, each player totals the statistics of their Characters for each type of Region in the Arena (Forest, Mountain and Water).
• For each of these regions, check if a player has a total higher than all others.
• The player who surpasses all others in the most region types wins the game.
• In case of an additional tie, play a new tiebreaker day with only the players having the best totals, until a player is declared the winner.

++Example
In this example, the fact that Bob and Camille did better than Alice in Forest and Mountain doesn't matter, because neither of them has the highest score in Mountain or Forest. Alice wins.++

First player effects
Effects that activate "if you are the first player" (Akesha & Taru, Kojo & Booda, Lindiwe & Maw) only activate if you have the first player token.

Interactions with other players
It is forbidden to show your hand of cards to another player.
Communication between players (and its limits) may vary depending on the context. A tournament may prohibit any form of communication, while another table may allow any information, as long as it is transparent and understandable by all players, and others may still allow coded messages. Players should ensure agreement at the beginning of the game.

Clarifications
When a card mentions "targeted expedition" or "targeted character", this can refer to any Expedition or Character.

When a card mentions "targeted opponent", choose one of your opponents.

When a card mentions "your opponent", it refers to all your opponents.

Multiplayer 2v2 (Game Mode)

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.

• A deck must contain a minimum of 39 non-Hero cards plus exactly 1 Hero card.
• Token cards do not count towards the deck minimum. If you have Token cards, they start outside your deck.
• All cards in your deck must belong to the same faction as your Hero card.
• You can have a maximum of 3 copies of a card with the same name, regardless of its rarity.
• You can have a maximum of 15 Rare cards in your deck.
  You can have a maximum of 3 Unique cards in your deck.

2v2
The 2v2 mode is a four-player mode, with two teams of two players.

Setting up an Altered multiplayer game in 2v2

• Form two teams, with players from the same team sitting opposite each other.
• Then randomly determine the first player.
• Place two Hero Region cards facing each other. Do the same with the Companion Region cards.
• Take two sets of Tumult cards. Form three piles, each containing two identical Tumult cards, then shuffle the three piles.
• Take the first pile: place one card next to the Hero card, and the other next to the other Hero card. Do the same with the second pile next to the Companion cards. Place the last two cards in the center, side by side.

You can now start the first day. Players take turns clockwise until everyone has passed.
Each player faces a different opponent for each of their Expeditions.
When a player reaches one of the central Tumult cards, turn both cards face up. Place the second card in the opposite direction to the first, so that the two unique region types are on each side.
The Expedition markers continue to move towards each other, following the indicated path.

Victory conditions
The first player whose Hero and Companion Expeditions meet in the same Region wins the game for their team.
If two players from different teams fulfill the victory conditions at the same time, first check if one of the players has advanced further than necessary. If so, their team wins the game; otherwise, play a tiebreaker day in the Arena.
If three players fulfill the victory conditions, the two allied players win the game.
If all four players fulfill the victory conditions and one team has at least one additional advance over the other, that team wins the game; otherwise, play a tiebreaker day in the Arena.

Tiebreaker
Play an additional day with the following rule modification: during Dusk, each team totals the statistics of its Characters for each type of Region in the Arena (Forest, Mountain and Water). The team that beats its opponent in the most region types wins the game.
In case of an additional tie, play a new tiebreaker day until a team is declared the winner.

First player effects
Effects that activate if you are the first player (Akesha & Taru, Kojo & Booda, Lindiwe & Maw) activate if one of the team members has the first player token.

Interactions with your teammate
It is forbidden to show your hand of cards to your teammate.
Communication between players (and its limits) may vary depending on the context. A tournament may prohibit any form of communication, while another table may allow any information as long as it is transparent and understandable by both teams. Some may still allow coded messages. Players should ensure agreement at the beginning of the game.
It is not possible to directly play a card in your teammate's Expedition or Landmark Zone. However, some effects or abilities may allow creating tokens, for example.

Clarifications
When a card mentions "targeted expedition" or "targeted character", this can refer to any allied or enemy Expedition or Character.

When a card mentions "in your Expedition" or a Character "you control", this only applies to your side of the board, not your teammate's.

When a card mentions "targeted opponent", choose one of your opponents.

When a card mentions "your opponent", it refers to each of your opponents.

You can only sacrifice cards you control, not those controlled by your teammate.