Altered Glossary
1.1.3 Collectible card Game
1.1.3.a Altered is a collectible card game: players do not play with cards from a common pool, but from their own collection.
1.1.3.b In order to play a game of Altered, each player needs a deck of Altered cards (not to be confused with the Deck zone during play).
1.1.3.c For the purpose of the rules, a player is the owner of the cards in their deck, regardless of legal ownership. Nothing in the game can change the owner of a card.
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.
3.1.2 Shared or private
3.1.2.a Some zones are shared: there is only one instance of each shared zone in the game.
Remark. Expedition zone, Adventure and Limbo are shared zones.
3.1.2.b Some zones are private: each player has one instance of each private zone.
Remark. Deck, Hand, Hero zone, Landmark zone, Mana zone, Reserve and Discard pile are private zones.
3.1.2.c If a card or an object would go to a private zone that does not belong to its owner, it goes to the corresponding zone of its owner instead.
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.