6 Game Terms

Abyss

• The place where destroyed or discarded cards go. Although it’s called “The Abyss,” each player maintains a separate pile of cards they own in The Abyss.

Ability

• The term Ability refers to the text at the bottom center of the card, also called rules text. In contrast, the term Card Text refers to all the text on the card, including text like classes, card name, and so forth.
• Flavor text is not part of a card’s Ability or Card Text.

Actions

• Each player gets 3 actions per round. Use an action to play a card, attack, draw, or activate an ability.

Active Player

• The player currently taking a turn is the active player.

Active Realm

• Any realm that has been opened (unlocked). Cards can only exist in active realms. Only active realms can be targeted. Cards can’t be moved, portaled, or otherwise directed to arrive in an inactive realm.
• If an active realm is banished, it’s still active.

Allied Wonders

• Some cards use the term allies or allied Wonders. This means all Wonders on your side of the board, which is the same thing as all Wonders you control. This is in contrast to enemies or enemy Wonders.

Arrives

• A card arrives when it enters any realm from a hand, The Abyss, deck, or banishment. Moving from realm to realm doesn’t count as arriving.

Banish

• Banishment is a game area outside decks, hands, The World, and The Abyss. (If a Wonder or other card is banished, it doesn’t trigger “when this dies” abilities.)
• Realms, stones, and other game objects can exist in banishment.
• In order to banish a realm, it must be possible to banish everything in that realm. If an object in that realm can’t be banished, that entire ‘banish realm’ effect is prevented.
• A banished realm is an inactive realm.

Base Power

• Base power refers to the power stat on the card before modifying effects are applied.
• For example, Syl Scaleweaver has base power 0. Her second ability says “This gets +1 for each stone you control.” While you control 2 stones, Syl has power 2 and base power 0.
• In some rare cases, such as with Agaric Supreme, you may need to use a visual method to keep track of unmarked ongoing base power changes.

Battle

• Any time a player attacks in a realm, a battle occurs. There’s an attacking player and a defending player. Sum the power of each player’s Wonders in that realm to determine the winner. The winner conquers that realm and seizes its stone.

Bury

• Put a card or group of cards on the bottom of its owner’s deck in any order of the owner’s choice.

Class

• Cards have classes that describe their categories and roles such as Monster, Rite, or Utility. Some classes have special rules, such as equipment.

Core

• Cards with the core stat can’t be played from your hand unless you have a matching orbital link established.
• For example, you can’t play a core Petraia card unless you control a Petraia Link in a realm.

Counters

• Some abilities put + and - power counters on cards. These counters give a permanent increase or decrease to that Wonder’s power.
  • When both + and - counters are on a card, they eliminate each other. Remove an equal number of + and - counters as a rules-generated triggered effect.
  • When a Wonder has negative power, it dies. Wonders can survive at 0 power.
• Whenever a card is put into an area other than a realm (such as a hand, The Abyss, deck, or banishment) all counters are removed from it.
• Other types of counters have various effects, such as null counters and shield counters.

Current Realm

• The realm that was opened on the current round.

Destroy

• Put a card from The World into The Abyss. Sacrificing does not count as destroying.

Dies

• When a card dies (including being destroyed or sacrificed), it leaves The World and is put into The Abyss. “Whenever dies” triggers happen as soon as it leaves The World.

Discard

• Put a card from a player’s hand into The Abyss.

Draw

• Draw means put a number of cards from the top of your deck into your hand. Cards are drawn one at a time, and triggers can take place in between the draws.
• Card text sometimes omits the word “cards.” If card text says “Draw 2” it means the same thing as “Draw 2 cards.”

Enemy

• Any Wonder controlled by an opponent.

Energy

• Energy is the resource used to play cards from a player’s hand.

Equip

• Some items have the equipment class. All equipment equips to a Wonder if able.
  • When an unequipped equipment is in the same realm as an allied Wonder, it automatically equips with a triggered effect that uses the same timing as on arrival, although it’s not an on arrival effect.
  • For example, Stealthy Spriggan says “Whenever another Wonder arrives in this realm, its owner sacrifices a Wonder.” If a Wonder arrives there and equips, the sacrifice effect and equip effect will both trigger. The active player can choose the order of resolution, thereby choosing whether the Wonder equips before or after the sacrifice ability resolves.
  • Its controller chooses which Wonder it equips to if necessary.
  • If the equipped Wonder leaves The World its equipment remains in the realm and equips to another Wonder there with the same controller. If there aren’t any, the equipment stays in the realm unequipped. (This includes death and portal effects.)
  • If a Wonder you control arrives in the same realm as an equipped Wonder you control, you may choose to move the equipment to the new Wonder as a triggered effect. (Note that moving doesn’t count as arriving.)
  • If an equipped Wonder moves to another realm, equipped cards move with it.
  • Players can’t normally move equipment from one Wonder to another unless an effect explicitly allows it.

First Time

• If an ability specifies “The first time you attack…” this does count as an on attack ability for purposes of effects that affect on attack abilities. The same is true for on battle, on defense, and so forth.

Free Attack

• Whenever you attack, spend a free attack, if able, instead of spending an action.
• This means free attacks are spent automatically when their owner attacks.
• Free attacks can be used in any realm unless specified.
• If unused at end of round, free attacks are lost. This happens at the same time unused energy and actions are lost.

Move

• This means a card moved from one realm in The World to another realm in The World. It doesn’t refer to cards moving to or from areas like The Abyss, a deck, a hand, or banishment.
• You can’t move a card to where it’s already located. When this happens the move fails.
• If a card moves through multiple realms at once, the card does enter and leave each realm in between.
  • If a card passing through multiple realms triggers multiple abilities, trigger each ability or batch of abilities in the same order that the realms were entered/exited.

Next

• When a card says “next time” it triggers only once.

For example, Wretched Mirror of Requiem says “The next time an enemy Wonder arrives in any realm, its owner sacrifices it.” If multiple enemy Wonders arrive simultaneously, their controller chooses and sacrifices only one of them.

Nullify

• When a card is nullified, it’s treated as if its ability rules text were blank.
  • Nullify effects may be continuous or temporary.
    • Continuous nullify effects say “are nullified”, use null counters, or otherwise specify duration on the card. These last indefinitely as long as the card or counter is in The World.
    • All other nullify effects are temporary. They last only until the end of the round. These include one-time effects, such as “nullify the next…”
    • Temporary nullify effects are round-specific effects (see 403.5 for end of round timing.)
  • Nullifying a card does not affect that card’s counters, + power, or other status effects granted to it, just its ability rules text.
  • If a card such as an equipment is granting an ability to a Wonder and that Wonder is nullified, the granted ability is not nullified.
  • If a card is nullified after it’s played but before it resolves, it still resolves but is treated as if its rules text was blank. A nullified spell goes to The Abyss with no other effect.
  • Nullify only affects a card’s ability rules text (at the bottom center of the card.) It doesn’t affect stats such as a card’s name, classes, cost, power, core mechanic, type, tier, or faction.
  • If a card has * for power or any other stat and that card gets nullified, that stat is 0.
  • Effects can also be nullified.
  • Note that preventing nullification of cards may not necessarily prevent nullification of their effects.
  • For example, Aetherion of Boundless says in part, “Your cards can’t be nullified.” However, Feline Entity of Dreams says “Whenever an opponent’s spell or effect would target a Wonder you control, nullify it unless they spend 2 energy.” Since spells are cards, Aetherion would prevent them from being nullified. But Feline Entity would be able to nullify targeted triggered abilities, such as that of Flying Suzzer, unless the extra cost is paid.
  • While a card is nullifying itself, it stays nullified.
  • For example, when Nova Matrixbender gets the abilities of The Lamp of Luferia, Nova stays nullified.
  • If an effect says an object can’t be nullified, remove all nullify effects on it. Null counters on it stay there but do nothing.
  • A card with no text, such as a Wonder with no abilities, can still be nullified.
  • A card can’t become nullified while it’s already nullified.

On Arrival

• This triggers when the card arrives in The World from a player’s hand, deck, banishment, or The Abyss, or is created. It doesn’t happen when a card moves from one realm to another.
  • When an On Arrival effect of a Wonder, Item, or Land resolves, it checks to make sure the card that created it is still in The World. If that card is not in The World, the On Arrival effect has no effect.
  • For example, Cairnvox Soulforger says “ON ARRIVAL: Put target Wonder you own with cost 4 or less from The Abyss into this realm.” If Cairnvox has been sacrificed or is otherwise absent from The World when this effect resolves, the effect does nothing.
• When a token is created in The World it arrives.
• Abilities that say “whenever (object) arrives” are On Arrival abilities.

On Attack

• This triggers in combat during the On Attack step. On attack abilities are those abilities which happen during this step.
• Abilities that say “whenever (object) attacks” are On Attack abilities.

On Battle

• This triggers in combat during the On Battle step. On battle abilities are those abilities which happen during this step.
• Abilities that say “whenever (object) battles” are On Battle abilities.

On Death

• This triggers whenever this card is put from The World into The Abyss.
• Abilities that say “whenever (object) dies” are On Death abilities.

On Defense

• This triggers in combat during the On Defense step. On defense abilities are those abilities which happen during this step.
• Abilities that say “whenever (object) defends” are On Defense abilities.

On Harvest

• This triggers whenever this card is harvested.
• Abilities that say “whenever (object) is harvested” are On Harvest abilities.

On Play

• This triggers whenever the card is played from the hand. Pause the resolution of the card and resolve this triggered ability before the card resolves and arrives.
• If the card is being played to a realm, or has a target, or requires other player choices needed to resolve the card, the player declares those choices on play. This means if opponents have the opportunity to respond with triggered effects before the card resolves, they will know where the card is being played or what it’s targeting.
• If the realm to which the card is being played is nullified, on play abilities will work, but on arrival abilities won’t.
• Cards that say “When you play” or “Whenever you play” use the same timing as On Play abilities.
• Cards that put a counter on themselves or otherwise modify themselves On Play allow the counter or effect to exist on the card before the card arrives.

On Round End

• This triggers at the end of each round. Then ‘this round’ effects end, unspent energy is lost, and players discard down to 7 cards.

On Round Start

• Trigger this effect at the start of each round, after the new realm unlocks, after players gain energy and actions, but before they draw a card.

On Round X

• This triggers at the start of the specified round. Resolve this effect after the new realm unlocks, before players draw, gain energy or actions that round.

Pay X

• Pay means spend that amount of a resource. If there’s no resource specified, it means energy. If it doesn’t say pay to a player, it means the resource is lost.

Play

• Playing a card means putting it into The World from your hand if it’s a Wonder, land, or item, or using its effect if it’s a spell. This requires an energy cost and an action unless otherwise stated.
• On play effects trigger when on your turn, you reveal the card and costs are paid.
• When an effect puts a card into The World from a hand it doesn’t count as playing that card or trigger on play effects.

Power

• A stat representing a Wonder’s ability to win battles. It’s found in the upper right corner of the card.
• A Wonder with negative power dies. A Wonder with 0 power operates normally.

Realm

• One of the seven battlefields, each with a stone to seize.
• When a card uses the term “here” it refers to the realm it’s currently in. “TAP FREE: Destroy all Wonders here.” means destroy all Wonders in this card’s realm.

Reveal

• When a card is revealed, show it to all players so they can read it. This doesn’t remove the card from the area it’s in. Cards revealed from the top of a deck technically remain in the deck unless another effect moves them.

Sacrifice

• Put a card you control from The World into The Abyss.
  • Sacrifice doesn’t target and can’t be stopped with shields or other destruction-stopping effects.
  • If you’re instructed to sacrifice something but you can’t, ignore the sacrifices you can’t make.
  • When something is sacrificed, it counts as death but not as being destroyed.
  • An ability that requires a sacrifice as part of the cost is a sacrifice ability. You can choose to activate a sacrifice ability on your turn any time you could spend an action. Put the card into The Abyss when you activate it.
    • Sacrifice Free: This is a sacrifice ability that doesn’t require an action. You can use it even when you have no actions.
    • Sacrifice Action: This is a sacrifice ability that requires you to spend an action.

Seize Stone

• Gain control of a stone by winning a battle.
• You can only seize a stone if there’s one available to take from the center or an opponent. If there are multiple stones available you choose which stone to take, including stones in the center and stones represented by cards.
• You can’t seize a stone you already control.
• If there are multiple stones in a realm, each battle you win lets you seize one stone. If you want to seize two stones you need to attack and win twice.

Status Effect

• A status effect is an ongoing modification created by an ability. It may last a fixed or indefinite time. If an ability uses the term “get,” it’s a status effect.
• For example, “Undead Wonders get +2.” is a status effect. Granted abilities are status effects.

Stone

• A stone marks control of each realm. At the end of round 7 the player with the most stones wins the game. Each stone gives its controller an additional energy at the start of each round.
• Effects and abilities that allow cards to become stones or count as stones (such as Gem Primordial’s) are removed when that card moves to another area such as banishment.

Stoneseeker

• A Stoneseeker is a class of Wonder representing elite beings of the Wonders cosmos. Stoneseekers typically allow you to create story tokens, representing their companions, gear, and other elements of their story. Each story token specifies the name of the Stoneseeker card that creates it, located vertically on the right side of the token in the faction area. See Story Tokens, below, for details.

Story Token

• Story tokens are a special type of token created by Stoneseekers. They are identified by their class story token, and by the quill symbol in the lower left of the card in the cost area.
• A story token can only be created by the Stoneseeker listed in its faction area, listed vertically on the right side of the token.
• Like all printed tokens, story tokens have individual DBS numbers. Story tokens start the game in the archive (token deck) and all tokens in the archive do count toward the DBS total of a deck.
• Legendary story tokens are limited to one copy of that printed token card per archive, although there’s no limit to the number of story tokens an archive can have, up to the archive maximum size.
• Story tokens may have various rarities instead of the “T” rarity symbol. They are still tokens.
• Note that when any token leaves an archive it won’t return to the archive, even if destroyed or banished.
• If a Stoneseeker creates a story token and there are no matching story tokens in its controller’s archive, or if the player wants to use a stand-in token, the created story token is a stand-in token that’s a 1-power Wonder with no class.

Tap Ability

• You can choose to activate a tap ability on your turn any time you could spend an action. Tap the card permanently to show it’s been used.
• There are three versions of tap abilities: tap free, tap action, and harvest.
  • Tap Free: This is a tap ability that doesn’t require an action. You can use it even when you have no actions. Harvest counts as a type of Tap Free ability.
  • Harvest: This is a type of tap free ability that allows to you tap multiple cards at once on your turn.
  • Tap Action: This is a tap ability that requires you to spend an action.

Tap/Untap

• Turn a card sideways to indicate its tap ability has been used. Cards don’t untap on their own. Tapped Wonders can still battle normally.

Target

• When used as a verb, this means to choose a game object to receive an effect. Targeted abilities use the word “target.” When used as a noun, this means the object that was chosen to receive an effect.

This Round

• Effects that say “this round” happen once and last until the end of that round. The effect won’t apply to cards or objects that arrive later that round unless otherwise stated or specified using “when” or “whenever.”
• For example, Rage of the Ancients says “Name a class. Double the power of Wonders you control of that class this round. Gain 2 free attacks.” This will double the power of the relevant Wonders when it resolves. A Wonder that arrives later in the round won’t have its power doubled.

Tokens

• Tokens are treated as virtual cards. (see 203 Tokens and 303.3 Archives for details.)
• Tokens have a T in their rarity symbol in the lower right corner.
• If a token would be put anywhere besides The World (such as a player’s hand, deck, The Abyss, or banishment), it stops existing as soon as it enters that area.
• Tokens entering The Abyss will trigger “whenever dies/destroyed…” abilities before they stop existing.
• When a token is created, it arrives. It triggers relevant on arrival effects.
• If the effect that created the token doesn’t specify a type, it’s a Wonder.
• If the effect that created the token creates a Wonder token without a specified power, that power is 1.
• Tokens have cost 0.
• When you create a token, it’s either a printed token from your archive (token deck) or a stand-in object.
  • When a token is created you may be able to choose from multiple physical token options.
  • If you use a printed version of a token, it must start the game in your archive.
  • If you use a printed version, the printed token must match the minimum requirements of the token (see 203 for details.)

Unknown Lands

• Unknown lands are token lands. They operate like other tokens. They can’t start the game in a main deck except in some formats like draft and prerelease.

Unopposed

• A Wonder is unopposed if there are no enemies (Wonders controlled by opponents) in that realm.

Wonder

• A card type that has the type Wonder and a power stat for battle.

World

• The game board, containing all 7 realms, is The World. It does not include hands, decks, The Abyss, or banishment.
• Inactive realms are not part of The World.