Cards & Ether
Card Anatomy
Relic cards include: Card Name, Tier (Mortal / Awakened / Transcendent), Relic Type (Weapon, Armor, Ability, Item, etc.), Card Type (Persistent / Fading / Burst / Reaction), Ether Cost, Rules Text, and optional Flavor Text.
Card text is authoritative. When card text conflicts with this compendium, the card wins. See Golden Rules.
Ether Caps
Each Character has an Ether Cap (see Character Stats). When an effect instructs you to gain Ether, you increase your total only up to your Ether Cap. Any excess Ether from that gain is lost. Cards, tiles, and effects that grant Ether still respect this cap unless they explicitly say otherwise.
Card Types
| Type | Behavior | Occupies Relic Slot? |
|---|---|---|
| Persistent | Remains equipped across turns | Yes |
| Fading | Active for a defined duration, then removed | Yes, while active |
| Burst | Resolves once, discarded immediately | No |
| Reaction | Playable outside your turn in Reaction windows; resolves during the Reaction Phase; may remain in play only if its card text says so | Varies — see card text |
Weapons and Armor are Persistent cards in their own dedicated slots.
Playing Cards
To play a card, pay its Ether cost from your Ether pool unless an effect states otherwise.
Cost reduction stacks. If multiple effects reduce a card's cost, apply them all (e.g. two equipped cards each granting "equipment costs 1 less" = equipment costs 2 less). A card's cost can be reduced to 0 but never below 0.
When you can play cards: During your Main Phase on your own turn, unless a card explicitly states otherwise.
Reaction cards: Card headers for Reactions must read exactly: 'Reaction — play this card at any time:'; conditional triggers belong in the body only. Reaction cards are playable outside your turn during designated Reaction windows (see Turn Structure). Reaction. You may play a Reaction at any time, including during another player's turn. Playing a Reaction does not cost an Action. You get 1 Reaction per round.
A Reaction cannot be played in response to another Reaction.
Only one Reaction may be played in response to the same attack or effect.
If two or more players want to play a Reaction at the same moment, the active player chooses the order.
When a Reaction is played, resolve it immediately, then continue the effect that was interrupted. That effect still happens and still resolves — but if the Reaction made it impossible to land (the target moved out of range, became untargetable, or is no longer a legal target), it deals no damage and has no effect. The attacker does not choose a new target.
Interrupts: Some cards or abilities may be played or activated "at any time," "during any turn," or similar. These function as Interrupts and may be played outside your normal turn. See Triggers & Timing.
Cards cannot be played during your Clean Up Phase unless a card explicitly states otherwise. Ether cannot be spent during Clean Up.
Card resolution: A card resolves fully once played. Burst cards are discarded immediately after resolving. Persistent and Fading cards remain equipped in a Relic Slot while active. Reaction cards resolve during the Reaction Phase; whether a Reaction card is discarded, remains in play, or occupies a Relic Slot is determined by its card text. If a Reaction's text does not state it becomes equipped or occupies a Relic Slot, it does not occupy one by default.
Relic Slots & Limits
A Player may have a maximum number of equipped Persistent cards equal to their Relic Slots stat.
If you exceed your limit: Immediately discard one equipped Persistent card of your choice. It goes to your discard pile.
Replacing Equipped Cards
If all your Relic Slots are full, you may still play a new Persistent card by replacing an equipped card of your choice. The replaced card is discarded and its effects end immediately.
No free discards otherwise. You may only discard an equipped card when:
- Replacing it with a new Persistent card (above), or
- A card effect instructs or allows it — effects that say "discard an equipped card" grant that permission themselves.
You cannot voluntarily discard equipped cards outside these two cases.
Destination overrides: If a card effect changes where a discarded card goes (e.g. "put it on top of your deck instead"), follow the card. Any costs or rewards attached to the discarding effect still resolve normally.
The Event Deck: Bloom & Wither
The Event Deck is built half beneficial, half harmful:
- Bloom cards are beneficial events. They resolve when drawn (unless stated otherwise) and are discarded.
- Wither cards are harmful events. A Wither card remains in play on its target until it is resolved, discarded, or removed by a card effect. Effects that "remove a Wither card" target these.
Event cards are drawn from Event Tiles (see Movement & Tiles) and by card effects.
Passive vs Active Effects
Passive effects — always active while their source is equipped or in play. Stack unless stated otherwise.
Triggered effects — occur when their condition is met. Common phrasing: "When you play this card:", "At the end of your turn:"
Activated effects — require an Action. Common phrasing: "Action: …" Consumes your Action for the turn unless stated otherwise.
Discard Piles
Each Player has their own Relic Deck discard pile, face-up by default.
Empty Relic Deck: Running out of cards is not a loss condition. You simply cannot draw anymore until a card effect allows you to shuffle your discard pile back into your deck. If an effect instructs you to draw and your deck is empty, the draw has no effect unless stated otherwise.
Hand Size
- Maximum hand size is 7 cards
- Excess cards are discarded during Clean Up Phase — you choose which to discard
- Equipped cards are not in your hand and do not count toward the 7-card limit