R_action_cards.php

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<header>Action Cards</header>
<article>
<h1>Rules Reference</h1>
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<p>Action cards provide players with various abilities that they can resolve as described on the cards.</p>
    <ol class="lrr">
    <li>Each player draws one action card during each status phase.</li>
    <li>Players can draw action cards by resolving the primary and secondary abilities of the <i>Politics</i> strategy card.</li>
    <li>When a player draws an action card, they take the top card from the action card deck and add it to their hand of action cards.</li>
    <li>Each player&rsquo;s hand can have a maximum of <b>seven action cards</b>. If a player ever has more than seven action cards, that player must choose seven cards to keep and discard the rest.</li>
    <ol><li>A game effect can increase or decrease the number of cards a player&rsquo;s hand can have.</li></ol>
    <li>A player&rsquo;s action cards remain hidden from other players until those cards are played.</li>
    <li>The first paragraph of each action card is presented in bold text and describes the timing of when that card&rsquo;s ability can be resolved.</li>
    <ol>
        <li>If an action card contains the word &ldquo;Action&rdquo;, a player must use a component action during the action phase to resolve the ability. A player cannot resolve a component action if they cannot completely resolve its ability.</li>
        <li>Multiple action cards with the <b>same</b> name cannot be played during a single timing window to affect the same units or game effect. Canceled cards are not treated as being played.</li>
    </ol>
    <li>To play an action card, a player reads and resolves the card&rsquo;s ability text, making any decisions as prompted by the card. Then, that player discards the card, placing it in the action discard pile.</li>
    <li>If an action card is canceled, that card has no effect and is discarded.</li>
    </ol>
<h1>Notes</h1>
    <ol class="note">
    <li>Players start the game with zero action cards.</li>
    <li>The number of action cards in a player&rsquo;s hand is public information.</li>
    <li>A player may choose to reveal any or all of the action cards in their hand, if they so choose.</li>
    <li>If the action card deck is depleted, immediately shuffle the discard pile to form a new action card deck.</li>
    <li>During the action phase, action cards are dealt out in initiative order.</li>
    <ol>
        <li>If a player has the <i>Neural Motivator</i> technology, they will draw both their action cards before the next player in order draws an action card.</li>
        <li>The Yssaril player will draw all of their action cards, and discard for their <sc>Scheming</sc> ability, before the next player in order draws an action card.</li>
    </ol>
    <li>If a player&rsquo;s action card is cancelled, usually via a <i>Sabotage</i> action card, then if that player has a second copy of that action card, they may play it.</li>
    <li>A player cannot target themselves with offensive action cards, such as <i>Lucky Shot</i>.</li>
    <li>If an action card targets &ldquo;any number&rdquo;, &ldquo;up to&rdquo;, or &ldquo;each&rdquo; of a particular type of object, that action card may target zero of those objects. As such, these cards may be played even if they would cause no effect.</li>
    <li>If an action card targets a specific number of a particular type of object, that action card cannot be played if those objects do not currently exist. For example, <i>Repeal Law</i> cannot be played if there are no laws in play.</li>
    <li>If a player has more than seven action cards, they must discard the excess immediately. They cannot play them to get down to seven, and the Hacan player cannot trade them.</li>
    <li>For notes about specific action cards, see the <a href="/C_action_cards">action card component notes page</a>.</li>
    </ol>
<h1>Related Topics</h1>
    <ul>
    <li><a href="/R_abilities">Abilities</a></li>
    <li><a href="/R_component_action">Component Action</a></li>
    <li><a href="/R_politics">Politics</a></li>
    <li><a href="/R_status_phase">Status Phase</a></li>
    </ul>
</article>
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