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Keyforge Rules v17.3

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Keyforge Rules v17.3

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MasTEr rUlEBooK

VErsIoN 17.3

CHaNGE sUMMary – MarCH 2024

The KeyForge Master Rulebook now has a companion document titled Learn to Play KeyForge;
as a result, this document has been significantly restructured. Numerous revisions to the text have
been made throughout the KeyForge Master Rulebook for greater clarity and consistency. New text
appears in red. Additional changes include:

New card errata for CaUlDroN, ECTo-CHarGE, INTo THE WarP, sCooP UP

New FAQ entries for aWaKENED TITaN, ForBIDDEN ToME, HaEDroTH’s Wall, saBIra THE MEDIUM, WEll oF
MEMory

Updated FAQ entries for aNIMaTor

Updated Glossary entries for DraW CarDs, BoNUs ICoNs, FIGHT, PUrGE, sCraP, sTUN, sWaP, UPGraDEs
CoNTENTs
WElCoME To THE CrUCIBlE ...........................................3
GaME sETUP ........................................................................4
TUrN sEQUENCE .................................................................5
CarD aNaToMy ..................................................................6
Glossary ............................................................................7
ErraTa ...............................................................................25
FrEQUENTly asKED QUEsTIoNs..................................27
GENEral FaQ ....................................................................27
CarD-sPECIFIC FaQ ..........................................................35
THE orIGIN oF KEyForGE .............................................46
CrEDITs ..............................................................................47
TIMING CHarT ...................................................................50

Copyright 2024. KeyForge and the KeyForge logo are registered

trademarks of Ghost Galaxy, Inc. Ghost Galaxy is a trademark
of Ghost Galaxy, Inc. The Ghost Galaxy logo is a registered
trademark of Ghost Galaxy, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Permission is granted to print this document for personal use.

CoNTENTs
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 2
WElCoME To THE CrUCIBlE GaME oVErVIEW
You are an Archon. Hailed by some as a god, respected by KeyForge is a two-player card game in which each player takes
others for your wisdom, you were born—or perhaps created—on the role of an Archon, and leads that Archon’s deck against their
the Crucible, a world in which anything is possible. opponent.

The Crucible is ancient, but ever renewed. An artificial planet A player’s deck represents a team that is attempting to gain
hanging in the center of the universe, the Crucible’s many layers Æmber and forge keys. The first player to forge three keys is
remain constantly under construction by the enigmatic and able to unlock a Vault and win the game.
mischievous Architects. For raw materials, the Architects have
The defining feature of KeyForge is that no two decks are alike.
harvested countless worlds, blending them into a new whole
KeyForge cards are not sold individually; they are always sold as
both familiar and alien to the creatures that dwell there.
complete decks. Every deck in existence is unique!
Whether lone specimens or entire cultures, the beings brought
to the Crucible find themselves in a strange wonderland with no
obvious means of returning to their former homes. Some thrive, UsING THIs DoCUMENT
building new societies and developing new technologies with
the aid of the mysterious psychic substance known as Æmber. If you have never played a game of KeyForge before, start by
Some discard the trappings of their old lives, adopting the ways reading the Learn to Play KeyForge document included in the
and customs of new tribes discovered in this new world. Others starter set to learn the basics of the game.
devolve, bodies and minds twisted beyond all recognition,
The KeyForge Master Rulebook is the definitive source for all
incorporating Æmber into their very bodies.
rules of play for the KeyForge card game. It includes a detailed
As an Archon, you have gathered followers in your journeys turn sequence, card anatomy diagrams, a glossary of important
throughout the Crucible, allies who find value in your ageless game concepts and terminology, official errata, an extensive list
wisdom and your ability to speak to all creatures. With the aid of of frequently asked questions, and timing charts.
these allies, you seek out Vaults hidden throughout the Crucible
If the KeyForge Master Rulebook contradicts the Learn to
by the cryptic Architects. Each Vault can only be unlocked by
Play KeyForge book, the KeyForge Master Rulebook takes
Æmber-forged keys. Once open, a Vault’s contents—the power
precedence.
and knowledge of the Architects—can be consumed by only a
single Archon. All KeyForge rules documents can be viewed and downloaded
at keyforging.com.
When two Archons discover a Vault, only one can gain its
knowledge. Only one can move one step closer to the secret of
the Crucible…

WElCoME To THE CrUCIBlE

KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 3
sUGGEsTED Play arEa (MID-GaME)
Opponent's Play Area

Common Supply

Skullback Crab Bumpsy Shock Herder Specialist Guthrak

1 CREATURE
~ 5 CREATURE
~ 3 CREATURE
~ 3 CREATURE
~
BEAST GIANT GOBLIN ALIEN • HANDUHAN
Poison. (Any damage dealt by this .
Play: Your opponent loses 1 Deploy. (This creature can enter play Skirmish. (When you use this creature to
creature’s power during a fight destroys Whatever he doesn’t like, he breaks. He doesn’t anywhere in your battleline.) fight, it is dealt no damage in return.)

©2022 Ghost Galaxy

the damaged creature.) like anything. Play: Ready and fight with a  for each
After Fight/Reap: Capture 1
.
Action: Steal 1 neighboring creature. house represented among Specialist
Liberty of Weirdwater Guthrak and its neighbors.
Roman Semenenko  396 Liberty of Weirdwater Grigory Serov  039 Liberty of Weirdwater Edgar Hidalgo  051 Liberty of Weirdwater Diego Gisbert  338 Liberty of Weirdwater

Battleline

discards that card.

and choose a card from it. That player
you do, look at your opponent’s hand
Play: Destroy a friendly creature. If
Æmber Pool

Caravan Studio
ty of Weirdwater
Liber

”Cadet Byron, cancel the undersea walk.”

 384

Abyssal Sigh
Might Club Transporter Platform

ACTION
ARTIFACT ARTIFACT

Liberty of Weirdwater

t
Skirmisher
2
©2022 Ghost Galaxy

TOKEN CREATURE

GOBLIN
~
Skirmish. (When you use this creature to
fight, it is dealt no damage in return.) ©2022 Ghost Galaxy
Discard Pile
WEAPON LOCATION
Brobnar Unfathomable Liberty of Weirdwater
Action: Ready and enrage a creature. Action: Return a friendly creature and
”The first rule of the Might Club is: the one who each upgrade attached to it to their Kevin Sidharta  055 Liberty of Weirdwater Star Alliance
©2022 Ghost Galaxy

©2022 Ghost Galaxy

holds the Might Club makes the rules.” owners’ hands.

“Don’t be afraid.”

Reference Card Archon Identity Deck

Liberty of Weirdwater
Michele Giorgi  044 Liberty of Weirdwater Marko Fiedler  323 Liberty of Weirdwater

Artifacts

Archives
Æmber Pool Forged Key Unforged Keys

GaME sETUP
To set up the game, perform the following steps, in order:

1. Place all damage tokens, Æmber tokens, and status counters

in a common supply within easy reach of both players.

2. Each player places their Archon identity card to the left or

right side of their play area.

3. Each player places three key tokens, one of each color, with
the unforged side faceup near their Archon identity card.

4. Randomly determine who is the first player. That player takes

the first turn when the game begins.

5. Each player shuffles their deck and offers it to the opponent

for additional shuffling and/or a final cut.

6. The first player draws a starting hand of seven cards. The

other player draws a starting hand of six cards.

7. Each player, starting with the first player, has one opportunity
to mulligan their starting hand by shuffling it back into their
deck and drawing a new starting hand with one fewer card.

The game is now ready to begin.

GaME sETUP
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 4
TUrN sEQUENCE sTEP 3: Play, DIsCarD, aND UsE CarDs
The game is played over a series of turns. Players alternate oF THE CHosEN HoUsE
taking turns until one player wins the game.
The active player may play or discard any number of action
Each turn consists of five steps, which are described in the cards, artifacts, creatures, and upgrades of the active house from
following sections: their hand and may use any number of cards of the active house
that are in play under their control. Eligible cards may be played,
1. Forge a key. used, or discarded in any order.
2. Choose a house.
A card’s house is determined by an icon in the upper-left corner.
3. Play, discard, and use cards of the chosen house. If the active house corresponds to a card’s icon, that card is
4. Ready cards. eligible to be played, used, or discarded.

5. Draw cards. The active player cannot play, use, or discard cards that aren’t of
The player taking a turn is referred to as the active player. The the active house unless specified by a card ability.
active player is the only player that can perform actions or make
Rules for playing, discarding, and using action cards, artifacts,
decisions; a player does not make any decisions when it is not
creatures, and upgrades are described in each card type’s
their turn.
glossary definition.

First Turn Rule: During the first player’s first turn of the game,
sTEP 1: ForGE a KEy that player cannot play or discard more than one card from their
hand. Card effects can modify this rule.
If the active player has enough Æmber to forge a key during this
step, they must do so. To forge a key, the active player spends
Æmber from their Æmber pool equal to their current key cost,
then they flip any one of their key tokens to its forged side. sTEP 4: rEaDy CarDs
The default key cost is six Æmber (6). Some card abilities may The active player readies each of their exhausted cards.
increase or decrease this cost. Key cost cannot be less than zero.
No more than one key can be forged during this step each
turn, even if the active player has enough Æmber to forge sTEP 5: DraW CarDs
multiple keys.
The active player draws cards from the top of their deck until
Some cards have effects that allow Æmber on those cards to be they have six cards in their hand. After a player completes this
spent when forging keys. If the active player controls such a card, step, their turn ends.
the Æmber on it can be spent along with Æmber in the active
player‘s Æmber pool, in any combination. If the active player has more than six cards in hand, they do not
discard down to six.
Spent Æmber is returned to the common supply.
A player immediately wins the game when they forge their If a player needs to draw cards (during this step or at any other
third key. time) and cannot because their deck is empty, that player
shuffles their discard pile to reset their deck, and then continues
to draw (cards are drawn one at a time).
sTEP 2: CHoosE a HoUsE When a player’s turn ends, if that player has enough Æmber in
Each KeyForge deck is composed of three different houses, their pool to afford a key, the player announces “Check!” so that
which are shown on the Archon identity card. During this step, their opponent knows the forging of a key at the start of that
the active player chooses one of the houses on their Archon player’s next turn is imminent.
identity card to be the active house for the remainder of the
turn and announces the choice to their opponent. This active HoUsEs oF THE CrUCIBlE
house determines which cards the active player can play, discard
from their hand, and use this turn.

After choosing a house, the active player has the option to take
all cards in their archives and add them to their hand.
Brobnar Dis Ekwidon Geistoid
If a player controls a card that does not belong to one of the
three houses on their Archon identity card, they may (if they
desire) choose and activate that house during this step instead
of one of the three houses in their deck. Logos Mars Sanctum Saurian

A player cannot choose to activate a house unless it is either on

their Archon identity card or they control a card that belongs
to that house. If a card effect instructs a player that they
must activate a house other than one in the aforementioned Shadows Star Alliance Unfathomable Untamed
categories, that card effect is ignored.

TUrN sEQUENCE
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 5
CrEaTUrE arTIFaCT aCTIoN
2
1 1 Ornate Talking Tray 1
ARTIFACT
3
4

2 2
p
8 4 CPO Zytar
1 9 Crushing Dee
5 CREATURE
5 3
ACTION
ALIEN • PROXIMAN • SCIENTIST 3 ITEM

Enhance . (These icons have

6 Omni: Destroy Ornate Talking Tray. 6 Play: During your opponent’s next turn,
6 Make a token creature.  for each forged key
keys cost +3
already been added to cards in your
©2022 Ghost Galaxy

©2022 Ghost Galaxy

“Conversation is an exchange. they have.
deck.)
The counters keep us in balance.” “I don’t understand! This worked perfectly in a
7 “I’ll get the configuration right one of these times.”
7 –Gĕzdrutyŏ the Arcane 7 vacuum!”

10 Leandro Franci  327 The Loving Progenitor 14 10 Andreas Zafiratos  100 The Loving Progenitor 14 10 Dany Orizio  388 Liberty of Weirdwater 14
11 12 13 11 12 13 11 12 13

UPGraDE arCHoN IDENTITy

2 CarD aNaToMy
1 Ostentatiioous Mount 1. House
ty of Weirdwater
UPGRADE 3 Liber 14 2. Card Name
Play: Move this creature anywhere
4 in its controller’s battleline. 3. Card Type
This creature gains taunt. (This 4. Bonus Icons
©2022 Ghost Galaxy

6 creature’s neighbors cannot be

attacked unless they have taunt.) 5. Traits
6. Card Ability Text
15 7. Flavor Text
8. Power
9. Armor
10. Artist
11. Set Icon
12. Card Number within Set
13. Rarity
1 Brobnar 1 Unfathomable 14. Deck Name
10 Marzena Piwowar  219 The Loving Progenitor 14 1 Star Alliance 15. Archon Image

11 12 13 16. Deck Registration Code

rarITy
DECK lIsT 16 A card’s rarity symbol can be found at the bottom of the card, near
the card number. It is used by the deck-generation algorithm to
Liberty of Weirdwater 14 4H6WP-XVF8R-RH7RG determine how frequently a card will appear in decks. Special cards
11  DECK LIST
do not obey the game’s standard rarity rules.

Brobnar Star Alliance Unfathomable
 006  Champion’s Challenge  311  Camaraderie  355  Offering to Kiligog
 025  Earthshaker  323  Transporter Platform  370  Dragnet
Common Uncommon Rare Special Token
 039  Bumpsy 2  325  C.R. Ofﬁcer Hawkins  381  Watch Your Step
Creature
 040  Crogg the Clumsy  325  C.R. Ofﬁcer Hawkins  383  “Bubbles”
 040  Crogg the Clumsy  331  Photon Blast  384  Abyssal Sight
 044  Might Club  333  Recorded History  387  Covetous Hema
sET ICoNs
 044  Might Club  333  Recorded History  388  Crushing Deep
See KeyForge Set Icons, page 16.
 046  Pound  334  Red Alert  389  Fathom Reaver
 046  Pound  335  Rogue Operation  395  Mælstrom
 050  Rowdy Skald  337  Securi-Droid  395  Mælstrom
 051  Shock Herder  338  Specialist Guthrak  396  Skullback Crab
 052  Stratosmack  339  Teamwork  397  Sunk Cost

13
055  Skirmisher 12 3 Enhanced
CarD aNaToMy
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 6
Glossary ÆMBEr
Æmber is the basic currency in the game
This Glossary includes a number of concepts and terms players and is tracked with Æmber tokens. It is often
may encounter while playing the game, in alphabetical order. represented in rules text with this symbol: . Æmber Token
Instead of reading this section from beginning to end, players
are encouraged to only look up new concepts as they are Only Æmber in your own Æmber pool is considered “yours” for
encountered during play. the purpose of card effects.

Gain: When you “gain” Æmber, you take the specified amount
aBIlITy, CarD aBIlITy from the common supply and add it to your Æmber pool.
An ability is the special game text a card contributes to the
Capture: When you “capture” Æmber, you take the specified
game.
amount of Æmber from your opponent’s Æmber pool and place
Unless an ability explicitly references an out-of-play area (such it on a friendly creature. Unless otherwise specified, the captured
as a hand, deck, archives, or discard pile), that ability can only Æmber must be placed on the creature with the capture ability.
interact with cards that are in play. Abilities that interact with a Captured Æmber is not part of any Æmber pool. When a
card after it is destroyed can interact with that card while it is in creature you control leaves play, any Æmber on it is moved to
an out-of-play zone that is not hidden. your opponent’s Æmber pool.

Abilities on a creature, artifact, or upgrade are only active (and Lose: When you “lose” Æmber, you remove the specified
can only be resolved) while that card is in play, unless the ability amount from your Æmber pool and place it in the common
explicitly references being used from an out-of-play area. Once supply.
an ability on a card has started to resolve, that ability will finish
Pay: When you “pay” Æmber to your opponent, you remove the
resolving even if the card leaves play.
specified amount of Æmber from your Æmber pool and add it
If resolving part of the instructions of a card ability causes other to your opponent’s Æmber pool. If an ability instructs a player to
card effects to begin to resolve, resolve those other card effects pay an opponent “in order to” perform an instruction, the entire
before continuing to resolve the instructions of the first card. amount must be paid.

Related Topics: Cannot, Constant Abilities, Destroyed, Enters Spend: You only “spend” Æmber to forge keys. When you
Play, Leaves Play, “Play:” Abilities, Out-of-Play Zones spend Æmber, you remove the required amount from your
Æmber pool and place it in the common supply.

Steal: When you “steal” Æmber, you take the specified amount
“aCTIoN:” aBIlITy
of Æmber from your opponent’s Æmber pool and add it to your
The active player can resolve an ”Action:“ ability during their
Æmber pool.
turn if it is on a ready card they control that belongs to the active
house. Using a card with an “Action:” ability causes the card to Related Topics: Capture, Steal
become exhausted.

If a card has multiple “Action:” and/or “Omni:” abilities, only

one of them can be resolved each time the card is used.
ÆMBEr BoNUs ICoN 
See “Bonus Icons” on page 9.
Related Topics: Omni, Using Artifacts, Using Creatures

ÆMBEr Pool
aCTIVE HoUsE Each player has an Æmber pool, which is any convenient part of
The active house is the house that the active player has chosen a player‘s play area that is distinct from the common supply.
for the current turn.
Whenever a player “gains” Æmber, it is added to that player‘s
Æmber pool. Whenever a player “loses” or “spends” Æmber, it
is removed from their Æmber pool and returned to the common
aCTIVE PlayEr
supply.
The active player is the player taking the current turn. Unless
otherwise specified by the card’s ability, the active player makes If you steal Æmber from your opponent, you move it from their
all necessary decisions for all card abilities. Whenever multiple Æmber pool to your own.
effects happen at the same timing point, the active player
decides the order in which those effects resolve. Related Topics: Æmber, Capture, Steal

aDJaCENT alPHa
When a creature card refers to a game element as being When a card has the alpha keyword, it can only be played if you
“adjacent” to that creature or being played “adjacent” to that have not played, used, or discarded any other cards during the
creature, it is referring to a card being in or being played into the current step of your turn.
position to the immediate right or immediate left of that creature.
If a card would gain alpha as it enters play, that card can only
Related Topics: Battleline, Neighbor, Splash, Splash-Attack (X), be played if you have not played, used, or discarded any other
Taunt cards during the current step of your turn.

Glossary
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 7
aNoMaly If a creature gains armor during a turn, the gained armor does
This symbol indicates that a card is an anomaly card. An not prevent damage already dealt that turn. If a creature loses
anomaly card is an extremely rare card that is a preview armor during a turn, it is not retroactively dealt damage that was
of possible future sets of KeyForge. An anomaly card may already prevented by the armor.
appear in any house, and is treated as belonging to that
house for all game purposes. If a creature loses any amount of armor, it loses armor that has
been used to prevent pending damage this turn before it loses
armor that has not been used to prevent pending damage this
“aNy NUMBEr” turn.
When a game rule or card ability states that a certain action
involves “any number,” that number includes zero. If a creature has a “~” symbol in its armor field, the creature has
no armor. Such creatures may gain armor through card effects.
Likewise, if a card ability states a certain action involves doing
something “up to” a specified number of times, the active player Related Topics: Damage, Fight
may resolve the ability using any number in the specified range,
including zero.
arTIFaCTs
Artifacts are one of the basic card types in the game. Artifacts
arCHIVEs enter play exhausted and are placed in a row in front of the
A player’s archives is a facedown game area in front of that controlling player but behind that player’s battleline. Artifacts
player’s Archon identity card. Card abilities are the only means remain in play from turn to turn.
by which a player is permitted to add cards to their archives.
Related Topic: Using Artifacts
During step 2 of a player’s turn, after they select an active house,
the active player is permitted to pick up all cards in their archives
and add those cards to their hand.
as IF IT WErE yoUrs/as IF yoU CoNTrollED IT
Cards in a player’s archives are considered out of play. A player If a card effect instructs you to use a card “as if it were yours” or
may look at their archives at any time. A player is not permitted “as if you controlled it,” it causes you to use the card even if you
to look at an opponent’s archives. don’t control it. You never gain control of the card during this
process, but you resolve the effect as if you controlled the card.
If the ability instructing a player to archive a card does not specify
where the card is archived from, the archived card comes from When using a card “as if it were yours/as if you controlled it”
that player’s hand. If an ability “puts” a card into a player’s that instructs you to destroy (or sacrifice) the card as part of the
archives, abilities that resolve when a card is archived will not effect, the card is still destroyed as if you controlled it.
resolve.
Related Topic: Control and Ownership
Related Topics: Out-of-Play Zones

assaUlT (X)
arMor When a creature with the assault (X) keyword is used to fight,
Some creatures have an armor value to the right of the card name. it deals pending damage equal to its assault value (X) to the
Armor prevents an amount of pending damage equal to the creature it is fighting before the fight resolves. (The active
armor value that the creature would be dealt each turn. player chooses whether this occurs before or after other “Before
Fight” effects and keywords.) If this damage destroys the other
creature, the rest of the fight does not occur.
CPO Zytar
4 CREATURE
1 If a creature with the assault (X) keyword gains another instance
of the assault (X) keyword, the two X values are added together.
A creature’s armor value is displayed to the Related Topics: Damage, Fight
right of the name, within the shield.

Example: You have a creature in play that has 2 armor. It is dealt

1 from an opponent’s card ability (which is considered pending
aTTaCK, aTTaCKEr, aTTaCKING
See “Fight” on page 14.
damage during the resolution of the ability). Your creature’s armor
prevents the pending damage, and the creature’s armor is reduced
by 1 for the remainder of the turn. Later that same turn, your
creature is in a fight with an enemy creature that has 3 power. Your
creature has 3 pending damage, its remaining 1 armor prevents
1 pending damage, and your creature is dealt 2 damage.

If a creature gains armor, the gains are additive and accumulate

on top of the creature’s printed armor value.

Glossary
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 8
BaTTlElINE BoNUs ICoNs
The battleline is the ordered line of creatures a player controls in Many cards have one or more bonus icons in the upper-left
play. corner, below the house icon. After a card with a bonus icon
is played, the first thing the active player does is resolve each
The far left and right edges of a battleline are the flanks. When bonus icon on that card. These icons are resolved after the card
a creature is in one of these positions, it is “on the flank” and is is revealed (if it is an action card), or after the card enters play (if
also known as a “flank creature.” When a battleline consists of it is an artifact, creature, or upgrade), but before resolving any
exactly one creature, that creature is on both flanks. “Play:” abilities on that card or any abilities that resolve “after”
that card is played.
Creatures enter play on the flank of their controller's battleline
(the active player chooses which flank). Bonus icons must be resolved in the order printed on the card,
from top to bottom. Resolving each bonus icon is mandatory;
A creature‘s “neighbors” are the creatures to its immediate left once a card has been played, all bonus icons on that card will
and right in the battleline. These creatures are also said to be resolve, even if the card leaves play.
“adjacent.”
There are five types of bonus icons:
Each time a creature leaves play, the battleline shifts inward to
close the gap. ): Gain 1
Æmber (  from the common supply.

Capture ( ): A friendly creature captures 1

 from the
opponent. This Æmber may be captured by any friendly
Left Flank Right Flank creature, including the creature with the capture icon. If a
3 Specialist Guthrak 3 Shock Herder
1 Skullback Crab

Skirmish. (When you use this creature to

CREATURE

ALIEN • HANDUHAN
~
Deploy. (This creature can enter play
CREATURE

GOBLIN
~
Poison. (Any damage dealt by this
CREATURE

BEAST
~ card has multiple capture icons, the captured Æmber may be
distributed among multiple creatures.
fight, it is dealt no damage in return.) anywhere in your battleline.) creature’s power during a fight destroys
©2022 Ghost Galaxy

©2022 Ghost Galaxy

 for each
After Fight/Reap: Capture 1 Play: Ready and fight with a the damaged creature.)
house represented among Specialist neighboring creature. .
Action: Steal 1
Guthrak and its neighbors.
Diego Gisbert  338 Liberty of Weirdwater Edgar Hidalgo  051 Liberty of Weirdwater Roman Semenenko  396 Liberty of Weirdwater

The Battleline Damage (): Deal 1 to a creature in play. This damage may
be dealt to the creature with the damage icon. Note that if there
are no enemy creatures in play, this damage must be dealt to
a friendly creature. If a card has multiple damage icons, each
Bumpsy
damage icon is resolved separately, one at a time, and the
5 ~
damage may be distributed among multiple creatures. Damage
CREATURE

GIANT
.
Play: Your opponent loses 1
Whatever he doesn’t like, he breaks. He doesn’t
©2022 Ghost Galaxy

dealt by a bonus icon is not considered to be dealt by the card

like anything.

Grigory Serov  039 Liberty of Weirdwater

on which the icon appears.

5
Play: Your opponent loses 1
Grigory Serov

Whatever he doesn’t like, he breaks. He doesn’t

): Draw 1 card.

Draw (
 039

3 Specialist Guthrak 3 Shock Herder

1 Skullback Crab
~ ~ ~
like anything.

Bumpsy
CREATURE

CREATURE CREATURE CREATURE

GIANT

ALIEN • HANDUHAN GOBLIN BEAST

Liberty of Weirdwater

Skirmish. (When you use this creature to Deploy. (This creature can enter play Poison. (Any damage dealt by this
fight, it is dealt no damage in return.) anywhere in your battleline.) creature’s power during a fight destroys

Discard (): Choose 1 card in your hand and discard it. The
©2022 Ghost Galaxy

©2022 Ghost Galaxy

.

card you choose may belong to any house.

Creatures enter play on the
ﬂank of the battleline. Related Topic: Playing Cards

CaNNoT
If two card effects are simultaneously instructing a player that
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Example: Anna controls a Pitlord 093 which reads “While

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Pitlord is in play you must choose Dis as your active house.” On

their next turn Anna’s opponent plays Restringuntus 094 which
3 Specialisst Guthrak
CREATURE
~ 3 Shock Herder
CREATURE
~ 1 Skullback Crab
CREATURE
~ 5 Bumpsy
CREATURE
~ reads “Play: Choose a house. Your opponent cannot choose that
house as their active house until Restringuntus leaves play.” and
ALIEN • HANDUHAN GOBLIN BEAST GIANT
Skirmish. (When you use this creature to Deploy. (This creature can enter play Poison. (Any damage dealt by this .
Play: Your opponent loses 1
fight, it is dealt no damage in return.) anywhere in your battleline.) creature’s power during a fight destroys Whatever he doesn’t like, he breaks. He doesn’t
©2022 Ghost Galaxy

©2022 Ghost Galaxy

 for each
After Fight/Reap: Capture 1 Play: Ready and fight with a the damaged creature.) like anything.
.
Action: Steal 1

chooses Dis for its ability. On Anna’s next turn, she both must and
house represented among Specialist neighboring creature.
Guthrak and its neighbors.
Diego Gisbert  338 Liberty of Weirdwater Edgar Hidalgo  051 Liberty of Weirdwater Roman Semenenko  396 Liberty of Weirdwater Grigory Serov  039 Liberty of Weirdwater

cannot choose Dis, but because cannot takes precedence over

If a creature leaves play, the must, she only cannot choose Dis and must choose one of her
battleline is shifted inward. other houses instead.

CaPTUrE BoNUs ICoN  CHaIN HaNDICaP (oPTIoNal rUlE)

See “Bonus Icons” on page 9. Chain handicap is an optional rule that is not used in official
KeyForge tournaments. Chain handicap should not be combined
with chain bidding (described above).
CENTEr oF THE BaTTlElINE
A creature is in the center of the battleline when there are an When two players of similar skill play a game using decks the
equal number of creatures to both that creature’s left and right players both agree are not equal in strength, chains may be used
side. as means to handicap the stronger deck. Similarly, if two players
of unequal skill are playing against each other using equally-
There is only a center of a battleline if there is an odd number strong decks (such as an experienced player teaching a new
of creatures in that battleline. When there is an even number of player), the more skilled player may start the game with some
creatures in a battleline, there is no center. If there is only one chains to make the game more fair. These starting chains affect
creature in the battleline that creature is in the center. the size of the player’s opening hand.

Related Topic: Battleline Start the stronger deck or the more experienced player with four
chains. From then on, every time the chained deck or player
wins two games in a row against the weaker deck, or less skilled
CHaINs player, adjust the number of chains up by one. If the chained
Some card abilities cause a deck or player loses two games in a row, adjust the number of
player to gain one or more chains down by one.
chains. If a player gains chains,
that player increases their chain
tracker by the number of chains CoMMoN sUPPly
gained. A player cannot have The common supply contains all game counters and tokens not
more than 24 chains. currently being used to track a game state. The common supply
can be shared by both players, or each player can provide their
If the active player has at least own counters and tokens. If players choose to use their own
A chain tracker currently
one chain when refilling their showing a player has 4 chains. counters and tokens instead of sharing, they are still considered
hand during step 5 of their turn to be in the common supply when not being used to track a
and would draw cards based on game state.
the number of remaining cards in their hand, they draw fewer
cards according to the chart below. After chains prevent a player Related Topic: Counters and Tokens, Game State, Play Area
from drawing one or more cards, that player sheds a chain by
reducing the number on their chain tracker by one.
CoNsTaNT aBIlITIEs
Chains 1-6: Refill your hand to 1 fewer card. If a card has an ability that does not have a boldfaced precursor,
Chains 7-12: Refill your hand to 2 fewer cards. the ability is a constant ability that is active so long as the card
Chains 13-18: Refill your hand to 3 fewer cards. remains in play and meets all conditions specified by the ability.
Chains 19-24: Refill your hand to 4 fewer cards.
A boldfaced precursor includes any word or phrase from the
Related Topic: Drawing Cards following list, as well as any combinations of such words or
phrases. Abilities that begin with any of these words or phrases
are not constant abilities:
CHaIN BIDDING (oPTIoNal rUlE)
Chain bidding is an optional rule that is not used in official Action: Destroyed:
KeyForge tournaments. Chain bidding should not be combined After Fight: Omni:
with chain handicaps (described below).
After Reap: Play:
At the start of a new game, two players may opt to create a pool Before Fight: Scrap:
of decks available to both of them, then bid chains for the right
to choose a particular deck from that pool to play. Chain bidding Constant abilities on a card are active even while that card
is best used when both players are reasonably familiar with all of is exhausted. Applying the effects of a constant ability is not
the decks in the pool. considered using a card and therefore does not cause the card
to exhaust.

Glossary
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 10
CoNTrol aND oWNErsHIP counters or tokens that can be in the game state. If the game
A player owns the cards that begin the game in their deck. state requires more of a particular counter or token than is
available in the common supply, any convenient substitute can
When a card is played, it enters play under the control of the be used provided both players clearly understand what the
active player. substitute represents.
A player can take control of an opponent’s card. When this Related Topic: Common Supply
happens, that card is placed in the new controller’s play area.
If it is a creature, it is placed on a flank of the new controller’s
battleline. If multiple effects that take control of a card are used CrEaTUrEs
on the same card, the most recent effect takes precedence. Creatures are one of the basic card types in the game.
If a player takes control of a card that belongs to a house not in Creatures enter play exhausted and are placed in the front row
the new controller’s deck, they can make that house the active of the active player’s play area. This row is referred to as the
house during step 2 of their turn. battleline. Creatures remain in play from turn to turn.
If a card that has changed control leaves play for any reason, it Creatures have a power value and may also have an armor value.
moves to its owner’s appropriate out-of-play zone. Creatures can take damage, and if a creature takes damage
equal to its power, it is destroyed.
If an ability refers to cards that a player “has” in play, it is
referring to cards that player controls. Creatures can be used to fight, reap, or for their “Action:” or
“Omni:” abilities (if any).
Related Topics: Swap Control, Using Cards Via Other Card
Abilities Related Topics: Battleline, Damage, Fight, Reap, Using
Creatures

CosT, aT CUrrENT CosT

The base cost to forge a key is six Æmber (6). This cost may be DaMaGE
modified by card abilities. The modified cost is referred to as the Damage a creature has taken is tracked by placing damage
current cost. Key cost cannot be less than zero. tokens on the creature. A creature with damage tokens on it is
considered “damaged” for the purposes of card effects.
See “Turn Sequence” on page 5.
If a creature has an amount of damage on it equal to or greater
Related Topic: Forge than its power, the creature is destroyed.

Damage on a creature does not reduce its power.

CoUNTErs aND ToKENs
Several status conditions and common game effects are If multiple creatures are damaged by a single effect, that
represented with official game components known as counters. damage is dealt simultaneously.
They include:
Each time damage would be dealt to a creature, it is considered
pending damage. Pending damage can be reduced or
prevented in a variety of ways. Follow the steps below, in order,
to resolve the pending damage:
+1 Power Enrage Stun Ward
Counters Counters Counters Counters 1. If the creature “cannot be damaged,” or “cannot be dealt
damage,” all of its pending damage is prevented.
Some cards may refer to counters that do not have
official components to represent them. Examples 2. If the creature has a ward counter, all of its pending damage
include “Awakening,” “Doom,” “Fuse,” and is prevented, then the ward counter is discarded.
“Growth” counters. Players can use any available
3. If the creature has armor, each point of armor prevents
resources to represent these counters, including the
Generic 1 pending damage, and the creature's armor value is
generic counters included in the KeyForge Starter
Counters reduced for the remainder of the turn by the amount of
Set. These counters have no inherent rules, instead
pending damage prevented.
the card that creates them provides context to how
the counters function. 4. All pending damage not prevented becomes damage dealt
to the creature. If a creature has damage equal to or greater
Æmber in a player’s Æmber pool, as well as Æmber on
Æmber than its power, it is destroyed.
cards in play, is tracked with Æmber tokens.
Token
Related Topic: Destroyed.
Damage tokens are placed on creatures to track the amount
of damage a creature has taken. Each damage token has a
numeric value of “1,” “3,” or “5.”
The total value of all damage tokens
on a creature determines how much
damage the creature has taken.
Damage Tokens in
There is no limit to the number Values 1, 3, 5

Glossary
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 11
DAMAGE BONUS ICON  ability after it is already tagged, that ability does not resolve.
See “Bonus Icons” on page 9.
If an ability resolves “after” a card is destroyed, the card with
that ability must be in play at the time the destroyed card leaves
DECK play.
A KeyForge deck consists of 36 cards, 12 from each of three
different houses. Each KeyForge deck comes with an Archon Cards that are sacrificed also count as being destroyed. They
identity card with a list of the deck’s contents printed on the are tagged for destruction following the same process outlined
reverse side (known as the deck list) and may also include an above.
additional reference card, commonly known as ”the 38th card.”
Example: Dan has Archimedes in the middle of 4 other creatures
The Archon identity card and any additional reference cards and his opponent plays Gateway to Dis, destroying all creatures.
that came with the deck are never shuffled into the deck during First, all of Dan’s creatures are tagged for destruction. Then
gameplay. Archimedes’ neighbors “Destroyed:” effects resolve, archiving
them. The battleline immediately collapses, but Archimedes’ new
Cards in a player’s deck are out-of-play. Players cannot look at neighbors have already been tagged for destruction and cannot
the contents of their decks during a game, unless allowed by a gain a new “Destroyed:” ability, so they are placed in the discard
card effect. pile along with Archimedes.

The order of the cards in a deck must be maintained unless a Example: Emily has a Jehu the Bureaucrat, Duma the Martyr
card effect or game effect requires the deck to be shuffled. with 2 damage, and Commander Remiel with 1 damage in play.
Her opponent plays a Poison Wave, dealing 2 damage to each
creature. This damage causes Duma the Martyr and Commander
DEPLOY Remiel to be tagged for destruction. Duma the Martyr’s
A creature with the deploy keyword does not need to be placed “Destroyed:” effect resolves, healing Jehu the Bureaucrat and
on the flank of its controller’s battleline. Instead, when it enters Commander Remiel. Since Commander Remiel was already
play, it can be placed anywhere in its controller’s battleline, tagged for destruction, it still goes to the discard pile with Duma
including between two other creatures. the Martyr, but Jehu the Bureaucrat survives unscathed.

Example: Marcus has a Groggins with a Phoenix Heart in play.

DESTROYED His opponent, Janelle, has a Dust Imp with a Soulkeeper, a
When a card is destroyed by a card effect or when a creature Drumble, and a Shaffles in play. Marcus fights Dust Imp with
has damage on it equal to or greater than its power, that card Groggins, causing Dust Imp to be tagged for destruction. Dust
is tagged for destruction. After it is tagged, then that card’s Imp’s “Destroyed:” ability and the “Destroyed:” ability that
“Destroyed:” abilities resolve, and finally the tagged card Soulkeeper grants it both resolve simultaneously. Marcus chooses
is placed into its owner’s discard pile. If multiple cards are to let his opponent gain the 2 Æmber first, then resolve the
simultaneously tagged for destruction, the active player chooses Soulkeeper, which will destroy Marcus’s most powerful creature—
the order in which to resolve the “Destroyed:” abilities of any Groggins. When Groggins is tagged for destruction, the Phoenix
of those cards. All the tagged cards are put into their owners’ Heart attached to it resolves, returning Groggins to Marcus’s
discard piles simultaneously, and the active player chooses the hand and dealing 3 damage to each other creature. This damage
order in which those cards are arranged in their owner’s discard then tags Drumble and Shaffles for destruction. Finally, all the
piles. destroyed creatures still in play (Dust Imp, Drumble, and Shaffles)
are placed in their owner’s discard pile in the order of the active
Once a card has been tagged for destruction, the only thing that player (Marcus’s) choice.
can remove this tag is a replacement effect that uses the word
“instead” and replaces the destruction of that card. An effect Related Topics: Damage, Leaves Play
that heals a tagged creature does not remove the destroyed tag.
An effect may move a tagged card to a different out-of-play area
(such as the hand or archives), but that card is still considered to DISCARDING CARDS
have been “destroyed” for the purposes of card effects. The active player can discard from their hand any number of
cards belonging to the active house during step 3 of their turn.
If a “Destroyed:” ability causes more cards to be destroyed,
they are also tagged for destruction, and their “Destroyed:” When a card is discarded, it is placed faceup on top of its
effects will also resolve before cards are placed in the discard owner’s discard pile.
pile. None of the cards that have been tagged for destruction
Unless otherwise specified, when an ability refers to a player
are put into their owners’ discard piles until all “Destroyed:”
discarding a card, the discarded card must come from that
effects have finished resolving.
player’s hand.
Players cannot choose to sacrifice or destroy a card that is
If an ability requires a player to discard multiple cards from either
already tagged for destruction. A card that is already tagged
their hand or the top of their deck, the cards are discarded one
for destruction cannot be tagged for destruction again, and any
at a time.
effect that attempts to destroy or sacrifice that card fails. That
card still only resolves its “Destroyed:” abilities once.

A card only resolves “Destroyed:” abilities that it had at the time

it was tagged for destruction. If a card gains a “Destroyed:”

Glossary
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 12
If an ability instructs both players to discard cards, the active ENEMy
player decides which player will discard first. That player reveals If a card ability refers to an “enemy” game element, it refers to
all cards to be discarded to fulfill the instructions of the ability, an element currently controlled by the opponent.
then the active player places the cards into the owner's discard
pile in the order of their choosing. Once all revealed cards Related Topic: Control and Ownership, Fight, Friendly
have been discarded, the other player reveals all cards to be
discarded to fulfill the instructions of the ability and the active
player places the cards into the owner's discard pile in the order ENHaNCE
of their choosing. Each card with the enhance keyword has added
the indicated bonus icons to random cards in your
DIsCarD BoNUs ICoN  deck. (This has already happened during the deck
See “Bonus Icons” on page 9. generation process.)
An enhanced
damage
Bonus icons that have been added by enhance can bonus icon
be identified by the graphical element shown here:
DIsCarD PIlE
The cards in each player’s discard pile are open information, and The enhance keyword has no effect during gameplay.
may be referenced at any time.
 As a result,
Example: Mutant Cutpurse has “Enhance ”.
The order of cards in a player’s discard pile is maintained during three  bonus icons have been randomly added to cards in your
play, unless a card ability causes this order to change. deck. The Mutant Cutpurse itself gets no special ability from
Enhance during gameplay.
When a player runs out of cards in their deck and is required to
draw, that player shuffles their discard pile to create a new deck.
ENraGE
DraW BoNUs ICoN  When a creature becomes enraged, place an enrage
status counter on it. When a creature with an enrage
See “Bonus Icons” on page 9.
counter on it is used, it must be used to fight, if
able. After a creature with an enrage counter on it is
used to fight, remove all enrage counters from it. Enrage
DraWING CarDs Counter
Each time a player is instructed to draw a card, they take the top If there are no enemy creatures in play, an enraged
card of their deck and add it to their hand. If an ability or game creature may be used to reap, or for its Action: or Omni: ability
step instructs a player to draw multiple cards in a row, the cards (if any). While a creature has an enrage counter on it, it cannot
are drawn one at a time until the total required number of cards be enraged again. If an effect attempts to enrage an enraged
have been drawn. The number of cards needed to refill your creature, that effect does not enrage the already enraged
hand during your “draw cards” step is determined before you creature.
draw any cards.
Related Topics: Fight, Using Creatures
If a player needs to draw cards and cannot because their deck is
empty, that player shuffles their discard pile to reset their deck,
and then continues to draw. ENTErs Play
Some abilities modify how cards enter play. These abilities
See “Turn Sequence” on page 5.
resolve as the card is entering play and modify how a card enters
Related Topics: Chains, Discard Pile play (e.g. ”enters play ready,” “enters play stunned,” etc.). An
ability that modifies how a card enters play modifies how any
cards that meet the criteria of the ability enter play, including the
ElUsIVE card with the ability. These abilities all resolve before the card is
The first time a creature with the elusive keyword is chosen to be actually in play.
fought each turn, it is dealt no pending damage and deals no
If a card ability adds an ability or keywords, such as deploy, to a
pending damage to the opposing creature in the fight.
card, that text is added as the card enters play and will modify
Elusive only stops pending damage that would be dealt by each how the card enters play.
creature’s power; damage dealt by keywords or other abilities
Related Topics: Playing Cards
still applies.

EXalT
END oF TUrN  from
When an effect instructs you to “exalt” a creature, take 1
End of turn effects are resolved when a player’s turn is
the common supply and place it on that creature.
over—after step 5, the “Draw Cards” step.
Note: When a creature with Æmber on it leaves play, the Æmber
See“Turn Sequence” on page 5.
is placed in the opponent’s Æmber pool.

Glossary
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 13
EXHAUST, EXHAUSTED “FIGHT WITH”
An exhausted card is not able to be used until it is readied by a If an ability instructs a player to “fight with” or “ready and fight
game step or card ability. with” a creature, the ability is granting the player permission
to use the designated creature to fight. The fight is resolved
See “Ready and Exhausted” on page 20. following the standard rules for fighting, against a creature
controlled by the opponent.

FACEDOWN CARDS
Some card abilities can result in cards that are facedown while FIRST PLAYER
in play. You may look at the reverse side of a facedown card that During game setup, one player is randomly determined to be
is in play and that you control. You may also look at the reverse the first player. That player takes the first turn of the game and
side of a card that is placed facedown under a card you control. must adhere to the first turn rule.
You cannot look at the reverse sides of cards you do not control.
First Turn Rule: During the first player’s first turn of the game,
that player cannot play or discard more than one card from their
FIGHT hand. Card effects can modify this rule.
The active player may use any ready creature they control of
the active house to fight. To resolve a fight, the active player
performs the following steps in order: FLANK
The creatures on the far right and far left of a player’s battleline
1. Choose one friendly, ready creature and exhaust it. This is the are on the flanks of the line. A creature in this position is “on
attacking creature. the flank” and is referred to as a “flank creature.” Any time
a creature enters play or changes control, the active player
2. Choose one eligible enemy creature to be fought. Taunt chooses which flank of its controller’s battleline it is placed on.
and other card abilities may affect this choice. The creature
chosen to be fought is the “attacked creature.” If a battleline only has one creature in it, that creature is on both
the left and right flank and is considered a flank creature.
3. Resolve any “Before Fight” effects, Assault X effects on
the attacking creature, and any Hazardous X effects on the Related Topic: Battleline
enemy creature. If any of these effects cause one or both
creatures to be destroyed, the fight does not occur. FLIP
4. Both creatures deal pending damage to each other equal to If an ability instructs you to flip a card, that card remains in the
their power and are considered “fighting” for the purposes same position in the play area, and the card is placed with its
of card effects. If the attacking creature has Splash-attack X, it opposing side face up.
also resolves now. Note that elusive, Skirmish, and other card
abilities may affect the resolution of this step. Any counters and tokens remain on the card, and their effects
apply immediately. Upgrades attached to cards remain attached
5. If the attacking creature survived the fight, all “After Fight:” to the card as long as it remains in play.
abilities on the attacking creature resolve. If either creature in a
fight has a constant ability referencing the end of the fight, the Cards that are flipped are not considered to have entered play or
creature must survive the fight to resolve the ability. left play for the purpose of card effects. If a card that is flipped
If either creature in a fight is destroyed while resolving assault, is not eligible to remain in play in its location (e.g., an action
hazardous, or “Before Fight:” abilities, then the fight (dealing card in the battleline, or an upgrade not attached to a creature),
damage based on power) is skipped. The creatures are not that card is discarded (along with any upgrades attached to it).
considered to have been in a fight for the purpose of card Any tokens or counters on the discarded card are moved to the
effects that reference “fighting” or “in a fight”, and “After common supply.
Fight:” abilities will not resolve. Card effects that reference “after
a creature fights” or “after a creature is used” will still resolve,
as the creature was used to fight (even though the fight did not “FOR EACH”
resolve). Some abilities include an effect that uses the term “for each”
to determine the magnitude of the effect. Unless otherwise
A creature can only be used to fight if there are enemy creatures specified, a player may choose to affect a different card with
to be fought. each instance of such an effect.

Note: As of version 16.0 of the KeyForge Master Rulebook, all cards Example: Shard of Pain reads “Play: Deal 1 damage to an
that have abilities that begin with “Fight:” should be read as “After enemy creature for each friendly Shard.” That damage may be
Fight:”. distributed among multiple creatures.

Related Topics: Assault (X), Elusive, Hazardous (X), Skirmish, Some abilities specify that a player must “choose a creature,”
Splash-Attack (X), Taunt, Using Creatures then do an effect to that creature using the term “for each.”
Such abilities only affect a single creature.

Example: Red Planet Ray Gun reads “This creature gains, “After
Reap: Choose a creature. Deal 1 damage to that creature for
each Mars creature in play.”” That damage must be dealt only to
the chosen creature—it cannot be distributed among multiple
creatures.

Glossary
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 14
ForGE GolDEN rUlE
See “Step 1: Forge a Key” on page 5. If the text of a card directly contradicts the text of the rules, the
text of the card takes precedence.

FrIENDly The only exception to the Golden Rule is when a card has
If a card ability refers to a “friendly” game element, it refers to received official errata. In such cases where a card has received
an element currently under the control of the same player. an official errata, if the text of the errata directly contradicts the
text of the rules, the text of the errata takes precedence.
Related Topics: Control and Ownership, Enemy

GraFT
GaME sTaTE If a card ability instructs you to graft a card onto another card,
The current position and status of all game components is known the card being grafted is placed faceup under the other card.
as the game state. Players are responsible for maintaining a legal The grafted card is not considered to be in play. If the card onto
game state in their own games at all times. which it is grafted leaves play, the grafted card is placed in its
owner’s discard pile.
Related Topic: Play Area

HaUNTED
GIGaNTIC Deusillus 1 of 2 While a player has 10 or more cards in their discard pile, that
Gigantic creatures are spread player is haunted. Being haunted has no inherent game effect,
out over 2 cards, with one card but it may be referenced by card abilities.
containing the creature’s text
box and the other its art. Related Topic: Discard Pile

In order to play a gigantic

creature, a player must have 244
HaZarDoUs (X)
both halves of the creature in When a creature with the hazardous X keyword is chosen to be
hand, and play those cards fought, it deals X pending damage to the opposing creature
together as a single creature. Deusillus before the fight resolves. (The active player chooses whether
The top half of a gigantic 20 CREATURE

MUTANT ~ this occurs before or after other “Before Fight” effects and
creature has the text “1 of (Play only with the other half of Deusillus.)
Play: Capture all of your opponent’s A. Deal 5D to an keywords.) If this damage destroys the other creature, the rest of
2” next to its name, while its enemy creature.
Fight/Reap: Move 1A from Deusillus to the common the fight does not occur.
corresponding bottom half supply. Deal 2D to each enemy creature.
©2020 FFG

Everyone comes to Hub City eventually.

shares the same name and has Caio Monteiro 244 / 2 of 2 Wu, the Naturalist of Car Keys
If a creature with the hazardous (X) keyword gains another
the text “2 of 2” next to its instance of the hazardous (X) keyword, the two X values are
rarity icon. added together.

A gigantic creature counts as 2 cards while out of play, but as Related Topics: Damage, Fight
a single creature card while in play. Playing a gigantic creature
only counts as playing 1 card, and therefore it is allowed on the
first turn. After a gigantic creature leaves play, the 2 halves are HEal
treated as separate cards again. If an ability “heals” a creature, remove the specified amount of
damage from the creature.
Both halves of a gigantic creature have the same name, house,
and card type. Otherwise, each half has the attributes printed on If an ability “fully heals” a creature, remove all damage from the
it: the top half has bonus icons, while the bottom half has power, creature.
armor, and the text box.
Any creature can be chosen to be healed by a card effect that
If a card instructing you to play or put into play a creature heals, even if it does not have any damage on it. However, if
chooses one half of a gigantic creature, that effect fails. If a card no damage is removed from the creature, it is not considered
instructs you to play or put into play both halves of a gigantic to have been “healed” for the purpose of card effects that
creature, the gigantic creature is played or put into play. reference healing.

Example: Bella plays Wild Wormhole, allowing her to play the Related Topic: Damage
top card of her deck. She looks at the top card and sees that it
is the top half of Deusillus. She cannot play that card from the
top of her deck (even if she has the other half of Deusillus in her
hand), so the card is returned to the top of her deck.

Glossary
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 15
HoUsE CHoICE INVUlNEraBlE
During step 2 of each turn, the active player must choose one If a card has the invulnerable keyword, it cannot be dealt
of the three houses indicated by their Archon identity card, if damage and cannot be destroyed.
able. Some card abilities may restrict a player’s house choice.
The active player must make their house choice obvious to their A card with invulnerable can leave play by means other than
opponent, such as by saying the choice aloud. being destroyed, such as being purged, archived, returned to
hand, or shuffled into its owner’s deck.
If a player has gained control of a card that does not belong to
one of their three houses, that card’s house becomes an eligible Because a creature with invulnerable cannot be destroyed, it
choice for that player while the player retains control of the card. remains in play even if its power is 0.

A card’s house can be modified by card abilities. Unless Related Topic: Damage
otherwise specified, if an ability modifies the house of a card, the
card belongs only to the house specified in the ability. If multiple
abilities modify the house of a card, the most recent effect takes KEyForGE sET ICoNs
precedence. Every KeyForge set has its own icon, which is found near the
rarity symbol at the bottom of each card
If there is no legal choice of house, the player plays the turn with
no active house.  Call of the Archons

If the active player is instructed they “must choose” two (or  Age Of Ascension
more) houses, the active player may choose any one of those
houses.  Worlds Collide

 Mass Mutation
“IF yoU Do” aND “IN orDEr To”  Dark Tidings
If an ability includes the phrase “if you do” or “in order to,”
the player referenced by the ability must successfully and  Winds of Exhange
completely resolve the text that precedes that phrase before
they can resolve or perform the text that follows that phrase. In  Grim Reminders
other words, if the first part of the ability is not successfully and
completely resolved, that which follows the phrase does not  Unchained 2023
resolve or cannot be performed.
 Vault Masters 2023
Related Topic: Ability, Card Ability
 Menagerie 2024

INFINITE looPs
While most repeatable interactions involve playing or using KEys
cards are limited by the Rule of Six, in very rare cases, an infinite Each player’s progress towards winning the game is tracked by
loop can occur. Where two or more card abilities will continue the number of keys they have forged. The first player to forge all
to resolve each other repeatedly in a way that is not limited by three of their keys immediately wins the game.
the Rule of Six, the active player first chooses how many times
Each player has one key of each color: red, blue, and yellow.
they want to resolve the loop, then stops resolving the loop
Some card abilities may reference the color of your keys,
and adjusts the game state accordingly so play can resume as
including which of your keys are forged or unforged.
normal.
For details on forging keys, see “Step 1: Forge a Key” on page 5.
Related Topic: Rule of Six

IN-Play ZoNE
All cards currently in play exist in one in-play zone. Cards in play
can interact with and be affected by other cards in play.

When a card is added to the in-play zone, it “enters play,” and

when it leaves the in-play zone, it “leaves play.” Unforged

If a lasting effect affects cards in play, it applies to all cards in lEGaCy

play during the specified period, regardless of whether they This symbol indicates that a card is a legacy card. A
were in play at the time the lasting effect was established. legacy card is a rare instance of a card that has been
brought forward from a previous set of KeyForge. It is
legally part of the deck it is in for all game purposes,
lEasT PoWErFUl including tournament play.
A reference to the “least powerful” creature refers to the
creature in play with the lowest power. If there are multiple
creatures that qualify, each is considered “least powerful.” “losE” Vs “GaIN”
If two effects are simultaneously instructing a game element
If an ability requires the selection of a single least powerful “loses” a keyword, trait, or other attribute and that same
creature, and multiple creatures are tied, the active player element “gains” the same keyword, trait, or other attribute, the
chooses one. “loses” effect takes precedence.

When a card instructs you to move a creature, that creature must

remain under its current controller’s control unless the card also OMNI
specifies that a different player is taking control of that creature. The active player can resolve an ”Omni:“ ability during their
If an effect instructs a player to move a creature anywhere in turn if it on a ready card they control, even if the card with the
the battleline, the creature may move to any position in the ”Omni:“ ability does not belong to the active house. Using
battleline, including its current position. If an effect instructs a a card with an “Omni:” ability causes the card to become
player to move a creature to a flank and the creature is already exhausted.
on a flank, then the creature can remain on that flank or move to
the opposite flank. If a card has multiple “Omni:” and/or “Action:” abilities, only
one of them can be resolved each time the card is used.
Related Topic: Battleline
Related Topics: “Action:” Ability, Using Artifacts, Using
Creatures
MULLIGAN
During setup, each player, starting with the first player, has one
opportunity to mulligan their starting hand. This is done by OPPOSING
shuffling the starting hand back into the deck and drawing a new When a creature is used to fight or is chosen to be fought, the
starting hand with one fewer card in it. other creature in the fight is the opposing creature.

After a player chooses to mulligan, that player must keep the Related Topics: Enemy, Fight
new starting hand.

If a player is using a deck that has chains applied to it at the start

of the game and takes a mulligan, they do not shed a chain from
the mulligan, but do draw one fewer card than they had before
the mulligan as per the normal mulligan rules.

See “Game Setup” on page 4.

5. If the played card is an action card, it is placed faceup on top

PENDING DAMAGE of the owner’s discard pile.
Pending damage is used in other glossary definitions to help
explain damage prevention.
POISON
Related Topic: Damage Any damage dealt via the power of a creature with the poison
keyword during a fight destroys the damaged creature. This
occurs when the damage is successfully applied to the opposing
“PLAY:” ABILITIES creature.
When a card has a “Play:” ability, the effect occurs any time the
card is played. For creatures, artifacts, and upgrades, the ability Poison has no effect if all of the damage is prevented by armor
resolves after the card enters play. For action cards, the ability or prevented by another ability—poison only resolves when one
resolves, and then the card is immediately placed in its owner’s or more damage is successfully dealt.
discard pile.
Poison refers only to damage that would be dealt by the
If an ability “plays” a card from a source other than hand, “Play:” creature’s power, not by damage that is dealt by keywords or
abilities on the card resolve. If an ability “puts” a card “into other card abilities.
play,” “Play:” abilities on the card do not resolve.
Related Topics: Damage, Fight
If an ability requires a player to play multiple cards from a zone,
the cards are played one at a time in the order of the active
player’s choosing.

Damage on a creature does not reduce its power.

Pandulf the Provoker

PoWEr CoUNTEr +1, PoWEr sTaTUs CarD

 221

”Thou art so ugly...”

4 Pandulf the Provoker 2

HUMAN • KNIGHT
When a creature is given a “+1 power counter,” one such status

CREATURE
CREATURE

HUMAN • KNIGHT
counter is placed on the creature. For each of

The Loving Progenitor

Taunt. (This creature’s neighbors cannot
be attacked unless they have taunt.)
these counters that is on a creature, that

©2022 Ghost Galaxy

Play: Enrage an enemy creature.

creature’s power is increased by one.

”Thou art so ugly...”

2
JB Casacop  221 The Loving Progenitor ©2022 Ghost Galaxy

Note: The original Call of the Archons +1 Power

Counter Ready Exhausted
starter set used +1 power cards, instead of
cardboard counters. These cards are used
exactly like +1 power counters. rEaP
The active player may use any ready creature of the active
house to reap. When a player uses a creature to reap, the player
PrECEDING, rEPEaT THE PrECEDING exhausts the creature, gains 1 from the common supply, then
If card text instructs players to repeat a preceding effect, the all “After Reap:” abilities on the creature resolve.
entirety of the effect before the text providing the instruction to
repeat resolves again. Note: As of version 16.0 of the KeyForge Master Rulebook, all
cards that have abilities that begin with “Reap:” should be read as
Note: Repeating an effect does not interact with the Rule of Six “After Reap:”.
(see page 21), as the Rule of Six only applies to playing or using
cards, not triggering (or resolving) their effect multiple times.
rEFErENCE CarDs
Reference cards are included in KeyForge Archon decks to
PUrGE convey helpful information to players. These cards should be
When a card is purged, it is removed from the game and placed kept near the play area, where either player can view them.
faceup beneath its owner’s identity card in an out-of-play zone Reference cards never enter play and are not controlled by either
known as the Purged zone. There is no order to the cards placed player.
in the purged zone, and cards in the purged zone are not hidden
information. Card abilities are the only means by which a player Examples of reference cards include the Archon Identity card,
is permitted to interact with cards in the purged zone. the Tide reference, Token Creature references, and Quick
Reference cards.
Related Topic: Out-of-Play Zones

rEPEaT
PUTTING CarDs INTo aN arEa If card text instructs players to repeat an effect, the entirety of
Some card abilities instruct a player to “put” a card into a the effect resolves again, including the text to repeat the effect.
specific area. This wording provides an important distinction If the card that is creating a repeating effect is removed from
between other behaviors that can cause additional abilities to play, the effect can no longer repeat.
resolve (or not resolve). Several examples follow:
Cards with the text “trigger this effect again” will also repeat the
An effect can put a card into play, in which case the card “enters entire effect, including the text to trigger the effect again.
play,” but it has not been “played.”
Note: Repeating an effect does not interact with the Rule of Six
If an effect puts a card into your archives, the card has not been (see page 21) as the Rule of Six only applies to playing or using
”archived.” cards, not triggering (or resolving) their effect multiple times.

If an effect puts a card into your discard pile, the card has not See also “Preceding.”
been “discarded.”

Glossary
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 20
REPLACEMENT EFFECTS Example: Aaron plays the card Anger 001, that reads “Play:
Some abilities completely replace the resolution of another Ready and fight with a friendly creature.”, and chooses his
effect or game step. These abilities are referred to as friendly Snufflegator 358 to resolve the ability on. However, the
“Replacement Effects” and can be identified by use of the Snufflegator is already ready, so Aaron ignores that part of the
word “instead.” A replacement effect specifies what part of an ability and just uses his friendly Snufflegator to fight.
effect or game step it is replacing. When that effect (or part of
an effect) or game step would occur, it does not occur and the
replacement effect happens in its place. RESTRICTIONS
Many abilities include specific instructions that limit when or how
If a replacement effect causes something that is tagged for a card may be played or used.
destruction to not be destroyed, this replacement effect does not
resolve until the card would be put into the discard pile. When If a card includes one or more play restrictions, the card cannot
the card would be put into the discard pile, instead of putting be played unless all play restrictions are met.
the card into the discard pile, remove the destroyed tag and
complete the instructions of the destruction replacement effect. If a card includes multiple different restrictions on how it can be
used, all such restrictions must be observed.
If no effect is specified by the replacement effect, it refers to
another part of the same effect the replacement effect is a part of. If two restrictions are limiting the exact same effect or game
step, the more restrictive of the two applies.
Example: Aaron plays Dimension Door, and then reaps with a
creature. Normally Aaron would gain 1  from reaping with the Related Topics: Ability, Card Ability, Cannot, Playing Cards,
creature. However, the Dimension Door has set up a replacement Replacement Effects
effect that replaces the gaining of an Æmber from reaping with
stealing an Æmber, so Aaron steals 1  instead.
RETURN
Example: Katherine has a Commander Remiel with an When captured Æmber is returned, it is placed in the opponent’s
Armageddon Cloak attached to it, and her opponent Æmber pool.
plays Gateway to Dis, destroying each creature in play. The
destroyed effect given to Remiel by the Armageddon Cloak Related Topic: Capture
is a replacement effect that is replacing the destruction of the
creature. This destruction is being replaced with healing the
creature fully and destroying the Armageddon Cloak instead. RULE OF SIX
This causes the destroyed tag to be removed from Commander Occasionally, a situation may emerge in which, through a
Remiel and be given to the Armageddon Cloak. combination of abilities, the same card may be played or used
repeatedly during the same turn. A player cannot play and/or
Example: Jamie plays Ronnie Wristclocks while her opponent use the same card and/or other copies of that card (by name)
has 7. Normally, Ronnie Wristclocks’s play effect steals 1
 from more than six times during a given turn.
her opponent, but since Jamie’s opponent has 7 or more Æmber,
the replacement effect kicks in and replaces stealing 1 with
 instead.
stealing 2 SACRIFICE
When a player is instructed to sacrifice a card, that player must
discard that card from play.
RESOLVE ABILITIES IN THE ORDER WRITTEN
While resolving the text of a card ability, fulfill the instructions of When a card is sacrificed, that card is considered to have been
that ability in the order the text is written. This may be modified destroyed, and any “Destroyed:” abilities the card has resolve.
by replacement effects, including replacement effects which
appear later in the ability that is being resolved. A player cannot sacrifice a card they do not control.

Example: Hyde 167 has the text: “After Reap: Draw a card. If Related Topics: Control and Ownership, Destroyed
you control Velum, draw 2 cards instead.” The later text applies a
replacement effect for the earlier text, altering how it resolves.
SCRAP
However, all damage dealt by a card’s ability is dealt After the active player discards a card with a “Scrap:” ability
simultaneously regardless of where it appears in the ability’s text. from their hand, they resolve the card’s “Scrap:” ability. “Scrap:”
abilities can resolve in the discard pile.
Example: Mighty Lance 221 has the text: “Play: Deal 3 to a
creature and 3 to a neighbor of that creature.” That damage If multiple cards with “Scrap:” abilities are discarded
to both creatures is dealt simultaneously even though it appears simultaneously, the Scrap: abilities are resolved one at a time
twice in the ability’s text. after each card enters the discard pile, in the order of the active
player's choosing.

RESOLVE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN If an ability discards a card from a zone other than the active
While resolving a card ability, resolve as much of the ability as player’s hand, any “Scrap:”abilities on the card do not resolve.
can be resolved, and ignore any parts of the ability that cannot
be resolved.

Glossary
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 21
sEarCH is dealt simultaneously with the pending damage dealt by the
When a player searches a game area (such as a deck), that player fighting creature’s power. Creatures that are destroyed by splash-
looks at all the cards in the specified area without showing those attack damage are considered to have been destroyed in a fight
cards to the opponent. A player may choose to fail to find the as well as destroyed fighting the attacking creature.
object of a search.
If a creature with the splash-attack (X) keyword gains another
If an entire deck is searched, the deck must be adequately instance of the splash-attack (X) keyword, the two X values are
shuffled upon completion of the search. added together.

After a player searches a hidden game area for a card with

specified characteristics, they must reveal that card. sTEal
When an ability steals Æmber, the stolen Æmber is removed
While a game area (or a part of a game area) is being searched, from the opponent’s Æmber pool and added to the Æmber pool
the cards being searched are kept in the same order and are of the player resolving the steal ability.
considered to still be in that game area.
If an ability steals more Æmber than a player has remaining in
Related Topics: Deck, Discard Pile, Shuffle their pool, the ability steals only the amount remaining in the
pool.
sElF-rEFErENTIal TEXT Related Topic: Æmber
If a card’s ability refers to its own name, that reference is only to
itself and not to other copies of the card.
sTUN
If a card copies or gains the text of another card, any self- When a creature becomes stunned, place a stun
referential text now refers to the creature gaining the text. counter on it. While a creature is stunned, it cannot
fight, reap, or use Action: or Omni: abilities.
If an upgrade gives a creature an ability that refers to the
upgrade’s own name, that reference is considered self-referential Any time a stunned creature could normally be used, Stun
text. It refers only to that copy of the upgrade and not any other it can instead be used by exhausting it to remove its Counter
copies of the upgrade. stun status card.
If a creature gains an ability that refers to that creature’s own If a card effect would cause a stunned creature to fight, reap,
name, that reference is considered self-referential text. or use an Action: or Omni: ability, instead that creature is
exhausted and the stun counter is removed. This is considered
“using” that creature.
sHUFFlE
When a player is instructed to shuffle their deck, they must do so Constant abilities and abilities that do not require the creature to
in a manner that sufficiently randomizes the order of the cards in reap, fight, or be used are still active.
their deck so that the order of the cards in the deck cannot be
deduced. If a card effect would cause a stunned creature to be used for
any reason, instead that creature is exhausted and the stun
After shuffling, the player should offer their deck to the counter is removed. This is considered “using” that creature.
opponent to perform an additional shuffle and/or “cut”. To
perform a cut, the player divides the deck into two piles, then While a creature is stunned, it cannot have another stun counter
re-stacks the piles in any order to form a single deck. placed on it. If an effect attempts to stun a stunned creature that
effect does not stun the already stunned creature.

sKIrMIsH Note: The original Call of the Archons starter set used stunned
When a creature with the skirmish keyword is used to fight, it is cards instead of cardboard counters. These cards are used
not dealt any pending damage from the opposing creature. exactly like stunned status counters.

This applies only to damage that would be dealt by the Related Topic: Using Creatures
opposing creature’s power, not damage that is dealt by keywords
or other card abilities.
sWaP
If two game elements are swapped, they exchange places with
sPlasH one another. If there are not two eligible game elements, the
When an ability deals damage to a creature “with splash swap does not occur.
damage,” the splash damage is dealt to each of the chosen
creature’s neighbors. When two creatures in the same battleline are swapped, they
exchange positions. This means that each takes the position
in the battleline of the other. The two creatures swapped must
sPlasH-aTTaCK (X) always be controlled by the same player.
When a creature with the splash-attack (X) keyword is used to
If cards from two distinct game areas are swapped (such as a
fight, it deals pending damage equal to the splash-attack (X)
card in play and a card in hand), the cards switch game areas,
value to each of the opposing creature’s neighbors. This damage
maintaining the order of the cards in the game areas as required.

Glossary
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 22
SWAP CONTROL exhausted creature on a flank of your battleline. This facedown
When a card ability instructs players to swap control of cards, the card is considered to be a copy of the creature described on
cards exchange places with one another, and each player gains your token creature reference card.
control of the specified cards from their opponent. If there are
not two eligible cards to swap control, the swap does not occur. Token creatures can be used just like creatures and count as
creatures for the purposes of card abilities.
When two creatures in different battlelines swap control, they
each move to occupy the space of the other in the opposing You may look at the reverse side of token creatures you control. You
batteline. Any upgrades, tokens, and counters on the creatures cannot look at the reverse side of token creatures your opponent
remain on the creatures in their new positions. controls.

When a token creature leaves play, it reverts to its printed card

TAUNT type after it is moved to the appropriate out-of-play zone.
If a creature has the taunt keyword, any of its neighbors that do
If a player takes control of their opponent’s token creature, it
not have the taunt keyword cannot be chosen to be fought by
remains a token creature with the same name as when it was
an enemy creature that is being used to fight. In the battleline,
made; it does not change to the token creature of its new
taunt creatures are slid slightly forward to indicate their presence
controller.
to the opponent.
If you take control of an opponent’s card that makes token
Related Topics: Adjacent, Battleline, Fight, Neighbor
creatures, but your deck does not include a token creature
reference card, the “make a token creature” effect does nothing.
Likewise, if you take control of an opponent‘s card that refers
“THIS WAY” to a specifically named token creature, and your deck does not
If an ability refers to an effect that occurred “this way,” it is
contain that named token creature reference card, any ability
referring to an effect that was produced by the same resolution
that refers to named token creature does not resolve.
of that same ability.
Example: You play “Borrow” 213 to take control of your
Related Topic: Ability, Card Ability
opponent's Blorb Hive 121, which reads ”Omni: Destroy a
friendly creature. If you do, make 2 Blorbs. Then, if you control 10
or more Blorbs, destroy Blorb Hive and forge a key at no cost.”
TIDE Your deck does not contain a token creature reference card, so
The tide is a game state represented by the Tide reference card,
when you use Blorb Hive's Omni: ability, it destroys a friendly
which is included with some KeyForge decks. If one or more
creature, but it cannot make 2 Blorbs.
KeyForge decks used in a game include a Tide reference card,
then all players can interact with, and be affected by, the tide.

The tide reference card helps players track whether the tide is TRAITS
high or low for them, and to serve as a reminder that they have Traits are descriptive attributes (such as “Knight” or “Specter”)
access to the “Omni:” ability to raise the ride. that may be referenced by other cards. Traits are listed at the top
center of a card’s text box. Traits have no inherent game effect,
At the start of each game, the tide is neutral (neither high nor but may be referenced by card abilities.
low). When either player raises the tide, the tide becomes high
for them and low for their opponent. If the tide is already high
for a player, they cannot raise the tide. TREACHERY
When a card has the Treachery keyword, it enters play under the
During the active player’s turn, they may use the ability “Omni: control of your opponent.
Raise the tide. Gain 3 chains.” This ability is granted by the
game rules and not by a card ability. Unlike most “Omni:” Related Topics: Control and Ownership, Enters Play
abilities, this ability does not require a player to exhaust any
card. A player can use this ability any number of times in a turn.
TURN SEQUENCE
When a card effect instructs a player to raise the tide, they See “Turn Sequence” on page 5.
should rotate the Tide reference card such that the side labeled
“High Tide” is facing them and the side labeled “Low Tide” is
facing their opponent. UNFORGE
If a previously forged key is “unforged,” flip the key token to its
Card abilities that refer to the tide are indicated by this icon: . unforged side. The key no longer counts toward its controller’s
victory condition and must be forged again to win the game.

TOKEN CREATURES
Some KeyForge decks include a token creature reference card.
Such decks have the ability to make token creatures through
card abilities.

When a card ability instructs you to make a token creature, take

the top card of your deck and put it into play, facedown, as an

Glossary
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 23
UPGraDEs WarD
Upgrades are one of the basic card types in the game. When When a creature becomes warded, place a ward status
the active player plays an upgrade, it enters play attached to counter on it. If a creature with a ward counter on it
a creature chosen by the active player. Upgrades remain in would be damaged, destroyed, or leave play, instead
play from turn to turn and modify the cards to which they are discard each ward counter on it. (Note: This prevents
attached. the creature from being tagged for destruction.) Ward
Counter
If the card to which an upgrade is attached leaves play the While a creature has a ward counter on it, it cannot be
upgrade is discarded. If an upgrade cannot attach to a card in warded again.
play, the upgrade cannot enter play.
If an effect attempts to ward a warded creature, that effect does
An upgrade modifies the creature it is attached to and is not not ward the already warded creature. If a ward counter is placed
used independently of that creature. If an upgrade causes a on a creature after it has already been tagged for destruction,
creature to gain text such as an ability, traits, or keywords; that the ward counter will not prevent the creature from leaving play.
text is considered to be in the text box of the attached creature. However, it will prevent the creature from leaving play in other
ways, such as being returned to hand.

UsING arTIFaCTs Related Topic: Damage, Leaves Play

The active player may use ready artifacts they control during their
turn. When the active player uses an artifact, they exhaust the
card and then resolve its abilities. X
Sometimes X is used to specify a value that is defined by a card
The active player can only resolve an “Action:” ability if it is on a ability. Unless defined by a card ability, the value of X is equal to 0.
card that belongs to the active house.
Example: Picaroon has a power of X and the ability “X is the
The active player can resolve an “Omni:” ability even if it is on a combined power of Picaroon’s neighbors.” If your opponent
card that does not belong to the active house. plays Shadow of Dis, Picaroon will no longer have that ability, so
Picaroon’s power will be 0.
If an artifact has multiple “Action:” and/or “Omni:” abilities, only
one of them can be resolved each time the artifact is used.
ZoNEs oF Play
Some artifacts require that they be destroyed (or sacrificed) During a game, every card exists in one of several areas of the
as part of the resolution of their ability. When an artifact is play area known as zones of play. See the related topics for more
destroyed (or sacrificed), it is placed in its owner’s discard pile. information.
The active player must still exhaust such an artifact when using it.
Related Topics: In-Play Zone, Out-of-Play Zones
Artifacts cannot be used to reap or to fight.

UsING CrEaTUrEs
When the active player uses a creature, that player must exhaust
the creature, and the player has the option to reap, fight, resolve
the creature’s “Action:” ability, or resolve the creature’s “Omni:”
ability. Any card effect that causes a creature to fight, reap,
resolve its “Action:” ability, or to resolve it’s “Omni:” ability is
causing that creature to be used.

UsING CarDs VIa oTHEr CarD aBIlITIEs

If a card ability allows a player to play or use another card (or to
fight or to reap with a card), the chosen card may belong to any
house unless the ability specifically states otherwise.

When using a card via a card ability, all other restrictions and
requirements of using the card (such as exhausting to reap, fight,
or resolve its “Action:” ability) must be observed, or the card
cannot be used.

Players can only use cards they control, unless a card ability
specifically states otherwise.

VErsaTIlE
If a card has the Versatile keyword, it can be used as if it
belonged to the active house.

Glossary
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 24
ERRATA Collector Worm 162
Should read:
This section contains the official errata that have been made to
previously printed KeyForge cards or rules. Errata overrides the After Fight: Put the creature Collector Worm fights
previously printed information. into your archives. (Both creatures must survive the
fight.) If that creature leaves your archives, put it in its
owner’s hand instead.
GENERAL ERRATA
General errata are broad changes to the game rules and/or large Corner the Market 061
sections of the card pool. Should read:

Play: During your opponent's next turn, they cannot

Fight Abilities play cards, and each time they discard a card from
All abilities that begin with “Fight:” should read “After Fight:”. their hand, they may archive that card from their
This does not change the timing of when such abilities resolve. discard pile.
The errata has been made for clarity about the proper timing.
Curse of Forgetfulness A14
Reap Abilities Should read:
All abilities that begin with “Reap:” should read “After Reap:”.
This does not change the timing of when such abilities resolve. Treachery. (This card enters play under your
The errata has been made for clarity about the proper timing. opponent's control.)

At the end of your turn, purge the top card in your

discard pile.
CARD-SPECIFIC ERRATA
The following errata applies to specific KeyForge cards. Note
that many times cards are reprinted in later sets, and in such Custom Virus 183
cases, the cards are printed in their updated state. Should read:

Omni: Destroy Custom Virus. You may purge a

Auto-Legionary 214 creature from your hand. If you do, destroy each
Should read: creature that shares a trait with the purged creature.

Action: Put Auto-Legionary on a flank of your

battleline. While in the battleline, it is considered Drummernaut 006
a creature with 5 power and may be used as if it Should read:
belonged to the active house.
Play/After Fight/After Reap: Return another friendly
Giant creature to your hand.
Bait and Switch 267
Should read:
Duskwitch 320
Play: If your opponent has more  than you, steal Should read:
. Repeat the preceding effect if your opponent
1
still has more  than you. Omega. Elusive.
Your creatures enter play ready.

Biomatrix Backup 208

Ecto-Charge 146
Should read:
Should read:
This creature gains,”Destroyed: Put this creature into
its owner’s archives.” Play: Forge a key at +20  current cost, reduced by
 for each card in your discard pile (to a minimum
1
of 6). If you do, purge Ecto-Charge.
Cauldron 356
Should read:
Experimental Therapy 157
Omni: Put the top card of your deck faceup under Should read:
Cauldron. If there are 3 or more cards under
Cauldron, play them one at a time as if they were in This creature may be used as if it belonged to the
your hand. active house.

Play: Stun and exhaust this creature.

Glossary
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 25
Glimmerspore 190 Pain Reaction 78
Should read: Should read:

Play: Put an artifact from play into your archives. If Play: Deal 2 to an enemy creature. If this damage
you are not the owner of that card and it leaves your destroys that creature, deal 2 to each of that
archives, put it into its owner’s hand instead. creature’s neighbors after it leaves play.

Incubation Chamber 186 Scoop Up 163

Should read: Should read:

Omni: You may reveal a Mars creature from your Play: Put a friendly non-Mars creature and an enemy
hand. If you do, archive it. non-Mars creature into your archives. If either card
leaves your archives and you are not the owner of it,
put it into its owner’s hand instead.
Into the Warp260
Should read: Shrink-ray Technician 215
Play: Each player discards the top card of their deck. Should read:
Destroy each creature that shares a house with at
least one of the discarded cards. After Reap: Choose an enemy creature. It gets –2
power until the end of the turn.

Keyforgery 271 Scrap: Choose the most powerful enemy creature.

Until the end of the turn, that creature is considered
Should read: to have 1 power and 0 armor.
When your opponent would forge a key on their
turn, that player names a house. Reveal a random Space Invaders 157
card from your hand. If that card is not of the named
house, destroy Keyforgery and they do not forge that Should read:
key (no  is spent).
Play: Reveal any number of creatures from your
hand. Make each creature revealed this way a token
Library Access 115 creature as if the card was on top of your deck.

Should read:
Tendrils of Pain 64
Play: For the remainder of the turn, each time you
play another card, draw a card. Purge Library Access. Should read:

Play: Deal 1 to each creature. Deal 4 to each

Life for a Life 273 creature instead if your opponent forged a key on
their previous turn.
Should read:

Play: Destroy a friendly creature. If you do, deal 6 Yipyax Abductor 201
to a creature.
Should read:

Magda the Rat 303 Play/After Fight: Put an upgrade from play into your
archives. If you are not the owner of that card and
Should read: it leaves your archives, put it into its owner’s hand
instead.
Elusive.

. If Magda the Rat leaves play, your

Play: Steal 2 Yzphyz Knowdrone 210
opponent steals 2 .
Should read:

Offering to Kiligog 360 Play: Archive a card. You may purge an archived card.
If you do, stun a creature.
The second “Omni:” ability should read:

Omni: Make each card under Offering to Killigog a

token creature as if the card was on top of your deck.

Glossary
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 26
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS My opponent has 2 cards in their archives and I play Yzphyz
Knowdrone 210. Can I purge a card from their archives?
The following sections provide answers to frequently asked If one of the cards in their archive is my own and I can tell
questions (FAQ) about the game. These questions are presented because of the card back, can I intentionally choose the card I
in a “Question and Answer” format and are divided into two own/the card I don’t own?
groups: general questions about the rules, and card-specific
questions. Yes, you can purge a card from any player’s archives. No, you
may not decide which card to purge from your opponent’s
archives based on card backs. Your opponent’s archive is fully
hidden information, so when you purge a card from their
GENERAL FAQ archives you must choose which card randomly.
The following questions are about the general rules of KeyForge.
Even though these questions may refer to specific cards Armor
as examples, the answers apply to all situations that fit the
description of the question. I have Shadow Self 310 with Raiding Knight 255 as a
neighbor. My Raiding Knight is then attacked by a 4 power
creature. How much damage does each creature take in this
0-Power Creatures situation?
I play King of the Crag 038 while my opponent has Looter
In this case, the Shadow Self will take 2 damage, the Raiding
Goblin 041 in play. What happens?
Knight will take no damage, and the 4 power creature will take
The rules for damage state that “If a creature has as much or 4 damage and be destroyed. This happens because before
more damage on it as it has power, the creature is destroyed and the damage can be dealt to the Raiding Knight, two of it is
placed on top of its owner’s discard pile.” When a creature has 0 prevented by its armor. Then when the damage is actually being
power, if it has 0 damage on it, it is destroyed. dealt, the damage that would be dealt to the Raiding Knight
is dealt to the Shadow Self instead. At the same time as the
Shadow Self is being dealt damage, the 4 power creature takes
Alpha 4 damage from the Raiding Knight’s power.
Can I play Mimicry 328 as a copy of Eureka 128 if I have
I use my Hallowed Shield 218 to protect my Maruck the
already played another card this turn?
Marked 220 from damage and then I attack my opponent’s
No. If Mimicry is played as a copy of Eureka, it will have the 3-power creature. Do I capture an Æmber with Maruck’s ability?
alpha keyword. Since you have already played another card this
No. Protection effects like Hallowed Shield prevent damage
turn, you are not able to play an alpha card this turn and so the
before armor. Maruck still has 1 armor left after the fight.
Mimicry will not be played and will go back to your hand instead.

Can I play Mimicry 328 as a copy of Eureka 128 as the first “As If It Were”
thing I do during step 3 of my turn?
I reap with Nexus 305, which allows me to use an opponent’s
Yes. Mimicry is being played as a copy of Eureka and will have artifact “as if it were” mine. I choose to use my opponent’s
the alpha keyword. Since you haven’t done anything else (played Shard of Greed 315, which lets me gain 1  “for each friendly
a card, discarded a card, or used a card) this turn you can still Shard.” Shard of Greed is the only Shard in play. How much
play the alpha card. Æmber do I gain?

. You are using Shard of Greed as if it were yours, so Shard of

1
Archives Greed counts itself as a friendly Shard for the purposes of its ability.
My opponent puts two of my creatures into their archives using
I reap with Replicator 150, and use its ability to trigger the
Sample Collection 175. On my next turn I play Dysania 141.
reap effect of my opponent’s Sequis 257 as if I controlled it.
What happens?
Which player’s pool does Sequis capture Æmber from?
Playing the Dysania will cause each of your opponent’s archived
Sequis captures 1 from your opponent’s pool. You are using
cards to be discarded, however since the Sample Collection
Sequis as if you controlled it, so the default capture rules cause
states that when these creatures leave the archives they are put
the Æmber to be captured from your opponent’s pool.
into their owner’s hand instead these cards are returned to your
hand. Since these cards were not discarded by Dysania’s effect,
you will not gain any Æmber from the resolution of that effect.

General FAQ
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 27
Before Fight If I use the Action: ability on Fission Bloom 087 and then use
the After Fight/After Reap: ability on Ultra Gravitron 125 to
What happens if I use a creature with both assault and a
purge an enemy creature and resolve each of its bonus icons,
“Before Fight:” ability?
do I get to resolve all its icons twice?
If a creature has multiple abilities or keywords that resolve in
Yes. Ultra Gravitron’s “as if you had played” text is intended to
the “before fight” window (including “Before Fight:,” assault X
trigger all card effects like Fission Bloom’s “The next time you
and hazardous X), and that creature is used to fight, all abilities
play a card this turn.”
in the “before fight” window must resolve before the fight
proceeds, even if the attacked creature is destroyed by “before My opponent has Master of the Grey 169 in play. If I use the
fight” abilities. The effects are resolved in the order of the active Action: ability on Ensign El-Samra 340, does the constant
player’s choosing. ability of Master of the Grey prevent the bonus icons from
resolving or is the “as if you had played it” enough to get
Bonus Icons around Master of the Grey’s ability to stop it?

If I play Maleficorn 040 that also has a damage icon on it, The constant ability of Master of the Grey prevents any bonus
does its damage icon deal a bonus damage? icons from resolving on the card revealed by Ensign El-Samra’s
ability.
Yes. Creatures are already in play before their bonus icons
trigger, so in this case Maleficorn’s constant ability would be I have Scrivener Favian 155 and Amphora Captura 215
online before you deal damage with its bonus icons. in play. Can I use Amphora Captura’s replacement effect to
resolve a bonus icon as a capture, and then use Scrivener
If I play Bonesaw 002 enhanced with a damage bonus icon Favian’s replacement effect to resolve that as a steal?
that I use to destroy a friendly creature, will Bonesaw enter play
ready? Yes. Both of these replacement effects happen in the same
window, so the active player chooses the order of their
No. Because Bonesaw is already in play before you resolve its resolution. You may choose to first treat the bonus icon as a
icons, it will have already entered play exhausted. capture bonus icon, and then replace that with a steal.
When I play Wild Bounty 392, is “bonus icons” referring to all
the icons on a card, or just the icons added to that card by the Chains
enhance keyword?
I have 2 chains and 7 cards in hand when moving to my draw
All icons. Even Æmber icons that always appears on a card are cards step. Will I shed a chain during this step?
considered bonus icons.
No, you will not shed a chain during this draw cards step. Chains
If I play Shoulder Id 257 with a bonus damage icon on it, are only shed when a player would draw cards during the draw
does resolving that damage count as Shoulder Id dealing the step and the chains prevent them from doing so (see “Chains”
damage, and therefore would that icon let me steal instead? on Page 10). Since you already have 7 cards in your hand, you
aren’t going to be drawing any cards, and thus don’t lose any of
No. Although the bonus icon is on Shoulder Id, Shoulder Id itself your chains.
is not the source of that damage.
I have 2 chains and 5 cards in hand when moving to my draw
If I play Rad Penny 255 with a damage bonus icon on it while cards step. Will I shed a chain during this step?
no other creatures are in play, will that damage destroy Rad
?
Penny before its Play: effect lets me steal 1 Yes, you will shed a chain during this step. Chains are only shed
when a player would draw cards during the draw step and the
Yes. Rad Penny will leave play before its Play: effect has a chance chains prevent them from doing so (see “Chains” on Page 8). You
to resolve. only have 5 cards in hand, and normally you would draw a card to
refill your hand. However because of the chains you are prevented
If I play Rad Penny 255 with a damage bonus icon and a draw from drawing that card. Since you would normally have drawn the
icon on it while no other creatures are in play, will the damage card and the chain prevented it, you then shed 1 chain.
destroy Rad Penny before I can resolve its draw icon?

No, the draw icon will still resolve. Once a card has been played, Control of Cards
all bonus icons on that card will resolve, even if the card leaves My opponent plays Collar of Subordination 105 to take
play. control of a creature in my battleline. On my turn, I play
Hypnobeam 101 to take control of the creature back. How do
If I play a card with two bonus damage icons and my opponent these two control effects resolve?
has a 1 power creature with a ward counter, can I destroy that
creature? Hypnobeam’s lasting effect acts as a constant ability while it
is in effect. As it is the most recently played effect, it takes
Yes. Each damage icon resolves separately, so the first damage precedence and the creature will remain under your control.
icon can remove the ward counter, and the second damage icon
can then damage the creature.

General FAQ
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 28
Creatures Played as Upgrades I have Stealer of Souls 098 in play and my opponent has Valdr
029. I use Stealer of Souls to fight Valdr and both creatures
Can I play Explo-rover 297 as an upgrade if my opponent
are destroyed. Does the Stealer of Souls’ ability resolve?
sacrificed Lifeward 077 on a previous turn?
No. In order for Stealer of Souls’ ability to resolve, it must be in
If I have Matter Maker 349 in play, can I play Explo-rover
play; if both Stealer of Souls and the creature it is fighting are
297 as an upgrade when Star Alliance is not my active house?
destroyed, they are destroyed (and leave play) simultaneously
If my opponent has Kaupe 341 in play, and I've already and Stealer of Souls’ ability will not resolve (see “Destroyed” on
played a creature, can I still play Explo-rover 297 as an Page 10).
upgrade?
If Duma the Martyr 242 and another of my creatures are both
Yes to all three. Explo-rover’s ability allows it to be played as an destroyed by a damage effect like Poison Wave 280, can
upgrade anytime an upgrade could be played. Duma the Martyr save my other creature from destruction?

If I play Exhume 059 and choose an Explo-rover 297 in my No. If the damage causes Duma the Martyr and your other
discard pile, can I play it as an upgrade, or must I play it as a creature to both be tagged for destruction, healing that creature
creature? afterwards will not prevent its destruction.

You can play Explo-rover as either an upgrade or a creature with If I have out Tolas 103 when my Bad Penny 296 is
Exhume. When Exhume specifies “creature” in your discard pile, destroyed, do I gain Æmber even if Bad Penny goes to my hand
this is a restriction on which card in your discard pile you can instead of my discard pile?
choose, but not a requirement that card must remain a creature
Yes. Cards still count as being destroyed even if their
as you play it.
“Destroyed:” effect moves them out of play.
If Explo-rover is in my discard pile, can I use Dr. Verokter‘s
If my Jargogle 131 is destroyed on my turn and its
008 “After Reap:” ability to put Explo-rover on top of my
“Destroyed:” ability lets me play a card with Omega, can I still
deck?
play cards afterwards?
No. Explo-rover is a creature when it is in any out-of-play zone,
Not usually. If Jargogle was destroyed during your Step 3 you
including your discard pile. Dr. Verokter‘s ability only affects
may not play or use any more cards—just finish resolving any
upgrades and action cards in your discard pile.
more triggered effects and then move on to the next step.
If Jargogle was destroyed during your Step 1, however (for
Damage, Source of example, because you forged a key while Strange Gizmo 134
was out), you only move on to Step 2, where you may then
Can Rock Hurling Giant’s 44 ability deal damage to Ardent
choose your house and move on to Step 3, where you are
Hero 126?
allowed to play and use cards again as normal.
No. Because Rock Hurling Giant has 6 power, it cannot deal
If I have a 2-power creature with Soulkeeper 83 attached. My
damage to Ardent Hero from its power or from its printed
opponent has a 6-power creature and a 5-power creature, and
abilities. In general, the source of damage is the card that is
I play Opal Knight 260, are both of my opponent’s creatures
dealing that damage, with the exception of damage bonus
destroyed, or just the 6-power one?
icons, because that damage is done by a game step.
Just the 6-Power creature will be destroyed. Soulkeeper’s
“Destroyed:” Effects “Destroyed:” ability resolves before the creatures that are
tagged for destruction leave play, so it will try to tag the 6-power
On my opponent’s turn they use their Yxilo Bolter 204 to reap creature for destruction even though it has already been tagged.
and choose to resolve its “After Fight/After Reap:” effect on
my Bad Penny 296. Is the Bad Penny purged or does it end I have Optio Gorkus 226 in play upgraded with Imperial
up back in my hand? Scutum 185. Then I play a card that destroys all creatures.
Can I use the “Destroyed:” effect on Optio Gorkus’s neighbors
The Bad Penny goes back to your hand. “Destroyed:” effects to move all Æmber on them to Optio Gorkus before I use the
(see “Destroyed” on Page 12) happen immediately before a “Destroyed:” effect granted by Imperial Scutum to return all
creature is destroyed, meaning that Bad Penny is back in its that Æmber to the common supply, keeping the Æmber out of
owner’s hand before the Yxilo Bolter can try to purge it with its my opponent’s hands?
reap effect. At that point, any pending effects waiting to resolve
on Bad Penny no longer do. This is because Bad Penny is moving Yes. The active player chooses the order of “Destroyed:”
to an out-of-play zone in which the identity of cards is hidden effects. If the creatures are being destroyed on your turn, you
from the opponent (see “Leaves Play” on Page 16). can send the Æmber from your destroyed creatures to the
common supply, but if the creature are being destroyed on your
opponent’s turn, they could choose the opposite order so that
they get the Æmber from those destroyed creatures instead.

General FAQ
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 29
Elusive First Turn Rule
If I use Gabos Longarms 86 to attack a creature without It's the first turn of the game and I am going first. I choose
elusive, can I use Gabos’s “Before Fight” ability to deal damage Logos to be the active house and play Phase Shift 117. Does
to an elusive creature instead, or will the elusive keyword this allow me to play another card this turn even though the
prevent the damage? First Turn Rule (see page 5) is in effect?

Gabos Longarms can deal damage to an elusive creature using Playing Phase Shift will allow you to play another card from your
its ability. The elusive ability prevents damage only when the hand this turn, since the First Turn Rule can be modified by card
creature is attacked—because Gabos is not actually attacking the effects.
elusive creature, the elusive keyword will not protect it.
It's the first turn of the game and I am going first. I choose
My Gabos Longarms 86 attacks my opponent’s Æmber Imp Logos to be the active house and play Wild Wormhole 125.
53. Is Gabos Longarms’ damage prevented by elusive, or can Can Wild Wormhole’s effect be resolved even though the First
I deal that damage to another creature? Turn Rule (see page 5) is in effect?

You may still deal Gabos Longarms’ damage to another creature. Yes, Wild Wormhole’s effect can be resolved.
Elusive only prevents damage dealt to the creature with the
elusive ability during the fight.
Flank
If I attack a creature that has both hazardous and elusive, and What happens if I use Spectral Tunneler 133 on a non-flank
the hazardous destroys my creature that was attacking, has creature (causing it to be considered a flank creature), then play
elusive been turned off, or is it still in effect for a future attack? Positron Bolt 118 on that creature?
Elusive applies the first time a creature with elusive is chosen to Positron Bolt will deal 3 damage to that creature. You will choose
be attacked by the active player. Even if the fight itself doesn’t one of that creature’s neighbors to deal 2 damage to, and then
happen, the creature was still chosen to be fought, so elusive will deal 1 damage to the other neighbor of that second creature.
not be in effect for a future attack.
If I have Sinestra 047 and Dexus 054 both out and my
I attack my opponent’s Culf the Quiet 020 with a Niffle  the first time
opponent has no creatures out. Do they lose 2
Ape 363, ignoring the elusive and dealing 3 damage and they play a creature?
destroying the Niffle Ape. If I attack Culf the Quiet again with
another creature, will elusive prevent damage for that second Yes. The first creature they play will be on both their left flank
fight? and their right flank, so both Dexus and Sinestra’s abilities will
resolve.
No. Elusive applies the first time a creature with elusive is chosen
to be attacked by the active player.
“For Each”
In my battleline I have a creature that has been upgraded with I play Sack of Coins 312 with 3
 in my pool. Can I divide the
Siren Horn 212 and has 1  on it. My opponent has Boss 3 among multiple creatures?
Zarek 264 and another creature in their battleline. I use my
upgraded creature to fight my opponent’s non-elusive creature. Yes. Because Sack of Coins deals 1 damage “for each” Æmber in
I resolve the “Before Fight:” ability granted by Siren Horn and your pool, each point of damage may be assigned to a different
move the 1  to my opponent’s creature. Does the creature creature.
gain elusive from Boss Zarek’s ability in time for it to prevent
the damage of the fight?
House
Yes. The elusive keyword resolves while setting the pending If I play Orator Hissaro 205 and ready and exalt its neighbors,
damage during a fight (damage exchanged via the creature’s do the neighbors belong to house Saurian and their printed
power), which is after the “Before Fight:” ability of Siren Horn house? What happens if one of those cards is upgraded with
resolves. Academy Training 161?

Enrage Unless otherwise specified, if an ability modifies the house of a

card, the card belongs only to the house specified in the ability.
If I play Ghosthawk 356 next to an enraged creature, can that In this case, the neighbors of Orator Hissaro are considered to
creature reap? belong to only House Saurian for the remainder of the turn.
If one of the neighbors is upgraded with Academy Training,
Yes. You are only forced to fight with an enraged creature if the most recent effect (making the neighbor belong to House
you use them and they are able to fight. Because Ghosthawk Saurian) takes precedence. At the end of the turn, the upgraded
instructs you to reap with that creature, not to use it, you are neighbor will belong only to House Logos.
not able to fight with it, and therefore you can reap with it. The
creature will exhaust, but will not lose its enrage counter.
Leaves Play
In my play area, I control Spangler Box 132 that has purged
my own Kelifi Dragon 037. Spangler Box is returned to its
owner's hand with Grasping Vines 324, but I don't have

General FAQ
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 30
any Æmber in my pool. Does my Kelifi Dragon return to my My opponent has Duskwitch 320 in their battleline. I play
battleline? Cyber-Clone 102, and purge the Duskwitch. Does the Omega
keyword from Duskwitch resolve ending my Step 3?
Yes. Kelifi Dragon is not being played when it is returned by
Spangler Box’s ability, it is being put into play, which bypasses No. Cyber-Clone’s ability causes Cyber-Clone to gain the Omega
normal play restrictions. Kelifi Dragon will return to play no keyword after Cyber-Clone has entered play, so the Omega
matter how much Æmber is in your pool. keyword will not resolve.

My Scowly Caper 313 is under my opponent’s control and is My opponent has Chronophage 017 in play, with 2 damage
purged by Spangler Box 132. If Spangler Box is destroyed on it. I play a creature that has a damage bonus icon on it, and
and Scowly Caper is returned to play, whose control is it under? apply the damage to my opponent’s Chronophage. Did my
creature still gain the Omega keyword, meaning I end the step,
Scowly Caper’s ability causes Scowly Caper to enter play under or was Chronophage moved out of play before its ability could
the control of your opponent. This happens any time Scowly resolve on my creature, meaning I can continue to play and/or
Caper enters play regardless if Scowly Caper is played, “put into use cards in the current step?
play,” or returned to play.
The creature that was played gained the Omega keyword as it
 on it. My opponent
In my battleline I have a creature with 2 entered play, so the Omega keyword will resolve as if it were on
has Magda the Rat 303 in their battleline. Neither of us has the card when the card was played.
any Æmber in our pools. If I play a Gateway to Dis, does the
Æmber on my creature go to the opponent’s pool before the

lasting effect of Madga the Rat that allows me to steal 2 Replacement Effects
resolve? I play Nerve Blast 276 while my opponent has 2  in their
pool and controls a Po’s Pixies 362. Am I able to deal 2
Yes. All counters and tokens (including Æmber) are removed damage with Nerve Blast’s effect?
from cards as they leave play. Magda the Rat’s lasting effect
resolves after Magda the Rat leaves play. Yes. Po’s Pixies has a replacement effect that changes where the
stolen Æmber is taken from (the common supply instead of its
controller’s pool). However, that Æmber is still considered to be
Moving Creatures
“stolen,” and therefore the “if you do” condition of Nerve Blast
When an effect allows you to move a creature in the battleline has been satisfied.
are you required to move it to a different position?
My opponent has Sir Marrows 223 in play. If I play Dimension
No. If an effect instructs a player to move a creature anywhere in Door 108 and then reap with a creature, does Sir Marrows
the battleline, the creature may move anywhere in the battleline, capture the Æmber from the creature reaping?
including where the creature is currently. If an effect instructs a
player to move a creature to a flank and the creature is already No, in this case the effect of gaining the Æmber from reaping
on a flank, then the creature can remain on that flank or move to is being replaced by stealing Æmber from your opponent. This
the opposite flank. means that you aren’t getting Æmber directly from the reap and
your opponent’s Sir Marrows will not be able to capture it.
What happens if I use Replicator 150 to trigger the reap
effect of an opponent’s Sanctum Guardian 256? I have a creature in play upgraded with Discombobulator 149.
My opponent has Gargantodon 203 in play. What happens
Sanctum Guardian’s reap effect will do nothing. A creature when my opponent tries to steal Æmber from my pool?
cannot be moved from one player’s battleline to the other
player’s battleline except by effects that explicitly change control Nothing. Discombobulator’s ability says that your Æmber cannot
of that creature. be stolen, which means there will be nothing for Gargantodon’s
replacement effect to replace. Your opponent’s steal effect will
fail to resolve.
Omega
My opponent has Autocannon 019 in play and I play I have Po’s Pixies 362 and my opponent has two copies of
Duskwitch 320. Can I resolve the effects in such a way that Sir Marrows 223. I reap with Po’s Poxies. Do both of the Sir
Duskwitch’s Omega keyword does not resolve? Marrows capture Æmber from the common supply?

No. Omega’s lasting effect is established as Duskwitch enters Yes. Each copy of Sir Marrows resolves after you gain Æmber
play, meaning the active player cannot play, use, or discard any from reaping, and both will try to capture it. Normally only
more cards for the remainder of the step except through the one of them would be able to successfully capture it, however,
resolution of pending abilities and effects. because Po’s Pixies replaces the capture attempt with a capture
from the common supply, when the second Sir Marrows attempts
The resolution of Autocannon’s ability in the “after a card is to capture the same specific Æmber, it is still available. Therefore
played” window will result in Duskwitch being destroyed, but the both of the Sir Marrows will attempt to capture the same Æmber,
lasting effect from Omega is already established and the step one by one, and each attempt will be replaced with a capture
will still end once pending abilities and effects complete their from the common supply.
resolution.

General FAQ
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 31
Resolve Abilities in the Order Written Rule of Six
My opponent has Witch of the Eye 368 next to Shadow Self If I play Mimicry 328 as a copy of an action card in my
310 upgraded with Phoenix Heart 051 in their battleline. I opponent’s discard pile, which card does the Rule of Six apply
attack and destroy Shadow Self. Will Witch of the Eye survive to?
due to Shadow Self taking the Phoenix Heart damage or does
Shadow Self return to hand before damage from Phoenix Heart For the purposes of the Rule of Six, you are considered to have
is dealt? played the copied card.

Resolve the ability in the order the text is written. When the If I play Mimic Gel 170 as a copy of a creature in play, which
“Destroyed:” ability granted by Phoenix Heart resolves, it puts card does the Rule of Six apply to?
Shadow Self in its owner’s hand and then deals the damage to
each creature still in play. For the purposes of the Rule of Six, you are considered to have
played the copied card.

Resolve As Much As You Can I have two copies of Nirbor Flamewing 020, one in play,
and one in my discard pile. Can I resolve the ability on one in
My opponent has Banner of Battle 020 in play. Can I play
my discard pile, choose the one in play to be destroyed, then
Poltergeist 069 to destroy the Banner of Battle, even if the
repeat this process indefinitely? Will this be limited by the rule
artifact can’t be used?
of six?
Yes, you can resolve the effect of Poltergeist on any artifact in
The timing of Nirbor Flamewing’s ability does allow you to
play even if the artifact cannot be used. You just resolve as much
repeat this loop if you have two copies. It is not limited by the
of the card effect as you can (see “Resolve As Much As You Can”
rule of six because the rule of six only applies to playing cards
on Page 20), and to resolve this situation you just destroy the
and using cards, not resolving abilities on cards.
artifact.

I have no creatures in play and my opponent has two. Can I Self-Referential Text
play Lost in the Woods 327 even though I don’t have two
creatures in play? I have two copies of Sensor Chief Garcia 313 in play, one of
which is upgraded with Garcia’s Blaster 347. Can I reap with
Yes you can. The “Resolve As Much As You Can” rule (see Page the Sensor Chief Garcia that has the Blaster, then attach the
20) says that you resolve as much of a card effect as possible and Blaster to the other Garcia so I can resolve the Blaster‘s steal
any part of a card you cannot resolve is ignored. In the context 1 ability?
of Lost in the Woods, it means that you shuffle in as many of the
creatures as you can. So in the case that your opponent has two No. When a card ability refers to its own name, that reference
or more creatures in their battleline and you have none, you will is only to itself and not to other copies of the card. This also
shuffle in two enemy creatures and no friendly creatures. applies to abilities that are gained from other cards. When
Sensor Chief Garcia has Garcia’s Blaster attached to it, it is
 in my pool and my opponent has 6
I have 4 . If I play gaining an ability from the Blaster. Since that gained ability refers
Crassosaurus 217, am I forced to capture 10  onto to ”Sensor Chief Garcia” it is self-referential text and only applies
Crassosaurus, or can I choose not to capture from myself and to itself, not to other copies of the card.
let Crassosaurus get purged?
How does Creed of Nurture 386 work when it is used to copy
Resolve as much as you can. In this case, if there is a total of the ability of a creature with self-referential text in its ability?
 in all players’ pools when you play Crassosaurus, you must
10
capture 10 onto Crassosaurus. Any self-referential text will refer to the creature gaining the text.
For example, if you use Creed of Nurture to give Shorty’s 013
ability to Ghosthawk 356, Ghosthawk gains an ”After Reap:”
Restrictions ability that says “Enrage Ghosthawk.”
In my battleline I have Tantadlin 333 in play, as well as Creed
Is the “Destroyed:” ability a creature gains when it is upgraded
of Nurture 386. If I sacrifice Creed of Nurture and reveal
with Armageddon Cloak 263, which refers to Armageddon
Terrordactyl 211, when I use Tantadlin to fight, will it do 2
Cloak itself, considered self-referential text?
damage (as Tantadlin says), 4 damage (as Terrordactyl says),
or 6 damage (combining the damage of both Tantadlin and If an upgrade gives the attached creature an ability that refers to
Terrordactyl)? the upgrade by name, the reference is only to that copy of the
upgrade.
2 damage. If two conflicting restrictions apply to the same card,
follow the more restrictive of the two.

General FAQ
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 32
Stun If a card like Gateway to Dis 59 destroys multiple creatures
and Tolas 103 is one of those creatures, does anyone gain
I have a stunned creature in my battleline, play the card
Æmber off of Tolas’ ability?
Anger 001, and choose to resolve its effect on that stunned
creature. What happens? No. Tolas’ ability does not trigger until cards are actually put into
discard piles, at which point Tolas is already destroyed.
If a card (such as Anger) allows you to use a creature, and that
creature is stunned, remove the stun instead of doing anything I have Pingle Who Annoys 43 and my opponent plays King
else. of the Crag 38. Will King of the Crag take a damage before
Pingle is destroyed?
I play Smaaash 046, but each of my opponent’s creatures
is already stunned. Do I have to resolve the effect against No. Because King of the Crag’s ability is a constant, its effect
Smaaash itself? applies as long as it’s in play and destroys Pingle before Pingle’s
“after it enters play” effect can trigger.
No. You may still choose to resolve Smaaash’s “Play:” effect against
one of your opponent’s creatures, however you cannot put a stun I reap with Nexus 305 and resolve its “After Reap:” ability
counter on an already stunned creature so nothing will happen. to use my opponent’s Spectral Tunneler 133 to give Nexus
the ability “After Reap: Draw a card.” Will that “After Reap:”
What effects allow you to unstun an off-house creature?
ability resolve?
You can unstun a creature anytime it could normally be used,
Yes. You are still in the timing window to resolve any “After
whether because it belongs to the Active house or because a
Reap:” abilities after Nexus has reaped, so the “After Reap:”
card effect allows you to use it.
ability gained from Spectral Tunneller will resolve.
I have a stunned Saurian Egg 210 in play. I have chosen a
My opponent has 10 Æmber and is about to forge their second
non-Saurian house this turn. Can I use Saurian Egg's “Omni:”
key. I play Interdimensional Graft 112. My opponent has
ability to remove the stun?
Forgemaster Og 38 in play. On their turn they forge a key for
Yes, an “Omni:” ability lets you use the creature outside of the 6 Æmber. What happens to their remaining 4 Æmber?
active house, which will allow you to remove the stun from the
The effect of Interdimensional Graft and Forgemaster Og both
creature.
occur at the same time step (after the key is forged), so the
active player (your opponent) chooses which to resolve first.
“This Way”
When does the ability of the Encounter Suit 330 resolve?
If I resolve the “Action:” on Obsidian Forge 025 and choose
to destroy a warded creature, will that creature reduce the cost Encounter Suit’s ability occurs after an action card is played and
to forge that key? its bonus icons are resolved, at the same timing point as other
effects that occur “after” an action card is played. However,
No. If they are not “destroyed this way” they do not reduce the the active player must resolve Encounter Suit’s effect before
key cost. resolving the “Play:” effect on that action card.
If I use Saurian Egg (MM 210)’s “Omni:” ability and both the If I have Siren Horn 212 on a creature with Assault 2, and I
cards revealed are Saurian creatures, do they both come into attack an enemy creature with only 2 health remaining, does
play? Do they get three +1 power counters each? the Assault damage destroy them before or after I can move an
Æmber onto them?
Yes and yes. Sometimes the egg contains twins!

Tide
If I play Cross Porpoises 400 when the tide is already high,
can I resolve the constant ability on Hydrocataloguer 053?

You cannot raise the Tide if it is already high for you, so effects
like Hydrocataloguer will not resolve if the tide is already high for
you.

Timing
I have Grasping Vines 324 under Masterplan 288. If I use
Masterplan’s “Omni:” effect to play Grasping Vines, can I return
Masterplan to my hand before it is sacrificed?

Yes. Masterplan’s effect allows you to play the card beneath it

before sacrificing Masterplan. Masterplan is still in play at the
time you play Grasping Vines, and therefore can be returned to
your hand using Grasping Vines’s effect.

GENEral FaQ
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 33
Assault damage resolves in the same timing window as “Before before being destroyed so that I can get 1 Æmber?
Fight:” abilities, so the active player gets to choose the order to
resolve them in. No, Venator Altum will be destroyed before being exalted, so
you would get no Æmber.
If I play Pain Reaction 078 on an opponent’s creature to
destroy it, when is the damage dealt to its neighbors? If the
creature has already left play, how do I know what its neighbors Token Creatures
are? When I make one or more token creatures, can I look at both
sides of each card before I place it in my battleline?
Pain Reaction is an exception to the rule that all damage from
an ability is dealt simultaneously, because it explicitly establishes No. The card is not a token a creature until it is in play in your
that the damage is dealt after the destroyed creature leaves play. battleline. Only then can you look at the reverse side of the card.
This damage is dealt to whatever creatures were the neighbors
of the destroyed creature immediately before it left play.
Using Creatures
If I use Smite 224 to make my Firespitter 032 fight my I have an exhausted Bumpsy 030 in play and my opponent
opponent’s 1 power creature which has 2 neighboring 1 power has no creatures in their battleline. I play the card Anger 001
creatures, each of which has neighboring 2 power creatures on and choose to resolve it on Bumpsy. What happens?
the flanks, will Smite kill the 2 power flank creatures?
Bumpsy will be readied by the effect of Anger, but since there
No. Smite’s damage effect refers to the neighbors that the are no enemy creatures in play it cannot be used to fight so it
defending creature had immediately before leaving play. As the remains ready.
1 power defending creature will leave play at the same time as
its 1 power neighbors due to Firespitter’s Before Fight ability, I have Combat Pheromones 180, “John Smyth” 195, and
Smite’s damage effect will fail because the creatures it refers to Mindwarper 196 in play. I sacrifice the Combat Pheromones
are no longer in play. and reap with Mindwarper, then reap with “John Smyth” and
use “John Smyth’s” “After Reap:” effect to ready Mindwarper.
If I use Phalanx Strike 189 and choose to exalt a friendly Can I use the Mindwarper again?
creature to repeat the damage effect, will this allow me to
remove a ward counter from a creature and also damage the Yes. Combat Pheromones is granting permission to use a
same creature? creature during that turn. If you have an effect that readies one
of the Mars cards affected by the Combat Pheromones (Such as
Yes. Phalanx Strike is an exception to the rule that all damage “John Smyth”), you will be able to use that card again.
from an ability is dealt simultaneously, because it explicitly
establishes that the damage effect repeats a second time. This
allows you to use the first instance of damage to remove a Ward
ward from a creature, and then use the repeated effect to deal What happens if a creature is warded after being tagged for
damage to the same creature. destruction, but before leaving play?
If I fight and destroy my opponent’s Tolas 103 with Overlord A ward will prevent a creature from being tagged for destruction,
Greking 087, after putting Tolas into play under my control, but if a creature that is already tagged for destruction gets
will Tolas’s ability resolve? warded before it leaves play, the ward will not be able to prevent
it from leaving play.
No. Tolas has a constant ability that is active only while it is in
play. Because Tolas is not in play at the time it is destroyed, its
constant ability will not resolve.

I have Jargogle 131 in play with Wild Wormhole 125 under

it. I play Unlocked Gateway 67. Will Omega prevent me from
playing Wild Wormhole when resolving Jargogle’s “Destroyed:”
ability? If Wild Wormhole’s “Play:” ability plays a creature
from my deck, does that creature get destroyed by Unlocked
Gateway?

No, Omega will not prevent Jargogle’s “Destroyed:” ability

from resolving. Omega creates a lasting effect that ends the
step once all pending abilities and effects have been resolved,
so Jargogle’s “Destroyed:” ability will resolve, playing Wild
Wormhole. Similarly, Wild Wormhole’s “Play:” ability will
also resolve. If a creature is played by the resolution of Wild
Wormhole’s “Play:” ability, that creature will not have been
tagged for destruction by the resolution of Unlocked Gateway,
and will remain in play while the other creatures (that were
tagged for destruction) complete their destruction.

If I deal enough damage to destroy my opponent’s Venator

Altum 183 when the tide is high for me, would he be exalted

GENEral FaQ
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 34
CARD-SPECIFIC FAQ Auto-Legionary
All of the following questions are about resolving specific I play Remote Access 120 and use its ability to use my
KeyForge cards. They are arranged alphabetically by card name. opponent's Auto-Legionary 214. Does Auto-Legionary enter
my battleline?

Æmberlution No. Auto-Legionary will exhaust and try to move to your

battleline, but since nothing in the resolution of Remote Access’
If I play Æmberlution 394, what is the order of the creatures
ability gives you control of Auto-Legionary, Auto-Legionary
when they come into play?
cannot enter your battleline.
The active player chooses the order of your creatures. The active
player also decides the sequence in which your opponent’s Awakened Titan
creatures come into play.
I am not haunted. On my turn, I call Brobnar and play Beanstalk
002. If I play Awakened Titan 021, will Awakened Titan be
Animator ready?
On my turn, I use Animator’s 100 Action: ability to move an
Yes. Awakened Titan would enter play ready. Abilities that
artifact into the battleline as a creature. If I play an upgrade
modify how a card enters play resolve as the card is entering
on that creature what happens when the artifact is no longer
play, so Awakened Titan would enter play ready and could be
a creature? What happens to counters and tokens like Ward,
used during your current Brobnar turn.
Æmber, etc.?

When the card reverts to an artifact, the upgrade will remain Bait and Switch
attached to the artifact, as will all counters. If the upgrade
would modify a creature, (e.g. it contains the text "This creature My opponent has 14  in their pool and I have 0 in mine. I play
gains") it no longer does so, but if the card becomes a creature, Bait and Switch 267. How many times will the effect on Bait
the upgrade would modify the creature (along with any other and Switch resolve?
relevant counters). All counters (including Æmber) will go to the
Bait and Switch’s effect will resolve twice. When the effect
common supply and any upgrades will be discarded when the
resolves the first time it checks if your opponent has more
artifact leaves play.
Æmber than you and steals 1 . It then checks to see if your
opponent has more Æmber than you. Since your opponent still
Armageddon Cloak has more Æmber than you, the preceding effect repeats, after
which the resolution of the “Play:” ability is complete.
I have a creature upgraded with Armageddon Cloak 263
in my battleline. In my opponent’s battleline there are two
Harbingers of Doom 076. If I destroy one Harbinger of Bouncing Deathquark
Doom, resolving its Destroyed: ability, can the replacement In my battleline, I have Reassembling Automaton 158
effect of Armageddon Cloak’s ability protect my creature from and another creature. I play Bouncing Deathquark 107,
both waves of destruction? targeting my Reassembling Automaton and an enemy creature.
Reassembling Automaton’s Destroyed: ability resolves and the
Yes, since both of the effects happen simultaneously, the active replacement effect means it is not destroyed. Can I repeat the
player can choose the order of how the effects resolve. You effect of Bouncing Deathquark and destroy my Automaton
could resolve the Destroyed: ability of the first Harbinger of again even if is not destroyed?
Doom, tagging all of your creatures for destruction. Then the
second Harbinger of Doom’s Destroyed: ability would resolve, Yes. Bouncing Deathquark’s effect can be repeated as long
but your creature can't be tagged for destruction a second as you have a friendly creature in play where the effect can
time. Then resolve the Armageddon Cloak, removing the tag be applied. For example, you could keep choosing your
for destruction and replacing it with the destruction of the Reassembling Automaton to repeat the effect multiple times.
Armageddon Cloak.
Captain Val Jericho
Auto-Encoder I have three cards in my battleline; Captain Val Jericho 326
I have Sacro-Bot 122 and Auto-Encoder 066 in play. If I in the center of the battleline with Com. Officer Kirby 295
reap with Sacro-Bot, its After Reap: ability causes me to discard as a neighbor. On my turn, I reap with Com. Officer Kirby,
a card from hand, which allows me to resolve Auto-Encoder. granting me a play allowance of a non-Star Alliance action,
Does the resolution of Auto-Encoder’s ability happen at the artifact, or upgrade for the rest of the turn. Captain Val Jericho
same time as the “If you do”, from Sacro-Bot (meaning the is also granting a play allowance of a card that is not of the
active player can choose the order to resolve them) or does active house. If I play a Shadows action, does this use up both
Auto-Encoder have to resolve first? allowances?

Auto-Encoder has to resolve immediately after you discard a No. Playing a Shadows action in this case will only use up
card, so when you reap with Auto-Encoder, you discard, then one of the two play allowances, leaving one more to use. The
archive, then draw. These effects are not simultaneous, so the Active Player can choose whether to use Com. Officer Kirby's
active player can not change their order. or Captain Val Jericho's play allowance first, leaving the other
open, provided Captain Val Jericho remains in the center of the
battleline to grant the play allowance).

General FAQ
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 35
Code Monkey Dexus
I play Code Monkey 147 between two creatures of the I have Dexus 054 in my battleline. In my opponent’s
same house, but both are warded, so the creatures will not be battleline, they have two creatures of the same house. On
?
archived. Do I still gain 2 their turn, they play Code Monkey 147, resulting in both of
the creatures going to their archive and leaving Code Monkey
Yes, Code Monkey’s ability only checks whether the neighbors alone in their battleline (and hence on both flanks). Will Dexus’
are the same house, not whether they are successfully archived. ability resolve?

No. Code Monkey was not played on your opponent’s right

Collector Worm flank, so Dexus’ ability will not resolve.
Will the “After Fight:” ability on Collector Worm 162 resolve
and put the creature Collector Worm fights into Collector
Worm’s controller’s archives if the target is destroyed? Drecker
If two Dreckers 006 are neighbors and I fight one of them
No. Collector Worm’s “After Fight:” ability will not archive the with my 2-power creature, what happens?
target if it destroys the creature it is fighting. The creature will no
longer be in play, and Collector Worm’s ability does not interact Both Dreckers simultaneously take 2 damage. The damage is
with cards in the discard pile. dealt only once, it does not create a second instance of damage.

In my battleline, I have Drecker 006 next to another creature.

Curse of Cowardice My opponent attacks Drecker's neighbor with Macis Asp 301.
If my opponent controls Curse of Cowardice 006 and on my Does the poison from Macis Asp also apply to the damage
turn I destroy their only creature, does Curse of Cowardice dealt to Drecker?
immediately get destroyed?
Yes. Macis Asp’s power is still the source of the damage being
No. Curse of Cowardice's ability only resolves at the end of its dealt to Drecker, which means that poison also applies to that
controller's turn. damage.

Cyber-Clone Duskwitch
When Cyber-Clone’s 102 “Play:” ability resolves, does the I have Duskwitch 320 in my battleline. I play Scowly Caper
ability set Cyber-Clone’s power, armor, keywords, and traits 313 into my opponent’s battleline. Does Scowly Caper enter
to those printed on the purged creature, or does it include play ready?
bonuses granted by things like +1 Power Counters and other
card effects? If Cyber-Clone’s “Play:” ability resolves cloning a Yes. Scowly Caper is your creature, and therefore it will enter
Mimic Gel 170, does Cyber-Clone become a 0 Power creature play ready, under your opponent’s control.
that is immediately destroyed?
Dysania
Cyber-Clone only copies the base power, armor, keywords, and
traits of the purged creature, and does not include any bonuses When resolving the “Play:” ability of Dysania 141, should
granted from counters or other cards. If Cyber-Clone’s ability “Your opponent discards each of their archived cards” be
is used to purge Mimic Gel, Cyber-Clone would be a 0-power interpreted as “Your opponent discards each card in their
creature and be destroyed. archives”?

My opponent has Auto-Legionary 214 that is a creature in Yes.

their battleline. I play Cyber-Clone 102 and target Auto-
Legionary to purge. Does Cyber-Clone gain the power after
Earthbind
Auto-Legionary is purged (meaning Cyber-Clone would be a
0-power creature) or does Cyber-Clone look at Auto-Legionary My opponent played Earthbind 352 on one of my creatures
just before it leaves play? last turn. The rules for sacrifice say I discard a creature from
play. Would this satisfy the discard requirement for Earthbind?
If cards leave play while resolving an ability, later instructions in
the same ability refer to the cards as they were immediately prior No. Unless otherwise stated by the ability, text referring to a
to leaving play. Therefore, Cyber-Clone’s ability will treat Auto- player discarding a card means a card that is discarded from
Legionary as a 5-power creature. their hand. Earthbind’s condition is not met by discarding a card
from play (such as with a sacrifice effect) or discarding a card
from the top of your deck, such as with Sound the Horns 015.
Dark Harbinger The condition would be met by an effect like Yurk’s 068 that
In my battleline I have my opponent’s Dark Harbinger 381. instructs its controller to discard from your hand.
On my turn, I play Mimicry 328 to copy a Shadows card from
my opponent's discard pile. Does Dark Harbinger's ability
resolve?

No. Mimicry was played as a copy of the Shadows action in your

discard pile, so Dark Harbinger will not resolve.

General FAQ
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 36
Encounter Suit Faygin
On my turn, I play Wild Wormhole 125, and in resolving its I have Faygin 300 in play and my opponent has Urchin 315
“Play:” ability, play Encounter Suit 330, attaching it to a in play. I reap with Faygin and with its reap effect I choose my
creature in my battleline. Can Encounter Suit’s ability resolve opponent’s Urchin. What happens?
and ward the creature?
Faygin’s effect causes the Urchin to try and go into your hand,
No. Encounter Suit resolves after an action card is played, “but however when a card leaves play it always goes to its owner’s
before resolving its play effect”. Wild Wormhole’s “Play:” effect corresponding out of play zone (See “Leaves Play” on Page 16)
has already begun resolving, so Encounter Suit’s ability will not unless the card causing it to leave play specifies otherwise. The
resolve. Urchin is returned to your opponent’s hand instead of yours.

Endless Hordes Furtive Investors

My opponent has seven creatures in play, and I play Endless In a previous turn, I played Key Hammer 066 to unforge my
Hordes 011. Do I make a token creature, ready it, and have opponent’s first key, leaving them with zero keys currently
it fight an enemy creature, then repeat that process six more forged. On my current turn, I play Furtive Investors 269.
times? Do I get to gain an Æmber for the key they had forged but I
unforged?
No. Resolve the ability in the order it is written. Endless Hordes
says: No. Furtive Investor’s ability refers to the number of keys your
opponent has forged currently.
Play: For each enemy creature, make a token
creature, ready it, and it fight that enemy creature,
ignoring taunt. Resolve these fights one at a time. Forbidden Tome
I have Forbidden Tome 075 in play. At the beginning of my
First, you would make seven token creatures, then ready each "draw cards" step, I am haunted and have 4 cards in my hand,
of them, then have them each fight an enemy creature ignoring meaning I would draw to bring my hand to 7 cards. After
taunt. Note that you are still limited by the rule of six, so while drawing 2 cards, my deck is empty, so I shuffle my discard pile
you could make seven token creatures in this example, you could into my deck, which means I am no longer haunted. Do I still
only fight with six of them. complete the draw to 7 cards?

Yes. The number of cards needed to refill your hand during your
End of Turn Effects
“draw cards” step is determined before you draw any cards.
In my play area, I have Animator 100 and Fangtooth Cavern
370. If I use Animator to treat Fangtooth Cavern as a
creature belonging to the active house, can the lasting effect of Gargantodon
Animator's ability expire before resolving Fangtooth Cavern’s If stealing Æmber is replaced by a replacement effect such as
“At the end of your turn” ability, or does Animator refer to the Gargantodon 203, will Molephin’s 360 ability resolve?
end of turn timing point?
No. Molephin’s ability will not resolve unless Æmber is actually
Animator’s ability creates a lasting effect that expires at the end stolen.
of the turn, which is after Fangtooth Cavern’s “end of turn”
effect resolves. My opponent has Gargantodon 203 in their battleline. I have
no creatures in play and I play Trust No One 248. How does
Trust No One’s “Play:” ability resolve?
Exterminate! Exterminate!
Gargantodon replaces “steal Æmber” with “capture Æmber”.
How do you resolve the “Play:” ability on Exterminate!
Since you have no creatures in play which can capture Æmber,
Exterminate! 180?
the effect does not resolve.
For each friendly Mars creature, the active player chooses a
non-Mars creature with lower power (A different creature must Gebuk
be chosen each time). Then, destroy the chosen creatures
simultaneously. I have Gebuk 373 in my battleline. On my opponent’s turn,
Gebuk is destroyed. Gebuk’s “Destroyed:” ability is resolved
and I discard Spartasaur 231, a creature. Are “After Gebuk
Fandangle Leaves Play” and “After a friendly creature is destroyed” in
I have a maverick Fandangle 365 in Dis in play. Fandangle’s the same window of the Timing Chart? If so, does Spartasaur’s
ability says “While you have 4 or more, your non-Untamed ability resolve when Gebuk leaves play or can the active player
 or more, does
creatures enter play ready.” If I have 4 order it so that Spartasaur’s ability will not resolve?
Fandangle enter play ready when I call Dis?
Spartasaur’s ability and Gebuk’s ability resolve in the same timing
Yes. An ability that modifies how a card enters play modifies how window, the “after a creature is destroyed” window. However,
any cards that meet the criteria of the ability enter play, including Spartasaur is not in play at the time Gebuk leaves play, and
the card with the ability. therefore Spartasaur’s ability will not resolve due to Gebuk being
destroyed.

General FAQ
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 37
General Sherman been used, the new right neighbor will be used to reap. Once
both neighbors have reaped, the resolution of Ghosthawk's Play:
My opponent plays General Sherman 323 and purges each
effect is complete.
creature in play. In my battleline, I had several copies my token
creature, Grunt 117. What happens when General Sherman
leaves play? Grommid
When token creatures leave play, they revert to their printed card When does Grommid’s 194 “You cannot play creatures”
types. When General Sherman leaves play, all of the cards that ability resolve? It looks like it is a play restriction, but is it active
were purged try to reenter the battleline, but any card that is not while in my hand?
a creature cannot do so. Any non-creature cards that were token
The part of Grommid‘s ability that says “You cannot play
creatures when they were purged by General Sherman’s “Play:”
creatures” is a constant ability that is only active while Grommid
ability cannot return to the battleline, as they are no longer
is in play.
creatures. Those cards will remain purged. If a token creature
was purged and reverted to a creature, that creature will return
to play. Haedroth’s Wall
Should Haedroth’s Wall 236 have the Location trait or the
Gĕzdrutyŏ the Arcane Item trait?
I have Gĕzdrutyŏ the Arcane 076 in play with 1 on it, then I Location. The version with the “Item” trait was a printing error.
 and flip it facedown, making
use its Action: ability to steal 2
it a token creature. My deck’s token creature is Blorb, so what
happens? Harmonia
Does Harmonia’s 357 constant ability resolve when you play it
Tokens, counters, and upgrades are not removed when a card
and there are more enemy creatures in play?
is flipped, so the Blorb is immediately destroyed because it has
damage on it equal to its power. Yes, Harmonia’s constant ability is immediately active once it is in
play. If there are more enemy creatures than friendly creatures in
I have Gĕzdrutyŏ the Arcane 076 in play and my token
 after playing Harmonia.
play, you will gain 1
creature is Berserker. When I use the Action ability on
Gĕzdrutyŏ the Arcane to flip it into a Berserker, does it ready
and is it enraged? Helper Bot
No, it is not ready or enraged. When Gĕzdrutyŏ the Arcane flips I have chosen Dis as my active house for the turn. I play Exhume
into a Berserker, it is not considered to be entering or leaving 059 and choose to play Helper Bot 112 from my discard
play. The ability on Berserker specifically says it “enters play pile. If the next card I play is a card from house Dis, does that
ready and enraged.” utilize the play allowance granted by Helper Bot’s ability?

If my opponent is playing a non-Winds of Exchange deck and Yes. Helper Bot grants you a play allowance to play one non-
takes control of my Gĕzdrutyŏ the Arcane 076, what happens Logos card at any point on your turn. The first time you play a
if they use its Action: ability? non-Logos card, even if it is of the active house, the allowance is
resolved. In this case, you could play a card from your 3rd house
, then when Gĕzdrutyŏ the Arcane
First your opponent steals 2 via Helper Bot’s ability only if you do so before you play any
is flipped it becomes a copy of its owner’s token creature more Dis cards.
reference card.
Horseman of War
Ghosthawk When I play Horseman of War 249 on a Sanctum turn, does
I have Fangtooth Cavern 370 in play. In my battleline, I have that mean that I can no longer reap with Sanctum creatures that
Jargogle 131 with Ghosthawk 356 underneath. As my turn turn, since Horseman of War says that my creatures can only
ends, Jargogle is destroyed. Resolving Jargogle’s “Destroyed:” fight? If so, is that true even if there are no enemy creatures to
ability plays Ghosthawk. Does Ghosthawk’s “Play:” ability fight?
resolve, allowing me to reap with Ghosthawk’s neighbors?
Yes. Once Horseman of War’s “Play:” ability resolves, all friendly
Yes. While creatures normally wouldn’t be able to reap outside creatures belong to the active house and can only be used to
of Step 3, the Golden Rule will allow Ghosthawk’s “Play:” ability fight. If there are no enemy creatures, friendly creatures cannot
to resolve. be used for the remainder of the turn.

In my battleline I have 3 creatures with Sinder 013 on the

left flank. If I deploy Ghosthawk 356 between the middle
creature and Sinder and then reap with Sinder and destroy
Ghosthawk’s right neighbor, can I reap with the new neighbor?

Yes. Ghosthawk’s ability allows the active player to reap with

Ghosthawk's left neighbor (Sinder) and its right neighbor, one at
a time in the order of the active player's choosing. If using the
left neighbor to reap destroys the right neighbor before it has

General FAQ
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 38
Inspiration Knowledge is Power
I have Witch of the Eye 368 in my battleline. On my turn, I When resolving the “Play:” ability of Knowledge is Power
choose house Sanctum and play Inspiration 220. Can I reap 113, should “for each archived card you have” be interpreted
with Witch of the Eye and return Inspiration to my hand? as “for each card in your archives”?

No. An Action card‘s ability fully finishes resolving before it is Yes.

placed into the discard pile. Playing Inspiration and resolving
its ability to use a card with an ability that would return a card
from the discard pile (such as Witch of the Eye) could not return Kompsos Haruspex
Inspiration to a player’s hand. How does Kompsos Haruspex 224 work with “Play/After
Fight:” abilities?
Jargogle Kompsos Haruspex allows the effect of the “Play/After Fight:”
In my battleline I have Jargogle 131 with a creature ability to be resolved like a “Play/After Fight/After Reap:”
underneath. I play Unlocked Gateway 067 and resolve ability.
Jargogle’s “Destroyed:” ability to play the creature. Does the
creature get destroyed by Unlocked Gateway as well?
Lethal Distraction
No. Resolving Unlocked Gateway’s “Play:” ability tags all I play two copies of Lethal Distraction 305, choosing the
creatures in play for destruction, the creature under Jargogle was same creature each time. Later in the turn, I deal 1 damage to
not in play at the time, so it will not be tagged for destruction. that creature. How much total damage does the creature take?

If Jargogle 131 ends up with multiple cards underneath it, The creature takes 5 damage total: 1 from the initial damage, 2
what happens when its “Destroyed:” ability resolves? from the first Lethal Distraction, and 2 from the second Lethal
Distraction. Each resolution of Lethal Distraction’s “additional”
Jargogle’s “Destroyed:” ability refers to a single card. When the damage adds 2 to the original damage, it is not a separate
ability resolves, the active player will play or archive one of the instance of damage.
cards underneath Jargogle and discard the others. If the active
player is the controller of Jargogle, they can look at the cards
beneath Jargogle and choose which one to play. If the active Library Access
player is not the controller of Jargogle, they choose one of the I have chosen house Logos to be my active house this turn
cards under Jargogle at random and put it in its owner’s archives, and start off by playing Library Access 115, I then play Wild
then all other cards under Jargogle go to their owner’s discard Wormhole 125. In what order do I resolve this combination of
pile(s). effects?

When you play Wild Wormhole after playing a Library Access the
Keyforgery following happens in this order:
Can the active player name a house which is not on the Archon
Identity card of the owner of Keyforgery 271? 1. You gain 1 Æmber from Wild Wormhole’s Æmber bonus.
2. Library Access’s effect and Wild Wormhole’s play effect are
Yes. Keyforgery does not specify that your opponent must simultaneous, so you may resolve them in either order.
choose a house on your Archon card, so they can name a house 3. You gain Æmber from any Æmber bonus on the card played
not in their opponent's deck if they so choose. from the top of your deck.
4. If there are any play effects on the card played from the top of
Keyfrog your deck, they are simultaneous with Library Access’s effect. You
may resolve them in either order.
My opponent has 5  in their pool, a Senator Shrix 193 with
5 on it, and a Keyfrog 369 in their battleline. Their key cost
is 6. If I destroy their Keyfrog, do they forge a key? If so, where Lightsmith Clariel
does the Æmber come from? If Lightsmith Clariel 080 uses its armor to prevent 2 damage
and then in the same turn I resolve its “Before Fight:” ability,
Yes, your opponent will forge a key through the resolution of will it be destroyed?
Keyfrog’s “Destroyed:” ability. Forging is not optional; if a player
has enough Æmber to forge, including Æmber on cards like No, Lightsmith Clariel will not be destroyed. Lightsmith Clariel’s
Senator Shrix, they must do so. The active player will make the power will become its total armor value (its printed armor plus
decision regarding how much Æmber will be taken off of Senator any effects that change its armor), even if that armor has been
Shrix and how much will come from the opponent's pool. used to prevent damage already. So after the switch it will have
2 power.
Key Hammer
My opponent forges two keys on their turn. On my next turn, I
play Key Hammer 66. What happens?

Key Hammer only affects a single key. You will choose one of
the two keys your opponent forged on their previous turn and
unforge it.

General FAQ
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 39
If the upgrade with the text “This creature gets +2 armor” If I play Mimic Gel 170 copying a Crash Muldoon 327 will
is attached to the Lightsmith Clariel 080 and I resolve its Mimic Gel enter play ready? Can I use the Deploy keyword to
“Before Fight:” ability, will it become 4 power/5 armor or 2 have Mimic Gel enter play anywhere in my battleline?
power/7 armor?
Yes to both. Mimic Gel enters play as a copy of the chosen card,
4 power/5 armor. Lightsmith Clariel’s power will become its total and both Deploy and Crash Muldoon’s “enters play ready”
armor value, which in this case is 4 (2 printed and +2 from the ability take effect as the card enters play, so Mimic Gel will also
upgrade). copy these effects.

If I play Mimic Gel 170 copying an Auto-Legionary 214 that

Little Niff is currently a creature, what does Mimic Gel become?
I have Ronnie Wristclocks 276 next to Little Niff 289 in my
battleline. I attack one of my opponent’s creatures with Ronnie Mimic Gel becomes a 5-power creature that can be used as if it
Wristclocks, but it is destroyed during the fight. Does Little belonged to the active house.
Niff’s ability still allow me to steal 1 Æmber?
Can Mimic Gel 170 be used to copy a creature with the alpha
Yes. Little Niff’s neighbor does not need to survive in order for keyword if it is not the first card played in the step?
Little Niff to steal the Æmber.
No. If a card would gain alpha as it enters play, that card can
only be played if you haven’t played, used, or discarded any
Mack the Knife other cards during the current step of your turn.
If I have Mack the Knife 302 with two damage on it, can I use
Mack the Knife’s “Action:” ability to deal 1 damage to Mack the Mimicry
Knife to destroy it, and still gain 1 Æmber?
If I play Mimicry 328 that has been enhanced with a Capture
Yes. The damage and the Æmber gain are part of the same bonus icon and use it to copy a card out of my opponent’s
ability. Once an ability on a card has started to resolve, that discard pile that has an Æmber bonus icon, which bonus icons
ability will finish resolving even if the card leaves play. resolve?

The Æmber bonus icon on the copied card will resolve. The
Mars Ambassador Capture bonus icon on Mimicry will not resolve.
I have Duskwitch 320 and Mars Ambassador 238 in play. If
I reap with Mars Ambassador, and play a Mars creature (which Mug
enters play ready because of Duskwitch), can I use the Mars
If I play Mug 244 and resolve its “Play:” ability, do I have to
creature as a part of resolving the Ambassador’s ability?
choose a creature with Æmber on it?
No. The “play or use” text on Mars Ambassador means you have
No. You may resolve Mug’s “Play:” ability on any creature. If
to choose to either play or use that card, not both.
there is Æmber on the creature, move 1 Æmber to your pool
and then deal 2 damage to the creature. If there is no Æmber
Might Makes Right on the creature, resolve as much as you can, and just deal 2
damage to the creature.
My battleline consists of three cards: Lollop the Titanic 014,
Knoxx 326, and Mushroom Man 362. Lollop has 11 power,
Knoxx has 2 neighbors so has 9 power, and I have no keys Neutron Shark
forged, so Mushroom Man has 8 power. Can I choose Brobnar
My opponent has two creatures in play and I have none. I play
and play Might Makes Right 043 to sacrifice these three
Neutron Shark 146 and use its play effect to destroy an
creatures with a total of 28 power to forge a key for free, or will
enemy creature as well as the Neutron Shark. If the top card of
the power levels change as I start sacrificing creatures?
my deck does not belong to house Logos, can I repeat Neutron
You will forge a key at no cost. When resolving Might Makes Shark’s ability and destroy my opponent’s other creature?
Right, you select all of the creatures to be sacrificed, and tag
No. The destruction of Neutron Shark and the first enemy
them for destruction. The rules for Leaves Play state that if cards
creature resolves fully before you proceed with the rest of
leave play while resolving an ability, the instructions later in that
Neutron Shark’s ability. Once Neutron Shark is no longer in play,
ability refer to the cards as they left play. So if the total power of
its Play/After Fight/After Reap: ability cannot be resolved again.
the sacrificed creatures was 25 or more before leaving play, you
will forge a key.

Mimic Gel
If I play Mimic Gel 170 copying a creature that has damage
tokens, +1 power counters, a ward counter, and an upgrade
which gives it additional text, does Mimic Gel also copy the
various counters and upgraded text?

No. Mimic Gel enters play as a copy of the base card,

unmodified by any other effects.

General FAQ
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 40
Overlord Greking an allowance to play a non-Logos card. If the resolution of Wild
Wormhole’s ability plays a non-Logos card, that will use the
I use Overlord Greking 087 to fight and destroy my
allowance granted by Phase Shift’s ability.
opponent's Hexpion 113. Hexpion’s “Destroyed:” ability
archives Hexpion. Can Overlord Greking’s ability put Hexpion
into play from my archives? Pitlord
No. Overlord Greking will only put creatures into play from your I have Pitlord 093 in play and my opponent plays
opponent's discard pile. If an effect sends the destroyed creature Restringuntus 094 and chooses house Dis. What happens
to a different out of play zone, Overlord Greking's ability will not when I try to declare my house on my next turn?
resolve.
During the Choose a House step of your next turn, you will be
in a position where you must choose house Dis (because of
Pale Star Pitlord’s ability), but also cannot choose house Dis (because
of Restringuntus). Cannot effects take precedence over must
I have the The Pale Star 049, Chonkers 396, and Dark
effects, thus you cannot choose Dis (see “Cannot” on page
Æmber Vault 001 in play. Chonkers has 1 printed power, one
9). You may choose either of your other houses.
+1 power counter, and +2 power from the Dark Æmber Vault.
If I sacrifice The Pale Star, how much power will Chonkers have? I have a maverick Pitlord 093 in play in a deck without house
If I attack with Chonkers and it gains another +1 power counter Dis. Am I forced to choose house Dis as my active house?
this turn, how much power will it have then?
No. You cannot choose an active house unless it is on your
1 Power in both cases. Restrictive (“cannot”) effects overrule Archon identity card or you control a card of that house. This
permissive (“may”) effects, and The Pale Star is essentially saying restriction overrides Pitlord’s effect, allowing you to choose any
“creatures cannot have power other than 1 and armor other than of your houses as your active house.
0”, So Chonkers will still only have 1 power this turn, despite
any other counters or card effects that would usually increase If my opponent has a maverick Pitlord in a deck that does not
its power, even if those counters are added after The Pale Star’s contain house Dis and I play Flame-Wreathed 106 on one of
ability has resolved. my opponent’s creatures while Pitlord is out, does my opponent
now control a Dis card and is forced to choose house Dis?
Paradox Shield No, Flame-Wreathed itself is still under your control, even if it's
If Paradox Shield 232 is attached to a 3 power creature and attached to an opponent's creature.
I only have 1 card in my deck, can the replacement effect of
Paradox Shield’s ability protect my creature from destruction?
Rampaging Brutodon
No. Resolving the Destroyed: ability granted by Paradox Shield How does Rampaging Brutodon 247 work? If it’s my only
would cause the controller of the attached creature to discard creature, does it have to destroy itself to be used?
only 1 card, which does not satisfy the "if you do" condition.
The attached creature would not be healed, and Paradox Shield You must destroy a friendly creature in order to use Rampaging
would not be destroyed. Brutodon for any reason (to fight, to reap, or to use an Action: or
Omni: ability). This means that before you exhaust the creature
as a part of using Rampaging Brutodon, you must choose a
Phase Shift friendly creature and destroy it. If Rampaging Brutodon is the
I chose Logos as my active house this turn and play Phase Shift only friendly creature, it would destroy itself before it could be
117 then play another copy of Phase Shift. How many non- exhausted to resolve anything else from its use.
Logos cards can I play this turn?

You can play two non-Logos cards this turn. Each copy of Phase Reassembling Automaton
Shift that you play allows you to play an additional non-Logos If I attack a Hazardous 3 creature with Reassembling Automaton
card. 158, will the fight still happen?

I choose Logos as my active house. I play Phase Shift 117, Yes. The fight will still happen. If Reassembling Automaton is
then play Mimicry 328 as a copy of Foggify 110. Can I still not the only creature you have in play, the Hazardous 3 will
play another non-Logos card using Phase Shift’s effect? cause Reassembling Automaton to be destroyed, then resolve
its “Destroyed:” ability, replacing the destruction. Reassembling
No. Phase Shift grants you permission to play 1 non-Logos card Automaton never leaves play or becomes a new object, it just
this turn. Playing Mimicry uses up this effect, as you would not moves to a flank position, where it will then complete its attack
have been able to play Mimicry without Phase Shift’s effect. against the target.
On my turn, I play Phase Shift 117 and then Wild Wormhole
125. Wild Wormhole’s “Play:” ability resolves and plays a
non-Logos card from the top of my deck. Does that also mean
Phase Shift’s “Play:” ability has resolved or can I still play a non-
Logos card from my hand this turn?

Phase Shift’s “Play:” ability creates a lasting effect that grants

General FAQ
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 41
[REDACTED] Ritual of Life
If I put a 4th Æmber on [REDACTED] 139 through a method On my turn, I use the “Action:” ability of Ritual of Life 391,
other than its own ability, can I immediately sacrifice it and and sacrifice a friendly Deepwater Gruen 416. I have another
forge a key? copy of Deepwater Gruen in my discard pile already, can I
resolve the ability of Ritual of Life to bring it back to my hand?
No. [REDACTED] has a single ability that triggers after you
choose Logos as your active house, placing 1  on it then Yes, Ritual of Life’s ability can bring back any other creature from
 or
allowing you to sacrifice it and forge a key if there are 4 the discard pile except for the creature card that was sacrificed
more on it. You cannot use the “forge a key” part of the ability during the resolution of the first sentence of its “Action:” ability.
independently.

My opponent has [REDACTED] 139 in play. I play Sneklifter Sabira the Medium
313 and take control of [REDACTED]. Sneklifter’s ability Does Sabira the Medium's 346 ability resolve when I shuffle
means [REDACTED] is considered to be of house Shadows. my discard pile because my deck is empty? What about when I
Does that mean I couldn’t declare Logos as my active house to resolve a card like Warfaline 385 and I have 5 or fewer cards
resolve [REDACTED]’s ability? in my discard pile?
Unless you have Logos as one of the three houses on your Sabira the Medium's ability resolves anytime you shuffle any
Archon identity card, you will not be able to choose Logos. number of cards (including zero) from your discard pile into your
[REDACTED] is considered to be of house Shadows (and only deck and your discard pile is empty afterwards. This means that
house Shadows) due to Sneklifter’s ability. it would resolve after you shuffle your discard pile into your
deck because your deck is empty and you need to draw, or in
a case like Warfaline, when you shuffle 5 (or fewer) cards from
Relentless Assault
your discard pile into your deck and your discard pile is empty
When playing Relentless Assault 013, do I choose the three afterwards.
creatures I am going to ready and fight immediately after
playing the card, or can I resolve the first ready and fight with
one creature then decide if I want to continue? Sci. Officer Morpheus
In my battleline, I have Sci. Officer Morpheus 318. I choose
You do not need to choose the creatures first. Ready and fight Sanctum and play Charge! 214. If I play a card with a play
with a creature, then once that fight has completed decide if you effect like Almsmaster 093, how do the multiple “Play:”
are going to resolve the ability a second and third time. effects resolve?

After playing Almsmaster, the active player chooses which

Replicator
“Play:” ability to resolve first, then resolves it a second time.
How does Replicator’s “After Reap:” effect interact with a Then the second “Play:” ability resolves and then resolves a
creature that has multiple “After Reap:” effects? second time.

Replicator’s ability refers to a singular “After Reap:” effect. If a

creature has multiple “After Reap:” effects, the active player can Sci. Officer Qincan
choose which of the “After Reap:” effects they wish to resolve. In my battleline I have Sci. Officer Qincan 304 and Techivore
Pulpate 341 in play. My opponent has Sacrificial Altar 078,
Researcher a Dis artifact, in play. At the start of my opponent’s turn, when
they choose a house and choose Dis, does the active player
I have Praetor Marius 282 and four Researcher 174 resolve these in the order of their choosing, or does only the
token creatures to its left in my battleline. My opponent has ability of Techivore Pulpate resolve? In other words, is Sci.
Barrister Joya 094 in play. Can I use the Omni: ability on my Officer Qincan’s timing window the same as that of Techivore
researchers even if I don't have any Mars cards in my hand? Pulpate, or is it more specific?
Yes. Resolve as much as you can when resolving card abilities. Sci. Officer Qincan's ability and Techivore Pulpate’s ability
resolve in the same timing window; the active player can choose
Reverse Time which to resolve first.

When resolving the ability of Reverse Time 121, how should

the discard pile be ordered after swapping my deck to the
discard pile?

The entire deck should be turned over without changing the

order of the cards and placed face up in the discard pile. (The
top card of the deck should be the bottom card in the discard
pile.)

General FAQ
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 42
Scowly Caper My opponent played Shadow of Dis 103 on their last turn.
I have a Bad Penny 296 that has been upgraded with
My opponent put two copies of Scowly Caper 313 in my
Duskrunner 316. If I reap with Bad Penny, do I get to use the
battleline, one on each side of my Dextre 138. At the end
additional “After Reap:” ability provided by Duskrunner?
of my turn, if I have no other creatures in my battle line, will I
destroy one of the Scowly Capers and Dextre, or does Dextre If an upgrade causes a creature to gain text such as an ability,
get tagged for destruction by both Scowly Capers? traits, or keywords; that text is considered to be in the text box
of the attached creature. The “After Reap:” ability granted by
Dextre and one of the Scowly Capers will be destroyed. When
Duskrunner would also be “blanked” by Shadow of Dis and
the first Scowly Caper you choose to resolve destroys Dextre,
therefore will not resolve.
Dextre’s “Destroyed:” ability will immediately remove it from
play, causing the Scowly Capers to become neighbors, and then
the second Scowly Caper destroys the first. Shadow Self
If I attack a creature next to Shadow Self 310, and the
Self-Bolstering Automata redirected damage destroys Shadow Self, was it destroyed in a
What does the ”if you do” refer to in the last sentence of Self- fight?
Bolstering Automata’s 176 ability?
Yes, even though the Shadow Self was not attacked directly, it
The Self-Bolstering Automata must actually heal, exhaust, was destroyed by damage done by the creature's power.
AND move in order to gain the +1 Power counters. If all three
conditions are not successfully and completely resolved, Self- In my opponent's battleline, they have Bulwark 238 next to
Bolstering Automata will not gain the +1 Power counters. If Shadow Self 310. In my battleline I have Gluttony 057. If I
Self-Bolstering Automata is already on a flank, it is allowed to use Gluttony to fight Bulwark, how much damage does Shadow
remain on that flank and still be considered to have moved for Self end up with?
the resolution of the ability.
Shadow Self will take 4 damage in this example. Gluttony sets
6 pending damage for Bulwark. This is reduced by 2 due to
Senator Shrix Bulwark’s armor, and finally the damage is placed onto Shadow
If I have Senator Shrix 193 in play with 1
 on it and my Self via Shadow Self’s replacement effect. The damage placed
opponent plays Bumpsy 030, can I choose to lose Æmber off on Shadow Self is not mitigated by the armor granted by
of Senator Shrix instead of from my pool to resolve Bumpsy’s Bulwark’s constant ability, because it has already passed the
“Play:” ability? point in the damage timing where armor could prevent damage.

No. Senator Shrix’s ability only refers to spending Æmber. In my opponent’s battleline, they have 3 creatures, with Shadow
Æmber is only spent when forging keys; if your Æmber would Self 310 with 6 damage in the middle. I sacrifice Special
be lost, stolen, or captured, you cannot use Æmber on Senator Delivery 292, and choose to do the damage to the left flank
Shrix. creature. Shadow Self’s ability means the damage is dealt to
Shadow Self instead, meaning Shadow Self is destroyed. Is the
Shadow Self purged due to Special Delivery's ability?
Shadow of Dis
My opponent plays Shadow of Dis 103, forcing me to treat No, Shadow Self is not purged. You must choose a creature for
my creatures’ text boxes as if they were blank until their next Special Delivery, and the “that creature” in the text refers only to
turn. I play Silvertooth 311. Does Silvertooth enter play the chosen creature.
ready?

Yes. Shadow of Dis only affects creatures while they are in play.
Shoulder Id
Silvertooth’s ability modifies how it enters play, so it is in effect My Shoulder Id 257 is attacked by a creature with 6 armor.
before the Shadow of Dis effect applies to it. Does Shoulder Id steal 1 Æmber?

My opponent plays Shadow of Dis 103. I have two copies of Yes. Shoulder Id’s ability is a replacement effect that occurs any
Glimmer 323 in my hand. May I play them both? time Shoulder Id would attempt to deal damage, even if another
card’s effect would end up preventing that damage. This applies
No. Alpha is a play restriction that is active while in your hand to armor, ward, invulnerable, and “cannot be dealt damage”
before playing the card. After you have played a card in a step, effects such as Shield of Justice 225.
you may not play an Alpha card even if its text box will be
considered blank once it is in play. My Shoulder Id 257 is attacked by a creature with skirmish.
Does Shoulder Id steal 1 Æmber?
My opponent plays Shadow of Dis 103. I have Duskwitch
320 in my hand. May I play Duskwitch, then play other cards No. Shoulder Id’s replacement effect does not occur in situations
afterwards? when it would not attempt to deal any damage. This applies
when it is attacked by a creature with skirmish, or if Shoulder Id
No. Omega’s lasting effect is established as Duskwitch enters gains elusive and is attacked for the first time in a turn.
play, meaning the active player cannot play, use, or discard
any more cards for the remainder of the step except through
the resolution of pending abilities and effects. Even though
Duskwitch’s text box is blank once it is in play, the effect from
Omega has already been created.

General FAQ
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 43
Sir Marrows If I use Universal Recycle Bin 179 to archive a creature that
was purged by Spangler Box 132, then play that archived
I have 2 Æmber in my pool and I reap with a creature. My
card, then the archived card gets destroyed, and then somehow
opponent has 2 Sir Marrows ( 223) in play. Do both Sir
destroy Spangler Box, does the creature go back into play?
Marrows capture an Æmber, and if so, where does the second
one come from? No. When a card purged by Spangler Box is moved to your
archives, any pending effects that would interact with that card
 that was just gained
Sir Marrows can only capture the 1
(such as returning to play) will no longer resolve.
from reaping. The active player determines which Sir Marrows
captures the Æmber.
Survey
Smite When I play Survey 316, what happens to the card that I look
at but do not discard?
If I play Smite 224 and during the resolution of the fight the
attacked creature is destroyed, what happens? Just put it back on top of your deck. By default, if you are
instructed to look at a card and not do anything else with it, it
Smite’s damage effect refers to the neighbors the attacked
will return to the same spot it was in previously.
creature had immediately before leaving play.

I play Smite 224 and attack and destroy my opponent’s Duma Swallow Whole
the Martyr 242. Does Duma the Martyr’s “Destroyed:” ability
resolve before Smite deals 2 damage to Duma the Martyr’s If I play Swallow Whole 148 with just one creature in play,
neighbors? what happens?

Resolving the first part of the instructions of Smite’s ability causes Resolve abilities in the order in which they are written. In the
Duma the Martyr’s “Destroyed:” ability to resolve, healing case of Swallow Whole, the active player will choose one
both of Duma the Martyr’s neighbors. Once the destruction is creature (resolving as much as they can), then purge the creature
complete, continuing to resolve the instructions of Smite. with the lowest power, which will purge the single creature in
play. The remainder of the ability text on Swallow Whole will not
resolve.
Sneklifter
I play Sneklifter 313 and take control of a Spangler Box 132 Symon
that is under the control of my opponent, making it a house
Shadows artifact while under my control. I use Spangler Box, Should Symon 247 have the Elf trait or the Alien trait?
returning control to my opponent and Spangler Box’s house to
Alien. The previous version with the “Elf” trait was a printing
Logos. On a later turn, my opponent uses Spangler Box again
error.
and it returns to my control. Will Spangler Box’s house return to
Shadows due to the lasting effect provided by Sneklifter?
The Chosen One
Yes. Sneklifter’s lasting effect on Spangler Box applies until
Spangler Box leaves play. If your opponent takes control of My opponent has The Chosen one 332 with 8 damage on it.
Spangler Box, and then you take control of it at a later time, During my “ready cards” step I have 4 exhausted creatures.
Sneklifter’s lasting effect will make Spangler Box belong to house Since 1 damage will destroy The Chosen One, can I ready my
Shadows again. other 3 exhausted creatures?

No. All the damage dealt to The Chosen One is dealt

Spangler Box simultaneously in this case, so you ready no creatures, The
Chosen One is dealt 4 damage, it is destroyed, and all excess
I control Spangler Box 132 that has purged my own Kelifi
damage to it is ignored.
Dragon 037. Spangler Box is returned to its owner’s hand
with Grasping Vines 324, but I don’t have any Æmber in my
pool. Does Kelifi Dragon return to play?

Yes. Kelifi Dragon is not being played when it is returned by

Spangler Box’s ability, it is being put into play, which bypasses
normal play restrictions. Kelifi Dragon will return to play no
matter how much Æmber is in your pool.

My Scowly Caper 313 is under my opponent’s control and is

purged by Spangler Box 132. If Spangler Box is destroyed
and Scowly Caper is returned to play, whose control is it under?

Scowly Caper’s ability causes Scowly Caper to enter play under

the control of your opponent. This happens any time Scowly
Caper enters play regardless if Scowly Caper is played, “put into
play,” or returned to play.

GENEral FaQ
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 44
The Promised Blade Well of Memory
What happens if my opponent has The Promised Blade 193 Should Well of Memory 128 have the Location trait?
and at the start of my turn, we each control the same number
of creatures? Yes, the missing “Location” trait was a was a printing error.

As the active player, you can choose which player counts as

having the “fewest creatures” in play when both players have Wild Bounty
the same number of creatures in play. If you chose yourself, you If I played Wild Bounty 392 and a card with an Æmber,
would take control of The Promised Blade. Damage, and Capture bonus icons, in what order are the bonus
icons resolved?
The Warchest When resolving bonus icons “an additional time”, the resolution
If I use Ancient Bear 345 to fight Bulleteye 297, Bulleteye is happens immediately after each bonus icon is resolved. In this
destroyed by assault damage. If I use The Warchest 027 does case, the bonus icons will resolve in the following order: Æmber,
its “Action:” ability resolve Bulleteye’s destruction? Æmber, Damage, Damage, Capture, Capture.

No. The Warchest’s “Action:” ability only resolves for creatures

that were destroyed during the fight itself (exchange of damage Wild Wormhole
based on a creature’s power). Since Bulleteye was destroyed in  in my Æmber pool and have chosen house Logos
I have 0
the “before fight” window, it is not considered to have been to be my active house this turn. I play Wild Wormhole 125
destroyed in a fight. and try to play the top card of my deck, which is Kelifi Dragon
037. What happens?
Throwing Stars The Kelifi Dragon is returned to the top of the deck. Kelifi
My opponent’s battleline consists solely of 3 Gubs 060. If I Dragon has a play requirement of needing to have 7  in your
play Throwing Stars 279, dealing 1 damage to each Gub, how Æmber pool, and since you didn’t have any initially (you now
much Æmber do I gain? have 1 from playing the Wild Wormhole) you don’t have
enough to be able to play the Kelifi Dragon. Since you can’t play
You would gain 2 Æmber. The two Gubs on the flanks have the card it is returned to the place you tried to play it from, in
one power, so they are destroyed by the one damage from the this case the top of the deck.
Throwing Stars and you gain 1 Æmber from each of them. The
non-flank Gub has 5 power, so it is not destroyed by Throwing If I play Wild Wormhole 125, and the card that I draw and
Stars, as it is not destroyed “this way.” play is Library Access 115, do I get to draw a card for playing
Wild Wormhole, since I am still in the window of resolving Wild
Wormhole's “Play:” ability?
Undagnathus (Evil Twin)
In my battleline, I have Undagnathus (Evil Twin) 130 with Yes. When you play Wild Wormhole, you reveal the card and
2 armor. The tide is low and my opponent uses a 5 power resolve its “Play:” ability, playing Library Access. Once the
creature to attack Undagnathus (Evil Twin). How much damage lasting effect of Library Access is established, you fall back to the
does Undagnathus (Evil Twin) end up with? “after play effects” window of Wild Wormhole, where there is
now a new ability created by Library Access.
The damage is doubled after damage mitigation (Step 3 of
the damage timing chart), resulting in the attacking creature
attempting to deal 5 damage, mitigated by 2 armor, then
doubled by the ability of Undagnathus (Evil Twin), resulting in 6
damage.

United Action
If I play United Action 343, and play no cards from another
house, am I able to use creatures this turn?

No. The “may” in United Action is allowing you to play cards

from other houses, but it does not extend to the last sentence of
the ability. Regardless if you play cards from other houses or not,
you cannot use cards for the rest of the turn.

Waking Nightmare
After I play Waking Nightmare 017, if more Dis creatures
then enter or leave play, will my opponent’s key cost change, or
is it locked in when I played Waking Nightmare?

The key cost will change. This is a lasting effect that will update
every time the board state changes.

General FAQ
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 45
THE orIGIN oF KEyForGE
In the early days of trading card games, they were played in
many ways – and some of my favorite ways disappeared over
time. Among those were sealed deck and league play. Both
were awkward to manage because cards had a tendency to get
lost in one’s collection. Also, players could only play with trusted
friends because it was easy to cheat by improving one’s deck
surreptitiously.

I have often wondered if I could get back some of that really

exciting play, which was characterized by tools that weren’t
universal. Each player had treasures no other player had, but
also had less powerful cards that needed to be used in clever
ways to get the most value. One’s sealed or league deck was
never ideal – but it was unique, and there was a great deal of
skill in getting the most out of it.

While I enjoy constructing or drafting decks, I am often longing

to play cards that are not powerful enough to compete within
these formats. When playing with sealed or limited decks, these
cards often become viable, since you can’t just replace them
with top tier cards. I find special pleasure in winning a game
using cards that many people ignored or overlooked.

I have always been attached to good procedurally generated

content. Game worlds generated in this way really feel as if they
belong to me, the player – I am discovering them as I play; the
designer didn’t even know they existed. Often games without
such content are extremely managed experiences; everyone
goes through the same story lines and can experience the
same gameplay by making the same decisions. Everything
they experience feels planned. The contrast feels to me like
the difference between exploring a jungle and walking in an
amusement park. When trading card games first came out the
feeling was like exploring a jungle – and as the cards became
more like commodities, it became more and more like an
amusement park.

In the amusement park there are experts telling you how to play
the game, the safest strategies, what net decks to use. In the
jungle you have the tools you have. There is every chance that
you are going to be the best in the world at playing your decks –
you can’t just look up what the synergies are or the weaknesses;
you will only find out by playing.

Welcome to the jungle!

Richard Garfield
April 2018

THE orIGIN oF KEyForGE

KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 46
CREDITS AGE OF ASCENSION 
Expansion Design and Development: Brad Andres, Skaff Elias,

CALL OF THE ARCHONS 

and Richard Garfield
Producer: Jason Walden
Game Design: Richard Garfield Fiction: Daniel Lovat Clark
Game Development: Brad Andres, Skaff Elias, and Nate French Proofreading: Christine Crabb
with Daniel Schaefer Card Game Manager: Merceded Opheim
Producer: Erik Dahlman Graphic Design: Caitlin Ginther and Neal W. Rasmussen
Fiction: Daniel Lovat Clark Graphic Design Coordinator: Joseph D. Olson
Editing: Adam Baker and Kevin Tomczyk Graphic Design Manager: Christipher Hosch
Card Game Manager: Mercedes Opheim Cover Art: Radial Studios
Story Manager: Katrina Ostrander Art Direction: Any Christentsen and Crystal Cheng
Graphic Design: Christopher Hosch with Monica Helland, Technology Implementation: Evan Hall and Lukas Adrian
Michael Silsby, and Neal W. Rasmussen Peregrine
Graphic Design Coordinator: Joseph D. Olson Quality Assurance Coordinaton: Andrew Janeba and Zach
Graphic Design Manager: Brian Schomburg Tewalthomas
Cover and Concept Art: David Kegg Production Management: Jason Glawe and Dylan Tierney
Art Direction: Andy Christensen and Taylor Ingvarsson with Visual Creative Director: Brian Schomburg
Crystal Chang Senior Project Manager: John Franz-Wichlacz
Managing Art Director: Melissa Shetler Senior Manager of Product Development: Chris Gerber
Technology Implementation: Lukas Adrian Peregrine and Executive Game Desginer: Corey Koniexzka
Evan Hall
Head of Studio: Andrew Navaro
Quality Assurance Coordinator: Zach Tewalthomas
Playtesters: Larry Allen, Kayli Ammen, Carl Anderton, Jackie
Production Management: Jason Beaudoin and Megan Duehn Anderton, Nick Barker, Ron Beyer, Ryan Billington, Benjamin
Senior Project Manager: John Franz-Wichlacz Bottorff, Federico Castelo, Mark Conkle, Lee Dalton, Clarissa
Senior Manager of Product Development: Chris Gerber DeGan, Emeric Dwyer, Tyler Gatrost, Xavier Gombaud, Richard
Executive Game Designer: Corey Konieczka Greenaway, Jonna Hind, Clinton Jeffrey, Jennifer Kapphahn,
Head of Studio: Andrew Navaro Doug Keester, Tobin Lopes, George “Joren” Meadows, Tom
Melucci, Chris Mogensen, Conrad Murphy, Brad Rochford,
Special thanks to Koni Garfield for countless hours of playtest,
Brodi Scott, Edsel Soto, Nick Springer, Tim Stillman, Devin
support, and good ideas.
Stinchcomb, Geoff Suthers, George Tinkham, Jason Wallace,
Playtesters: Aaron Haltom, Alex Davy, Allie, Andrew Aarestad, and Yu-Chi Wang
Andrew Fischer, Andrew Gross, Benjamin Bottorff, Boyd Published by Fantasy Flight Games
Bottorff, Brian Weissman, Brodie Bensend, Bryden Cole,
Bubbles the Hammer, Caleb “Bulldog” Grace, Carl Anderton,
Carl Beyer, Chasina Beyer, Chris Bizzell Clough, Christopher
Bates, CJ Heintz, Cyd Gardner, Damon Stone, Doug Keester,
WORLDS COLLIDE 
Edward West, Elliot Murray, Emeric Dwyer, Erika Baraišytė, Expansion Design and Development: Brad Andres, Skaff Elias,
Giedrius Čeniauskas, Grace Holdinghaus, Ian Moore, Richard Garfield, Aaron Haltom, and Daniel Schaefer
Jacqueline Anderton, Jake Ryan, Jason M. Wallace, Jason Producer: Jason Walden
Walden, Jeremy “Niffle” Zwirn, Jim Cartwright, Jim Lin, Josiah Fiction: Daniel Lovat Clark
Leis, Julia Jannace, Katie Leis, Kayli Ammen, Ken Uy, K.F.B. Editing: Andreas Wolfsteller
Fletcher, Kortnee Lewis, Liam MacDonald, Luca Chilefone,
Proofreading: Tobin Lopes and Jeremiah J. Shaw
Lukas Litzsinger, Luke Eddy, Margaret Miller, Martin Vroom,
Matrim Charlebois, Matt Lansdowne, Matthew “Ratt” Newman, Card Game Manager: Mercedes Opheim
Matthew Pjecha, Matthew Watson, Michael Bernabo, Michael Expansion Graphic Design: Nate Carnahan and Caitlin Ginther,
Boggs, Micah Crosley, Miglė Pučetaitė, Nathan Gardner, Nathan with Neal W. Rasmussen
Karpinski, Nicholas Cyr, Nick Howard, Paul Klecker, Quinn Waller, Graphic Design Coordinator: Joseph D. Olson
Rick Reinhardt, Reuben Fries, Ron Beyer, Russell Jones, Ryan Graphic Design Manager: Christopher Hosch
Anthony Wolohan, Schuyler Garfield, Scott Lewis, Sean Monson, Cover Art: David Kegg
Terance Taylor, Tim Huckelbery, Tobin Lopes, Tony Fanchi,
Art Direction: Andy Christensen and Crystal Chang
Ugnius Dovidauskas, Weston Garrett Bradley, WiL Springer, and
William Morton Managing Art Director: Tony Bradt
Technology Implementation: Evan Hall and Lukas Adrian
Published by Fantasy Flight Games
Peregrine
Quality Assurance Coordination: Andrew Janeba and Zach
Tewalthomas
Production Management: Jason Glawe
Visual Creative Director: Brian Schomburg
Senior Project Manager: John Franz-Wichlacz

Credits
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 47
Senior Manager of Product Development: Chris Gerber Editing: Jakub Nosal
Executive Game Designer: Corey Konieczka Proofreading: Mark Pollard
Head of Studio: Andrew Navaro Card Game Manager: Jim Cartwright
Playtesters: Kael Barend, Leo Berman, Michael Bernabo, Ben Creative Director of Story and Setting: Katrina Ostrander
Bottorf, Tim Bunn, Federico Castelo, Micah Crosley, Nick Cyr, Expansion Graphic Design: Caitlin Ginther with Neal W.
Vann Daugherty, Ira Fay, Matt Giese, Doug Keester, Tobin Rasmussen
Lopes, Zachary P. Lopes, David McCulloch, Paraic Mulgrew, Graphic Design Coordinator: Joseph D. Olson
Michael Nerman, Josh Noe, Mark Ortego, Eugene Png, Jamison
Graphic Design Manager: Christopher Hosch
VanLoocke, Marc Vialva, and Jason Wallace
Cover Art: Angelo Bortolini
Published by Fantasy Flight Games
Art Direction: Christina Doffing, Jeff Lee Johnson, Chelzee
Lemm-Thompson, and Preston Stone
MASS MUTATION  Managing Art Director: Tony Bradt
Technology Implementation: Evan Hall and Lukas Adrian
Expansion Design and Development: Brad Andres, Aaron Peregrine
Haltom, and Daniel Schaefer
Quality Assurance Coordination: Zach Tewalthomas
Producer: Jason Walden
Production Management: Jason Glawe
Fiction: Daniel Lovat Clark
Visual Creative Director: Brian Schomburg
Editing: Andreas Wolfsteller
Senior Project Manager: John Franz-Wichlacz
Proofreading: Molly Glover
Executive Game Designer: Nate French
Card Game Manager: Jim Cartwright
Head of Studio: Chris Gerber
Expansion Graphic Design: Caitlin Ginther with Nate Carnahan
and Neal W. Rasmussen Playtesters: Nathaniel Brelsford, Jayson Burns, Devin Chiriboga,
Steven Christian, Brooks Clark, Micah Crosley, Lee Dalton, Dale
Graphic Design Coordinator: Joseph D. Olson
de Andrade, William “Trey” Dismukes, Catherine Down, Martin
Graphic Design Manager: Christopher Hosch Down, Ollie Erholtz, Ira Fay, Charlie Fiddler, Simon Fox, David
Cover Art: David Kegg Hansell, Beka Hemken, Daniel Hemken, Luke Hemken, George
Art Direction: Crystal Chang and Preston Stone Keagle, Joe Kell, Matt Lansdowne, Brett Leeson, Scott Lewis,
Managing Art Director: Tony Bradt Tobin Lopes, Zachary Lopes, Daniel McLaughlin, Ben Miller,
Technology Implementation: Evan Hall and Lukas Adrian Lilian Nelson, Robert Nelson, Michael Nerman, Luke Olson,
Peregrine Trevor Payton, Ben Rothman, Jason Scarrow, Benjamin Sissel,
Alex Slotnick, Asher Stuhlman, Coleen Tanyag, Noah Young, and
Quality Assurance Coordination: Andrew Janeba and Zach
Frances “Fran” Zeller
Tewalthomas
Production Management: Jason Glawe Published by Fantasy Flight Games
Visual Creative Director: Brian Schomburg
Senior Project Manager: John Franz-Wichlacz
VP of Product Development: Chris Gerber WINDS OF EXCHANGE 
Executive Game Designer: Nate French Expansion Design and Development: Aaron Haltom, Michael
Head of Studio: Andrew Navaro Hurley, Tyler Parrott, and Daniel Schaefer
Playtesters: Ryan Alexander, Jayson Burns, Brooks Clark, Amy Producer: Michael Hurley
Claxton, David Claxton, Jacob Claxton, Mallorie Coan, Bryden Expansion Graphic Design: WiL Springer
Cole, Don Cox, Micah Crosley, Tori Dismukes, Trey Dismukes, Technology Implementation: Evan Hall, Francesco Moggia, and
Ira Fay, Charlie Fiddler, David Gagner, Chelley Henry, Jeff Lukas Adrian Peregrine
Henry, Teri Sue Hitchcock, Marty Hoppock, Nicholas Johnson, Rules Editing: Gee Barger
Hyungmin Kang, George Keagle, Erik Kemnitz, Ben Kline, Joe Marketing Coordinator: Jeremy Culver
Kell, Matt Lansdowne, Brett Leeson, Kortnee Lewis, Scott Lewis,
Head of Studio: Christian T. Petersen
Tobin Lopes, Zachary Lopes, Chris Mayfield, Ben-Jammin Miller,
Noel Miller, Robert Nelson, Chase Peterson, Ícaro Veneroso Special thanks to Luke Olson for data analysis and insights, and
Rocha Silva, Marlus Clayton de Oliveira Rocha Silva, Ben to the entire KeyForge community for their loyalty and support.
Rothman, Jason Scarrow, Asher Stuhlman, Colleen Tanyag, Zach Playtesters: Patrik Åhlberg, hydrophilic attack, BotOrNot,
Tedford, Peter Yang, Noah Young, Ryan Young, and Frances Dave Cordeiro, Micah Crosley, Evan Hall, Mark Hannibal, Geoff
Zeller Heppenheimer, Stephane Honnorat, Dominic Hurov, Luke Olson,
Published by Fantasy Flight Games Matt Lansdowne, Mason Lehto, Daniel McLaughlin, Andrew
Marshall, Josh Mathews, Robert Nelson, Adrien “Drallieiv”
Nguyen, Riku Nguyen, Alexandre ‘fakyrr’ Pagès, Giang

DARK TIDINGS 
Riversking, Aaron Phillips, Justin Russell, Sebastian Russell, Noah
Salaway, Chris Steele, Sydnie Steele, Doug Stover, Erich Taylor,
Expansion Design and Development: Brad Andres, Aaron Francisco “Pancho” Varas, Giuseppe Villa, and Zaramis
Haltom, Tyler Parrott, and Daniel Schaefer Published by Ghost Galaxy, Inc.
Producer: Jason Walden
Fiction: Daniel Lovat Clark

Credits
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 48
GRIM REMINDERS 
Expansion Design and Development: Aaron Haltom, Michael
Hurley, Luke Olson, Tyler Parrott, and Daniel Schaefer
Producer: Michael Hurley
Expansion Graphic Design: WiL Springer
Technology Implementation: Evan Hall, Francesco Moggia, and
Lukas Adrian Peregrine
Rules Editing: Gee Barger
Marketing Coordinator: Jeremy Culver
Events & OP Coordinator: Josh Swaner
Head of Studio: Christian T. Petersen
Playtesters: Patrik Åhlberg, Dan Barrett, BotOrNot, Marcus
D’Amelio, John Gradel, Evan Hall, Nick Hall, Stephane Honnorat,
Dominic Hurov, Matt Lansdowne, Mason Lehto, Tobin Lopes,
Josh Mathews, Daniel McLaughlin, Kurtis Meilink, Riku Nguyen,
Alexandre ‘fakyrr’ Pagès, Aaron Phillips, Ben Rothman, Dan
Smith, Z Smith, Ben Sissel, Sydnie Steele, Zack Stephenson,
Doug Stover, Josh Swaner, Francisco “Pancho” Varas, Jason
Wallace, and John Ziegler
Published by Ghost Galaxy, Inc

Credits
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 49
This chart provides a detailed timing structure for all standard
game steps and a number of frequently used card abilities.

Whenever two or more effects occur at the same time step in

this chart, the order that those effects resolve is determined by
TIMING CHarT the active player.

Note: Effects that use the term “each time” occur at the same
timing point as effects that use the term “after.”
» “Start of turn” effects resolve.

sTEP 1: ForGE a KEy

1. Check to see if you are able to forge a key. DaMaGE CHarT
2. If able, spend Æmber equal to the current forging cost and forge a key. If The following steps occur each time pending
you forged your third key, you immediately win the game. damage is dealt to one or more creatures:
3. “After a Key is forged” effects resolve.
1. If the creature has invulnerable or “cannot
be dealt damage” all its pending damage
is prevented.
sTEP 2: CHoosE a HoUsE 2. If the creature is warded, all its pending
damage is prevented and the ward is
1. Choose which house will be the active house for this turn.
removed.
2. “After you choose a house” effects resolve.
3. Each point of armor reduces the creature’s
3. You may take all the cards from your archives and put them in your hand. pending damage by 1.
4. All pending damage not prevented
becomes damage dealt to the creature. If
sTEP 3: Play, DIsCarD, or UsE CarDs a creature has damage equal to or greater
You may perform these actions in any order and repeat them any number of times. than its power, it is destroyed.

Play a CarD FIGHT WITH a CrEaTUrE

1. If your card is a creature, artifact, or upgrade, add it to your 1. Exhaust the attacking creature and choose the creature
play area, resolving any “enters play” effects. If your card is it is fighting.
an action, reveal it. 2. “Before Fight” effects, Hazardous X, and Assault X
2. Resolve each Bonus Icon on the played card, top to resolve.
bottom. 3. Each creature in the fight deals pending damage equal
3. Resolve “Play:” effects, “after play” effects, and “after to its power to the opposing creature (see Damage
enters play” effects. Chart). Splash-attack X resolves.
4. If your card is an action, place it in your discard pile. 4. Pending damage is prevented or reduced according to
the Damage Chart, then damage is dealt to creatures
rEaP WITH a CrEaTUrE simultaneously.
1. Exhaust the reaping creature
5. If the attacking creature survived, its ”After Fight”
 from the common supply.
2. Gain 1 effects resolve. “Each time a creature fights” effects
3. “After Reap” and “after a creature reaps” effects resolve. resolve.

UsE aN aCTIoN or oMNI aBIlITy DEsTroyED

1. Exhaust the card with the “Action:” or “Omni:” ability.
The following steps occur each time one or more cards are
2. Resolve the effects of the ability.
destroyed.
3. “After a creature is used” effects resolve.
1. Cards are tagged for destruction.
2. “Destroyed” effects resolve.
sTEP 4: rEaDy CarDs 3. All destroyed cards are put into their owner’s discard
piles. Battlelines immediately shift inward to fill destroyed
1. Ready each of your exhausted cards.
creatures’ places.
4. “After a creature is destroyed” and “each time a creature
sTEP 5: DraW CarDs is destroyed” effects resolve.
1. Draw cards until you have six or more in your hand
(adjusting for chains or card effects).

» “End of turn” effects resolve.

TIMING CHarT
KEYFORGE MASTER RULEBOOK • 17.3 50

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Keyforge Rules v17.3

Uploaded by

Keyforge Rules v17.3

Uploaded by

MasTEr rUlEBooK

CHaNGE sUMMary – MarCH 2024

Updated FAQ entries for aNIMaTor

Copyright 2024. KeyForge and the KeyForge logo are registered

Permission is granted to print this document for personal use.

WElCoME To THE CrUCIBlE

Skullback Crab Bumpsy Shock Herder Specialist Guthrak

©2022 Ghost Galaxy

©2022 Ghost Galaxy

©2022 Ghost Galaxy

©2022 Ghost Galaxy

discards that card.

”Cadet Byron, cancel the undersea walk.”

©2022 Ghost Galaxy

holds the Might Club makes the rules.” owners’ hands.

Reference Card Archon Identity Deck

1. Place all damage tokens, Æmber tokens, and status counters

2. Each player places their Archon identity card to the left or

4. Randomly determine who is the first player. That player takes

5. Each player shuffles their deck and offers it to the opponent

6. The first player draws a starting hand of seven cards. The

The game is now ready to begin.

A player cannot choose to activate a house unless it is either on

Enhance . (These icons have

©2022 Ghost Galaxy

©2022 Ghost Galaxy

UPGraDE arCHoN IDENTITy

6 creature’s neighbors cannot be

11 12 13 16. Deck Registration Code

If a card has multiple “Action:” and/or “Omni:” abilities, only

Example: You have a creature in play that has 2 armor. It is dealt

If a creature gains armor, the gains are additive and accumulate

Capture ( ): A friendly creature captures 1

Skirmish. (When you use this creature to

©2022 Ghost Galaxy

©2022 Ghost Galaxy

dealt by a bonus icon is not considered to be dealt by the card

Grigory Serov  039 Liberty of Weirdwater

on which the icon appears.

Whatever he doesn’t like, he breaks. He doesn’t

): Draw 1 card.

3 Specialist Guthrak 3 Shock Herder

CREATURE CREATURE CREATURE

ALIEN • HANDUHAN GOBLIN BEAST

©2022 Ghost Galaxy

©2022 Ghost Galaxy

card you choose may belong to any house.

they “cannot” do something and that they “must” or “may” do

the same thing, the “cannot” effect takes precedence.

Example: Anna controls a Pitlord 093 which reads “While

Pitlord is in play you must choose Dis as your active house.” On

©2022 Ghost Galaxy

©2022 Ghost Galaxy

©2022 Ghost Galaxy

cannot choose Dis, but because cannot takes precedence over

Related Topics: Creatures, Fight, Playing Cards

CaPTUrE BoNUs ICoN  CHaIN HaNDICaP (oPTIoNal rUlE)

CosT, aT CUrrENT CosT

Damage on a creature does not reduce its power.

Example: Marcus has a Groggins with a Phoenix Heart in play.

A card only resolves “Destroyed:” abilities that it had at the time

In order to play a gigantic

Everyone comes to Hub City eventually.

When a card is added to the in-play zone, it “enters play,” and

Related Topics: Enters Play, Leaves Play, Out-of-Play Zones

If a lasting effect affects cards in play, it applies to all cards in lEGaCy

Related Topic: Cannot

When a card instructs you to move a creature, that creature must

If a player is using a deck that has chains applied to it at the start

See “Game Setup” on page 4.

Related Topic: Chains, Shuffle

5. If the played card is an action card, it is placed faceup on top

Related Topic: Playing Cards

Damage on a creature does not reduce its power.

Related Topics: Damage, Destroyed

Pandulf the Provoker