PLAYER'S HANDBOOK

Player's Handbook

Credits

Rules Advisory List
Jeff Barnes, Steve Crow, Jonathan Halperyn, Bruce Loebrich, A. Allen McCarley, Paul Senft, and Stealth Dave

Special Thanks
Bill Panzer, Peter Davis, Gillian Horvath, Donna Lettow, Lonko Miyazaki, Xclusive Imaging, Greystone Graphics, Wendell Kline, and MaryJo Spellerburg.

Thunder Castle Games P.O. Box 11529 Kansas City, MO  64138 (816)363-9363 E-mail: TCGames@AOL.com Web: www.tcgames.com

© 1996 Thunder Castle Games.  The Nexus^TM, The Nexus^TM logo, SwordMaster^TM, and the SwordMaster^TM logo are Trademarks of Thunder Castle Games.  All Rights Reserved.  Highlander © Davis-Panzer Productions.  Printed in the United States by Greystone Graphics.

Handbook for Highlander: The Card Game - Version 1999.3.10

Copyright © 1995-1999 Thunder Castle Games - All Rights Reserved. This document may be freely reproduced and distributed, so long as it remains unaltered and this copyright notice is preserved. Highlander is a protected trademark of Davis-Panzer Productions & Gaumont Television, used under license.

This Handbook, along with the associated Rulebook replaces and supercedes all official or sanctioned documents and rulings, including Rulebooks, Erratas, FAQs and Databases, about the rules and text of Highlander the Card Game released before this Handbook.

Unlike the Rulebook, this Handbook is not designed to be read straight through. If you have not read the Rulebook, you should probably do so to gain at least a basic understanding of the game. This Handbook is a reference tool best utilized when questions arise during Deck Construction, Game Play, and Tournaments. The most recent errata'd card text is included for all of the cards that are legal to use when playing the game.

There are several stylistic conventions used in this document. This is to make things consistent throughout the document, and more importantly, to make it easier for the player to quickly recognize important terms and concepts. These words and phrases all have their own entries that you might need to read as well to fully understand an entry.

- All errata'd card text is listed in Bold Red.

- Any card identified as Persona Specific or Immortal Specific is list as Card Title: Persona or Weapon Name, the Title and Name being separated by a colon (:), as well as any Sub-Titles necessary.

[0-9][A][B][C][D][E][F][G][H][I][J][K][L][M][N][O][P][Q][R][S][T][U][V][W][X][Y][Z]

ENTRIES

- 0-9 -

4H - Abbreviation for Four Horsemen Expansion

- A -

Ability - Your "score" is your Ability. You start the game with 15 Ability. If you take damage, your Ability will be reduced equal to the amount of the damage done to you. You may only hold as many cards in your hand as your current Ability.

Ability Adjustment Phase - The Ability Adjustment Phase immediately follows the Attack Phase. Cards cannot be played once you start this phase. If a card or effect occurs when you "take damage", the effect occurs during this Phase. If a card raises or lowers your Ability, or you have pending damage, make that adjustment now. Take into account any cards that prevent Damage, remembering that it has no effect on Ability Loss. A successful Attack normally does 2 damage.
Example1: Player A has taken a successful Lower Left Attack, and 3 damage from an Angry Mob. He has also drawn the last card in his Endurance, causing 5 Ability Loss due to Exhaustion. He discards a Dr. Anne Lindsay to prevent 2 damage, and plays a Lost Love to gain 1 Ability. Starting at 15 Ability, Player A now has 8 Ability (15 - 2 - 3 - 5 + 2 + 1 = 8).
Example2: Player A has Honor Bound in play. Player B plays Focus (This Turn) on Honor Bound and plays Street Punk. During his next Ability Adjustment Phase, player A "takes damage", and Honor Bound is removed from play.
Example3: Again, Player A has Honor Bound in play. Player B plays Focus on Honor Bound and plays Street Punk. At the beginning of his next turn, Player A plays Focus (This Turn) on Honor Bound. During his next Ability Adjustment Phase, player A "takes damage", but Honor Bound is Focused and is not removed from play.

Ability Loss - Ability Loss may not be prevented by cards which prevent damage. Ability Loss is adjusted during the Ability Adjustment Phase.
Example: Kastigir plays Boom Boom which causes 1 Ability Loss. His opponent cannot use Dr. Sonny Jackson to prevent damage because there is no damage to prevent. During his Ability Adjustment Phase, his Ability is adjusted from 15 to 14.

Adjoining Area - Any area that is next to (above, below, to the left or right) or diagonal to one area already covered by the Block.

Alertness - Defenses In Play - You may play Alertness on an Attack and use a Defense already in play to defend against that Attack.
Example1: Player A plays Master's Attack: Kastigir. Player B already has a Lower Guard in play, so he plays Alertness: Block on Master's Attack: Kastigir, and then uses the Lower Guard in play to block.
Example2: Player A plays Lower Left Attack, Combination, and a Hidden Attack. Player B plays a Lower Left Block and hopes that it also covers the Hidden Attack. The Attack is revealed, and it is a Dirty Trick: Shove, which is unblockable. Player B plays Alertness: Block and uses the Lower Left Block to defend the Attack.

Ally - Any non-Pre-Game card whose Title depicts the proper name of a character from the TV Series or the Movies is considered to be an Ally.

Amanda - Damage from Attacks - Amanda's Attacks do half of the normal damage; 1 damage for a normal Attack and 2 damage for a Power Blow. When Amanda plays an Attack that says it does 'X' damage, the amount of damage on the card supercedes Amanda's half damage Attacks. If Masters Advantage: Ramirez is in play against Amanda, she essentially is able to block as normal, but only make 1 Attack at normal damage; 2 damage for a normal Attack, 4 damage for a Power Blow. Though you may make 2 Attacks, you may only use one Attack from an Exertion. If Amanda is restricted in her first Attack by a Defense, she may forfeit her first Attack, and attack without restricting her next Attack. When Amanda faces another Amanda, they play as normal Personas would, but their damage is halved. Any additional damage is added on to that amount.
Example1: Amanda plays a Thrust. A normal Attack does 2 damage. Amanda does 1 damage. Thrust does an additional point of damage if successful, and would do 2 points of damage to her opponent.
Example2: Slan Quince plays a Lower Left Attack and makes it a Power Blow. Amanda blocks the Attack, and takes 3 damage. If she Exerts to make the Block a Power Block, even a 0-card Exertion, she still takes 2 damage. If she makes a Power Block without an Exertion, such as with Continuity or Ancestral Blade, she takes no damage from the Attack.

Ancestral Blade [Promo] - 1 - [Generic] - OBJECT
You may Power Block without an Exertion.

Angry Mob [SE] - [Generic] - EVENT: BYSTANDER
All players take 3 damage.

Armor and Damage - No matter how many Armor you have in play, an Attack's damage is only reduced by 1. If an Attack covers multiple areas, you must have Armor in play that covers all the areas of an Attack in order for Armor to reduce the Attack's damage.
Example: Khan has Armor: Breastplate and Armor: Helmet in play. Player A plays a Slash: Left and a Slice: Rapier. Khan does not defend against the Attacks. Khan's Armor covers all areas of the Slice, Upper Left and Middle Center, so damage from the Slice is reduced by 1, doing 1 damage. However, the Slash: Left covers Upper Left, Middle Left, and Lower Left. Khan does not currently have Armor in play which covers Lower Attacks, so damage from the Slash is not reduced by 1, and Khan takes 1 damage from the Slash.

Armor [ME] - R3 - Khan - OBJECT
Breastplate: All damage from Attacks completely covered by Armor is reduced by 1. Armor: Breastplate covers Middle Left, Middle Center, and Middle Right grids. You may only have 1 Armor: Breastplate in play.

Armor [ME] - R3 - Khan - OBJECT
Greaves: All damage from Attacks completely covered by Armor is reduced by 1. Armor: Greaves covers Lower Left, Lower Center, and Lower Right grids. You may only have 1 Armor: Greaves in play.

Armor [ME] - R3 - Khan - OBJECT
Helmet: All damage from Attacks completely covered by Armor is reduced by 1. Armor: Helmet covers Upper Left, Upper Center, and Upper Right grids. You may only have 1 Armor: Helmet in play.

Arms and Tactics: "Break Glass" - If your opponent has several cards in play that prevent you from doing something, you may use the Arms and Tactics: "Break Glass" (that allows you to ignore prevent effects, or "break glass" ceilings) to ignore ALL cards and effects that prevent you from any actions.
Example: Honor Bound, Intimidate: Slan Quince, and Catwalk are all in play. You may use a single Arms and Tactics: "Break Glass" to ignore all of these prevent effects.

associate - Any Pre-Game cards that you use with your Deck are associated with your Deck. You are allowed to associate up to 6 Pre-Game cards with your Deck.
Example: Player A is playing with the Amanda Persona, Arms and Tactics: Break Glass, Darius: Pre-Game, and James Horton: Watcher Pre-Game. These cards are all associated with Player A's Deck.

AT - Abbreviation for Arms and Tactics Edition

Attack Phase - The Attack Phase immediately follows the Defense Phase. During this phase you may normally only play one Attack. If you are prevented from playing an Attack or have lost all of your attack opportunities you cannot play a Attack, or make an Exertion for one. When preparing to attack, take note of the last Defense you played. If the Defense was a Block, you may only attack to an area that the Block does not cover. A successful Dodge will defend an Attack as well and perhaps affect your next Attack, depending on its Text, if any. A Dodge with no Text does not restrict your Attack in any way. If you haven't played a Special Card yet, you may do so in this phase. Remember that you may only play one Special Card per turn.

Attack Weapon: War Axe - If the Attack played in conjunction with Attack Weapon: War Axe is a Power Blow, there is a 4 in 6 chance of your opponent breaking their weapon regardless or whether or not your opponent makes a Power Block.

Attack Weapon: War Axe and Chance of Success - If your opponent Power Blocks, the chances that their weapon breaks are unchanged.

Attacks - Attacks have either a red or yellow Grid. Attacks with a yellow Grid are Special Attacks.

Attacks - Damage - Unless an Attack states otherwise, it will do 2 damage if successful. Any additional damage done by the Attack is added on to this base amount.
Example: Player A plays 3 consecutive Flurry Strikes. Each Flurry Strike does an additional point of damage for each Flurry Strike played that turn. If successful, each Flurry Strike will do 5 points of damage; 2 + 1 + 1 + 1.

Attacks as Blocks - If you are able to play Attacks as Blocks, Attacks played as Blocks are not considered Blocks until they are played as Blocks. Attacks in your Hand are still considered Attacks even if you are able to play them as Blocks. You may play Attacks as Blocks even if prevented from playing Attacks.
Example1: Yung Dol Kim has his Master's Attack in his hand. Slan Quince plays Intimidate, preventing Yung Dol Kim from playing Attacks, and plays an Upper Left Attack. Yung Dol Kim plays Master's Attack as a Block, even though he is prevented from playing Attacks.
Example2: Player A has Parrying Blade: Object in play. Kastigir plays Charm, causing Player A to discard all Blocks from his hand, and plays a Lower Center Attack. Player A has a Lower Guard and a Lower Center Attack in his hand. He discards the Lower Guard, but not the Lower Center Attack. He then blocks Player A's Lower Center Attack with his own.

Attacks That Modify Later Attacks - When multiple Attacks have been played where one Attack modifies a successive Attack if it is successful, you may choose to defend against the successive Attack as normal and later Exert for a Defense against the first Attack. If you do not find a Proper Defense for the first Attack, the second Attack is now modified and any restrictions on Defenses for that Attack will affect the Defense you have already played, and may make that Attack successful.
Example: Duncan MacLeod plays Leg Sweep: Duncan MacLeod and Master’s Head Shot: Duncan MacLeod in conjunction with Flashing Blade. His opponent plays Back Away against the Master’s Head Shot: Duncan MacLeod and Exerts for a Defense against Leg Sweep: Duncan MacLeod. No Defense is found, making the Master’s Head Shot: Duncan MacLeod undodgeable. Unless that player is able to make an additional Exertion and find a Proper Defense, he loses his head!

Attacks to Specific Areas - When referring to groups of Attacks by area, such as Upper Attacks and Lower Attacks, any Attack that includes at least one Grid square in that area is considered to be that type of Attack.
Example: The Weapon Specific card Slice: Rapier contains the Grid areas Upper Left (or Upper Right) and Middle Center. It is considered to be an Upper Attack, a Right Attack, a Middle Attack, and a Center Attack.

- B -

Back Away [all editions] - DDD/DDD/DDD - Amanda, Connor, Duncan, Luther, Nefertiri, Richie, Slan, Xavier, - DODGE
This Defense will not avoid Ranged Attacks. You may only make Ranged Attacks this turn.

Bait and Switch [TG] - [Generic] - EDGE
Play this card in conjunction with a Defense. That Defense is treated as pulled from an Exertion. This does not count as making an Exertion

Basic Attack - You must include the 9 Basic Attacks in your deck during deck construction. The Basic Attacks are Lower Center Attack, Lower Left Attack, Lower Right Attack, Middle Left Attack, Middle Right Attack, Thrust, Upper Center Attack, Upper Left Attack and Upper Right Attack.

Basic Block - You must include the 6 Basic Blocks in your deck during deck construction. The Basic Blocks are Lower Center Block, Lower Left Block, Lower Right Block, Upper Center Block, Upper Left Block and Upper Right Block.

Basic Cards - Every Highlander Deck must include at least 1 of each Basic Attack and 1 of each Basic Block.

Battle Rage [ME][SE] - R4 - Connor, Duncan, Khan, Nefertiri, Richie - EVENT
Play this card in place of a Basic Attack. Make an Exertion to search for an Attack. You may play up to 5 non-Special Attacks from that Exertion and your Hand. You lose 1 Ability. A Dodge cannot avoid multiple attacks you play this turn.

beginning of your turn - Any action that you must or may take at the beginning of your turn that does not involve playing Special cards is done during your Sweep Phase. If the action involves playing a Special card, it is performed at the beginning of your Defense Phase before any other actions. If you have several beginning of your turn actions, you may choose which order to resolve them in.

Berserk [SE] - R2 - Slan - EVENT
Play this card in place of a Basic Attack. Make a 10-card Exertion to search for an Attack play this card. Play all non-Special Attacks from this Exertion. A Dodge cannot avoid multiple attacks you play this turn.

Big and Bad - Calculating Minimum Deck Size - If you have 1 Big and Bad in your deck, your minimum deck size is increased to 90 cards. 2 Big and Bad cards is 100 cards. 3 = 110, 4 = 120, 5 = 130, 6 = 140. These minimum deck size requirements apply no matter how Big and Bad is brought into your deck.

Blatant Clue [4H] - 3 - [Generic] - OBJECT
You may ignore the effects of any cards in play to play Situation: Plots. This will only allow you to play Situation: Plots in this manner. You may discard this card from play to search your Endurance for 1 card with the same Title as any Situation you have in play and place it in your Hand.

Block And Strike [4H] - SOO/OSO/OOO, OOS/OSO/OOO, OOO/OSO/SOO, OOO/OSO/OOS - [Generic] - SPECIAL ATTACK or BLOCK
If this card is the last Defense played this turn, it becomes the next Attack at the beginning of your Attack Phase. You may use this Attack to attack to areas blocked by Block and Strike.

Blocks - Blocks are Defenses with a blue Grid. When you Block an Attack, you are physically stopping your opponent's Attack with your weapon. If you Block a normal Attack or Power Block a Power Blow, the Attack is not successful. You may not attack to an area covered by the last Defense you play if that Defense is a Block.

Bloodlust [ME] - R2 - Kurgan - EVENT
Play in place of a Basic Attack. Make a 15-card Exertion. You may play up to 15 non-Special Attacks from the Exertion and your Hand. All Attacks that do damage played due to Bloodlust do 1 damage. No Attacks played due to Bloodlust can be a Power Blow. A Dodge cannot avoid multiple Attacks from a Bloodlust. You lose 4 Ability.

Borrowed Cards - When a card is "borrowed" through card effect (i.e. Immortal Research or Shapeshift) the card is treated as if the borrower had played the card as normal.

Borrowed Cards and Returning Cards To Your Hand - If a card that has been borrowed is returned to a players Hand, it returns to the player who played the card, not the player whose deck the card came from.
Example1: Kane borrows a Dirty Trick: Choke from the top of his opponent's deck. The Attack is not successful. On the following turn, Kane plays Feint: Event and places his opponent's Dirty Trick: Choke which he had played into his Hand.

Borrowing Cards - If your opponent plays a card from your Hand, Endurance, or Discard Pile, he is borrowing that card. Signature and Weapon Specific cards cannot be borrowed except by that Persona or by using that Weapon of Choice, respectively, but Reserved cards can.

Bystander - All cards with the Title or Group Line of Bystander are considered to be part of the Bystander group, and are affected by any card which targets Bystanders.

- C -

cannot - see Denial v Permission

Card Anatomy - All Highlander cards will have some or all of the following components on their face: Group, Hand Icon, Icon/Grid, Picture, Reserved/Signature Symbol, Subtitle, Text, Text Box, Title and Title Bar

Cards that Do Damage - Any reference to cards that do damage also refer to any successful Attacks that do damage as well as any card that states that it does damage. Cards or effects that refer to cards that may do damage also refer to any Attacks that do damage if they have not yet been declared successful or unsuccessful and any cards that do damage if certain conditions are met.
Example: Player A has Safe Haven: Situation in play. Player B may not play Battlefield or Kiss Your Butts Goodbye, since they may do damage.

Cards that Hold Other Cards - Some cards "hold" other cards. The cards that are being held are placed face-down underneath the card that is holding them. If the card that is holding cards is removed from play, the cards underneath are returned to their respective owner's Discard Piles. If the card is nullified, the cards remain held underneath.
Example1: Player A has Dojo in play with 4 cards held underneath. Player B takes control of Dojo using Shapeshift: Kane. Player A plays Police and removes Dojo from play. Dojo and all cards underneath return to Player A's Discard Pile.
Example2: Kurgan has Four Horsemen in play with 2 Master's Head Shot underneath. Kane uses Shapeshift to take Four Horsemen. Shapeshift and 2 Back Away are place under Four Horsemen. Kurgan plays Police and removes Four Horsemen from play. Four Horsemen and the 2 Master's Head Shot cards are placed in Kurgan's Discard Pile, while Shapeshift and the 2 Back Away: Kane are placed in Kane's Discard Pile.

Carl [SE] - [Generic] - SITUATION
You may discard this card from play to counter a Holy Ground card.

Chance of Success - If a card or effect has a chance of success, it requires a die roll. The card will state that you have a "n in 6 chance" to have some effect occur (n being a number between 1 and 6). Some cards will affect a chance of success, but will not necessarily affect all die rolls.
Example: Iron Will [ME] increases a cards chance of success, but will not affect cards like Master's Disarm: Kurgan, which has no chance of success.

Chessex - Losing Your Attack Phase - If you play two Events, there is no way to be able to get an Attack Phase this turn. If you play one Event, and remove Chessex, you still have an Attack Phase.

Chessex - Darius and Chessex - Darius is an Event and counts as one of your Events for Chessex. If you play an Event in conjunction with Darius, you have played 2 Events and may not play an additional Event due to Chessex. However, you may play an Event and a second Event in conjunction with Darius even though this is now 3 Events, since Darius is played in conjunction with the second Event. This will not allow you to play Darius in conjunction with a Special other than an Event and still play an additional Event.
Example1: Player A has Chessex in play. He plays Darius in conjunction with Alliance: Xavier. He has now played 2 Events and may not play additional Events due to Chessex this turn.
Example2: Player A has Chessex in play. He plays Angry Mob followed by Darius in conjunction with Alliance: Xavier.
Example3: Player A has Chessex in play. He plays Darius in conjunction with Forethought: Xavier. He may not play an additional Event since he has already played Forethought as his Special card.

Circular Parry - Circular Parry will only increase the chance of success on cards with the Title Disarm. Circular Parry will not affect cards in the Disarm group, such as Master Disarm.

Clan MacLeod - Duncan MacLeod and Connor MacLeod can both used these cards. Clan MacLeod cards are considered to be Persona Specific. Clan MacLeod is a Faction.

Combination - Hugh Fitzcairn and Kanwulf and Attack Modifiers - Any damage modifiers on the individual Attacks (i.e. Thrust) still apply to the single Attack formed by Combination.

Combination [all editions] - Connor, Duncan, Gen Katana, Kalas, Kastagir, Khan, Kurgan, Luther, Nakano, Nefertiri, Kinman, Richie, Silas - EVENT
Play an additional Attack this turn. If you make more than 1 Attack this turn, this Attack may be Hidden.

Completely Disarmed - If all of a Player's Weapons of Choice are disarmed, that player is completely disarmed.

Conceding a Match - A player may concede a match before the resolution of a Head Shot (i.e. before an Exertion for a Defense) provided that his opponent accepts the concession. Any agreements between players regarding the concession are strictly between players and have no effect on tournament standings after the concession is made.

Connor MacLeod [SE][ME] - Connor - PERSONA
You may attack areas you just blocked. You may look at Hidden Attacks. You may include up to seven Master cards.

Connor MacLeod and Guards - Connor and Duncan may not attack to areas covered by a Guard while it is in play, however they may drop the Guard at any time in order to attack to those areas.

Continuity [all editions] - Amanda, Connor, Duncan, Fasil, Kastagir, Khan, Kurgan, Luther, Hyde, Methos, Nakano, Nefertiri, Kinman, Richie, Yung Dol Kim - SITUATION
Your next 3 Defenses may be Power Blocks without an Exertion. Remove this card from play after the third Defense card is played. This is a Standing Defense.

Continuity - Power Blocks - Continuity only affects the next 3 Defense cards "played." If you have a Guard in play, it does not count when you use it to Defend for the purposes of Continuity. If you make a Guard a Power Block, it only remains a Power Block for that turn. Any subsequent use of the Guard as a Power Block is considered a "new use" and counts towards Continuity's 3 Defenses.

Continuous Effects - If an effect remains over several Phases or turns, it is considered a continuous effect. Many Objects, Situations, Locations, and even some Events and Pre-Game cards have continuous effects. It is possible for a card to have both continuous effects and immediate effects. See also immediate effects.
Example1: The effects of Challenge [SE] last until the end of that players next turn. It has a continuous effect.
Example2: Trenchcoat [TG] has an immediate effect which removes all Pedestrians, Reporters, and Bystanders from play, and a continuous effect which prevents players from playing Pedestrians, Reporters, and Bystanders.

Controlling An Opponent's Cards In Play - When a player takes control of an opponent's card that is already in play, he also takes control of any cards that are played "on" that card, such as Hidden Resources, Watcher: Revealed, and Security Guard, or any cards underneath that card, such as Dojo and Four Horsemen: Situation. Players may take control of an opponent's Signature cards, but may not take control of an opponent's Pre-Game cards.
Example1: Kronos has End of Time in play. Kane plays Shapeshift and trades Nexus with End of Time, even though End of Time is Signature. Kane may use End of Time as his own.
Example2: Player A has a Thunder Castle Games card in play. Player B may not use Impulse to take control of that card.

Counterfeit [SE] - [Generic] - EVENT: PLOT
Betrayal: You may only play this card if you have Counterfeit: Abduction and Counterfeit: Plastic Surgery in play. Discard all 3 cards. Your opponent must take the top 10 cards from their Endurance and put them in their Discard Pile.

Countering Cards - When a card is countered, all Text on the card is nullified and the card is immediately placed in the Discard Pile without effect. If a card is countered, the card is considered to have been played, even though it has no effect. If a card with a Target is played, it must be countered before a Target is chosen. The player playing the card with a Target must give his opponent the opportunity to counter the card before declaring a Target. Cards which counter other cards are always discard to use cards.
Example1: Player A has Forethought: Xavier in play. Player B plays Challenge. Player A immediately discards Forethought to counter Challenge. Player B has already played a Special card this turn, even though it was countered, and may not play another Special card this turn.
Example2: Player A has Watcher: Watcher Involvement in play and plays Master's Head Shot: Duncan. Player B plays Master's Block: Katana. Player A immediately Discards Watcher to counter Master's Block. Since you are only allowed to play 1 Defense against each Attack, the Master's Head Shot is successful and Player B loses his head!
Example3: Xavier has Forethought in play. Player B plays Police: Remove Situation, and asks Xavier if he wishes to counter the Police. He does not, and Player B then chooses Plan Ahead: Xavier as the card's Target.
Example4: Rachel Ellenstein is in play. Player A plays Focus (This Turn). Rachel Ellenstein counters Focus before Player A has a chance to declare a Target for Focus.

Crystal [AT] - [Generic] - PREMIUM: CRYSTAL
Calliope: Crystals do not count toward your Pre-Game limit. During deck construction, you may either substitute any 1 non-Special Attack for 1 Basic Attack or substitute any 1 Defense for 1 Basic Block for each Crystal associated with your deck. Do not remove these Attacks and Defenses from the game if the Crystals leave play. You may only have 1 Calliope in play.

Crystal [4H] - [Generic] - PREMIUM: CRYSTAL
Clio: Crystals do not count toward your Pre-Game limit. During deck construction, you may either substitute any 1 non-Special Attack for 1 Basic Attack or substitute any 1 Defense for 1 Basic Block for each Crystal associated with your deck. Do not remove these Attacks and Defenses from the game if the Crystals leave play. You may only have 1 Clio in play.

Crystal [AT] - [Generic] - PREMIUM: CRYSTAL
Euterpe: Crystals do not count toward your Pre-Game limit. You may play this card if you have Calliope in play. During deck construction, you may either substitute any 1 non-Special Attack for 1 Basic Attack or substitute any 1 Defense for 1 Basic Block for each Crystal associated with your deck. Do not remove these Attacks and Defenses from the game if the Crystals leave play. You may only have 1 Euterpe in play.

Crystal [4H] - [Generic] - PREMIUM: CRYSTAL
Melpomene: Crystals do not count toward your Pre-Game limit. You may play this card if you have Clio in play. During deck construction, you may either substitute any 1 non-Special Attack for 1 Basic Attack or substitute any 1 Defense for 1 Basic Block for each Crystal associated with your deck. Do not remove these Attacks and Defenses from the game if the Crystals leave play. You may only have 1 Melpomene in play.

Crystal [AT] - [Generic] - PREMIUM: CRYSTAL
Terpsichore: Crystals do not count toward your Pre-Game limit. You may play this card if you have Euterpe in play. During deck construction, you may either substitute any 1 non-Special Attack for 1 Basic Attack or substitute any 1 Defense for 1 Basic Block for each Crystal associated with your deck. Do not remove these Attacks and Defenses from the game if the Crystals leave play. You may only have 1 Terpsichore in play.

Crystal [4H] - [Generic] - PREMIUM: CRYSTAL
Erato: Crystals do not count toward your Pre-Game limit. You may play this card if you have Melpomene in play. During deck construction, you may either substitute any 1 non-Special Attack for 1 Basic Attack or substitute any 1 Defense for 1 Basic Block for each Crystal associated with your deck. Do not remove these Attacks and Defenses from the game if the Crystals leave play. You may only have 1 Erato in play.

- D -

Damage - When you take damage, your Ability is reduced by the amount of damage you take. This amount is calculated during your Ability Adjustment Phase.

Damage - Pending - Damage from Events is pending as soon as they are played, and damage from Attacks is pending when they become successful.

Damage - Preventing - Damage may only be prevented if it is pending.
Example1: Player A has 3 Dr. Sonny Jackson and an Angry Mob in his Hand. He can't play the 3 Dr. Sonny Jacksons because there is no damage pending, even though he wants to play the Angry Mob immediately afterwards.
Example2: Player A attacks with a Riposte. Player B has no Defense, so he declares the Attack successful. He then Discards Dr. Anne Lindsay to prevent 2 damage.

Darius - Darius and Chessex - see Chessex - Darius and Chessex

Darius [SE] - [Generic] - EVENT
You may include one card from another Persona in your deck. You may only play that card or put that card into play in conjunction with this card. You may play this card in conjunction with another Special card even if you are only allowed 1 Special card this turn.

Darius: Event - countering - When Darius: Event is countered, the card that Darius is played in conjunction with is not affected or countered.

Darius: Event - Putting Cards Directly Into Play - You cannot use a card which puts another card directly into play to bring a card brought into your deck with Darius: Event directly into play.
Example1: Connor MacLeod plays Conjure, but cannot use it to bring Bowie Knife: Kern into play.
Example2: Kern has Safe House in play with Alaine: Ceirdwyn underneath it. Kern plays Police to remove Safe House from play. On his next turn, Alaine comes into play without Darius: Event, a requirement for Alaine to be played. Alaine is discarded without effect.

Darius: Pre-Game - You do not need to include the card whose Restriction number you are increasing. Also, you may only increase the Restriction number on cards that you can "normally" include in your deck. Cards from other Personas, whether included in your deck through the use of a Quickening, Persona Power, Darius: Event, or some other means, are not "normally" allowed in your deck.

David Blake [ME] - 2 - [Generic] - EVENT
You may only play this card if your opponent played an Event that will do damage to you. Your opponent takes damage equal to the damage targeting you caused by that Event.

DC - Abbreviation for the Duncan Collection.

Deck - Your deck includes all cards in your Endurance, Hand, Discard Pile, and any Pre-Game cards that you associate with your deck.

Deck Construction -  The following guidelines must be used when building your Highlander deck:

• You may associate up to 6 Pre-Game cards with your deck.
• You may only have 6 cards with the same Title included in or associated with your deck.
• You may only associate 1 of the same Pregame card with your deck.
• You may only associate 1 Persona card with your deck.
• You may only include up to the Restriction number of the same cards that are Restricted.
• You may only include as many Master cards as permitted by your Persona card.
• You may only include Persona Specific cards if you use the appropriate Persona.
• You may only include Weapon Specific cards if you use the appropriate Weapon of Choice.
• You may only include up to 1 of each same non-Reserved Persona Specific card if you use a Generic Persona.

Defense - Blocks and Dodges are both Defenses, and are the only cards in Highlander that are considered Defenses. You may play 1 Defense against each Attack that your opponent played against you last turn. If you guess wrong against a Hidden Attack, you may Exert for a Proper Defense. If the Grid of a Defense covers all areas of the Attack, it will defend against the Attack. For more specific information, see Blocks and Dodges.

Defense Phase - The Defense Phase immediately follows the Sweep Phase. If there is no Attack pending, you cannot play a Defense, nor make an Exertion for one. You may play one Defense against each Attack that your opponent played in their turn, and cannot knowingly play an Improper Defense. If the colored area on your Defense card covers the entire corresponding colored area on your opponents' Attack, the Defense is successful and you normally take no damage from the attack. You may play a Special Card in this phase, or wait until your Attack Phase.

Deflect: Gladius and Additional Attacks - You only get one additional Attack for the last Deflect you played if it successfully blocked an attack.

Denial v Permission - There are cards that say that you cannot or may not or will not do something (a denial), and cards that say that you can or may do something (a permission). In cases where these instructions are in conflict, a denial always overrides a permission. An exception to this rule is if the permission specifically targets that card or effect.
Example 1: Your opponent plays Impressive Move, which say that you cannot draw cards. You play Lean and Mean, which says that you may draw a card. You do not draw a card because cannot overrides may.
Example 2: Your opponent plays Master's Attack: Connor MacLeod, which cannot be blocked. You play Alertness which specifically says that you may play a Block against an Attack that cannot be blocked. You may now play a Block against the Attack.

Desert [ME] - [Generic] - LOCATION
All players must place the top two cards of their Endurance in their Discard Pile at the beginning of their turn.

Desperation [SE] - R - Nefertiri - EVENT
You must draw 3 cards. You must discard 2 of those cards. You may play another Special card this turn.

Die Roll - Altering Odds - When using any card or effect to alter a die roll, you must declare how the die roll is being altered before the die roll is made.
Example: Player A has Change of Fortune in play. Player B plays Disarm and Iron Will, declaring that the Disarm now has a 2 in 6 chance to Disarm Player A. Player A Discards Change of Fortune and declares that the Disarm once again has a 1 in 6 chance of success. Player B then rolls the die.

Die Roll - When To Roll - You may only make a Die Roll when instructed to do so by a card or effect. When a card or effect requires a die roll and does not specify when the die roll occur, the die roll occurs as soon as the card is played, or immediately after a "triggering" action which is specified by the card. If a player needs to make a die roll due to a continuing effect or a card or effect played by their opponent, the die roll occurs during the "Must Do" Phase. If several die rolls are required and no order is specified, the person making the die rolls chooses the order.
Example1: Player A plays Disarm in place of a Basic Attack and immediately rolls to attempt to Disarm his opponent.
Example2: Sulpher Plant is in play, and Player A makes a Power Blow. As soon as the Attack becomes a Power Blow, he rolls to see if he becomes Prone.
Example3: Player A plays Collapse while in the Catwalk. Player A rolls immediately for Collapse. During his "Must Do" Phase, Player B rolls for Collapse.
Example4: Player A plays Influence with 3 Situations in play. Player A can choose to roll to remove those Situations in any order he chooses.

Die Rolls - Modifying - Any card or effect which modifies a die roll must be used before the die roll is made. No die roll may be modified to be greater than 6 or less than 1.

Die Rolls - No player may make a die roll on their opponent's turn. If a card states that a die roll takes place on both players' turns, each player will roll a die for themselves.

Director's Cut: Situation - Director's Cut: Situation may only be used to fulfill the requirements of another Plot card. It does not duplicate the Plot card, and may not be used with Plots that do not have a requirement, such as Cat and Mouse. Director's Cut: Situation may stand in for additional Plot requirements as long as it is in play. You do not have to identify which requirement Director's Cut is fulfilling until you play a Situation: Plot needing a requirement. Director's Cut is NOT a Situation: Plot.
Example1: Player A has Director's Cut in play and plays Sea Witch: Line, declaring that Director's Cut is "filling in" for Sea Witch: Hook.
Example2: Player A has Director's Cut in play and plays Cat and Mouse (Discard Attack). His opponent only discards 1 Attack, since Director's Cut is not fulfilling any requirement for Cat and Mouse.
Example3: Player A plays Director's Cut. Since Director's Cut is not itself a Situation: Plot, he may not play Schemer to play another Situation: Plot or Director's Cut, even though Director's Cut can fulfill a Plot's requirements.

Dirty Trick [AT] - OAO/OOO/OOO - 4 - [Generic] - 1H - ATTACK: DIRTY TRICK
Choke: If this Attack is successful, your opponent must place 1 card from the top of their Endurance face down under this card. At the beginning of each of his turns, your opponent must place 1 card from the top of his Endurance face down under this card for each card already under this card. This card remains in play until you draw a card or take damage.

Dirty Trick: Choke - Multiple Chokes - If you have two successful Dirty Trick: Chokes in play against your opponent, cards from your opponent’s Endurance are placed under each Dirty Trick: Choke at the beginning of his turn.

Dirty Trick: Head Butt - The player playing Dirty Trick: Head Butt discards cards for its effect once the Attack is declared successful.

Dirty Trick: Tackle - Immediately after playing Dirty Trick: Tackle, roll to see if you are Prone. Your opponent must roll if and when Dirty Trick: Tackle becomes successful against them.

Dirty Tricks - All cards with the Title Dirty Trick follow the rules for Dirty Tricks laid out in the Rulebook. Dirty Tricks do no damage, may be played if you are Disarmed, and are unblockable. Dirty Tricks cannot be Power Blows.

Disappear [SE] - R2 - Luther - EVENT
Prevent all damage done to you this turn. You avoid all Attacks that are not already successful. You cannot attack this turn.

Disarm [SE][ME] - [Generic], Connor, Duncan, Luther, Nefertiri, Xavier - EVENT
Play this card in place of a Basic Attack. There is a 1 in 6 chance that your opponent is Disarmed.

Disarming and Weapons of Choice - If your opponent has disarmed you, he then chooses which Weapon of Choice has been Disarmed. It is then turned over and has no effect on game play and you cannot play any Weapon Specific cards for that Weapon of Choice. Even though you may have another Weapon of Choice that is not disarmed, you may still roll a die at the beginning of each turn and on a one (1) will regain your disarmed weapon. Also, as long as you have one Weapon of Choice in play (with the exception of the Shield), you can still attack and block normally.

Discard a Card to Play a Card - If you must Discard a card in order to play another card, the card being Discarded must come from your Hand. It cannot come from any other source, such as an Exertion.
Example: Player A has Master's Advance in play. Player B has 1 Dodge in his Hand. He cannot play the Dodge and Exert for a Dodge to Discard. Player B CAN Exert for a Dodge, and then discard the Dodge in his Hand in order to play the Dodge from the Exertion.

Discard Costs - If there are several different effects that require you to Discard cards, you must discard individually for each effect; you may not Discard once for several effects.
Example: Your opponent has the Location Battlefield and the Situation Master's Advance both in play. If you discard a Dodge for Battlefield, you must still Discard an additional Dodge for Master's Advance if you wish to play a Dodge.

Discard Pile - Anytime cards are Swept from play, turned over in an Exertion, or Discarded from play or your Hand, they are placed face-up in your Discard Pile. You may look through any player's Discard Pile at any time during the game.

Discard to Use Cards - You may discard discard to use cards from play to use them any time after your opponent plays a card on their first turn after you played your discard to use card. Also, if your opponent does not play a card on that turn, you may discard to use your card any time after their turn is over. If you prevent a discard to use card from being discarded, then it has no effect. You may not use a discard to use card once it has been targeted by a card. Once the card has been targeted, it may be used as soon as the effects that have targeted the card have been resolved, provided that the discard to use card is still in play. You may discard to use a card even if you are not able to play cards, including your opponent's turn and any Phase that you are not allowed to play cards in.
Example1: You play Nexus, a discard to use card, on your turn. Your opponent plays Patience. You may now use Nexus.
Example2: Player A has Lt. John Stenn in play. Player B plays Police. Player A does not immediately discard to use Lt. John Stenn, so Player A targets Lt. John Stenn with Police. Player A can not now discard Lt. John Stenn to counter Police, and is then removed from play.

Discarding Cards - Any time you place cards from your Hand into your Discard Pile, you are discarding cards.

Discarding Specific Card Types at Random - If you are forced to discard certain card Types cards that fit a specific description at random, pull all cards fitting that description from your Hand and randomly determine which of those cards will be discarded.
Example: Cassandra discards 3 Defenses to use her Persona Power. Her opponent has 4 Defenses and separates them from his Hand. Cassandra then chooses 3 of those Defenses at random and discards them.

Discipline (all versions) - Discipline only works when you are prevented from playing Attacks or Special cards specifically by a card in play. If you are unable to play a card from your Hand, such as through the effects of Fast Talk: Hugh Fitzcairn, you cannot play Discipline to ignore the card's effects since you are unable to play Discipline. Discipline only allows you to ignore the effects that are preventing you from playing Attacks or Special cards (depending on which Discipline you played), and does not allow you to ignore other effects of a card.
Example1: Player A plays Fast Talk: Hugh Fitzcairn. Player B has Discipline in her Hand, but cannot play it since she cannot play cards from her Hand due to Fast Talk.
Example2: Player A has Safe Haven: Situation in play. Player B plays Discipline (Attacks). Player B may now play Attacks, but is still prevented from playing any Special cards which may do damage to Player A.

Dodge [SE] - DDD/DDD/DDD - Connor, Duncan, Luther, Nefertiri, Richie, Xavier - DODGE
You lose your next Attack this turn.

Dodges - Dodges are Defenses with a green Grid. When you Dodge an Attack, you are moving out of the way of your opponent's Attack. If you Dodge your opponent's Attack, the Attack is not successful.

Dojo [WC] - [Generic] - SITUATION
At the beginning of your turn, you may either place cards from your Hand face down underneath Dojo or take cards from the Dojo and place them in your Hand. This card may have 5 cards underneath it. If this card leaves play for any reason, then the cards underneath it are discarded. You may only have one Dojo play.

Draw/Discard Phase - At this time, if you have more cards in your Hand than your Ability, you must discard down to your Ability. These cards are immediately placed in your Discard Pile. If you have fewer cards in your Hand than your Ability, you may draw one card at a time, stopping at any point as long as you do not exceed your Ability. You may normally draw cards only during this phase. If you forget to draw during this phase, you will have to wait until your next Draw/Discard Phase to draw. After dealing with any effects (if any) that may occur during this phase, and you have completed drawing up and or discarding cards your turn is over.
Example1: Player A has 13 cards in his Hand, but his Ability is only 8. He must Discard 5 cards to adjust his Hand size to only 8 cards.
Example2: Player B has 9 cards in his Hand, and an Ability of 12. He chooses to draw 2 cards for a Hand size of 11; he does not have to draw all the way up to 12.

Drawing Cards - Any time that you place cards from your Endurance directly into your Hand, you are considered to be Drawing Cards. If you "may draw up to" a number of cards, you may choose to draw any number of cards up to that amount, or not at all. If you "may draw to" a number of cards (as opposed to "up to"), you may draw that number of cards or none at all. Placing cards into your Hand from an Exertion is NOT considered Drawing Cards.
Example1: Methos Discards 2 cards and Draws to replace them. He is "drawing" cards.
Example2: Player A plays Courage and Exerts for an Attack. He finds 3 Attacks and places 2 of them in his Hand. This is NOT considered "drawing" cards.
Example3: Player A plays Patience, which says he may "...draw to [his] Ability." He has 12 cards in his Hand and an Ability of 15. He may draw 3 cards or no cards.
Example4: Player B has 11 cards in his Hand and an Ability of 13. During his Ability Adjustment Phase, she may draw 0, 1, or 2 cards, "up to" her Ability of 13.

Duende - If you have two Duendes in play, and your opponent makes a successful Attack, you choose which Duende the Attack goes under. Duende nullifies the Text of the Attack played against you, not any cards that modify the attack.

Duncan MacLeod [SE][DC] - Duncan - PERSONA
You may attack areas you just blocked. If you Power Blow, your opponent's next Attack cannot be Hidden. You may include up to six Master cards.

Duncan MacLeod and Guards - Connor and Duncan may not attack to areas covered by a Guard while it is in play, however they may drop the Guard at any time in order to attack to those areas.

Duncan MacLeod and Hidden Attacks from Power Blows - Your opponent's next Attack cannot be Hidden, not just their first Attack.

Duplicating a Card's Effects - If you are duplicating a card's effects, you do not need to meet any of the requirements for that card. Any card or effect that modifies the card being duplicated is also duplicated.
Example1: Player A plays Police: Remove Situation in conjunction with 3 Excessive Force. Nakano duplicates the Police, and the effects of Excessive Force which modified the Police are also duplicated.
Example2: Ceirdwyn has Flashback: Ceirdwyn in play. Her opponent plays Watcher: Treatment and Princes of the Universe. Ceirdwyn duplicates the Princes of the Universe and gains 1 Ability.

Dust Cloud [ME] - [Generic] - EVENT
You may only play this card if Desert: Location is in play. Your next Attack may be Hidden and your opponent's next Attack may be Hidden.

- E -

Edges - If a card has an outstretched hand as its Icon in the upper-left hand corner of the card, it is an Edge card. Edge cards are removed from play during a player's Sweep Phase. Edge cards are NOT Special cards. You may play as many Edge cards during your turn as you wish. You cannot play any Edge cards in the middle of an Exertion or while discarding from your Hand, or to interrupt any other effect. Multiple copies of the same Edge card do stack. You may play Edge cards during your "May Do" Phase, Defense Phase, or Attack Phase. You may play an Edge card during your "Must Do" Phase only if it directly affects, prevents, or nullifies a Must Do action.

Effects In Place of a Special - There are some effects and Persona Powers that state "If you do not play a Special, you may..." have an effect, using those or similar words. If you choose to use that effect, you are not prevented from playing a Special card; you have chosen not to play a Special card in order to gain that effect.
Example: Instead of playing a Special card, Cassandra discards 3 Defenses in order to discard 3 Defenses from her opponent's Hand. She cannot then play Master Head Shot: Event because she chose not to play a Special card; she is not prevented from playing a Special card.

Elizabeth Vaughn [SE] - [Generic] - EVENT: REPORTER
You may discard up to 6 cards from your Hand and replace them from your Endurance.

End of Time and First Blood - If you use End of Time to play a Situation, Object etc. in First Blood, it is not removed. Such removal only occurs when First Blood begins.

Endurance - Your Endurance is the pile of cards face down that you draw cards into your Hand from (or your deck, if you will).You may count the number of cards remaining in your Endurance at any time. (Face down, of course.)

Endurance Burn - see Exhaustion

Events - If a card has a lightning bolt as its Icon in the upper-left hand corner of the card, it is an Event. Events are removed from play during a players Sweep Phase. When an Event is removed from play, due to a Sweep Phase or some other effect, any unresolved effects for that Event still occur even though the Event is no longer in play. Events are Special cards.

Exerting to Pay a Cost - If you must Exert to pay a cost, you Exert at the same time you play the card. If the card is countered, you must complete the Exertion. If you must make two or more Exertions to pay a cost for one or more effects, you may legally do so, as long as you are able to make the multiple Exertions.

Exertions - To make an Exertion, take the top 5 cards from your Endurance and place any unused cards in your Discard Pile. After making an Exertion, you cannot play any more cards for the remainder of the Phase that you are in. Exerted cards are not considered to have been discarded. You may only make 1 Exertion per turn.

Exertions - Keeping Cards From - If you play a card that allows you to take cards found in an Exertion and place them in your Hand, you may only keep cards found in an Exertion from your Endurance.
Example: Ceirdwyn has Alaine in play and plays Treachery to make an Exertion from her opponent's Endurance. Ceirdwyn cannot keep any Attacks found from your opponent's Endurance.

Exertions - Taking Cards From Exertions - When a card or effect allows you to take cards from an Exertion and place them in your Hand, whether it be select cards or the entire Exertion, you are not required to show those cards to your opponent since they are never placed in your Discard Pile.
Example: Player A plays Memories (Special) and makes an Exertion. He takes a Special card into his Hand from the Exertion and shows the rest of the cards in the Exertion to his opponent. He does not show his opponent the card placed into his Hand.

Exertions and Low Endurance Size - If you don't have enough cards in my Endurance and Discard Piles to make an Exertion a card or effect requires from you, you would make an Exertion with as many of the cards as you could. If the Exertion is not a full Exertion (per the required number), then the remaining card effects are nullified.

Exhaustion - When the last card in your Endurance is drawn, placed in your Discard Pile, or otherwise removed from your Endurance, you have Exhausted your Endurance. You lose 5 Ability. This is adjusted during your next Ability Adjustment Phase.

Exhaustion and Abnormal Endurance Size - You suffer Exhaustion (loss of 5 Ability) when you draw the last card of your Endurance. You would stop drawing cards at that point, if you have no cards in your Discard Pile to reshuffle and continue to discard from. If you do have a Discard Pile remaining, you will reshuffle, and continue discarding cards, Exhausting again if you are able. Any Ability Adjustment Phase where you still have no cards in your Endurance, you will suffer another 5 point Ability Loss.

Extra Shot [all editions] - Connor, Duncan, Gen Katana, Kalas, Kanwulf, Kastagir, Khan, Kurgan, Hyde, Methos, Nefertiri, Richie - EVENT
You may play an additional Attack this turn. If you play more than one Attack this turn, your opponent cannot play a new Defense card specifically for that Attack unless that Defense is from an Exertion.

The Eyes Have It - No parts of this Plot may be used in a Sanctioned tournament unless all players are informed before the tournament that the Plot is being allowed.

- F -

Faction - A Faction describes a group of Immortals with some sort of relation or allegiance. Just like a Persona Specific card, a card with the sub-title of a Faction allows all members of that Faction may use that card. The only Factions currently in Highlander are Clan MacLeod, which includes Duncan MacLeod and Connor MacLeod, and Four Horsemen which includes Caspian, Kronos, Methos, and Silas. Cards with the same Title as a Faction are not specific to that Faction.

Factory [ME] - [Generic] - LOCATION
All players cannot draw during their Draw/Discard Phase. This card is removed from play if any player's Hand falls below 5 cards.

Fast Talk [WC] - S2 - Fitzcairn - EVENT
Your opponent cannot play cards from his Hand next turn.

Feint [SE] - [Generic] - EVENT
You may only play this card if your last Attack was an unsuccessful non-Special Attack card. You must place that card in your Hand.

Feint: Duncan MacLeod and Special Attack or Blocks - If Duncan extends the area of a Special Attack or Block with Feint: Duncan MacLeod, the area does not remain there to become part of the Special Attack.
Example: Duncan MacLeod plays Feint: Duncan MacLeod in conjunction with Block and Strike to cover the Upper Center Grid. The Special Attack portion of Block and Strike does not include the extended Upper Center Grid.

Feint: Duncan MacLeod and Guards - If played with a Guard, that Guard only gains the benefit from Feint for that Defense Phase.

First Blood - When the time allotted for a match has expired and the outcome of the game has yet to be determined (no player has lost their Head or started their Attack Phase with 0 Ability), First Blood begins.

When time expires, the current player finishes playing their turn as normal. The Tournament Judge will then invoke First Blood. All Special cards are removed from play, and all Events are nullified. All pending Attacks are treated as if no Events have been played (are no longer unblockable, undodgeable, Power Blows, Head Shots, etc. due to any Events played). Both players immediately adjust Ability for any Ability Loss due to Special cards leaving play. Any other effects granted by a card leaving play are otherwise nullified. Once First Blood begins, Special cards can no longer be played or duplicated, and no Thunder Castle Games cards may be used.

Once all Special cards have been removed from play and Abilities have been adjusted, both players immediately shuffle their Hand into their Endurance and draw a number of cards equal to their current Ability. No cards may be drawn by any means or by any player for the remainder of the game. Play continues until one of these conditions are met:

• A player begins his Attack Phase at 0, causing his opponent to win the match
• A player makes a successful Attack that does at least 1 point of damage; that player wins the match
• A player loses his Head, causing his opponent to win the match

First Blood and Arms and Tactics (Discard 5) - You may use the Arms and Tactics Premium to remove 5 cards from your Hand, Discard Pile, or Endurance from the game before you shuffle your Hand into your Endurance if you wish to do so.

First Blood and Drawing Cards - You may not draw cards during First Blood. However, you may play cards such as Lean and Mean or Patience during First Blood even though you will not be able to draw cards as a result.

Flamboyant Attack - Flamboyant Attack reduces all damage from the Attack it is played in conjunction with when the Attack becomes successful, but Flamboyant Attack has no effect on any Text the Attack may have not pertaining to damage.
Example: A player plays Flamboyant Attack in conjunction with Master Head Shot: Duncan. The Attack is successful. The Attack does no damage, but the player’s opponent still loses his Head and the game!

Flashback - Additional 3-Card Exertion - Flashback gives you an additional Exertion. It does not extend an Exertion. Also, you must first make an Exertion to gain an additional Exertion.
Example: Annie Devlin has Flashback in play. She Exerts 5 cards for an Attack, but does not find one. She then discards Flashback to make an additional, separate Exertion of 3 cards for an Attack.

Flashback [4H] - Silas - SITUATION
You may discard this card from play after your opponent makes a successful Attack against you or removed one of your Allies from play. Search your Endurance for any card with the same Title as a card in play and place it in your Hand. Reshuffle your Endurance.

Flashing Blade [WC] - [Generic] - EDGE
Play this card in conjunction with an Attack. A Dodge cannot avoid multiple attacks you play this turn.

Flying Machine [TG] - S2 - Corda & Reno - OBJECT
Wings: While this card is in play, your opponent must make an Exertion to play a non-Ranged Attack during his turn. If Flying Machine: Wings leaves play, you lose 1 Ability. You may only have 1 Flying Machine in play.

Focus - Nullifying Situations - Focus nullifies everything on a Situation but its Type. It cannot be played without a Situation in play to Focus. A Situation that is Focused can still be affected cards that affect Situations.
Example1: Honor Bound: ME is in play. Player A plays Focus (This Turn) on Honor Bound, and may now play Special cards. He then plays Police to remove Honor Bound from play, even though Honor Bound has been nullified.
Example2: Disguise: Kurgan is in play. Player A plays Focus (This Turn) on Disguise and then plays Simple Mind. Because Disguise is a Situation: Plot, it is not affected by Simple Mind, even though it has been nullified.

Focus [AT] - [Generic] - EDGE
Choose one Situation in play. That Situation is nullified during your opponent's next turn.

Focus-ing Cards that "Hold" other cards - There are some cards that can store or "hold" other cards within them. Typically, the cards being held are placed face-down underneath the card in play that is holding them. If that card is nullified through the use of Focus or other means, the cards remain underneath that card. If that card is removed from play, any cards being "held" are placed in the owner's Discard Pile.
Example1: Player A has Safe House in play with several Allies "held" in the Safe House. Player B plays Focus on Safe House. The Allies remain under Safe House.
Example2: Player A has Dojo in play with 3 cards underneath it. Player B uses Police to remove Dojo from play. All 3 cards underneath the Dojo go to Player A's Discard Pile.

Focused Strike - Your opponent cannot Power Block this Attack using any card or effect.
Example: Duncan plays Master's Head Shot in conjunction with Focused Strike. Luther plays an Upper Center Block, but cannot make it a Power Block even though he may normally do so without an Exertion.

Forethought [SE] - R - Xavier - SITUATION
You may discard this card from play to counter an Event.

Free Hand - A "Free Hand" is an easier way of saying you have less than two Hand Icons in play.