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Cost

A card’s resource cost is the numerical value that must be paid to play the card. Some abilities have a cost described in the ability text that must be paid to use the ability.

  • A cost arrow icon (-) in ability text distinguishes a cost from an effect, in a “pay cost - resolve effect” format.

    • Text indicating the timing of an interrupt or response trigger that precedes a cost arrow is not considered part of the cost.

  • A resource cost with the per-player icon (v) is multiplied by the number of players who started the scenario.

    • If a cost with the per-player icon is reduced, the total cost of the card is reduced, not the value that is multiplied by the number of players.

  • To pay a resource cost, a player spends resources that they generate by discarding cards from their hand or by using “Resource” card abilities.

    • Resources generated to pay for an ability on a card are considered to have been paid for that card.

  • While paying a cost, a player is permitted to generate resources beyond the specified cost.

    • Resources generated beyond the specified cost are considered to have been overpaid for that cost and were not paid for that cost.

    • Any resources that are generated beyond the specified cost are lost after paying that cost.

  • If multiple costs for a single card or ability require payment, those costs must be paid simultaneously.

    • A player generating resources for those costs chooses how to divide those resources between those costs.

      (For example, a player paying costs for an event with a resource cost of 1 and an ability that reads “Hero Action: Spend X e resources -..." can spend a resource card that generates ee resources and use one of those icons to pay for the card’s resource cost and the other to pay for the cost before the arrow.)

  • An ability’s cost cannot be paid if that ability’s effect requires one or more targets and there is not at least one valid target.

  • While a player is paying a cost, that player must pay costs with cards and/or game elements they control.

    • If a cost uses the word “choose,” the player can choose targets they do not control.

    • If a cost targets a “friendly” card, the player can target cards they do not control.

  • If a cost requires a game element that is not in play, the player paying the cost may only use game elements that are in their own out-of-play areas.

  • A cost requiring “any number” or “up to” some number of game elements requires a minimum of one such game element.

  • Some card abilities may reference an “additional cost.” A player must pay all additional costs simultaneously with the cost that is being added to, even if multiple cards or abilities are adding separate additional costs. A player cannot pay the original cost or any of the additional costs individually; if they cannot pay for all of the costs at once, then they do not pay any of the costs and the effect associated with the costs does not occur.

  • If dealing damage is a cost, that cost is considered paid even if some or all of that damage is prevented.

  • If taking damage is a cost, that cost is not considered paid unless all of that damage was taken. (If any of the damage is prevented, then the cost has not been paid.)

See also