Firestorm: Prime Edition
Frequently Asked Questions About Cards (Volume 1, Version 2)
Compiled by Dan Gray
© 2001 Third World Games, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Advanced Technology
Unlike many advantage cards, Advanced Technology actually changes the rules
of the game so that one of the Standard Victory Conditions works differently.
A player who chooses Advanced Technology normally only needs a Tech level
of 27 to win the game.
This will combine with other effects that modify the rules about Transcendent
Victory.
Albert McScott
If his ability would cause the ship to have more energy than its power, the extra energy is simply lost.
Alchemist
The bonus only lasts while Alchemist is in play (it's a constant effect).
Andrew Masters
The statement forbidding redirecting the target of a hero combat is absolute,
and it trumps things like Bodyguard.
Andrew moves to your Homeworld as combat ends, but only if he's still
in play. If Andrew died in the combat, he remains in your terminate pile.
If Andrew was already at your Homeworld when the hero combat ends, he still
turns.
Arcadius Prime
This ability can cause you to have more cards in your hand than your maximum hand size. Remember, maximum hand size only affects the number of cards you draw "up" to during the End phase.
Archaeology Hoax
This can only stop a gain of Tech. It can't be used to stop something that would cause a player to lose Tech. If something cancels Archaeology Hoax, the Hoax is not terminated (the termination is part of the resolution of the action).
Assassination Attempt
You have to choose the target hero before you reveal from your draw pile.
Assassin's Favorite Weapon
If the subject somehow stops being an Assassin or Spy, the Weapon doesn't go anywhere. Attachment restrictions only apply to the act of attaching the support card. Once it's attached, only movement or something that removes the support card from play will get rid of it.
Battle Platform, Cannon Platform, Guardian Platform
The termination is a replacement and it happens rather than the normal recycle action. The Platform is never in your recycle pile at all. It goes directly from in play to the terminated pile.
Battleship, Destroyer, Elias Lowry, Energy Enhancer
The second part of each of their abilities actually changes the rules of
the game with regards to the appropriate cards so that power no longer
determines the maximum amount of energy a ship may have. It doesn't actually
change the power statistic, so things that key off the power still key
off the normal value.
Note that Albert McScott works differently than the other four cards
on purpose. If the energy he would give would cause the ship to have more
than its power, simply ignore the effect.
Blackmail
This can only cancel a game effect of the hero or a rules action (movement or the ability of a trait) of the hero. It can't stop cards, game effects, and/or rules actions that simply "involve" the hero in some way (including targeting the hero, moving it, turning it, attacking it, etc.). This also can't stop actions of support cards attached to the hero (including the Voicing cards), unless the support card actually grants an ability to the hero (These will say, "Subject hero is/has <something>" or "Subject hero has '<some game effect>.'"
Blood for Blood
Remember that whichever hero initiates the hero combat always gets to be the attacking hero first.
Bodyguard
Note that any effect (such as that of Andrew Masters) that prevents redirecting
or retargeting will trump Bodyguard.
The target is changed instantaneously as a replacement. You don't first
target something, then move it to the Bodyguard's subject.
Brain Trust
The heroes you sacrifice are part of the cost of playing Brain Trust, so if something cancels Brain Trust, you do not get those heroes back.
Bravery
"Reset" means the same thing as you would do during the Reset phase-give the ship as many energy as its power statistic allows.
Bureaucratic Mismanagement
There is an implied "(minimum 0)" on the "-1 commands" effect.
Call of the Wild
This can be used for either Gear or heroes with the Voicing trait.
Calm Words
Note that cards with the Diplomat trait that aren't heroes (like Ambassador's Aide) are considered to have 0 influence for purposes of this and other similar cards.
Cassandra Sage
"At any planet" is shorthand for "at the location of any planet," so you can deploy her onto a ship in orbit around a planet. (This is also true for Assassins and Spies.)
Ceres
The effect only lasts as long as Ceres is in play and the heroes in question at the same location. (It's a constant effect.)
Chemical Plant
The effect only lasts as long as Chemical Plant is in play. (It's a constant effect.)
City
Note that City affects printed structure only. It won't prevent the planet's actual structure from being reduced below 1 due to damage or due to other modifiers. That is, the restriction on only reducing to 1 applies only to City itself.
Cloning
No, you don't have to issue a command for the hero.
Cluster Missile, D14 Missile, Missile Battery, Planetary Cannons
"In either fleet" has an implied "at this location" in it. You can't use any of these four cards from one location to affect ships in combat at another location.
Conscience, Y'mvalla
Unlike effects that end a combat already in progress, this prevents it from ever beginning in the first place. It actually wholly or partially cancels the rules action that declared the attack (it won't undo any movement done as part of the same action, however).
Conspiracy
The trait gain is permanent (as long as the hero remains in play). If something cancels Conspiracy, it isn't terminated.
Corporate Enforcer
You choose what to do with the card after you look at it.
Counter Measures
This can cancel any tactical card with the Military trait, or a game effect of any card in play with the Military trait. It can also stop a game effect that specifically says it is a Military action in the text of the game effect (these will say, "This is a Military action" or similar). This can't be used to stop a rules action a card in play with the Military trait would perform (movement, declaring a ship combat, guns, shields, trait abilities, etc.). It also can't stop the deployment of any Military card.
Creative Invention If something cancels Creative Invention, it isn't terminated.
Cut the Red Tape
If the command you would gain would put you over the maximum, simply ignore the effect.
Dark World
Yes, this can move a Retrofit with the Fixed trait.
Death Blow
This means, "Your hero gets to be the attacking hero for a second round in a row."
Decoy
This can stop hero attacks started using the Assassin or Spy trait. It cannot stop things that aren't hero combats but which may resemble them (Assassination Attempt, etc.).
Divine
The last sentence makes it seem like you don't have to replace the cards if you don't want to. This isn't the case-- the "may" refers to "any order"-- basically, you can either replace the cards in the order you found them, or you can change the order, and then replace them.
Dropped Weapon
Yes, you can use the first mode on a Weapon you control if you want to for some reason.
Earth
Note that this replacement is very specific. If won't do anything for a Soven player (if he or she somehow gets control of Earth), but it will effect other actions that cost exactly 5 resources, are played during the Main phase, and would give you +1 Tech.
Elite Fighter
"Another" means precisely that. Elite Fighter can't inflict 2 additional damage on the same ship it's going to damage with its guns action.
Epsilon Nebula
Every single shield action prevents 1 less damage. It doesn't mean only 1 less damage is prevented per ship during the entire combat.
Eryoness Cerinius, Queen Helena
Yes, this works while the hero is at the location of a planet you deployed after the game started since such planets aren't in your Star System. (It also works at locations in an opponent's Star System and in the Firestorm.)
Expansion Agenda
Some or all of the Installations can be attached to planets not in your Star System that you control (such as those you deployed after the game started), regardless of whether or not such a planet has been fully explored.
Experimental Force Field
The card means, "Choose target planet. Neither ships nor the planet at that location can be attacked." It won't stop hero attacks, nor will it stop things that simply damage ships or planets there (like the Tactical Bomb). You cannot choose an empty location to have the Experimental Force Field.
Firestorm Flare
Remember, locations D, E, and F in every player's Star System as well as the location of any planet deployed after the game started are considered to be adjacent to the Firestorm. This never affects locations A, B, or C in any player's Star System.
Fleet Carrier
You can search for any card that has the Fighter trait (even if it's not a ship).
Foz
The effect only lasts as long as Foz is in play. (It's a constant effect.) The "Voicing: 2" printed on the card is a typographical error. Foz has the normal Voicing trait.
Freak Asteroid
Remember, damage to a ship reduces its structure.
Fusion Reactor
The effect only lasts as long as Fusion Reactor is in play. (It's a constant
effect.)
If the subject planet doesn't have a power stat, treat it as if it's
power state were 0 (so it would now be 1.)
Garden World
Human, Dysori, and Muero players can still put this in their decks and deploy adjacent to the Firestorm normally, of course.
Glancing Blow
"Rounded up" means, "always round up fractional or decimal points of damage."
Government Liason
The trait gain is permanent (as long as the hero remains in play).
Gravity Well Slingshot
The second move must occur when you can normally take an action. It's not "part" of the Gravity Well Slingshot action. The second move can be part of a combination action to move multiple ships or to move and start a ship combat.
Greelok Nusaal
Yes, you have to put the returned card into your hand before the opponent randomly determines the card you're going to terminate.
Gunship, Juggernaut, Particle Enhancer
If you elect to divide damage, you must inflict a whole (integer) amount of damage on each ship. Fractional amounts aren't allowed. You can't choose to inflict 0 damage either.
Home World Recall
This won't change the turned/unturned state of the ship, nor does it count as the ship's movement action for the turn.
Hydro Extraction Plant
You gain resources equal to the hero's life when it left play. Remember damage reduces a hero's life. Note that this isn't a React, so you can't do it in response to something that would kill the hero.
I Die!
Things that prevent combat redirection (such as Andrew Masters) trump I Die!
In the Grasp of Your Hand
This still terminates like normal fate cards; however, its effect doesn't end. Note that Only Fools Roll the Bones! stops fate cards as they're being played. It won't stop the effect later-- you'd have to play it as In the Grasp of Your Hand was revealed.
Indecision
This can only cancel a game effect of the ship or a rules action (movement and attack declarations, using shields or guns, or the ability of a trait) of the ship. It can't stop cards, game effects, and/or rules actions that simply "involve" the ship in some way (including targeting the ship, moving it, turning it, attacking it, etc.)
Infra-Red Goggles
Only the player using the Goggles gets to look at the hand, and you only get to look at it at that time. It doesn't grant you the ability to continuously look at that person's hand.
Ion Cannon
This can be used from one location to affect a ship at a different location, and it can be used to affect a ship that isn't even in the combat. Note that you still have to qualify under the rules to perform a combat action in whatever combat is occurring to do this.
Jason Trage
No, "Limited Combat" isn't a typo. You have to play the action while a combat is going on. The second combat allowed by this action must be performed during the Main phase when it's your turn for an action in the normal way.
Jon Crowne
The set aside card isn't considered in play, nor is it in the player's hand. It's simply not there.
Josidyn Prosidius
"Steal" means, "Take 1 resource from target player's resource pool and put it into yours." If the target has no resources, you don't gain one.
Juggernaut
The restriction on spending energy is absolute. You only get to spend 1 energy for guns per combat. You can still use other energy for shields or retreat or anything else you might need to spend energy on.
Laboratory Reproduction
Legal races under the Prime Edition rules are Human, Dysori, Muero, or Soven. You can't choose the race you are playing, nor can you choose Orinn, Veross, Corp or anything else that looks like it might be a race.
Lucky Break
There are two different cards named "Lucky Break"-- that is, two cards have the same name but different functions. This isn't an error. For deck construction purposes, you can only have up to 3 Lucky Break cards total, in any combination you want (you can go with all "lucky" or all "screwed," or some combination of both that adds up to 3 or less).
Lyseria Truvalis
The last sentence is somewhat redundant, as the rules disallow playing more than one damage-modifying React per guns shot. It's simply there to make it clear you can't do the action over and over.
Martyred Leader
Sacrificing a hero does count as recycling or terminating it, as appropriate, so you could play Martyred Leader as a React to an action that causes you to sacrifice a hero.
Massacre at Triton
As part of the effect of Massacre at Triton, you may perform any other two legal actions. Perform them one at a time, fully completing the first before declaring and dealing with the second. These actions may be reacted to normally, and costs and conditions must still be legal when you take the action.
Massive Buildup
The first sentence modifies the deck construction rules with regards to Massive Buildup-- you can only have 0 or 1 copies of the card in your deck.
Master Planning
Declare you're opting not to issue a command using Master Planning's effect as you deploy the planet, ship, or hero, or support card. It can be any two you deploy this turn, and you can deploy things before, in between, or after issuing commands normally if you want.
Master's Guard Dogs
If the attacking hero is an Assassin, only the first round's attack can't be returned if the defender takes lethal damage.
Mercenary Carrier, Mercenary Destroyer, Mercenary Fighter, Mercenary Scout
You pay the resource as you form the attacking/defending fleet (if you're the attacking or defending player) or as you choose what ships to join (if you're an ally). If you can't pay, and you designated a Mercenary ship to form/join, it simply doesn't form/join the fleet. If a Mercenary is the target of a ship attack, and the defending player elects not to include it in the defending fleet, no resource need be paid. If the rest of the defending fleet is defeated, the targeted Mercenary ship can still fight against the attacking fleet without paying a resource.
Mercenary Captain
You can play the React as many times as you can pay for it as you're forming/joining the fleet.
Military Vise
This is a triggered effect. It goes off and you win the game immediately after you conquer the third planet belonging to the same opponent.
Mine Field
Except at the time you play it, Mine Field's resource cost is considered to be 0 for anything else that cares about such things.
Mineral Rich Planet
You have to conquer it to get the resources. Just destroying it (using the Tactical Bomb or the like) won't net you any resources as you haven't conquered the planet.
Mining Asteroid
If you deploy Mining Asteroid someplace other than your own Star System, it doesn't get counters. Note that the text should not be construed as saying you can deploy Mining Asteroid into your Star System after the game has begun.
Miyal
This can only affect a gain of Tech. It can't be used to affect something that would cause you to lose Tech.
Motann-Raxx
This modifies the ship's rules action to say, "Combat: Spend 2 energy from this ship to inflict damage equal to twice the ship's guns on target ship in the opposing fleet." Remember that you multiply and divide before adding and subtracting, so you would double the base guns damage of the ship, and then add or subtract any other modifies that say "+1 damage" or the like to that figure to arrive at a final damage amount.
Multiple Choices
The additional advantages go under Multiple Choices at the beginning of the game before the first turn. Yes, this can allow you to begin the first turn with a 41 card deck (minus 6 starting planets, Multiple Choices, and the 2 additional advantages).
Night of Death
Do this fully for one hero at a time, in any order you want.
Nurall Tulaak
Yes, this can stop resource production during the Reset phase. It can also stop game effects of planets.
Only Fools Roll the Bones!
This can't be used to cancel a fate card that isn't going to resolve because its owner has drawn or revealed a copy already.
Overrun
This is a triggered effect. As soon as the condition is true, that player loses the game.
Passage to Mars
You may immediately perform any legal rules action (movement, use of a trait) or game effect of the hero. You can't perform an action that simply "involves" the hero in some way (such as turning/unturning it, attacking it, sacrificing it, etc.).
Pilot Training Facility
The bonus only lasts while the Training Facility is in play. (It's a constant effect.)
Pleasure-Bot
Although it is attached to a hero as a Gear card, it's also still a hero card, and will be affected by anything that affects heroes, support cards, or Gear.
Power Cell
The first ability simply modifies the rules with respect to the subject ship to allow it spend energy and/or battery tokens.
Power Leak
The energy is used with no effect whatsoever.
Primaag Lotraag, Quick Reload
The second guns action occurs immediately as part of the resolution of the React. This won't allow you to get around energy or guns actions limitations (such as Juggernaut).
Promethea Zermius
This won't affect the turned/unturned state of the ship, nor does it count as the ship's movement action for the turn. Yes, Promethea or her ship can explore the planet this turn.
Promise of Great Rewards
You control the hero permanently (until the hero leaves play). If the hero would leave play, it goes to its owner's recycle pile, terminate pile, or hand (as appropriate). If something cancels Promise of Great Rewards, it doesn't terminate.
Rarkarr Nebb Charr
Nebb's ship doesn't actually have to join the attacking fleet for the effect to work-- it just merely needs to be at the same location.
Regnuu Kraag
"Once each turn" is to be taken literally. That is, if you have somehow already attacked or performed a combat action requiring a command without issuing one (for example, because you also control Rarrkar Nebb Char), that counts as your one for the turn, even though you didn't use Regnuu Kraag's ability to take that action.
Reinforcements
This can be used to move a turned ship.
Sacrifice
Note that this is actually a replacement effect that changes what is being damaged. It's not a targeting redirection effect.
Science Revolution
Unlike things that allow you to perform actions without issuing commands a limited number of times per turn (like Regnuu Kraag), things that allow you to modify Tech Requirements a limited number of times per turn can be combined. This includes Science Revolution.
Secrets of the Ancients
"Reset" means to put exploration points equal to the planet's Tech on it. Yes, you can even do this to your Homeworld and then explore it if you want to. Except when you play it, Secrets of the Ancients' resource cost is 0 for things that care about resource cost.
Sensor Problem
This is an absolute. Not only can the ship not move using a rules movement action, it can't move due to the effect of a card or game effect and it can't retreat from combat. If the effect of an action would move the ship, simply ignore it.
Shackled
The face down hero isn't in play, nor is it in your recycle or terminate pile. It's simply not there. Except when you play it, Shackled's resource cost is 0 for things that care about resource cost.
Simon Christiansen
The Book may be attached for 0 resources, regardless of its printed resource cost, and regardless of any other resource cost modifiers affecting it or Simon. This doesn't allow you to circumvent anything that would prevent The Book from attaching to Simon in the first place.
Slipstream
This won't affect the turned/unturned state of the moved ship, nor does it count as its movement action for the turn.
Sorvina Tradius
Remember, damage reduces a hero's life.
Sorvius I
A Muero player can still put this in his or her deck and deploy adjacent to the Firestorm normally, of course.
Sudden Strike
Note that even though shields can't prevent the damage, the damage is not piercing damage.
Super Heated
This is a triggered effect, and the damage happens as soon as the ship enters the Firestorm. Yes, ships with Move: 2 or Move: 3 that move across the Firestorm during their movement action have entered it and will be damaged. Yes, ships moved into the Firestorm by effects other than movement rules actions will trigger the damage. Effects that specifically move something from one location to another, where the destination location isn't the Firestorm, (such as Promethea Zermius) will not trigger the damage.
Tactical Bomb
The Bomb stays attached to the planet if it goes off and doesn't destroy the planet.
The Book
The control change is permanent (as long as the hero is in play).
The Humans
This can adjust the deployment of a card with the Explore trait, or any tactical card whose text says it is an Explore action (These cards will specifically use the phrase, "This is an Explore action" or similar).
The Muero, War Effort
This can adjust the deployment of a card with the Military trait or any tactical card whose text says it is a Military action (These cards will specifically use the phrase, "This is a Military action" or similar).
The Seer
Yes, you get to look at the card before you decide what to do with it.
War Hero
The trait gain is permanent (as long as the hero remains in play).
Xelmon Gardens
Note that the double combat damage only applies during a ship combat you declare and you are the attacking player. It won't work if you're the defending player or an ally.