Combat FAQ · 1. Attacks and damage
Default rule of thumb: one red Attack Die per attack, result -1..+1.
Every attack rolls exactly ONE red Attack Die (-1, 0 or +1, added to the unit's Attack). Two dice appear only in special cases: a Ranged unit attacking an adjacent enemy (or from its own Backline into the enemy Backline) rolls two dice and applies the SMALLER result (penalty); a unit with a Defense Token forces the attacker to make one extra roll - a +1 there gives the defender +1 Defense.
How many Attack Dice do I roll?
One red die by default
Total Attack (unit Attack + die + modifiers) minus the defender's total Defense. Whatever is left is dealt as damage tokens. If Defense is equal to or higher than Attack - no damage at all Resolve Damage.
How is damage calculated?
Attack minus Defense
When two or more units are tied on Initiative, activations alternate between the sides, always starting with the ATTACKING player's unit Activation Order.
Tied Initiative - who goes first?
Alternate, attacker starts
If the defender survives, is adjacent to the attacker and has not retaliated this Combat Round - it strikes back once. A Retaliation Attack can never trigger another Retaliation. Track with a Black Cube, removed at the end of the Round Retaliation.
How does Retaliation work?
Once per Combat Round, no chains
No. A unit cannot take the Defense Action two turns in a row: at the start of its activation the old Defense Token is discarded and the unit cannot defend again in that activation Defense restriction.
Can a unit Defend every round?
Not two rounds in a row
Conflux mechanic: units that deal elemental damage attack normally, but the resulting damage works like damage dealt by Spells and IGNORES the target's Defense. It does not count as Spell damage for other effects Combat Terminology. So yes - a Shield spell will not reduce it.
What is Elemental Damage?
Ignores Defense, like Spell damage
Combat FAQ · 2. Fighting Neutrals
In Clash and Alliance the player to your right controls the Neutrals; in Solo/Co-op the AI rules decide.
Under AI rules (Solo/Co-op): Ground and Flying enemies prioritize units of the SAME tier; if impossible - lower tiers (descending to bronze), then higher tiers. Ranged enemies first target enemy RANGED units (same tier order), and only if there are none - Ground/Flying. Among equally valid targets they attack the CLOSEST one; on a full tie the player chooses. In Clash/Alliance the player to your right controls the Neutrals and decides within placement rules Neutral control.
Who do Neutral Units attack first?
Same tier, then lower, then higher; closest
Neutral Units attack like any other unit: ONE red Attack Die per attack, on any difficulty. Difficulty changes WHICH and HOW MANY Neutrals you face - not the number of dice they roll Attack Die.
How many dice does a Neutral roll?
One, like any unit
Bronze, Silver and Gold Neutrals: the Combat lasts ONE round. If you have not won, you may pay 1 Movement Point to play another round - as many times as you can afford Extending. Azure Neutrals and enemy Heroes: no time limit and no Retreat Duration.
How long does a Neutral fight last?
1 round; extend for 1 MP
Your Hero moves back to the last Visited Field (without Visiting it), the Combat Field does NOT count as visited, and the Neutral Units are discarded - new ones are drawn when a Hero enters that Field again Retreating. Retreat has no other penalties.
What happens when I Retreat?
Back to last Field, no penalty
Consult the Neutral Combat difficulty table: the game Difficulty (Easy/Normal/Hard/Impossible) and the Field level (I-VII) set how many units to draw and from which tier decks. Redraw duplicates per the drawing rules.
How many Neutrals will I face?
Difficulty table: game difficulty x Field level
If your Main Hero's Level is HIGHER than the Field's Difficulty, no Combat happens - the Hero beats the Neutrals by default, but gains no rewards from the Combat itself before Visiting the Field. Creature Banks have no Difficulty, so Quick Combat never applies there Quick Combat.
When does Quick Combat apply?
Hero Level above Field Difficulty
Combat FAQ · 3. Cards, spells and aftermath
You fight only with the cards already in your hand - plan before entering.
During Combat you may only use cards from your hand and you cannot draw - the single exception is spending a Positive Morale token, which may be used at any time, including mid-Combat Hand Limit.
Can I draw cards during Combat?
No - only via Morale token
One Spell from your hand per Combat Round. A Spell Scroll is played IN ADDITION and does not count towards the limit (cheapest effect, free). Hero Specialty cards are their own card category - the 1-Spell limit does not apply to them.
How many Spells per Combat Round?
1 from hand; Scroll is extra
Instant cards that modify Attack/Defense apply to the current attack roll Instant cards. Ongoing and Activation cards are declared before attacking and last as printed on the card Ongoing. If a card has a lasting effect, the card itself says so.
How long do combat cards last?
Instant - this attack; Ongoing - as printed
Field Difficulty (or defeated enemy Main Hero's Level) equal to your Level - 1 Experience; higher - 2 Experience. Beating an Azure Neutral rockets your Hero straight to Level VII. Secondary Heroes never gain Experience Combat Experience.
How much Experience for a fight?
Equal level 1 XP, higher 2 XP, Azure = Lvl VII
A defeated Main Hero moves to a friendly Town or Settlement. If another player beat you: you also gain 1 Negative Morale, pay the winner 5 Gold and give them a Faction Cube. Defeating a Main Hero can cause Player Elimination End of Combat.
My Main Hero lost - what now?
To a friendly Town; vs player: morale, 5 gold, cube
When Combat ends, ALL damage is healed from all surviving units and they return to your Unit Deck. Whenever your Unit Deck is empty after a Combat, you receive the starting units of the Scenario for free End of Combat.
What happens to units after Combat?
All damage heals; empty deck = free starting units