The rules
Codex
Every keyword in the game: what it does, what it adds to a card’s cost, which factions can use it and which cards have it.
Abilities
Keywords a card always has.
Powera point of printed power1 pt
Defencea point of printed defence1 pt
ProtectEnemies must attack this before creatures without Protect.1.7 + 0.45 def
Ember ShieldBlocks the next damage it would take. Then the shield is gone.1.6 pts
Moments
When a card acts. What comes after the colon happens at that moment, and is priced for how often the moment is expected to come round.
ShoutDoes something when it lands.× 1
FlareDoes something whenever you cast a spell.× ¾
MournDoes something whenever another of your creatures dies.× 1
RallyDoes something whenever you play a creature of its Faction.× 1.4
UpkeepDoes something at the start of each of your turns. Terrains only.× 2
EchoDoes something whenever you play a creature or spell of this terrain's Faction. Terrains only.
WeldDoes something whenever you play a creature of its other Faction.× 1½
0 Cards
Effects
What a card does.
Direct damagea point dealt, by a spell or an ability1 pt
Spell healingtwo points healed is worth one½ pts
Effect healinga point healed1 pt
Deal damageDeals that much damage to a creature or a player. A creature's damage heals when the turn ends.0.65–1 pts
BuffGives +X/+X to a creature, or to every creature in your row.1.05–3.15 pts
DebuffGives -X/-X to a creature. At zero defence it dies.0.95 pts
DrawDraw that many cards from your deck.1 pt
DiscardThe enemy discards the first card in their hand.3¼ pts
ErodeSends that many cards from the top of the enemy's deck to their graveyard.0.68 pts
ReclaimReturns the last creature that died to your hand from your graveyard.1.2 pts
RaisePuts the last creature that died back into your row from your graveyard.4½ pts
DismissReturns a creature to its owner's hand, as it was printed.6½ pts
KindleGain that much ember, for this turn only.1.15 pts
AuraYour creatures of the Faction or family this terrain names get the bonus while it is in play.0.41–1.88 pts
ScaledRepeats once for each creature of the Faction or family it names that you control, up to five.× 1–1¼
Hostile groundIts amount counts the Factions among the enemy's creatures after the first: nothing against an army of one Faction, more for every Faction it mixes in.0 pts
SummonPuts the named creature into your row.1¾ pts
ScourDeals N damage to every enemy creature.2¼ pts
SchemeEvery Nth creature or spell of this terrain's Faction you play, it does this and starts counting again. The count is on the terrain.0.33–7 pts
States
StunnedIt sits out its owner's next turn. It cannot attack until that turn ends.
SuppressedIt has lost all its abilities, permanently.
SeizedYou control it this turn. It returns to its owner when the turn ends.
DeathmarkedIt survived a Deathmark's blow. It dies a turn later.
Ember Shield spentThe shield has absorbed a blow and is gone.
WoundedDamaged this turn. It heals fully when the turn ends.
Alloy awakeYou control a terrain of each of its two Factions, so its Alloy line is active.
Card types
CreatureIt attacks, it can be attacked, and it stays on the table until it dies.SpellIt happens once and is spent.ObjectIt never attacks, whatever power it prints; that power is what it deals back. In every other way it is a creature.SummonMade by another card. It is never in a deck, and in every other way it is a creature.TerrainIt stands behind your creatures, answers the creatures and spells of its Faction you play, or of either Faction in a deck of exactly two, and can never be destroyed.
Making cards
How a cost is made
Add it upeverything the card does, in points
Halve ita point is half an ember× ½
Round to the nearest halfdown below .35, up from .65, half between
The floora card that does anything is never free1 ember
What each word is worth
What a point costsEmber
Base ratea 3/3 is six points, so it costs three½
What a tier paysof the full price
What the game assumesHow many
Terrain lifeturns a terrain is assumed to survive2
Swingstimes a creature is assumed to attack¾
Killscreatures a creature is assumed to kill1½
Your rowcreatures an effect on your row reaches, and a terrain scaled by its Faction counts3
Kindredcreatures of one family assumed together, for Kindred and for a terrain naming its family, where that family's own count was not measured1.15
Harden turnsturns a Harden creature is assumed to live1½
Flaresspells a Flare creature is assumed to see cast¾
Mournsfriendly deaths a Mourn creature outlives1
Ralliescreatures of its Faction a Rally creature sees played1.4
Weldscreatures of its other Faction a Weld creature sees played1½
Plays of a Factioncards of its Faction a terrain is assumed to see played; a Scheme fires this over its period2½
Random favourwhat a Buff landing on a random friendly creature pays of an aimed one75%
Split aimwhat each hostile deed of a split card pays for a creature of its own125%
An Object's defencewhat a point of defence pays on a body that cannot attack30%
A dear card's lifewhat a Rally, Weld or Harden pays of its count on a card of 8 ember, against one of 540%
A dear card's pricewhat each ember of a card's price past 6 pays85%
Averages, over every cardPoints
A permanentwhat a typical creature is worth6.65
Its powerthe power a granted ability is priced against2.71
Its defencethe defence it is priced against3.94
How your deck is shuffledHow many
Kinds spreadcreatures, spells, objects and terrains, each spaced evenly through your deck, so every hand holds about the share of each that your deck does and a long run of one kind never comes4
Wanderhow far a card may land from its even place, counted in places of its own kind, so what comes next cannot be read2

























































































































Normal100%
Empowered80%
Refined60%
Perfected