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Player Resource: Keywords

Updated: Apr 26, 2021

By. BananaCrapshoot


updated 4/26/2021


The following is a resource page for players to quickly find information. This topic is Keywords. This will be updated as more Keywords come out.


What is a keyword?

A keyword is an attribute that conveys specific rules to its card.




Guard — While any minions with this keyword are engaged with a player, that player cannot attack villains without this keyword.


Hinder X — When a card with Hinder X is revealed, place X threat on the card revealed.


Incite X — When a card with Incite X is revealed, place X threat on the main scheme.


Overkill — If an ally is used to defend against an attack with overkill, any excess damage from the attack (damage beyond the ally’s remaining hit points) is dealt to the identity of the player controlling the ally, if able.


If an attack with overkill defeats a minion, excess damage from the attack (damage beyond the minion’s remaining hit points) is dealt to the villain.


Patrol — While any minion with the patrol keyword is engaged with a player, that player cannot thwart the main scheme.


Peril — While a player is resolving a card with this keyword, that player cannot consult other players, and other players cannot play cards or trigger abilities.


Permanent— A card with the Permanent keyword cannot leave play.


Piercing — An attack with the Piercing keyword discards any tough status cards from the target of the attack before damage is dealt.


Quickstrike — After this enemy engages a player, it immediately attacks that player if they are in hero form.


Ranged — An attack with the Ranged keyword ignores the retaliate keyword.


Restricted — A player cannot control more than two restricted cards in play at a given time. If a player ever controls more than two restricted cards in play, they must immediately choose and discard from play restricted cards they control until they have only two.


Retaliate X — After this character is attacked, deal X damage to the attacker. The character must survive the attack to deal this damage. (X is the value next to the retaliate keyword.)


Setup — A card with the Setup keyword begins the game in play.

Stalwart — A character that has the stalwart keyword cannot be stunned or confused.


Surge — After an encounter card with this keyword is revealed, the player resolving the card reveals an additional encounter card. Complete the process of resolving the original card before revealing the additional card.


Team-Up — The Team-Up keyword names two

Characters. To include a card with the Team-Up keyword in your deck, your chosen identity must match one of the named characters. Additionally a card with the Team-Up keyword cannot be played unless both of the named characters (hero or ally) are in play.


Toughness — When this character enters play, place a tough status card on it.


Uses (X “type”) — When a card with this keyword enters play, place X all-purpose counters from the token pool on the card. The word following the value establishes and identifies the type of uses the card holds.


Each card with this keyword also has an ability that references the type of use established by the keyword as part of the cost. When such an ability spends a use, a counter of that type must be removed from the card.


After a card with uses spends its final use (and the effect resolves), discard the card.


Victory — When defeated, add this card to the victory display


Villainous — When a minion with the villainous keyword activates, give it a facedown boost card from the top of the encounter deck. When you resolve that minion’s activation, turn the boost card faceup and apply its boost icons to the minion’s stats for this activation. If the boost card has a boost ability, resolve its effects. Discard the boost card after the activation.

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