Living Rules Reference · v2.0
2
Action Cards
Action cards provide players with various abilities that they can resolve as described on the cards.
Each player draws one action card during each status phase.
Players can draw action cards by resolving the primary and secondary abilities of the “Politics” strategy card.
When a player draws an action card, they take the top card from the action card deck and add it to their hand of action cards.
Each player’s hand can have a maximum of seven action cards. If a player ever has more than seven action cards, that player must choose seven cards to keep and discard the rest.
- A game effect can increase or decrease the number of cards a player’s hand can have.
A player’s action cards remain hidden from other players until those cards are played.
The first paragraph of each action card is presented in bold text and describes the timing of when that card’s ability can be resolved.
- If an action card contains the word “Action,” a player must use a component action during the action phase to resolve the ability. A player cannot resolve a component action if they cannot completely resolve its ability.
- Multiple action cards with the same name cannot be played during a single timing window to affect the same units or game effect. Canceled cards are not treated as being played.
To play an action card, a player reads and resolves the card’s ability text, making any decisions as prompted by the card. Then, that player discards the card, placing it in the action discard pile.
If an action card is canceled, that card has no effect and is discarded.
FAQ
Q: Is the “Skilled Retreat” action card considered to be a retreat, and can it be canceled by the action card “Intercept?”
A: No, “Skilled Retreat” is not a retreat and cannot be canceled in this way.
FAQ entry 30Q: Can “Sustain Damage” be used against the “Courageous to the End” action card?
A: No, “Courageous to the End” does not produce hits.
FAQ entry 31Q: Can two “Direct Hit” action cards be played by the same player during the same round of combat against different targets?
A: Yes. Because the two “Direct Hit” cards are targeting different targets, this is allowed.
FAQ entry 32Q: During space combat, can each player play a “Shields Holding” action card to cancel hits against their own units, even though the cards are being played during the same timing window?
A: Yes. Because each of the “Shields Holding” cards are targeting different sets of hits (one set against player A and one set against player B), it is legal to play both cards.
FAQ entry 33Q: Can the “Shields Holding” action card be used to cancel hits from abilities that occur during combat, such as “Ambush,” “Dimensional Splicer,” and “Devotion?”
A: Yes. “Shields Holding” may be used to cancel hits that are produced by these abilities.
FAQ entry 34Q: Can the “Direct Hit” action cards be played when a ship uses “Sustain Damage” to cancel a hit produced by one of your abilities?
A: Yes. “Direct Hit” can be used to follow up hits that are assigned by “Ambush,” “Dimensional Splicer,” “Devotion,” and other similar abilities.
FAQ entry 35Q: Does an effect that casts “additional votes,” such as the “Bribery” action card, create a timing window for playing the “Distinguished Councilor” action card?
A: No. The “Distinguished Councilor” action card can only be played after you vote during the “Vote” step of resolving an agenda.
FAQ entry 36Q: When during the action card playing process is a “Sabotage” card played?
A: The “Sabotage” action can be played after card targets (such as units, planets, systems, cards, outcomes, or players) have been decided on, but must be played before any effects have been resolved, votes have been cast, or any dice have been rolled.
FAQ entry 37Q: Can abilities that destroy units, such as the “Lucky Shot” action card, be used by a player against their own units or planets?
A: No. “Lucky Shot” and other similar effects can only be used against other player’s units and planets.
FAQ entry 38Q: Can multiple rider action cards be played by the same player on a single agenda? If so, can they be played on different outcomes?
A: Yes to both. A player may play multiple rider action cards on a single agenda, and they may be played on opposing outcomes.
FAQ entry 39Q: When playing the “Upgrade” action card, does the cruiser already have to be present in the active system?
A: Yes. The cruiser must already be in the activated system.
FAQ entry 40Q: Can the “Experimental Battlestation” action card be used if no ships move into the active system, or against ships that do not belong to the active player?
A: No. “Experimental Battlestation” operates in the same timing window as “Space Cannon Offense,” can only target the active player’s ships, and can only be resolved if ships actually move into the active system.
FAQ entry 41Q: Can a player who cannot vote (such as the Nekro Virus) play rider action cards?
A: Yes. The Nekro player, or a player who cannot vote due to another effect, can still play rider action cards.
FAQ entry 42Q: If the speaker does not vote, can the “Bribery” action card still be played?
A: Yes, even if the speaker cannot vote, or chooses not to vote, the “Bribery” action card (or any effect with the timing window of “after the speaker votes”) can still be played after the timing window in which the speaker would have cast votes.
FAQ entry 43Source: Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition — Living Rules Reference v2.0 (September 22, 2020), page 8. Rules text reproduced verbatim; the rulebook’s diagrams are omitted.