Agenda Phase

**Category:** Rules

**Previous:** Status Phase | **Next:** Strategy Phase

After the custodians token is claimed from Mecatol Rex, the agenda phase is added to the game following each Status Phase. This is a time where each member of the galactic council meets and votes upon issues that affect the entire galaxy.

Each agenda card has text that includes a number of possible outcomes that will affect the game, and players exhaust planets to spend influence as votes. Trade goods cannot be spent to cast votes, however players may negotiate up to one transaction per agenda with each other player while resolving their vote. Players do not need to be neighbors to perform these transactions.

## Simplified Agenda Phase Process

1. First Agenda

i. Reveal Agenda (From Agenda deck)
a. Cards/Abilities that specify "When an agenda is revealed" may be played
b. Cards/Abilities that specify "After an agenda is revealed" may be played
ii. Vote (In clockwise order starting with the person to the left of the speaker)
iii. Resolve Outcome
2. Second Agenda

i. Reveal Agenda (From Agenda deck)
a. Cards/Abilities that specify "When an agenda is revealed" may be played
b. Cards/Abilities that specify "After an agenda is revealed" may be played
ii. Vote (In clockwise order starting with the person to the left of the speaker)
iii. Resolve Outcome
3. Ready Planets

## Detailed Agenda Phase Process

To resolve the agenda phase, players perform the following steps in order:

#### Prior to Reveal

(1) A player may play the action card 'Ancient Burial Sites' or the Relic 'Maw of Worlds'. These must be prior to the reveal of any agendas.

#### Reveal First Agenda

(2) The speaker draws and reads aloud a card from the Agenda deck.

**i.** Starting with the speaker and going clockwise, each player has the opportunity to play a card or ability that specifies "When an agenda is revealed". This includes the following:
* Action Cards

* Veto
* Diplomatic Pressure

* The Xxcha Kingdom Quash Faction ability
* The Xxcha Kingdom Political Favor promissory note
* The Political Secret Promissory Note

Players may make binding deals with the active player during this time (e.g. giving them 3 trade goods to play the action card Veto).

**ii.** Starting with the speaker and going clockwise, each player has the opportunity to play a card or ability that specifies "After an agenda is revealed". This includes the following:
* Action cards

* Assassinate Representative
* Riders: Construction Rider, Diplomacy Rider, Imperial Rider, Leadership Rider, Politics Rider, Technology Rider, Trade Rider, Warfare Rider

* Codex Action cards

* Hack Election
* Insider Information
* Sanction

* The Nekro Virus faction ability 'Galactic Threat'
* The Naalu Collective Agent 'Z'eu'
* The Council Keleres Promissory Note 'Keleres Rider'
* The Council Keleres Hero 'Odlynn Myrr'

If a card that specifies "After an agenda is revealed" is played, this process is repeated in clockwise order until no player wishes to play any more cards (i.e. Players that played a card may play another card on the same or different outcomes, and players that did not play a card have the opportunity to play a card in response to other cards being played).

#### Voting

(3) Vote

**i.** Beginning with the person to the left of the speaker and continuing clockwise, players spend the influence of their planets as votes for an outcome of the agenda. A player may abstain from voting. During this time, a player may perform 1 transaction with each other player, even if they are not neighbors.

* The action card 'Distinguished Councillor' may be played immediately voting (Must be before the next person votes).
* The Argent Flight player always votes first regardless of what position they are in and even if they are the speaker.

**ii.** The speaker votes.

* The action card 'Bribery' may be played immediately after the speaker votes.

**iii.** The speaker resolves any tied votes, or resolves the agenda in case of no votes being placed.

#### Resolve Outcome

(4) Outcome is resolved

* The action cards 'Confusing Legal Text', 'Confounding Legal Text' or 'Deadly Plot' may be played.

(5) Award Riders, The Nekro Virus' Galactic Threat and The Nomad's Future Sight if their predictions are correct.

#### Reveal the Second Agenda

(6) Repeat steps (2) to (5) for the second agenda .

#### Ready Planets

(7) Ready all exhausted Planets in preparation for the next game round.

The Prophecy of Kings Expansion introduced Agenda Phase Secret Objectives. These objectives may be scored at any point during the above process so long as their requirements are fulfilled.

## FAQ

**Q:** Can a player cast ‘0’ votes “For” or “Against” on an agenda instead of abstaining, in order to take advantage of effects associated with that option?

**A:** No. A vote of ‘0’ is the same as abstaining; that player gains no positive or negative effects of voting “For” or “Against” on an agenda if he contributed ‘0’ votes.

**Q:** Can trade goods be used as votes during the agenda phase?

**A:** No.

**Q:** Can the action cards "Bribery" or "Distinguished Councilor" be played after abstaining?

**A:** No. Once you abstain you lose your ability to vote until the next agenda.

**Q:** If a player’s “Political Secret” promissory note is used against them, but that agenda is subsequently discarded by an effect such as the “Veto” action card, can that player vote and use faction abilities on the new agenda?

**A**: Yes. It is a new agenda and thus the effect of the player’s “Political Secret” is ended.

**Q**: 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.