Rules

Neuroscape is a competitive game for **2 or more players**. The goal of the game is to defeat your opponent(s) by being the **last player standing**.

All players begin with **20 bioframe health** and **20 mainframe health**. If a player's bioframe health or mainframe health are brought to zero or below they are **eliminated**. The last player standing is the winner of the game.

If a player gets to the **draw stage** of their turn and they have **no more cards** remaining in their **main deck** they are **eliminated**.

A player can also win the game by successfully activating a card or ability which states ‘If X, you win the game. This is known as a **mic drop victory** and you should be very proud of yourself.

Each player plays with two separate decks of cards. Their **main deck** and their **RAM deck.** The **RAM deck** only contains **RAM** cards, and the main deck only contains **non-RAM** cards.

The rules for deck building are:

* Each **main deck** may contain **40-60 non-RAM cards**.
	+ There may be **no more than 4 copies of any given card**.
	+ A deck may have as many as 4 copies of any **legendary** card, however, each player may only have **one copy of any legendary card** in play at any time.

* Each **RAM deck** must contain **25 RAM** cards
	+ A RAM deck cannot contain more **than 4 special RAM cards.** There is no limit on the number of basic RAM cards in a RAM deck.

Both players draw **5 cards** to start the game. After looking at their hand, if a player wishes, they may **select any number of cards** from their starting hand and place them on the bottom of their deck, and then **draw that many cards** to replace them. Each player may only do this **once per game**.

Players take turns playing. The **initial turn order is determined by rolling a D20**. The player who rolls the higher number may choose to play first or to allow the opponent to play first. In the case of a tie, both players roll again until there is a winner.

The player who plays first **only draws one card on their first turn**.

## CARD TYPES

Cards are separated into **five general types.**

* **MAINFRAME**
* **RAM**
* **CHARACTERS**
* **CYBERWARE**
* **PROGRAMS**

**MAINFRAMES:** Your mainframe is a supercomputer which is integrated directly into your nevous system. This computer runs all of the different cards you play in the game.

Each mainframe has its own unique mechanic. Some give the player an additional amount of bioframe or mainframe health to start the game, while others may have an **activated ability** which can be used by the player. (activated abilities will be covered in more detail later.) The **activated abilities** on mainframes function the same way as they do on characters.

All mainframes have **3 slots** where **protocols**, **trojans**, and **viruses** can be played. These slots are the **top**, **left**, and **right**. Once all three slots have been filled, no more cards can be played on that mainframe until one of the slots is cleared.

**RAM:** Is memory used by your mainframe to play **characters**, **abilities**, **cyberware**, or **programs** To use RAM, the player **Runs** it (rotates it 90 degrees clockwise)

* To increase your mainframe RAM capacity, you may play RAM from your **RAM deck** during your **draw stage**, or use character abilities, or programs that allow you to play **RAM**.
* There is no limit to the number of **RAM** cards you can attach to your mainframe.
* **RAM** which is currently being used by **persistent** cards such as **characters**, **cyberware**, or certain **programs** is considered **committed**. Committed RAM does not **refresh.** RAM which is not currently being used by persistent cards is considered **available.**
* All your **available** RAM refreshes (rotates 90 degrees back to its original position) during the refresh substage of your turn.
* If you do not have enough **committed** RAM attached to your mainframe to run your currently deployed **persistent** cards when entering the **stability check** substage of of your turn, then your mainframe becomes **unstable**. When a player's mainframe becomes unstable, they must perform a **stability roll** for each character and program they have in play**.** To do this, they **roll a D20 for each Character and program**.
* A roll of **0-10 means the character or program crashes** and is moved to the players recycle bin along with any attached cards. A roll of **11-20 means the character or program does not crash**.
* If your mainframe continues to be **unstable,** you must continue to roll for characters and programs every time you reach the **stability check** substage. Any RAM you play while still unstable is **automatically moved into committed RAM** until your mainframe becomes stable.
* If one or more of a player's **committed RAM** is destroyed, then any **available RAM** they have is automatically moved over to their **committed RAM stack** to replace it. If the player does not have enough **available RAM** to replace the missing committed ram, then all **available RAM** they have is moved into their committed stack and they must roll for stability during their next stability check.
* Players have the ability to **force quit** any of their persistent cards to make that **committed** RAM **available.** This can be **only** done during the **force quit** substage of a their turn. A more detailed description of this process can be found in the next section on turn order.

**CHARACTERS:** Characters are cards which can attack, defend, or use abilities for the player.

* All characters have an **attack** and **defense** denoted by an upper (**attack**) and lower (**defense**) number on the bottom right corner of the card. These values can be also represented as **X/X** where the first number represents **attack** and the second represents **health.**
* Characters are **persistent**. This means once they are played, they stay in play until they are destroyed, they take damage greater than their defense in combat, or are **force quit** by the player.
* They also have a **persistent RAM cost**. This means that the RAM used to play them becomes **committed** until the character leaves play.
* Most characters also have **abilities**. They are located on the bottom half of the card beneath the character's description. Character abilities are divided into three categories.
	+ **Activated Abilities:** These are abilities which are activated by the card's owner by paying its cost.
		- This cost can be **running** the character (rotating it 90 degrees clockwise) or **running** a certain amount of **available** RAM. The cost to activate an ability is listed to the left of the ability’s name.
		- Activated abilities are **swift.** This means they can be played on any player's turn at any time and can be used to interrupt other actions. (The rules for swift actions will be covered in more detail later in this guide.)
		- Each character is only allowed to **activate one ability per round of play**. This means once you activate an ability, **you must wait until your next turn to activate it again**.
		- Characters which are currently **running** cannot activate abilities.
		- One special class of activated ability is **duel.** This is an activated ability where the character directly fights a target character. To activate a duel ability, the player must pay the **activation cost**, and then **run** the character. Then the player selects a target opponent character to duel and performs a **swift check.** After this swift check, the two dueling characters deal their attack damage to one another the same way they would in regular comba
	+ **Triggered Abilities:** These are abilities which are triggered when a given condition is met. For example a character might have an ability which reads *“If [character] deals bioframe damage to a player, deal 4 mainframe damage to that player.”* Triggered abilities activate any time the conditions are met no matter what stage of the game. **They cannot be interrupted** by **swift** cards.
	+ **Passive Abilities:** These are abilities which have a **persistent, passive effect** on the play of the game. An example of a passive ability is an ability which reads “As long as [character] is in play, all programs cost 2TB less RAM to play.” Passive abilities are active as long as the character is in play. As soon as the character is sent to the **recycle bin** or removed from the game, the passive ability immediately ceases.

**CYBERWARE:** Cyberware are cards which can be attached to a character you control to provide them bonuses to their attack power, health or other positive effects.

* There are 4 types of cyberware slots on character cards.
	+ **Head**- Gold tabs on top of card
	+ **Left Arm**- Gold tabs on left side of card
	+ **Right Arm**- Gold tabs on right side of card
	+ **Legs**- Gold tabs on bottom of card

* Each Cyberware card fits into a specific slot. This is denoted by matching gold tabs on the opposite side of the card. For example, a **right arm cyberware** card will have gold tabs on the **left side of the card.** These squares match with the corresponding cyberware slot on a character card.
* Each cyberware card and cyberware slot has a **level from 1-3**. This level is noted on the card by the number of gold tabs. **One tab means level 1, two tabs level 2, and three tabs level 3**.
* In order to attach a cyberware to a character, the character must have an open matching slot which is t**he same level or higher** than the cyberware being attached. For example, a character with a level 2 right arm slot may equip a level 1 or level 2 right arm cyberware card but **not** a level 3 right arm cyberware card.
* Not all character cards have all four cyberware slots. Some may have less than four or even none. Cyberware slots are unique to each character card.
* Cyberware **do not** have **persistent** cost. The RAM used to play them is **refreshed** on the players next refresh substage.
* Every Cyberware has a **psychosis value** on the card. If the character’s total psychosis value becomes higher than their base defense, then they become psychotic by the difference between the values (Psychosis - Base Defense.) For example if a character with **2 defense** equips cyberware cards with total **psychosis values of 4** then it gains **lv 2 psychotic**. (4 Psychosis - 2 defense = 2 psychotic)
* If a player has a character who is psychotic, then they must perform a **psychosis check** for each psychotic character **who is not running** every time they begin their attack stage. To do this, they roll a **D20**. If the roll is **higher** than their **psychotic** level the character passes the check and play continues. If it is **equal or lower** than their **psychotic** level that character now attacks its controller. (Its controller can block this attack with another one of their characters as they would an opponent creature if they choose.) For example: A 3/2 character equips 2x cyberware with 2 **psychosis value** each. Its total **psychosis value** is 4 and its **defense** is 2 so it becomes **lv 2 psychotic**. This means that at the beginning of the controlling player's attack stage they must roll a psychosis check. If they roll 2 or lower, then the character attacks its controller.
* **Tethers** are a special type of cyberware card which connect two characters together via their cyberware slots. The specific effect of this connection is unique to each tether card. If one of the characters attached to the tether is destroyed but the other is not, then the tether stays in play and a new character can be attached to it. If both attached characters are destroyed then the tether is also destroyed.
* **Malicious Cyberware** are a special class of cyberware which can be attached to **any character in play**, not just characters you control. Malicious cyberware can be attached to your opponents character or your characters as long as they have the correct cyberware slots available.
* Some cyberware cards **give characters activated abilities.** These activated abilities **become part of the character as long as the cyberware is attached** and follow the same rules as character abilities meaning only **one may be played per round of play** just like regular character abilities. If a character already has an ability and has another one added by a cyberware, it still can only use one of those abilities per round of play. Activated abilities added by cyberware are not treated as a separate class of abilities but simply become part of the character they’re attached to.

**PROGRAMS:** Programs are cards which can be used to do a number of useful things.

Programs are divided into four different types

* .**EXE**: These are programs which have a one time effect and can be played only on a player's **primary** or **secondary** stage. .EXE programs cannot be played at any other time in the game. They do **not have a persistent RAM cost**. The player pays their cost in RAM to play an .EXE and then that RAM is **refreshed** on their next turn. Once played, .EXEs are placed into the players **recycle bin**.
* **Protocols:** These are **persistent** programs which stay in play until destroyed or taken out of play and have an effect on the game as long as they remain in play. The effect varies between cards but they offer a player a way to strategically gain a long term advantage over their opponent.Protocols **do not have a persistent RAM cost.** RAM used to play Protocols is **refreshed** on the players next turn.
* **Viruses:** A special class of protocols which are played on an **opponent’s mainframe** which cause a negative effect for that player. Viruses can **only** be played on a player's **primary** or **secondary** stage. They do **not have a persistent RAM cost**. The RAM used to play them is **refreshed** on their next turn.
* **Trojans:** Programs which operate in a similar way to Viruses but they are played **face down** on an opponent’s mainframe for **4TB of RAM** during a player's **main** or **secondary** stage and can then be **activated** by the controlling player any time a **swift action** could be played **after the first turn the trojan was played**.
	+ Some trojans have an **activation cost** which must be paid in order to activate them, and some can be activated for free.
	+ Activating a trojan is a **swift** action, meaning Trojans can be used to **interrupt** other cards in the same way that scripts can.
	+ Trojans **cannot be activated until after the turn they are played.** This means that when a player plays a trojan face down in their **primary** or **secondary** stage, they must wait until the next player's turn to activate it.
	+ Trojans **do not have a persistent RAM cost.** The RAM used to play them **refreshes** on the players next turn.
* **Scripts:** Programs which can be played at any point in the game. Scripts are considered **swift** which means, they **can be played at any time in the game** and can **interrupt** other player’s actions such as playing **characters**, **cyberware**, or **programs**, or **activating abilities**.
	+ If you play a **script** to **interrupt** another player's play, that other player may play a **script** of their own to **interrupt** your script and so on and so forth until all players pass. The card's effects then **trigger** from the **last played to the first played.** This is called **order of operation** and it applies to all **swift actions (scripts, activated abilities,** and **trojan activation)**.
		- The specific rules for the **order of operation** of **swift actions (scripts**, **activated abilities**, and **trojans**) is covered in detail in a later section. These rules are very important to the game so we recommend reading that section.
		- One unique mechanic which can appear in scripts (and also activated abilities) is **counter.** This might appear in a card as something like *“Counter target program”* **Counter** means that the target card is removed from the order of operations and prevented from ever resolving. This will be covered in more detail in the **order of operations** section later, but the short version is, **counter** cards can **prevent cards from ever coming into play**.
		- Once played, scripts are placed into the players **recycle bin.**
* **Drugs:** Drugs are a special class of programs which are played on characters to provide different effects. They operate **in the same way as scripts** in that they are **swift**, and **do not** have a **persistent RAM cost.**
* **Environments:** Environments are programs which change the virtual location in which the game is being played.
	+ Environments generally affect all players equally and can do things like give characters stat boosts, or change game mechanics.
	+ Environments can be only played during a player's primary or secondary stage.
	+ **There can only be one environment card in play at a time** unless stated specifically by another card. If there is an environment card in play, and a player plays another environment card, then the first card goes to its owner's recycle bin.
	+ Environments are persistent. Once played, an Environment stays in play until it is removed from play or a player plays another environment card which replaces it.
	+ Environments **do NOT have a persistent RAM** cost. Once their initial cost is paid, the RAM used refreshes on the players next turn.

## TURN STRUCTURE

A player's turn progresses in the following stages.

* **MAINTENANCE STAGE:** The maintenance stage is broken into substages.
	+ **CARD EFFECT:** Any cards which have effects that take place in the card effect substage activate now (ex. During their card effect substage, player takes 2 mainframe damage.)
	+ **STABILITY CHECK:** If the player does not currently have enough RAM to run the persistent cards currently in play on their side of the board, then they must perform a **stability check** by rolling a **D20** for each character and program in play to see if it crashes. **0-10** means the character or program crashes and is moved to the players recycle bin along with any attached cards. **11-20** means the character or program does not crash.
	+ **FORCE QUIT:** The player may choose to **force quit** any of their persistent characters, programs, cyberware, or environments. Cards which are **force quit** are placed into the player’s **recycle bin** along with any cyberware attached to them.
	+ **DRAW:** The player **draws a total of 2 cards** from either their **main deck** or their **RAM deck** in whatever combination they choose.
		- This means they may choose to draw 2 from their **main deck** and 0 from their **RAM deck**, draw 2 from their **RAM deck** and 0 from their **main deck**, or draw 1 from each deck.
		- One exception to this is the very first turn of the game, where the player may choose to **draw 1 card** from either their **RAM** or **main deck.**
		- RAM drawn from the RAM deck is **immediately put into play available and refreshed** unless the player’s mainframe is unstable in which case it is immediately put into play **committed** and **running** until the player is no longer unstable.
	+ **REFRESH:** The player **refreshes** their **available RAM** and **character** cards currently **running** (by turning them back 90 degrees counterclockwise to their normal orientation)
		- RAM which **is not** being used to run persistent characters or programs is considered **available** and is refreshed. RAM which **is** being used to run **persistent** characters or programs is considered **committed** and is not **refreshed**.
		- Characters and programs are refreshed unless there is another card or ability which prevents them from doing so.
		- All of the player’s character abilities which were used last round are refreshed and can be used again.
	+ **SWIFT CHECK:** When the player is finished with their maintenance stage, they must allow the other players the opportunity to play any **swift** actions they wish. If the other players pass, play moves on to the **primary stage**.
	+ **PRIMARY STAGE:** The primary stage is where the active player may play character, cyberware, or program cards.
		- **DEPLOY:** The player may play any character, program, or cyberware cards from their hand which they have enough RAM to play.
		- **SWIFT CHECK:** before moving on to the **battle stage**.
	+ **BATTLE STAGE:** The battle stage is broken into substages:
		- **PSYCHOSIS CHECK:** If a player controls a character who is **psychotic** and **not running**, then they must roll a psychosis check for that character. To do this, they roll a **D20**. If the roll is **higher** than their **psychotic** level nothing happens. If it is **equal or lower** than their **psychotic** level that character now attacks its controller. (Its controller can block this attack with another one of their characters as they would an opponent creature if they choose.)
		- **ATTACK:** The player may choose which of their characters they wish to attack with and which player they wish to attack. Once they have announced their attacking characters, those characters are **run** (turned 90 degrees clockwise.)
		- **WIFT CHECK** before moving to the next substage.
		- **BLOCK:** The player(s) who have been targeted with attacking characters may choose to assign any of their eligible characters to block those attacking characters.To be eligible to block, the characters must not be **running** or have any effects or abilities which state they cannot block. The defending player may assign multiple characters to block a single character if they wish. If a player assigns multiple blockers to a single attacker, then the attacker may choose the order in which they wish to attack the blockers.
		- **SWIFT CHECK** before moving to the next substage
		- **DAMAGE:**
			* Attacking characters **with the blitz ability** deal their attack power to characters blocking them and blocking characters **with blitz** deal their attack power to the attacking characters they were assigned. This damage is subtracted from their health. If a characters’ health falls to 0 or below then that character is **destroyed** and moved into that player’s **recycle bin** along with any **programs** or **cyberware** attached to it. All Blitz damage is dealt at the same time, not on a character by character basis.
			* All damage from attacking and blocking characters **without the blitz** ability is dealt in the exact same fashion. All **non-blitz damage is dealt at the same time**, in the same way as **blitz** damage.
			* If an attacking character was **blocked by multiple characters**, then the controller of the attacking character selects the order they wish to deal their attack damage to the blockers. After choosing this order, the attacker’s attack damage is dealt to the first blocker and the blockers attack damage is dealt to the attacker. If the attacker's damage is enough damage to destroy the first blocking character, the remaining damage is dealt to the next blocker, and so on and so forth until the attacker is destroyed or all of it’s damage is dealt.
			* Any attacking characters who were **not blocked** deal their **attack damage** to the **bioframe health** of the player they attacked. If an attacking character with the **Overrun** ability was blocked, then any additional damage greater than the defense of the blocking character(s) is dealt to the player's bioframe health. (ex. A 5/4 character with **Overrun** is blocked by a 2/2 character. The blocking character is destroyed and the attacking character also deals 3 damage to the player's bioframe health.)
			* If any of the attacking or blocking characters or programs in play have **triggered abilities** which are activated when characters deal damage (ex. If a character deals damage to a player's bioframe health it deals x damage to their mainframe health) then those abilities activate now.
			* **SWIFT CHECK** before moving to **secondary stage.**

* **SECONDARY STAGE:** The secondary stage is the same as the primary stage and is broken into substages in the same way.
	+ **DEPLOY:** The player may play any character, program, or cyberware cards from their hand which they have enough RAM to deploy. The action of playing these cards can be interrupted by any player using a script program or ability at any time during this stage.
	+ **SWIFT CHECK** before moving to **final stage.**

* **FINAL STAGE:** Any damage dealt to characters this turn is removed, any effects which read “until end of turn” end, and the turn is passed to the next player unless stated otherwise. (Ex. Deja Vu *“After your turn is finished, take another turn.”)*

## ORDER OF OPERATIONS

**Order of Operations** are the rules which determine how **swift** programs and abilities can interrupt one another and which actions resolve first. The mechanics behind them are fairly simple, but can feel complex to new players so we wanted to provide a more detailed explanation for the sake of clarity.

An easy way to think of the **order of operations** is as a list of instructions on a computer.

Whenever a player **plays a card** or uses an **ability**, any player may choose to **interrupt** this action with a **swift** card or ability. If they do this then that card or ability is added to the **top of the order of operations**.

The original player now has the opportunity to **interrupt** the second **swift** card or ability with another one of their own.

This card or ability is added to the **top of the order of operations**

This continues back and forth until all players pass. All of the cards and abilities then **resolve** from the **top to the bottom** of the **order of operations**, or, in other words, in the **reverse order they were played,**

**Here’s an example** of these mechanics in action

It is Player A’s **main phase**, they have ***Iron Maiden*** in play, and their opponent, Player B has ***Hex, The Circuitmancer*** in play.

Player A chooses to use Iron Maiden’s ***Iron Fist*** ability (*Iron Maiden gets +2/+0 until end of turn)*

Then Player B chooses to **interrupt** this play by playing Hex, The Circuitmancer’s ***Counterhack*** ability. (*Choose target card, change all instances of + to - until end of turn*) This ability is added to the top of the **order of operations** above ***Iron Fist*.**

The **order of operations** now looks like this

1. ***Counterhack***
2. ***Iron Fist***

Player A does not have any swift cards or abilities to play so they pass.

The **order of operations** now resolves **from the top to the bottom**. This means that ***Counterhack*** resolves first, which changes the + symbol in ***Iron Fist*** into a - symbol.

Now ***Iron Fist*** resolves, but since ***Counterhack*** has changed all + to - it gives ***Iron Maiden*** -2/-0 instead of the usual +2/+0.

There is one exception to these rules. **Swift** cards or abilities cannot be used to interrupt **triggered abilities.** When the conditions for a **triggered ability** is met, it resolves immediately and **cannot be interrupted**. If two **triggered abilities** are activated at the same time, then priority is given to the player whose turn it is.

Generally speaking, once a **swift action** is added to the **order of operations**, nothing can stop it from resolving **except a counter program or ability.**

This can get a bit complex, so let's look at a couple more examples to clarify things.

It’s Player A’s **battle stage** and they have **Blackhat** in play and Player B has **Trixie** in play.

Player B decides to activate **Trixie’s SLAY** ability to run **Black Hat**. Player A decides to **interrupt** that action by activating **Black Hat’s RUN ERROR** ability to destroy Trixie.

So the order of operations looks like this

1. **RUN ERROR (Blackhat)**
2. **SLAY (Trixie)**

So, as long as no more swift actions are taken, then the cards resolve like this.

* **RUN ERROR** resolves first, destroying **Trixie**
* **SLAY** resolves second, running **Black Hat**

The key point here, is that even though **Trixie** was destroyed before her **SLAY** ability resolved, the ability still resolves. Once a swift action is added to the order of operations, it will eventually resolve even if the source of that action is destroyed.

The notable exception to this rule are cards with the **counter** mechanic. **Counter means that the target action is removed from the order of operations and never resolves.**

Let’s look at another example to clarify.

It’s Player A’s **Main Stage** has **The Prodigy** in play and they decide to activate **The Prodigy’s EMP Blast** ability.

Player B decides to interrupts that action by playing **Delete** on **The Prodigy.**

Player A, then decides to interrupt that action by playing **Stop Run** to **counter Delete.**

Player B has no more plays to make, so the order of operations looks like this

1. **Stop Run**
2. **Delete**
3. **EMP Blast (The Prodigy)**

So the order of operations plays out like this

* **Stop Run** resolves first. This **counters Delete,** which removes it from the order of operations
* **Delete** is so longer on the order of operations so it does not resolve
* **EMP Blast** now resolves, dealing 6 mainframe damage to Player B.

## DUEL MECHANIC

Duel is an ability that basically allows one character to directly attack another character.

To duel you must **pay the cost**, **run the character**, and **select a target character**. The dueling characters then deal their attack damage to each other the same way they would in regular combat.