Keywords

Many cards have various **Keywords** that describe their abilities. This page serves as a glossary for keywords.

## Card Types

All cards in the game are one of five types:

**Emperor:** The emperor is the leader of one's team. Placed on the first turn, all emperors have 0 Cost, 0 ATK, and 20 HP. Each emperor has a unique skill that can be used once per turn for 2 AP. When the emperor's health reaches 0, the player loses the game.

**Heroes**: Hero cards are the regular units summoned by the player. They have a cost, ATK, and HP rating.

*Note:* Cards that target a "unit" can target either a Hero or the Emperor. Cards that specifically target a "Hero" cannot target the Emperor.

**Spells:** Spell cards can be played from the hand, although some require a specific target or have unique activation conditions.

**Ploys:** Ploy cards with the **Switch** and **Trap** abilities are meant to serve as traps, first set and then later flipped face up. Ploy cards without these two keywords are instead played face-up and have a HP stat as well as a mana cost.

**Artifacs:** Artifac cards are weapons or items that must be equipped to a specific Hero, giving them a benefit as long as they possess it. If a second Artifac card is played on the same hero, it will replace the first one.

## Hero Abilities

Hero cards may have the following conditional keywords that determine when their ability triggers:

* **Battlecry:** The following effect triggers when the card is played. This occurs either when the card is played face-up, or when the card is flipped up from a set position.
* **Deathrattle:** The following effect triggers when the card dies, either in a flipped or set position.
* **Face-up entry**: The following effect triggers when the card is played face-up. Actively or passively flipping the card up will not trigger the effect.
* **Ambush**: The following effect triggers when the card is actively or passively flipped up. Playing the card in face-up position will not trigger the effect.

*Note*: Heroes with Face-up entry also contain the Ambush keyword. In effect, this allows the player to decide which of the Hero's two abilities they want to use when they play the Hero.

In addition, Hero cards may have the following buffs:

* **Charge:** When this card is played, it can immediately perform an action.
* **Sacred Shield:** Completely blocks damage one time.

* **Invisibility**: Cannot be selected as an attack or spell target. Invisibility is removed if the hero attacks or suffers damage.
* **Taunt:** If an enemy is within attack range of a Hero with Taunt, the enemy must attack that unit.

## Ploy Abilities

**Ploy** cards may have the following keywords:

* **Switch:** The Ploy's effect triggers when the player actively flips the card from the set position. Playing the card face up or passively flipping the card will not trigger the effect. In either case, the card will automatically disappear.
* **Trap:** The Ploy's effect triggers when the card is passively flipped. Playing the card face up or actively flipping the card will not trigger the effect. In either case, the card will automatically disappear.

## Status Effects

The term "Status Effect" specifically refers the following 4 debuffs: Paralysis, Slumber, Blind, and Grounded:

* **Paralysis**: Target Hero is unable to act.
* **Slumber**: Target Hero unable to act. Is removed when attacked.
* **Blind**: Target Hero can move but cannot attack.
* **Grounded**: Target Hero can attack but cannot move.

## Elemental Spells

Elemental spells are a unique type of Spell card used by the Shen Zhou faction. They are divided into four types:

* **Water Spells:** Focus on healing.
* **Wind Spells:** Focus on boosting allied Hero ATK / HP or reducing enemy Hero ATK / HP
* **Thunder Spells:** Focus on inflicting Status Effect on enemy Heroes.
* **Fire Spells**: Focus on inflicting damage to enemy Heroes.