Action Cards

**Category:** Rules,Player Components

Players can use action cards to resolve one-time abilities. Each action card indicates the timing window within which it may be played at the top of the card.

When an action card is used, the player using it reveals the card, resolves its effect, and discards the card. If an action card begins with the word “Action,” it can be used as a component action during a player’s turn of the action phase.

Each player can have a maximum of seven action cards in their hand.

## Twilight Imperium Codex

The Codex introduced 20 new Action Cards, which may be added to improve gameplay

## Prophecy of Kings

The Expansion introduced 20 additional Action Cards, bringing the total up to 120

## 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.

**Q:** The "Skilled Retreat" action card specifies "At the start of a combat round"; does this mean it may be used at the start of a ground combat or space combat?

**A:** No. The "Skilled Retreat" action card may only be played at the Start of a Space Combat round

**Q:** Can “Sustain Damage” be used against the “Courageous to the End” action card?

**A:** No, “Courageous to the End” does not produce hits.

**Q:** During space combat, can each player play a “Shields Holding” action card to cancel hits against their units, even though they 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.

**Q:** 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.

**Q:** Can two “Direct Hit” action cards be played by the same player on the same round of combat against different targets?

**A:** Yes. Because the two “Direct Hit” cards are targeting different targets, this is allowed.

**Q**: 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.

**Q**: 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.

**Q**: 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.

**Q**: 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.

**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.

**Q**: 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.

**Q**: 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.

**Q**: 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.

**Q**: 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.

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

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

**Q:** Can "Reveal Prototype" be used to gain unit upgrades if the player lacks the tech prerequisites to research it normally?

**A:** No. Whenever a game effect instructs a player to "research" a technology they must fulfill the prerequisites. Researching a technology without considering prerequisites would only be possible if it instructed the player to "gain" the technology.

**Q:** Can "Ghost Ship" be used to place a Destroyer in the Asteroid/Alpha system if the player lacks the Antimass Deflectors technology?

**A:** Yes. You are placing the destroyer in that system, not moving it. The same would apply if the Ghosts of Creuss placed a wormhole token into a supernova