Set – Dark Matter [Last Updated 04/02/10 :: Patch 3.20]
Table of Contents
Section 1: The Basics
Materials
Objective of the Game
How to Start the Game
Parts of a SoE Card
Key Terms and Symbols
Card Types: Ship, CosmicBody, Research, Event, Structure
Supertypes: Unique, Capital
Zones: Reserves Pile, Hand, In Space, System, Scrapyard, The Void
Section 2: Cards and Effects
The Card Rules
What’s a Card being Played?
What's an Ability?
How Do I Play an Event or Use an Activated Ability?
How Do I Use a Triggered Ability?
How Do Events and Abilities Resolve?
What’s an Effect?
Global and Local? What's the Difference?
Section 3: Turn Structure
Beginning Phase
Main Phase
Combat Phase
Main Phase (again)
End Phase
Section 4: Keyword Abilities
Section 5: Glossary
Section 1 : The Basics
Materials
To play a game of Solace of Eternity (SoE), there needs to be at least two players with SoE decks containing 60 to 75 cards each of a single faction. Something to keep track of deck totals is also suggested, such as pen and paper.
Objective of the Game
Destroy your opponents by depleting their reserves piles (decks)! A player loses if he either controls no star systems at the end of a turn, cannot draw from his reserves pile, or has more damage dealt to his reserves pile than there are cards remaining in it.
How to Start the Game
To start, both players take out the decks they want to play with. For the rest of the game, these decks are known as reserves piles. To determine who is the first lead player, use a coin flip or a die roll. If a game has already been played, the loser may decide who is the lead player. Unlike most card games, players share turns in SoE. However, the lead player decides certain priority actions and other possible play interactions. The lead player cycles around in turn order (clockwise) after each turn.
Each player shuffles his reserves pile thoroughly. As a courtesy, each player should allow an enemy (opposing player) either cut his reserves pile or shuffle it. Each player then draws a starting hand of seven cards. If a player doesn't like his starting hand, that player may shuffle his hand into his deck and redraw a hand with one fewer card in it. A player may do this any number of time, but the number of cards in his hand goes down by one every time. When both players are ready to begin, the game starts.
Parts of a Solace of Eternity Card
Name.
A card's name appears in the upper left corner of a card. When a card's name appears in the text box, it always refers to itself, and not another card in play.
Energy Cost.
The number in the upper right corner of a card is its energy cost. You must spend that much energy to play it. For example, a cost of (3) would require you to pay 3 energy after you generate 3.
Type Line.
This tells you whether a card is a CosmicBody, Event, Research, Ship, or Structure. It is located underneath the card's name. Cards often also have subtypes. These follow the '-' symbol in a card, such as “Ship – Human Strikecraft.” See page 5 for more details on each card type.
Faction Symbol.
This symbol tells you about what faction the card belongs to. Each deck can only contain cards pertaining to a single faction, although any number of neutral cards are allowed as well. This symbol is found to the left of the name, and is a picture with the name of the faction inscribed in it.
Rarity Symbol.
This symbol tells you the rarity levels: black for common cards, silver for uncommon cards, and gold for rare cards. A spread of each rarity of card is found in booster packs. This symbol is found in the bottom right area of the card, and is a small square.
Text Box.
This is where all the card's abilities appear. Flavor text may also appear in this box; it is in italic text, and tells you something about the universe of Solace of Eternity. Flavor text has no effect on game play. Some abilities also have reminders in parenthesis and italics to help remind you of what they do.
Combat Stats.
Each ship and structure has three values on the rightmost side of the card: Attack, Shields, and Hull. These three values determine how well the ship or structure does in combat. Attack is the amount of damage dealt per successful attack, shields is the amount of damage reduced whenever the ship or structure takes damage, and hull is maximum sustainable damage in a turn. If damage equals or exceeds hull at any time, the ship or structure is destroyed and put into its owner's scrapyard.
Key Terms and Symbols
Energy.
Energy is the basic and only elementary resource in Solace of Eternity. Energy is used to do almost everything in SoE. You initiate warp sequences, complete warp sequences, play events, play research, and play structures using energy. At the end of each phase, all energy you stored up dissipates and cannot be used.
When a variable such as X is found inside a cost, such as (X), any number of energy may be used to pay for X as long as you have that much energy to use.
Universal.
Certain cards have the supertype of Universal. Any number of these cards can be played in a given deck.
CosmicBody.
CosmicBodies are unlike other card types in way that they do not cost any energy, and only one can be played each turn. They also are the primary generators of energy. See page 4 for more information on CosmicBodies.
Masses.
Ships, structures, and planets are put into space after being played. These are called Masses as long as they are in space. Unlike masses, most events are put into the scrapyard after use and research does not count as a mass.
Expending.
In Solace of Eternity, the act of expending is to turn a card sideways. It is to show that a card has already done an action for this turn, and cannot perform further actions. To expend a card, turn it sideways at a 90 degree angle. At the beginning of each turn, during your reset step, each player unexpends (resets to normal facing) each card they control.
The symbol (E) means expend this card. It usually appears in the cost of using an activated ability on a mass. All cards can be expended the turn they come into play.
Active Player.
The active player is the player who has priority at that current instance for making decisions. This can come in the form of playing CosmicBodies or Strategical Events, or deciding interceptors. Starting with the lead player of each turn, players take turn being active player until they have nothing left to do. If that's the situation, they 'pass priority' and the next player in turn order becomes active player. When everybody passes priority, the next phase occurs.
Ability.
Abilities is text found on the text area of masses in space. They can either be activated (requiring a cost), triggered (being triggered by an event), or static (always active). Activated abilities can be used at any time, unless otherwise noted. Also by default, abilities are limited to influencing only cards within the same star system as the card with the ability.
Target.
When a event or ability contains the word “target,” you choose which target will be affected when you play it.
Card Types
There are five regular card types in Solace of Eternity, and two supertypes.
CosmicBodies (Planets, Stars, Phenomena)
CosmicBodies are different from other cards in the fact that they don't need to resolve; they are immediately put into play once you play them. Players cannot respond to a CosmicBody being played.
Most CosmicBodies can expend to produce energy, except for Phenomena which are a bit different in nature. A vital component of all decks will be CosmicBodies. You can play CosmicBodies on any system you control, but you can't play a CosmicBody – Star in a star system that already has another Star in it. Also, CosmicBodies can only be played during main phases, when there are no events, research or structures awaiting resolution, and only when you haven't already played a CosmicBody that turn. They can be played regardless of priority.
Event (Tactic, Strategy)
Events are actions done by a player, the player's forces, or otherwise caused by the player that interacts with space, masses, research, cards being played, reserves pile, hand, or scrapyard. Events can range from sabotage to special attack formations to give an advantage to the player using an Event. Tactical Events can be played at any time, and can be used to respond to other cards played. Alternately, Strategical Events can only be played during main phases, when there are no events, research or structures awaiting resolution, and only when you are the active player. Events are also interesting in the fact that their targeting is not limited to any single system, due to the fact that they are played from your hand. They do not enter any system, so their targets are not limited.
Research (No Subtypes)
Research are cards played like other cards, and can be played any time you could play a Strategical Event. Unlike Event cards, Research cards are persistent and stay in space until destroyed or scrapped. Research cards usually do not do anything upon entering space but have activated and static abilities.
Ship (Race, Probe, Strikecraft, Frigate, Cruiser, Destroyer, Carrier)
Ships are one of the two types of cards which can deal damage, and the only one which can be played on an enemy system to attack another player. Ships work quite a bit differently than most kinds of cards. Instead of just being played like a normal card, ships are played in a very specific manner during a specific phase each turn. Ships are played during the Initiate Warp Sequences step of each turn as an action called “Initiate Warp Sequence.” This is done by paying 1 energy, and putting the card into play in a chosen system face-down. During the Complete Warp Sequences step, ships are flipped face-up and their regular energy cost is paid for. Ships players do not want to or cannot pay for are returned to their hands without showing the cards to their opponents.
Ship cards have three numbers alongside lower right edge of the card; The number on top is its attack, the number in the middle is shields, and the number on the bottom is hull. Attack is how much damage the ship deals per attack, shields is amount of damage absorbed whenever the ship would take damage, and hull (or hit points) is how much damage a ship can take before it is destroyed and put into its owner's scrapyard.
Ships can do a variety of things after entering play. During the Declare Attacker / Declare Interceptor step of combat, the attacker assigns attack targets for each of his ships and expends it, one after another. Ships, structures, and reserves piles can all be targeted locally in each star system. On each attack declaration, the defender can expend a ship of his own and declare it as an interceptor. This process continues until the attacker deems that he has no attackers remaining. When this occurs, any remaining unexpended ships on the defender's side can be assigned targets as well.
Ships are always recalled (returned) to your hand at the end of each turn. Ships which never had their warp sequences finished are also returned, except they are returned during the Complete Warp Sequences step of combat. Ships returned before completing their warp sequences are not revealed to your enemies while being recalled.
Structure (Satellites, Turrets, Complexes)
Structures are played in a system you control that has one or more CosmicBodies in it. Structures work like a cross between ships and CosmicBodies. They are played during a main phase and with the same rules as a Strategical Event. Once played, they do not return to your hand. Like ships, they have combat stats and can be the target of attacks.
Supertypes
Unique (Applied to Any Card Type)
Unique is a modifier supertype, where there can only be one copy of the unique object on the field at any time. If there is more than one present in space at any moment, both are simultaneously put into their owner's scrapyards.
Capital (Applied to only Ships)
Capital is a modifier supertype, but it does not have any rules tied to it innately, unlike Unique. A “Capital Ship” designates a very large ship, and is often used for rules regarding either bonus damage or effectiveness. Also, “Capital Ships” are a lot more resistant to certain events and abilities than other ships. Capital Ships are generally of the type 'Cruiser' or larger, and cost 4 or more. They also tend to be quite tough and have high attack.
Zones
Zone is a word for an area of play. Cards can exist in one of the five zones, and in only one at any time with the exception of 'star system,' referred to as 'system' in the game, where they are both in a star system and in space at the same time.
Reserves Pile. (Deck, Library)
Your reserves pile is your reserve of cards yet to be drawn – your draw pile. No one can look at cards in any player's deck, but players may count how many cards are in a deck at any time. It's kept face down, and stays in the original order after the initial shuffle. Cards are always drawn from your own deck. In each system you control, the reserves pile is a legitimate target for enemy ships to target. In Solace of Eternity, your reserves pile is also your lifeline. If you ever need to draw or expulse more cards than are left in your reserves pile, you lose the game. Whenever your reserves Pile would take damage, instead you expulse that many cards from the top of it.
Scrapyard. (Discard Pile, Graveyard)
This is where all cards that have been used up are placed. Most events go here as they resolve. Cards also go into the scrapyard when they are discarded, destroyed, scrapped, or put there by any effect. Cards are always face up here, and can be seen by anyone. Cards in the scrapyard don't have effects and can't be played. Each player has their own scrapyard. While the order is not important, a player cannot mess up the order of cards in his scrapyard.
Hand. (No other monickers)
This is where cards go when you draw them, like in most card games. No one except for you can look at your own hand. During the cleanup step at the end of each turn, you must discard down to ten cards. For the most part, cards are always played from your hand. Once played, they await resolution, and upon it either go to your scrapyard immediately if it's an event or enter space in a chosen system.
In Space. (In Play, on the Field, on the Battlefield)
This is the area in front of you, where cards generally reside once played if they didn't already get put into the scrapyard. Space is the very general term for being “in play,” although the game refers to systems a lot as well. This is because each player controls up to 3 systems, which is the division of space.
System. (Star System, No equivalent translation.)
A card in a system is always in space. A new system is created whenever you play a CosmicBody on one of the three empty systems you can play on. However, you do not need to create a new system if you are playing just a planet or a phenomenon. Only if you are playing a star will you need a new system, because only one star can exist in each system.
The Void. (Removed from Game Zone, Exiled Cards)
Cards that are expulsed end up here. This zone represents an area of nothingness. Cards that have been expulsed are face up, and generally stay here for the rest of the game. Cards in the void can't be played and have no effects. These cards are only shuffled back in after the game ends.
Section 2 : Cards and Abilities
The Card Rules
Quite simply, whenever a card contradicts a rule, the card wins and overrides the rules written here. When two cards contradict rules, the one with the “can't” overrides the one without. For example, if a card says players can play any number of CosmicBodies each turn, and another card says players can't play CosmicBodies at all, the can't wins, and players now can't play CosmicBodies.
What's a Card being Played?
A card being played is any card that has been played but has not yet resolved. It is waiting to see if any other player will respond to that card at that moment. CosmicBodies skip this step, and are instead directly put into the chosen system by its controller.
What's an Ability?
An ability is like an event, except it is found on cards in play. Many abilities have costs, and you use and resolve them just like events. Once you use the ability, it doesn't matter what happens to the source of the ability, the ability still resolves normally.
There are three types of abilities:
Activated Ability.
You use an activated ability when you pay for all of its costs. All activated abilities have a colon (“:”) in them. The part before the colon is the cost, while the part after the colon is the effect.
Activated abilities with (E) in their costs can usually only be used once each turn, since a mass can only expend if it isn't already expended. You can use activated abilities at any time as long as you pay for all the costs. Once it is played, it awaits just awaits resolution. The only player who can play a card's activated ability is its controller.
Triggered Ability.
An ability that starts with the word “When,” “Whenever,” “If,” or “At” is an triggered ability. You don't use triggered abilities. It just awaits resolution upon its event happening. You can't choose to ignore or delay a triggered ability; it happens when the trigger happens. If the trigger event happens more than once, it triggers for each time it happens.
Static Ability.
Static abilities don't activate or trigger upon specific events, and you can't use them; they're just always “on.” It stays on as long as the mass or research stays in play. Static Abilities create continuous effects.
How do I play an event or use an activated ability?
To play an event, follow these steps:
1. Tell your enemy what event or ability you’re playing. If it’s an event, show the card to your opponent.
2. For an event, pay the energy cost. For an activated ability, pay the activation cost. If the event or ability has X in its cost, you choose the value of X and then pay that appropriate amount of energy or other costs.
3. If the event or ability uses the word “target,” choose the target(s). If the spell or ability’s text starts with “Choose one —”, you make the choice. You must choose a valid target. If you don't, the event or ability will 'fizzle' (have no effect) upon resolving.
4. That’s it! You’ve played an event or ability and it awaits resolution. See “How Do Events and Abilities Resolve?” below to find out what happens to the spell or ability after you play it.
How do I use a Triggered ability?
You can't use triggered abilities. They just await resolution once their trigger event occurs. This is an automatic process, and must happen. The player who controlled the mass or research with the triggered ability makes the choices and picks the target(s) when the ability triggers.
If more than one trigger occurs at the same time, it happens in the order of the active players choice of masses or research he controls, and then in turn order for every other player through the same process.
How do Events and Abilities Resolve?
Once all players are finished playing their events and abilities, abilities and events begin to resolve from the last event or ability played to the first. It resolves in 'reverse' order, and players can respond after again after each resolution. This reverse-order mechanism is called a stack.
What an Effect?
When an event, research, or ability resolves, there is an effect. There are four basic kinds of effects.
One-Shot effect
One-Shot effects do something once, and then are finished. Effects such as drawing cards, making players discard cards, destroying ships or structures, and dealing damage are all One-Shot Effects. When it resolves, it's effect is done, and it's gone.
Continuous effect
Continuous effects do something for a length of time. A continuous effect from an event, research, activated ability, or triggered ability lasts as long as the effect says so. A continuous effect is generated by static abilities, and as long as the mass or research with the static ability stays in space the effect stays active.
Replacement effect
Replacement effects wait for something to happen and then change it in some way. They are called replacement effects because they replace one effect with a different one. A replacement effect always uses the word “instead.” When an effect is replaced, you do the replacement action event instead of the normal one.
Absorption effect
Absorption effects wait for something to happen and then keep it from happening. They always use the word “absorb.” Prevention effects work like shields. Once an event or ability that makes an effect resolves, the effect hangs around for damage (or something similar) to happen, and then stops some or all of it.
Absorption “shields” last until they are used up or for however long the card says it lasts. If an effect prevents 4 damage, and only 1 is prevented so far, it can still prevent 3 more, until it wears out the time specified.
Global and Local? What's the Difference?
Effects can be either global or local, and they can target a card in either a global or local area. A local object is a card that resides only in a given system, and must have a system chosen to place it in, while a global object is in every system. Here's the breakdown:
- Global: Players, Player's Zones (Reserves Pile, Hand, Scrapyard, Void), Researches, Events
- Local: Ships, Structures, CosmicBodies, Reserves Piles
Local objects generate local effects, and local effects can only affect other local objects that are in their system. On the other hand, local effects can always affect global objects. Global effects, generated by global objects, can always affect objects anywhere unless further specified.
Section 3 : Turn Structure
Each turn has five standard phases to it. Each phase happens even if nothing happens during it. The Phase ends as soon as each player passes priority without anything occuring.
I. Beginning Phase
This phase has three steps. (Parts of a Phase.)
a. Reset Step
All players unexpends all cards in space they controls which are expended. The lead player shifts onto the next player in turn order. Cards cannot be cast at this time.
b. Upkeep Step
Timing step.
c. Draw Step
Each player draws a card as long as it's not the first turn. Players may now cast cards which are instant in speed, namely Tactical Events.
II. Main Phase
There are no steps in the main phase except the main phase itself. Every player can play any type of card during this period except for ships. This is also the time to play a CosmicBody. The active player cycles around to determine who gets to play in what order, and after any card is played (except for CosmicBody) every other player can respond.
III. Combat Phase
This phase has six major steps.
a. Beginning of Combat Step
While nothing actually occurs during this time, cards like Tactical Events can be played.
b. Initiate Warp Sequences Step
Starting with the lead player, he plays any number of his ships face-down as warp sequences in systems of his choice. This is known as “initiating a warp sequence.” Each ship played this way costs 1 energy. After he is done, he can pass priority. At that time, anyone may play cards to target those warp sequences. If they don't, the next player in turn order becomes the active player, and they repeat this process of playing ships. If after the active player cycles back to the lead player and nobody has played a ship, or if every other player after a player has played a ship neglects to play any ships this way, this step ends. No one can play any more ships after that through this method.
c. Determine Combat Order Step
Starting with systems that the lead player has warp sequences in and then circulating in turn orders, players determine the order in which combat will be resolved. Only systems a player has warp sequences in that he doesn't control can be chosen and added on the queue of systems in conflict. After this step, the Complete Warp Sequences and Conflict Steps are repeated for each star system in conflict.
d. Complete Warp Sequences Step
This step is repeated for each system in conflict. Starting with the attacking player of the current system in conflict and then proceeding in turn order after he passes priority, players may reveal a warp sequence he initiated by turning it face-up and pay for its energy cost. If a player cannot pay for a ship or does not want to, he recalls all remaining warp sequences he initiated to his hand. Whenever a ship is paid for this way, it is known as “completing a warp sequence.” When there are no warp sequences remaining in the current system in conflict, this step ends. Players cannot choose to recall a ship to their hand and then later still pay for another ship.
e. Conflict Step
This step is repeated for each system in conflict, and is also further subdivided into three smaller steps. They are the following:
e1. Declare Attacker / Declare Interceptors Step
The attacking player(s) decide which targets they want to attack, starting with the lead player. Whenever a ship ship attacks this way, it is expended. Then, any other player (generally the defender) can expend a ship they control to declare it as the interceptor. These cards are paired up for combat resolution later on. A ship that is attacking which is intercepted by a ship with Stealth will still go for its original target.
e2. Declare Counterattacks
If the defending player has any remaining unexpended ships, he can declare counterattacks by expending a ship and proposing a target. Each time the defending player does this, the attacker can reorganize his attack priorities on each ship in combat that way.
e3. Combat Resolution Step
Once ships are completely matched, players assign where attacks actually go. If a ship has more than one opposing ship, it must choose which one to fire upon unless it has Rapid Fire. If it has Rapid Fire, it may choose more than one target. A special rule is that if a card with rapid fire has assigned sufficient attacks to at least destroy the ship that is intercepting it, it can assign the remaining attacks on either its original target or targets in combat with it. Also, if a ship or structure is fighting only ships or structures it cannot attack because of abilities such as Stealth, then it will attack it's original target.
e4. Long Range Combat Damage Step
Ships with Long Range now stack combat damage on their assigned targets if they are still alive. If there are no ships with Long Range, this step is ignored and Regular Combat Damage Step occurs.
e5. Regular Combat Damage Step
Ships without Long Range now stack combat damage on their assigned targets, if they survived.
f. End of Combat Step
While nothing actually occurs during this time, cards like Tactical Events can be played.
IV. Main Phase
This main phase is identical to the first main phase and follows the same rules. However, the general difference is that you have already played a CosmicBody for the turn and cannot play another one now, and that there are ships present to use Strategical Events to target. Anything you could play during the first Main Phase, you can play during this main phase.
V. End Phase
a. Terminus Step
Timing step.
b. Recall Ships Step
Each player recalls all ships they control to their hand. Nothing can be played at this time, and abilities can't be used.
c. End of Turn Step
All end of turn effects end now. Players may play cards at this time, but each time a player does another end of turn step is generated afterward. Only cards like Tactical Events can be played at this time.
d. Cycle Step
During this step, players have the chance to put a card from their hand on the bottom of their reserves pile if they haven't played any card on that turn. If a player does, he or she draws a card and may choose to reveal it. If it's a cosmicbody, that player can put it into space in a system of that player's choice. Otherwise, no cards can be played during this step, and abilities can't be used.
Section 4: Keyword Abilities
Some ships have abilities that are not fully explained on the card or only have brief reminder texts on them. Listed here is a full description of each ability and its effects.
Rapid Fire X
This ship/structure can attack up to X additional time(s) each turn.
Long Range
This ship/structure deals combat damage before those without long range.
Stealth
This ship/structure cannot be the target of attacks, events, abilities, or intercepts.
Detector
Enemy ships lose stealth.
Shield Pierce
Damage dealt by this ship/structure cannot be absorbed by shields.
Sentinel
This ship doesn’t expend to intercept.
Shuttle X
When this ship enters space, you may play up to X Strikecraft from your hand, skipping the warp sequence.
Section 5: Glossary
(1), (2), (3), and so on
These are costs that you pay with energy when you play a card or pay for an ability.
(E) Expend
This symbol means “expend this card.” It appears on activation costs. You can't pay (E) if the card is already expended.
Ability
Text in a card's text box that affects the game, excluding flavor text and reminder text. Abilities only work on cards while they're in play. There are three kinds of abilities: activated abilities, triggered abilities, and static abilities.
Once an ability is played, it will eventually resolve unless countered by another event or ability. It can also fizzle if it has no legal targets upon resolution. It doesn't matter what happens to the source of the event or the ability once the event or ability is awaiting resolution.
Absorb
Attack
Controller
A card's controller is the one who played it. An activated ability's controller is the player who used it. A card in space's controller is the one who played it unless another spell or ability changes who controls it. A triggered ability's controller is the player who controlled the source of the ability when it triggered.
CosmicBody
A card type. Go to page 5.
Cost
Discard
To discard a card is to take a card from your hand and put it into your scrapyard. If an event or ability makes you discard cards, you get to choose which cards to discard—unless the event or ability says another player chooses the cards or you have to discard “at random.”
If you have more than ten cards in your hand during the cleanup step, you have to discard until you have ten.
Deck
A deck is composed of at least 60 but no more than 75 cards of your choice. To play a Solace of Eternity game, you must have your own deck. Once the game starts, the deck becomes your reserves pile.
Destroy
When a mass or research is destroyed, it is put into its owner's scrapyard. Ships and structures are destroyed when they sustain damage equal to or greater than their hull values. Generally, an event or an ability can destroy a card in play (without dealing damage to it).
Draw a card
To draw a card is to put the top card of your reserves pile and put it into your hand. You draw one card during each turn at the beginning of the draw step. You also draw additional card if an event or ability lets you; this does not affect your regular draw. If an event or ability lets you put a card into your hand from your reserves pile but doesn't use the word “draw,” it doesn't count as a draw.
Enemy
Enters space
When a warp sequence initiate, a warp sequence completes, or a structure or research resolve, they enter space in a system of their controller's choice. A cosmicbody enters space upon being played in the chosen system as well.
Some triggered abilities start with “When [THIS CARD] enters space,....” When a card with an ability like this is put into space, this ability triggers right away. Some abilities also trigger when certain other cards enter space.
Some cards say they enter space expended. These cards don't enter space and then become expended—they're already expended by the time they enter space.
Event
A card type. Go to page 5.
Expulse
Expulse exceeds the strength of a regular 'destroy' action. When something is expulsed, it is removed from the zone it was before and placed into the void. For the most part, cards placed into the void won't be returned to any zone until the game ends.
Interrupt a [CARDTYPE]
To interrupt a card is to cancel out that card so it has no effect. If a card is interrupted, it's removed from awaiting resolution and put into its owner's scrapyard. Once a card starts to resolve, it is too late to interrupt it. CosmicBodies don't need to resolve and are immediately put into play, so they cannot be interrupted.
Mass
An mass is any card in space, excluding research. CosmicBodies, Ships, and Structures are all masses.
Owner
The person who started the game with the card in his deck is the owner of a card. Even if your enemy has control of one of your cards, you're still the owner. (If you loaned your friend a deck, he will be the “owner” of all the cards in it for that game.)
Priority
Scrap
Scrapping is an action you inflict upon your own masses or research. Upon scrapping something, you put it into your scrapyard. You can only scrap it if an effect specifically tells you to.
Ship
A card type. Go to page 5.
Structure
A card type. Go to page 5.
Target
A card telling you to target a specific type of card allows you to choose a card that meets those requirements. Then, the rest of the effects may affect that target. If a card tells you to target more than one card, all the targets must meet the requirements or the card 'fizzles' and is put into its owner's scrapyard if it's an event. An event that can't find a target upon resolution also 'fizzles' and is put into its owner's scrapyard.
Unique
A unique card is one of which only one can be in space at any time. If there is more than one of a unique card that shares a name, all copies are put into their owners' scrapyards.
