Miscellany:
=Is there a website you'd recommend a look at?=
http://www.best.com/~sendai/rich/heresy
http://www.worldscope.net/gothtech/heresy/index.html
(If anyone has others, let me know... that is, as long as you don't mind
people being referred there en masse).
=What's the distribution of rarity in a pack?=
First, note that these are average or typical numbers and placements, and in no
way are meant to constitute a guarantee of any sort on the part of Last Unicorn
Games with reference to any of these issues or numbers. That said, reading the
pack from back to front, you get:
Starter Booster
Rare 3 1
Uncommon 12 3
Common 25 11
UltraC 20 0
=When do I get to call alephs?=
Somehow the text about calling alephs did not make it into the Player Turn
Sequence, beginning on page 21. Personally I think it's a Templar plot, but it
could be because the designer is an over-worked, drooling heap in the corner.
In any case, here's what happens when you call alephs (add this to your player
turn sequence): Call Aleph. During your may call as many alephs as you wish.
Alephs may be attached to either a location or a character unless oterwise
specified on the card. Like enhancements, alephs are attached to the card in
what ever position the card currently holds (i.e. either open, ready, or
stricken). An aleph may be used the turn it's called, so long as its special
ability allows it to do so. Thus, an aleph attached to an open character may
not be used if its special ability requires that it be opened to do so.
=Are stricken hosts exempt from all effects except whatever's striking
them?=
No, stricken Hosts are still subject to effects, they just can't generate
any of their own.
=Wait, continuous effects of stricken cards *do* work? That's in direct
conflict with the rulebook!=
We know, but the sheer headaches and questions raised by having a
continuous effect shut off, combined with the fact that they weren't really
considered when the rule was originally made, served as reason enough to make
it worth errataing the rulebook. The correct rule will appear in the Unlimited
printing when it comes out.
=Are "usable as a miracle" effects which don't require opening their card to
activate them usable multiple times?=
Yep, that's the way they work. You can use them over and over as long as
they don't require opening or striking the card in question.
=Can special abilities be used in either area of play (Matrix or Wilds) if
no otherwise stated? For instance, can The Grigori in the Wilds take out a
Puffer (a 1/1 Construct) in the Matrix?=
Unless otherwise stated, special abilities can be used in either the Wilds or
the Matrix, and can cross the border between the two, so yes, the Grigori could
kill the Puffer.
=With a face-down archive, there's a high potential for the unscrupulous to
cheat in an ante or tournament setting. How do you plan to remedy this in
official tournaments One idea might be to turn the archives face-up, but that
makes some cards (Bookworm, etc.) much more powerful...=
Yeah, but who wants to play with a cheater? Seriously, though, we're discussing
tournament rules right now. We're brainstorming to see what solutions we can
come up with. Meanwhile, if you have fair and inventive solutions, I'd love to
hear 'em. Honestly, we just never had this problem in playtesting because we're
such suckers for an honest face... ;)
=After I have used a Technolgy-convicted card (Wipe, for example) can I
discard it to my Archive?=
No, you may not discard Technolgy cards to your archive after you have used
them. Unless the specific card states otherwise, after use, Technology cards
must be obliterated just like non-technolgy cards. The only time you
may discard Technolgy cards to your archive is before your first turn, and
during your end of turn interval, and these cards must be discarded from your
hand.
=Some of the conviction icons in the upper right are in squares, and some in
diamonds. What is the intended difference?=
Merely a stylistic difference. It has no effect on gameplay.
=I heard that distributors are sold out of Heresy, is this true? If so will
there be another print run? Will it have different borders or what?=
The little gold ankh in the lower left of every card signifies that it is from
the first, or "limited," print run. Expect this symbol to change color with
each edition of Heresy. We wanted to keep this subtle so people wouldn't get
upset about different editions being so graphically dissimilar. With this
system we keep the cards looking pretty much the same, but you'll be able to
notice the difference for trading and so on. As for the news that the game is
sold out -- absolutely not true! We've got plenty of Heresy for all
those budding fans out there, at least for a while. If a dealer tells you
Heresy is out of stock at the manufacturer, tell them to call us or e-mail us,
and we'll straighten out the trouble. The numbers are in the rulebook. Email
on such topics should go to phantombox@aol.com.
=How do face-down cards, such as result from the Maskweavers, work? And
in what way are they different from stricken cards?=
Well, to start, "stricken" is a state a card is in - the face-down card
just serves as a reminder. Note, too, that when a card is stricken it's open
as well, thus stricken Incubi don't lose control.
But beyond that, a card which is turned face-down is "hiding", in a sense -
it's mixing into the crowd, in disguise, something. Face down cards can only
be targeted by name, not by just pointing to a card. If you don't remember
what was there, well, that's the point. Since they can only be targeted by
name, they must have been revealed first. A face-down card is revealed if:
- It takes any action or is opened or otherwise affected by any effect.
- It becomes eligible to deal or receive damage on defense in a combat.
- Its special ability has some effect on the game's current status.
- Its controller chooses to reveal it in order to allow it to have
an effect in some other way (Such as revealing Archangels to boost
Michael while they're face-up, or drawing 9 cards with Melchisedec.)
- Another player attempts to call a second copy, and it is unique - in
this case the new copy is obliterated immediately.
A card being turned face up may be responded to.
Any face-up cards may be returned to a face-down status during the
controller's next maintenance phase.
Note that: In point 1, being at a location when defense is declared is not
grounds for revealing, but point 2 is phrased as it is because unless a blitzer
is present only on the defending side, all characters become eligible to
receive damage at once from attacking characters. In a case such as a
Pestilence, non-characters need not be revealed, since they are not affected,
but all characters must be in order to prove they survive. In the case of a
Firestorm, meanwhile, characters and locations may be revealed one at a time
until enough total defense has been revealed that the Firestorm's X is
insufficient.
Specific Card Rulings:
=How exactly do I play Firestorm and other X-type cards?=
The way these should be played is to treat the X as a minimum value, and as the
maximum result permissible. Thus, if the Defense value at a location decreases
as a result of a scramble, the Firestorm works fine, but if it increases due
to, say, an Urban Defense Grid or Mansemat, and the X isn't high enough to
cover this, it fizzles.
=Can I use Kushiel (strike him), pay 0 tau and obliterate a stricken
character?=
Since a stricken character has an effective defense value of 0, Kushiel could
pay 0 tau and obliterate the character.
=Sybil, a heathen, can acquire the stats of any character in any oblivion;
does this mean if she mimics a host she can vote? Also, is she required to use
her special ability every turn?=
It helps to think of Sybil as a kind of vessel for the character she becomes.
Once her activation cost is paid, she completely assumes the identity of the
character she's copying, including any ability to vote, uniqueness, card type,
conviction, special ability and so on. As long as Sybil assumes the identity of
another card, and the only attributes she maintains of her original identity
are her card type and her special ability. Thus she can be affected by cards
that target Heathens and Hosts if she has a Host attached to her. Sybil does is
not required to switch characters every turn; she is merely limited to using
her special ability only during her controller's maintenence phase. Sybil's
special ability should be amended to read: "When called, place on an array you
control. Open and pay X aura to attach target character in any oblivion to
Sybil. X equals aura required to call target character. While target card is
attached to Sybil, she retains only her own card type and special ability. In
addition she assumes the name, conviction, card type, values and special
abilities of the attached card. During your maintenence phase, you may open
Sybil and pay X aura to swap Sybil's current character with a new one from any
oblivion. Neither Sybil or attached character require virtual support."
=Hey, what's up with the two versions of Corporate Arcology and why is there
no uncommon Evolution domain?=
During development the common and uncommon domains of any given conviction were
given the same name, but we later decided to change the names to make the card
list less confusing (see also the note about Governmant Geodesic and Industrial
Underground, below). When Corporate Arcology (the common Acquisition domain)
was assembled in pre-press, we made a mistake and dupicated the card instead of
changing it into Research Arcology. If you want, you can play the uncommon
Corporate Arcology (the one who's italic flavor text begins "Often located in
remote areas...") as the Research Arcology with the following stats:
Conviction: Evolution, A/D: 2/3, VS: 2, special ability: Open to provide one
aura. This will be corrected in the standard edition.
=What if you use the Holy Grail to pull a netwalker out of the Matrix? Since
netwalkers can't jack in, they're doomed by the current card text. Is it meant
to refer instead to being back on an array?=
Well, that was supposed to mean that as long as the character was attached to
an array when the last token was removed then everything would be fine. Amend
Holy Grail's last sentence to read "If target is not attached to an array when
last token is removed, obliterate target." Ditto for the card "Replication."
=The Host Malik causes all opponent's Miracles to increase by a cost of 2.
Does this mean miracle cards, or does it include abilities which perform like
miracles (probably the former, but it is unclear)?=
If you read the card's text, it says "miracles cost an additional 2 aura to
call". Calling is the act of putting a card from your hand into play, not
activating a special ability that can be used as a miracle, so no, Malik cannot
affect special abilities, only call values.
=The Rodolphine Tables cause all face-down cards in play to be put face up.
Stricken cards are placed face-down to show they are stricken. Does that mean
the Rodolphine Tables (called "Ralph" in our games) causes stricken cards to
immediately go to Open status? (Again, it seems that the intent of the card is
to refer to ICs, which are put face-down, but it could be argued to
include Stricken cards as well).=
The intent of cards like the Rololphine tables is to turn face-up only those
cards that have not been stricken. Stricken cards remain exempt from similar
effects.
=I'm not sure I understand Ethnarch. It says, "When Ethnarch is called, name
a domain you control. When target Host is attached to or intervenes on behalf
of the named domain, Host gains +2/+2." Does that mean that when I call
Ethnarch, I can simply say, "Urban Sprawl," and the bonus counts for any Urban
Sprawl I control, or does the bonus only kick in for a particular Urban Sprawl
of my choosing? In other words, does "domain" mean single card in play or a
domain type?=
Ethnarch and cards like it are meant to target a specific domain card in play,
not general domain types. Thus, when Ethnarch is called you must name one
specific domain card it applies to.
=So can two Hosts be Ethnarchs of the same domain? How about one Host
and two domains?=
Well, despite the fact that it doesn't make perfect sense in a game world
context, it's perfectly legal.
=I'm not sure I understand Renunciation. It says, "Name a new conviction for
target card. Cards that provide influence now provide influence of the new
conviction." By using the plural, "cards," Renunciation kind of implies that if
I cast it on a Seafloor Metroplex and choose the Rebellion conviction, then
all influence-providing cards will produce Rebellion
influence.=
Renunciation and cards like it only affect the specific target card they are
attached to. The last line of Renunciation should read: "If target card
provides influence, it now provides influence of the new conviction."
=Can Silat target an already-open host?=
Since Silat's special ability opens the target Host, the Host must be in the
ready position to be considered a valid target for Silat's ability.
Errata:
> Awakened, Cacophonites, Chromeopaths, Enlightenment, First Church of
Eugenics Ascendant, Gaians, Hard Corps, Manicheans, Outmodes, and Titania
Perimeter:
When these cards provide influence, it is until the end of the turn only.
> Arioch:
The words "Celestial Power" in his special ability are a typo and should be
ignored.
> Dies Irae:
The text for Dies Irae should read: "When Dies Irae is called place it face-up
in front of your deck. During any turn after the one when Dies Irae was called,
place 1 token on it for every domain you obliterate controlled by an opponent.
During any of your turns that Dies Irae has tokens on it, you may convene the
Aereopagus. Votes cast must be either for or against you. During the execution
phase of voting, in addition to their Host's votes, each player may spend their
stored tau to cast one vote per tau spent. You may also cast 1 vote for each
token on Dies Irae. If you win the vote, you win the game. If you lose the
vote, obliterate Dies Irae, and continue the game. You may have only one
apocalypse in play at a time.
> Firestorm:
Text should be ammended to say "X equals 2 times or greater the total defense
value of target domain and all characters attached to it when Firestorm is
called."
> Government Geodesic:
Change "Biodome" to read "Government Geodesic"
> Holy Grail and Replication:
Amend last sentence on both cards to read "If target is not attached to an
array when the last token is removed, obliterate target."
> Industrial Undergound:
Change "Tunnels" to read "Industrial Underground"
> Israfel:
Change "vote" to "Challenge" - Israfel may not be used during Apocalypse votes.
> Juggler:
Add the text "When called, attach to an array you control. Does not require
virtual support." (Astute players will have noticed Juggler is a Construct, and
will have figured this out already.)
> Looking Glass:
Text should read: "Obliterate tau from target array your opponent controls to
equalize the amount of tau on it with an array you control, or add tau to
target array you control (up to it's tau storage capacity) to equalize it with
an array opponent controls. X equals amount of tau removed from or added to
target array.
> Martyr:
Text should begin: "When attached to a domain, ..." Martyr's ability isn't
intended to be used across the borders.
> Redemption:
Substitute "Redemption" for "Resounding" in the second paragraph.
> Scythe Of Saturn:
Change text to read "Open and remove Scythe of Saturn from the game to shuffle
your oblivion back into your deck."
> Uriel:
Change "vote" to "Challenge." Uriel may not be used during Apocalypse votes.
©Copyright 1996 Last Unicorn Games
Converted to HTML, and table of contents added, by Sixten Otto