(Epic Battles: Online – Core Rules Addition)
Locations are a new type of card that represent the arena, battleground, or environment in which the fighters are battling.
A Location provides two different continuous abilities—one that applies to your side of the Location, and one that applies to your rival’s side.
Locations are played during the Set Step of the turn and do not require any energy or additional cost to play.
Playing Locations
A Location may be played only during your Set Step (before Battle begins).
A Location is played face up in the arena.
You may play only one Location per Set Step.
There can only be one Location in play at a time.
If a Location is already in play and a new one is played, the new Location replaces the old one.
The replaced Location is put into its owner’s discard pile.
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Control and Orientation
When a Location is in play:
The bottom half of the card applies to you, the player who controls it.
The top half of the card applies to your rival.
“You” on a Location refers to the player whose side of the card the text appears on.
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Simultaneous Location Play
If both players want to play a Location during the same Set Step:
1. The turn player chooses whether to play a Location first.
2. After the turn player sets a Location (or declines), the rival may then set a Location.
3. Whoever plays a Location last is the player whose Location remains in the arena.
Example:
Both players reveal that they want to play a Location this turn.
It is Player A’s turn.
Player A plays a Location.
Player B may now play a Location.
If Player B does, Player B’s Location replaces Player A’s.
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Location effects are continuous effects unless otherwise stated.
They are active as long as the Location is in the arena.
Location effects may modify attacks, blocks, combos, card types, costs, triggers, or other game systems.
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A Location is considered in the arena as soon as it is placed during the Set Step.
The top and bottom effects of a Location are both considered to be “your” effects for their respective players.
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When a new Location is played:
The old Location immediately leaves the arena.
All continuous effects from the previous Location end.
Support Characters represent allies who assist you during the fight.
They enter play face-down during the Set Step, and you may flip (activate) them later by spending energy as an Action.
Support Characters stay in the arena and provide ongoing or triggered effects until you choose to discard them as an action.
You may play any number of Support Characters during your Set Step.
Support Characters are played face down in the arena.
Playing a Support Character does not cost energy.
A Support Character is not considered to be in play for rule purposes until it is flipped face-up.
Flipping a Support Character requires using your Action for the turn.
During your Action, you may pay the energy cost printed on the Support Character.
When the cost is paid, flip the Support Character face-up.
Its text becomes active immediately unless it specifies a different timing.
This activation counts as your Action for the turn (not an attack).
Once flipped, a Support Character stays in the arena until you discard it .
You may discard a Support Character as an Action to use its “When discarded” effect, if it has one. Some Support cards tell you when to flip the character and perform the effect.
Discarding a Support Character always sends it to its owner’s discard pile.
You may only have one copy of each Support Character in play at any time.
Example: You cannot control two different Akane Support cards.
If a Support Character already in play would enter the arena again, you must choose one to keep and immediately discard the other.
You cannot include or play the Support Character of the same character you are using as your main Character card.
Example:
If you are playing Ranma, you may not play Ranma (Support) in your deck or into play.
Support Characters can have three types of abilities:
Effects that are active while the Support Character is face-up in the arena.
Some abilities occur the moment the Support Character is flipped face-up.
If a Support Character has a ♦ symbol or a text line beginning with “When this is discarded…”, that effect triggers when you discard the Support as an Action.
These follow the normal timing rules for triggered effects found in the Advanced Rules Document.
Support Characters follow the same arena definitions outlined in the Advanced Rules Document:
A Support Character is not in the arena while face-down.
Once flipped face-up, it is a card in the arena, under your control.
Effects that refer to “your cards” refer to cards you control in the arena.
Techniques represent specialized fighting styles, stances, or mastery skills that modify how your character performs throughout the battle.
They behave similarly to Events—played face down during the Set Step and flipped as an Action—but unlike Events, Techniques stay in play and provide continuous effects for as long as they remain in the arena.
A Technique can enhance attacks, trigger new benefits, or alter core aspects of gameplay.
You may play a Technique card face down during your Set Step.
Playing a Technique does not require energy.
While face down, a Technique is not in play and has no effect.
To activate a Technique, use your Action for the turn.
Pay the energy cost printed on the Technique.
After paying the cost, flip the Technique face up; it is now in play.
Its continuous effect begins immediately.
Flipping a Technique is your Action (you cannot also attack that action).
A player may only have one Technique in play at a time.
If you would flip or play a second Technique while one is already face-up:
Choose one to keep.
Immediately discard the other into its owner's discard pile.
This functions similarly to uniqueness rules but applies to the entire card type.
Techniques can have continuous effects and triggered effects:
These effects modify gameplay as long as the Technique is face-up.
Examples:
“Your punches do +1 damage.”
“Your kicks gain +1 chip.”
“Your projectiles cost -1 energy (minimum 1).”
Continuous effects follow the normal rules for floating or lasting effects in the Advanced Rules Document.
A Technique may also include triggered abilities that activate when certain conditions occur.
Example:
“When you perform your first successful attack each turn, discard the top card of your deck. If it is an attack, put it into your energy pile.”
These effects follow standard triggered effect rules and timing.
A Technique remains in play until:
You choose to discard it as an Action, OR
You play/flip another Technique, forcing you to choose one to keep.
When discarded, it goes to the owner’s discard pile. Any “When discarded…” text on the Technique triggers at that moment.
According to the Arena rules in the Advanced Rules Document:
A Technique is not in the arena while face down.
Once flipped face-up, it counts as a card in the arena and under your control.
Its effects apply immediately and continuously unless the card specifies otherwise.