Glossary

🧾 Epic Battles TCG Glossary

A

Action – The core opportunity a player has each turn to play attacks, events, or blocks. Most commonly used to describe when a player plays an attack or combo.

Arena – The area of play that includes any cards currently in play (played attacks, set events, and Kamidogu). It does not include hands, decks, energy piles, discard piles, or characters.

Attack – A card type that initiates offensive action. Comes with a cost, damage value, and often traits (like Kick or Throw). Only attacks naturally go into the energy pile after use.

Attack Timing Sequence – A detailed, 12-step sequence dictating how every attack is played, resolved, and potentially followed up.

B

Block – A type of card that can be played in response to an attack to prevent damage. Must match the zone (High or Low) of the incoming attack.

Battle Step – The second of the three steps in a turn. During Battle, players play attacks and resolve their Action.

Bottom of Deck – Some effects return cards to the bottom of a deck instead of a pile. Cards sent this way maintain game ownership and order matters only if multiple cards are returned at once.

C

Card Text – The specific written abilities or restrictions on a card. Always resolved exactly as written unless clarified by the ARD.

Character – Your avatar during the game. Each deck must contain exactly one Character card, which defines starting health, game-specific restrictions, and special abilities.

Chip Damage / Chip Cards – When a block is played against an attack, chip damage causes the top X cards of the deck to be discarded (X = the attack’s chip value). Damage is reduced, but not nullified.

Combo – Playing 2 or more attacks in a single Action. Grants access to link effects and combo-based abilities. Single attacks are not combos.

Control (of a card) – You control any face-up card on your side of the play area. You can only activate or use effects of cards you control.

D

Discard – Moving a card to the discard pile. Cards can be discarded from hand, top of the deck, or other zones due to effects.

Discard Pile – One of the game’s main piles. Cards enter here when used, blocked, or discarded. Players can view all cards in any discard pile at any time.

E

Energy – The primary resource system. Most cards cost energy to play. Attacks naturally go to the energy pile when they finish.

Energy Pile – A visible pile of cards that fuel card costs. Each card in your energy pile is worth 1 energy, regardless of type.

Event – A type of card that creates special effects. Events are usually flipped from the deck or set beforehand. They do not go to the energy pile unless specified.

F

Flipping (an Event) – Turning over the top card of your deck as part of an effect (usually when attacking). If it’s an event, it may resolve immediately.

Floating Effect – An effect that continues after the card that created it has resolved. Unless it states otherwise, it ends at the end of the turn.

Fully Blocked – Some cards require multiple blocks to be fully blocked. A partial block is not sufficient to prevent effects that require full blocks.

H

HIT – – Text that only resolves if the attack is not blocked. These effects are ignored if the attack is successfully blocked.

Hand – The cards you currently hold. Not part of the arena. You draw from your deck into your hand and play most cards from here.

Healing - effects putting cards from your discards on the bottom of your deck become Heal "X" from "location"  

K

Kamidogu – Special cards from the Mortal Kombat set. They can be gained through combos and provide passive benefits when controlled.

King Card – A powerful character card formed by 4 puzzle pieces. All 4 are required to play. Still counts as 1 character during deckbuilding.

L

Launcher – A keyword trait that may interact with specific combo effects or character abilities. Indicates an attack can “launch” the rival in gameplay flavor.

Link – A card's ability to chain into another attack. An attack that “links from” another may be played as part of a combo.

M

Minimum Cost – Some effects reduce the cost of a card. No card may be played for less than 0 energy unless it says otherwise. “Minimum of 1” effects override further reductions.

O

Owner (of a card) – The player who brought the card in their deck. When a card is removed or discarded, it always returns to the owner's zone.

P

Play (a card) – To place a card into the arena from your hand (or discard pile, if allowed) and pay its cost. Events and blocks are also “played,” though differently than attacks.

R

Removed Pile – Cards that are completely removed from the game. This is a separate zone from discard.

Rival – The opponent you are currently facing. Most effects target “your rival” unless stated otherwise.

S

Set (an Event) – To place an event face down in the arena, making it available for future flipping or activation.

Side Deck – A separate set of up to 6 unique “Side Deck Only” cards used in best-of-three match formats. You may swap between games.

T

Taunt - When you play an attack with Taunt your rival discards the top card of their deck.  If it’s an attack they may play it.  Attacks played via Taunt go to the discard pile instead of the energy pile. 

Traits (Punch, Kick, Throw, Slam, Projectile) – Attack identifiers used for combos, deckbuilding, and ability requirements.

Triggered Effect – An effect that activates when a specific condition is met (e.g., “at the start of Battle”). Only triggers once per condition per instance.

Z

Zones – Areas like your hand, deck, discard, energy pile, and arena. Each has unique rules.