19.0 Abilities

19.1 An Ability is a characteristic printed on a clade, beast, item, structure, or relic that 

lets it affect the game. Abilities are defined by the rules texts or by the effect that created it. All Abilities generate effects (See Effects 22.0).

 

19.1a Sometimes abilities are abbreviated through the use of flavorful keywords 

which may or may not have text on the card explaining the ability (See Keywords 29.0). Keywords are highlighted in bold and italicized.

 

19.1b Abilities can affect the clade, beast, item, structure, or relic they are on 

and can affect other cards of the same or different type.

 

19.1c When a clade, beast, item, structure, or relic has more than one ability, 

they may be strung together on a single line in the case of keywords, or 

there will be a divider image clarifying the distinct abilities. 

 

19.1d Effects can add or remove abilities from the above-mentioned card types. 

An effect that adds an ability will state that it “gains” or “has” that ability. An effect that removes an ability will state that it “loses” that ability. Effects that remove an ability remove all instances of it. If two or more effects add and remove the same ability, in general the most recent one prevails.

 

19.2 An ability can be an activated ability. Activated abilities are all written with an 

activation cost that has a phase and sometimes have a resource or fealty cost, or an additional cost written in text. This activation cost always appears before a colon. After the colon are all the effects of the activated ability. A ruler may activate an ability on a card they rule in their city if they have priority (See Priority 24.0).

 

19.2a Activated abilities may have a subtype - highlighted in bold (Battle, Vote, 

Duel, Ritual) that have a specific context in which they are played.

 

19.2b A Battle ability can only be activated by a ruler that has the beast, item, or 

structure in the current skirmish and only when they have priority. (See 

Battle 16.0).

 

19.2c A Vote ability is activated at dusk as indicated and initiates a call for a 

conclave vote (See Voting 17.1c). The effects of winning and losing or the 

consequences for the winner and loser are detailed in the text. If there is no description of a consequence then there is none.

 

19.2d A Duel ability is activated during the phase indicated and begins a duel 

between the beast with the ability and another indicated by the text, or 

between other beasts indicated by the text. (See Duel 18.0.)

 

19.2e A Ritual ability is activated during the phase indicated. A ruler must have 

a structure where the ritual takes place and enough beasts attached to 

that structure to reach a combined threshold of total statistical value (usually INT) indicated in the text. If the threshold is not met, the Ritual ability cannot be activated. (See Ritual 29.1c.)

 

19.3 An Ability can be a triggered ability. Triggered abilities are all written with a 

“When…” or “If…” clause finished by a colon. After the colon are the effects of the triggered ability.

 

19.3a Triggered abilities resolve their effect in order of priority. If a ruler has 

priority and many triggers occur at the same time in their city, they may choose the order in which the effects occur. Regardless, they must pass priority after each one of their triggers resolve.

 

19.3b Recruit abilities printed on beasts are triggered abilities that occur as soon 

as the beast is successfully recruited and attached to a location in a ruler’s city. Priority is not necessary.

 

19.3c Forge abilities printed on items are triggered abilities that occur as soon 

as the item is successfully forged and attached to a beast in a ruler’s city. Priority is not necessary. 

 

19.3d Build abilities printed on structures are triggered abilities that occur as 

soon as the structure is successfully built in a ruler’s city. Priority is not necessary.

 

19.4 An Ability can be a static ability. Static abilities are all written as statements which 

create continuous effects which are active while that beast, item, structure, or relic is in a ruler’s city.