DARK EDEN FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Updated 6/16/97

There haven't been many questions about the Dark Eden game so far. As more questions arrise, I will update this page. If you ever have any questions about the game, please feel free to e-mail them to me at bryan@thewinternet.com.

This FAQ is organized into five sections:

  1. GENERAL QUESTIONS deal with overall questions about expansions, packaging, and other non-game info.
  2. RULES QUESTIONS wil provide answers and clarification to the way the game runs.
  3. GENERAL CARD QUESTIONS will discuss questions that have to do with more than one card.
  4. INDIVIDUAL CARD QUESTIONS will list only those cards that have questions. If a card is not listed, no questions about it have been submitted.
  5. ERRATA will list errors that got through the editing process.

Note that some of the answers here may sometimes be slightly different from those answered via e-mail in the past. The answers listed here are considered OFFICIAL.

GENERAL QUESTIONS

When the Dark Eden basic set is reprinted, will the cards have white borders?

No. The black borders will remain, but the blue pinstripe that runs around the perimeter of each card will be removed. That pinstripe will only be found on first printing cards,and is how you can tell the difference between limited and unlimited edition cards.

Are expansions planned?

You bet! The first expansion is in production and is called GENESIS. Not much info can be released yet, but we can tell you a few TENTATIVE things. GENESIS will be a very wet expansion! It will feature many seafaring warriors, and include a number of Establishments that are on coastlines, floating above the water, and even submerged! GENESIS will feature many new warriors and Establishments for the four main affiliations, as well as a new Commander for each tribe. Also featured will be a number of Megacorp and Brotherhood warriors and Commanders, plus a few Art Spells to make things interesting.

GENESIS will include approximately 121 playing cards (Common and Uncommon, but no Rares), plus 10 or 11 Info Cards providing background and new rules. GENESIS will probably ship in 15 (+1) card boosters, which means each booster will contain 15 playing cards and 1 FREE Info Card. They will also very likely ship in the same style of box the basic game came in, with 24 boosters per box.

After GENESIS, the next expansion will be called EXODUS. But we can't talk about that one yet. : )

Are there tournament rules?

Yes, right here. Feedback about then is always welcome!


RULES QUESTIONS

SETTING UP

Is there a limit to the starting amount of gold in the common pool?"

No. It is "bottomless."

Is a player's annihilated pile kept face-down, like the discard pile?

Yes. Also, no player may look through his or her annihilated pile, nor any other player's.

PERFORM ACTIONS STEP

During my Perform Actions Step, may a single PATRIARCH play more than one RITUAL per turn? Likewise, can a single PROPHET play more than one PROPHECY in a single turn?

Yes and yes.

During my Perform Actions Step, may I form more than one Attack or Defense Group?

Yes. You may perfrom all of the actions as many times as you wish or are able. Just remember that each Group must have at least 2 warriors in it, and no warrior may be in more than 1 Group at a time.

BALANCE STEP

During my Balance step, may I collect my surplus Gold and then use it to pay for other needed resources?

No. You may only collect "surplus" resources and the end of your Balance step, AFTER all your cards are Balanced. This is true both for surplus Gold that you add to your Gold Reserves, and any surplus resources you plan to store in the various STORAGE Establishments (GRAINERY, SILO, and TANK).

ATTACKING AND RAIDING

Can Flyers attack Troopers?

No. A warrior (or Group) may only attack another is they share the same Battle Tactic icons. For example, a STAINED CROW may not attack a CONSCRIPT.

Do Troopers prevent Flyers from raiding?

No. The warriors in your Borderlands only prevent raids from radiers who share the same Battle Tactics. So if you only have a bunch of CONSCRIPTS in your Borderlands, a raiding party of STAINED CROWS may simply fly over them and raid your Establishment. Likewise, if you just have a bunch of STAINED CROWS in your Borderlands, a raiding party of CONSCRIPTS may siple "walk under" them and raid.

During Combat or Raid Modification, all the players pass. May the Attacker/Raider start another cycle? For example, during a 2-player game, my warrior attacks my opponent's warrior. I start the Modification. I pass, waiting to see if my opponenet is up to anything.. My opponent then also passes. May I now play a card?

Yes. The Attacker/Raider begins AND ENDS the Modification steps of combats and raids. If a complete cycle goes round and all players pass, the Attacker/Raider may play a card (thus starting a new cycle) or pass for a fimal time and end Modification. Remember, however, that the Attacker/Radier may not end Modification until a complete cycle goes around in which all players pass.

What happens during an Attack or Raid when one of the combatants is Transfered away? For example, during combat in which my CONSCRIPT is fighting my opponent's CONSCRIPT (which is in his Borderlands), my opponent plays TRANSFER ORDERS and moves his Conscript to his Warband. Can my warrior follow and continue the combat or does the combat end?

The combat ends.

What happens when the only Establishments in a Turf may not be raided at all? For example, what if all the Establishmetns in a Turf are flipped over with WRENCH IN THE WORKS, or the only Establishments are IMPERVIOUS ROCK FORMATIONS? May I raid the Commander?

Yes you may.

What about if the only Establishments my opponent has aren't raidable by air and I only have a flyer to raid with. May I raid the Commander by Air?

No, you may not raid the Commander. You must take out those other Establishments first. A good way to think about it is A Commander may only be raided if there are no Establishments in the Turf ABLE TO BE RAIDED BY ANY MEANS.

For example, the only cards in your opponent's Turf is his Commander (with the Land and Air Tactics) and an ESPIONAGE AGENCY (with only the Land icon). You may not raid the Commander at all, since there are still Establishments protecting it. You must raze the AGENCY first.

Hence the importance of having Troopers, Sailors, and Flyers in your Turf.

May my single warrior attack a single warrior that is part of a Group?

No. You may not select a warrior in a Group. If you want to take out a in a Group, you must take on the entire Group. A Group always works together. Single warriors may attack and be attacked by Groups, and Groups may attack and be attacked by single warriors. So when attacking, you have these options:


OTHER QUESTIONS

Can you play cards that state "play during your turn" at ANYTIME during your turn? For example, could I play MILITIA after I Balance and recieve surplus Gold.

Yes and yes.

GENERAL CARD QUESTIONS

How do I Muster ISLAND TEAM MEMBERS?

Right now, the only ways to play ISLAND TEAM MEMBERS is through the WRIT OF INQUISITOR BENEDICTUS or HARDING'S INFLUENCE (Harding let's you play warriors of "any affiliation"). The GENESIS expansion will feature Megacorp and Brotherhood Commanders and EMBASSIES.

OK, I have WRIT OF INQUISITOR BENDICTUS in play, but I don't have any cards that give me persmission to play Brotherhood or Megacorp cards. Doesn't this break the affiliation rules?

No. Remember that in Dark Eden, card texts always take precedence over rules. The WRIT gives you permission to play cards with the ISLAND TEAM MEMBER designation. This takes precedence over the general affiliation rules.

Regarding KEY-CODE SKULL cards : If your opponent has no Establishments in his/her Turf and you successfully raid his/her Commander, are you able to attach a KEY-CODE SKULL to your Commander after paying the appropriate cost?

Yes. KEY-CODE SKULLS may be played after successfully raiding a Commander as well as an Establishment.


INDIVIDUAL CARD QUESTIONS

COMMANDERS

CAIN MOURNER

Is BLITZ cumlative with Cain Mourner's ability?

Yes, the effects are cumulative, and your warriors may raid 4 times

JONAH SAND

Can JONAH SAND convert all surplus RM icons he is pulling in, or just the ones genereated by the Commander card itself?

He converts all surplus RM icons.

NEPHARITE ANCYRITE

When using NEPHARITE ANCYRITE as your Commander, who allows for all of his warriors to be considered "Worthy of Dark Symmetry", is it necessary to use the DARK BLESSING card on any affiliated warriors to make them worthy of Dark Symmetry ?

No. All of ANCYRITE's warriors are considered WORTHY, no matter what affiliation they are.


ESTABLISHMENTS

BARRICADE

My opponent has a BARRICADE next to a MINEFIELD. BARRICADE states you must raid it if you raid by Land and MINEFIELD says you must raid it before you raid any adjacent Establishment. If I raid by Land, what can I do?

In this instance, both cards state that you must raid that card if you raid by Land. Both have equal precedent, so the raiding player may choose one or the other to raid. However, note that due to the restrictions on the BARRICADE, you MUST raid one of these two before any other Establishment in the Turf.

CRESCENT MUSK

What happens if I have a CRESCENT MUSK underneath a SANCTUM or a BARRICADE?

The MUSK is not considered adjacent to these cards - it is underneath. Therefore, it may ne raided.

NOTRE DAME

Can I Muster Templar warriors during my opponent's turn?

Yes. Any time means any time.

PULP PLANT

Is the text on the PULP PLANT about producing the only kind of food that Lutheran Warriors can eat flavor text or rules text? i.e. Can Lutheran Warriors be sustained on ARALABLE LAND food resources? If so, what's the point of PULP PLANT?

The Lutherans can eat any Food -they are not limited to what is produced by the PULP PLANT. It will definitely have greater use when the Genesis expansion is released. In the meantime, you're going to need a lot of food to make that "weenie madness" deck using 30 LUTHERAN DISCIPLES, and only 5 ARABLE LANDS probably won't be enough! : )


WARRIORS

CORARIUS TRANSPORT

Can STRAFE ATTACK be used on a CORARIUS TRANSPORT to allow it to attack, since it is normally not able to attack?

Yes. It will allow the CORARIUS to attack, but only by Land.

COSSACK KOMMENDANT

Is the COSSACK KOMMENDANT considered a COSSAK?

No. If he was, it would say "Considered a COSSACK" on his card (like it does for the COSSACK SCOUT).

HORDE TROOPER

My HORDE TROOPER is faicng an Attack Group comprised of 3 INFANTRY warriors. Does my HORDE TROOPER give a -1 modifier to EACH Infantry he is up against, or just one?

Each INFANTRY is modified. For example, a HORDE TROOPER can take on an Attack Group containing100 million UNDEAD LEGIONNARIES (CV of 1 each), but since erach is at -1, the net result is 100 million zeroes, and that isn't enough! No, it isn't exactly realistic, but it sure is fun!

PALANQUIN AIRVESSEL

May the PALANQUIN AIRVESSEL be attacked?

Yes. The "may never participate in combat line" simply means it may not perform the Attack action.

SACRED TEAR

Can the SACRED TEAR bypass a Defense Group or warrior in the Borderlands?

No. Because it has the Land Battle Tactic, the SACRED TEAR may still not raid if there are Troopers in the Borderlands. He just gets a cool ability when he raids all by himself.

UNDEAD LEGIONNARIE

UNDEAD LEGIONNARIES require no icons to put into play, does this mean any Commander can play them, or does that mean something else?

No. It only means they require no RESOURCE icons (like food). This is simply a clarifier because there are no Resource Icons on the card. Affiliation rules still apply.


INTRIGUES

CAMOUFLAGE

Can you use CAMOUFLAGE on a raiding party to sneak past cards such as the PREDATORIAN, which prevents one's Turf from being raided in any way?

Yes, but only if the raiding party is sneaking past THAT card. Basically, the Camouflage card "removes" one warrior card from the Borderlands while the raid takes place.

FIST OF JUDAH

Is FIST OF JUDAH supposed to have the WEAPON designation?

No. But the picture might make you think it does. The card is correct.

FUMBLE

Does FUMBLE count as a negative modifier where the various Lutheran Triad Cavalry are concerned?

Yes. FUMBLE has no effect on these cards.

HARDING'S INFLUENCE

Is there a reason why a Dark Legion player would not be able to have HARDING'S INFLUENCE in his/her deck ?

Nope. Any player may play HARDING'S INFLUENCE, no matter what their affiliation.

INEFFICIENCY

Can INEFFICIENCY be played on an Establishment that has only blue icons so that it generates less of their product (for example, it has 3 food icons, but with INEFFICIENCY on it only generates 2 food)?

Yes. INEFFICIENCY can be played on ANY Establishment (except those like IMPERVIOUS ROCK FORMATION, which may not be affected by any cards in any way), and requires ANY one extra resourceof your choice.

INFILTRATION

Can INFILTRATION bypass a BARRICADE or SANCTUM or MINEFIELD?

Yes. With INFILTRATION you may raid ANY card in the Turf.

PAYMENT UP FRONT

If my Commander has PAYMENT UP FRONTattached to it, does every single card I play have an Initial Cost of +1? Even the ones that have no Initial Cost?

Yes. EVERY SINGLE card you play has an Initial Cost of +1. All cards that have no Initial Cost listed are considered to have an Initial Cost of1. Brutal, eh?

SHIELD

What are the limits of the SHIELD card ? For example can it be placed on the SOLIDARITY card, or other similar card that states that it is discarded/annihilated after the Group is disbanded or at the end of turn sequence ?

Basically, SHIELD protects an Intrige card from "Outside Influeces," such as other Intrigue cards like DENIED. SHIELD does not prevent a card from being discarded or annihilated if the card's instructions specify that it must be discared/annihilted in order to be used. So for your SOLIDARITY example, SHIELD will not prevent it from being discarded, because the SOLIDARITY card gives specific instructions tha tit must be discarded after it is used.

VALPURGIUS ARRIVES

If I have HARDING'S INFLUENCE in play, and my opponent brings out VALPURGIUS ARRIVES, do I have to discard HARDING'S INFLUENCE?

Yes.


ERRATA

BLESSING, OR CURSE?
This card does not modify a CV. Ignore the "+2" in the CV area.

FERVOR
Add this sentence to the end of the card: "This card will also affect victorious Groups (even Defense Groups)."

FIX THE BOOKS
The first sentence should read "Play before any player's Balance Step."

FORTIFIED WALLS
The card should read "Initial Cost: 4. EQUIPMENT. Attach to your Establishment or Commander during your Perform Actions Step. The affected card gains +4 to its CV."

INEFFICIENCY
SWEDISH VERSION ONLY (the English version of this card is correct). This card may NOT be played on Commanders. It may only be played on Establishments.

MEMORIUM
This card does not have a CV. Ignore the "3" in the CV area.

MITCH HUNTER
Mitch is also considerd a CAPITOL MEMBER. This has no bearing on basic set cards, but will be important when GENESIS is released.

PALANQUIN
The Palanquin should also have the LAND Battle Tactic icon.

PATRIARCH
The following line should be added to the end of this card: "If the Warband/Borderlands contains only Patriarchs (or Groups containing Patriarchs), they may be attacked."

ROUGH SEAS
This card does not have a CV. Ignore the "1" in the CV area.

WATCH TOWER
The last sentance should read: "If it survives, it stays in your Borderlands, and the Raid continues with the other raiders."