Errata Bulletin #5

After a thorough review of existing card text following the publication of the comprehensive rules 2.0, we’ve identified some areas which require improvement for consistency and comprehension. This bulletin serves as a reference for players and judges to have the most recent card text for these cards before any of these cards may be reprinted.

We consider functional errata as a change to the text of a card or token that fundamentally changes any rulings about interactions within the game. We do not consider errata that update card text to use new syntax as functional errata if this is not the case. With the continuous increase in the total card pool for players, we recognize that finding the correct most up-to-date card text for any card is becoming more difficult and we are planning to address this in the future. Stay tuned for future developments in this area.

The following changes are effective immediately.

Functional errata

Runechant and Quicken trigger on play AND activation of an attack.

Runechant and Quicken tokens make up a fundamental part of the Flesh and Blood game; Runechant tokens being a core design element of the Runeblade class, and Quicken tokens being a staple element generated by many generic cards (with more to come). The Monarch core set introduced a key interaction that was initially overlooked, where targeting an aura (with spectra) with an attack action card would trigger these tokens, but not if you targeted them with a weapon. There are some other minor interactions involving trigger order and conditions for other cards, but ultimately the inconsistency between attack action cards and weapon attacks for these tokens has been an issue for new and old players alike to comprehend and apply correctly. After much internal deliberation, we have decided to unify the trigger timing for both of these cards and will be reprinting them in upcoming sets.

Quicken

When you play an attack action card or activate a weapon attack, destroy Quicken and the attack gains go again.

Runechant

When you play an attack action card or activate a weapon attack, destroy Runechant and deal 1 arcane damage to target opposing hero.

Zephyr Needle, Phantasmal Footsteps first trigger when defending, not when the combat chain closes.

In a previous Back Alley Oracle that detailed the changes to cards for the Comprehensive Rules 2.0 update, we noted that Zephyr Needle and Phantasmal Footsteps would follow the same trigger syntax as cards with Battleworn, Bladebreak, etc. However, due to some fundamental rules around combat, this leads to some undesirable interactions. For example, under the previous text, your Zephyr Needle was defended by Carrion Husk, you could choose to resolve Carrion Husk’s defend trigger first, preventing Zephyr Needle from being destroyed (because it is no longer being defended by a card with {d} greater than Zephyr Needle's {p}). As such, this change will be reversed to its original intention.

We have decided to update Zephyr Needle and Phantasmal Footsteps syntax to ensure that these undesirable and unintuitive interactions do not occur. Zephyr Needle and Phantasmal Footsteps’ triggered effects now trigger with a state-based condition. If the state is met at any given point, the effect will trigger, and create a delayed-triggered effect that destroys the card when the combat chain closes.

Zephyr Needle

Once per Turn Action – {r}: Attack. Go again

When Zephyr Needle is defended by a card with {d} greater than Zephyr Needle's {p}, destroy it when the combat chain closes.

Phantasmal Footsteps

Once per turn, when an Illusionist attack action card you control is destroyed, you may pay {r}. If you do, gain 1 action point.

Whenever this defends, you may pay {r}. If you do, its {d} becomes 1 until end of turn.

When Phantasmal Footsteps is defending a non-Illusionist attack with 6 or more {p}, destroy it when the combat chain closes.

Duration of Blossoming Spellblade effect

Originally, Blossoming Spellblade had an ambiguous element to its effect that was ruled to last for the rest of the game. Specifically, if the card that was banished is played, but does not go to the graveyard that turn, players would have to continuously track that card throughout the game so that if it were to be put into the graveyard eventually, instead it would be banished. While there are few real cases where this would be applicable (e.g. Channel Mount Heroic, Energy Potion etc.), it was not originally designed to do so, and the burden on the players to track this information throughout the game is unreasonable without additional aides. As such, Blossoming Spellblade has been given a functional errata to correct this interaction.

Blossoming Spellblade

Earth and Lightning Fusion

If Blossoming Spellblade was fused, it gains "Whenever this deals damage to an opposing hero, you may banish a 'non-attack' action card from your graveyard. If you do, you may play it this turn as though it were an instant and if it would be put into your graveyard this turn, instead banish it."

When you attack with Blossoming Spellblade, if it was fused, deal 1 arcane damage to target hero.

Putting a card on the bottom of its owner’s deck.

In a retrospective review, we have found that the effects that specified that they returned to “your deck” may cause issues with future design spaces and lead to cards owned by another player ending up in your deck. To address the problem we’ve decided to universally errata mentions of “your deck” that would lead to those situations. Cards that you do not own should not end up in any of your zones that are not in the arena, including, deck, banished, graveyard, hand, and arsenal zones.

Cognition Nodes

Action - {r}: If there are no steam counters on Cognition Nodes, put a steam counter on it. Go again

Once per Turn Attack Reaction - Remove a steam counter from Cognition Nodes: Target attack action card gains "When this hits, put it on the bottom of its owner’s deck."

Evergreen

If Evergreen is played from arsenal, put it on the bottom of its owner’s deck when the combat chain closes.

Over Loop

When Over Loop hits, put it on the bottom of its owner’s deck.

Boost

Salvage Shot

When Salvage Shot hits, put it on the bottom of its owner’s deck.

Timekeeper's Whim

Deal 5 arcane damage to target hero.

If Timekeeper's Whim is played during an opponent's turn, put it on the bottom of its owner’s deck.

Warmonger's Recital

The next attack action card you play this turn gains +3{p} and "When this hits, put it on the bottom of its owner’s deck."

Go again

Non-functional errata

Fractal Replication updates

Fractal replication was originally designed and printed while the comprehensive rules 2.0 were still in development. As such, its printed text does not accurately reflect the intention under the new set of rules. While the release notes detail the intentions of how the card should be ruled, it is receiving an errata to ensure that future printings of the card have the updated syntax to prevent misunderstandings. Specifically, that Fractal Replication gains the base abilities of all Illusionist attack action cards; and not gained abilities of, or effects that currently apply to, those cards.

Fractal Replication

When you play or defend with Fractal Replication, it gains the base abilities of all Illusionist attack action cards on the combat chain.

Fractal Replication's {p} is equal to the greatest base {p} among Illusionist attack action cards on the combat chain.

Fractal Replication's {d} is equal to the greatest base {d} among Illusionist attack action cards on the combat chain.

Forked Lightning

*sigh* Forked lightning has been the topic of much conversation and debate since its initial release in Arcane Rising. The intention of the card is that upon resolution, the card deals arcane damage to two heroes simultaneously, as a single package/event. This prevents a player, that is targeted twice, from applying sources of arcane barrier (or other prevention) more than once as if they were separate instances. With the comprehensive rules 2.0, the wording of this card needs to be updated to reflect this intention and hopefully put an end to future debates regarding how the card functions and interacts with replacement effects.

Forked Lightning

Deal 2 arcane damage to two target heroes. You may target the same hero twice.

Replacement effect syntax

Replacement effect rules and syntax has, and continues to be, fleshed out with more cards being developed in the space. To ensure that older cards conform to the correct syntax usage to describe how they interact with modifying events, the following cards have been updated. Gambler’s Gloves has been updated to ensure the timing is explicitly mentioned in the modified event, Metacarpus Node has been updated to include the phrase “instead” to signify that it is a replacement effect, and Mordred Tide has been updated to ensure that it correctly applies to compound events.

Gambler’s Gloves

If a hero would roll one or more 6 sided dice, instead after the roll you may destroy Gambler's Gloves. If you do, that hero rerolls all 6 sided dice rolled this way.

Metacarpus Node

Whenever you play a card with an effect that deals arcane damage, you may pay {r}. If you do, instead it deals that much arcane damage plus 1, and destroy Metacarpus Node at the beginning of the end phase.

Arcane barrier 1

Mordred Tide

Until end of turn, if you would create one or more Runechant tokens, instead create that many plus 1.

Mentors

Mentors were initially developed with the intention that players would intuitively understand that they function correctly from arsenal. However, to avoid situations where exceptions must be applied on a card-by-card basis when the line between functional and non-functional abilities is blurred, we’ve decided to issue errata for the 4 mentors published in Monarch blitz decks to ensure that they have a syntax that functions correctly under the new rules.

The Librarian

While The Librarian is face down in arsenal, at the start of your turn, you may turn him face up.

While The Librarian is face up in arsenal, once per turn when you create a Spectral Shield token, draw a card and put a lesson counter on The Librarian. Then if there are 3 or more lesson counters on him, banish him, search your deck for a specialization card, put it face up into arsenal, and shuffle.

Lady Barthimont

While Barthimont is face down in arsenal, at the start of your turn, you may turn her face up.

While Barthimont is face up in arsenal, whenever you play an attack action card, banish the top card of your deck. If the banished card has 6 or more {p}, the attack gains dominate and put a lesson counter on Barthimont. Then if there are 2 or more lesson counters on her, banish her, search your deck for a specialization card, put it face up into arsenal, and shuffle.

Lord Sutcliffe

While Sutcliffe is face down in arsenal, at the start of your turn, you may turn him face up.

While Sutcliffe is face up in arsenal, whenever you play a 'non-attack' action card, deal 1 arcane damage to each hero and put a lesson counter on Sutcliffe for each damage dealt this way. Then if there are 3 or more lesson counters on him, banish him, search your deck for a specialization card, put it face up into arsenal, and shuffle.

Minerva Themis

While Minerva is face down in arsenal, at the start of your turn, you may turn her face up.

While Minerva is face up in arsenal, 1H weapons you control have +1{p}. Whenever a weapon you control hits, put a lesson counter on Minerva. Then if there are 3 or more lesson counters on her, banish her, search your deck for a specialization card, put it face up into arsenal, and shuffle.