This section is where you get into the sinew and gristle of the rules. Okay, that sounds kind of gross. How about... um_ this is where we explain how to resolve corner cases and special situations.

Calculating Values for Breakpoints or Power

1. The printed value is the number printed on it, unless an ability specifically changes it (e.g. Matrix of Bossiness, Let's Finish This).

2. The starting value is the printed value, unless an ability resets it to a specific number (e.g. Overgrowth, Mimic). If more than one ability tries to reset the same number, the current player chooses one and the others are ignored.

3. All abilities and other effects that adjust the value up or down -- e.g. "gains +X", "reduced by Y", power counters, monsters on bases -- are added to or subtracted from the starting value.

4. If the final value is less than zero, raise it up to zero.

Using Card Abilities

On-play (i.e. unlabelled) abilities, and Ongoing abilities with no specified timing, are resolved immediately after playing the card.

Ongoing and Special abilities with a trigger (before/when/ after/if X) are only resolved when X happens. Talents and Ongoing abilities that say "on your turn" may be chosen to be resolved once per your Play Cards phase.

When you resolve an ability you must follow all its instructions even if it's bad for you, unless it specifically says you "may" do something.

If you cannot do everything an ability makes you do (e.g., discard a certain number of cards), do as much as you can.

If an ability says "any number", you may choose one, or even zero. You may play a card that says "all" even if there are no targets for it to affect.

If no limit is specified in the rules or on the card, there is no limit. For example, there is no limit to the number of cards that can be played on a base or on a minion; and while an ability only resolves once per trigger, there is no limit to the number of triggers it can respond to unless it says otherwise.

On-play abilities happen when you play a card from your hand, or any time a card says "play". When minions just move around, that's not playing them.

Unless otherwise stated (on the card or in the rules), the effects of an ability expire at the end of the turn. An Ongoing ability ends when its card leaves play, unless the ability stated another expiration time, like the end of the turn. Abilities that grant control of another card last while the controlled card is in play, or until another ability changes its control.